A Postwar Kitchen Gets Mid-Century Modern Remodel

Our client Nicole, a working mom, came to us with a few issues with her post-war home in a North Madison neighborhood. Her kitchen badly needed an update since it was outdated, with plastic laminate cabinets reminiscent of a 1970s corporate break room! Along with a new kitchen design, Nicole wanted the single door replaced with a patio door to the backyard and a new deck to give her usable outdoor space, extending the functionality of her home. To keep within her budget, we explored solutions like replacing the drawer and cabinet doors, repainting the boxes, and replacing the countertops and backsplash. When we discovered some issues with the project that required raising the budget, Nicole opted for a complete kitchen replacement, including new flooring, cabinets, countertops, backsplash, appliances, and a new and improved functional layout!

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Changing The Layout to Improve Functionality

Nicole's existing kitchen was dated and featured a simple straight run of cabinets, with the range on the left, the refrigerator on the right, the sink in the middle, and no dishwasher. To keep our design simple and in keeping with our mid-century modern remodel aesthetic, we left the range, sink, and fridge in the same spots. One of the design challenges we had to solve was where to place the dishwasher. Our solution was to position the dishwasher to the left of the sink where it was easiest to install. To add extra storage, we utilized the empty wall space perpendicular to the kitchen and included a small drop zone area and a pantry cabinet.

Functionality and Aesthetics

Our new layout was a true minimalist and classic design fitting with the mid-century style of her home. We stained the shaker-style cabinets Sherwood White to brighten and modernize the space. Nicole picked out the Lumina Leaf Grey mosaic backsplash as a decorative accent to add style, which also complimented the beautiful glass subway tile. To tie the design together, we chose the Wilsonart Tellaro quartz countertop. The successful outcome of our mid-century modern remodel improved functionality, aesthetic beauty, plenty of natural light, and improved access to her new outdoor space.