You receive a call to provide an estimate on a kitchen remodel. When you step into the room, it feels like 1974 called and wants their kitchen back. Your eye is immediately drawn to the faucet. As you look at it, you realize that the traditional look of the faucet hasn’t really changed much in more than two generations.
Should you suggest that a modern kitchen faucet be installed? Or would it be better to maintain the traditional look as you work out an estimate? What is it that your clients are going to want today?
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Why Choose a Modern Look?
The modern look is clean, uncluttered, and offers numerous shapes and design elements to enjoy. Kitchen faucets that incorporate this look feature customized, hand-forged, or L-shaped designs that provide a good user experience while being visually interesting. This design option seeks to minimize raised areas within the kitchen to create an open visual aesthetic.
The issue with the modern design is that it often requires a redesign of the kitchen to be incorporated. Not every client may be willing to finance a complete remodel. Simply installing a modern faucet in a traditional kitchen may provide the wrong look as well.
If you’re working with new construction, then a modern kitchen faucet and complementary design is the best way to go.
Why Choose a Traditional Look?
The traditional look of a kitchen features long, straight lines that are enhanced by the look of a faucet that feels ergonomic. Spacing for the faucet features is a bit wider in the traditional kitchen and there are more styles from which to choose as well. The traditional kitchen can work with almost any home because it works with the character of the space instead of trying to establish its own character.
If the home you’ll be working in already has the traditional design working for it, then it doesn’t make sense to tear everything down to create something new. Stick to the traditional look, but use a faucet that won’t create a cluttered look. Take advantage of cover plates and other features that can minimize the visual aesthetics of the faucet while still providing the charm of the traditional look.
The Best Option: Do a Little Mixing and Matching
For many homes, there isn’t a clear answer for the modern vs traditional debate. A little mixing and matching can be a good thing. Having the sink installed on an island with bar seating is very modern, but a traditional kitchen faucet can be a beautiful addition to that space.
On the other hand, some modern faucets may work well with certain backsplash designs, even though the look is completely traditional.
There is really no right answer here, but there are definitely some wrong answers to find. Before settling on the products to use or the faucets to install, talk with your client about what they like about both kitchen designs. That will allow you to choose something modern, something traditional, or fuse the two together.