Walnut Cabinets and Geometric Tile Play Up Midcentury Style
In a Seattle condo’s kitchen and living area, a new layout, custom cabinets and hex tile complement vintage furnishings
The layout: The appliances stayed in the same spot, minimizing the cost of the remodel. However, the fridge moved to an alcove, opening up the layout and improving the flow of traffic while cooking.
The floors: Before renovating, the homeowner had his floors top-coated with concrete for a smooth, modern finish.
The dining table: A cross-extension dining table and leather chairs mimic the same colors found in the kitchen.
Table and chairs: Design Within Reach
The floors: Before renovating, the homeowner had his floors top-coated with concrete for a smooth, modern finish.
The dining table: A cross-extension dining table and leather chairs mimic the same colors found in the kitchen.
Table and chairs: Design Within Reach
The room divider: One of Piper’s main design moves was to relocate the fridge to a large custom walnut room divider that sets off the kitchen from a bar area. “The fridge sits in the casework and makes the work flow of the kitchen much more efficient,” he says.
On the opposite side of the fridge, the walnut divider features a bookshelf that delineates the bar area without completely cutting it off.
The view: The designers replaced dated doors with a full-length sliding door panel assembly to maximize views of Seattle’s skyline.
Door panels: LaCantina; construction: Ambrose Construction
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Door panels: LaCantina; construction: Ambrose Construction
More
Why We Love Midcentury Modern Design
Find a design pro
Shop for home products
Kitchen, Dining and Living Area at a Glance
Location: Seattle
Who lives here: A single man
Size: 980 square feet (91 square meters)
Designer: Geoff Piper of Fivedot
Scope of work: A cramped and inefficient kitchen was gutted and replaced with new cabinetry and a new layout. A new casement room divider was added, as were new sliding glass doors to open the kitchen, dining and living area to views of the Seattle skyline.
The style: This condo is in a 1960s building, which was perfect for the homeowner’s midcentury furniture collection. The redesigned kitchen played off the era of the collection and the building.
The cabinets: Custom walnut with partially open uppers. Opting out of hardware kept the panels simple, clean and modern. “When we are working in a small space, we try as much as possible to not have large, closed upper cabinets, as they make the space feel small,” designer Geoff Piper of Fivedot says.
The backsplash: The homeowner selected gray tile from Heath Ceramics and ran the backsplash throughout the kitchen. The elongated hex shape plays off the midcentury vibe.
Custom casework: Fivedot; tile: Heath Ceramics; countertops: Caesarstone