Updating your kitchen is a huge undertaking — it’s also, as you know, an expensive one. As such, you don’t want to choose just any style or materials: you want to make sure your renovation will be eye-catching and fresh for years to come. That way, you can enjoy your kitchen and it can help bring in a bigger sale price should you move in the future, since an updated kitchen is one of the surefire ways to bring in more money when you sell your home.

With all those benefits in mind, here are six of the current renovation trends you’re seeing that’ll still be in style for years to come. Let’s give your kitchen some serious staying power:

1. Pair Dark with Light

At one point in decorating time, it was popular to have your kitchen floors and cabinets come in the same hue. Oak or cherry floors would blend seamlessly into cabinetry — the uniformity was all that homeowners and buyers wanted.

Now, it’s more fashionable to have clear separation and contrast between your floors and cabinets. Dark wood floors, for example, pop next to fresh, white cabinets. Not only will this be a kitchen design trend in 2018, but it’ll be something you see for years to come because it’s so clean looking and simple to achieve.

2. Go with Quartz Countertops

You already know that stone countertops are in — you may even have them in your home already in some capacity. And, while striking, bold granite looks amazing now, the subtler hues of quartz are your best bet if you want to choose something that’ll be in for years to come.

Quartz is, of course, just as durable as granite, but it’s easier to maintain. As previously mentioned, it’s often a more muted option than granite, too. Not only does that make it simpler to adapt your décor to your counters in the future, but it also means you’re less likely to tire of its lightly colored, slightly shimmering appearance.

3. Add High-Tech Extras

Your kitchen, of course, should have the basics: an oven, a stove, a refrigerator and maybe even a dishwasher. And, of course, there’s no harm in updating these appliances so that they look modern and work to the best of their ability.

But there are even more modern conveniences that you can install knowing that cooks of the future will appreciate them, too. One great example is a hands-free faucet: you can tap it with an elbow or forearm to start the flow of water to wash dirty hands without dirtying the tap in the process.

4. Stick with a Style

As you complete your renovation, you’ll want to make sure that your chosen kitchen style is uniform throughout. There are plenty of options when it comes to design styles, too: you could go with a traditional kitchen that’s classic enough to stand the test of time, or choose something industrial and modern that has clean, simple lines that will be in style for a while, too.

No matter what design style you choose, try and keep some of the above and following design tips in mind, which can be implemented in any kitchen. That way, when you do re-sell your home, there are existing elements that’ll sell your kitchen even if the buyer has a different style than yours.

5. Keep It Open

At one time, homeowners liked compartmentalized living. They wanted one room for cooking, one room for watching TV and another for eating. Now, all of these functions are combined into one large living space with plenty of room to breathe.

When you update your kitchen, make sure the space around it is up to date, too. An open floor plan is one of the most desired design elements of today’s buyers, and that won’t change any time soon. So, as you renovate, consider tearing down walls between your kitchen and dining and/or living rooms, for example, to make the space larger, more conducive to entertaining and more alluring to potential buyers of the future.

6. Light It Right

Modern technological advances haven’t been reserved for appliances, smartphones, tablets and computers. Even the light bulbs glowing over your head have been revolutionized so that they use less energy to create purer, brighter light.

Something as simple as installing LED lighting can make your kitchen look better and appeal to more buyers. Hanging them over your island or countertop workspaces makes it easier and safer to chop and cut food, too. And, these types of bulbs last longer and cost less to run, which make them a smart update for the look of your kitchen and the bottom line of your budget.

Give Your Kitchen Staying Power

Any one of these ideas will be a smart update to your kitchen, whether you’re renovating it for your own enjoyment or to boost the chances that you’ll sell your home for a good price. All you have left to do is plan your next move, buy the materials and get started — you have a kitchen to enjoy for years to come.

Author Bio:

Kacey Bradley is the lifestyle and travel blogger for The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts. Along with writing for her blog, she frequently writes for sites like US Travel News, Thought Catalog, Style Me Pretty, Tripping.com and more!

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