Before & After: Midcentury Kitchen Makeover

Original kitchens in many midcentury homes are walled off and isolated from the rest of the living space, making the kitchen just a place to cook rather than the social hub of the home. The remodel of this Portland, Oregon kitchen opened it up to the rest of the house—and to a cozy, wooded view—and created a relaxed, easy-to-live-in space.

Following an extensive remodel overseen by the design build firm Vanillawood, the kitchen, living, and dining areas now flow together, creating a large, open room framed by huge picture windows that overlook a classic Pacific Northwest landscape. The room’s simple design allows the foliage outside to act almost as art on the inside. A narrow, horizontal window hangs like a picture frame over the seamless Corain sink, and a glass door opens out onto a sheltered patio ringed with trees. Warm oak floors, custom sapele wood cabinets and “Woods” wallpaper by Cole & Son help tie the indoor space and the forested view together.

Simple wooden barstools from Pottery Barn ring the heart of the kitchen: a large island topped with a custom Corian countertop that waterfalls over the edge and spills down to the floor. On the opposite side of the island eleven drawers provide loads of storage for pots and pans and cooking utensils. Stainless steel Sugatsune hardware adorn both the simple high gloss white Ikea cabinets and the custom Sapele cabinets. I love how thoughtful details like the use of wood and wallpaper offer a thoroughly modern homage to this home’s classic midcentury design.

(All images via Ty Milford)