Recipe for makeover: modern homes that restore joy, functionality, and style to the mid-century kitchen
BEFORE / AFTER MAKEOVER #3
Kitchens in transition
Kevin McPhee
Eichler owner, Palo Alto
Your old kitchen: what didn't work? "The original kitchen in my 1951 Eichler had been remodeled and, aesthetically, no longer embodied the sleek and functional design that Eichler had intended. It was filled with leaded-glass front cabinets that were French provincial. Also, the kitchen was narrow and hard to work in for more than one person. It was enclosed with a partial wall, which cut it off from the rest of the house."
Your kitchen needs: how did design come about? "The main idea was to open it up to the rest of the living space. It allowed for a more spacious feel. It also encouraged social and entertaining activities while preparing food."
Your kitchen renewal: successful ingredients? "The cabinetry is custom with dark wenge wood doors. The countertops are thick, white Carrera marble slabs, which keep a strong minimal feel to the space. The main architectural element is the middle island, which has marble that encases it on three sides. This gives a strong anchor to the design, and provides a visual delineation between the living and kitchen areas of the house."
Your new kitchen: what you like best? "The new kitchen gives me more space to prepare food, and has allowed me to entertain with more ease, keeping the guests part of the entire production."
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BEFORE / AFTER MAKEOVER #4
Kitchens in transition
 Jennifer & Paul Freudenberg
Eichler owners, Thousand Oaks
Your old kitchen: what didn't work? "Aesthetically, though the rest of the house was all original, this updated kitchen did not fit in with the Eichler vibe. It was not at all modern, let alone mid-century modern. It had to go."
Your kitchen needs: how did design come about? "We looked at a million magazines and tore out hundreds of photos of things we liked. We then got down to the actual re-design using graph paper and dimensions and information for the appliances from the Internet. We cooperated and worked as a team to put the kitchen together. The most difficult part was finding hardware for the cabinets that we both liked and that didn't bust our budget!"
Your kitchen renewal: successful ingredients? "The equity line of credit, design magazines, and a sense of humor about the construction nightmare."
Your new kitchen: what you like best? "Kitchen life is finally all we dreamed it could be: slab-style cabinets, groovy pendant lights (and original globe lights above), a silent dishwasher, and plenty of room to move around in. We feel like the house is thankful that we made it 'right' again, and we absolutely love to cook in our new kitchen."
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For your next kitchen renewal project, consider the Eichler Network's team of 'Preferred Service Companies':
General Contractors:
• Keycon, Inc. (S.F. peninsula): 650-965-1256
• Bay West Enterprises (Palo Alto): baywestbuilders.com
• Calvert Ventures (San Mateo area): exclusivelyeichlers.com
Architects:
• Klopf Architecture (San Mateo area): klopfarchitecture.com
• M-Designs (Palo Alto): mdesignsarchitects.com
