Dean Turner of Evolution Design + Build in Reston, Va., was brought in to reinvigorate a cramped kitchen that was part of a collection of 1970s-dated homes built by architect Ken Bonner. Function as well as personality were important in this mid-century modern redesign.
After moving the location of the refrigerator and pantry, the 1970s kitchen felt less cramped and was easier to move around in.
The design team used budget-friendly IKEA cabinetry in this 1970s kitchen project but customized the door fronts themselves with walnut veneer to fit the mid-century modern aesthetic. They especially enjoyed the ability to book-match all the walnut veneer on these cabinets.
One challenge was working with the existing floor tile and ensuring that there were no gaps between the new cabinets and the existing tile, which did not run underneath the old cabinetry. Thankfully, the client had a box of leftover floor tile, and they were able to fill in some voids left by eliminating a framed pantry.
“IKEA cabinets are known for their functionality and ingenious storage solutions,” said Turner. “The hardware that comes with them is Blum, which is the same manufacturer of the soft-close hardware used by many high-end cabinet makers.”
The color palette was chosen to complement the existing house interior, which consists of dark-stained, exposed beams.
The hand-painted cement tile – a find of the client’s – gives the kitchen its overall funky yet upscale mid-century modern character.
The wife’s favorite pick was the hand-painted cement backsplash tile, which is gray and white and has a geometric pattern reminiscent of 1970s style.