MODERN KITCHEN MAKEOVER

Behind every modern farmhouse kitchen is a great renovation, as this North Carolina kitchen proves.

Behind every modern farmhouse kitchen is a great renovation, as this North Carolina kitchen proves.

Before remodeling a space, tour the rest of your home to reacquaint yourself with its structure and themes.

ANorth Carolina kitchen just got the makeover of a lifetime. Once dark and secluded from the rest of the house, it got a breath of life from Clearcut Construction & Co. and became a brilliant success story. Richard and Monica Ryder own the company and work together to see their clients’ dreams become reality. Richard was the lead designer and builder on the project, and he took this modern farmhouse kitchen from boring to breathtaking.

SETTING A VISION

As lead designer, Richard spends a lot of time with blueprints, but he also does much of the actual building himself. “I’m very hands-on,” he says. “The projects I take on—they get more and more special.” It takes an experienced eye to master the balance between modern and traditional farmhouse elements, especially when you’re not planning on reconstructing the entire home. Richard gives an example: “When you go into a house that is more traditional, and you go in with more of a farmhouse style, that can force your hand into a remodel of the whole house or it will look very odd when you walk into a room.” Before remodeling a space, tour the rest of your home to reacquaint yourself with its structure and themes.

“Ceiling beams, wood shelves, cabinets—those are what I like to keep consistent with the architecture.

old farmhouse.” You would see those in an

Even in a modern farmhouse kitchen, there are ways you can incorporate traditional farmhouse style. These backless barstools add a wonderful sense of old-timey nostalgia.

With the island as the black accent piece, this kitchen becomes grounded and balanced with a calming and welcoming atmosphere.