Kitchen Remodel: From 90’s Oak to a Bright, Contemporary Space

Imagine a charming family kitchen from the 90’s, it has everything from stained oak cabinetry with a classic arched door style, laminate countertops, an oversized angled island, a corner sink, and of-course soffits. Beautiful in its time, this family’s kitchen was built in 1991 and they were ready for something more modern. With the guidance of ACo Designer, Kayley Vargo, this kitchen is now unrecognizable. The space transformed from outdated to outstanding in a blink of the eye. Not only did Kayley help these homeowners select new materials to create a beautiful transitional space, she also re-designed the layout to allow for better functionality.

Upgrading the Layout

A poor layout can make a kitchen feel cramped. These homeowners had plenty of space, but they wanted it arranged for better function and flow. Originally located in the corner of the kitchen and taking up way too much real estate, the sink was shifted to the back wall. The cooktop was taken from the island and moved to an adjacent wall to create a better flow in the kitchen. The island was then squared off and enlarged to allow for more countertop and storage space as well as a spot for informal seating. A walk-in pantry was replaced with tall cabinet storage giving the illusion of a larger, more custom kitchen.

Adding Modern Touches

The new overall neutral color palette of the room also visually enhanced the size of the kitchen. The dusk stained island creates a nice contrast with the simple white shaker cabinetry throughout the rest of the space. The custom floating shelves and mantle, stained to match the island, add a bit of pop to the perimeter cabinets to help tie the whole room together. The matte black modern cabinet pulls take the design to the next level, creating yet another pop of contrast in the space. White elongated subway tiles act as a nice backdrop throughout the kitchen and help carry the eye throughout the entire room. The clean white quartz countertops and medium toned custom stained red oak floors add the perfect amount of warmth and transitional style to achieve the perfect kitchen for this family.

For more design ideas visit our Project Gallery, or if you’re interested in re-designing your kitchen contact us for a free in-home design consultation.