A Madison Mom Gets A Badly Needed Mid-Century Kitchen Renovation

Our client Nicole came to us with a few issues with her post-war home. Her home had an addition added almost 50 years ago, and now the addition was experiencing heating problems. The home had a big chimney through the middle of the space, which she wanted removed. Her outdated kitchen featured plastic cabinets reminiscent of a 1970s corporate break room. Along with a kitchen update, she wanted the single door to the backyard replaced with a sliding patio door and a new deck to extend the functionality of her space.

Creating A Plan For A Mid-Century Kitchen Renovation

After discussions with Nicole, we set a budget for her project. To keep things within her budget, we initially explored kitchen solutions like painting the existing plastic laminate cabinets, countertops, and backsplash. We also considered removing the door and drawer fronts, replacing them with new, attractive wood fronts, painting the cabinet boxes, and installing new countertops and an updated backsplash. Our solutions were very budget-friendly and hit right on target! However, when we started fixing the heating problems, we encountered significant issues that required an increase in the initial budget.

Since our initial solutions were right on target, Nicole decided that with the budget increase, she wanted us to completely redesign the kitchen. Our mid-century kitchen renovation and design included new flooring, cabinetry, countertops, backsplash, appliances, and a much more functional layout.

Designing A New Space In The Existing Floorplan

Nicole's existing kitchen was seriously dated. The original design featured a straight run of cabinets, with the range on the left, the refrigerator in the middle, the sink on the right, and no dishwasher! To keep things simple, and on budget, our design kept the range, sink, and refrigerator in the same spots. One of the design challenges we faced was where to place the dishwasher.

We created a few design concepts and finally settled on placing the dishwasher to the left of the sink between the sink and refrigerator, where it would be easy to install. To improve storage (after losing the cabinet next to the sink), we added extra storage and functionality by using the empty wall space perpendicular to the kitchen. We included a small drop zone and a pantry closet in the design for even more functionality.

To keep with the home's minimal and classic mid-century style, we stained the shaker-style cabinets Sherwood White for a clean, bright look. Nicole picked a Lumia Leaf Grey mosaic backsplash tile as a decorative accent that helped to create an interesting focal point and bring some mid-century style to our design while complimenting the beautiful glass subway tile perfectly. To finish the look and tie it all together, we chose a Wilsonart Tellaro quartz countertop.

Adding Workspace And Light To Our Mid-Century Kitchen Renovation

Nicole asked us if we could include a functional island for prep space and a dining table. Unfortunately, space constraints could not accommodate both, so we decided to combine the prep island with a table, creating a work area, which is great for prepping meals and eating!

Along with the new kitchen, the other part of the project was to install a new patio door and outdoor deck. We replaced the old single door with a much larger sliding patio door, which floods the room with natural light.

When designing the deck off of the kitchen, the considerable space available allowed us to create a large, functional extension to the kitchen. Nicole wanted to keep her existing outdoor furniture while having ample space on the deck dedicated to her grill. She has a beautiful cherry tree in her backyard (which we took into account) when creating our deck design. To keep the project on budget, we built her new deck out of pressure-treated lumber. It was a very budget-friendly decision that gives Nicole the option of personalization later by staining it in whatever color she wants!

Our mid-century kitchen renovation complements the home and matches its style perfectly. The final result of our kitchen design and deck addition is a kitchen with greatly improved function. The space is now flooded with natural light, and the patio door provides improved access to her new deck, giving the home an indoor/outdoor flow that allows Nicole to use the space however she wants!

If you're considering a remodeling project and live in the Greater Madison area, call the experts at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel at (608) 846-5963. Let us help you to take your home to the next level of comfort, design, and function! Ready to learn more? We're always here and happy to answer your questions.