Having worked with Silent Rivers on several enhancements to the inside and outside of their 1966 ranch home in Johnston, IA, this family of five now desired a midcentury kitchen remodel that aligned with the modern beauty and function achieved elsewhere in their home. This national award winning remodel began with the homeowners’ desire to integrate the kitchen with other living areas to facilitate both entertaining and daily living for an active family. The homeowners also wanted to respect the strong modern aesthetic of the original home design and their Danish heritage.
After removing walls and opening up the space to abundant natural light and views of their incredible outdoor space, the kitchen now integrates various seating areas allowing meal prep to occur simultaneously with socializing or homework facilitating. Integrated into the new kitchen design is a music room topped with a lofted play space accessible by a custom floating ladder. In addition to these new functional spaces, a screened-in porch connects the family’s beloved indoor and outdoor living areas.
To honor the home’s original white steel and Birch cabinetry, some of the old cabinets were repurposed into the new walk-in pantry. Even in the core of the kitchen, an original steel cabinet serves as a strategic buffer between new and midcentury Birch, which naturally ambers over time. Having appreciated that the old steel cabinets allowed family schedules to be hung with magnets, a new Birch cabinet is underlined with steel for magnetic use. Within the cabinets, multiple drawers and clever storage space has been integrated to maximize kitchen organization.
This magnificent kitchen remodel is enhanced by many exceptional details, including a television housed inside the kitchen island on a lift that can rotate 180°. When not in use, the screen lowers and is hidden, just like the hidden electrical outlets in the counter. Occupying what used to be an under-utilized dining room closet is a 650-gallon saltwater aquarium, celebrating this family’s love of water.
dsm Magazine features this kitchen in the Jan/Feb 2016 issue.
Professional Remodeler magazine named this the Project of the Year in their 2015 Design Awards.