Mid Century Modern Remodel
This mid century modern home boasted irreplaceable features including original wood cabinets, wood ceiling, and a wall of floor to ceiling windows. We design that incorporated the existing details with additional custom cabinets that matched perfectly. A new lighting plan, quartz counter tops, plumbing fixtures, tile backsplash and floors, and new appliances transformed this kitchen while retaining all the mid century flavor.
Stepping into the kitchen of this old house, the first thing that strikes the eye is its irreplaceable retro features—the warm, natural wood cabinets, with their grain, still exude a rustic charm after decades; the wooden ceiling outlines clean lines, establishing a calm and understated tone for the space; and especially, a floor-to-ceiling window brings in the light and shadow from the greenery outside, allowing the kitchen to have varied natural light at different times of day. These elements are the core hallmarks of mid-20th-century modern style.
Upgrades to the details have dramatically improved the kitchen's practicality. The original lighting system only met basic lighting needs; we designed a completely new layered lighting scheme: recessed downlights provide even basic illumination, LED strips under the cabinets illuminate the countertop, and motion-sensor lights in the wall cabinets eliminate blind spots when retrieving items, making every step of the process bright and convenient. The countertop was replaced with durable and easy-to-clean quartz stone, its simple texture subtly echoing the wooden cabinets. All bathroom fixtures were updated to new, water-saving, and feature-rich products, balancing practicality and environmental friendliness.
Furthermore, the replacement of the tile backsplash was ingenious. We chose light-colored tiles with a slightly retro texture, avoiding conflict with the original wood elements while effectively resisting oil stains. The flooring was replaced with wear-resistant and non-slip engineered wood flooring, continuing the wood element while enhancing durability. The new built-in appliances further enhance the kitchen's aesthetic appeal, seamlessly integrating ovens, dishwashers, and other appliances with the cabinets, preserving the overall retro look while significantly improving cooking efficiency.
After the renovation, the kitchen retains its unique mid-20th-century charm. The warm texture of the wooden cabinets and ceiling remains unchanged, and the natural light streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling window is still captivating. However, the newly added custom cabinets, scientific lighting scheme, and brand-new equipment have completely transformed it from an old kitchen into a modern cooking space that combines aesthetics and practicality.
In fact, the essence of renovating an old house is never about completely abandoning the past, but rather about understanding the original style and injecting it with new vitality suitable for contemporary life. Like this kitchen, the classic elements that have stood the test of time have, with the addition of a new design, radiated an even more enduring charm.
