Tetherow Timber House | Bend, Oregon
Overview
Not every kitchen needs to be gutted to feel brand new.
At our Tetherow Timber House project in Bend, Oregon, our clients (who use this as their vacation home) loved the layout, the bones, and the overall architecture of the space. What wasn’t working? The heaviness.
The original cabinetry was a very dark mahogany with large knots throughout. Beautiful wood, actually (very rustic and very fitting for a mountain home). But, in this particular kitchen, it made the space feel darker than they wanted it to be.
Instead of starting over, we made strategic updates. We kept what worked, refreshed what didn’t, and focused on the details that would create the biggest visual shift.
Working With What’s Already There
The original lower cabinets are staying.
They’re dark, rich, knotty mahogany, and I actually love the character they bring. It grounds the space and ties it into the architecture. But, when everything at eye level is also dark, it can start to feel heavy and quite honestly, lacking in character.
So, instead of replacing everything, we sanded and repainted the upper cabinets (Benjamin Moore ‘Swiss Coffee’) to brighten the space around eye level. This instantly lifted the room. Your eye now hits something lighter first, which changes the entire feeling of the kitchen.
It’s such a good reminder: you don’t always have to replace everything to create impact!
This approach also allowed us to allocate budget more strategically. By saving on full cabinet replacement, we were able to invest in other areas that really matter — like hardware (more on that in a second) and new surfaces.
The Power of Hardware
If you take one thing from this post, let it be this:
New hardware is the easiest way to make a space feel fresh again.
We’re installing Rocky Mountain Hardware throughout, and I absolutely adore this brand. The weight, the finish, the craftsmanship … it elevates everything around it.
New Backsplash: Zellige Tile
Again, the dark backsplash tile wasn’t helping the goal to make the space feel lighter and brighter, so we replaced it with the most beautiful zellige tile. If you’ve been here for a while you know how much I love this tile! The character and texture it adds to any space is just amazing. We love how it added more rustic vibes to the space as well.
What’s Coming Next
We’re also replacing the countertops (which I truly cannot wait to reveal once installed). Those updates, layered with the lighter uppers and elevated hardware, are going to transform this kitchen without losing its soul.
Our clients didn’t need a full renovation. They needed the space to feel more like theirs. Lighter. Fresher. More aligned with how they want to enjoy it.
Follow along for more BTS over on our Instagram!
