Those are certainly safe choices. You’re about to go to great expense to build your home. Make sure you choose an overall look for your kitchen that you actually like, and one that fits with the rest of your home. And perhaps rethink the marble, as it doesn’t really belong in an informal space. Look for inspiration images by googling your materials, and check out the New to Kitchens thread here. It will help you ask the right questions and get the most useful information.

One of the most important things you can do is not cabinets or floors, but as much natural light as possible and good traffic patterns with the rest of the house.

I think Shaker has always looked good and always will. I prefer a painted cabinet. There have always been painted cabinets in kitchens. Marble and now it's excellent lookalikes have always been in kitchens as well, as have wood countertops. Wood floors in kitchen are also a natural - just don't go for something trendy - keep your flooring consistent throughout your house.

If one wants the "latest and greatest", one is doomed to have it look dated in 10 years; if one goes for classic, but perhaps not at all on trend, it will look fine in 10 years. It's really a personal choice. Frankly, I prefer to allow my "trendy side" be that way with a funky top from H&M, not something somewhat permanently affixed to my walls and floor.

stick to relatively neutral colors and patterns for all the expensive stuff (cabinets, countertops, floors). Put color in things that are easy to change out such as pendants, backsplashes, hardware, and paint.

I dont like anything diagonal such as herringbone or diagonal wood.

I like straight lines with little ornamentation. I dont love crown molding, fancy baseboards, or door casings. I prefer simple 1x6. It has the added benefit of being easy to fix it yourself later.

I like sinks without curves, cabinet countertops with clean lines (eased edges) and not a lot of embellishment or pattern.

If I ever post my kitchen, people are going to say it is boring ;)

You said quartite which is totally different in hardness and stain resistance than marble. It can be harder than granite. I think your choices so far are excellent. You may want to check into induction for a range or cooktop. Bosch Benchmark or Miele are two. Same for dishwashers. LED can lights could be on your list with drawers for most of your lowers.

I agree that your choices sound good. Though, I definitely prefer painted cabinets over stained. I would probably look at quartz countertops. They are very durable and if you do them in a more subtle pattern, should stand the test of time (as well as anything can).

I'm pretty much in the stained over painted cabinetry camp... but there have been pretty examples of both types, depending on overall desired kitchen ambiance.

I'd say the main things are good flow - will people trip over each other, is it inconvenient to perform usual kitchen tasks? Also good lighting, both natural day lighting from windows, and proper artificial lighting for night time, for your workspaces.

In lowers - more drawers than cabinets. It's more ergonomic.

Your choices sound stable.

The best looking and aging kitchens are placed in spaces with good or great architecture. Usually tall interesting ceilings and lots of high quality windows and exposure to the outdoors.

Of your choices, my biggest concern is the marble like counters. Materials that mimic the real thing and are all the rage do not tend to age well.

Eam, sishipup thank you for your insight.

@Anglo, I always appreciate your views (expressed in your many previous comments and I love your kitchen).

@Anthony, would love to see your kitchen pics.

@ Dan1888, we definetly are going with induction, however, not in the high end market, think 2k Samsung etc.

@Kelleg, we considered white, however, we are in Canada with unending snowy winters. White reminds me of snow and more snow. Lol, I’d rarher sit under a tree in summer, hence wood cabinets. Love their warmth!

@atemsis, totally agree drawers and more drawers and lots of light.

@wolfgang, advice well heeded, ceilings are 9’ and cabinets to the ceiling.

@cooks kitchen, interesting re raised panel. I had those in a previous house but I’m now leaning toward flat panels. Perhaps, I am being drawn into ‘a fad’. I also like alder or birch as they accept stain so readily and I like the nuances/character this wood species gives. Your advice to consider the kitchen as part of a whole is well taken. This is my intent, however, there is so much to choose from and I love so many things I see. Do you have advice on how to narrow and make correct choices?

I am in process of planning a kitchen remodel and so I've been asking myself the same questions about "timelessness." And, personally, I've come to feel that chasing timelessness in terms of appearance is probably impossible. In 10-15 years, shaker/wood/marble-or-marble-look-quartz will probably "date" a kitchen as much as harvest gold appliances say "this is a 1970s era kitchen." We may still find that look attractive, but it will certainly place a kitchen in a certain late 20th-early 21st century time frame.

Looks and tastes change, and that's okay. I find that keeping this in mind has been freeing for me -- it allows me to just think about what I like to look at right now, rather than trying to take into account unpredictable future trends.

But one thing that never goes out of style is functionality, in my opinion. Good natural and artificial light, ample work surfaces, plentiful electrical outlets (if there's anything I can predict, it would be that 'smart home' features will become even more prevalent), high-quality (not necessarily EXPENSIVE) fixtures and appliances, a space that is comfortable and proportioned well and that fits into the overall style of the house...that's always going to work even when cosmetics change. You have a wonderful opportunity to do all that since you're building your home; I'm trying to retrofit some of these elements into a small kitchen in a small house. My house was built in 1949 -- it was a modest home when it was built, and it's a modest home now, and so the kitchen will reflect that cosmetically. But I hope to have it work better for me than it does now.

Anyway, I can't wait to see what you come up with! I love drooling over the high-end kitchens here.

First, before considering this stuff about being dated, finishes, which induction stove, etc., while you are in this early planning stage, think about windows and windows placement and type. Shape. Size. Casements? (the tightest, most wind-resistant style) Double hung? (a traditional look) Double hung with muntins? (a pain to clean, but some home styles just need them), wood-clad windows or vinyl? Which brand?

If you are in the building stage, don't let your builder make your windows decisions for you - they will usually choose the cheapest and easiest for them if allowed, even the high-end builders. Hang out on the Windows Forum (link below) to read about different types and brands.

My kitchen is transitional- between traditional and contemporary. My home came with a kitchen with an enormous window covering almost an entire wall. The large center part is stationary, with tall narrow casements on each side. We have the small round dining table in front of it, and I never tire of gazing out that window during meals all times of day and different seasons. I swear I can't move from this home cause of that kitchen window!

Styles come and go, but good windows will always make the house look good.

Houzz Windows Forum

What advice do you have to ensure, the kitchen is not dated in 10yrs. I am looking for a timeless, classic look, though informal.

Make the features of the kitchen match the style of the house. What will date a kitchen fastest for example is having slab doors and all sleek and modern in a traditional house, or having corbels and raised panel cabinets in a sleek and modern house.

The next most important thing is to pick things you love and not things you love now because it's the latest and greatest trend. Go back and really think about those things you love that have withstood the test of time. If you do what you love, it will withstand the test of time. It's sort of like buying clothes. Best to stick with basics you love for the foundation of your wardrobe and then dress it up with the more trendy stuff.

A prime example is I fell in love with shaker style cabinets over 30 years ago. I just never liked raised panel, even when I was young. My first and only choice has always been shaker cabinets so even if they "go out of style", I will still have shaker cabinets in my house. (It also helps that the style of house I love is craftsman or houses from 1900-1930.)

Don't be afraid to do something out of the ordinary if it's something you love.

A prime example is the quartzite I picked for my counters. Totally out of the norm for most people, but I fell in love with it and then based the colors of my house around them.

However it wasn't out of the norm for me since I do prefer a stone with movement and my favorite color to decorate with over the past 30 years has been shades of green, with tans a close second.

So, if you're considering wood, what wood do you gravitate towards?

Or do you prefer painted cabinets?

What colors do you gravitate towards? What about incorporating your favorite colors into your kitchen?

Do you love quartz or would something else really float your boat? Quartzite? Granite? Glass?

Don't be afraid to do something out of the ordinary if it's something you love. The kitchen in my condo was renovated back in 2010 and yet I'd bet most here would still consider it not dated. Why? Because I chose what I loved. Cherry wood shaker cabinets, a granite with lots of movement, shades of tans with some greens thrown in (the ceiling is a shade of green), a good layout for what it was and it fit the style of the condo.

These are my ideas: shaker style wood cabinets, wood floors, and marble like quartzite.

If that's what you love, then go for it. However if you're doing it because you think it will stand the test of time, then I'd rethink what you're doing.

stick to relatively neutral colors and patterns for all the expensive stuff (cabinets, countertops, floors). Put color in things that are easy to change out such as pendants, backsplashes, hardware, and paint.

Obviously I strongly disagree. If you love blue, then do blue. If you love green, do green. If you love black, or even red, do red.

I read this after I wrote my comments. You said it better than I could have. This should be a sticky at the top of this forum.

Connect the kitchen choices to the architecture choices instead of leaving them feeling like a stand alone room that has nothing to do with the home as a whole. The entire home should be thought of as a single painting—a single work of art. Design the home as a whole.

This is my intent, however, there is so much to choose from and I love so many things I see. Do you have advice on how to narrow and make correct choices?

If you save stuff in pinterest and here in the houzz books, you'll start to see a trend in those things that speak to you. That and think in terms of the style of house ARG created for you.

Older kitchens that look good to me have objectively good design even if the finishes are out of fashion. Not that I'm the best judge of good design, but meaning good natural lighting, colors go well together, balance, function. Like [this 1983 kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/1983-kitchen-help-to-keep-it-please-dsvw-vd~5142625). Are you working with a professional on finishes? I think the worst "dated" kitchen examples probably never looked so great when they were in fashion, so I think if you have pro help in making sure everything goes well, it's more likely to stand the test of time.

I agree with cpartist on the neutrals. Yes it's good to aim for classic on more permanent elements of your space. But I think the neutrals in the house date it as much as any colors do--think tuscan pink-beige or today's cool grays. Not saying that you shouldn't do all neutrals, just that neutrals are trends too and don't guarantee the kitchen stays in fashion. Using your favorite colors helps ensure you'll enjoy it. (my recent remodel is all neutrals FWIW, just I think there are pros to colors too!).

There's so much good advice here, I don't have anything to add. I'll second two thoughts: be true to the style of your house and choose what you love.

The truth is, most kitchens will seem dated in 10 years, including the one that I'm planning right now.

But if you chose materials you love, chances are good you'll still love your kitchen many years from now.

Neutrals have a place in any house, but finding the right place is key. I learned many years ago to keep my hallways neutral as my rooms had lots of color in them - the transition zone had to be neutral for it to not end up looking like a decorator show house where each decorator takes a room and does as she pleases.

My kitchen also works best being neutral. It didn't start out that way - I had LOTS of color in that kitchen. But it's a small kitchen, and is very cut-up - 3 door openings and a huge window. It has very little open wall space, either. It's an enclosed kitchen, not open concept. That kitchen looks much larger and is calmer and more serene if it's neutral. This is the 2nd time I've gone neutral in this kitchen and it suits not only the kitchen, but the rest of the house.

I could never live in a monochromatic, totally neutral house. I like color and pattern far too much for that. Also, the architecture of the house must lend itself to such, and unless you've bought a MCM famous architect-designed house in New Canaan CT, chances are that's not what one owns. It does not lend itself well to a house with little architectural interest that is in a subdivision.

There is no "one-size-fits-all" in interior design. What works in my house, probably won't work in another one, and vs versa. But one can avoid trends that are very short-lived. Just think mini-mosaic backsplashes. How long did that trend last? About 3 years?

Some things are classic - a great white blouse or shirt, good bluejeans, khaki pants, a cashmere turtleneck sweater. The same is true for houses and kitchen. But in the end, chose what you love, IF you don't change your mind about that all that often. I know women who have tired of something before the AmEx bill arrived and it was paid for.

"This is my intent, however, there is so much to choose from and I love so many things I see. Do you have advice on how to narrow and make correct choices?"

I find this part really fun. And what you like may end up surprising you! Sometimes you don't really know until you study a bunch of photos carefully and compare them to one another.

I know that I've pinned kitchen after kitchen with butcher block counters and white cabinets. I'm really drawn to that look Unfortunately, I am a slob, and I know that I would never maintain butcher block counters the way they need to be to look good. (And I also want an undermount sink)

HOWEVER, I now know that I want wood somewhere in my kitchen -- maybe that will be be some beefy open shelves with an oak veneer, or a small kitchen cart with a wood top. I'm still puzzling it out.

Anyway, that's just me. But I'm sure you will find some common elements in the kitchens that you love.

I am looking for a timeless, classic look, though informal. These are my ideas: shaker style wood cabinets, wood floors, and marble like quartzite.

I'm saying this gently: You want a kitchen that won't look out of date in a decade ... but you've just listed the items that're uber-trendy today. Sure, they all have a foot in the "timeless camp", but the combination screams 2018.

I've been thinking on this a lot, too. I love white or black shaker kitchens, but it doesn't fit the style of our house, so it's a no go. For a kitchen that does not look dated in 10 years, I would think hard about two tone cabinets. I love the look, but it is very "on trend". Open shelving for the sake of "rustic touches". Farm sinks where there shouldn't be a farm sink (and I love a farm sink). Gray anything. Basically, kitchens that look like it was pulled out of an HGTV show but whose style doesn't mesh with the rest of the home. I think shaker cabinets will always be timeless, in homes where they belong. Same with neutral stone or quartz. Yes, quartz is man made and very trendy, but I think this is a case where technological advancement wins. It's so easy to care for and it's beautiful. Wood tones go in and out of fashion, so choose something you love and be prepared for it to look dated in 10 years and come back in trend in 20.

If you're not planning to sell in the next few years, what does timeless really mean? To me, it's something I can live with for a very long time, whether it's trending or not.

@cs929, thank you for both your comments. Totally agree with windows and light, this was my primary goal when designing the house. After living in a deep, dark, yes, beautiful home, I decided to never ever repeat that mistake again. As far as high end, hmmm, I didn’t consider what I am planning as high end lol.

@frieda...we are just looking at builders now, I will keep your words in mind with respect to windows. Due to their ability to form a very tight seal and this be more energy efficiency, it looks like casement at this point.

@CP, your wisdom, sense of style and creative wisdom is so amazing. Love your condo kitchen (your style is vey similar to my own) and your new granite is beyond magnifique and will withstand the test of time. Yes, ARG did create an awesome home and my intent is to stay true to the design. I may play around on Pinterest a bit more. I just don’t want to end up with an HGTV, daily special, here today gone tomorrow!

@cali, thank you For the link and I totally agree with good design and finishes, my intent will be to consult with a pro, just to be sure. Interestingly, I love Tuscan, yet I was in hotel recently and it screamed overdone ‘Tuscan’ though very well done, clean etc, it is dated.

@Mrs. Pete, I hear you re 2018, exactly what I want to avoid. More exploring and research needs to be done! If you have ideas etc, please let me know.

@renov, very true much advice has been given. This forum is just full of amazing folk offering great advice and thoughts.

@ Anglo, love your fashion analogy, hate mosaic very busy mosaic backsplash. Exactly what I am trying to avoid, trendy.

@kayc HGTV, is what I am trying to avoid, and no to grey anything. We get way too many grey cloud up here in Canada.

@cheri, very true about living with it a very long time...making a very expensive decision, loving it without regret is, to me, daunting lol!