A Renovation Transforms This "Dated" 1960s Kitchen into a Cozy Blue Oasis
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: Historic Home
PROJECT TYPE: Kitchen
STYLE: Cottage, Vintage
SKILL LEVEL: Professional
RENTAL FRIENDLY: No
Dated kitchens not only look the part, but after a while, they can begin to act the part, too, and become dysfunctional, with cabinets not closing properly, appliances needing upgrades, and space feeling wasted.
Simon and Laura Bindloss’s home in Bellport, New York (which they use as a rental property) is cozy and full of 1960s vintage-inspired charm, but its original kitchen felt more just plain old than charming.
“All of the old appliances and linoleum floors were still in use, so the kitchen needed a total facelift,” Laura explains. “It felt dated, and with it being a rental, we knew that updating the kitchen was important. We also wanted it to match the rest of the house in terms of style and newness.”
Laura is the founder of interior design PR and social media agency Nylon Consulting and the founder of the YouTube channel Designer Home Tours, so she was ready to transform the space into an intentional, chic oasis.
For design inspo, the couple looked to Steven Gambrel, an interior designer known for honoring a home’s history while infusing personality into the space. Laura referred to him as their “North Star” for this remodel, and appreciated his “use of real stone and dramatic stone, his use of blue, and his ability to create high design, luxury spaces that also feel appropriate for a seaside setting.”
They started by working with Isla Porter to create custom cabinetry for the new room. Laura says that redesigning their kitchen was “both easy and fun,” which was a welcome surprise as they’d experienced challenging kitchen renovations in the past.
“From there, we were able to solidify the design and aesthetic with door fronts, colors, which we definitely had fun with, organization inserts, and more for both a beautiful and functional space,” Laura says. “The options that [Isla Porter] offer[s] felt more unique and design-forward than what a lot of other brands are offering, which allowed us to be playful with the space.”
It took around 13 weeks for the new cabinetry to arrive, which is adorned with Corston hardware. From start to finish, the entire renovation took 16 to 18 weeks, and it cost around $55,000, including bold marble countertops sourced from Artistic Tile (more on that below).
It’s the little things that really make the kitchen pop. Laura says the bar seating is “the perfect place to have coffee before starting the day,” while the open shelving is functional, allowing for storage while beautifully displaying their glassware. Plus, they disguised their fridge to look like a cabinet to blend in seamlessly with the space — all of which are painted in a deep gray blue, Isla Porter’s The Mood.
“We absolutely love the use of color throughout the kitchen. The blue of the cabinets against the red marbled slabs really makes the space pop,” Laura says. “We also utilized color in the small standing cabinet in the corner. Since there is no red countertop in that area of the kitchen, we created a glass-front cabinet and had the inside painted a pop of bright red.”
To see more of Laura and Simon’s wonderful rental property, visit the full home tour on Apartment Therapy.
This post originally ran on The Kitchn. See it there: Before & After: A “Dated” ’60s Kitchen Gets a Bold, Modern Makeover (Blue Cabinets Steal the Show!)
Further Reading
I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Article’s DTC Furniture
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
