Retro Kitchen Makeover

This is where the magic happens. I know a lot of people who enjoy cooking prefer to work alone but Michael and I have perfected our culinary arts into a seamless pas de deux. If only our renovation efforts were as graceful and in-step as our cookery.

This post is sponsored by HanStone.

In the process of transforming this essential space, we: nearly broke our backs and necks in the 10-day effort of removing the old floor tile and installing this intricate checkerboard pattern, had a plumbing mishap that led to a geyser spraying water onto me and the rest of the kitchen, lost several layers of skin to hand-sanding the upper cabinets to restain them, and sacrificed countless pieces of wood to mitre saw miscalculations in the constructions of the floating shelves with recessed lighting.

In summary, this renovation project really was the gift that kept on giving.

BEFORE

AFTER

Now that the dust has settled, we can gaze upon our work with pride and enjoy every moment spent whisking, chopping, and sautéing in our refreshed retro kitchen.

When I bought the home in October 2022, I knew I wanted to transform the kitchen into a space that was more befitting of the era of the home. The black-and-white checkerboard floor was an absolute must. I sought out the support of my friend Melanie Neault, founder of interior design firm Launch Your Space to help source finishes and fixtures to bring my vision to life and ensure everything worked together in perfect harmony.

After searching high and low for 6″ square black and white tiles, which were the predominant format for tiles for decades but have since been displaced by larger formats, and coming up empty, I turned to Instagram. Through my most convincing Nancy Drew impression, I found an installation photo from a British creator who’s entryway had the exact tile I wanted in my kitchen and zoomed in on a box of tile in the very corner of the image to finally find what I’d been looking for. It was the Oxford Pattern with Kingsley Border from UK brand Original Style and I found their Canadian supplier based in Toronto. Melanie was able to place the order through Surfaces Co. and I received the tile 3 months later.

The backsplash tile was also a longstanding fixture on my “Kitchen Goals” Pinterest board – Chaine Homme by Fireclay Tile, a handmade clay tile from California. The brand had posted a photo of a project where the homeowner mixed three different shades of the same colour and I wanted to do the same. I worked with Melanie to land on the three shades that would best highlight the veining in my Calacatta Mont quartz countertops from HanStone. Ultimately, we landed on a combination of Tusk, Feldspar, and Ivory.

Much like the ambitious checkerboard floor, Michael and I installed the backsplash ourselves. We used ChatGPT to help us plot out a truly random install pattern that evenly distributed the three colours. It worked like a charm.

SHOP THE ROOM

I opted for HanStone Quartz countertops when I renovated my condo kitchen a few years ago and fell in love with the look, feel, and durability. Given how often I’m shaking and stirring with saturated cocktail ingredients like Campari, an easy-to-clean countertop like HanStone Quartz (which also has the benefit of being made in Canada) is the obvious choice. I highly recommend you explore their ever-expanding array of quartz for your next renovation project.

Calacatta Mont is a more recent addition to their line and I was drawn to its warmth as I didn’t want the neutral palette I’d selected to feel cold or austere. The taupe tones of the veining was a lovely complement to the new staining on the upper cabinets and suited the brass accents I used throughout.

Admittedly, my tile selections throughout weren’t the most affordable options available, we did find opportunities to cut costs elsewhere. We repurposed the existing cabinetry and had the lowers professionally painted in Black by Benjamin Moore, sanded and stained the uppers ourselves, and Michael built the floating shelves. My favourite cost-conscious update was the reeded glass alternative we found for the glass-front cabinets.

We removed the wood inserts from the glass-front cabinets and were scared off by the cost of real reeded glass. I stumbled across this vinyl static cling window film that gives the look of reeded glass for only $24. The look is as believable in person as it is in these photos – there are plenty of styles available so I highly recommend pursuing this option if you want the look of reeded glass, stained glass, or lead glass for a fraction of the cost.

When it came to appliances, I wanted to make a selection that would align with the midcentury feel I was aiming for. The Classic Retro line by Unique was the perfect fit for the aesthetic without completely breaking the bank on similar styles from Smeg or others.

I pulled in some vintage accents like my beloved brass pheasant, an antique wall clock, and assorted knick-knacks.

While I normally drive the design choices around here, one element of the kitchen that Michael insisted on having was the pot filler. He got his pot filler, I have to admit I do love the convenience it affords, and I got the workstation sink I wanted. If you’re unfamiliar, a workstation sink has two ledges so you can fit in a cutting board, colander, bowl, dish rack and other accessories to increase your workspace. In the absence of an island, I felt this addition was a necessity.

We combined the workstation sink with a touch faucet which is a real lifesaver after you’ve been stuffing a turkey.

I’d love to know, what’s your favourite element of the redesigned space? Tell me in the comments below.