Architect Bronwyn Charlton and designer Mary Kate Bedell reimagine a 1950s ranch kitchen with warmth, efficiency and a focus on lived experience
By Lauren Rouse | Photography by John Michael Simpson
Sunlight filters through kitchen skylights and over alder cabinets, landing on a slab of quartzite that ripples in blues and grays, like water. Gold-framed glass doors gleam softly against the wood, their shimmer picking up the warm undertones of the cabinetry. The mix of materials feels serene, grounded and luminous.
For residential architect Bronwyn Charlton, that harmony of color, texture and light is the foundation of good design. She begins not with blueprints, but with feeling. “I always like to center my design approach in experience,” she says. When working with clients, that means helping them define the mood a room creates. In her own home, she turns inward. “What’s the experience I want to have, and that I want others to have, when they come into this space?” That question guided the new kitchen in her family’s Lake Forest home, a 1950s ranch expanded with soaring ceilings and playful details, and now reimagined again in collaboration with Mary Kate Bedell, owner of Fresh Air Designs.
Bronwyn shares the home with her husband, Brian Driska, a commercial architect who sometimes consults with her firm, Charlton Architecture, as well as their three children Imogen Driska, 8, Oskar Driska, 5, and Evonne Driska, 4 – and their dog, Jasper. The family moved to the neighborhood in 2020, drawn to the wooded lot and the home’s blend of mid-century roots and retro touches from its 1970s renovation. When it came time for the kitchen, Bronwyn wanted to honor the home’s original spirit while creating a space that fit her family’s everyday needs.
The partnership between Bronwyn and Mary Kate came naturally. The two had already worked together on Bronwyn’s mother, Morag Charlton’s kitchen in Southern Village, where they developed an easy rhythm and a sense of trust. “I was so excited to work with Bronwyn and Brian,” Mary Kate says. “She’s got great taste, she’s got great vision and, together I knew we could do a great kitchen.”
Beyond the Kitchen
The homeowners have already tackled a couple of projects outside the featured space. Last fall, they converted an existing sunroom into a light-filled office and creative studio. They also previously renovated the hallway bathroom. Looking ahead, Bronwyn and Brian hope to add a primary suite and a screened porch, continuing to shape the house over time.
That easy rapport set the tone for a remarkably smooth process – just two weeks from concept to final plans. “The process is that I come in and interview them and ask a lot of questions,” Mary Kate says. “Then we measure everything, go back and work in our 3D-CAD program to create an initial plan and present it.” Her detailed approach meshed smoothly with Bronwyn’s architectural mindset. “I got way more specific feedback from Bronwyn, which really helps move the design process along,” she says.
Together, they set out to rework the kitchen’s function without losing its personality. The footprint couldn’t change, but storage and flow needed to improve for a family of five. “It’s actually a tricky project because there were some real functional aspects,” Bronwyn says. Working within those limits, the pair focused on subtle craftsmanship and material expression.
Warm wood cabinetry continues from the kitchen into the great room, unified by a softy ribbed door style called linea. The design nods to ’70s interiors while feeling distinctly modern. Flat, vertical-grain slab fronts balance the texture, while a micro Shaker style adds dimension. “They marry with each other,” Mary Kate says. “It absolutely gives it more interest.” The dishwasher is concealed behind a matching cabinet face to preserve clean lines. Hardware installed in a rhythmic “dot dot dot” pattern hints at Morse code – a playful detail that feels uniquely theirs. The Acqua Bella quartzite countertop’s ripples flow seamlessly into a mitered edge. “You can see the direction is even calculated,” Mary Kate says.
By the Numbers
SQUARE FEET
2,800
BEDROOMS
3
BATHROOMS
2
ACRES
0.92
YEAR BUILT
1957
Throughout the renovation, they preserved defining features of the 1970s updates, including the windows, passthrough and wall sconce light fixtures – while replacing worn materials. Above the cooktop, a new drywall-wrapped hood keeps sightlines open and allows natural light to pour across the kitchen. Alder trim ties seamlessly into the home’s existing woodwork, creating continuity between old and new. A plant shelf behind the kitchen sink – in the same material as the countertop – replaced the original wood one, protecting the surface from water while tying the space together in color and texture. “I love having plants,” Bronwyn says. “[The plantshelf] connects me with the outdoors, which is such a huge part of what I love about the neighborhood.”
Function hides in plain sight. Deep toe-kick drawers store baking sheets, while LeMans corner trays swing fully into the kitchen, so nothing disappears in the back. One clever set of drawers opens from both sides, and beneath the bar, a smooth push-to-open panel conceals a liquor cabinet. Just off the kitchen, a built-in bin makes smart use of an otherwise blind corner on the laundry room side – Brian’s idea – keeping Jasper’s dog food close but out of view. A cork floor softens the space underfoot and complements the richness of the wood, blending comfort with sustainability.
The finer touches add a sense of whimsy. Over the island, three figurines – a frog, a snail and two thinking men – perch playfully on pendant chandeliers. The space feels both timeless and personal, shaped by care and collaboration. “It’s a really great experience all around the kitchen,” Bronwyn says. “We’ve enjoyed so many different dimensions. It makes me feel happy.”
