5 Decade-Defining Features in Florida Homes & How to Update Them

A decade-defining feature is any element of your home that “gives away” its age. The most obvious examples are lime green or flamingo pink bathrooms (‘50s and ‘60s), oak cabinets (‘80s), and the infamous travertine floor (‘90s). Although these are generalizations, every region comes with its stereotypical home features based on when the community was constructed.

I’ve been in many homes here on the Gulf coast, and I can tell you that I’ve seen some definite patterns in the types of decade-defining features homeowners are likely to be living with — or buying, if they just moved or transferred here. While not all of these dated design elements need to be given the boot, if they feel out of place to you, there are several solutions you can implement, from renovating to a cosmetic refresh. 

Today, I’m sharing 5 dated design features I’ve seen around Pace, Navarre, Gulf Breeze, and Milton. Come take a look…

1. Dated Granite Countertops

Granite has become known as the countertop of the ‘90s, and while there’s nothing wrong with it functionally, the fact that we know its history means that we now see it as two decades old. If you love your granite countertops, that’s great. Keep them and move on to #2. If you aren’t loving the way they look, keep reading...

What can you do: If you feel like granite counters are aging your home unnecessarily, look for a more modern-day countertop stone, like quartzite or quartz. I help you compare the three countertop stones here (granite, quartz, and quartzite), if you’re having trouble deciding.

An alternative to replacing your countertops could be to update the area around them. In this Tuscan bathroom refresh, we found complementary tile options that work with the granite to help blend it into a more modern-day space.

This combination works thanks to a mix of warm browns and cool blue that match the undertones of the granite.

2. Travertine Tiles for Floors & Backsplashes

Like granite, travertine was a big hit in ‘90s, largely thanks to the Tuscan influence. Nowadays, its ability to date homes at a glance has homeowners scrambling for remedies. Although it is a functional material for Florida homes, where tile flooring helps us keep the home clean and cool, the aesthetic of travertine can drag the whole home down. 

What can you do: The obvious solution would be to remove those travertine floors and replace them with something else, such as LVP or hardwood in a kitchen, or other tile options in a bathroom (ceramic, porcelain, LVT). While this is the most transformative option, replacing a floor does incur a pretty big expense, so it might not always be in the budget. What could you do instead? 

Again, you can work some design magic by updating the area around the decade-defining feature. I recently shared this post about color palettes that liven up travertine, and it’s full of beautiful and cost-effective ideas for welcoming your travertine into this century.

Travertine looks natural and current in this kitchen, thanks to white painted cabinets, subway tile and modern hardware.

3. Cherry or Oak Kitchen Cabinets

I’ve seen a lot of shiny, cherry cabinets lately, especially around Milton. Honey-lacquered oak was also a popular cabinet choice in the ‘90s. While natural wood does cyclically go in and out of style from decade to decade, for the last several years, we have seen a pretty consistent shift to light cabinets that help brighten up the space.

What can you do: There are two ways to update cabinets. Replace them or paint them. There is some skill involved with painting cabinets, so I highly recommend hiring a professional for this. However, I can give some great paint colors that are my go-tos as a designer and for my own home.

Before & After

The home above suffers from decade-defining granite, travertine, and cherry cabinets. Since it was destined to be a rental, our clients needed a transformative refresh that wouldn’t break the budget. We left the granite and travertine, and paired them with light walls and cabinets. It looks like a totally different space!

4. Short Kitchen Cabinets

It wasn’t until recently that kitchen cabinets started making their way up to the ceiling, but what a difference it makes! Older homes have short, stumpy cabinets that make the space feel smaller. The home pictured above is a great example of that, but you can really see the difference when you look at the alternative.

Here are four spaces we’ve designed in the last 5 years, including one that is our own home!

Seeing a theme…? Cabinets always go up to the ceiling! This creates the illusion of height and gives you more storage space. 

What can you do: This update requires a renovation, and there’s not much you can do without one. However, if you are renovating, you now know that to-the-ceiling cabinets are a must. Don’t let any cabinet supplier talk you out of it. As a fixed feature of the home, having up-to-date cabinetry will add value to your home in addition to your daily life.

5. Outdated Hardware & Lighting

Last but not least, old lighting will date your home faster than almost anything else, but it’s fairly easy to spot when this is the case. The decade-defining feature that is a little sneakier is… hardware. The hardware on your cabinet doors, drawers, and plumbing fixtures, seems so small that it would be beneath notice, but these tiny elements actually have a pretty big voice in the design. 

What you can do: Fortunately, these decade-defining features are easy to remove without a large expense. I share several tips for selecting hardware here and more on how to choose pendants here. Before you start shopping around, here’s a look at what updated lighting and hardware can achieve:

In this Tuscan-inspired home, we helped our client select a new color palette that would work well with her existing travertine floors. However, we counseled her to completely update her hardware and lighting with more modern options, like these glass pendants and sleek handles in nickel. The result is a kitchen that feels fresh and new without requiring a major renovation.

And that makes 5! Thanks for joining me on this trip through time and homes around Florida. I hope you were able to see what may or may not be working well in your home, along with some easy and more involved solutions that may be the fresh, modern-day update you’ve been looking for.

If you need help transforming your home into a space you love, reach out to us here. We’ll happily chat about your project and see if we’re the right fit for each other.

Warmly,

Sarah (& Steve)