Remodeled years ago, complete with an acoustical ceiling tile grid with fluorescent lights, this Craftsman Bungalow kitchen was long overdue for an overhaul. There was very little original charm left, other than the leaded glass doors in the breakfast nook. Our goal was to restore vintage character while creating a highly functional kitchen that will eventually appeal to buyers.

The leaded glass doors were reused in the design of the custom china armoire, seen in the 'AFTER' image (above, right).

A new, widened opening from the kitchen to the dining room features a bar-height mahogany peninsula to make visiting while cooking effortless and to double as a serving counter. The opening was curved to match the existing openings exactly.

The antique telephone and mixer both work and are used frequently.

The retro-style fridge, vintage telephone, farmhouse apron sink, linoleum floors, and mix of reproduction and vintage light fixtures bring the charm to the foreground of what is now a functionally modern kitchen.

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HOW IT STARTED

I was contacted by this homeowner after he attended my "Kitchen Remodeling for Vintage Homes" lecture at Historic Seattle. The project had been on his mind for years, and he had already completed several other restoration/remodel projects in the house. But, the kitchen posed a lot of design challenges and he knew he wanted to get it "right"... and by "right" I mean have it feel special and historic when he was done, not screaming remodeled now and outdated 10 years from now.

GETTING VINTAGE CHARM RIGHT

To come up with the big vision and translate it into construction drawings and specifications so that it could become reality, I started with several design concepts that met his criteria. After he selected one of those concepts, I drew a detailed set of drawings. To make sure that the details that would make the semi-custom cabinets look both fully-custom and vintage were implemented, the homeowner and I met with the cabinetmaker to fine-tune the design to optimize the results while utilizing components available from the chosen product line.