A Modern Kitchen Breathes New Life into a 50-Year-Old House

Last year, a young professional couple in East Oahu bought a 1970s-era residence that desperately needed upgrades — so much so that neighbors profusely thanked and complimented the couple after they renovated the home’s exterior. What neighbors did not know, however, was that the couple also renovated the interior and added a modern kitchen with luxury appliances.

The two-story, 2,100-square-foot house is in Mariners Cove, a waterfront community in Hawaii Kai. For nearly six months, the couple’s contractors worked on the kitchen, tackled aging infrastructure and transformed the house’s original five-bedroom, 2.5-bath setup into four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms.

“We gutted the inside — drywall, electrical, plumbing — everything we can see with our eyes was changed and only the frame was original,” says the husband, an engineer. He says they could not have chosen a better contractor than Andy (Xiande) Cao of CS Builders, who is well-versed in modern, affordable designs.

The commercial-grade Thermador stove is a functional and stylish focal point. Luxury vinyl floors pair well with the color palette in this modern kitchen.

His wife, a media manager, wholeheartedly agrees. “We’re happy and grateful that we were able to complete the process with a home we feel good about,” she says.

When Hawaii Home + Remodeling visited the house on a recent Monday morning, sunlight streamed through the first-floor windows and illuminated the kitchen’s spacious interior. The color motif of the kitchen is a soothing gray, with gold and brown accents. Functional features include a cast-iron apron sink, luxury vinyl flooring, pullout drawers and wood-plank open shelves. A massive island in the center of the kitchen dwarfs a breakfast nook near the windows. In the back of the modern kitchen is a commercial-grade Thermodor gas stove, flanked by granite countertops and granite-tile backsplash.

The wife’s penchant for morning brews inspired a coffee bar, located beneath the staircase across from the kitchen. Every morning, the aroma of fresh coffee wafts out of this cozy enclave, equipped with its own sink and espresso machine. “It feels good to ground fresh coffee beans in the morning,” she says with a laugh.

A custom espresso bar serves well for the couple’s morning brews and entertaining friends and family with conversations over coffee.

Although the couple say they enjoy their life as “DINKWADs” — Double Income No Kids With A Dog — they cherish their relatives, who also live in Hawaii Kai, and ensured that their house meets the special needs of extended family members.

For example, the first floor needed to be flat and slip-proof for an elderly father who regularly visits. The couple also wanted the kitchen and lanai large enough to accommodate big family gatherings. And for a brother who uses a wheelchair, the halls, doorways and main entrance needed to be wide enough. (The brother was scheduled to move into the first-floor bedroom and adjacent bathroom, both retrofitted to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.)

Sadie, the couple’s mini labradoodle, sits in the breakfast nook. This sweet spot can be used as a work space or simply for relaxing with a view of the backyard.

One family member who appreciates the new digs, maybe more than anyone, is the couple’s 13-year-old mini labradoodle, Sadie. When the pooch excitedly explored the lawn for the first time and felt new grass beneath her paws, the husband and wife knew that their efforts paid off.

“We bought a house and turned it into a home,” says the wife with a smile.

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