There's almost always huge sentiment attached to a childhood home, especially one that is filled with fond memories shared with relatives passed. You enter a room and remember small, precious moments, all rooted in the walls of the home.
And that was very much the case with this kitchen remodel. The home belongs to two brothers who grew up there, and wanted to keep it in the family, but a dated kitchen left the space feeling a little bit lacklustre.
But with unexpected hues, a daring amount of wood, and a confident infusion of vintage decor, the colorful kitchen is now the true heart of the home, blending the ranch house style and mid-century influences that are present throughout the property's history.
'The house was built in 1951 on a lush wooded lot in Santa Monica's historic hillside Rustic Canyon area. You might call it Mid-century, but really it would be more accurate to call it a California Ranch house, like those of architect Cliff May, who defined the style in the early and mid-1950's,' says interior designer Julia Chasman, who was entrusted with the kitchen redesign.
'The Rustic Canyon area is adjacent to Pacific Palisades. Nearby landmarks include the Uplifters Private Club, which dates back to the 1920s to 1940s, after which it became the Rustic Canyon Recreation Center. The Uplifters had ties to Will Rogers, whose famous 1927 Ranch was just down the road from our project site. The Will Rogers Ranch was one of our key design inspirations for the project.'
Following various renovations and expansions over the years, the clients decided it was time to properly update the kitchen while retaining as much of the property's one-of-a-kind vintage style – a careful balance that required an expert approach.
The project was unique in that the original kitchen was dominated by a dated brick fireplace, complete with three very large openings. 'One was for a wood fire, one for storage of logs, and one was an early era charcoal open fire pit. It was all beyond restoration, but the decision was made to keep the brick and paint it all white,' she recalls.
'The charcoal grill became our log storage area, lined in marble, and the other two spaces retained their original purposes. One large section of the brick wall housed a dated wall oven that pushed too far into the room; this was torn down, creating more space for lower kitchen cabinets and extra wall space that would come into play later.'
What's clear from the newly designed kitchen is that every element was chosen to honor the history and sentiment of the property while filling it with details that feel bright, characterful, and exude a sense of bold style.
'Our design goal was to preserve and honor the camp-like atmosphere of the space, but bring it to life with color and contemporary appliances and style, with lots of decorative accessories to highlight the long stretches of wood paneling. Because the owners both have their own main residences, I was given a lot of free rein to inject my own personal collections and unusual objects into the design.'
The wood paneling was an existing feature of the space, and instead of shying away, Julia decided to lean in and embrace it, taking it one step further with rich wooden cabinets and oak flooring throughout. She also altered the existing peninsula layout to a classic island one to open up the space and improve the flow to the dining area.
'This was the biggest change we made, along with eliminating a window on the stove wall, which allowed us enough room for a chef-style range in a more modern vein,' she explains. And the windows were another detail that made a huge difference to the entire feel and atmosphere of the kitchen.
'When we eliminated the small window on the stove wall and tore down part of the brick fireplace, we compensated for it by adding a window in the area that frames the sink. The windows we found in this corner were in that 60's window-box style, which bumps out past the exterior walls to create an area for plants,' she notes.
'This was an element that had to go! Not only is it terribly dated, but it pushed out so far that it was almost touching the large tree outside the house. Now the newly expanded flat window has enlarged the view of the garden, and lets in even more light.'
But what has really brought this kitchen to life is the vibrant use of color, which contrasts beautifully with the wood detail without overwhelming the space. The new island is at the heart of the scheme, so Julia chose Folly Green by Farrow & Ball to really highlight it in the space. Paired with the Arabescato Altissimo marble countertops and the statement lighting, it's a striking balance of bold and classic.
'These overscale lights by Chapman & Myers from Visual Comfort are key to making the high vaulted space work. Your eye is automatically raised to meet the brass-chained pendants, and pools of warm light keep the center island always in focus. Classic Serena & Lily counter stools surround the kitchen island, with a pop of blue plaid fabric for the cushions, playing off the bright green,' she explains.
'The other use of color was the carefully chosen Italian ceramic tile from Ann Sacks, in a beautiful blue-green glaze with lots of marks of the human hand to speak to its custom provenance. The tiles were stacked soldier-style vertically, as another nod to the mid-century vibe, matching the boxy shape of the oven hood above.'
Decorative details play a huge part in the success of this kitchen, fusing the different styles and unique charm of the design. Open shelves displaying vintage ceramics, decorative plates, recipe books, and oil paintings bring a more lived-in, personalized feel to the design. And the vintage theme continues throughout the space.
'We built in large boxes above the fridge and pantry, making use of the oversized space in a wall that reaches 16' at its highest corner. The clients were concerned that these might have no practical use, but I convinced them that their purpose would be clear when we filled them with a layered collection of vintage pottery and ethnic objects of rattan, papier-mache, and ceramic,' Julia explains.
'The final touch for the floors was the use of charming vintage Persian rugs sourced from local antique rug dealer Sheba, of Blue Parakeet Rugs. As always, the last layer is what brings it all together, along with my many collected vintage kitchen items in bright colored ceramic, copper, brass, and iron to ensure that a collected look is always right for modern life.'
Shop the Look
In the corner of this kitchen, you'll notice this woven lamp from Target, part of the Threshold designed with Studio McGee collection, which adds a wonderfully natural texture to the scheme.
There are so many unique details in Julia's design, including the wire basket used as a fruit bowl. You can find very similar pieces online, like this black wire design with a light-toned wood handle.
Vintage pieces fill this kitchen, including a selection of copper cake molds on the open shelving. Quality examples are easier to source than you might think – this 20th-century mold is a great find.
Potted plants and herbs bring life to the kitchen, all presented charmingly in terracotta pots. You don't have to spend a fortune to get the look – these IKEA pots work perfectly in a kitchen.
Art, vintage or contemporary, brings so much character and lived-in style to a kitchen. This still life painting of mandarins from McGee & Co. has the same feel as the vintage pieces in Julia's design.
If you love the style of the counter stools in Julia's design, you'll be pleased to hear you can find similar forms at Wayfair, like classic wooden design. Add any seat cushion to add a touch of extra comfort.
With Mid-century references, playful kitchen colors, and just the right amount of vintage decor, this once dated kitchen now feels like the most characterful space in the home. It honors the history and sentimentality while creating a scheme that feels at home in the 21st century. It's a perfect example of a vintage kitchen done right.
