Kitchen of the Week: Preserving a 1970 Home’s Modern Flavor
The kitchen’s walnut cabinetry, funky backsplash tile and bright orange vent hood complement the home’s architecture
Homeowners Dan and Kristen Chaddock love their midcentury modern-style house and their neighborhood in Reston, Virginia, so they recently decided to invest money into updating the kitchen in their forever home. Built in 1970, the home was designed by noted local architect Ken Bonner, who built the first single detached home in a town that became nationally known for its innovative planning in the 1960s. Bonner designed 65 homes in the community. The architectural style of his work in this neighborhood is rooted in the principles of midcentury modern style, but it also marks the beginning of the contemporary architectural style that was emerging in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Bonner’s designs are known for smart uses of space, maximizing natural light and energy conservation. The Chaddocks’ kitchen showcases his signature clerestory windows, original beams and large sliding doors that provide views out to the trees from the eat-in area. When they hired Dean Turner of Evolution Design + Build to update the kitchen and make it function better for them, they were well aware of their home’s architectural significance. “The main priority was to respect the period architecture while creating a slightly more functional layout than the original kitchen,” Kristen says.
Bonner’s designs are known for smart uses of space, maximizing natural light and energy conservation. The Chaddocks’ kitchen showcases his signature clerestory windows, original beams and large sliding doors that provide views out to the trees from the eat-in area. When they hired Dean Turner of Evolution Design + Build to update the kitchen and make it function better for them, they were well aware of their home’s architectural significance. “The main priority was to respect the period architecture while creating a slightly more functional layout than the original kitchen,” Kristen says.
After: An existing skylight also brought natural light into the room. Turner designed a new LED lighting scheme that’s a mix of undercabinet lighting and recessed lights in the ceiling. “The undercabinet lighting is great for work tasks on the counters and for ambient light when they don’t want to flip on the overhead lights at night,” he says.
The couple used Houzz when looking for style inspiration. “There is so much inspiration on Houzz, great advice and products,” Kristen says. The biggest style changes in the kitchen are the backsplash, flooring, walnut cabinetry, quartz countertops and orange vent hood. The faucet is era-appropriate chrome.
Kristen selected both the backsplash and floor tiles. “We knew we wanted some pop that also respected the time period of the home,” she says. “Cement Tile Shop’s Dubois pattern fit the bill while also being a bit of a showstopper.” The pattern’s large scale is a better fit for the room, and it complements the orange hood’s retro vibe. The overall style embraces the funkiness of 1970s architecture without being kitschy.
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The couple used Houzz when looking for style inspiration. “There is so much inspiration on Houzz, great advice and products,” Kristen says. The biggest style changes in the kitchen are the backsplash, flooring, walnut cabinetry, quartz countertops and orange vent hood. The faucet is era-appropriate chrome.
Kristen selected both the backsplash and floor tiles. “We knew we wanted some pop that also respected the time period of the home,” she says. “Cement Tile Shop’s Dubois pattern fit the bill while also being a bit of a showstopper.” The pattern’s large scale is a better fit for the room, and it complements the orange hood’s retro vibe. The overall style embraces the funkiness of 1970s architecture without being kitschy.
Find a local design-build firm on Houzz
The Smeg vent hood is a glorious 1970s-inspired shade of orange. “This was the one thing Dan got to pick. He wanted to add some color in the room,” Turner says.
Browse range hoods in the Houzz Shop
Browse range hoods in the Houzz Shop
This photo shows the entry to the kitchen from the foyer. To address the fridge problem, Turner took over pantry space and placed it at the end of the cabinet run on the left. With the fridge relocated, the family now has a clear view of the room as they enter it. Moving the fridge created more counter space and opened up a spot for the microwave, which lost its spot above the range to the new vent hood.
“We went back and forth about using a microwave drawer, but they ultimately decided a drawer would be too low for them — they wanted it at eye level,” Turner says. He built a shelf in the cabinets to accommodate it.
To save the homeowners money, he used Ikea base cabinets, altering some of the cabinet boxes and creating new ones when the standard sizes weren’t a good fit. Then he designed bookmatched walnut veneers to cover them. (Bookmatching means the graining pattern of the wood continues from one cabinet door to the next.)
“We had remodeled their bathroom before this project and used walnut in there, so they wanted to continue it in the kitchen,” Turner says. The wood is era-appropriate and complements the home’s existing ceiling beams. He used a clear coat of lacquer rather than a stain to maintain the natural color of the walnut.
The lower cabinets are all deep drawers. Some have inserts, such as for utensils and spices, inside. The upper cabinets are awning-style, meaning the doors flip up from the bottom. “We love the creative cabinetry. We got the benefit of storage that the Ikea cabinetry provided, but Dean’s team created custom walnut cabinet fronts that gave it a really finished look,” Kristen says.
“We went back and forth about using a microwave drawer, but they ultimately decided a drawer would be too low for them — they wanted it at eye level,” Turner says. He built a shelf in the cabinets to accommodate it.
To save the homeowners money, he used Ikea base cabinets, altering some of the cabinet boxes and creating new ones when the standard sizes weren’t a good fit. Then he designed bookmatched walnut veneers to cover them. (Bookmatching means the graining pattern of the wood continues from one cabinet door to the next.)
“We had remodeled their bathroom before this project and used walnut in there, so they wanted to continue it in the kitchen,” Turner says. The wood is era-appropriate and complements the home’s existing ceiling beams. He used a clear coat of lacquer rather than a stain to maintain the natural color of the walnut.
The lower cabinets are all deep drawers. Some have inserts, such as for utensils and spices, inside. The upper cabinets are awning-style, meaning the doors flip up from the bottom. “We love the creative cabinetry. We got the benefit of storage that the Ikea cabinetry provided, but Dean’s team created custom walnut cabinet fronts that gave it a really finished look,” Kristen says.
Before: The existing backsplash was a mosaic tile in white, black and gray. The small scale of the rectangles next to the busy pattern on the granite countertops wasn’t easy on the eye.
On every job, Turner uses a company that provides a dumpster at the job site, then carts it to a facility where everything is sorted for recycling. And he donates reusable items like sinks, countertops, appliances and cabinets that are in good shape to the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore and a salvage company with a storefront in Baltimore called Second Chance. Second Chance provides job training and workforce development for local residents with various employment obstacles.
On every job, Turner uses a company that provides a dumpster at the job site, then carts it to a facility where everything is sorted for recycling. And he donates reusable items like sinks, countertops, appliances and cabinets that are in good shape to the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore and a salvage company with a storefront in Baltimore called Second Chance. Second Chance provides job training and workforce development for local residents with various employment obstacles.
After: This photo shows the new location of the fridge. The wall beyond it continues into the kitchen’s eat-in area.
The Chaddocks opted for a mostly white durable quartz for the countertop. It has a faint pattern in it that adds subtle movement. Turner maintained the crisp lines of the room by using an eased edge on the counters. The corners have a squared-off look but are slightly rounded for comfort.
The Chaddocks opted for a mostly white durable quartz for the countertop. It has a faint pattern in it that adds subtle movement. Turner maintained the crisp lines of the room by using an eased edge on the counters. The corners have a squared-off look but are slightly rounded for comfort.
Before: The working part of the kitchen opened to the light-filled eat-in area with a great view of the trees. Sliding doors open to extensive decks off the back of the house. Note the clerestory windows and beams.
An upper cabinet partially blocked the view toward the eat-in area.
An upper cabinet partially blocked the view toward the eat-in area.
After: New open shelves keep the sightline to the eat-in area clear. The shelves also allow the backsplash pattern to extend up the wall.
The floor tile Kristen chose is a large-format, digitally printed porcelain. “The porcelain tile available today is such a game-changer,” Turner says. “It’s durable, it’s easy to clean and it’s so much easier to work with than natural stone, which can stain and crack.”
The floor tile Kristen chose is a large-format, digitally printed porcelain. “The porcelain tile available today is such a game-changer,” Turner says. “It’s durable, it’s easy to clean and it’s so much easier to work with than natural stone, which can stain and crack.”
The floating shelves provide a spot for a few decorative objects in a room where counter space is tight. To hang them safely, Turner used a system of steel brackets mounted to the studs in the wall. The shelves slide onto the brackets.
Encaustic tiles need to be protected from stains when used as a kitchen backsplash. Turner sealed them before installing them and then used a product called grout release that prevents staining from grout. After applying the grout, he sealed the tiles again.
Encaustic tiles need to be protected from stains when used as a kitchen backsplash. Turner sealed them before installing them and then used a product called grout release that prevents staining from grout. After applying the grout, he sealed the tiles again.
To make up for the pantry space lost when the fridge was relocated, Turner replaced an unused kitchen desk area with pantry cabinets. He left a void between the cabinets to accommodate a slim wine cooler and adjustable shelves for displaying objects.
A marble-topped Saarinen Tulip table and matching chairs pay homage to midcentury modern style. Punchy orange seat cushions and artwork play off the range hood. And a PH pendant light by Poul Henningsen is another iconic touch from the era.
A marble-topped Saarinen Tulip table and matching chairs pay homage to midcentury modern style. Punchy orange seat cushions and artwork play off the range hood. And a PH pendant light by Poul Henningsen is another iconic touch from the era.
This wall is on the other side of the eat-in area, just past the fridge. Turner installed new walnut shelves for cookbooks. “These are not for show. Kristen is a great chef and uses these regularly,” he says. An iconic midcentury modern Nelson Clock is the perfect accessory on the slim white wall.
The new kitchen makes the homeowners very happy. “We love our home’s clerestory windows. The new kitchen design works so well to highlight them,” Kristen says.
“This was our third project with Dean,” Dan says. “We trust him because he has our best interests at heart, took the time to help us with design options, helped us value-engineer costs and gave us a super transparent quote where every material and labor cost was a line item. Everything was on time and within our budget.”
More on Houzz
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The new kitchen makes the homeowners very happy. “We love our home’s clerestory windows. The new kitchen design works so well to highlight them,” Kristen says.
“This was our third project with Dean,” Dan says. “We trust him because he has our best interests at heart, took the time to help us with design options, helped us value-engineer costs and gave us a super transparent quote where every material and labor cost was a line item. Everything was on time and within our budget.”
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Dan and Kristen Chaddock and their teenage daughter
Location: Reston, Virginia
Size: 200 square feet (19 square meters)
Contractor: Dean Turner of Evolution Design + Build
Before: “We love the town of Reston, one of the country’s first planned communities,” Dan says. “The neighborhoods don’t all look the same, and many have midcentury modern homes like ours, which we were drawn to.” The couple chose to invest in their house not only because they loved its style and the neighborhood, but also because it has bedrooms on the main level, so they knew it was a home where they could age in place comfortably.
The U-shaped work area in the kitchen was compact but functional. “I didn’t really change the layout, but it was important to them to move the refrigerator,” Turner says. “It blocked the view of the rest of the kitchen when entering the room, and it truncated their countertop space.”
It was also important to the homeowners to preserve Bonner’s clerestory windows. They had already upgraded them by installing insulated glass for energy efficiency before renovating the kitchen.