Mid-Century Meet & Eat
The homeowners wanted to transform their dining room into a more open, functional, and visually connected space while honoring the home’s modern, mid-century style. Their main goals included removing the massive wall of rough-textured cabinetry, adding a view of the backyard from the front door, creating a serving area with multiple outlets for small appliances, incorporating deep drawers for linens, and adding display space. They also wanted quarter sawn oak cabinetry with hardware instead of the nail breaking routed pocket pulls, black accents, and a backsplash tile in a fun color or shape.
Originally, the wall separating the dining room from the kitchen was slated for removal, but engineering requirements made this cost prohibitive. Instead, we collaborated with an architect and engineer to design a passthrough that maintained structural integrity. During construction, hidden HVAC was discovered, prompting us to build the wall out further, resulting in a deeper 16″ passthrough; a happy accident that created an ideal display area with puck lighting.
The cabinetry features Crystal Cabinet Works’ Encore frameless line in Quarter Sawn White Oak with a Natural matte finish, paired with matte black ladder shelves for display. A tiled, extra-deep toekick covered in matching floor tile gives the appearance of floating cabinetry while ensuring easy, mop-friendly maintenance. The wall is finished in matte square Nemo tile with glossy accents, adding vibrant color and texture. Cambria’s Smithfield quartz countertops provide a durable serving surface, while black floor tile with a metallic finish grounds the design.
Now, the dining room serves as a hub for entertaining, with ample space for serving dishes, convenient power access, and a direct sightline from the kitchen to the backyard.
Ready for a dining space that serves looks as well as dinner?
Pull up a chair and let’s talk.
