Get the secret recipe to a mod Michigan kitchen remodel.
When reimagining the design of your home, nothing can seem as daunting as the kitchen. It needs to reflect your MCM aesthetic, function well day-to-day and include all the necessary upgrades of a modern kitchen. And for the owners of this custom-built Ann Arbor, Michigan, home, it was important to create a larger, brighter space that could easily host friends and family. Project Designer Carly Withers and Project Coordinator Catherine Fillmore of Forward Design Build Remodel detail three key ingredients in renovating this mod Michigan kitchen.
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Wall Removal
“As with many remodels, our challenge was to open and remove walls in the existing kitchen with the least amount of disturbance to other architectural details in the home,” Carly explains. “For a more optimal and open kitchen layout, we reimagined the structure and installed a new beam that avoided a post in the middle of the expansive island.”
The team also had to accomplish their goal without compromising the structure. “Two load-bearing walls met at a ‘T’ right in the middle of the future kitchen,” Catherine says. “Beams had to be installed so that they were well-supported, carried the load and were integrated into the architecture of the home.”
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Designing Statement-Making Cabinets
“A major decision was to work with Kerf Design cabinetry to achieve a Mid Century Modern kitchen with a unique visual style and customization opportunities to meet our clients’ functional needs,” Carly says. “They especially wanted walnut cabinets without hardware or embellishment on the doors.”
Catherine says Kerf was great to work with. “They were very responsive to our questions and detailed design. The cabinets were complicated to install, requiring experienced carpenters and a longer installation time.”
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Creating a Focal Point
The mini-stack mosaic backsplash became a central design element. “The tile became a textural backdrop to the show-stopping walnut cabinets,” Carly explains. “This kitchen exemplifies beauty in the details. From the laminated profile joinery in the cabinets to the custom supply air grille at the island and minimal color palette, the details and materials are harmonious across the space.”
“I love the flow of the kitchen and all the light that removing the walls and enlarging the windows give the space,” says Catherine Fillmore, project coordinator at Forward Design Build Remodel.
For more mod Michigan kitchen inspiration, read on for A Michigan Kitchen Gets Restored to its Mid Century Roots. For more renovation wisdom for the kitchen and beyond, pick up Atomic Ranch’s latest book, Remodeled Marvels, which takes you through the MCM renovation process room by room. And of course, for more MCM inspiration, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more Mid Century Modern inspiration! Or, get ideas delivered straight to your inbox by entering your email address where it says “Get the Newsletter” below.
