Kitchen of the Week: Classic Eichler Updated for Today’s Needs
A designer helps a couple honor their midcentury home’s design while creating a kitchen that works for their lifestyle
Before: Thanks to a peninsula on one side and a partition wall on the other, the kitchen was a small, tight galley. And the partition wall, which separated the kitchen from the dining room, blocked out the natural light and views of the backyard. It also blocked people from flowing from one space to the next with ease. The air conditioning unit and a wall-mounted phone added during a later addition had ruined some of the original Philippine mahogany paneling, the appliances didn’t match, the cabinets had received a makeover that didn’t fit the midcentury aesthetic and lackluster floor tiles had been added atop the original concrete floor.
Thoughtful Salvage
Having to remove the original Philippine mahogany was unfortunate, but with many of the pieces damaged, incorporating it into a cohesive new scheme was not feasible. However, the homeowners were able to give away the salvageable pieces to neighbors who put them to good use. These pieces are in hot demand in their close-knit neighborhood of Eichler homes, as people want them for current renovations, need them to replace damaged panels or plan to save them for future repairs.
Thoughtful Salvage
Having to remove the original Philippine mahogany was unfortunate, but with many of the pieces damaged, incorporating it into a cohesive new scheme was not feasible. However, the homeowners were able to give away the salvageable pieces to neighbors who put them to good use. These pieces are in hot demand in their close-knit neighborhood of Eichler homes, as people want them for current renovations, need them to replace damaged panels or plan to save them for future repairs.
Eichler Spirit Regained
By swapping the kitchen and dining room locations and removing the partition wall, Lin made the kitchen central to the living room, atrium, backyard and dining room. This made room for the couple to work together in the kitchen and made the home’s layout perfect for casual entertaining.
The new kitchen is about the same size as the original. Lin removed the partition wall and swapped the dining room and kitchen locations. Now the kitchen enjoys the natural light and views of the backyard through original floor-to-ceiling windows.
Here are four things Lin did to create a design that respected the original architecture and met the homeowners’ modern-day needs:
1. Showcase beautiful wood. “Since we lost quite a bit of the original wood walls, we replaced it with walnut cabinetry,” Lin says. “This helped to bring warmth into the room that mimicked the original intention of the mahogany walls.”
2. Create an uncluttered aesthetic. “Original Eichler kitchens had little or no hardware on their cabinets. We were able to replicate that look by not using any hardware on the cabinetry,” Lin says. She also used panel-front appliances to maintain this streamlined look. The appliances proved a little more challenging to leave unadorned by hardware. The fridge is push-to-open and the dishwasher is knock-to-open. “The hidden appliances created a very seamless, continuous flow for the cabinets and makes the kitchen look and feel more spacious,” she says.
3. Save original light fixtures. Thankfully, the original Eichler globe lights were still around and salvageable. “These helped keep the original spirit of the Eichler look alive,” Lin says.
Find the right globe light
By swapping the kitchen and dining room locations and removing the partition wall, Lin made the kitchen central to the living room, atrium, backyard and dining room. This made room for the couple to work together in the kitchen and made the home’s layout perfect for casual entertaining.
The new kitchen is about the same size as the original. Lin removed the partition wall and swapped the dining room and kitchen locations. Now the kitchen enjoys the natural light and views of the backyard through original floor-to-ceiling windows.
Here are four things Lin did to create a design that respected the original architecture and met the homeowners’ modern-day needs:
1. Showcase beautiful wood. “Since we lost quite a bit of the original wood walls, we replaced it with walnut cabinetry,” Lin says. “This helped to bring warmth into the room that mimicked the original intention of the mahogany walls.”
2. Create an uncluttered aesthetic. “Original Eichler kitchens had little or no hardware on their cabinets. We were able to replicate that look by not using any hardware on the cabinetry,” Lin says. She also used panel-front appliances to maintain this streamlined look. The appliances proved a little more challenging to leave unadorned by hardware. The fridge is push-to-open and the dishwasher is knock-to-open. “The hidden appliances created a very seamless, continuous flow for the cabinets and makes the kitchen look and feel more spacious,” she says.
3. Save original light fixtures. Thankfully, the original Eichler globe lights were still around and salvageable. “These helped keep the original spirit of the Eichler look alive,” Lin says.
Find the right globe light
4. Use iconic local tiles. The backsplash is by Heath Ceramics, a company that has been producing handmade pottery in California since 1948. After using hexagon tiles in other places throughout the house, Lin recommended this take on the shape for the backsplash — half hex in a braided pattern. “We wanted something more subtle and classic so it doesn’t look too trendy or loud or take away from the rest of the kitchen,” she says. “Also, the color variation in Heath’s handmade tiles made them look more natural while adding contrast and texture.”
Lin urges all Eichler owners to do their best to salvage original light fixtures and paneling whenever possible. Both can help a remodel feel authentic and like a natural evolution for the architecture.
Lin urges all Eichler owners to do their best to salvage original light fixtures and paneling whenever possible. Both can help a remodel feel authentic and like a natural evolution for the architecture.
Era-Appropriate Materials
“Houzz photos provided us with design inspirations, and it was very easy to share them using ideabooks,” Lin says.
Other materials they chose for the kitchen were crafted using modern-day technologies yet still fit in with the midcentury modern Eichler look. The floors are luxury vinyl tile flooring that looks like concrete. “Without the hardness and porous nature of concrete, this tile is easy to maintain, soft on the feet and great for kids and pets,” Lin says. And the homeowners wanted a thin countertop and an integrated sink, made possible by a solid surface product called Krion by Porcelanosa. This material is a mix of minerals and resins that resembles the kinds of countertops that might have been original to an Eichler but is antibacterial and low-maintenance.
The island is 8 by 4 feet and includes a dishwasher, integrated sink and book-matched walnut around the perimeter. This side has four large storage cabinets.
The cabinetry was custom-made by Houzz pro Strong Cabinetry, and the work the firm did on the upper cabinets is unusual. “Most cabinets found in Eichlers with a sloped ceiling do not meet the ceiling,” Lin says. “But these perfectly engineered floor-to-ceiling cabinets give the illusion of height.”
How to Create and Use Ideabooks
“Houzz photos provided us with design inspirations, and it was very easy to share them using ideabooks,” Lin says.
Other materials they chose for the kitchen were crafted using modern-day technologies yet still fit in with the midcentury modern Eichler look. The floors are luxury vinyl tile flooring that looks like concrete. “Without the hardness and porous nature of concrete, this tile is easy to maintain, soft on the feet and great for kids and pets,” Lin says. And the homeowners wanted a thin countertop and an integrated sink, made possible by a solid surface product called Krion by Porcelanosa. This material is a mix of minerals and resins that resembles the kinds of countertops that might have been original to an Eichler but is antibacterial and low-maintenance.
The island is 8 by 4 feet and includes a dishwasher, integrated sink and book-matched walnut around the perimeter. This side has four large storage cabinets.
The cabinetry was custom-made by Houzz pro Strong Cabinetry, and the work the firm did on the upper cabinets is unusual. “Most cabinets found in Eichlers with a sloped ceiling do not meet the ceiling,” Lin says. “But these perfectly engineered floor-to-ceiling cabinets give the illusion of height.”
How to Create and Use Ideabooks
Tip: Size features performing specific functions according to the use they will get. For example, only one of the homeowners enjoys coffee, so they didn’t want to sacrifice a lot of precious countertop space for morning brew prep. “They bought a small machine that complemented the midcentury modern aesthetic of the kitchen, and there is one drawer that contains all of the coffee supplies,” Lin says.
Shop for a coffeemaker
Shop for a coffeemaker
Though the difference is dramatic, they did not need to expand the size of the house in the renovation. The main structural work was removing the load-bearing partition wall that used to block the kitchen from the dining room.
The dining room moved over to the old kitchen’s space and now looks out onto the atrium. It is also open to the living room and can enjoy that room’s fireplace. Lin helped her clients find a chandelier to complement the existing globe light fixtures in the kitchen, tying the two spaces together. And now that it is set within an open space, the dining table can expand fully to seat 24 people.
The new design makes entertaining in all seasons easy, whether they are flowing out to the backyard and atrium during the warmer months or enjoying the living room fireplace and the natural sunlight that warms the dining room in the winter. “Now they are able to entertain their friends and their big family,” Lin says. “People can gather around the kitchen, pull up to the island and flow into the living room, dining room, atrium and backyard.”
Takeaways
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The new design makes entertaining in all seasons easy, whether they are flowing out to the backyard and atrium during the warmer months or enjoying the living room fireplace and the natural sunlight that warms the dining room in the winter. “Now they are able to entertain their friends and their big family,” Lin says. “People can gather around the kitchen, pull up to the island and flow into the living room, dining room, atrium and backyard.”
Takeaways
- If renovations are in your plans, live in your house for awhile to get to know it and learn exactly what you’ll need to change.
- Consider the flow of the space. Where do you feel blocked from moving where you want to go? Where are you missing out on a view you’d like to see? Which areas need more natural light?
- Salvage what you’re getting rid of during the demolition phase. Put out the word through neighborhood apps, find salvage yards for things such as porcelain and contact charities like ReStore to see your construction waste upcycled rather than sent to a landfill.
- Try to capture the original spirit of a home’s architecture through materials, colors, dimensions, lines and shapes.
- Add some meaning and history to your home by sourcing locally made materials. This can include hiring a local artisan to craft something for you or purchasing local art.
- Don’t rule out new products and technologies when going for the look of a bygone era. There may be new options that can lend an era-appropriate look and function better than the old ones.
Read more Kitchens of the Week
Find a kitchen designer on Houzz
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A married couple and their two rescue Pomeranians
Location: San Jose, California
Size: 140 square feet (13 square meters); 10 by 14 feet
Designer: Pamela Lin of Urbanism Designs
This classic Eichler home in San Jose, California, still had its midcentury modern bones, but the architectural integrity of the original kitchen had taken some big hits during a past remodel. The original floors, countertops and cabinet faces had been replaced at some point, and the original Philippine mahogany panels were damaged. Functionally, the flow didn’t work and a partition wall blocked the natural light. The couple who lived here needed to make the kitchen work for their lifestyle with a renovation that respected the original architecture.
They lived in the house and got to know it for about a year before planning the changes. This helped them develop a strong sense of what was working, what was not and what would help. They found that their kitchen was only big enough for one person to use at a time, it lacked counter space and wasn’t well-placed for the kind of entertaining they love to do. “My clients wanted the kitchen to be the heart of their home. In its original location, it didn’t optimize the open layout that Eichlers usually have,” says their designer, Pamela Lin, who also lives in an Eichler.
The goals were to create a clean-lined, timeless aesthetic that would fit in well with the classic midcentury modern architecture and to make the kitchen a functional, well-lit hub with an easy flow for entertaining lots of guests.