Synopsis: The owners of a 1920s Dutch colonial in Minneapolis wanted a kitchen that would be more functional, less cramped, and brighter than their existing kitchen, which had undergone a poorly done renovation in the 1980s. Architects David O’Brien Wagner and Chris Meyer of SALA Architects came up with a new design that used the same footprint but that reconfigured the space in a way that improves the entire main floor of the house. They created three distinct zones–one each for meal prep, dining and entertaining, and cleanup and storage. In addition to creating an improved circulation path, they added two windows, which bring added daylight into the space.

With three growing kids and a family dog, the owners of this 1920s Dutch colonial in the heart of Minneapolis were looking to create a more modern and functional kitchen that would integrate well with the house’s traditional bones and detailing. The new kitchen replaces a 1980s remodel and addition that was dark, inefficient, and cramped. The homeowners were interested in creating open and visually connected spaces with a slightly Scandinavian feel as a nod to their family heritage. Budgetary limitations meant that we would be unable to alter the external footprint, so we knew the work would need to be subtle.

The original flow of space from the dining room to the family room was a rat’s maze of traffic patterns. The new layout creates a direct route between the front and the back of the house. The new circulation path helps to organize the kitchen into two zones: one for prep and cooking, and the other for cleanup and storage. The original 1980s family room remains unchanged structurally, but we enhanced it with a more focused set of furnished spaces for casual dining and sitting.

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