Modern Function and Simplicity in an Updated 1970s Kitchen

Goodbye to retro appliances and wasted space. Hello to better traffic flow and fresh new everything

Mitchell ParkerJanuary 15, 2015

Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.

Wendy and Doug Brown’s Indianapolis home felt like a time capsule. When they moved in with their two kids, ages 6 and 11, the home hadn’t seen a single update since it was built in 1974. Even the kitchen appliances were from four decades ago, in a retro Harvest Gold color no less.

Before Photo

BEFORE: Poor functionality trumped the age of the space. For example, a peninsula, seen here, across from the pantry door created a chokehold whenever the kids were rummaging for a snack and Wendy or Doug was cooking a meal. “It was a hot mess,” Wendy says.

Plus, large bulkheads pushed the cabinets down, making things feel a bit claustrophobic. “There was just a lot of wasted space,” says Wendy.

AFTER: Working with Hyatt Construction, the family pushed the pantry back a foot and removed the island to make room for a large furniture-style island and better traffic flow. “That really opened up things a lot,” Wendy says. The bulkhead came out too, freeing up cabinet space. Meanwhile, all-new cabinets, appliances and finishes gave the family the clean, simple look they wanted.

Wendy, who works for her father’s custom window coverings business, and Doug, a pharmaceutical salesman, planned out the remodel themselves, choosing the cabinets, appliances and finishes, using a Houzz ideabook for guidance. They then worked with Hyatt Construction on the construction and installation.

They added glass-front cabinets to the top, where they store big glass decanters, antique trays and vases, and Wendy’s great-grandmother’s antique pitcher.

The countertops are granite, and the subway tile backsplash is a grayish-taupe color called pearl. “We didn’t want anything too fancy-schmancy,” Wendy says. “We just wanted a low-key kitchen with a little bit of interest.”

A full-panel glass door replaced a French country–style one so Wendy could keep a better eye on her kids when they’re playing in the backyard.

Island lights: Progressive Lighting; cabinets: Direct Plus; door window covering: Essex Drapery and Blind

Before Photo

BEFORE: Vinyl linoleum squares that resembled multicolored brick ran throughout the kitchen to an adjacent eating area.

AFTER: Hardwood replaced the vinyl, while the walls got a coat of gray paint that Wendy spent a long time looking for. “I wanted a warm gray with little beigey tones,” she says. “Everything was too beige or too gray, like a cold prison cell.” Collonade Gray from Sherwin-Williams hit the sweet spot.

The new banquette in the eating area has storage beneath the seats for placemats and appliances like a cotton candy maker and a flavored-shaved-ice maker. Wendy is in the process of choosing cushions for the banquette.

Table, chairs: Canadel

Before Photo

BEFORE: An old intercom system and the Harvest Gold appliances hinted at the origins of the home.

AFTER: The couple put the new ovens in the same place to save money on moving the wiring, but because they never used the desk, they converted that area into a coffee bar.

Wendy says the whole renovation came to about $50,000. Here’s the breakdown:

Cabinets: $21,300
Granite: $5,300
Appliances: $11,000
Contractor fees and installation, lighting and miscellaneous expenses: $12,400

Your turn: Got a project you’re proud of? Share it with the Houzz community in the Before & After discussions section.

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