The first budget decision for this 1939 storybook cottage is whether to bring the kitchen down from the upstairs ADU into the main floor, specifically into the dining room beside the living room. I recommend relocating the household kitchen to the dining room, placing the sink on a perimeter counter rather than in an island. This choice preserves open gathering space in the main rooms and allows the island to serve as a preparation and homework hub, not a traffic obstacle. In this home on Blackwood Street, the kitchen’s current location in the upstairs ADU separates daily cooking from the living and dining areas where the family spends time together. By moving the kitchen to the main level, the family gains a connected living, dining and cooking space that fits their routines and the cottage’s layout.
The main floor of this house offers about 1,386 square feet, with original refinished hardwood floors running through the living room and entry hall, arched doorways connecting the rooms, and a fireplace with a simple mantel as the living room’s focal point. The dining room, adjacent to both living and kitchen spaces, features an original built-in cabinet that should remain as a nod to the home’s 1939 character. Keeping this built-in provides storage and a sense of continuity, even as the dining room becomes the new kitchen’s anchor. The island, if added, should not block the path between the entry, dining and living rooms. The aim is to let someone cook while kids work at the island and another person relaxes in the living room, all without creating bottlenecks.
The foundation and existing plumbing routes in this cottage are not specified, so the cost of moving the kitchen depends on whether the floor is slab or crawl space and how easily supply and drain lines can be run to the new kitchen location. The San Joaquin-Urban land complex soil under this house is moderately well drained, with up to 42.5% clay and a shrink-swell potential of 7.5%, which affects how the foundation and any underfloor work might proceed. The FEMA flood zone X designation, with reduced risk due to levee protection, and the Title 24 climate zone 12 status, are both relevant for any plumbing or exterior venting changes. Before fixing the kitchen layout, a contractor should determine the foundation type and trace the plumbing, as these factors set the true scope of work.
The living and dining rooms are visually linked by original arched openings. I prefer to keep these arches and the built-in cabinet, rather than flattening the cottage’s character with a single wide opening. If the kitchen relocation requires removing a wall, its load-bearing function must be verified on site, since the framing of this 1939 cottage is not detailed in the record. The Redfin closing data for North Sacramento shows that 87% of homes sold in the past year were built before 1960, but only the structure here on this lot determines what can be opened or altered. Redfin closing data
The original hardwood floors in the living and dining rooms should extend into the new kitchen if possible. Where the kitchen floor must change, the transition should be clean and intentional. The described checkered tile in the ADU kitchen is not the right fit for the main cottage, here, I would select a quiet, durable finish that complements the existing hardwood and the home’s vintage style.
With the kitchen moved to the main floor, the new hood must vent directly to the exterior. The route for this vent, the hood’s size and its makeup air requirement should be planned with the final range choice. The main cottage’s electrical service and 220-volt circuit availability are not specified, so an electrician should confirm capacity before choosing induction cooking or a second oven. The ADU has its own full HVAC, but the system serving the main rooms should be evaluated to ensure comfort in the expanded living, dining and kitchen area.
Lighting in this house should be layered: pendants over the island, task lighting at counters, and warm, dimmable fixtures around the living room and fireplace. The new kitchen’s hard surfaces and hood will affect sound and air movement, so the exhaust venting and soft window treatments are important for comfort. Adding built-in shelving or cabinetry in the living room would increase storage and reinforce the home’s character, while subtle curtains would soften the abundant natural light from the new Andersen windows.
The lot, at 9,148 square feet, is shaded by mature trees that provide cooling and privacy, vital in North Sacramento’s Mediterranean climate, with hot dry summers and mild wet winters. The City of Sacramento requires permits for tree removal or pruning, issued by the Urban Forestry Division. Any changes to the entry path or landscaping should work around these trees, not remove them, and new low plantings can add fullness to the front yard. City of Sacramento permit information
This plan for the Blackwood Street cottage centers the main floor as the heart of the home, respecting its 1939 details while creating a kitchen that serves the family’s life. If your own home’s layout separates the kitchen from the rooms where your family gathers and you are considering a similar transformation, I invite you to reach out to Amy.
