Fusion in Two Kitchen Remodels

Traditional Country Farmhouse Meets Modern Industrial Chateau

When Greg and Lisa Waggoner began plans to remodel their house, they knew they wanted their home to be a harmonious blend between rustic country style and industrial modern chic. Greg had worked for years as a graphic designer at a manufacturing company, and Lisa had an interior design degree from Marylhurst University—relevant backgrounds to make it happen. To bring their vision to life, the Waggoners teamed up with architect Diane Foreman of Neil Kelly Architecture.

“Initially they had some trouble finding designers familiar with the look they wanted,” says Foreman. Yet she could envision the two seemingly disparate styles coming together. “We began collaborating. They’re very, very creative people,” she says. With the three designers working together, the juices started flowing. Their crowning achievement would be the kitchen redesign.

In this complete remodel, the kitchen was easily the most appealing, but challenging. “I wanted something that expressed our personality and looked lived in,” says Lisa. It successfully unites the two seemingly opposite styles: industrial and country. The traditional country style takes the form of muted white cabinets, blue-grey walls and ceramic subway tiles. The hand-scraped and distressed walnut flooring adds country flavor as well. Alternately, the stainless steel appliances and bare hung lighting seep into a more industrial look. With a pop of strawberry red inspired by an old Coca-Cola sign, the rolling countertop is an engaging industrial element. For easy rearranging, the red countertop locks into place, yet is detachable. Lisa’s artwork and her collection of antique cameras are displayed on shelves, adding an eclectic flair to the industrial country hybrid.

The team went out of their way to recycle and reuse old materials while bringing in new sustainable materials and services. “One thing that we did was to take a look at the carbon footprint and use only local people,” Foreman notes.

The kitchen countertop, built by Ron Lucas of Platinum Forge, was made out of masticated fly ash concrete and contained 40 percent consumer waste. The trio of designers decided to paint and reuse the old kitchen cabinets in the laundry room and in Greg’s “man-cave” workshop. They selected energy-efficient windows and doors, and water-conserving facets as well. “We wanted to keep it as green as possible and within our budget,” says Lisa.

The final challenge was uniting the back deck with the kitchen. During the summer, the Waggoners practically live out on their deck, entertaining guests indoors and outdoors. In the existing layout, though, the deck was on the other side of a kitchen wall, which stemmed the flow of outdoor living. Walls sometimes make better windows, especially those you can walk through. Three-panel French sliding doors seamlessly bridged the kitchen and outdoor dining. Barbequing is now easier along a twelve-foot galley countertop, with an adjacent sink and prep area.

Ultimately the Waggoners are content with having pulled together two conflicting design styles and extending their kitchen to the outdoors. This finished remodel recently won a prestigious regional award for sustainability from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.