An Old Fashioned Kitchen loaded with modern amenities

OUR PROBLEM

"A workhorse of a rental that was beyond run-down"

THE SOLUTION

An old-fashioned kitchen loaded with modern amenities

BEFORE

The original kitchen, covered with dark blue tile, was fitted with basic equipment that was far beyond its prime and added to the room's dinginess.

AFTER

A careful mix of classic design, sunshine, and bright color gives this traditional kitchen an infusion of style and elegance that makes it the centerpiece of its newly remodeled home.

The kitchen of Jason Porter's Oakland, California apartment was the result of a renovation that combined four small apartments in a landmark Victorian building into one large, two-story unit. From the start, Jason knew that he wanted the space to have more in common with the original 1870 home than it did with the well-worn kitchen it replaced. The once-magnificent structure was a single-family home before being subdivided 100 years ago into small apartment. While Jason respected the historic nature of the building, he didn't want (nor could he afford) to re-create a grand Victorian confection. His goal was a well-functioning kitchen, no bigger than it needed to be, which possessed a style that lay somewhere between period reproduction and modern efficiency. An important part of his plan was to use fresh, lively colors that would be in keeping with the past.

Bringing in the Light

Since the kitchen faced south, Jason also wanted it to take advantage of the sunlight. There was just a utilitarian kitchen window to brighten the room. As was the fashion in its day, the kitchen had been walled off from the dining room with nothing but a single door passing between them. As a result, the dining room was even darker. One of Jason's primary goals was to redesign the kitchen so that it and the remaining interior living spaces received as much light as possible.

Jason's renovation plan, which was developed with architect Michael Mullin of San Francisco, was to extend the kitchen into space previously occupied by a bathroom, stretching the 12-ft.-long kitchen to 17ft. At the same time, Mullin designed exterior windows and a glass door leading out to the deck. On the newly extended interior wall, Mullin added a second doorway, and at the other end of the kitchen, he took the existing door off its frame. The kitchen now had two entrances but no heavy doors blocking the sun. In addition, Mullin added a wide pass-through to the dining room that not only functions as a convenient way to serve food but also allows the sunlight to flood into the whole apartment. The result is a kitchen that works as a transition from the outdoors to the dining/living area instead of being the barrier that it had once been.

Jason also hired a professional color consultant to work out the palette he would use in the kitchen and dining room. Together Jason and the designer came up with a color scheme that matched the traditional style of the kitchen but would register with modern eyes. The dominant color they chose is a classic shade of blue that hints at times past and was derived from the blue-gray of the flooring. A slightly darker shade was used for the base cabinets and the open shelving and then was cut with white paint to lighten it for the upper cabinets. The trick of shifting shades gives the base cabinets more heft and grounding, while it makes the upper cabinets seem lighter and less imposing. Even paler shades of this blue appear in the backsplash tiles. The walls are painted with fresh pale yellow that adds light to the small space.

Jason's new stainless-steel appliances, including the pro-style 30-in. range, dishwasher, vent hood, and refrigerator, add to the room's fresh, contemporary quality.

COOK'S CORNER

out of sight

By adding a roll-out shelf, the storage area above the refrigerator becomes an ideal place to stow light appliances that are seldom used. The small, 60-in.-high refrigerator makes this an easily accessible storage solution, which it might not be in a kitchen with a tall refrigerator. Here the shelf is a clever use of underutilized space.

Quickfixes

When redesigning a vintage kitchen, consider mixing original details and historic woodwork with state-of-the-art appliances to give your kitchen a feeling of richness and authority.

above

This new triple window replaced the original single one. The faucet is a 100-year-old design that is still made by the manufacturer--proof of its enduring style.

Facing page

A new deck and glass door leading to it extend the kitchen into the sunny outdoors. A transom window above the door enhances the connection.

Before & after

The old kitchen, designed for a one-bedroom rental unit, was too small, closed off, and dark. Despite its southern exposure, a single small window cut the bright sunshine to a minimum. In addition to annexing space from a bathroom, the architect added a glass doorway to the outside and an interior pass-through that lets light in.

Left

Pale yellow and blue tones are the perfect complement to the crisp white crown molding, extra-wide baseboards, and trim details in this Victorian apartment.

A Pleasing Mix

Trendy appliances aside, the new kitchen is stylistically a happy throwback to older, calmer times. The spare, custom-crafted cabinets are hand-painted with alkyd paint to give them a vintage sensibility. The upper cabinets are fitted with reeded glass doors that add to the feeling. Wherever possible, the original trim and detailing were maintained; where new molding and details were created, they were designed to match the originals.

Another nod to vintage style is the kitchen floor, which is covered in Marmoleum, an affordable flooring product made just as it was 100 years ago from all-natural linseed oil, rosin (dried pine sap), chalk, wood flour, and jute backing. After disappearing in the 1960s, linoleum has been rediscovered, not only because it is considered an environmentally friendly product but also because it hearkens back to the kitchens of our grandparents' era. It comes in 7-ft.-wide sheets, like what is used here, or as tiles for patterned floors, and it can be found through flooring retailers.

The mix of the old and new that grew out of this blend of carefully considered restoration, imaginative reinterpretation, and flat-out modern machinery has created a kitchen that is as eye-catching as it is comfortable and cozy.

ESSENTIAL STEP

Working with Pros

Assuming the role of general contractor, Jason Porter hired a construction crew, a cabinetmaker, a color consultant, an electrician, and a plumber. He did this in part to control the flow of money (in fact, he didn't save much) but also to be more directly involved in the process. He paid many on an hourly basis, a formula sometimes used for projects in old construction where accurate estimates are difficult but which can open up a homeowner to runaway costs. This system worked for Jason because he was able to tap into a network of young craftspeople who were less expensive and able to work to Jason's standards. There was only one negative: The role took up an inordinate amount of time. In the future, Jason says, he would treat it as a full-time job.

Above

With the help of a color consultant, the kitchen and dining room were transformed into bright, charming spaces.

Upclose

To fit a lot of utility into this small space, Jason used a combination of simple, old-fashioned storage solutions and clever new design tricks.

The hard-to-reach corner recess behind the dishwasher is turned into an efficient storage area with this swing-out rack system.

The reeded glass on the front of the cabinets discreetly hides the contents but, at the same time, gives the cabinets lightness and translucency.

Shallow open shelves below the pass-through are a perfect spot for storing spices and condiments without taking much space.