When this Park Ridge family was looking for their forever home, they knew they had found the right house, but it needed a little something. They wanted to create a home with a distinctive style that felt more curated, classic, and truly theirs.

From the marble backsplash ledge to the vintage-inspired brass accents, this modern vintage kitchen remodel is a careful blend of natural materials, crafted statement pieces, and thoughtful details that bring a sense of history and personality. Paired with updated storage and features, it’s also perfectly suited to current-day life with three children and a dog.

“While we didn’t take down any walls or substantially change the footprint, we incorporated some new design elements that were fairly substantial,” Normandy Designer Abby Osborn says. “In doing so, we changed the entire feel of the home to better match the vision for their family, a beautiful modern vintage space that works better for their daily life.”

The kitchen became the heart of the transformation. Along the range wall, marble countertops flow seamlessly into the backsplash, creating a beautiful backdrop for the dramatic black-and-brass range. Sconces bring warmth and balance, while a marble backsplash ledge provides the perfect spot for artwork, dishes or seasonal treasures — a small detail that gives the kitchen the feeling of being lovingly collected over time.

“We built this area around the striking black and brass statement range, with marble and brass throughout to complement its modern vintage feel,” Abby says. “A key piece was finding the right cabinet color to serve as a canvas. She wanted the space to feel bright without going all white, so we chose a light, warm shade that could beautifully showcase the richer elements.”

To preserve the openness of the range wall and not sacrifice storage, cabinets were brought down to the counter on either side of the sink and window, creating subtle symmetry. A classic farmhouse sink with a marble drip ledge adds another thoughtful placement of this striking natural stone, and another layer of old-fashioned charm. Removing the underused double ovens also lightened the room and made way for an appliance garage that neatly conceals the coffee machine and microwave.

The slightly larger island also contributes to the modern vintage aesthetic and is anything but typical. “The island has the presence of beautiful piece of furniture with all the drawers and knobs, and I chose red oak, which is coming back into style,” Abby says. “We selected a darker finish, which hides a bit of oak’s orange undertones, and the dark color means the woodgrain doesn’t stand out as prominently. With the marble countertop, it reads like a polished vintage piece.”

The ogee edge of the marble countertops perfectly complements the cabinet door style, which is an inset door with beaded detail at the edges and applied molding. These soft nuances create a subtle flow that contributes to the carefully curated feel of the space.

An awkward corner was transformed into another cherished element: a dedicated bar with open shelving accented by vintage-style beadboard, brass rod detailing and cabinet latches. Two beverage drawers make it practical, giving the kids easy access to water, juice boxes and snacks.

The same mix of charm and function continues in the family room. A new fireplace surrounded by custom built bookcases backed with beadboard creates a cozy focal point and adds much-needed storage. “We removed windows along this wall to create this, but the room didn’t lose any brightness,” Abby says. “Taking out the decorative wood ceiling beams also helped open up the space.”

 On the other side of the kitchen, a former sliding-door storage closet became a dedicated butler’s pantry that now runs along the entire wall, complete with cabinetry, roll-out storage and built-in dog bowl area cut from the marble slab. Plumbing from a second-floor bathroom was rerouted and then cleverly concealed with crown molding.

“For the pantry cabinetry, we used a dramatic moody blue, a favorite color of hers, which also ties into the soapstone on the fireplace to thread the spaces together,” Abby says. In the powder room, rich wallpaper, an oak vanity topped with marble, and warm brass hardware bring the same collected, character-filled feeling to an even smaller space.

“The goal was to make the existing space work harder for the family while also making it feel more like them,” Abby says. “She has such great taste, so it was really fun to collaborate and bring all those beautiful, personal details together. The result is a space that feels collected and warm, a forever home with a style all its own.”

Do you have ideas you’ve been toying with make your home work better for the way you live? Schedule an appointment to learn more about the process and speak with one of our designers, like Abby. To get regular design ideas and tips, subscribe to our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or Pinterest.