1930s Historic Home Remodel
Kowalske Kitchen & Bath was hired as the contractor of this 1936 historic kitchen remodel, in Wauwatosa’s Swan Park neighborhood. The main goal of this kitchen renovation was to increase storage while working within the existing footprint.
Traditional Style
The homeowners wanted the design of the kitchen to fit the style of their 1936 Wauwatosa colonial. We gave them a classic farmhouse sink and white cabinetry. A vintage-look floor tile brings in movement, as well as lightens the floor. The backsplash is a rustic-styled tile with a crackle finish, uneven and worn edges. A metal finished accent tile provides a point of interest behind the range.
The cozy breakfast nook has custom bench seat cabinets, custom made by MKE Cabinetry. The bench provides hidden storage to make use of every possible inch in this kitchen.
Remodel Within the Existing Footprint
One of the remodeling challenges was that we needed to work within the existing footprint of the kitchen. The home had concrete between each floor, so moving mechanicals and walls would be difficult and costly. We kept plumbing fixtures and appliances close to their original locations.
Kitchen Storage
The clients wanted to gain more storage in their galley-style kitchen. To do this, we removed the soffits and ran the upper cabinets all the way up to the ceiling. We reduced a closet in the back hallway to make room for an additional lower and upper cabinet. Also, we expanded the existing pantry by removing wall space.
Homeowner Review
“[W]e’ve redone three kitchens and built two entire houses. This has by far been my favorite experience. Every single person we worked with was exceptionally kind and considerate. The quality of the work far exceeded our expectations and the time frame in which it was all completed was exactly as promised. From the first time we met, I felt like you understood and appreciated our budget, goals and our ideas and you created a design that we both love to look at and a room we now love being in. Our kitchen turned out far better than we envisioned and the new floors have truly made the house look and feel so much better! It was a fantastic process and we look forward to working with you all again to redo our upstairs.”
Historic Home Remodeling
Kowalske has extensive experience in residential remodeling, especially older homes where it’s important to match the original style of the house (windows, trim, crown molding, flooring, arched doorways, etc).
Check out these other kitchens where we maintained the historic charm of the home:
- 1860s Farmhouse Kitchen Remodel
- Historic Waukesha Kitchen Remodel
- Tin Ceiling Wauwatosa Kitchen Renovation
- 1950s Delafield Kitchen Remodel
Project Details
Project Year: 2019
Location: Wauwatosa, WI
Updates Included: Kitchen
Features: White Shaker Cabinetry, Farmhouse Sink, Porcelain Tile Floor, Quartz Counters, Subway Tile Backsplash, Tile Plaque Accent, Pendant Lighting & Custom Storage Bench
Estimated Cost: $63,000 – $77,000
