Kitchen, Mid-Century, Santa Cruz

Kitchen Seating = Must Have!

This house and I had an instant connection. I was on a mission to preserve as much as possible and thankfully the house had a lot of great details and original materials to work with. However, it also came with a front family room addition that left an awkward kitchen transition. A window shelf above the kitchen sink separated it from the front family room. The space also offered cabinets suspended from the ceiling that made sitting at the raised bar nearly impossible.

 

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This needed to be changed. The cabinets were removed and the window shelf opening was expanded in order to make the raised counter bar functional and maximized. I loved the original wood spindles that flanked the living room, but their existing locations made it feel very closed off. The solution was to relocate three of them to the opposite side of the room to balance the others, but also to create a visual separation between spaces.

With the suspended cabinets gone, a new modern exhaust hood was dropped from the ceiling to help give a modern vibe to this retro space. I loved the original teal appliances, but a dishwasher needed to be added to this kitchen for increased functionality. Thankfully, Big Chill Appliances offers amazing retro appliances and dishwasher panel was installed an a Bosch unit to compliment the original teal color! It’s incredible what a huge comeback 1950’s style appliances, furniture and décor has made and how accessible reproductions have become.

16The cabinets and counters were saved and restored, but we added a new quartz bar counter top that wrapped around both sides doubling the amount of kitchen seating with six beautiful Bertoia barstools. This is one massive change since the 1950’s because at that time, nobody gathered in the kitchen… But today, it’s where everyone comes together and it’s important to have a space that accommodates that. Kitchen seating is a must have!

Interested in one of the items you see in the AFTER photo?  Check out the product resources below! Questions about this project: E-mail me at flippingdiaries@gmail.com for details!

DIRECT PRODUCT RESOURCES

Ceiling Light: http://amzn.to/2q4bNjF

Exhaust Hood: http://amzn.to/2q4ngj4

Bertoia Style Barstools: http://amzn.to/2qXnzLC

Dishwasher Panel from Big Chill: https://bigchill.com

Chrome Cabinet Hardware: http://amzn.to/2q41pbr

Cabinets Painted: Dark Pewter PPU18-4 By BEHR

Door Painted: Pencil Point PPU18-2 by BEHR

 

 

 

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flippingdiaries

Welcome to the flippingdiaries; a BEFORE & AFTER blog showcasing projects here in Phoenix, Arizona where we are buying houses, remodeling them from top to bottom and turning them into beautiful homes. I've done over 40 flips in the last four years, and I've got more on the way! We get some rockin’ deals, find quirky ways to use materials, and are passionate about what we do. I hope this blog inspires you whether you’re interested in flipping yourself, or just getting some creative design ideas that you can enjoy in your own home. I’ll start by introducing myself – mrjamesjudge. Let’s go back a few years… I went to school for Interior Architecture at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. During this time I was fortunate enough to intern with both Jonathan Adler and HGTV. After graduating, I decided I was done with the cold and headed west. After a few wrong turns along the way (literally…) I made my way to Phoenix, AZ. I didn’t exactly plan to become a flipper, but finding myself in a terrible job market due to the economy and landing in one of the worst cities to be affected by the housing crisis… All my cards fell into place. With the help of my contractor; Freddie and his crew, we have been able to develop these simple or forgotten properties into beautiful homes. What’s next? This blog… A lot more flips… And hopefully someday a TV show!

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