The challenge: When David Ritsema and Linda Vander Maten bought their 1915 Minneapolis Tudor, they knew the kitchen had to go. The 1980s kitchen addition was a basic builder rendition with laminate countertops and sheet vinyl covering the floor. The dropped ceiling made the space feel dark and confining, and the overall design was a poor fit with the home’s period character.
The couple’s goal was to gain counter and storage space with a center island, create better flow and draw in more light, while complementing the Tudor’s architecture. “We like the look of an old European farm kitchen,” said Ritsema.