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* Editor's Note: Due to overwhelming feedback from our readers, we want to point out that our writer refers to the house as 1930s-era (not the kitchen). It is unclear when the kitchen was last updated.
Happy to have found a solid, 1930s-era home in a Minneapolis suburb, the couple realized that to better serve the household of four, some updating of the kitchen was in order. Before moving into their new home, they called on the talented designers at The Woodshop of Avon to transform the space into a more contemporary, family-friendly environment.
While the old kitchen certainly had its share of cosmetic issues -- dilapidated laminate counters, a tired linoleum floor and cabinets dating from the dark ages -- its real problem was the space-squandering floor plan. An entire exterior wall was occupied by a built-in desk. The refrigerator was pushed up against the counter, protruding into the room and cutting off valuable work surfaces as well as storage. And just look at that radiator! Talk about eyesore.
THE BEFORE
WHAT'S NOT WORKING
1. Tons of Wasted Space
An inefficient floor plan robbed the kitchen of valuable storage and work space. The entrance to the kitchen was awkward, with a peninsula blocking access.
2. Hardly Helpful
Not only didn't the appliances live up to the performance needs of the homeowners, but they were positioned poorly in the room.
3. Eyesore, not Eyecatching
The palette of materials and colors was dowdy and outdated. The cabinet style -- arched-top, raised-panel overlay doors -- was archaic, too
The team at The Woodshop of Avon created a design solution that surpassed the homeowners' expectations. Read on to see the spectacular results.
The new kitchen is substantially larger and more open than the old one, and yet no square footage was added to the house. Tearing down the wall that separated the kitchen from the family room boosted the overall area of the kitchen, as did eliminating the desk and its flanking bookshelves. Removing the peninsula was the last step in freeing up the center of the room, and liberated the circulation pattern.
THE AFTER
Photo: Woodshop of Avon
Having cleaned up the boundaries of the room, it was time to rethink the placement of the appliances. When ripping out the desk, the plumbing for the original sink was discovered. In the remodeled kitchen, the sink -- now a timeless farm-style model -- is restored to its 1930s location below the window. A 48-inch range anchors another wall in the kitchen, with a family-sized refrigerator on an adjacent wall.
Photo: Woodshop of Avon
The renovated kitchen is spacious enough to accommodate an island, which marks the transition from kitchen to family room without acting as a barrier. The island is used for casual dining, storage and cooking prep tasks.
A new palette of finishes completes the updated room. Classic white-painted cabinets, in a mix of glass-front and solid-door designs, contrast with jet black stone counter-tops. A wood floor adds warmth.
WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THIS RENOVATION
1. Use It or Lose It
If you're not using the space in and around the kitchen in a way that fits your lifestyle, consider going beyond the borders of the room. Be bold - imagine removing or repositioning walls to reclaim the room you need.
2. Simple is Good
While it can be tempting to load up an island with an extra sink or appliances, in many cases that would be overkill -- not to mention costly. An island that offers just storage, work surface and knee-room to pull up a stool is invaluable in any space.
3. The Importance of Illumination
For any kitchen to function at its best, a thoughtful lighting scheme that includes natural light, task light and ambient light is essential. A solid lighting design will be an asset to the room over several remodels.
4. Remodeling = Archeology
Breaking into an older house's walls, floors or ceilings is bound is yield some surprises -- and not all of them will be happy ones. It's wise to allot about 15% of your project budget to correct some of the hidden problems you'll likely encounter during construction.
Reader comments (Page 1 of 3)
this is not a before 1930's kitchen the sink and appliances are so not the 30's this looks like 70's redo kitchen with custom cabinets. look through archives to find what a 30's kitchen looked like even the most modern. why do these people write this stuff without research
ReplyI was waiting for Ma Kettle type kitchen and heres one from the early 70s which really isnt that bad at all. Who ever did this article doesnt have a clue. The second kitchen is more modern looking with new appliances. Big whoop.
I totally agree with binkilicious that this is not a 1930's kitchen. My kitchen was built in a 1986 and it doesn't look too different than this kitchen. I do, however, like the newer kitchen better. I would love to know how much this "makeover" cost.
You are correct...it sure looks like a 70's kitchen to me, also. I like the first and the oldest best. The remodeled one looks more like a 30's kitchen to me. Wood is beautiful at any time. Create what YOU like when remodeling...not what someone tells you is chic.
I had the same feeling; NOT from the 1930's.
The article is not saying the kitchen was designed in the 1930's but that the farm house was built in the 30's and when the kitchen was redone to the brown cabinets the sink was moved. In the white cabinet remodel the sink was moved back to it's original possition in the 30's. The comentary isn't so much on the brown as the way the space was misused especailly the possition of the Refridgerator. Amazing White always comes back in style.
Absolutely agree - no way was this a 1930's kitchen. Who wrote that assessment? a twenty-something? ha ha
Agreed. Those cabinets look more like 1970's to me. The teaser said it was a 1930's kitchen but the article says 1930's home. Big difference. Also noticed that there is not one photo from the same viewpoint as the first photo. Rule # 1 when doing "before & after" photos is using the same exact viewpoint. DUH...
Thank you! This is that "Americana" crap that was so popular in the late 60's thru mid 70's. As far as the after picture goes, not amazing. It is the product of an unlimited budget. Amaze us by doing it for under 5oo.oo and you have an article worth reading. Why doesn't AOL look into this junk before they publish?
I think this person could benefit from some reading lessons. It says nothing about the picture of the former kitchen being a 1930's kitchen. Read it again, this time slowly.
Come ON where's your taste???? The "redo" looks like a furniture store. What do you have against your instinctive nature, the one that resonates with that hokey little knotty pine scalloped valance, and the fab steam heater beneath the desk? Fix the steam heater, put in some vintage linoleum, a large farm sink, a small wolf range, and voila...the food tastes better. People enjoy lingering. Secrets are told; love affairs seed and bud. The redo? That's the kitchen where people bring their laptops to breakfast. And ps, those yucky cabinets are pure Home Depot 90's. Better: detached antiques.
ReplyYou people ruined a perfectly beautiful kitchen!
ReplyPerfectly beautiful? Hideous and inefficient would be a better description.
This is not an example of a 1930's kitchen. Formica counter tops, built in dish washers, single handle faucets, were not the standard. And those archaic arch-top raised panel cabinet doors are beautiful. But I love antiques.
ReplyIt looks like everybody else has written what I was going to write. I don't know where the author got the idea that the original kitchen was from the 1930s. Apparently, she's some stupid kid who thinks anything pre-1990 is from the Stone Age. The only thing that looks like it might have come from the Depression era in the original kitchen is the radiator.
ReplyThe old kitchen looks similar to the kitchen in the house I grew up in, which was built in the 50's, not the 1930's. I rather liked the old cabinetry.
ReplyI enjoyed the comments more than the article! I loved the old kitchen. I have been house hunting and they turned that beautiful old kitchen into the kitchen in every McMansion in the US.
ReplyI liked the old kitchen. It has a vintage 1970's look and feel.It also looks spacious. The new one looks cluttered and not at all unique. What a waste of money. These so called designers seem to want everything to look alike and not have any soul or character.
ReplyBy the way who labeled the before picture as a 1930's era kitchen? It looks more 70's or maybe 80's. I grew up in a 1930's era kitchen at my grandmothers house. Her house was built in 1900 and the kitchen redone in the 30's. My grandad built the house by hand. This is not even close to a 1930's era kitchen. Whoever did the research for this article is either stupid or simply lazy.
Replyformica as used commercially and mass produced in counter tops didnt make any headway until 1952. therefore this is not a 30's kitchen. and the formica used in the late 40's early 50's did not look anything like the crap on that sink. this is a 70's kitchen to be sure. couldnt someone have fact checked this article? it leads me to believe that the designers need to go back to design school. i would not hire them to remodel my cats scratching post.
Reply