Fort Washington, MD Kitchen Remodel: Making Space for Modern Mid-Century Living, The Reveal
This 200-square-foot Fort Washington kitchen is officially living its best modern mid-century life.
If you read part one, you already know this kitchen started with a lot of charm… and a lot of pink tile. Now we finally get to show you where all those design decisions landed and honestly, this space makes us smile every time we walk in. The biggest win? That island.
If you remember this homeowner loves to cook and dreamed of a kitchen that actually worked for the way they lived. To make that happen, we had to remove the old pantry closet which meant relocating utilities and rerouting ductwork. Once we tackled that challenge we were able to create space for a true working island, and it completely changed how this kitchen functions. It is now a true prep zone, gathering spot, coffee drinking, candle burning, life happens here space. Rumor has it, there were 7 cooks in this kitchen prepping for a holiday dinner.
This small kitchen renovation began with rethinking the floor plan to create better flow, improved lighting, and space for a future kitchen island
The goal was a mid-century inspired kitchen that feels modern and timeless. Never trendy, never cold, and definitely not boring!
We strongly believe that function and style can live together. Smart storage is essential and by adding the tall pantry cabinets on each side of the obstruction we centered custom depth open shelving from our partner Shelfology in between, and painted the walls from Sherwin Williams’ designer collection shade Fresh Eucalyptus to match for a seamless look. This created extra storage, display space for personal pieces, and a built-in custom look.
When we needed space for ventilation, we didn’t hide it, we designed around it.
Mid-century modern design became popular in the 1940s through the 1960s and is known for clean lines, natural materials, and strong but simple contrast. These same principles guided this kitchen remodel.
Warm wood upper cabinets reflect one of the most recognizable elements of mid-century modern kitchens. Woods like walnut, teak, and oak were widely used because they added warmth and organic texture to modern spaces. Using wood uppers in this kitchen renovation brings that classic mid-century feel while keeping the space light and open.
The waterfall edge keeps it feeling sleek instead of bulky which is perfect for a small kitchen remodel in Fort Washington.
We paired the upper wall cabinetry with matte black lower base cabinets to create contrast, which is a core feature of mid-century interior design. We wanted to create balance without heavy decoration. The darker base cabinetry grounds the space visually while keeping the design sleek and contemporary.
By leaning into muted, nature inspired tones like sage, olive, clay, and warm gray, we chose an accent color that pushes the design forward while still supporting the warmth of the wood cabinets and the contrast of the darker base. This shade elevates the space, helping the kitchen feel calm, cohesive, and timeless.
Installed is Cambria quartz countertops, chosen for their durability, low maintenance, and timeless look.
By consciously selecting these Cambria quartz countertops we are representing the modern evolution of mid-century materials. A lot has changes since then and kitchens called for laminate, stone, and terrazzo. Our goal was always durability paired with clean, simple surfaces. Quartz carries that same spirit forward with its durability, low-maintenance, and visual appeal making it the perfect choice for the modern family.
Instead of purchasing a traditional plant window, we decided to get creative. We bumped out the existing picture window just enough to create a custom plant shelf giving the homeowner the look and function of a plant window without the heavy price tag. It was one of our favorite design and savings hacks on this project!
To make it both beautiful and practical, we used the same mitered-edge quartz from the countertops as the shelf surface. Quartz is nonporous and water resistant, which means watering plants won’t damage wood, drywall, or the ceiling below. No stains, no swelling, no stress! Just a quick wipe and it’s clean again.
Now the homeowner gets natural light, happy plants, and an easy to maintain shelf that looks custom, intentional, and built into the design. It’s proof that smart details can be both stylish and functional.
