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Architecture/home style - period specific kitchen remodel

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Expert: Rikki Nyman - 2/15/2010


Question

house
We are currently considering a remodel on the galley-like kitchen in our 1939 home and want the remodel to reflect the style and period of the home.  (I say galley-like because the door to the basement interrupts the facing walls typical of a galley kitchen.)  We are having difficulty identifying exactly what style the house is as it seems to be in a no man's land of styles ... later than the arts & crafts bungalow and with much more minimal interior wood work but still having the look and feel of many older homes, particularly in the interior.  There are a few built-in cabinets, drawers, and shelves; a charming little bay window/breakfast nook; and arched doorways throughout the downstairs.  We did some research and found a Liberty home from that year called The Cambridge (http://www.antiquehome.org/House-Plans/1939-Liberty/Cambridge.htm) with an extremely similar exterior but quite a different interior floor plan.

Any tips on what architectural style our home is and things we should be considering to keep the kitchen remodel in the spirit of that style?

Thanks so much for your time and help.

Lauryn

Answer
Your house is a Minimal Traditional house. Depending on your primary sources, it could be called a Modern English cottage because of the facing gabled entry with the catslide roof. The clipped gables (also called snubbed gables or jerkinhead gable ends) almost demand it be called a cottage.

In remodeling, the key is to first consider how you use your kitchen and plan accordingly. Don't hesitate to track down a qualified kitchen designer. He/she can help you establish a functional work space that really works for you. Find one who shares your sensibilities with respect to your house.

Reuse your cabinetry whenever possible. It sounds like you are lucky enough to have an original kitchen. That's a huge advantage because cabinetry is horrifically expensive and you could easily find yourself challenged to locate comparable quality for a reasonable price. Next, look at materials used originally. Tile, linoleum, marble, glass, and soapstone were all used during the 1930s for counters. If you a more modern look, consider stainless steel counters which are similar in appearance to Monel, an early stainless look-alike. One kitchen that I really liked used colored glass for the backsplash ... talk about easy clean up! My all-time favorite flooring for kitchens is linoleum. Consider installing its descendant, Marmoleum. You can have a vintage pattern cut or just have a liner stripe added. It's also relatively low maintenance. Details that count are cool lighting, drawer and cabinet hardware, an undermount sink, and a wall-mounted faucet.

One friend of mine painted her kitchen cabinets pale yellow and used a pumpkin orange linoleum for the counters (with steel banding), backsplash, and on the floor. She chose a narrow black inset liner for the backsplash and floor. With curtains and accessories, it was amazing. Another sharp palette is a combination of aqua, red, and white with a gray floor. I had a 1939 kitchen once with ivory cabinets, pale yellow tile on the counter and backsplash with a thin black liner tile. The floor was old linoleum with a foot-wide black border and ivory center. The walls were painted cinnabar.

You have a huge range of choices. I've posted a few kitchen designs for the 1930s at http://www.antiquehomestyle.com/inside/kitchen/1930s/gallery/page1.htm There are even more at my Flickr site. (My inspiration kitchen is http://www.flickr.com/photos/americanvintagehome/3321113079/)

Your house is very cute. Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Rikki Nyman
www.antiquehomestyle.com

    Questioner's Rating
    Rating(1-10)Knowledgeability = 10Clarity of Response = 10Politeness = 10
    CommentThanks for such a quick and thorough response, Rikki. Definitely helps us get clarity with some of our questions and helps us get a direction/vision for what we want in a kitchen. (We love our house and think it's awfully cute, too, so thanks for the compliment.)


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Rikki Nyman

Expertise

Residential architectural questions concerning houses designed between 1900 and 1950, where the question pertains specifically to styles, designs, plans, building materials, color schemes, paint colors, interior finishes and so on. I am NOT qualified to answer engineering questions or issues involving construction methods, plumbing, electrical and the like. For example, I can describe what an appropriate color scheme would be for a vintage 1920s kitchen, or sources for plans for Storybook Style houses. I can not tell someone how to replace the electrical wiring in their old home.

Experience

I have been researching old houses and writing about them for more than five years. (See www.antiquehomestyle.com, which is my site.)

Organizations
Oregon Historical Society Architectural History Center, Portland Oregon

Publications
www.antiquehomestyle.com

Education/Credentials
B.S. History, Minor in Architectural Design

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