NORTH OAKS Revitalized MCM
Project Details
Remodel Type: Kitchen, Primary Bathroom
Design Style: Midcentury Modern
Trade Resources and Partners
Photography: Alyssa Lee
Contractor: Purcell Quality
From the Client
Colleen with Fox Interiors was fantastic. We [did] a kitchen remodel. Our kitchen is beautiful because of Colleen’s knowledge and expertise.
Colleen is kind, enthusiastic and so easy to work with. Our Kitchen is stunning!
Before Conditions
- Designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, the 1954 home had wonderful MCM charm
- Kitchen closed off from rest of the house with narrow passageways restricting flow
- Kitchen lacked storage with an entire section of the kitchen underutilized
- Both rooms lacked effective lighting due to the unique paneled ceiling system that cannot be cut into
- Bright red carpet, harvest gold counters, and dated cabinetry distracted from the architectural bones of the home
- The shower in the primary bathroom was dark and closed in
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Client Objectives
- Enhance original MCM details with updated finishes in a warm, natural palette
- Improve flow and connection between Kitchen and adjacent living areas
- Add as much storage as possible and create more open counter space
- Increase space and lighting in Primary Bathroom shower
Design Solutions
- Removed the wall between the Kitchen and the adjacent nook, creating connection and sightlines to the living spaces and the views outside.
- Created a peninsula where the wall was removed to provide a key work zone and a casual dining area
- Shortened wall that separated the Entry from the nook and Kitchen to create a wider traffic path and improve flow
- Relocated the fridge to an empty wall along with new cabinetry wrapping around the end of the Kitchen for more functional storage and counter space.
- Rift Cut White Oak cabinetry, soft green tile, a crisp white quartz counter, large-scale globe lights, and marmoleum flooring form the desired natural warm palette while providing an updated take on MCM finishes
- Retained the Bathroom’s U-shaped vanity footprint while integrating additional storage
- Removed a closet and lowered the ceiling to create a larger and brighter shower
- Walnut cabinetry, white and soft blue-green square tiles are a fresh take on classic ‘50s bathroom finishes
- Worked with the restrictions of the paneled ceiling, which cannot be cut into, to create lighting solutions in both the Kitchen and the Bathroom
The Details That Make It Work
- Eliminated the 1970s color palette for warm, natural finishes that fit both their California roots and the aesthetic of Frank Lloyd Wright, who celebrated an earthy color palette and natural elements such as wood, stone and ceramics
- Preserved the original paneling and blended it in on the long wall that was part of the original nook so the update feels original
- Installed a track lighting system in the Kitchen which allowed us to hang pendant lights over the peninsula and spots that light up the whole kitchen unobtrusively
- The Homeowners are thrilled to have so much storage space that they still have empty cabinets!
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Project Details
Remodel Type: Kitchen, Primary Bathroom
Design Style: Midcentury Modern
Trade Resources and Partners
Photography: Alyssa Lee Photography
Contractor: Purcell Quality
From the Client
Colleen with Fox Interiors was fantastic. We [did] a kitchen remodel. Our kitchen is beautiful because of Colleen’s knowledge and expertise. Colleen is kind, enthusiastic and so easy to work with. Our Kitchen is stunning!
About Colleen
I live in Minneapolis with my landscape architect/urban designer husband, my volleyball & Taylor Swift loving daughter who believes she’s my design assistant, an independent Siamese, a feisty grey-striped kitten, and a menagerie of turkeys and other wild animals who visit our backyard for the free food. When I’m not designing, you’ll often find me cooking up a Paleo feast, cheering for my daughter's volleyball team, playing pickleball, or hiding in a corner with my nose in a book.
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