apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

not usually a fan of this much wood in a kitchen but this is well done!

Wow. Looks really nice & not what is expected. A new faucet would look good, too. And hopefully they will add a little more color in cool tones in accessories. That walnut on the doors & counters is really, really nice.

It's absolutely beautiful, but I kind of think a kitchen sink upgrade would have really finished the job.

Yow. I thought the after picture was the before.

This sort of remodel only works if your kitchen is functional and well-laid out. In every kitchen remodel we have done, it has been to fix serious functional flaws in the layout.

Glad I wasn't the only one to think the "after" was a "before." This mid-century makeover misses the mark with too much wood and lack of contrast.

I would have liked to see better choices of contrasting materials and colors for the counter and floors.

Too bad because the bones of this house are just lovely.

I think this looks fantastic. I like the wood and paint.

I love this kitchen! The walnut counters are amazing.

oh.... I thought the after was the before as well. Very 70s wood paneling and harvest gold paint. Agreed - there is no contrast, nothing to break up all that dark, overwhelming wood.

Are those the same curtains that are featured in Tyra's office makeover...?

Didn't think I'd like it based on the thumbnails, but the detail of the wood is stunning.

The styling isn't fantastic, though -- needs some art or something, and the curtains are lifeless. Plus, I think stainless appliances would have been a lot more midcentury, weirdly enough.

Really dislike that yellow, even if it is historically appropriate. I also would have done a different counter, too, and a nicer sink.

I like those dining room curtains - anyone know where they are from?

I'm not a big fan of the yellow either - but considering it's Portland and the owners were apparently seeking a Retro-60's-70's vibe, this really hits the mark.

I especially like that the old cabinet cases were re-used - Although they were ugly, there really wasn't anything wrong with them structurally. It's amazing how a simple refacing job will transform a kitchen and an inspiration to folks who are saddled w/ those ubiquitous 80's Oak & Almond laminate cabinets.

i must second aychihuahua. while both the cabinets and counter are gorgeous, together they are far too bland, especially with the similarly coloured floor.
don't get me started on the wall colour - yikes!
i'd have put in white solid or quartz counters, a contrasting floor and something happy and colourful at the window.
and finally, yes - a new faucet would not break the bank but would make it all look a bit more finished.

Me four on thinking the after was the before. Yikes. This is not to my taste at all!

is it me or do the refrigerator doors open the wrong way on the remodel?

I also do not care for it as a whole.

it's a little too much wood for my tastes, but a beautiful mid-century makeover for sure.

What would really concern me here (although I'm usually never one to bring in resale) is what happens if they do try to sell. I wouldn't want to spend a LOT on something that so many people might not like.... and it would break my heart to spend a lot on a fabulous remodel you love only to have new owners rip it out and put in some granite/ss monstrosity (although admittedly not all g/ss is bad).

Jules248- Those curtains are from Ikea. I have similar ones from there and I love them and they're holding up real well.

The kitchen now looks just as dated post-renovation; it's just a different kind of dated. But as long as the owners got what they wanted, I guess I can't complain.

I know it's Portland and people will do anything to add a little color to their daily lives, but I really think if the yellow were a blue-grey the overall effect could be quite nice. I'd have also chosen a floor color that wasn't in the same color range as the wood, but too late now. Maybe a kitchen rug?

That counter top is freakin' beautiful. I didn't think I liked it, but i studied it for a minute, and the more i looked at it, the more i liked it.

Here are the changes I'd make:

-Update the faucet. The sink itself is fine, but not the plastic knobs, and industrial cheapo faucet.

-I agree with the wall color. The yellow is pretty bad. I would have gone with a medium to dark grey to contrast the white cabinets.

They really hit the mark with a true mid-century renovation, all the brown wood tones and cork floor... perfect. I just think the yellow and the white plastic appliances brings it into the 70's. no thank you.

"is it me or do the refrigerator doors open the wrong way on the remodel?"

Good Eye Cherrybomb -
I wonder why they switched the door handles around that way?

I too thought the "after" photo was the "before" - but I was bummed that it was going to be replaced with something else. I like the remodel - but it's super dated looking (which I think is the point?).

The counters are beautiful.
I too, would definitely change the wall color.
It reflects onto the cabinets, making the white look not white near the window. I would also change the curtains.
For mid century modern, maybe a nice printed barkcloth in the same color scheme as the neighboring dining area.

sorry cherrybom, it's you. look more closely. the fridge door opens the same way as before, handle on the left side of the fridge. you are just seeing it from a different perspective.

I like the way the new cork floor connects the kitchen and dining area now. In the "before" picture, the white tile and cabinetry really divide the two spaces.

I wonder if the faucet is the old one. If so, I kind of admire that they're not putting into landfill something that still works.

yuck.

I also thought the after was the before. I like the cabinets, but I think the countertops make the whole room appear wayyyy too "woody". Perhaps something lighter would have been a nice contrast.

I think the cabinets and countertop are beautiful. It's great that they were able to find someone to do this. At the Joinery link, there's a picture of these cabinets with a concrete countertop, and that looks really good too.

I looked at the photos thinking the 'after' shot was the 'before' shot. I agree with others, it's a new reno that already looks dated.

love the countertop--i'm iffy about the cabinet fronts, but maybe it's just a bit much for me in conjunction with the counters...whatevs, i don't have to live with it. it's a big improvement from the before! (the real estate listings here call those atrocities "euro cabinets," which mystifies me.)

People, these cabinets are GORGEOUS SOLID WALNUT, not the cheesy wood-grain formica you seem to be confusing them with. (Yeesh, I'm continually astounded by the hatred for wood. We should all BE so lucky o have solid walnut kitchen cabinets!)

I do agree about the yellow paint though. Yellow's a great kitchen color, but it doesn't compliment this tasty wood grain. Needs something cool, like a pale slate.

A new sink/faucet & a little color and they're good to go..

love the countertop. lose the cabinet doors, or at least some of them. ditto on the overwhelming wood situation.

Too much wood for my taste. Would have loved some stainless steel or so in the after-picture, but I was also one of those that confused the before and after-pics.

Yikes, I thought the "after" was the "before" too - at least in the thumbnail.

After spending all that money, go get a new sink and faucet! The dishwasher is just...meh, if you can put a simple SS one in there it would match the sink and be more invisible. But the wall color is a huge fail. Pick up the cool gray/blue in the curtains. That would be a nice contrast to the warm wood and the white accents. BM Wickham Gray would be a nice place to start.

So close and yet so far, I imagine their friends and family are like "ooooh, right, you redid the kitchen," and then go home sniggering about the yellow 1960's cave. Fix the faucet and the wall color and see the difference in reactions - it will be cool, hip, and the wood will be the star of the show.

No, zoee, those are on the refrigerator handles are def. on the wrong side. I stared at the pic for 10 min yesterday trying to figure out what was wrong and just looked again and they do open on the right rather than the left side in the remodel. I currently live with a refrigerator that opens wrong and am sensitive to that.

I will say I like the counters in the space, but overall, all that paneling juxtaposed with the stove and dishwasher just looks weird. With all that paneling going on, why not panel the dishwasher and refrigerator? or at least the dishwasher? It looks half finished if anything.

I love it! So glad to see the return of dark wood in the kitchen. That was so elegant when I was growing up. I think it still is.

if portland is seeking out authentic 60's and 70's kitchens and craves harvest gold, I think I'll box up my hideous (AUTHENTIC!!!) 70's yellow kitchen and mail it to the west coast.

I'd really appreciate a nice modern white kitchen with slate floors mailed to me in return.. ;-)

Seriously, the quality of the cabinets and wood is unarguable in this "after" pic, but as other stated, I would personally have done a few things differently (contrasting counters and floors, and no gold paint)... but then again, it's their kitchen and not mine. Ultimately, it only matters whether the owners are thrilled, and while some things aren't to my taste, I can definitely see how others would adore this kitchen.....

I think there is nothing more beautiful than a kitchen that is well loved and well used. This feels very cold and sterile. There is not a single appliance on the counter. I like the wood and I really like the yellow. I just hope this kitchen is meant to be cooked in. I think it would be far lovelier with a nice dusting of flour on the counters and a couple of pies cooling on top of the stove.

The wood on the cabinets is gorgeous! I like the yellow, but I think you need to add some other colors and a counter appliance or two to make it look more livable. I would change the curtains to something with color or an interesting pattern and change the faucet. It looks like you can put things in top of the cabinets...so I would add nice collection (not too many) bowls or whatever you would like to display. A plant or two on the window would be nice, too.

Don't like this at all. Too dark and I don't like the mustard yellow. Baby diaper colors.