Interesting! The albino kitchen is more millennial than we thought!

Thanks for sharing. I read so often people saying they don't want to make choices that go out of style too quickly. I struggle with that too. I wonder if that is a direct response to the style of certain decades like the 70's and 80's. It seems like those are the years were all trying to avoid recreating. I wish your stack of magazines was from back then. ;)

And you're right about the all white kitchen. The fact is, that is a trend too. Maybe it's safer than other trends like avocado and gold appliances but will it look right 20 years down the road in every house that has it. Maybe not.

White kitchens have been around here since 2007 - especially the "Something's Gotta Give" kitchen. It was all the rage back around that time and white kitchens have been with us ever since. I don't know about prior to 2007 as I did not join GW until 2007 - in fact that's when I found GW for the first time! I would not call it a "millennial" style.

White kitchens have come and gone, and they will do so again. The all-white kitchens that people are doing so much lately will eventually go the way of the harvest gold kitchens, the oak and Corian kitchens, the dark cherry and granite kitchens, and the ornate "European" kitchens of years past.

Not mine--I've had it since 1994, and I'm keeping it, although my kitchen isn't bright white, and I painted some of the cabinets green in 2011. That part might be trendy. My in-laws' kitchen has had white cabinets since the mid 1970's, my sister's kitchen--probably since the 1930's or 40's.

If you're dating the trend from 2007, then it absolutely is millennial regardless of what you'd call it, but I don't think you're right about that date. I think the albino kitchen hit its stride in the late '90s (hence, "more millennial") which is one reason it makes me laugh when people chose it now, so it won't look dated in fifteen years. It's going to look dated in ten.

Good taste will determine whether a kitchen grows old gracefully or not.

Moved into this house 2005. Did this kitchen with the help of GW. White kitchen, stained cherry island with subway bs. But, basket weave behind range.

i think back then it was ths thathomesite

My mom put in a very stylish kitchen in 1989 in all white. White appliances, white and wedgewood blue square tile backsplash, white hardware and white corian countertops. Wall color was a dusty rose. It was very fancy in 1989. When they sold their house in 2009, they had by that time swapped all the appliances with SS as each one needed replacing, and she swapped out the hardware with chrome. Their house was otherwise exceptionally updated, interior designed etc. But the 20-year old white kitchen was what sold the house!

To clarify, I don't think white cabinets by themselves will ever be dated. But I do think the ALL-white kitchen - cabinets, countertops, and backsplash - will be.

Let's check back in 10 years from now to see what's happened!

Kim - don't disagree. But the good thing about the "all white kitchen" is that you can make such easy changes down the road to keep it contemporary. Swap out the backsplash for $2000 and you have a new kitchen. Add some new light fixtures for $500. Or paint the walls a new color and add some bright art. Add some new cabinet hardware and people might not even realize your kitchen is 3 trends old. I don't think many other cabinet styles allow that much flexibility.

Everywhere I look, kitchens are white in upscale homes. Now though, they are paired with marble counters and backsplash, which actually has been happening for a while.

Please tell me, if white is not the most popular kitchen cabinet color, what is? Because, I can't seem to be able to find it.

I guess it depends on where you are. In new model upscale homes in my area, everything is wood, with gray maybe 1% of the time. White, never. Never has been popular around here for models.

I'll place a bet that the all-white kitchens which are now touted as "clean," "airy," and "serene" will, in 10-15 years, be called "sterile," "cold," and "clinical."

I am not saying that if you like this style, you shouldn't go for it. But I've been through a couple cycles of white kitchens falling in and out of favor, and I'm pretty sure 2016 is not the last time this ever happen.

Of course, you should take my predictions with a big grain of salt. Back in 2002, I thought full-height granite backsplashes were just a temporary aberration. ;-)

This is an entertaining read!

Thinking back to my rental history, almost all of the dozen apartments I've been in had all white kitchens. Especially the old complexes.

My last apartment was built in the 1920's. Original wood cabinets, with many coats of paint underneath, but the majority were white.

White walls.

White subway tiles -from the 20's. Super rough shape with nasty stained grout.

However, I don't think the white was for its 'trendy'ness!!

I remember when I first started on this site in about 2006, most of the kitchens were stained. Then someone posted their finished white kitchen with a black island and white subways - it was gorgeous but not extravagant. Everyone went bonkers for it. After that, there were more and more kitchens similar to that in style - and no wonder, it was really refreshing and beautiful. I always think of that kitchen when the topic of trends in kitchens come up - it was classic but trendy at the same time (and by trendy, I mean it seemed to start a trend towards a classic look - if that makes any sense).

White kitchens will always be in style. What changes are the cabinet styles, the sinks, the countertops, etc. Everyone now is all about shaker. 15 years ago, no one wanted shaker (except me. I wanted shaker 30 years ago but wanted cherry wood. LOL)

My first house had white slab doors (Ikea) and the original 1920's subway tile.

Mrspete, can you post a few of those photos?

I kept an issue of BH&G from 2008 for quite some time as my "inspiration" for my kitchen - until I lent it to my SIL and never got it back. The shaker cabinets were painted an interesting green, with green-blue glass tile backsplash -- it was the use of color that inspired me the most. No white kitchens in that issue that I recall!

White kitchens are timeless, it's the decorative touches that date a project. I first joined this forum in 2001 and fell down the white kitchen rabbit hole. THS members are first adapters (mainly I think because we have members from all over the country), so we were usually ahead of the national trend. You can pretty easily timestamp a white kitchen by wall color, countertop choice, and hardware (and to a lesser degree door style). Here's my timeline

1999-First home. Painted the oak cabinets white, added 4" square white backsplash tile, put in laminate counters that looked like the Corian we couldn't afford. Walls were a peachy taupe.

2001- White thermofoil raised panel cabs (there wasn't anyone doing white painted cabinets other than uber-high end custom manufacturers), khaki walls, maple butcherblock island, white subway tile (another item only being made by places like Ann Sacks and Sonoma Tile), brushed chrome hardware and fixtures, and Uba Tuba. I was one of the few non maple or cherry kitchens on the site.

2003- Custom white painted Shaker cabs with inset doors, crackled white backsplash tile, dark granite (wanted soapstone but impossible to find) , dark sage green walls, maple butcherblock, and brushed and polished nickel fixtures.

2008- new kitchen creamy white raised panel cabinets with a dark glaze, island in sage green, St. Cecelia granite, ORB hardware and fixtures, light sage walls, and Sonoma Tile subway tiles in Green.

Now a standard white kitchen is pure white cabs with Shaker doors, no upper cabs when possible, marble countertop, chevron or herringbone type backsplash in marble or white tile, maybe a walnut island, and brass hardware. Switch herringbone for glass mosaic and brass for brushed nickel and a 2016 kitchen is a 2012 kitchen.

I will say, our next kitchen will not be white. I think 20 years and 4 kitchens is enough!

Everything goes "in and out" of style. I think tasteful choices now will stand the test of time. Hyper white shades, anything with a heavy yellow or heavy pink undertones will appear dated. A neutral white is timeless. I also believe the trend towards 'natural - or well simulated natural' materials such as marble or granite will age gracefully. Any 'trend' taken to the extreme will show its age (im talking to you large single slab marble back splashes!).

I think lighting and cabinet hardware are also a large factor in what we get tired of and then call dated. In 1985, we put original schoolhouse lights, scavenged from the architectural salvage warehouses starting to pop up, in our new build. They still look lovely in people's kitchens, they are "in", not dated, but our current house, built in 2005, doesn't have a one, lol.

The only kitchen that won't ever look "dated" is one which is deliberately dated...ie. a period kitchen in keeping with the house,. And assuming it isn't truly authentic, but contains modern conveniences, it can still start to look passé. But some styles and colors and materials are less likely to scream one era or another, andcan more easily be freshened. White is definitely one of them. Avocado green...not so much.

I'm also of the mindset that even a white kitchen can look dated, but really, only because of the cabinet style, or thickness of something, the angles, etc. My neighbor had a beautiful, airy white kitchen, but it was DATED! Melamine cabinets, square (bathroom to me) tiles on the counter tops, a wood trim around the edges of the counters, fake white farmhouse furniture.

When you looked at the details as those of here are wont to do, we see the 'dated' where others would not. It's a forum curse.

I am also of the opinion that white is often for those afraid to commit to color. Look how some ag-un-ize (I made that up) over color and tints. (No, fishies, I'm not talking about you. You are an icon with an iconic kitchen.) White makes things easy.

Not a white fan here, but I do love shades of white. Cream, ivory, parchment, linen, etc. Something softer. But who cares? It's my kitchen and no one who knows me or has seen a small smattering of my kitchen would ever call me trendy, or afraid of being out of fashion. Crazy? Well, ya...

Building on what spanishsunlover said, I believe the best way to create a kitchen that won't look dated is to tie the kitchen design firmly to the period and architectural style of the house.

Unfortunately, many of us have houses that don't have an authentic architectural style, but rather a blend of many styles. That makes it even harder to design a "timeless" kitchen.

I rented a home in 1995 that was built in the 1930's. It had white painted cabinets, marble countertops, divided light glass upper cabinet doors, chrome pulls and white appliances. The floor was part wood and part linoleum.

White kitchens have been around since the 1890's. They are part of what has been referred to as the American Sanitary look. All white bathrooms are part of this design style, too.

My newest kitchen is white raised panel cabinets with slab drawers, beveled white subway tile backsplash, quartz counter tops that mimic marble and natural black Brazilian slate tile floors.

While there may be some merit to a regional bias, I think white will stick around for a while longer.

Sorry, but the title of this thread bought back very fond memories of a stack of magazines I found as an adolescent boy...

Joseph Corlett, LLC - what color were the kitchens in those magazines you refer to? ;-)

ooo.

Oh, my.

I will say, our next kitchen will not be white. I think 20 years and 4 kitchens is enough!

LOL. I'm laughing because when we redid our condo in 2010, I felt the same way about a white kitchen. I put in cherry cabinets, which I absolutely loved. However this time, I'm going back to white but I am putting in a dark wood island. A little of both.

The kitchens in the late 60s, when I was an adolescent, are shown here although the models seem to be wearing much more than I recall.

That page you linked is so interesting, Joseph. Take the first picture from the 50s or early 60s:

Swap the appliances for stainless, take out the 6" countertop backsplash, and switch the cabinet pulls... voila! You have an up-to-the-minute 2016 modern kitchen. Oh, and triple the size of the whole thing.

I have that exact same pan. I have cooked with it almost every day for 35 yrs, lol. My mom is 89. I certainly don't remember a kitchen like this one and I don't remember her ever dressing like this while cooking :-)

I ALWAYS wear my pearls while cooking.

I agree that one way to be more timeless, is to go backwards and be more vintage. My kitchen is not in style, but my friends tell me they think it is cozy and pretty.

The concept of the "dated" kitchen is something I am still trying, unsuccessfully, to wrap my brain around. The worn out kitchen - I understand that. Changing out expensive kitchen surfaces because of style - not getting it. I do get seeing something new, being able to afford it and replacing something worn out - just did that with my countertops and sink - love my new farmhouse sink.

I am trying to imagine Olivia Walton saying - John, these cabinets are so 1930s. We need to update them:) I am not sure if the pocketbook of the average person, especially in a down economy, can sustain the cycle of kitchen trends.

HGTV and the Internet give us a non-stop view into what we "ought to have" to supposedly make us happy - which is apparently related to being "on-trend". I do like my new sink very much - but it has not made me a happier person. I was pretty content before I got it.

Here is a fun read when your lot in life is to have an ordinary kitchen:)

http://victoriaelizabethbarnes.com/a-manifesto-against-the-tyranny-of-luxury-kitchens/