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  1. Kitchen
  2. Layout: U-shape

Midcentury U-shaped Kitchen Ideas and Designs

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Arapahoe Place
Arapahoe Place
Brian David Roberts | Interior Planning & DesignBrian David Roberts | Interior Planning & Design
This is an example of a large midcentury u-shaped open plan kitchen in Seattle with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, quartz worktops, white splashback, metro tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring, a breakfast bar, beige floors and white worktops.
Spring 2019 Kitchen Remodels
Spring 2019 Kitchen Remodels
Halm & Perkins, LLCHalm & Perkins, LLC
storiedimages.org
Design ideas for a retro u-shaped kitchen/diner in Other with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, blue splashback, mosaic tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, a breakfast bar, white floors and white worktops.
Gardenia Dr
Gardenia Dr
JWM Living, LLCJWM Living, LLC
The Kitchen features a large island, quartz counter tops, stainless steel appliances and a walk-in Pantry. TK Images
Photo of a midcentury u-shaped kitchen in Houston with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, engineered stone countertops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, bamboo flooring, an island, brown floors and white worktops.
4514 Allen St, New Orleans - New Construction
4514 Allen St, New Orleans - New Construction
iBuild llciBuild llc
Inspiration for a medium sized midcentury u-shaped open plan kitchen in New Orleans with a submerged sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, composite countertops, white splashback, metro tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, bamboo flooring, no island, brown floors and white worktops.
Mid-Century Row-home
Mid-Century Row-home
Lisa & LeroyLisa & Leroy
Because of the 2 windows and a door, we couldn’t put cabinets there without it looking weird. The homeowners needed storage but didn’t want to lose light, so we came up with this open shelving plan. Also, adding historic elements like the antique gold lights over the windows and the subway tile paid just the right homage to the home.
Eunice Street
Eunice Street
Eisenmann ArchitectureEisenmann Architecture
Mark Compton
Design ideas for a medium sized midcentury u-shaped kitchen/diner in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, quartz worktops, integrated appliances, an island, white worktops, white splashback, metro tiled splashback, a submerged sink, light hardwood flooring and beige floors.
Residence M
Residence M
CHT ArchitectsCHT Architects
Christine Francis
Design ideas for a medium sized midcentury u-shaped kitchen/diner in Melbourne with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble worktops, white splashback, concrete flooring, an island, glass sheet splashback and stainless steel appliances.
Lake-house
Lake-house
Mary Anne Smiley InteriorsMary Anne Smiley Interiors
Danny Piassick
Design ideas for a medium sized midcentury u-shaped kitchen/diner in Dallas with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, a submerged sink, grey splashback, stainless steel appliances, concrete flooring, an island, concrete worktops, mosaic tiled splashback and grey floors.
Lillian Dr.
Lillian Dr.
Schweitzer Design & Build, Inc.Schweitzer Design & Build, Inc.
Design ideas for a medium sized retro u-shaped kitchen/diner in Other with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, engineered stone countertops, white splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring, an island, multi-coloured floors and white worktops.
Los Feliz Residence
Los Feliz Residence
Dutton Architects Inc.Dutton Architects Inc.
A modern mid-century house in the Los Feliz neighborhood of the Hollywood Hills, this was an extensive renovation. The house was brought down to its studs, new foundations poured, and many walls and rooms relocated and resized. The aim was to improve the flow through the house, to make if feel more open and light, and connected to the outside, both literally through a new stair leading to exterior sliding doors, and through new windows along the back that open up to canyon views. photos by Undine Prohl
Mid Century Style Kitchen Remodel
Mid Century Style Kitchen Remodel
Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins, Inc.Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins, Inc.
Mike Kaskel
Design ideas for a large midcentury u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, green splashback, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring, a breakfast bar, a submerged sink, engineered stone countertops and ceramic splashback.
Bold Impact | Portland Whole House Remodel
Bold Impact | Portland Whole House Remodel
Mountainwood HomesMountainwood Homes
The open concept kitchen creates a perfect flow throughout the main living space, connecting all guests in one space.
This is an example of an expansive retro u-shaped kitchen/diner in Portland with a built-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium wood cabinets, engineered stone countertops, black splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic flooring, multiple islands, grey floors and white worktops.
South Land Park
South Land Park
WOOL Design StudioWOOL Design Studio
Walnut cabinets, soapstone countertops, built-in oven hood with floating shelves.
Photo of a retro u-shaped kitchen/diner in Sacramento with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, soapstone worktops, stainless steel appliances, light hardwood flooring and a breakfast bar.
A Splash of Yellow
A Splash of Yellow
Next Stage Design + BuildNext Stage Design + Build
Photo of a medium sized midcentury u-shaped kitchen/diner in San Francisco with a submerged sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, engineered stone countertops, yellow splashback, ceramic splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood flooring, an island, brown floors, white worktops and a timber clad ceiling.
Mid Century/Transitional
Mid Century/Transitional
Rebecca Ryan DesignRebecca Ryan Design
Inspiration for a midcentury u-shaped kitchen in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, engineered stone countertops, white splashback, engineered quartz splashback, integrated appliances, light hardwood flooring, an island, grey worktops and a vaulted ceiling.
г. Пушкин, ул. Чистякова
г. Пушкин, ул. Чистякова
Александрова СветланаАлександрова Светлана
Inspiration for a small midcentury grey and white u-shaped open plan kitchen in Saint Petersburg with a belfast sink, raised-panel cabinets, grey cabinets, engineered stone countertops, white splashback, metro tiled splashback, stainless steel appliances, ceramic flooring, no island, white floors, white worktops and all types of ceiling.
Bloomington Flansburgh House
Bloomington Flansburgh House
Susan Yeley HomesSusan Yeley Homes
Nearly two decades ago now, Susan and her husband put a letter in the mailbox of this eastside home: "If you have any interest in selling, please reach out." But really, who would give up a Flansburgh House? Fast forward to 2020, when the house went on the market! By then it was clear that three children and a busy home design studio couldn't be crammed into this efficient footprint. But what's second best to moving into your dream home? Being asked to redesign the functional core for the family that was. In this classic Flansburgh layout, all the rooms align tidily in a square around a central hall and open air atrium. As such, all the spaces are both connected to one another and also private; and all allow for visual access to the outdoors in two directions—toward the atrium and toward the exterior. All except, in this case, the utilitarian galley kitchen. That space, oft-relegated to second class in midcentury architecture, got the shaft, with narrow doorways on two ends and no good visual access to the atrium or the outside. Who spends time in the kitchen anyway? As is often the case with even the very best midcentury architecture, the kitchen at the Flansburgh House needed to be modernized; appliances and cabinetry have come a long way since 1970, but our culture has evolved too, becoming more casual and open in ways we at SYH believe are here to stay. People (gasp!) do spend time—lots of time!—in their kitchens! Nonetheless, our goal was to make this kitchen look as if it had been designed this way by Earl Flansburgh himself. The house came to us full of bold, bright color. We edited out some of it (along with the walls it was on) but kept and built upon the stunning red, orange and yellow closet doors in the family room adjacent to the kitchen. That pop was balanced by a few colorful midcentury pieces that our clients already owned, and the stunning light and verdant green coming in from both the atrium and the perimeter of the house, not to mention the many skylights. Thus, the rest of the space just needed to quiet down and be a beautiful, if neutral, foil. White terrazzo tile grounds custom plywood and black cabinetry, offset by a half wall that offers both camouflage for the cooking mess and also storage below, hidden behind seamless oak tambour. Contractor: Rusty Peterson Cabinetry: Stoll's Woodworking Photographer: Sarah Shields
Mid-Century Modern, Shavano Park
Mid-Century Modern, Shavano Park
NR InteriorsNR Interiors
We completely transformed the original small Kitchen into a space twice as large. The homeowner's love to cook and this new Kitchen is designed with both beauty and high function in mind with plenty of well designed storage, generous amount of counterspace and unique design features such as the quartersawn white oak table end of the island which intersects the beautiful white macabus quartzite waterfall edge. The two tone perimeter cabinets bring subtle interest to the space.
Mid-Century Modern Condo in Historic Capitol Hill
Mid-Century Modern Condo in Historic Capitol Hill
Finesse Design RemodelingFinesse Design Remodeling
A two-bed, two-bath condo located in the Historic Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC was reimagined with the clean lined sensibilities and celebration of beautiful materials found in Mid-Century Modern designs. A soothing gray-green color palette sets the backdrop for cherry cabinetry and white oak floors. Specialty lighting, handmade tile, and a slate clad corner fireplace further elevate the space. A new Trex deck with cable railing system connects the home to the outdoors.
Carmel Valley Kitchen and Family Room Remodel
Carmel Valley Kitchen and Family Room Remodel
Mc Construction Design BuildMc Construction Design Build
Kitchen Design and Cabinetry by Bonnie Bagley Catlin Photos by @photogailowens We created a curved island that resembles a piano while it maximized there countertop space it left plenty of room for them to entertain many guest in their nook. We created a integrated pantry door with custom walnut panels.

Midcentury U-shaped Kitchen Ideas and Designs

Want to discover beautiful midcentury kitchen ideas to inspire your new kitchen design? You’ve come to the right place. You can discover millions of midcentury kitchen designs and ideas; from kitchen islands and storage units, to all sorts of kitchen lighting ideas, such as pendant lighting or under cabinet lighting. Whether you want inspiration for all-in-one fitted kitchen designs, some small kitchen ideas or maybe just some tips for improving your kitchen decor, there are tons of retro photos to inspire you for your next kitchen project on Houzz.

What kind of midcentury kitchen design should I go for?

With so many kitchen ideas and photos to look at you might be a bit overwhelmed when it comes to picking your own retro kitchen design. If you are updating your kitchen you know what a big and important decision it is to get the design right – the kitchen can be the hub and heart of the home, and it’s unlikely that you would invest in renovating your kitchen again in a few years. But fear not, focusing first on the important elements like layout, cabinet style, worktops and appliances will help you to bring together your dream kitchen design. Additional elements like kitchen lighting, cupboard storage and decor can come after in the kitchen planning process. A kitchen designer or fitter can help you to decide the layout of your midcentury kitchen in terms of where to place your kitchen units, appliances and island (if you’re having one), but if you prefer to handle this yourself you can focus on where you want your key elements of your kitchen to be – the oven, hob, sink and fridge. Of course you might be constricted by space, but try to envisage the easiest and most efficient layout based on how you usually like to cook and prepare your food. If you’re fed up of always having to carry dirty pans and pots across the room to the sink, place the sink closer to your oven and hob. Once you have the core elements sorted, consider extra layout considerations, such as where your bins will be stored, where the cutlery draw should be and where small midcentury kitchen appliances can be installed.

Should I include a kitchen island?

Kitchen island ideas are abundant these days; it seems most kitchen designs include a kitchen island, if not multiple islands. However, if the layout doesn’t work, especially if you have a small kitchen, then there’s no necessity to add in a kitchen island. You can add a breakfast bar or counter to your existing kitchen units, or stick with a good old-fashioned dining table if you don’t need the extra work surfaces. That said, if you do have the room, take a look at some retro kitchen island ideas to see if the designs inspire you for your kitchen. There are a huge variety of island designs to cater to different needs – you can have sinks, ovens, hobs, wine storage and all sorts of drawers and organisers built-in, you can have separate bars and counters that extend from your island, or you could go for a kitchen island on wheels to make your kitchen layout more versatile.

How do I choose my kitchen units and cabinets?

When picking out kitchen units and cupboard styles for a fitted kitchen, you’ll first want to consider the more practical questions – how many units do you need? How many cupboards and drawers do you need? Do you need extra kitchen storage built into your units? It’s always best to overestimate how much kitchen storage you’ll need as we all tend to have a habit of filling up whatever current space we have to the maximum. Next you can consider kitchen cabinet style and colour. Shaker style cabinets and raised and recessed panel cabinets offer a more traditional kitchen cabinet look, while flat panel cabinet doors tend to lend more to the modern and contemporary style. However, going for raised or recessed panel work in a striking colour such as dark blue, green or black can still work with contemporary kitchen ideas. White kitchens can give a sleek and clean feel, but remember you may have to do a bit more cleaning of those cupboard doors if you want everything to stay shiny and fresh. Of course, grey kitchens are the neutral colour choice du jour and can be paired with pale and rich shades alike if you want your fitted kitchen cupboards to contrast with your worktop, splashback, floor, or all of the above. Exposed shelving and storage is also popular for eclectic, Scandi and industrial-inspired looks, so you could opt for glass-fronted cabinets or no wall-mounted cabinets at all. Remember that this will require more restraint in what you can store and more effort in keeping it looking presentable compared to what is stored away hastily behind cupboard doors. The kitchen cupboard handles are also another element to decide upon – do you want traditional round knobs, modern metal bars, country kitchen cup handles or maybe to go ultra sleek with a completely handleless kitchen?

What midcentury kitchen storage ideas should I consider?

If you want to keep your retro kitchen well-stocked and well-equipped but don’t want it spilling over with clutter, then you’ll need to rely on good kitchen storage. Apart from the usual fitted kitchen cupboards and drawer space, there are many other ways of keeping your kitchen tidy. Whilst a large kitchen pantry is the dream of most homeowners, it can’t always be a reality. However, there are now lots of pull out compartments and drawers with trays and shelving that can act as mini kitchen pantries, and you can install handy cupboard organisers that fit onto the inside of the door to make the most of your cupboard space. You can also look at corner drawers and cupboards that open up to reveal lots of extra storage. Rails or small shelves along your kitchen walls or splashback can help with hanging utensils or pans, or storing small items like herbs and spices in an usually empty space. Buy extra kitchen storage products for your home on Houzz

Are there small kitchen ideas for small midcentury spaces?

If you’re working with a galley kitchen, a one-wall kitchen in an open plan space or just a pretty small kitchen, there are some small kitchen ideas that can help you get the most out of your cooking and dining area. If you find that you don’t utilise the back of your cupboards (maybe they become the graveyard for out-of-date tin cans), you could decide to go with shallower kitchen units to free up some extra floor space in front of your cabinets. As mentioned, open shelving or glass-fronted cabinets are a popular trend and they should make the space feel more open and less boxed-in. However, if you have the capacity for it, cupboards and retro kitchen units that maximise the floor-to-ceiling space you have will mean you can use all of that for valuable kitchen storage. Wall or ceiling racks could be a useful solution for hanging pans and pots if you’ve run out of cupboards in which to store them. Kitchen ideas and 1950s style accessories such as baskets, trolleys and storage jars are both aesthetically pleasing and practical as they give you extra storage space. Kitchen appliances like a fridge or dishwasher can be tucked away in built-in units in fitted kitchens so they blend into your layout and don’t make the space look crowded. Discover all the small kitchen ideas you could need by taking a look at photos of compact kitchens.

What sort of midcentury kitchen lighting should I go for?

In the kitchen you need to have practical lighting – no one wants to chop, cut and cook in a dingy room. Kitchen ceiling lights are probably the best way to go, but should you opt for recessed spotlights or traditional hanging ceiling lights? While spotlight LED kitchen lighting will give you excellent light, they may not fit with a design that’s not contemporary. Traditional chandelier lights could work for other kitchen styles, and of course, kitchen pendant lighting comes in all sorts of styles, colours and designs. While the popular choice is to go with one or two pendant lights over your kitchen island, you could also opt for a single pendant light over your dining space, or a few spaced out across your kitchen. Of course, if you want good lighting for your worktops, under-cabinet lighting is the way forward. Speak to your kitchen supplier about having this pre-installed, or there are a number of easy-install options you can fit yourself or with the help of a lighting expert or electrician. In the market for your retro kitchen lighting today? Once you’ve found some inspiring kitchen lighting ideas here, take a look at our kitchen lighting products to find the new lights for your kitchen project.

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