Before/After: A 1940s Kitchen Gets a Contemporary Upgrade

Top to bottom: The 1940s kitchen's new, affordable contemporary look. Its uninspiring original outlook.

You don't have to have a big budget to get a great before-and-after redesign.

A perfect example is the kitchen do-over that we did for our clients Jerry and Linda Berger. The couple was eager to make over the out-of-date, and less than inspiring, kitchen in their 1940s Lake Washington home. However, a complete remodel was not in their budget. Our solution was to employ a few simple design decisions, material upgrades and cost-conscious retail purchases. The result is an attractive cosmetic update at a fraction of the cost of a complete overhaul. 

First, we agreed to leave the flooplan layout as is; thereby, saving on costs and time. Next, we salvaged the existing cabinetry by giving it a face-lift of fresh paint and new hardware. The color palette for the room—warm grays and taupes, inspired by a calm Northwest foggy day—now has a welcoming yet understated and warm sophistication that is true to the home’s distinctive architecture by Arthur Loveless/Lester Fey.

Top to bottom: The kitchen's redesign includes a fresh paint job and new Caesarstone countertops. A drab metal light was replaced with a smartly retro Schoolhouse-style pendant.

A new countertop and large-format porcelain floor tiles were the “splurges” that pulled the whole space together. By squaring off the edge of the counter, we brought a contemporary feel to the space. Soft lighting, from the “retro schoolhouse-style” chandelier, now casts an inviting glow onto the oil-rubbed bronze of the kitchen’s faucet and cabinetry hardware. To further enhance the warm mood of this newly stylish space, I subtly applied gradations of paint colors from the cabinetry to the walls and trim.

Now our clients have a kitchen that says, “welcome home,” and all without breaking their bank.

Martina Clymer is a principal and designer with the Seattle-based design and interior staging firm, Design Stage (206.829.9049; martina@design-stage.com; design-stage.com).

Project Budget: Under $15,000

Resources
Countertop: Caesarstone Polished Raven. Sherwin Williams paint: cabinets (SW 7038 Tony Taupe), walls (SW 7037 Balanced Beige), trim/ceiling (SW 6140 Moderate White). Window treatments: Sun Shades in Bamboo, SMJ Studios/Fashion Tech. Appliances: Miele. Lighting: Restoration Hardware, Schoolhouse Pendant in Oil-Rubbed Bronze Faucet: Grohe Bridgeford in Oil-Rubbed Bronze. Cabinetry hardware: Restoration Hardware, Grafton Pull in Oil-Rubbed Bronze. Table, chairs: Ikea Bjursta Table; West Elm Circle Cut-Out Chairs. Flooring: Statements Porcelain Tile, Broadway 2/Titanio 18-by-24.