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Pro Spotlight: Take Your Kitchen Back to the Future
An Oklahoma City kitchen designer shares how to bring your kitchen into the 21st century while honoring its roots
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Who: Jo Meacham of Urban Kitchens
Where: Oklahoma City
In her own words: “Every style can be updated for a modern feel. These days, we’re focusing on simplification for kitchens.”
While there’s a seemingly endless stream of gorgeous ideas for your kitchen, how do you ensure that your new space blends with the rest of your home? The answer is closer than you think, kitchen designer Jo Meacham says. “By using the historical and architectural context of the existing house, the kitchen can be a reflection of its surroundings,” says Meacham, the owner of Urban Kitchens, a kitchen and bath design firm in Oklahoma City.
Where: Oklahoma City
In her own words: “Every style can be updated for a modern feel. These days, we’re focusing on simplification for kitchens.”
While there’s a seemingly endless stream of gorgeous ideas for your kitchen, how do you ensure that your new space blends with the rest of your home? The answer is closer than you think, kitchen designer Jo Meacham says. “By using the historical and architectural context of the existing house, the kitchen can be a reflection of its surroundings,” says Meacham, the owner of Urban Kitchens, a kitchen and bath design firm in Oklahoma City.
Putting spaces in context. Meacham began in the design industry as a historic preservation consultant for neighborhoods in Oklahoma City. “My background gives me the ability to see the details,” she says. “I always start with the context — the architecture of the home and its surroundings — to create a modern interpretation of yesterday’s architecture.”
Design for a lifetime. “I’m inspired by architecture and the enthusiasm of my clients,” Meacham says. “While I have a deep understanding of architectural detail and design elements, I’m a practical person. I want to design something that fits the house so it has a long life.”
See below for Meacham’s tips on how to bring your kitchen into the present day.
See below for Meacham’s tips on how to bring your kitchen into the present day.
1. Create Historical Context
Use your home’s architecture as a starting point for the new kitchen. “Be a detective and find inspiration in the neighborhood, the surrounding properties and the house itself,” Meacham says. “Select design details that bridge the gap between the original construction period and today.”
The Edmond home seen here, built in the 1980s, had a brick and stone exterior. The kitchen redesign included a new stove surround built using stone similar to that of the exterior, and reclaimed lumber and beams on the ceiling. “It’s a comfortable kitchen with materials that fit the home’s woodsy setting,” Meacham says.
See more of this project
Use your home’s architecture as a starting point for the new kitchen. “Be a detective and find inspiration in the neighborhood, the surrounding properties and the house itself,” Meacham says. “Select design details that bridge the gap between the original construction period and today.”
The Edmond home seen here, built in the 1980s, had a brick and stone exterior. The kitchen redesign included a new stove surround built using stone similar to that of the exterior, and reclaimed lumber and beams on the ceiling. “It’s a comfortable kitchen with materials that fit the home’s woodsy setting,” Meacham says.
See more of this project
2. Go Against the Grain
Don’t be afraid to do something different or shun popular design trends. “Popular materials and designs aren’t for every kitchen,” Meacham says. “At a minimum, explore different ideas to ensure that you can find design elements that you love.”
The kitchen seen here is in a Colonial-era-replica home in Edmond built in 1990. “The homeowners wanted to bring the Williamsburg feel of the home into the kitchen,” Meacham says. “To achieve this, the cabinets, trim, doors and paneling were painted by hand using milk paint. It has a wonderful historical effect.”
See more of this project
Don’t be afraid to do something different or shun popular design trends. “Popular materials and designs aren’t for every kitchen,” Meacham says. “At a minimum, explore different ideas to ensure that you can find design elements that you love.”
The kitchen seen here is in a Colonial-era-replica home in Edmond built in 1990. “The homeowners wanted to bring the Williamsburg feel of the home into the kitchen,” Meacham says. “To achieve this, the cabinets, trim, doors and paneling were painted by hand using milk paint. It has a wonderful historical effect.”
See more of this project
3. Identify What Moves You
While it’s easy to save pictures and use those ideas for your kitchen design, it’s important to go beyond that, Meacham says. “Photos are a great way to start, but try to find the patterns. Are you drawn to marble countertops? Contemporary cabinets? The best designs are those that can be explained.”
The owner of a 1928 Tudor in Oklahoma City’s historic Mesta Park district wanted to open up the home’s small kitchen to the dining area. “We spent a lot of time looking at pictures of inspirational spaces and found that he really likes traditional materials with a modern twist,” Meacham says. “While the white inset cabinets and black-and-white mosaic tiles provide a nod to the home’s historic background, the Carrara marble, white subway tiles and open shelving are a nod to today’s design trends.”
See more of this project
More: For more information on Jo Meacham and examples of her work, visit Urban Kitchens’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
While it’s easy to save pictures and use those ideas for your kitchen design, it’s important to go beyond that, Meacham says. “Photos are a great way to start, but try to find the patterns. Are you drawn to marble countertops? Contemporary cabinets? The best designs are those that can be explained.”
The owner of a 1928 Tudor in Oklahoma City’s historic Mesta Park district wanted to open up the home’s small kitchen to the dining area. “We spent a lot of time looking at pictures of inspirational spaces and found that he really likes traditional materials with a modern twist,” Meacham says. “While the white inset cabinets and black-and-white mosaic tiles provide a nod to the home’s historic background, the Carrara marble, white subway tiles and open shelving are a nod to today’s design trends.”
See more of this project
More: For more information on Jo Meacham and examples of her work, visit Urban Kitchens’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
"Our kitchens are thoughtfully designed to embrace your home’s unique architecture, express your personality and... Read More
Review by Sue Bock:
My husband and I did 2 remodels with Jo and Neila at Urban Kitchen in 2019! The first renovation was our master bedroom and bathroom. It was designed by Urban Kitchen and the cost was upfront and the ...More
In my opinion, the only thing "professional" about Jo Meacham's (and BDO's) work on my kitchen/house was their exit after a less than stellar performance.