10 to 15 years: that’s often the general figure given on how frequently a kitchen should be remodelled.
Now just to clarify – remodelling means to build something new, whereas to renovate means to restore items to their original condition.
If you were to purely focus on renovating, that means you could stick with the same design indefinitely. That being said, the occasional worktop or cabinet replacement might need to happen every decade or so but overall, the kitchen would still look the same.
However, here we’re going to focus on the frequency of remodelling.
This is something you might want to think about if you’re sticking with your property for the long term.
Factors to consider
Let’s say we’re aiming for the 15-year mark. That means the kitchen could last you through one decade, and halfway through another. In that time, there are plenty of things that might compel you into remodelling your kitchen sooner than anticipating.
Let’s look into them…
1. Lifestyle Change
This could happen in several ways. For instance – a growing family could mean that extra space becomes more of a priority.
An interest in a new hobby – such as cooking (or even a loss of interest) could render some layouts more practical than others.
2. Durability of Materials
Something to consider is how often you’ll be using certain parts of your kitchen – such as your worktop, or cabinets.
More expensive but durable materials could save a lot of headache in the long run as opposed to cheaper, less durable materials which might break more often.
3. Changes in Home-Decor Trends
Home-decor trends change almost every 5 years. However, these changes are typically subtle.
If we compare home decor trends of the 1950s to the 80s, there’s a stark difference.
In the 50s, a huge emphasis was placed on vibrantly coloured wallpapering, as well as brightly coloured cabinets. Light neon greens, blues & yellows were the style.
Crossing over to the 80s and 90s, we see the opposite as homeowners opted for natural wood browns.
Moving a few decades forward into the 2010s & now in 2020, we’re seeing more homeowners embrace minimalism, simplicity & neutral colours – like whites, greys & blacks.
There’s an element in every trend that attempts to contrast the past.
However, timeless kitchen designs are good to consider if you don’t want the fuss of remodelling for a very long time.
3. Technological advancements
This factor is quite overlooked. We’re now seeing more & more technology being integrated into kitchens.
For instance, the location of charging ports might be important – but something to consider is that charging ports change with time.
Mobile phone & tablet manufacturers typically change & update their wires – so if charging ports are important, it might make sense to opt for something that can be replaced.
Having said that, wired charging stations will soon be a thing of the past altogether as wireless chargers get faster.
Some wireless chargers can even be built into certain worktops, which might influence you to choose one type of worktop over another.