This Warson Woods home hadn’t seen an update since it was built, 60 years ago, says interior designer Karen Dubinsky Korn of Marcia Moore Design. The new owners, who bought the house as an investment in March 2018, “chose to honor the time period but not be too literal. They wanted the renovated property to be attractive to any buyer not just fans of Midcentury Modern,” says Korn.
Inspired by the era’s streamlined design and respect for natural elements, Korn designed a kitchen that winks at the last century while providing the storage, natural light, and practicality that today’s homeowners expect.
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Kitchen Views
Korn reconfigured the layout of the kitchen from its original design…with the exception of the window in the left corner. The electric cooktop was replaced with a gas model; a small window on the long wall was torn out so that Korn could use the wall to make space for the vent hood. “Where the sink stands now, we expanded that window space to create a new one that works with the layout,” she says. In MCM design, form follows function. Redesigning the kitchen for more efficient use of space—and to allow more light to enter—honors the intent of the period.
Cabinet Culture
It all began with the cabinets, Korn says. The owners fell in love with the prominent graining and natural color of the solid walnut. “Nothing is uniform in terms of coloration and graining, and that was important to the clients,” she says. “It was also important that none of the authentic character of the wood was disguised by stain. A lot of clients fear not knowing exactly how the finished product will turn out, but these clients embraced that.”
Metal Mix
“It’s not a competition,” Korn says of mixing stainless steel appliances with another metal, such as the kitchen’s brass cabinet pulls. When the metals complement each other, “the mix adds tension and complexity to a room.” MCM design often highlights the juxtaposition of different materials. The handles here, sourced from Locks & Pulls Design Elements, speak to that era’s emphasis on simplicity.
Tile-Stopper
The owners were open to exploring the use of a MCM-appropriate color—yellow or pink, even—into the design of the kitchen. But this hand-glazed dusty-blue ceramic tile won everyone’s vote. “What makes this tile look so interesting is the scale—it’s a 3-by-9-inch hexagonal tile,” Korn says. “[The tile’s] raised surface also adds dimension.” The designer presented the owners with several options—including picket-fence and arrow-shaped designs—and proposed installing it from countertop to ceiling. “I love when tile is installed to the ceiling,” says Korn. Doing so, she explains, eliminates the opportunity for the kitchen to look choppy.
Hood Winked
After the installation of the KitchenAid range hood, Korn says, something wasn’t quite right: “The range didn’t tie in with anything, and it looked unfinished,” as if the top of the hood were floating off into nothingness. As a remedy, she suggested taking trim from the cabinets and creating a simple block-crown molding to finish the look of the hood. “It completes it,” Korn says.
Hear more from Karen Korn on the House of Lou podcast.
