Kitchen & bath / Carson Valley, NV
The Bresline kitchen, a 1950s diner at home
The Breslines wanted a kitchen straight out of a 1950s diner: a checkerboard floor, white cabinets with chrome latches, subway tile with black accents, and a red vinyl booth by the window. Gary Wake built it for them, turquoise walls and all.
- Project
- 09 of 18
- Category
- Kitchen & bath
- Location
- Carson Valley, NV
- Scope highlights
- 6
- Photographs
- 10
Themed custom kitchen remodel
Checkerboard floors, chrome cabinet latches, and a red vinyl booth by the window
The Breslines dreamed of a kitchen straight out of the 1950s that still cooked like a serious modern workspace. Gary Wake laid diagonal black-and-white tile, hung custom white cabinetry with vintage chrome latches, and built a retro diner booth under a sputnik chandelier.
Retro character, modern build quality
Bringing a 1950s soda-fountain dream to life inside a ranch home
A plain ranch-house kitchen and a very specific vintage vision
A plain ranch-house kitchen with nothing special about it, and a couple with a very specific dream. The look had to be true to the era, but the kitchen had to cook like a modern one, with a gas range, a real hood, and counters that could take daily use.
Period chrome hardware, subway tile borders, and a custom corner booth
The old finishes came out, the subfloor was prepped with cement backer board, and the diagonal black-and-white checkerboard tile went down. Custom white cabinets with period chrome latches, black solid-surface counters, and white subway tile with black accent borders line the walls. A stainless gas range, a black refrigerator, and a center island do the work. By the window sits a red-and-white vinyl booth under a sputnik chandelier, and the walls are the exact turquoise the owners had in mind.
What we built for the Breslines
6 highlights- 01Diagonal black-and-white checkerboard tile floor on cement backer board
- 02Custom white cabinetry with period chrome latches
- 03Black solid-surface countertops and center island
- 04White subway tile with black accent borders
- 05Stainless gas range, hood, and double-basin sink
- 06Red vinyl diner booth and turquoise paint
Inside the 1950s kitchen & exterior refresh
Tour the checkerboard kitchen and booth, plus the exterior curb-appeal update
Every detail inside the kitchen nods to the 1950s while delivering modern gas cooking, solid-surface counters, and updated exterior landscaping.
Completed 1950s diner kitchen & refreshed exterior
Inside: diagonal checkerboard flooring, white cabinetry with chrome latches, black counters, and a red-and-white booth. Outside: fresh paint and lawn.
Center prep island on the checkerboard floorBlack solid-surface island counter set against diagonal black-and-white floor tile 
Red-and-white vinyl diner booth & sputnik lightWindow breakfast nook with pleated retro upholstery and a chrome table 
Stainless gas range & black-bordered subway tileFive-burner gas range framed by white subway tile with a classic black accent stripe 
Custom white pantry cabinets & chrome latchesFlush-inset cabinet doors fitted with period-authentic chrome latches and hinges 
Double-basin sink & corner window wallBlack solid-surface countertops wrapping cleanly into the window corner 
Full view of the 1950s diner kitchenTurquoise walls, checkerboard tile, and crisp white woodwork working in harmony 
Repainted exterior & newly landscaped lawnThe ranch residence from the street after fresh paint, sod, and garden borders
Before we began: the ranch home before its refresh
The exterior of the residence prior to the kitchen remodel, exterior paint, and front yard landscaping.
Front elevation before exterior paint & lawnThe ranch house from the street before remodeling began 
Original driveway & front yardUnlandscaped front yard prior to new turf, borders, and exterior paint
More projects
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Tell Gary about your house and what you are picturing for it. He explains the work in plain terms, puts every detail in a written contract, and responds within 2 business days.