--- title: "From Dark and Dated to Warm and Welcoming: A 1970's Kitchen Transformation" description: Step inside a 1970s kitchen remodel featuring warm greige cabinetry, oak-toned flooring, and a full suite of Café appliances. image: https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hubfs/Blog/2026/02-Lake-Ravines-2.jpg --- - [Professional Trades](https://ksikitchens.com/why-ksi-professional-trades/) - [Careers](https://ksikitchens.com/careers/) - [Contact](https://ksikitchens.com/ksi-contact/) [![Ksi Logo Blue](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/KSI_December_2022/images/ksi_logo-blue.svg "Ksi Logo Blue")](https://ksikitchens.com) [![White Logo](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/KSI_December_2022/images/white-logo.svg "White Logo")](https://ksikitchens.com) - [Why KSI](https://ksikitchens.com/why-ksi/#) - [Why KSI Overview](https://ksikitchens.com/why-ksi/) - [About](https://ksikitchens.com/why-ksi/why-ksi-about/) - [Accolades](https://ksikitchens.com/why-ksi/why-ksi-accolades/) - 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The space was original to the 1970s, full of dark wood tones and heavy textures left over from the previous owners. They loved their home, but this room never quite felt like theirs. My job was to bring it into today, without erasing the character that made the house feel like a home in the first place.   ## Watch Krista tour this dramatic kitchen renovation!   ![The kitchen's window wall and sliding glass door, showing the herringbone tile accent wall, greige cabinetry, and wood-toned island.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/03-Lake-Ravines-3.jpg?width=2304&height=1536&name=03-Lake-Ravines-3.jpg)   - ![A wider view of the original kitchen with peninsula and no island, featuring dark wood cabinetry, dated lighting, and tile flooring before the remodel.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/Unknown-Aug-26-2026-07-47-38-3107-PM.jpeg?width=480&height=640&name=Unknown-Aug-26-2026-07-47-38-3107-PM.jpeg) - ![The farmhouse sink and dishwasher along the perimeter counter, next to the cherry-finished kitchen island.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/15-Lake-Ravines-15.jpg?width=1425&height=2000&name=15-Lake-Ravines-15.jpg) - ![The butler's pantry bar area, featuring glass-front cabinets for glassware display, a built-in wine refrigerator, and the original cork wallpaper wall.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/10-Lake-Ravines-10.jpg?width=1536&height=2195&name=10-Lake-Ravines-10.jpg) - ![A built-in storage bench with a cushioned seat and decorative pillows, set against the home's original brick accent wall.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/17-Lake-Ravines-17.jpg?width=1473&height=2210&name=17-Lake-Ravines-17.jpg) ## Starting With Warmth, Not White White cabinetry would have proved too stark for the warm feel we were looking to achieve. Instead, we built a neutral palette that still felt like a natural evolution. For the perimeter cabinetry, we chose a soft, warm greige that plays beautifully off the textures they were keeping, including their original brick wall and the cork wallpaper in the butler's pantry. For the island, we chose a rich, grey-toned brown wood finish – sophisticated rather than the reddish, dated cherry tones so many of us picture from older kitchens. Together, those two tones are timeless rather than trendy, and they immediately felt like this family's taste rather than a leftover from someone else's. We paired that palette with Medallion cabinetry, which afforded them every organizational feature on their wish list, while providing the flexibility to adjust dimensions here and there so the finished kitchen reads like a custom fit.     - ![The original 1970s kitchen, featuring dark wood cabinetry, a black built-in wall oven, and checkerboard tile flooring with a wood grid inlay before the remodel.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/Unknown-3.jpeg?width=480&height=640&name=Unknown-3.jpeg) - ![A floor-to-ceiling pantry wall with a built-in Café double wall oven and microwave, flanked by full-height storage cabinets.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/07-Lake-Ravines-7.jpg?width=2045&height=1528&name=07-Lake-Ravines-7.jpg) Hover message ## Catching Challenges Before They Start One of my favorite parts of a remodel like this is what happens before a single cabinet is ordered. Before we finalized anything, our installers came out for a site visit, specifically because we were removing the old soffits and wanted zero surprises once demo started. Sure enough, we found plumbing tucked up in there that would have been costly to relocate. Rather than compromise the design, we solved it in-house: we ordered a shorter cabinet but kept full-height doors, so from the outside the sightline reads exactly as designed while quietly concealing the mechanicals behind it. That kind of foresight and coordination is only possible when your design team, your installers, and your cabinetry line are all working from the same playbook – which is exactly what our own KSI team does best. That same collaborative approach shaped the floors. This family entertains often, with grandchildren who run wild through the kitchen during family parties, so durability mattered as much as looks. While pulling cabinet door samples, we set them right on top of a warm, oak-toned LVT floor in our showroom, and it stopped us in our tracks – it reads like a chameleon of warm and grey undertones, exactly what the space needed! We sourced the flooring through our Family of Brands partner, Riemer Floors, and our own installation team brought it to life.     - ![A corner of the original kitchen showing a mirrored built-in refrigerator, mosaic tile backsplash, and tile flooring prior to renovation.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/Unknown-4-1.jpeg?width=480&height=640&name=Unknown-4-1.jpeg) - ![Another angle of the kitchen island, showing the two-tone cabinetry and open sightline to the refrigerator and cabinetry wall.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/13-Lake-Ravines-13.jpg?width=1536&height=1922&name=13-Lake-Ravines-13.jpg) ## Appliances Built Around What They Already Loved They already owned a Sub-Zero refrigerator they weren't about to give up, so my goal was to make everything around it feel intentional rather than mismatched. Working from its dark finish and metal trim, I pulled dimensions and aesthetic direction into the plan, then brought in one of KSI's appliance specialists, so the homeowners could talk through exactly what they wanted from a cooktop and microwave. They landed on a suite of appliances with built-in air fryer and convection features, along with an induction cooktop. Having an in-house appliance specialist meant they got guidance built around how they actually cook and entertain.  Our in-house team also made it easy to spec and special order alternate appliance handles to ensure every new piece looks like it was always meant to live inside their new kitchen and beside their existing refrigerator.     - ![A pull-out cabinet organizer holding a roll of paper towels.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/30-Lake-Ravines-30.jpg?width=1728&height=2592&name=30-Lake-Ravines-30.jpg) - ![A built-in storage bench with a cushioned seat and decorative pillows, set against the home's original brick accent wall.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/17-Lake-Ravines-17.jpg?width=1473&height=2210&name=17-Lake-Ravines-17.jpg) - ![A pull-out spice rack drawer stocked with jars and seasoning bottles.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/28-Lake-Ravines-28.jpg?width=1728&height=2592&name=28-Lake-Ravines-28.jpg) - ![A vertical tray divider storing platters and baking sheets upright.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/33-Lake-Ravines-33.jpg?width=2592&height=1668&name=33-Lake-Ravines-33.jpg) - ![An open drawer showing a stacked set of green cookware with glass lids.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/27-Lake-Ravines-27.jpg?width=2592&height=1728&name=27-Lake-Ravines-27.jpg) ## Storage That Matches How They Actually Live The little details are what make a kitchen work day to day. We tucked in a tray divider, a dedicated cookie sheet drawer, deep drawer storage for pots and pans, an appliance garage with a lift door to keep countertops clear, a spice pull-out within easy reach of the range, and two Lazy Susans for effortless corner storage. Because they soak dishes rather than lean on the dishwasher, we chose a deep, double bowl sink for exactly that. On their original brick wall, we added a bench seat finished to match the island, giving them extra hidden storage for entertaining pieces. And that cork wallpaper in the butler's pantry, which I happen to love, stayed exactly where it was – its warmth now ties beautifully into the cabinetry surrounding it. Dark cabinet hardware, matching hardware on the new appliances, and a black stainless faucet pull every space together into one cohesive story.   ![A dramatic kitchen remodel featuring warm greige perimeter cabinetry, a stained cherry island, black teardrop pendant lights, and a stainless steel Café wall oven tower.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/01-Lake-Ravines-1.jpg?width=2304&height=1536&name=01-Lake-Ravines-1.jpg) Looking at this kitchen now, it's hard to picture it as the dark, dated space it once was. Every choice, from the warm neutral palette down to the smallest pull-out drawer, was made with this family's real life in mind: the parties, the grandkids, the quiet mornings before anyone else is up. Seven years of waiting turned into a kitchen that finally feels like theirs, and that's the part of this job I love most!   - ![The induction cooktop and a corner coffee station with a built-in coffee maker and mug rack.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/16-Lake-Ravines-16.jpg?width=1536&height=2304&name=16-Lake-Ravines-16.jpg) - ![The black teardrop pendant lights above the cooktop.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/31-Lake-Ravines-31.jpg?width=1728&height=2592&name=31-Lake-Ravines-31.jpg) - ![Cabinet hardware pulls above a countertop plant and knife block.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/24-Lake-Ravines-24.jpg?width=1550&height=2325&name=24-Lake-Ravines-24.jpg) - ![The herringbone tile backsplash behind a countertop utensil crock.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/21-Lake-Ravines-21.jpg?width=2468&height=1646&name=21-Lake-Ravines-21.jpg) - ![The quartz countertop's veining and seam detail up close.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/29-Lake-Ravines-29.jpg?width=2421&height=1614&name=29-Lake-Ravines-29.jpg) - ![A detail shot of the range hood's crown molding and cabinetry trim.](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2026/22-Lake-Ravines-22.jpg?width=2592&height=1728&name=22-Lake-Ravines-22.jpg) ### Ready to Bring Your Vision to Life? Whether you're dreaming of a full remodel or just starting to imagine what's possible, we'd love to help you create a kitchen that truly feels like yours. [Schedule a free design consultation](https://ksikitchens.com/ksi-make-an-appointment/) and let's talk about what your space could become.   #### **Materials Used** - Medallion cabinetry: Chai Latte painted perimeter, Cherry Biscotti island - COREtec Miles Oak LVT flooring, sourced through Riemer Floors - Café series wall ovens, microwave, and induction cooktop - Existing Sub-Zero refrigerator, integrated into the new design - Double bowl sink and Delta Trinsic faucet in black stainless - Antique nickel/black cabinet and appliance hardware --- ![Krista Daily](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/2021/E_898.jpg?width=145&name=E_898.jpg) **Krista Daily** *Krista is a Sr. Designer at KSI Kitchen & Bath's Northville Design Center. Krista gained national recognition in Kitchen & Bath Design News Magazine's 2024 design awards with Honorable Mention in the Best Independent Showroom category for her work designing the KSI Northville Design Center. She has also been recognized by the NAHB with a Gold Award in the 2024 Best in American Living Awards for bath design.* [View Krista Daily’s bio](https://ksikitchens.com/designer/krista-daily/) --- Tags: [Appliances](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/topic/appliances), [kitchen remodel](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/topic/kitchen-remodel), [The Entertainer](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/topic/the-entertainer) [Back to Blog](https://blog.ksikitchens.com) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## Related Articles ## [A Dream Kitchen for the Long Term](https://blog.ksikitchens.com/a-dream-kitchen-for-the-long-term) When I first met these homeowners, their goal was clear: they wanted to create a kitchen that felt... 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