Warm, Modern Kitchen Remodel in a Contemporary New England Home

Project Location: Hollis, New Hampshire
Primary Space Remodeled: Kitchen
Design Style: Contemporary | Mid-Century | Organic

Surrounded by tall trees and natural beauty, this 1970s home in Hollis, New Hampshire, has always had a strong relationship with its wooded setting. Tucked into a quiet landscape, the home offers privacy, calm, and a genuine connection to the outdoors. While the homeowners loved spending time both outside and in the kitchen, the original layout was outdated and sometimes uncomfortable. The kitchen felt undersized, lacked natural light, and failed to make the most of the peaceful views beyond the windows. It was time for a kitchen remodel. 

Modern Designs Meet a 1970s Kitchen 

The homeowners turned to Blackdog Design/Build/Remodel and used our kitchen remodeling services to renovate and expand their New Hampshire kitchen while respecting the home's architectural character and its natural surroundings. The goal was not to overhaul the house, but to create a space that felt intentional, functional, and in harmony with the setting, while working within the constraints of the existing structure.

A Creative Kitchen Expansion 

Rather than building outward to disrupt the home’s clean lines, the solution came from rethinking what already existed. An underutilized covered patio beneath the home’s cantilevered second floor became an opportunity for our design/build team to expand the kitchen footprint without altering the home’s overall massing. By enclosing this space and folding it into the kitchen, our design team significantly improved functionality while maintaining architectural integrity.

This approach allowed the kitchen to grow in a meaningful way, creating room for additional cabinetry, more counter space, and improved circulation. Most importantly, it opened the space to more natural light and stronger visual connections to the surrounding New Hampshire landscape. Working within the home’s existing structure required careful planning, particularly around elements like a steel beam and structural columns. Rather than treating these as obstacles, the design embraced them as defining features that helped shape the final layout.

A Deep Kitchen Island and Maple Flooring Set the Tone

The finished kitchen feels calm, warm, and grounded, with a layout that supports cooking, gathering, and daily use. An oversized island anchors the space, offering generous storage and seating without interrupting movement through the room. The island’s scale allows multiple people to work comfortably at once, making the kitchen feel welcoming and highly functional for everyday living and entertaining.

To create a sense of cohesion throughout the first floor, new flooring was extended beyond the kitchen into adjacent areas. Five-inch-wide maple hardwood flooring runs from space to space, reinforcing the open flow and tying the renovation into the rest of the home. This continuity helps the kitchen feel like a natural extension of the house rather than a standalone update.

Frameless Cabinetry and Ivory Quartz Countertops Balance Greenery

Material selection played a central role in connecting the home's interior to its wooded surroundings. We used frameless walnut and maple cabinetry, left unfinished to celebrate the wood's grain. This decision allows the cabinetry to age naturally while echoing the organic textures found just outside the windows.

Light finishes balance the warmth of the wood. Ivory quartz countertops and a tonal ivory tile backsplash brighten the space and reflect natural light throughout the room. The contrast between the warm interior palette and the rich greenery outside creates a layered visual experience, where light and dark play off one another, feeling both modern and rooted in nature.

Oversized iron pulls add a bold, grounding element to the cabinetry, while industrial-inspired metal pendant lights introduce contrast and subtle edge. Stainless steel appliances integrate cleanly into the design, supporting a modern aesthetic without competing with the natural materials that define the space.

Indoor-Outdoor Connection

The completed kitchen feels intentional and deeply connected to its environment. Warm woods and soft ivory tones inside contrast beautifully with the darker, heavier greens of the surrounding forest, strengthening the relationship between indoors and out. Natural light now fills the space, and views of the landscape have become a central part of the kitchen experience.

This project is a strong example of how the right kitchen design/build team can dramatically improve function and livability without compromising architectural character. It also highlights Blackdog Design/Build/Remodel’s ability to work within existing structural constraints while delivering a space that feels cohesive, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed.

The result is a renovated and expanded kitchen that finally lives up to the home and setting it belongs to, supporting the homeowners’ lifestyle while honoring the spirit of their contemporary New England home. You can peek at more tips for timeless kitchen design, and see how we used some of those ideas in this modern kitchen renovation. 

A Trusted Southern New Hampshire and Northeastern Massachusetts Design/Build Remodeler

At Blackdog Design/Build/Remodel, we're a kitchen remodeling company that serves homeowners throughout Southern New Hampshire and Northeastern Massachusetts. As an experienced kitchen remodeler, we take a full-scope design/build approach that allows us to manage every part of your kitchen renovation, from early planning through construction and final walkthrough. Choosing the right design/build remodeler is a big decision, so look for a company that understands your goals from the start. 

Working with Blackdog Design/Build/Remodel 

Because we handle everything under one roof, our team stays focused on creating a smooth, well-organized experience for our clients through our time-tested process. Our designers, project managers, and lead carpenters work together from the start, so design decisions are grounded in real construction knowledge and your home remodel stays aligned at every step. This integrated process is especially important for larger kitchen renovations and expansions, where structure, layout, and livability must work together. Our portfolio shows the result of our team's work. Take a minute to browse the photos and imagine what your home might look like. 

As your local Southern NH and Northeastern MA remodeling company with showrooms in Nashua and Salem, we use our decades of experience working in established New England homes to understand the realities of older construction, local permitting, and existing conditions. Our goal is to help you focus on what matters most: a home remodel that supports how you live, feels right for your home, and is both designed and built with excellence. We invite you to review our cost guide and start thinking about your future home renovation. 

Whether you are planning a kitchen remodel or need another of our remodeling services, our team is here to guide you through the process and deliver a finished space you can enjoy for years to come.

Contact Us 

Contact us today to learn more or schedule a consultation.