Why yes, this modern kitchen remodel in Portland, Oregon was as fun to design & build as it appears! While filled with charming features throughout, this mid-century modern home was beset by its dark, dated kitchen. COOPER Design Build was tasked with remodeling it for the 21st century: our intelligent, integrative design resulted in a playful, modern kitchen that breathed new life (plus light, style, and function) into this vintage time-capsule!
Stepping into the entry foyer of this 1946 home, the original kitchen was sequestered from the living areas containing all of the interesting design features that made the home special. Our vision was to integrate the two spaces allowing natural light and conversation to flow through the rooms and the visual drama to extend from the back of the home towards the front. To accomplish this, a large section of the wall dividing the two rooms was removed to create a large pass-through with a generous countertop that seats four on the living room side. On the kitchen side, the stove remained in the same location (centered on the newly opened pass-through) however it was upgraded to a 36″ Wolf dual fuel range and a low-profile Wolf range hood. To the right of the new range, a matching paneled Sub-Zero counter depth refrigerator was installed, moving it across the space from its original position that completely blocked an existing floor to ceiling window. Flanking each side of the open pass-through is open shelving for displaying the homeowner’s vintage kitchenware.
The opposite side of the galley kitchen is anchored by a large original window looking out onto the home’s lovely front garden where the new integrated workstation sink remains in its original location. However, the footprint along this wall was completely redesigned to maximize flow, function, and storage. Where the refrigerator once blocked a large original window, a custom full-height cabinet with open and closed storage allows much more natural light into the kitchen. At the furthest end of the kitchen a small return of wall and cabinetry created a very narrow connection to the adjacent dining room. We removed part of the wall to widen the opening allowing more natural light and ease of movement between the rooms. Now the dining table is perfectly centered on the sightline from the foyer entrance to the galley kitchen: picture perfect!
The two-toned palette of the new kitchen is a smart design element. Selecting a crisp white for the ceiling, backsplash, and cabinetry maximizes the brightness of the kitchen. The secondary palette of robin’s egg blue featured along one side of the kitchen cabinetry is echoed in the living room where two large cabinets support the expansive countertop extending from the pass through creating unexpected pops of color that tie the two rooms together!
