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Room Of The Week
Before & After: Cooking Up a Mid-Century Modern Celebration
A USA-based designer upgrades a kitchen while honouring the home’s iconic architecture
While touring this classic house in North Carolina, USA, a couple imagined highlighting its mid-century modern splendour and making it their full-time home. “The kitchen was not in good shape, but they had a vision and they have impeccable taste,” says Dawn Driskill, their interior designer. She guided them through a renovation that opened up the kitchen while preserving and embracing the post-and-beam architecture and mid-century spirit that’s typical of iconic prefabricated Deck Houses such as this one.
Before: “It was kind of Mediterranean and weird,” says Driskill of the existing kitchen. The house had a mostly open-plan layout, but the kitchen was closed off from the adjacent family room and dining area. This resulted in a dark cooking space that missed out on some of the mountain views.
The finishes were also dated and the storage did not suit the couple. “They love to cook together, and having a gourmet kitchen was really important to them,” says Driskill.
The finishes were also dated and the storage did not suit the couple. “They love to cook together, and having a gourmet kitchen was really important to them,” says Driskill.
After: Driskill and Edwards were careful to preserve the original signature Deck House architectural elements. These included the posts and beams, mahogany windows and tongue-and-groove ceiling. “The recessed lights on top of the trim mouldings are also a classic Deck House feature,” says Driskill.
They replaced the original track lighting with more updated, less obtrusive fixtures. The prefabricated construction posed some challenges, however. “It was very tricky to add the electrical [wiring] because of the way the house was prefabricated,” says Driskill. “The house came pre-wired, and there was no space to install wiring between the ceiling boards and the roof.” Instead, they had to carefully conceal the new wiring in channels that matched the colours of the existing ceiling and beams.
Ready to update your kitchen? Find specialised kitchen designers near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
They replaced the original track lighting with more updated, less obtrusive fixtures. The prefabricated construction posed some challenges, however. “It was very tricky to add the electrical [wiring] because of the way the house was prefabricated,” says Driskill. “The house came pre-wired, and there was no space to install wiring between the ceiling boards and the roof.” Instead, they had to carefully conceal the new wiring in channels that matched the colours of the existing ceiling and beams.
Ready to update your kitchen? Find specialised kitchen designers near you, browse images of their work and read reviews from previous clients
The designers opened up the kitchen to the home’s other public spaces – the family room is on the left and the dining space is on the right. This meant the designers needed to create a kitchen that was attractive enough to be viewed from these other areas in the home. They avoided adding upper cabinets within sight of those rooms, to maintain an airy and uncluttered look. And they designed a beautiful range hood with proportions to suit the space.
Rich alder cabinetry – stained to look like walnut – fits with the mid-century era. The streamlined benchtops, drawers and hardware were also inspired by typical mid-century design. The base cabinets all feature drawers instead of doors and have inserts and pull-outs to accommodate china, glassware, utensils, herbs, oils and spices.
The left side of the kitchen has a casual seating area for reading and taking in the view beyond the adjacent glass doors.
Rich alder cabinetry – stained to look like walnut – fits with the mid-century era. The streamlined benchtops, drawers and hardware were also inspired by typical mid-century design. The base cabinets all feature drawers instead of doors and have inserts and pull-outs to accommodate china, glassware, utensils, herbs, oils and spices.
The left side of the kitchen has a casual seating area for reading and taking in the view beyond the adjacent glass doors.
Because the homeowners love to cook together, they needed plenty of prep and bench space. The designers added the main sink beneath these windows, with the dishwasher within easy reach. They installed a second sink near the wall ovens and a coffee bar at the end of the room.
The kitchen island houses an induction stove, which has a sleek and unobtrusive look.
The designers also widened the opening on the left side of the kitchen. It leads to a walk-in pantry and the garage entrance to the home. This changed the experience of entering the house through the garage – something the homeowners do daily. “The wider opening makes it feel like you are walking right into a larger open space from the garage,” says Driskill.
The designers also widened the opening on the left side of the kitchen. It leads to a walk-in pantry and the garage entrance to the home. This changed the experience of entering the house through the garage – something the homeowners do daily. “The wider opening makes it feel like you are walking right into a larger open space from the garage,” says Driskill.
On the side of the island facing the living room, a small under-bench fridge for beverages makes it easy for guests to grab a drink while staying out of the cooking and prep zones.
Classic mid-century modern stools by Norman Cherner and iconic PH pendant lights by Louis Poulsen honour the original architecture.
Browse more beautiful kitchens to inspire your own
Browse more beautiful kitchens to inspire your own
After: A new peninsula bench provides a sense of separation while allowing for an open view.
The team was able to preserve the home’s original hardwood floors, weaving in new pieces where needed.
The team was able to preserve the home’s original hardwood floors, weaving in new pieces where needed.
On the other side of the opening, a wall hides two wall ovens from the dining and family rooms. In the corner is the coffee bar, which is conveniently located near a prep sink. To maximise storage, corner drawers were fitted below.
“These two travel all over the world,” says Driskill of the homeowners. “They love eclectic art and they love to find treasures on their trips.” Here, open shelves give them some display space to house their favourite things.
The splashback is a handmade 3D ceramic tile with a groovy 1960s look. “We kept referring to this house as the ‘Mod Squad house’ and to this tile as the ‘Mod Squad tile’,” says Driskill.
The splashback is a handmade 3D ceramic tile with a groovy 1960s look. “We kept referring to this house as the ‘Mod Squad house’ and to this tile as the ‘Mod Squad tile’,” says Driskill.
After: The new island has a sleek, minimalist look – the benchtops are quartz and feature square edges.
The homeowners opted to make the area beyond the island a sitting area rather than an eat-in space to keep the view more open.
The homeowners opted to make the area beyond the island a sitting area rather than an eat-in space to keep the view more open.
The appliance wall on the left side of the kitchen provides separation from the dining space. This gives the dining area a more formal feel while also adding an element of cosiness. The wall also helps block the view of the fridge from the other rooms.
“They are amazing people and wonderful cooks. They have impeccable taste and were willing to spend money to do it right,” says Driskill. “It felt so good to bring this house back to all it was meant to be for them.”
Your turn
Which elements of this kitchen do you love? Share your favourites in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Read about another kitchen renovation in this story about an updated New Zealand home: A Characterful Kitchen With Ocean Views for Two Keen Cooks
“They are amazing people and wonderful cooks. They have impeccable taste and were willing to spend money to do it right,” says Driskill. “It felt so good to bring this house back to all it was meant to be for them.”
Your turn
Which elements of this kitchen do you love? Share your favourites in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Read about another kitchen renovation in this story about an updated New Zealand home: A Characterful Kitchen With Ocean Views for Two Keen Cooks
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two dogs
Location: Hendersonville, USA
Size: 65 square metres
Designers: Dawn Driskill and Betsy Edwards of The Design Gallery
Builder: Chandler Ward of Paramount Building Services
Deck Houses are currently made in the USA by Acorn Deck House Co, the result of a merger between Acorn Structures and Deck House in 1995. Acorn Structures was founded in 1947 with the goal of creating prefabricated homes with more traditional-style architecture. Deck House’s roots go back to 1959, when the founders were interested in using prefabrication technology to produce mid-century modern architecture.
Signature elements of a Deck House include an exposed post-and-beam structure, mahogany windows and signature tongue-and-groove ceiling decking. When the two companies merged, they became Acorn Deck House Co.
Soon after that 1995 merger, this Deck House was shipped from Acton, Massachusetts, to Hendersonville, North Carolina, and assembled on a site with spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. When this couple bought the house more than 20 years later, the closed-off kitchen and other spaces needed an upgrade.
They moved in and began planning a renovation that would celebrate the architecture’s mid-century modern roots, working with interior designer Driskill and her colleague Betsy Edwards. The couple moved out when construction began, and the renovation took between four and five months. Now they are ensconced in their renovated home and enjoy cooking together in the updated kitchen while taking in the mountain views.