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Oct 10

Period Kitchens: The ’50s and ’60s

50s kitchen

The ’50s and 60’s kitchen was all about “modern conveniences” and new manufactured finishes that made the latest looks more affordable for a growing post-war family.  The look was sleek, with minimal ornamentation and increasing use of wood veneers, laminates and manufactured finishes.

Full Overlay Cabinets. Cabinets doors completely concealed the face frame behind it.

ClaypoolCraven_1962_Kitchen_A_12_P_ProThis 1962 whole house remodel features a Mid-Century Modern inspired kitchen with full overlay doors and drawers, simple hardware and strong, simple shapes. Design by Anne De Wolf.

Slab Doors. Simple, flush un-ornamented doors were popular, creating clean lines and simple shapes.

 

BrownAllen_1957_Kitchen_A_8_P_ProThis Saul Zaik home features full overlay slab doors in the kitchen with wood edged laminate counter tops. Lines were kept simple to keep the focus on the dramatic ceiling lines and large windows of this classic Mid-Century Modern home. Design by Brian Carleton, built by Arciform.

Wood Veneers. Manufactured finishes like wood veneers and laminates became very popular during this era, along with  counter tops that sometimes came with contrasting or matching wood, metal or laminate edging.

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This restored kitchen in the Alameda neigborhood integrated new cabinets alongside the existing cabinets. Exact replicas of the brass hardware were custom made for the kitchen and a new fridge was tucked behind panels that were designed to blend with the rest of the kitchen. Design by Anne De Wolf.

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Would you like to refresh your kitchen’s sleek Mod style? Our designers can help you integrate modern conveniences while including style elements that fit the era of your home. Schedule a design consultation to begin planning your own perfect kitchen here.

Explore the Arciform Project Galleries | About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation

Oct 10

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Period Perfect Kitchen: the 1940s

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If you have a 1940s house, it most likely falls into one of two categories: Pre-War or Post-War.

The 1940s pre-War kitchen borrowed from the ’30s with its cheerful prints and focus on white, sanitary spaces.

The post-War kitchen benefited from the huge influx of returning soldiers who got married and set up housekeeping . It also shows early signs of the manufactured product boom that was to come in the ’50s.

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This kitchen designed by Kristyn Bester showcases the bright colors and decorative glass knobs that came into vogue in the ’40s. The mesh panel doors are exact replicas of their 1940s originals. The scalloped apron above the stove is also a replica of the original, showcasing some of the charming details common in the era.

 

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Bright colors: Cabinets, walls and counter tops were often in cheery, vivid contrasting colors… a departure from all white cabinets and counters of the sanitation-obsessed ’20s.

Simon_1921_Kitchen_A_4_P_ProThis kitchen designed by Anne De Wolf showcases the bright colors, half overlay cabinets and visible hinges typical of the era.

Mixture of full-inset and half-overlay cabinets: A common cabinet style for the era was the “half-overlay” style, where the cabinet doors and drawer fronts would overlap the frame of the cabinet slightly while still showing a strip of the front of the cabinet (like in the kitchen above). This style would usually make use of the ball tip hinge which was installed to be visible on the exterior of the cabinet.

Below you see an example of the “full-inset” cabinet doors that were also common during the period. This style would feature cabinet doors that were designed to fit exactly inside the cabinet opening and appear flush with the cabinet face frame when closed.

 

Picture3The contrasting inset tile on this counter top are a good example of the ’40s kitchen’s deco inflected style choices. Design by Kristyn Bester.

Tile counters: Decorative tile counters and backdrops are seen during the forties, often with strongly graphic patterns and pops of color.

Enameled appliances:  Enameled metal appliances continue to be popular in the ’40s and would often feature the bold colors favored during the era.

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Bakelite drawer and door pulls: The deco influence of the ’40s is most clearly seen in the prevalence of bakelite drawer pulls that often had an art deco design element.

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Printed linoleum floors: Another way pattern and charm were added to the 1940s kitchen was through the use of printed linoleum floors. Some patterns were simple faux stonework while others would incoporate a graphic motif.

 

Would you like to renew your kitchen’s 1940s charm? Our designers can help you integrate modern conveniences while including style elements that fit the era of your home. Schedule a design consultation to begin planning your own perfect kitchen here.

Explore the Arciform Project Galleries | About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation

Oct 10

9 Things Your Designer will Consider that You’ll Never See

If you are planning a kitchen remodel, your dreams are probably focused on ideas about counter top material, tile selections and new appliance choices. Here are a few of the less visible things our designers will think about for you to make your both kitchen beautiful and functional.

1. Work Triangles

Work Triangle

This refers to the cooking area, sink and refrigerator. The concept behind the work triangle is that when the three elements are in close proximity to each other, the kitchen will run efficiently.

2. Work Zones

Work Zones

Think about the areas where you prep, cook and clean. Is the waste container near the prep zone? Is there counter space near the stove?

3. Ergonomics

Ergonomics

Think about the height of your counters and whether there will be two or four people in your kitchen. Is there enough space to move without constantly bumping into each other? Cabinet height, drawers instead of doors and pullout trays can all play a role in an ergonomically correct kitchen.

4. Aging in Place

If this is your forever home, will you be able to reach into your cabinets easily? Is there enough light to see as your eyesight changes over time?

5. Hood Venting

This kitchen project designed by Chelly Wentworth required the removal of an existing chimney and the re-routing of the stove exhaust through a new hood and into the soffit above the penninsula.

Depending on the location of the hood and the direction of ceiling joists, venting the hood can be challenging.  There are also minimum clearances required for venting that is located next to operable windows.

6. Outlet Placement

Are there enough outlets and are they logically placed? Code requires that you have outlets placed every five feet plus some.

7. Range Hood Placement and Size

This kitchen renovation in a Portland National Monument building included a custom range hood designed for the project. Design by Anne De Wolf.

Hoods should be placed a certain distance from the cooking appliance for optimum ventilation as well as at a distance that works with the user’s height.

8. Appliance Placement

This is an important thing to take into consideration for creating a work triangle and work zones that correspond to how the user will use the space. We will also consider how appliance door swings and clearances will affect adjacent cavinets and other obstacles.

9. Material Durability/Maintenance Needs and Concerns

This kitchen designed by Anne De Wolf features soapstone counters.

While it may cost more initially, selecting durable materials will pay off in the long run. The soapstone counters pictured above require additional maintenance (they should be oiled regularly), but patina beautifully over time. If you prefer a more pristine look, your designer may recommend a counter top material that is less porous.

Explore the Arciform Project Galleries | About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation