Wow! What a beautiful home. It's sad that the kitchen isn't in as pristine condition as the rest appears to be. It will be fun to see you bring it back to life again. I'm happy to hear you want to restore as much of it as you can.

Holy cow. THIS is a kitchen to geek out on. I would find a custom cabinetmaker, if I were you, who could come as close to the original as possible. I might also get someone to just do a clean/rehab on that range - I don’t think I could let that monster go, and if there’s one thing that tv and the internet have taught me, it’s that California has the resources to help you out with this. You can also get a fridge retrofitted to look like an icebox - Brett Waterman (I think that’s his name) does this on Restored, and they’re pretty cool. It’s worth watching for some ideas.
I’m so jealous!!!

It's sad that the kitchen isn't in as pristine condition as the rest appears to be.

I was thinking about this, and considering the age of the house and the chances of a pristine restoration, personally I'd much rather have dilapidation than an insensitive remuddling.

It's a fabulous house and I actually love much of that kitchen! That old Garland range can be fixed and cleaned up - lots of places on the West Coast do that kind of thing. The cabinets are gorgeous, but I would remover that scalloped edge on the bottom of the upper is it's a separate piece. If not, embrace it! The cabinets remind me very much of the ones in the LA Hancock Park house we rented for 2 1/2 years in the early 1980's. I loved that kitchen!

You are VERY wise to take your time. So many people would be in there with a sledge hammer, gutting the entire thing. That would be a shame.

OMG, my sympathies for having to live with what looks like 100 years of grime in that kitchen. There is NO way I would live with that kitchen for a second longer than I had to - but you need a kitchen designer & planner than can replicate the charm of what you have, but with MODERN function. Those cabinets are not worth saving because they are worn out. I had a kitchen like that and in 1920 they didn’t have the drawer glides that we have today (self closing) and they also did’t have the appliances we have today. To put anything modern in that kitchen you will have to update the electrical panel in the house. This is a huge job - so please get professional assistance. Your home has great bones - but to have what looks like an ice box in 2018 is a hoot. Time warp!

We had an icebox in ours when we bought in, oh I guess it was 2012. It’s not pictured in our befores because I sacrificed it to get a dishwasher fairly early on in our tenure there. There was still a hatch on the outside wall for ice delivery. Also the tiny pantry in ours was built with ventilation to the exterior. Charming, but who wants unnecessary access points for pests.

I will say that we kept part of our cabinetry, but not all. It was a mess of different hinges and old paint jobs and no decent storage. It was also, honestly, nothing special. It was site built from inexpensive materials and falling apart. We expanded into the former laundry room in large part to get more counter space. I was working with four linear feet of counter, interrupted by a sink. That just wasn’t workable for me.

You have to assess the state of your own kitchen and how strongly you feel about function vs form. After living with our kitchen for two years, I needed some real function. So I tried to keep a fair amount of the original charm, while bringing the function into this century.

Following, this will be an interesting transformation. That is quite a stove!

Wowzers!

Just have to add my appreciation for the charm and beauty of this home!

Please continue to share your progress and good luck along the way!

Your home shares DNA with my favorite house here on Houzz.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/historic-landmark-estate-restoration-mediterranean-kitchen-los-angeles-phvw-vp~78469139

Please share with us as you progress with your wonderful home.

Wowzer! What a fabulous house! Is that the maid's bedroom just off the kitchen, the one with the aqua door and window casing? What would one do with that space?

One tip about the tile, specifically the countertop tile. Considering all the water damage, the substrate is probably toast and the tile will come up clean and unbroken. Glazed ceramic tile can be salvaged, cleaned and reused. I would not bother salvaging the lower cabinets if there's so much rot that the sink tile is gone. You would be better off replacing all the lowers with new inset cabinets, painted of course. :) When you are settled, post the existing layout and the kitchen forum layout gurus can help you plan out the space.

So looking forward to seeing what becomes of this kitchen. Thank you for sharing it with us!

The original kitchen here does not have inset cabinets. (Neither did mine in the same geographic area and built just a few years earlier.). I would not automatically assume inset is the best choice here.

Yeah, in my area partial overlay is also more common than inset, and always slab drawer fronts, whether the doors are shaker or slab.

Replacing the electrical panel in a house is not a big job at all! I had it done on Thurs - he started at 9AM and was finished by 4PM. He carefully labeled every single wire so he could be sure he had the right ones hooked up to the right breakers to correspond to the panel that was installed when he added a whole house generator a few years ago. It cost me $1200.

They will need way more than just a new electric panel ... the big job is getting new wires snaked through to the required location.

I have an 18 y.o. house and it took 3 guys 10 hours to run a new electric line for more appliances in my kitchen renovation. Several obstacles to get through and around.

If there is still knob and tube wiring, replacing all of that will be a big job. We had some new wiring and some knob and tube. Our knob and tube ran only to lights, everything else had been updated at some point. When we had the kitchen remodeled, we had that last bit of knob and tube throughout the house replaced. The electricians spent a day just on that. Electricians are pricey.

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Hi Linda-

This is exactly the kind of house that the tv show This Old House on public television takes on.

They like to do things right, preserving the vintage feel, but updating what is appropriate in a safe way and they take in to account the owner's tastes and budget. And they do come to the West Coast.

Why don't you contact them and send them some photos?

I bet they will fall in love with your house just like we have here.

I think they want to know your rehab budget and that you are willing to put in some sweat equity, and will have to be on camera, too.

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/want-to-be-toh-tv

I don't think they are fake like some other shows.

Oh, and let me add, I love what I can see, and that stove is marvelous, but you are a better man than I, Gunga Din!!

You may want to check out what architect Mark Reilly did with this kitchen in Palo Alto covered by Remodelista. He was able to retain the integrity of the era of the home, while modernizing it:

https://www.remodelista.com/posts/the-architect-is-in-a-renovation-with-respect-in-palo-alto/

On a side note, DIY network is running a marathon of Restored today starting at 11am. Catch a few episodes if you can.

I am loving and looking into all of these suggestions and information.

Our new house has a pretty cool history if anyone is interested. Casa Bahia Loma

What a fantastic buy! I am a little homesick, I raised my children in the Bay Area and one of my daughters lives in the city in the Mission District. Enjoy every bit of that fabulous home!

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Please keep the stove. it is wonderful

I caught a couple episodes of “Restored” yesterday. That restored wedge wood stove is awesome. I wonder what was the real cost of restoration.

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It may seem early to think about but have you considers purchasing new cabinet hardware? Sometimes the best way to work on a project is find a small detail you like and work backwards. It helps to keep the task from seeming to daunting and keeps you focused on "the next thing".

lol

I am definitely in the minority..... but I would hesitate about 3 seconds before deciding to tear out cabs that are rotten and replacing them with all new, custom vintage inspired ones. When it comes to my kitchen or bathroom, “rotted” means “out they go.” What an awesome project to tackle!

I too LOVE your home! If it were me, and from what I can see in the photos, I would replace all the cabinets but keep them true to the period. I would use the existing colors and find tile that is similar. I wouldn't change it, just replicate it, and make any minor tweaks that warranted it. I would definitely try to reuse that stove so it kept a vintage feel and not just everything "new vintage". Good luck! Figure on double your budget to finish it. You may find surprises once you start in on the project. Exciting!!!

WOW! That oven! Following to see what you do.

Thank you everyone for these suggestions and encouragement!!

Here is another article about the the house if interested...Casa Bahia Loma

You might also check out the site retrorenovation.com for ideas and images of vintage kitchens and baths.

Wow! I love the sink; could it be restored? And please keep the ironing board.

I know the stove is huge, but it is a classic and so special. Have you priced having a specialist come look at it, and if so, has he found anything seriously wrong with it? If it works, I would keep it and build a kitchen around it, making a space for a refrigerator. I bet you have a good walk-in pantry or service porch. Your house probably has many original details, and you can keep within the style while modernizing the components...especially the kitchen. You could do Shaker cabinets in a light yellow or pale green from the era, remove the scallop details, use lighting similar to the era but newly made, wood-look tile floors. You paid a pretty penny for such a home, and you probably expected the upgrades needed: electrical and plumbing at a minimum. I doubt the stove could be removed unless dismantled.

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Fabulous space. I would highly recommend you join the American Bungalow FB page and the Arts and Crafts Movement FB page.

Lots of people on both those forums who have renovated kitchens similar to yours.

I would also post your questions in The Old House forum here on houzz.

There might be a way to restore some of those cabinets and to replace those that are rotted out.

Please do not just tear everything out.

I'd also recommend this book by Jane Powell about bungalow kitchens. She was the authority on craftsman and bungalow homes. Note even how the cover photo looks a lot like your kitchen.

Haven't read through this thread because it's late, but will be back tomorrow with some more ideas and suggestions.

Here are some great vintage kitchen renovations for inspiration:

These are similar in color to your original kitchen:

And here are alternate colors:

And yet some more:

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Looks like a fun project, that house is awesome but you have a lot of work ahead of you. Have fun and good luck, looking forward to seeing how it unfolds.

I wonder if there are any designers in your area that specialize in these

kinds of renovations.

If it were me, I'd try and save and reuse the tile on the walls and the counters. Might not be able to, but it sure would be worth trying to save them as you can't get tile like that nowadays.

I'd keep the uppers. Strip them, including the hinges and repaint.

I'd see if there are original wood floors underneath. If so, I'd refinish them as nothing is as good as original wood floors. If not, I'd find a marmoleum floor that you like to match the style of the house.

I agree the lowers need work. I'd reconfigure the lowers with drawers matching the style of the uppers. Do all drawers on the lowers to give yourself more room.

Can we see a floor plan of the house and how the kitchen relates as well as a floor plan of the kitchen so we can advise better as to where a fridge can fit?

You can still get authentic subways tiles in many colors, sizes and patterns. Check out this website:

https://subwaytile.com/samples/bungalow-tile-samples.html

They have yellow and black in their "Bungalow" collection.

OMG, my sympathies for having to live with what looks like 100 years of grime in that kitchen.

Grime can be cleaned up.

There is NO way I would live with that kitchen for a second longer than I had to

Then please don't ever buy an old original house because it's obvious you don't appreciate it.

- but you need a kitchen designer & planner than can replicate the charm of what you have, but with MODERN function.

Yes she needs modern function but not to the detriment of what is there.

Those cabinets are not worth saving because they are worn out.

No they are worth saving and having them restored. They will then last another 100 plus years which is not how long and of today's cabinets would last.

I had a kitchen like that and in 1920 they didn’t have the drawer glides that we have today (self closing) and they also did’t have the appliances we have today.

No they didn't.

I too LOVE your home! If it were me, and from what I can see in the photos, I would replace all the cabinets but keep them true to the period.

I would keep whatever is possible such as the uppers. I agree the lowers really need to go.

I would use the existing colors and find tile that is similar. I wouldn't change it, just replicate it,

No, she should use the same tiles. There is no such thing as replicating the old tiles. They may be close, but they are not the same.

The house is spectacular and please continue to come back and show us what you do with that gem.

You can still get authentic subways tiles in many colors, sizes and patterns. Check out this website:

https://subwaytile.com/samples/bungalow-tile-samples.html

They have yellow and black in their "Bungalow" collection.

Actually I used them for my upstairs bathroom floor as I wanted the authentic octagon tile flooring and not the fake dal tile ones. However, while it is as authentic as possible, it still is not the same as original, but if they can't save the original, it's who I'd agree should make their new tile.

BTW: I love the examples of kitchens you posted.

Hmm, yes, those are nice, but given how many custom tile makers are already in CA it might be worth investigating them first, like American tile, Mission Tile West, etc. to save on shipping. It's always nice when you have the option of dealing in person.

OMG! That range is magnificent. A new Garland range (yep, they are still available) in the same style retails in the area of $4k-$6k (depends on BTU's)...plus shipping. Yours is vintage, so add a few thousand. TO DIE FOR! When it's restored, with a custom-built SS lined & tiled hood, it will evoke Extreme Kitchen Envy.

What a cool kitchen. Do yourself a favor and get with a local designer to help you here. They can really help with your style of home and your immediate area...There are a lot of very talented people here on Houzz but they can often give advice that isn't relevant to your style of home or location. There is a lot of charm in this kitchen and if you can salvage some of it , that would be great - there is something to be said for spaces that keep as much of the original charm as possible...

I love that stove - if you really cook , you may love it too. But you have to look into having someone refurbish it vs buying something new.

Take your time on this project - make sure that things you open up or remove are really the right things to do for you and the house.

The best of luck! Can't wait to see how this turns out

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Following.

This post is over a year old. Have you begun and finished your remodel?
We always like to see the finished product. Photos, please!