A California Bungalow Kitchen Gets a Retro-Style Redo
A functional new floor plan and a dash of vintage flair give this Bay Area kitchen a much-needed refresh
Desiring a functional and family-friendly layout, a couple in Alameda, California, opted to deconstruct a dark warren of rooms to create a brighter, more open kitchen that embraced a vintage vibe. Challenged with including a laundry area, camouflaging a water heater and making it all feel cohesive, they worked with designer Joy Wilkins to introduce warm wood tones, clever cabinetry and bits of bright color that took this project from drab to downright cheerful.
AFTER: Once she opened the room, her next focus became devising a way to make it look agreeable. That meant disguising the washer and dryer, and making the water heater completely disappear. She tucked the laundry appliances beneath a countertop that can serve double-duty as extra serving space during holiday meals. She then hid the water heater inside custom Shaker-style cabinetry.
Countertops: Dreamy Marfil, Caesarstone; washer and dryer: Whirlpool
Countertops: Dreamy Marfil, Caesarstone; washer and dryer: Whirlpool
Wilkins took note of the original hardwood flooring and wainscoting throughout the home, and responded with 2-inch-wide white oak floors and cherrywood cabinets in the kitchen to help continue the look and feel as the homeowners and guests transition through the spaces.
Cabinetry: R.D. Henry & Co.
Cabinetry: R.D. Henry & Co.
AFTER: Creating a single large room allowed for a more generous eat-in space, which Wilkins brightened with the homeowners’ bold and colorful dining set.
LED pendant lights: SeaGull; paint: Olive Branch (walls) and Navajo White (ceiling and trim): Benjamin Moore
LED pendant lights: SeaGull; paint: Olive Branch (walls) and Navajo White (ceiling and trim): Benjamin Moore
AFTER: Wilkins replaced the countertops with white Caesarstone, also adding a new range hood, glossy cream subway tile and classic schoolhouse lighting to contrast with the wood floors and cabinetry.
Backsplash subway tile: Manhattan series, Tileshop; hood: Vent-a-Hood
Backsplash subway tile: Manhattan series, Tileshop; hood: Vent-a-Hood
Wilkins chose retro-style white appliances to complement the range. “The function of the space is always the most important, and knowing that the homeowners enjoy working in it is really rewarding,” Wilkins says of the new kitchen. “The finishes and aesthetics are the frosting on the cake and generally the most fun.”
Mircowave: Profile series, GE; refrigerator: Big Chill
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Mircowave: Profile series, GE; refrigerator: Big Chill
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Kitchen at a Glance
Location: Alameda, California
Size: 260 square feet (24.2 square meters)
Designer: Joy Wilkins of Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins
BEFORE: The kitchen was outdated, unsightly and made up of several separate dark rooms, including this back entry, which housed laundry appliances and a water heater. Wilkins’ first move was taking down walls to open this space to the kitchen.