Fashions and trends come and go. But you cannot afford to remodel and redecorate your home once every 2-3 years. And, frankly, you probably do not like all the passing fads. However, just like a classic cut suit, there are styles of furnishing and decorating your home that never go out of fashion.

It would take too long to go in detail through every room in your house, so in this article we will focus on the kitchen. It is a central place for every family. This is where food is cooked. This is where the fridge is. This is where you keep snacks, fruit and sweets. Everyone spends some time in the kitchen, even if they do not actually eat there.

Give Your Kitchen a Timeless Look

First of all, let us understand this concept a bit. What does a timeless look really mean? It has to do with time honored traditions of furnishing and equipping a kitchen, items, materials and color patterns that were tested and tried by generations. They proved to be durable, dependable, and to allow a good usability of the kitchen.

We will not go deeper in the theory of esthetics, because it would not be helpful for you. Instead, we will give you practical advice on how to update your kitchen in a timeless fashion.

1. Use a Neutral Color Scheme

White, cream, beige, brown and grey are neutral colors and they are ideal for a timeless look. Why is it so? The most obvious reason is that they are the colors of natural materials used for building kitchen furnishings and decorations: wood, stone and metal.

These materials will never go out of fashion because they are sturdy, safe for use in a place where food is kept and prepared and easily recyclable. Plus, neutral colors are easy on the eye, do not cause fatigue and give a sense of calm and harmony.

2. Opt for High Quality Materials

A timeless kitchen is a kitchen that lasts for years. This is why our grandfathers used oak wood for the tables and cabinets and flagstones for the floor. Natural and sturdy materials are more expensive than artificial replacements, but they also last much longer. Buying cheaper items is false economy. They will need to be replaced after a few years. Plus, they tend to follow the current trend in design and color, something that does not meet the standards of a timeless look.

3. Invest in Retro Appliances

Retro appliances are by no means used items. They are brand new, but they are designed to look like those made in the ‘60s and ‘70s. The main characteristic of vintage kitchen appliances is the white color (as opposed to the stainless steel finish of modern appliances).

Also, vintage appliances have rounded corners and are smaller in size. They integrate nicely even into small kitchens and are easier to clean and maintain in proper working condition.

4. Replace Cabinets with Shelves

Kitchen remodel Denver showroom designs change frequently. However, something will always stay functional and trendy: the classic shelf attached to the wall. Shelves are easy to clean and will offer you easy access to plates, bowls, glasses, etc.

5. Copper Accents

A copper cooking pot and a coffee kettle are welcome additions to a timeless looking kitchen. This is a reliable and sturdy material for cooking vessels and has a pleasant color, that integrates nicely with the rest of the natural materials in your kitchen.

If you want to learn more about gated communities, let`s start by defining them.

A gated community represents a neighborhood protected by a gate which ensures controlled access and provides better protection against theft, crime and other intrusions. Everybody – residents or visitors alike – must pass through the gate (or the gates!) of such a community. Typically, gates have guard booths and security staff, or at least automatic systems that require a card or remote control access.

There are gated communities everywhere – in big cities, smaller town, as well as in rural areas. Their size also varies from a few properties to a few dozens.

If you consider moving to such a neighborhood, you surely want to know the pros and the cons. We offer you some guidelines.

What are the advantages of a gated community?

Besides better safety and protection, residents of gated communities enjoy numerous other advantages, especially if you are in lakefront homes Hot Springs AR communities.

Reduced vehicle and pedestrian traffic

There are no foreign drivers passing through these neighborhoods, the traffic being restricted to residents and guests. This makes walkways and roads safer for everyone, traffic accidents are greatly reduced and so is the noise.

The access to pedestrians is also limited, therefore residents experience less vandalism, theft and unwanted guests (such as those door-to-door proselytes, sellers etc.)

Access to public area

Many gated communities have their own communal facilities, such as parks, pools, sports facilities etc.

High property value

Owning a home in a gated community means higher HOA dues (these cover the costs of maintaining the patios, lobbies, landscaping etc.), but higher property value and faster home selling process.

Positive impact on the local economy

Gated communities tend to have a good impact on the economy in the area, which comes not just from the higher property value that we previously presented as an advantage, but also from high-income residents who generate tax boosts to their municipality. Some also advance the idea that gated communities put a barrier between low income and high income neighborhoods, encouraging economic inequality; in such a context, homes that do not belong to a gated community but are situated in its proximity may have to suffer by comparison.

What are the drawbacks of living in a gated community?

The residents of these neighborhoods typically experience less privacy and control.  There are various restrictions that everyone must respect, ranging from car parking requirements to the colors of the facades. There is a tendency toward uniformity (both physical and demographic) and some people may feel uncomfortable about it and constraint in their self-expression, although other will feel perfectly fine.

Another important detail is that the level of security is not the same in every gated community and it may not be what you expect.

It is therefore very important to get the necessary information before moving to such a neighborhood. You need to know the HOA regulations and it is also good to learn about other residents’ experiences related to living in a gated community.