Need help with a mid century modern remodel

[dave4]

I could really use some help here. I'm doing a slight remodel in my mid century modern home in the Bend. I'm blowing out a wall in the kitchen and adding a bar top to it to open up the room. The problem is, the previous owner did a terrible job remodeling the kitchen, doing so in a very traditional way - crown molding, bull nose granite tops, framed cabinets. I can't afford to change verything, but since I broke the counter top with the drop-in range on one side of the kitchen while trying to move it, I could have an opportunity to fix some things.

Here's my predicament. If you can picture one side of a long galley kitchen with an absolute black bull nose, and the other side with only a countertop with a drop-in range and a 42"bar attached to it, what's the best way to deal with this and maybe return to a more modern look without looking strange? This is what I've been thinking. I could use a totally different granite color on range top and bar and then use a straight edge for all of it or I could use a really interesting exotic looking granite (like this one I saw called black mosaic) on the bar with a straight edge cut and just replace the range top with the same black bull nose (to stay consistent with the other side).

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated?

[musicman]

doesn't sound like you'd be happy if you do two different countertops. the black mosaic is interesting but i could see that becoming old quickly because of the size of the pattern.

[sarahiki]

Agree-I would stick with the same granite. At least it's black. Can you have the edges redone so they're all straight?

[sevfiv]

Yeah - same granite..nothing too flashy.

Any way you can snap some pictures?

[dave4]

Most say I can't change the edge on the existing granite - would probably break it removing, or simply be too costly to remove. Ok. Let's see how this pic came out.

[dave4]

sevfiv/sarahiki. Are you suggesting the same black bullnose for everything, or same granite for the bar/stove top only?

Thanks for you thoughts.

Dave

[sarahiki]

I'm not totally sure I understand, though from looking at the picture it looks like you have two levels you're talking about--the stove area, then the bar at a slightly higher level? If I've understood that right, I would say to use the same bullnose black granite for the lower part (the edge actually isn't too bad... I was picturing something more elaborate. It looks almost straight). For the bar part, either the same granite, though you could cut it straight, I think, or I guess you could do something totally different there. Depends on the rest of the space. If all the wood will remain white, and there is white detailing in the adjacent room, you could do a formica-looking white that might have a mid-century look. If you're going to have a lot of natural wood in the adjacent room, maybe you could have a wood that matched some of that as the bar top. It's hard to say if it would be too jarring a transition to the kitchen. Might be.

[sevfiv]

My first inclination is to keep it consistent with what's there. My second is to say scrap it all and start over - cabinets and all - but I know that's not an option

How long are you planning on staying in the house?

[dave4]

Not planning on moving for a while, but you know how that is - I suppose anything could happen 5+ years out.

Changing the cabinets would probably be something I'd look at 5+ years out. I'll probably remove the crown now.

[musicman]

Most say I can't change the edge on the existing granite - would probably break it removing, or simply be too costly to remove. Ok. Let's see how this pic came out.

what's midcentury?

[GREASER]

start over. Look at some of my pics. Ikea cabinets and solid type counter. 5k for all.

[GREASER]

now that I reread the topic "help with MCM remodel", and not remuddle, i would def. get that stuff out for heavy trash.