Ditch The Trends And Take Erin Napier’s Advice Instead For A Timeless Kitchen
If there is one thing true about trends, it is that they come and go. There are kitchen features that are hot and trendy one minute, and then outdated and ready to be put to bed in the next. If anyone has experience with renovating dated kitchens, it’s HGTV’s Erin Napier. Traveling all around Laurel, Mississippi for her hit show “Home Town” Napier and her husband Ben transform old homes and kitchens into modern masterpieces whose designs are inspired by the personalities of the new owners.
The Problem with Trends

Trends come and go in kitchens. What’s hot one minute becomes outdated the next. This can lead to a kitchen that looks dated and in need of renovation. But what if you could create a kitchen that stands the test of time? A kitchen that looks great today, tomorrow, and for decades to come?
Erin Napier’s Approach to Timeless Design
Erin Napier’s approach to designing a timeless kitchen is to ditch the trends and look to history instead. In an episode of ” Erin’spired ” focusing on designing kitchens, Napier said: “[When] choosing shapes for something like hardware, something that was popular in 1910 and is still popular today sounds pretty timeless. So find that shape or that color or that finish that you’ve seen in every decade, and use that.”
The Power of Timeless Shapes and Colors

The idea here is that you allow shapes and colors that have been popular in the past and have remained so for years to influence the design choices in your kitchen. Rather than hopping on board trends that are actually making your kitchens look dated, like flashy cabinet hardware or tile countertops, follow Napier’s advice and use your own personal tastes to create a timeless look to your kitchen.
Examples of Timeless Shapes and Colors
- Shapes popular in 1910 are still popular today: Shapes that were popular in the early 20th century, such as rounded corners and soft curves, are still in style today.
- Hand-painted tiles can replace subway tile backsplashes: Hand-painted tiles can add texture, color, and personality to your kitchen, making it a timeless design element.
- Bold colors paired with neutral whites can create a timeless color scheme: Pairing bold colors with neutral whites and beiges can create a unified color scheme that can look good for decades.
Original Features of a House Should be Kept
When renovating a kitchen, it’s essential to consider the original features of the house. As Napier said in the ” Erin’spired ” episode, “When you’re stripping a kitchen down to the bones and you find something that’s original to the house, like brick chase, you’ve got to keep it.” Reclaimed brick is a hallmark of many of Napier’s kitchen designs as a wall or unique flooring option. Bricks can anchor spaces with history and timeless texture, and are a material that will easily elevate the design of your own kitchen.
Designing a Timeless Kitchen

There are many ways HGTV star Erin Napier blends timeless design elements while also pairing them with a homeowner’s personal tastes and preferences. Here are a few examples:
Examples of Timeless Kitchen Designs
- Hand-painted tiles: Swap subway tile backsplash for hand-painted tiles that bring texture, color, and personality to the kitchen.
- Bold colors: Bring color into your kitchen with bold cabinet colors or a colorful backsplash. Erin often proves that the heart of the home deserves a touch of playful elegance.
- Reclaimed brick: Keep original features of a house, like brick, during renovations to add history and timeless texture to your kitchen.
Conclusion
Ditch the trends and take Erin Napier’s advice instead for a timeless kitchen. By incorporating timeless shapes and colors, and keeping original features of a house, you can create a kitchen that looks great today, tomorrow, and for decades to come.




