Tong kitchen
Eichler home, Palo Alto, 1973-'74
Kitchen cost: $108,000

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Stacy Eisenmann (in collaboration with Anthony Chau & Partners)
Contractor: Green Thumb Construction
Cabinetry: Arclinea

Photography: Mark Compton

Pleasant and open

John and Renata Tong dreamed of having a kitchen that would accommodate cooking, kids, and pets. Their Eichler's original L-shaped kitchen posed an awkward relationship for the Tongs between the oven, refrigerator, and sink.

"It was tight to work in," John says. "The walls blocked the flow of light through the house, making it feel even more confined."

To create better flow, designer Stacy Eisenmann with architect Anthony Chau began by taking down walls. "The kitchen needed to be opened up to really embrace the quality of their Eichler space," Eisenmann explains. "It needed better organization for each station of the kitchen, the right relationship of workspace to storage, and a fresh material palette. The cabinetry finishes and colors had to be kid -- and dog -- friendly." The design also had to accommodate a built-in aquarium.

The Tongs chose contemporary laminate cabinets by Arclinea in a bold grey and orange color palette topped by low-maintenance stainless steel countertops. A large center island houses a Miele cooktop with two burners, a wok, and grill, and a Gaggenau hood floats above. Against the back wall, the couple now has a food prep area with wall hooks that hold ladles and strainers. Eisenmann positioned the built-in aquarium in the adjacent dining area.

"The renovation has changed the whole flow of the house and the way we use it," Renata says. "It's opened up the living space, making it more pleasant to live in. We spend better-quality family time in the kitchen, and cook more than before."

Arrellano-Cintron kitchen
Streng home, Sacramento, 1970s
Kitchen cost: $125,000

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Thimgan Architectural Group, AIA
Contractor: Ron S. Sims Construction Services
Cabinetry: 14th Street Millworks

Photography: Mike Graffigna

Vibrant centerpiece

Adele Arrellano and Jose Cintron's Streng home lacked the openness and flow the couple needed for entertaining. After nearly 40 years of use, appliances, cabinets, lighting, and flooring were drab, unfunctional, and unattractive.

"We entertain a lot, and in our experience, guests would gather in the kitchen no matter how cramped it was," Adele says. "Our home had a typical Streng layout with a three-quarter wall dividing the dining room and formal living space on one side of the kitchen, family and fireplace room on the other."

Architect David Thimgan helped the couple bring in more light by tearing down the wall and creating a great room. He also recommended replacing the sliding-glass doors with new Blomberg Window Systems, which open the kitchen to the backyard, swimming pool, and terrace.

Thimgan further opened up the kitchen by limiting the cabinetry to base cabinets, except for one appliance wall, so that the views between spaces and toward the outside would not be impaired.

"Now when we entertain, guests gather around the outer islands and sit in both the living and dining spaces," Adele says. "Thus far we have had gatherings of up to 25 people, and we can accommodate everyone in the same space comfortably."

The cabinets, which mimic the streamlined look of the couple's furniture, feature self-closing drawer hardware, rollout shelves throughout the bases, and a large pantry for food storage. The Ceasarstone countertops wrap around the base cabinets and extend to the floor to create a very clean, uncluttered look.

"We know that having the kitchen as the main focal point in the home would not appeal to everyone, but for us, the kitchen truly is the center of our home, literally and figuratively, and we absolutely love it," Adele says.

Thorsen kitchen
Cliff May Rancho, Long Beach, 1954
Kitchen cost: $62,000+ (design and contractor extra)

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Stephen Kennedy/Kitchen Studio, CKD, with Yates Associates Architects, AIA
Contractor: Briggs Construction
Cabinetry: Kitchen Studio

Photography: Rochelle Kramer

Simple, sleek and white

Rebbeca and Erik Thorsen were less than one week from embarking on a major home renovation when project architect Jerry Yates encouraged them to consider redoing the kitchen, too.

"Jerry came over and told us that we would regret having the 'old' kitchen with the updated bathrooms, living room, and dining room," Becca says. Within two weeks, the couple, along with the help of kitchen designer Stephen Kennedy, came up with a plan that was both on budget and beautiful.

"I told him that I wanted simple, sleek, and white, and this is what he came up with," Becca says.

"We had limited counter space, little natural light, and very little storage," Becca recalls. "There was no space for friends to congregate and speak with me while I was preparing the meal. We often ordered dinner out."

Kennedy recommended Hallmark Cabinets, a high-end custom cabinetry line based in Salt Lake City, for base cabinets. The slab-style doors are constructed with Eco Woods Engineered Wenge wood, utilizing both horizontal and vertical grains to add visual interest. Cabinet interiors are crafted with a Beech melamine, and all cabinet doors shut softly with Blumotion cabinet closures.

Wall cabinets are constructed with aluminum frames, metallic grey melamine and acid-etched mirror inserts. Porcelain tile from Italy covers the floor, and three-quarter-inch-thick CaesarStone in Blizzard White form the counters and backsplash.

Kennedy also recommended wide walkways -- larger than 36 inches -- to make the kitchen feel more open.

"Now our friends come over more often, and I am trying new recipes every week," Becca says. "When I walk through the door at the end of my work day, I want to be in the kitchen and making a meal."

Cheng kitchen
Eichler home, Palo Alto, 1959
Kitchen cost: $140,520

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Larry Cheng (in collaboration with Keycon and Henrybuilt)
Contractor: Keycon, Inc.
Cabinetry: Henrybuilt

Photography: Toerge Photography

Single great room

Larry and Celia Cheng's kitchen had seen better days: shards of wood were falling off the cabinets, the cooktop had only one functioning burner, and their family of four tripped over one another when they made meals together.

"We juggle careers, school, and outside activities," Celia says. "Our orbits intersect every day at breakfast and on the weekend. Our kitchen needs to be a family oasis, a center for gathering around comic books and laptops as much as pancakes and stir-fry."

With the help of Keycon, Inc., the Chengs created a single great room at the back of the house, and the simple lines of the Eichler architecture are reflected in the geometry of the kitchen. The single kitchen wall tops out at three-quarter height, highlighting the peak of the tongue-and-groove ceiling above, and maintaining the openness of the kitchen.

The Henrybuilt cabinetry pushes out from that single wall towards the full-height glass at the back of the space, floating its dark bamboo cabinetry above a lighter bamboo floor. The bamboo continues on the floor with an engineered surface by Terragren.

A wall of glass, open to the natural light of the backyard, illuminates the room. The tone of the new kitchen is organic and modern. Warm bamboo cabinets are offset by earthy, red handcrafted Heath tile on the backsplash, and shades of gray with gunmetal-colored laminate cabinet fronts, Corian countertops, and stainless steel appliances. The Chengs opted for a GE Café range, refrigerator, and dishwasher and a Zephyr range hood.

Today, the Chengs' kitchen easily accommodates baseball team pizza parties as well as make-your-own-won-ton fundraising events. "We now have a modernized space -- electricity, ice that comes out your fridge door -- that encourages us to use our kitchen every day," Larry says.

Shapera kitchen
Eichler home, Palo Alto, 1959
Kitchen cost: $90-100,000

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Richard Morrison, AIA
Contractor: Chris Donatelli Builders, Inc.
Cabinetry: ALNO San Francisco/European Kitchen Design

Photography: Barak Yedidia Photography

Visual showstopper

When Ron and Peggy Shapera decided to renovate their 1959 Eichler, they asked for a kitchen that would be wheelchair accessible without compromising the home's retro-modern style. They turned to architect and interior designer Richard Morrison, who helped them plan workspaces that are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"I wanted an accessible kitchen that didn't look accessible," says Peggy, who has lived in the home since 1976. To achieve this, Morrison and cabinet designer Deganit Albalak of European Kitchen Design worked together to create a kitchen that would be a visual showstopper, yet allow Peggy to move easily around the kitchen.

They accomplished this by placing a standard height (36-inch) curved, limestone-topped island in the center of the space and a lower 29-inch workspace along the back wall that was accessible while seated.

Morrison chose cabinetry with alternating red, pale yellow, and cherry wood lacquer to create a Mondrian-like effect. Recalling the modern style and color palette of the original Eichler era, the same red and yellow palette was used throughout the house to reflect the homeowners' love for vibrant colors.

Easy-to-use pullout drawers, a semi-circular Lazy Susan, a mini-pantry, and garbage bin fit seamlessly behind glare-free doors. The designers also lowered the above-counter appliance garage from the standard 18 inches to a shortened, more accessible height.

Helping to complete the kitchen's user-friendly transition, a low cook top, side-opening oven, and bend-free dishwasher were built into the wall units for easy access. A curved kitchen island helped shorten the workspace triangle, making appliances and tools easily attainable, while providing additional storage space.

Boeni kitchen
Mid-century modern, San Diego, 1962
Kitchen cost: $75,000+ (design in-house, some finishes extra)

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Martin Boeni
Contractor: Mark Stangl Construction Inc.
Cabinetry: Kitchenconcept

Photography: Jim Brady

State-of-the-art modern

Martin Boeni bought his ranch-style modern home knowing he had to remodel every square inch of it, and the kitchen was no exception.

"Although the previous owners used the old kitchen, and it obviously worked for them, the house was basically unchanged since it was first built in the 1960s," Martin points out.

Martin wanted to enlarge the kitchen and open it up to the dining and living rooms. "I was looking for a modern kitchen design with all state-of-the-art appliances, but at same time I wanted to keep the design in accordance with its original mid-century architecture," he says.

Peter Pandur of Kitchenconcept helped Martin design laminate cabinets constructed on the Leicht German modular system. Deep pantry closets feature glass-front pullout drawers.

The straw-color cabinets contrast nicely with the white-painted beams on the ceiling and the custom-cut natural European basalt stone on the floor. Composite stone countertops by Eurostone look and feel like the real thing.

Washable paint was used on the backsplash. "I didn't like the traditional textured backsplash because it is harder to clean with all the grout lines -- and I am a messy cook," Martin says.

He didn't overlook the kitchen sink either: a Blanco Steel Art single-basin rectangle sink fits platters, pots, and pans without the handles sticking out from the corners to be seen by guests.

Martin's favorite element is the edged glass bar. "It appears very light and is floating over the countertop, separating the kitchen from the dining area," he says. "It's perfect as a buffet for serving; and for guests to hang out, have a glass of wine, and watch me cook; and serves as extra counter space."

Sanders kitchen
Eichler home, San Jose, 1961
Kitchen cost: $25,000

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Chris Sanders
Contractor: Chris Sanders
Cabinetry: Ikea

Photography: Chris Sanders

Elegance at a low cost

Chris Sanders says he and wife Alicia updated their kitchen in the manner Joe Eichler intended: good design for the middle-class.

"We resisted the temptation to outfit the kitchen with expensive appliances and granite countertops, instead choosing to focus on producing the most elegant, efficient, and cost-effective kitchen we could with a decidedly middle-class budget," Chris says.

To save money, Chris did most of the demolition and reconstruction himself, which gave him a greater understanding of the home's inner workings while accommodating the design changes and inevitable surprises that popped up along the way.

The Sanders built a comprehensive computer model of the house before starting, allowing them to visualize layouts, materials, and colors before committing.

A new footprint allows the couple to cross the kitchen to and from any of the doors without interruption. They chose birch Ikea cabinetry that cost less than $5,000. The upper cabinets are more traditional, holding glasses behind doors with dampened hinges.

Below, Chris used deep pullout drawers to tuck away pots, pans, and dishes while making them easily accessible. He added matching tall cabinets in the adjacent dining room for much-needed pantry storage and to visually divide the two spaces.

A custom duct is built into the wall behind the microwave hood, running horizontally behind the upper cabinets and venting through the roof. "This was the largest engineering challenge of the project, as the wall is only 3.5 inches thick and needed to be structural enough to bear the weight of the upper cabinets," Chris says.

New cork flooring, Corian counters, and a fresh coat of deep-red paint cover the kitchen's key surfaces.

"We had our first child in February, so both of us were home with her for a full month," Chris says. "We used the kitchen for three meals a day, seven days a week. Consequently, we were able to appreciate the kitchen's new efficiencies under battlefield conditions, and were very happy with the results."

Perl kitchen
Eichler home, Palo Alto, 1952
Kitchen cost: $125,000

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Edi Sanford Interior Designs
Contractor: Keycon, Inc.
Cabinetry: Bonnett Cabinet Shop

Photography: Toerge Photography

Beautiful and highly functional

Sharon and Greg Perl's original galley-style kitchen had great flow, but it was crying out for new finishes, updated appliances, and better storage.

"The oven was the original Thermador, I think," Sharon says. "There was no hood over the stove, so the smoke detector would frequently start beeping if we were stir-frying or otherwise cooking over high heat."

With the help of general contractor Keycon, Inc. and designer Edi Sanford, the Perls updated their kitchen as part of a larger home remodel.

Dining space was limited, so they created an eating area by adding an addition on a former outdoor patio entrance and a breakfast bar at one end of the galley. The entry hall was converted into a pantry since the family moved the hall forward into the new addition.

The cabinets, built by the Bonnett Cabinet Shop, were constructed of cherry, walnut, and maple. The Perls found the idea for the custom Mondrian-like veneer finish on the cabinets from a picture in one of Sarah Susanka's 'The Not So Big House' books.

"Our designer helped take the inkling of an idea and turn it into a workable design, and the contractor found a cabinetmaker who did a great job on the veneer," adds Sharon.

The couple cooks with a new Viking range and Thermador oven, and stainless steel and honed black-granite countertops dress up the workspaces.

The new kitchen boasts storage galore, thanks to a huge pantry closet at one end of the kitchen, which provides easy access to dry goods via pullouts. A cutout in the wall above the kitchen sink connects the kitchen and dining room but still conceals the cooking mess from the entry.

"We really enjoy using the kitchen now," Sharon says. "It is both beautiful and highly functional."

Borocz kitchen
Oscar R. Thayer home, Hillsborough, 1953
Kitchen cost: $125,000

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Klopf Architecture, AIA
Contractor: Marin Restoration
Cabinetry: AlterEco

Photography: Michael O'Callahan Photography

Repose and enjoyment

Peter and Denise Borocz needed better storage for their 1953 kitchen, which was bursting at the seams. Not only were the original cabinets starting to bind and sag, but several of the cabinets at the end of the galley could only be accessed by a person climbing onto the counters.

"We didn't have any spillover for pantry items, and we don't have a garage for storing bulk items," Denise says. The old kitchen also created a dead-end and was visually separated from the adjacent living space.

In response, architect John Klopf helped the Borocz family come up with a more open plan that melds well with the home's mid-century architecture. Away went the galley, and in its place appeared an L-shaped footprint that wraps around a large island with storage on two sides.

"It just works better having an island you can walk around instead of the galley-style kitchen we had that was just a dead-end," Denise explains. A new storage wall, complete with pantry and additional beverage refrigerator, provides plenty of space for day-to-day items.

The Boroczs chose bamboo cabinetry by AlterEco. Thick Corian countertops add heft to the counters, and a recycled glass backsplash adds a touch of color. Now, light fills the space even at night with the help of Tech lighting above, and familiar fluorescent strips for task and ambient lighting under and over the cabinetry.

The couple hung a katagami panel from Japan, lit with a backlight, as a decorative element above the range. "I wanted to have some sort of art in the kitchen, and I don't like traditional vent hoods," Denise says. "The simple, clean lines let the bamboo be the spokesperson of the design."

Contractors replaced the home's original sliding-glass doors with Fleetwoods and moved them to different bays. Now, when they're open, they align with the walking spaces on both sides of the island.

The new kitchen allows for the Borocz family to hang out during dinner preparation time, and while watching TV, cooking, and cleaning up together. "We really enjoy the feeling of repose and peace that has replaced what was once a stressful cooking experience," Peter says.

Korman kitchen
Mid-century modern, Brentwood, 1948
Kitchen cost: $100,000

KEY PLAYERS:
Design: Cory Buckner, AIA
Contractor: Palisades Construction
Cabinetry: Mooradian Cabinets

Photography: Sunshine Divis and Jonnu Singleton Photography

Spacious and inviting

The small, outdated galley kitchen suffered from a serious case of the 'blahs' until this 1948 two-story, modern-styled home underwent a total renovation.

"There was no area to prep food, nor was there a place for the family to sit down and enjoy eating together," says owner Ann Korman. "The countertops were old white tiles, which were difficult to work on and were hard to keep clean. Also, we had tile floors, which were cold, hard, and unattractive."

Enter architect Cory Buckner, who transformed the kitchen into a spacious and inviting gathering space by opening it to the rest of the house. She infused warmth into the kitchen by adding custom cabinetry and engineered wood floors made of blond-hued Douglas fir. The monochromatic color scheme visually broadened the space and tied the room to the home's overall aesthetic.

A new, large center island gives Ann a place to cut vegetables and mix salad dressings while interacting with kids and company. "I no longer feel isolated from the get-together," she says. "In fact, preparation of the food has become an element of the party."

High-end appliances, including a glass-front Subzero refrigerator, wine chiller, Wolf oven, and Fisher-Paykel dishwasher, added functionality. A timeless Louis Poulsen pendant provides soft light above the dining table, where family and friends now gather regularly for meals.

"The new kitchen really has changed our lives," Ann says. "I love to cook, and having the new space gives me a place where I can enjoy my time."