The 70s Get a Facelift

You caught me. It's true that I am an architect and that this blog started out as an architecture blog. So why haven't I been blogging about architect stuff? Because that's work, while the cycling stuff is pure fun.

But isn't architecture fun too? Well, yeah... when stuff's getting built... and if it looks as good or better than I hoped it would, that's the very best.

Or when I have a great client who encourages my best work to emerge.

In that regard, 2007's been a bit of a dry hole. Not too many projects, and those I've been busy with, haven't been particularly inspiring to me.

However, here is a quick, down-and-dirty kitchen remodel that was a real kick in the pants (click on the pictures to see them very large). The owners have a 70s house with 70s fixtures and 70s styling and 70s tiresomeness.

So they asked me to help them remodel and update their kitchen.

After reviewing the cabinetry (and their budget), I recommended keeping all the cabinets, while adding 5" contemporary brushed-nickel pulls. We did add one new cabinet to fill the space vacated by a never-used-once trash compactor. That's it.

We replaced the boring creamy yellow plastic laminate counter tops with granite tile -- a much more affordable yet still attractive cousin to the solid slabs that can cost $5, $6, or $8 thousand.

We updated the lighting, adding under-cabinet lights where there were none before, and replaced a squeaky, outdated ceiling fan.

We replaced sinks and faucets, painted the walls a nice linen color, and removed the boring vinyl floor, installing new cork tile flooring -- an upgrade which everyone in household immediately appreciates because they take their shoes off at the door.

Typical kitchen remodel costs -- $15,000 to $25,000.

The total cost of this facelift? $8,400.

Seriously.