Before and After: 4 Charming Vintage-Style Kitchens
Everything old is new again in this quartet of kitchens with decidedly different styles
Celebrating the past doesn’t have to mean taking a full-blown time machine trip. The designers of these kitchens beautifully blended eras and style genres to create looks that feel vintage yet have a modern sensibility. Moreover, each one has a distinct style, from cozily nostalgic to luxuriously chic. See for yourself and then share your thoughts in the Comments.
After: The new design has a regal vintage vibe without a whiff of stuffiness. Tumbled-marble floor tiles in a Versailles pattern stretch across the new floor, evened out by joists underneath. Black Shaker-style cabinets bring the drama and allow a high-end Italian range in burgundy to take the spotlight. Brass details throughout add glimmer and glamour.
Vintage details include an ogee edge on the honed Calacatta Lincoln marble countertop, a cone-shaped glass pendant light over the sink, a quirky towel rack and, because one of the owners is an avid baker, a baking hutch with a built-in flour sifter.
Range: ILVE USA; range hood: Curved in black, Hoodsly
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Vintage details include an ogee edge on the honed Calacatta Lincoln marble countertop, a cone-shaped glass pendant light over the sink, a quirky towel rack and, because one of the owners is an avid baker, a baking hutch with a built-in flour sifter.
Range: ILVE USA; range hood: Curved in black, Hoodsly
Learn more about this project
“After” photo by Bret Gum Photography
2. Full of Cheer
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Gina Soberanez; her partner, Andrew; and their two kids
Location: Alhambra, California
Size: 182 square feet (17 square meters)
Designer: Julia Chasman Design
Before: Holding many childhood memories for one of the homeowners but lacking any real personality, this California kitchen was ready for a refresh. The yellow walls, timeworn oak cabinets, laminate counters and beige tile floor not only were lackluster but didn’t speak to the rest of the 1925 Spanish home. And the narrow entryway minimized the kitchen’s connection with the living room. Designer Julia Chasman came to the rescue.
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2. Full of Cheer
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Gina Soberanez; her partner, Andrew; and their two kids
Location: Alhambra, California
Size: 182 square feet (17 square meters)
Designer: Julia Chasman Design
Before: Holding many childhood memories for one of the homeowners but lacking any real personality, this California kitchen was ready for a refresh. The yellow walls, timeworn oak cabinets, laminate counters and beige tile floor not only were lackluster but didn’t speak to the rest of the 1925 Spanish home. And the narrow entryway minimized the kitchen’s connection with the living room. Designer Julia Chasman came to the rescue.
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After: Awakened with a lively design that blends vintage and Spanish elements, the new kitchen has a jubilant feel. Handcrafted ceramic backsplash tiles in a retro floral design invite the eye in right away, and charcoal blue cabinets, green stools and dishware in shades including turquoise, celadon and lemon keep the party going.
The many vintage details include a 1940s white Wedgewood stove, vintage and reproduction brass hardware, a Persian runner rug and chicken wire cabinet fronts. You also can see here that the designer widened the doorway for better connection and room for an island.
Backsplash tiles: Covent Gardens, 8 by 8 inches, Retrospectives collection, Lungarno Ceramics, Floorzz; rug: Blue Parakeet Rugs
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The many vintage details include a 1940s white Wedgewood stove, vintage and reproduction brass hardware, a Persian runner rug and chicken wire cabinet fronts. You also can see here that the designer widened the doorway for better connection and room for an island.
Backsplash tiles: Covent Gardens, 8 by 8 inches, Retrospectives collection, Lungarno Ceramics, Floorzz; rug: Blue Parakeet Rugs
Read more about this makeover
“After” photo by Rubinski Visual
3. Feeling Nostalgic
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Size: 269 square feet (25 square meters)
Designer: Emily Pueringer
Contractor: Quality Cut Design | Remodel
Before: This Minnesota kitchen in an early-1920s home wasn’t exactly the cat’s pajamas. Chopped up and chock-full of bulky cabinetry, it didn’t suit the owners or the style of the home. Seeking a bold and personal design that would feel homey while also addressing storage and flow problems, the couple tapped designer Emily Pueringer for the remodel.
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3. Feeling Nostalgic
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Size: 269 square feet (25 square meters)
Designer: Emily Pueringer
Contractor: Quality Cut Design | Remodel
Before: This Minnesota kitchen in an early-1920s home wasn’t exactly the cat’s pajamas. Chopped up and chock-full of bulky cabinetry, it didn’t suit the owners or the style of the home. Seeking a bold and personal design that would feel homey while also addressing storage and flow problems, the couple tapped designer Emily Pueringer for the remodel.
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After: Eschewing light and bright in favor of rich colors and a nostalgic feel, the new kitchen has a range of greens complemented by warm terra-cotta and wood tones. Fireclay tile in colors picked up from a historical-patterned William Morris wallpaper nearby creates an eye-catching backsplash. Two-tone cabinets in olive and white oak harmonize with soapstone countertops, and pottery by local artists abounds for a personal touch.
Among the vintage features are corbels under the upper cabinets, a wood mantel on the vent hood, an apron-front sink and period-perfect light fixtures. To top it all off, Pueringer’s design nixed the storage and flow issues.
Backsplash tile: Antique sheeted mosaic, Fireclay Tile; countertops: Saratoga Black soapstone
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Among the vintage features are corbels under the upper cabinets, a wood mantel on the vent hood, an apron-front sink and period-perfect light fixtures. To top it all off, Pueringer’s design nixed the storage and flow issues.
Backsplash tile: Antique sheeted mosaic, Fireclay Tile; countertops: Saratoga Black soapstone
See more of this before-and-after
“After” photo by Scott Norsworthy
4. Industrial Strength
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two teenage daughters
Location: Toronto
Size: 275 square feet (26 square meters)
Architect: Wanda Ely
Contractor: M-Squared Contracting
Before: Stuck all by its lonesome in a small addition at the back of the house, with a low ceiling to boot, this Toronto kitchen was yearning to break free and feel connected to the other rooms. It also was suffering from a lack of style and personality. To address all this and more, the owners worked closely with designer Wanda Ely on a whole-house remodel that included a scintillating kitchen makeover.
Browse kitchen appliances in the Houzz Shop
4. Industrial Strength
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two teenage daughters
Location: Toronto
Size: 275 square feet (26 square meters)
Architect: Wanda Ely
Contractor: M-Squared Contracting
Before: Stuck all by its lonesome in a small addition at the back of the house, with a low ceiling to boot, this Toronto kitchen was yearning to break free and feel connected to the other rooms. It also was suffering from a lack of style and personality. To address all this and more, the owners worked closely with designer Wanda Ely on a whole-house remodel that included a scintillating kitchen makeover.
Browse kitchen appliances in the Houzz Shop
After: See the green couch in the corner? That’s where the old kitchen was. The new kitchen not only has plenty of breathing room and connection, it also has a gorgeous vintage industrial style with Parisian flair and modern touches. The big clock on the left wall, from an old train station in Paris, set the tone for the entire design.
Other Parisian-style features include white oak flooring laid in a chevron pattern, French doors and trimwork on the walls. Vintage touches include soapstone perimeter countertops, cup pulls on a furniture-look island and an ogee edge on the marble island countertop. Charcoal hues and plenty of metal — particularly via a patinated metal vent hood — deliver the industrial.
Vent hood fabrication: Discreet + Discrete
Learn more about this remodel
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Other Parisian-style features include white oak flooring laid in a chevron pattern, French doors and trimwork on the walls. Vintage touches include soapstone perimeter countertops, cup pulls on a furniture-look island and an ogee edge on the marble island countertop. Charcoal hues and plenty of metal — particularly via a patinated metal vent hood — deliver the industrial.
Vent hood fabrication: Discreet + Discrete
Learn more about this remodel
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
1. Posh Presence
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Carrie Ann Terrell and Jody Bjornstad
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Size: 330 square feet (31 square meters)
Designer: Kelly Vickers of Zimmer Design
Builder: Mike Strafelda of Collective Carpentry
Before: This 1970s add-on kitchen in Minnesota never really found its groove. With humdrum brown cabinets, beige sheet vinyl flooring and fluorescent lighting, it just didn’t jibe with the rest of the 1886 Victorian home. Plus, it had a dangerously sloped floor due to poor construction. The owners brought in Kelly Vickers of Zimmer Design to redo the space from the studs up.
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