A Modern Kitchen in a Traditional Home

Where did the time go? It seems like just last week were were basking in the glory of grout fame followed by a hike in the mountains of Montana that left us breathless. As in, we realized our aerobic condition was no match for hiking terrain at altitude. Later, one of our projects was mentioned in The Spruce July edition.

Note to self: if you drag your junk up a mountain range, it pays to be in shape. Your glutes will thank you later.

Back at sea level, we completed a small modern kitchen in a traditional home built in 1925. This three bedroom home had been renovated in 2004, but the current owner and avid cook wanted to improve the kitchen for his daily use and frequent entertaining. We’ll start with the “before” pics to set the scene.

We love a good challenge! The previous kitchen was tightly packed, featured stock cabinetry with dark wood tones, upper cabinetry placed at different heights, terra cotta tile on the floor, malfunctioning cooking appliances at the end of their service life, and little organized storage.

A handful of new kitchens can successfully incorporate an authentic heirloom or an antique on occasion. This kitchen included a new freestanding cabinet that was distressed to appear old. We call this “fake old” because it’s a modern counterfeit. Unfortunately, in this instance, it was intended to hide problems with stock cabinetry and unresolved layout problems.

The new kitchen features sleek new cabinetry, improved lighting and appliances, and a simplified design in the same compact footprint. There is no rule that says traditional kitchens must be placed in old homes. In fact, we appreciated the opportunity to break from conventional expectations in this kitchen.

A large single-bowl SmartStation from Julien replaced the old double bowl sink, and the new quartz countertops will handle heavy use in this kitchen.

A powerful range offers high BTU burners, convection and steam cooking functions, and a warming drawer. We are fans of the matte black mosaic backsplash, and the star pattern was subtly restrained by the charcoal grout.

Even 170 square feet can be highly functional and streamlined for a hard-working kitchen. A couple tips for improving a small kitchen: be ruthless when you cut the excess, pay extra attention to the cabinetry internals for enhanced organization, and don’t overlook multiple sources. of lighting. We were happy to update this traditional home without the constraints of a certain historical period, and we hope the owner enjoys many meals and gatherings in the new kitchen!

Winnetka Colonial Chronicles, Part 1

So we are embarking on a whole home renovation on an old colonial at 557 Winnetka Avenue in Winnetka, and there is a ton of work to do. Maybe two tons. I recall some good advice when I first peered down a steep mountain: 

Cut the mountain up into slices. Then ski your slice.

The total project feels colossal at the moment.  The permit was issued (more on that later). One slice. We have the fences up to protect the trees. Another slice. Enlist your 10 year old to clean up the 91 year old doors. Keep slicing.

Removing loads of old door hardware is easier when you don't have to bend at the waist. 54" tall is about right.  

Not sure if he is walking the dog or the dog is walking him, but prepping an old door is a good rainy-day activity.

Now a quick word about construction permits in Winnetka. The village requirements are stringent. The total cost of the permit can be breathtaking.  

Any major renovation requires architectural plans and most likely a survey by civil engineers. We'll start the ball rolling with $10,000 or more out of the gates. We need to remove some trees to build a new garage, so the forestry department has to approve the plans and ensure that the remaining trees are adequately protected by chain link fence. It also requires a $10,000 refundable cash deposit. If you remove a tree greater than 8" in diameter, you will not only need the permit and have to pay the deposit, but you also have to replace removed trees with new trees of equal diameter or greater. In other words, be prepared to plant at least 30" worth of new trees if you take out two trees totaling 30" diameter. Landscaping costs begin there. We also need to upgrade the electrical, and the village requires us to use the village department for connecting the street power to the home via an underground cable. That's a bit more than $9,000 just to get 200 amp service running into the home. Gulp. The inadequate water service needs to be upgraded, too, which requires a directional bore from the water main under the street through the basement wall. Cha-ching. All of this before a single dumpster arrives on the lot.

The important thing is to retain your sense of humor.  

As I walked away from the village cashier's desk, I jokingly asked her whether I looked any lighter. She smiled and said I looked as handsome as ever. I definitely paid for that compliment.