Stickybeak of the Week: Mid-Century Kitchen Seen in a New Light
A once-dark space brightens up with colourful cabinets, lighter materials, bigger views and an expanded layout
The Olympic Manor neighbourhood of Seattle is full of “really cool houses built in the 1950s,” architect Sara Imhoff says. So when the time came for these homeowners to update their dark ’90s-era kitchen, they wanted to return the space to its original floor plan to help bring in more light and honour the home’s mid-century character. Additional touches, such as coloured cabinets, a new breakfast nook and a chalkboard wall, add energy and flair to the revitalised family hub.
BEFORE: The kitchen was renovated in the 1990s, when “grey-green was a popular colour palette,” Imhoff says. The cabinets were dark wood and the benchtops were black granite. “So everything was dark. The large island cut the room in half. And while the kitchen was large, it didn’t function very well. It lacked cooking efficiency, storage and light.”
AFTER: Imhoff removed the wall separating the kitchen and dining area to return the space to its original floor plan. The removed wall stood where the white ceiling meets the wood ceiling. Imhoff designed a small reveal between the white and wood to make it look finished. She added two sets of 3.6-metre sliding-glass doors that open onto a new deck with a glass railing that doesn’t impede the view from inside. The oak floor was existing.
The white walls add to the airy, open feeling of the renovated kitchen. Imhoff kept the new cabinets and island low to allow light into the room. The stove and range hood are leftovers from the previous kitchen. Imhoff used Bruck track lighting to avoid punching a lot of holes in the slanted ceiling.
A fireplace used to occupy the breakfast nook. Imhoff removed it, created the nook and added another window over the bench. The Powell pendant lamp above the table was selected with an orange interior to honour the client’s grandmother’s orange kitchen.
The homeowners chose the colours orange, teal and chartreuse for some of the cabinet fronts to add energy and visual interest to the space. “I advised them to buy sample cans of paint, test them on the walls and narrow their choices to three colours,” Imhoff says. “When I designed the cabinetry, I did a rendering of their choices so they could see what the finished kitchen would look like.”
The homeowners chose the colours orange, teal and chartreuse for some of the cabinet fronts to add energy and visual interest to the space. “I advised them to buy sample cans of paint, test them on the walls and narrow their choices to three colours,” Imhoff says. “When I designed the cabinetry, I did a rendering of their choices so they could see what the finished kitchen would look like.”
“The colours of the cabinets lend themselves to a mid-century aesthetic,” Imhoff says. White Caesarstone was used for the benchtops. The cabinets are a Euro-ply maple. “The clients liked the look of the flush cabinet drawers and having the frames exposed,” Imhoff says.
A chalkboard wall helps the family stay on schedule and express its creative side, giving even more vitality to the new kitchen.
TELL US
How do you like this family-oriented kitchen update? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more stickybeak stories
TELL US
How do you like this family-oriented kitchen update? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more stickybeak stories
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two children
Location: Seattle, USA
Size: About 37 square metres
Designer: Sara Imhoff of Imprint Architecture and Design
Bringing in as much light as possible was the top priority for this kitchen remodel. Not only did the homeowners want to take advantage of the stunning water views, they also wanted plenty of windows on the other end of the kitchen so they could keep tabs on their children when they’re outside. The house is at the end of a cul-de-sac, and it’s a popular play spot for kids in the neighbourhood, Imhoff says.