southwestern design q&a

the kitchen goes classic

Cook up new ideas for authentic updates and budget-friendly cabinets,
plus color solutions and preparing your home for the risk of wildfires.
Edited by Alicia Kellogg
Photograph by Erika Blumenfeld

This article first appeared in Summer 2008 Su Casa

aesthetic appreciation
Q: I am looking into buying a home in Santa Fe, probably in Casa Solana or Casa Alegre, where there are so many Stamm homes. I love the retro look of the Stamms with their beautiful oak floors, vigas, and kiva fireplaces, but I’ve been bothered by a lot of the renovations or “updates” that owners have done, particularly to the kitchens. Too many times these updates look completely disconnected from the rest of the home, with modern-looking tile floors and countertops, plus new cabinets that don’t relate at all to the classic Stamm look.

Have you seen homes where the owners have done a more seamless job of updating Stamm homes? Do you have suggestions for how to update the standard Stamm kitchen cabinets or hardware without losing the Stamm aesthetic?
—Danielle Weston, Los Alamos, New Mexico

A: When updating a Santa Fe home from a previous era, museum curator, author, and Su Casa Home at Last columnist Christine Mather recommends identifying the home’s original aesthetic. Research the age of the house and what’s appropriate. An aging home with modern renovations can look like the equivalent of an older woman dressed like a 16-year-old, Mather warns. Remember that each design period has its own appeal, and authentic choices will look at home in your older house.

In this case, consider Stamm homes’ background. Following World War II, Santa Fe’s first large-scale housing developments were built. Homes were mass-produced on standard lots, resulting in a more affordable product, Mather explains. Characterized as well-built family housing, midcentury Stamm homes (named as such after the home builder) were offered in different models, but they were almost entirely Southwestern style, Mather says. (Visit Su Casa’s Life in Santa Fe section at SuCasaMagazine.com for Christine Mather’s story “A dreamy little home,” which explores Santa Fe’s early housing developments.)

These two-bedroom, one-bath houses frequently gained additions as families grew. Garages became bedrooms, and decks were added outside. Additions were so prevalent that today it’s rare to find a home with its original floor plan, Mather says.

The fact that these houses have evolved so much over the decades emphasizes the importance of taking in the background behind the home designs—and this rings especially true for kitchens and bathrooms, according to Mather, who is particularly sympathetic to the prevalence of older homes with incongruous updates.

“To find something that hasn’t been updated is very difficult,” she notes. Mather’s own Santa Fe kitchen started out with a 1980s update complete with a mirrored backsplash. Her renovation took her kitchen back to a style appropriate for the home’s character, a change that included adding butcher-block countertops, taking out cabinets, and putting in older pieces, like vintage cupboards.

Even as technology advances and modern kitchen and bath functionality enhance your home, aim to keep in step with an authentic style instead of the trend du jour.

Start by thinking in terms of size. Naturally, small midcentury homes had small kitchens. Brightly colored appliances in retro designs work with the style and size of these spaces—today’s large-scale appliances don’t fit these simple homes, physically or figuratively.

If you are working with the home’s original cabinets, you could update them with a fresh coat of paint or stain or by adding new doors. If you opt to replace the cabinets, look for a simple style with appropriate hardware. Before jumping to install brand-new cabinetry, consider putting in pieces in line with the age of the house. Remember that a modest older home’s original cabinets would not have been ornate.

Instead of defaulting to stone countertops for your kitchen update, consider what would have been used at the time when your house was built. You can still buy good vinyl countertops with aluminum edging, Mather says, and Corian countertops with a confetti pattern are an additional retro-inspired option.

“Color certainly is another very important factor,” she adds, so look at the color waves of your home’s time period. Paint companies such as Sherwin-Williams offer historically inspired colors that you can use to set the tone in your kitchen. Kitchen accoutrements like toasters and other small appliances serve as another place to incorporate color.

When looking at flooring for a midcentury home, Mather suggests considering an age-appropriate choice like vinyl. You could even dig down and discover the kitchen’s original flooring so you can match or approximate the look.

Similar considerations come into play when updating a bathroom—look at how you can integrate modern conveniences with the home’s original style.

In general, Mather recommends keeping the home’s aesthetics in line with its origin. “I think the trick is to not let anyone know that you renovated that room,” she says. You should be able to find your home’s age on the deed.

Mather suggests consulting a local publication for the ads of the time period when your home was built. (Check libraries for back issues.) You’ll find advertisements for many home-related products, Mather says; these ads will show you what a house from that period should look like.

As you undertake your renovation, tread gently, and aim to match your house with its time period while taking into consideration the context of the entire neighborhood, Mather advises. “I think that it’s really very much worth the effort because you come up with a home that is going to be unique.”

cabinet members
Q: I have a 45-year-old brick ranch in East Texas. I have loved the Southwestern style for approximately 20 years and began decorating my living room in that style while living in New Jersey 15 years ago.

Problem: I have an older home with kitchen cabinets built in 1963 that consist of pine boards one inch thick, which are solid. The doors, however, are made of plywood. We are in the process of restoring the house, and new cabinets are not in our budget at this time.

How could I make my kitchen look modern, stylish, and Southwestern without changing the cabinets or the cabinet doors? I have added a taupe Mexican tile on the counters and backsplash, which look great, but the cabinets are an eyesore.
—Donna Carouthers, Batson, Texas

A: Your strategy for updating your cabinets will depend heavily on the existing cabinets’ style and condition, says Carol L. Wood of Carol L. Wood Interiors, which specializes in kitchens and baths.

If your cabinet doors are in good shape, you could have them cleaned and restained or repainted. Many older cabinets are painted, Wood notes. Low-quality doors with years of visible wear and tear would benefit from replacements.

Springing for new cabinet doors is one way to achieve a sound, quality upgrade without spending a great deal of money. The existing cabinets will not be torn out, which saves on the project’s cost. Depending on your budget and the existing cabinets, you could purchase new cabinet doors or have custom doors made. Remember that older homes might not use standard door sizes.

Generally speaking, Southwestern style cabinets can have a rustic appearance, with characteristics such as tongue-and-groove joinery and pine construction. Think about your choice of wood and hardware, and select coloring that works with colors found throughout your home. Wood suggests considering a cabinet style that can be updated or adapted later.

New hardware can be an easy and inexpensive update for kitchen cabinets—“a perfect way to add that touch,” Wood says. Forged iron hardware can be a good choice for a Southwestern style kitchen. You’ll find cabinet hardware offered from a broad range of suppliers, from local retailers to national brands and chain stores to Internet sources.

Countertops are another area where you can make a big difference without a big budget. Update your overall look by changing the countertop material or adding a tile backsplash.

When done right, these updates will enhance and add value to your kitchen, Wood says. Before getting started, she suggests hiring a designer to see your house in person and offer specific advice unique to your home. (You might be able to hire a professional for an hour of his or her time; ask prospective designers if they have a time or rate minimum when arranging their services, Wood advises. She notes that designers’ rates can run from around $80 to $150 per hour.) The National Kitchen & Bath Association (nkba.org), of which Wood is a member, is one source for identifying qualified designers in your area.

color cues
Q: We are planning on redoing our kitchen countertops in our Southwestern townhome in Scottsdale, Arizona. Currently we have whitewashed oak cabinets and also a beige- or taupe-colored tile on the floors. The walls are painted a Navajo white color, and all the appliances and sink are beige in color.

What color or shade of granite countertops would you recommend to keep the kitchen looking light and airy? It is a small kitchen, so I like to keep the colors light.
—Vicki, Scottsdale, Arizona

A: Work with your existing color palette by selecting granite with white, cream, and taupe coloring, advises designer and color specialist Karla McWhorter of Interior Styling by Karla in Albuquerque. She suggests movement-rich granite accented with black patterning or a pop of color, like burgundy or red. Granite with this type of color palette is flexible enough to work with updates you might make down the line, such as changing to black or stainless-steel appliances. Use countertops as a place to pick up color found elsewhere in the room.

When you enter your kitchen, your eyes should travel up and down as you explore the space, McWhorter says. Your countertop choice, therefore, impacts whether your room will achieve this desired effect. A dark-colored granite countertop would draw all of the attention in a light, monochromatic kitchen, she explains.

In designing your kitchen’s color palette, think about your favorite color and also consider colors that complement your furnishings, McWhorter suggests. Colors and patterns on your dishware, place mats, and linens can influence your kitchen’s design. In a home with an open floor plan, make choices that complement furniture in adjacent rooms.

Visualizing color and material selections can be challenging, so McWhorter suggests referring to magazines to help identify what you like.

Q: I’ve painted the walls in my house a rich terra-cotta color, but I’m stumped on what colors would be complementary.
—Pamela Fishe, Tucson, Arizona

A: Karla McWhorter, an Albuquerque designer and color specialist, likes pairing terra cotta with sage greens, deep golds, or shades of blue. Avoid pairing white with terra cotta, McWhorter adds, instead suggesting colors with brown or gray undertones. In particular, she prefers sage green with a gray undertone, deep gold with gray or brown undertones, and green-blue or robin’s egg blue. For example, you could complement terra-cotta walls with light sage green and a splash of rich gold. For bedrooms, you might select a rich purple with gray undertones.

McWhorter advises consulting a color specialist when selecting your specific color choices. Decisions can go far beyond whether you like a particular paint chip at the store. Factors such as your home’s lighting influence how well a particular color will work in your house.

McWhorter describes paint as the most cost-effective way to make an impression in your home. Even those who are afraid of using color can add style with an accent wall, she explains. Quart-sized paint containers provide a low-commitment way to test drive a color on a small area of your wall—if you don’t like the color after all, you can repaint.

“The biggest impact you can have within your home is in paint color,” McWhorter says. “It’s also the least expensive.”

wildfire awareness 101
Q: After seeing recent news of wildfires in the Southwest, I’d like to know how to prepare my house for the risk of fire. What can I do to help protect my home from wildfires?

A: As Wildland Urban Interface specialist for the City of Santa Fe Fire Department, Porfirio Chavarria gives home assessments at people’s properties to address fire concerns and provide suggestions for what they can do to reduce their risk.

When Chavarria speaks with homeowners, he recommends fuel mitigation—managing materials that could burn. He suggests measures like creating space between trees and bringing up the canopy so branches don’t touch the ground. Mow grasses and weeds, and rake needles away from trees. Be aware of smaller fuels, Chavarria warns—materials the size of your pinky and smaller readily carry fires.

Also be aware of the materials next to your home. Move your wood pile away from the building, for example. Chavarria tells homeowners to keep all flammable material and vegetation three to five feet away from the house.

If your home has a deck, keep it well-maintained and covered with paint or water sealer. Watch out for small items like deck cushions, which can act like kindling in the event of a fire. Chavarria recommends bringing cushions inside during a fire and during fire season in general—something to think about especially if you do not live at the home year-round. Also make sure that materials don’t accumulate underneath your deck. If you can, cover this area to prevent embers from collecting there.

Aside from proper home maintenance, Chavarria recommends that homeowners be aware of what they are doing outside. Make sure you have water at hand when barbecuing, especially when grilling with charcoal. Put out your fires, and be mindful of fire restrictions.

He advises that people plan an emergency kit containing the five Ps: papers, pets, pictures, pills or prescriptions, and a phone. Take these key items with you in the event of a fire.

While the Southwest does experience the risk of wildfires, Chavarria notes that traditional Southwestern home styles possess features that make them more resistant to fire than other styles and the materials associated with them. “There are a lot of positives with homes in our area,” he says. Stuccoed exteriors and flat roofs covered with tar and gravel carry less risk of catching fire than wooden roofs and siding, Chavarria explains. Metal roofs are another fire-resistant choice.

Preparedness is key, especially in the western United States’ arid climates, where beautiful scenery and stunning homesites can find themselves in the path of wildfires. Chubb Group of Insurance Companies has launched a new service in 13 western states described as the nation’s largest private wildfire protection network, according to Tom Kammerer, personal insurance manager for the company’s Rocky Mountain region.

Among its other features, Chubb’s Wildfire Defense Service involves home wildfire assessments to educate customers about hazards on their property, including considerations like topography and the placement and maintenance of trees and other flammable materials. Every scenario is different, Kammerer says. “We strongly encourage a wildfire assessment.”

Wildfire Defense Systems, a wildfire consultant and contractor, partners with the insurance company to provide assessments, coordination with public fire agencies, and defensive measures, including the application of a fire-blocking gel in the event of a nearby wildfire.

“We aim to help educate and prepare our insureds to protect them in the event of a wildfire,” Kammerer explains. Up-front planning helps to ready customers for the risk of fire, while their insurance coverage is in place to safeguard their families and their investment in their homes.

expert contact info:
aesthetic appreciation: Christine Mather, museum curator, author, and Su Casa Home at Last columnist (see page 65 in this issue). More of Christine’s columns are available online at SuCasaMagazine.com, within the section titled Life in Santa Fe.
cabinet members: Carol L. Wood, Carol L. Wood Interiors, Albuquerque, 505/797-1048.
color cues: Karla McWhorter, designer, Interior Styling by Karla, Albuquerque, 505/275-6819, interiorstylingbykarla.com.
wildfire awareness 101: Porfirio Chavarria, Wildland Urban Interface specialist for the City of Santa Fe Fire Department, Santa Fe,
505/955-3119, santafenm.gov.
Tom Kammerer, personal insurance manager for the Rocky Mountain region, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, Denver, Colorado,
720/895-5100, www.chubb.com/personal.