Nearly two decades ago now, Susan and her husband put a letter in the mailbox of this eastside home: "If you have any interest in selling, please reach out." But really, who would give up a Flansburgh House? Fast forward to 2020, when the house went on the market! By then it was clear that three children and a busy home design studio couldn't be crammed into this efficient footprint. But what's second best to moving into your dream home? Being asked to redesign the functional core for the family that was. In this classic Flansburgh layout, all the rooms align tidily in a square around a central hall and open air atrium. As such, all the spaces are both connected to one another and also private; and all allow for visual access to the outdoors in two directions—toward the atrium and toward the exterior. All except, in this case, the utilitarian galley kitchen. That space, oft-relegated to second class in midcentury architecture, got the shaft, with narrow doorways on two ends and no good visual access to the atrium or the outside. Who spends time in the kitchen anyway? As is often the case with even the very best midcentury architecture, the kitchen at the Flansburgh House needed to be modernized; appliances and cabinetry have come a long way since 1970, but our culture has evolved too, becoming more casual and open in ways we at SYH believe are here to stay. People (gasp!) do spend time—lots of time!—in their kitchens! Nonetheless, our goal was to make this kitchen look as if it had been designed this way by Earl Flansburgh himself. The house came to us full of bold, bright color. We edited out some of it (along with the walls it was on) but kept and built upon the stunning red, orange and yellow closet doors in the family room adjacent to the kitchen. That pop was balanced by a few colorful midcentury pieces that our clients already owned, and the stunning light and verdant green coming in from both the atrium and the perimeter of the house, not to mention the many skylights. Thus, the rest of the space just needed to quiet down and be a beautiful, if neutral, foil. White terrazzo tile grounds custom plywood and black cabinetry, offset by a half wall that offers both camouflage for the cooking mess and also storage below, hidden behind seamless oak tambour. Contractor: Rusty Peterson Cabinetry: Stoll's Woodworking Photographer: Sarah Shields

All Electric Home - kitchen

Tali Hardonag Architect

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped kitchen pantry in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, multi-coloured splashback, panelled appliances, vinyl floors, with island, multi-coloured benchtop and exposed beam.

Oak Hills Mid Century Modern

Mosaik Design & Remodeling

This outdated kitchen came with flowered wallpaper, narrow connections to Entry and Dining Room, outdated cabinetry and poor workflow. By opening up the ceiling to expose existing beams, widening both entrys and adding taller, angled windows, light now steams into this bright and cheery Mid Century Modern kitchen. The custom Pratt & Larson turquoise tiles add so much interest and tie into the new custom painted blue door. The walnut wood base cabinets add a warm, natural element. A cozy seating area for TV watching, reading and coffee looks out to the new clear cedar fence and landscape.

Fresh Mid-Century Kitchen Reno

Kirk Riley Design

This original 1950's kitchen with a pink backsplash and pale blue appliances needed a fresh take. Hardwood floors were installed to match the existing wood on the first floor. Bright white quartz countertops and a white backsplash created using both flat/glossy and matte/raised hex tiles created a textured flower pattern. Slab front cabinets in a mixture of wood and white tackled the storage issues. The pop of orange of the Bertazonni oven is the counter balance to the cool fresh wall color and tons of natural light. A beautiful, functional space to create healthy meals for her family was paramount to our client. We created this fresh space by dropping a touch of Palm Springs into the Pacific Northwest.

Country Estate Transformation

Everything Home

Our Indianapolis design studio designed a gut renovation of this home which opened up the floorplan and radically changed the functioning of the footprint. It features an array of patterned wallpaper, tiles, and floors complemented with a fresh palette, and statement lights. Photographer - Sarah Shields --- Project completed by Wendy Langston's Everything Home interior design firm, which serves Carmel, Zionsville, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, and Indianapolis. For more about Everything Home, click here: https://everythinghomedesigns.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://everythinghomedesigns.com/portfolio/country-estate-transformation/

Zilker Park MCM

Ashby Collective

Mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Austin with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, green splashback, stainless steel appliances, terrazzo floors, no island, white floor and black benchtop.

Lato Signature - Modin Rigid LVP Collection Customer Space - CA

Flooret

Lato Signature from the Modin Rigid LVP Collection - Crisp tones of maple and birch. The enhanced bevels accentuate the long length of the planks.
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped kitchen in San Francisco with white splashback, stainless steel appliances, vinyl floors, a peninsula, yellow floor and white benchtop.

CA Modern Retro Kitchen

August Interiors

The homeowners, an eclectic and quirky couple, wanted to renovate their kitchen for functional reasons: the old floors, counters, etc, were dirty, ugly, and not usable; lighting was giant fluorescents, etc. While they wanted to modernize, they also wanted to retain a fun and retro vibe. So we modernized with functional new materials: quartz counters, porcelain tile floors. But by using bold, bright colors and mixing a few fun patterns, we kept it fun. Retro-style chairs, table, and lighting completed the look.

Encino Mid-Century Modern Kitchen

LA Dwelling Inc

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, grey floor and white benchtop.

Mid-Century Modern Phased Remodel

HKP architects

The owner's of this Mid-Century Modern home in north Seattle were interested in developing a master plan for remodeling the kitchen, family room, master closet, and deck as well as the downstairs basement for a library, den, and office space. Once they had a good idea of the overall plan, they set about to take on the priority project, the kitchen, family room and deck. Shown are the master plan images for the entire house and the finished photos of the work that was completed.

Textured Curves

Space Craft Joinery

Mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Adelaide with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, solid surface benchtops, grey splashback, stone slab splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Mid Century Modern Remodel

Kelly Martin Interiors

This remodel was located in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles.
Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury u-shaped eat-in kitchen in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, ceramic splashback, coloured appliances, dark hardwood floors, a peninsula, brown floor and white benchtop.

Sigler-Fitzpatrick

Therese DuBravac

Mid-sized midcentury eat-in kitchen in Portland with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and grey benchtop.

Washington DC - Mid Century Modern with a Contemporary Flare - Kitchen

Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath

Washington DC - Mid Century Modern with a Contemporary Flare - Kitchen Design by #JenniferGilmer and #ScottStultz4JenniferGilmer in Washington, D.C Photography by Keith Miller Keiana Photography http://www.gilmerkitchens.com/portfolio-view/mid-century-kitchen-washington-dc/

Mid Century Modern Kitchen Rehab

Gardner/Fox Associates, Inc

Inviting and warm, this mid-century modern kitchen is the perfect spot for family and friends to gather! Gardner/Fox expanded this room from the original 120 sq. ft. footprint to a spacious 370 sq. ft., not including the additional new mud room. Gray wood-look tile floors, polished quartz countertops, and white porcelain subway tile all work together to complement the cherry cabinetry.

Retroactive

C K Cabinetry and Design, LLC

Jeff Volker
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury galley separate kitchen in Phoenix with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, glass tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, terrazzo floors, with island, beige floor and white benchtop.

Marvelous Mid Century

The Remodel Group

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury l-shaped separate kitchen in Portland with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, green splashback, mosaic tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Mid century Modern kitchen

Kelly Ann Photography

Beautiful kitchen remodel in a 1950's mis century modern home in Yellow Springs Ohio The Teal accent tile really sets off the bright orange range hood and stove. Photo Credit, Kelly Settle Kelly Ann Photography

North Oaks Mid-Century Modern

Megan Dent, AKBD

Scott Amundson
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury galley eat-in kitchen in Minneapolis with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, white splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor and white benchtop.

Midcentury Kitchen

Mid-sized midcentury l-shaped eat-in kitchen in Grand Rapids with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, quartz benchtops, blue splashback, panelled appliances, light hardwood floors, with island and white benchtop.

Mid-sized Midcentury Kitchen Design Ideas

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to planning your kitchen design. Where do you even start? Gathering some inspiration in a photo gallery is always a good starting point, as looking at different kitchen designs often brings up ideas you haven’t even thought of yet.

Browse Photos of Kitchen Designs for Inspiration and Collect Your Ideas

You can browse through photos of all kinds of kitchen styles, layouts and sizes on Houzz to get started before jumping into any design software or contacting a local professional for help. Here’s a few considerations to keep in mind when planning your kitchen.

1. What Makes a Good Midcentury Kitchen Design, and Why is it Important?

For starters, you want to find a balance between aesthetics and function. You may have heard of the ‘kitchen work triangle’, which refers to the space between your fridge, sink and stove. You want everything within easy reach when you’re working in the kitchen and look beautiful at the same time. It’s a good idea to take note of both when browsing our photo gallery.

2. Consider Your Space to Determine Your Kitchen Layout

Firstly, consider the space you have, and the limitations that come with it. Do you have a small kitchen and need to maximise your workspace and storage? Can you allow yourself some more space and a big island with seating? Are you designing your kitchen from scratch or renovating an existing design? Which appliances do you already own and what are their measurements? Are there windows you need to take into consideration when planning cabinets? How do kitchen, living and dining areas connect? Depending on your space and needs, you want to use a shape that suits you. U, G, or L-shaped kitchen, with or without island or peninsula? Know your dimensions, plan cabinetry carefully and consider the placement of your appliances. You don’t want to end up with a finished design, only for your significant other to question where the fridge is supposed to go. Consider from the start where your fridge, oven, microwave and sink goes to save yourself from starting again from scratch - remember the kitchen work triangle! You also want to plan the layout of your cabinets. Maybe you’re planning for a pantry and can do with less storage space in your kitchen, so that your design can be one without upper or lower cabinets for a different look. A corner cabinet can be a smart storage solution if you want to keep the look clean and simple.

3. Decide on a Kitchen Style, But Don’t Forget Practicality

You want the style of your kitchen to reflect your personality and taste. We have curated a large array of kitchen styles here at Houzz, from traditional to contemporary to transitional and everything in between. Consider what your cooking style is for a start - Italy is known for its cuisine, so italian kitchen designs are generally popular. Also consider ergonomics - depending on how much time you spend in your kitchen, the height of your counters can make a big difference to your overall health. You also want to consider colour and finishes of cabinets, countertops and splashbacks. Which colour do you want your cupboards to be? Simple, timeless white or rather making a statement in black? Maybe rather a rustic wood? Also consider the colour of your floor - if you have dark floors, you may want to keep cabinets lighter. You could also go for an all-white look and choose black appliances for contrast. Once you know which style you fancy, don’t forget how you will be using the space. You want to keep cooking in mind, as well as how easy to clean and maintain the space will be. How many cooks do you need to accommodate? Do you have kids around? How much storage do you need? Maybe you want to go for open shelves rather than cabinets and allow for easy reach of key items you use when cooking. Again - remember the triangle! Lastly, choose lighting that both enhances the look of your kitchen as well as your cooking performance, providing light in all the right places.

4. Be Conscious of Your Budget

No matter what you plan for your kitchen design, cost is always a big factor. Be sure to plan with your budget in mind. It may make more sense to go for a modular kitchen design rather than custom build. You can save a lot of money if you get at least 3 estimates from professionals before locking in the job. And don’t forget to allow a 20% buffer for emergencies. Once you are ready to hire a pro, our directory will help you find one, no matter where you are. So whether you're looking for an Interior Designer in Melbourne or an Architect in Sydney, you can be sure to find a qualified expert for the job!