How To Give Your Kitchen A Martha Stewart-Inspired Timeless Upgrade

When it comes to creating timeless looks in a home, it can feel challenging — especially when you consider how influential the latest trends can be. However, Martha Stewart has proven that even as trends come and go, there are certain design choices that make a space feel timeless. In her own home, Stewart's kitchen is a perfect example of how making the right choices with your cabinets and decor can go a long way towards giving you a room that feels fresh and new for years to come.

Stewart was smart about her design choices when she did her kitchen back in 2005. In order to get a more timeless look, "the kitchen cabinets are made with gray frames, a beautiful Bedford gray, as I call it. All the buildings are painted the same color gray, and the panels in the cabinets, flat-paneled cabinets, sort of in the American shaker style, are beautiful tiger maple," she shared with Homes & Gardens. Not only was it about the quality of the build, but also choosing a color that still looks good years later.

One reason that the gray works so well to create a timeless kitchen is because it's a versatile color. It works well with other shades and it's considered a neutral. Gray is a classic color that works in a variety of designs, from traditional to modern. Plus, it's a color that can look expensive, so it makes sense that Stewart's paint choice for her kitchen cabinets would be a shade of gray.

Using some of Martha Stewart's own tips and tricks, you can transform your kitchen into a timeless space. Beyond the color choice, when it came to the hardware she used, it wasn't about picking what was trending at the time. Instead, she chose knobs that are more minimal in design. "I like small knobs that are efficient and pull out so you don't catch anything on the cabinets. My drawers have small knobs on them," Martha told Homes & Gardens. Considering smaller knobs on kitchen cabinets are a more classic look, they can be used in any kitchen no matter the aesthetic. This more minimalist approach to her cabinet knobs also means that Stewart chose function and craftsmanship over something that would draw the eye.

Even with the cabinets themselves, Stewart went with a sleek design. Everything is flush, lining up together with clean lines. No moldings or other adornments on her cabinets mean that there are no trends to follow, as moldings can easily go out of style over time. This approach to her kitchen design is also more practical, as this creates less mess if something spills. Explaining her decision to go with this style of cabinets, Stewart shared, "if you have a spill off a counter, it's not going to go into the drawers and get stuck into all the fancy moldings and stuff. It's elegant but simple." It makes sense to consider that cabinet molding might be hard to clean, especially in a kitchen, where cleanliness is especially important. Overall, her approach to simplicity means that even 20 years later, the design looks like new.