39.61° N105.02° WArapahoe County (parts extend into Jefferson and Douglas counties)
Littleton Kitchen Design for Main Street Bungalows and Columbine Split-Levels
We provide Littleton kitchen design, custom cabinetry and remodeling for homes in Littleton and nearby Ken Caryl, Columbine and Bow Mar. Few places on the south side of the metro hold as many housing eras within a short drive: early houses near the historic downtown, postwar ranches on quiet residential streets, and 1970s and 1980s neighborhoods pushing toward the foothills. Each one hides its kitchen in a different way.
Homes in Littleton
Littleton's House Types, and Where Their Kitchens Fall Short
A Littleton mailing address can mean the city itself or a neighborhood in unincorporated Jefferson or Arapahoe County. The houses vary just as much.
- late 1800s to 1930s
Early houses near downtown
Around Main Street and the older blocks nearby you'll find Victorian-era cottages, bungalows and small brick homes. Kitchens here were service rooms at the back of the house, often narrow, with a window or two and a door to the yard on the only useful wall. We work with the original trim and window proportions rather than against them, and a galley that respects the house often beats forcing in an island.
- 1950s to 1960s
Postwar brick ranch
Littleton grew quickly after the war, and many of those single-story ranches remain. The kitchen is usually a compact L or U beside a small dining area, with a low ceiling and a wall between it and the living room. Removing that wall is the common goal. A shallow attic can make re-routing ducts simple, but we check for a beam or bearing point before the plan depends on it.
- 1960s to 1970s
Split-level and bi-level
Split-levels are common in Columbine and the neighborhoods around it. The kitchen sits on the middle level, half a flight above the family room and half below the bedrooms, with walls on most sides. Opening it toward the living room or the stair can bring in daylight, though the stair rail and the change in floor level shape where an island can go.
- 1970s to 1990s
Ken Caryl Valley two-story and contemporary
Ken Caryl Valley was built as a planned community against the foothills and its red rock ridges, with two-story and contemporary homes, many with vaulted rooms and big west windows. Kitchens here tend to be decent in size but dated in layout, with a short peninsula and limited pantry. The view is the asset, so we plan around it.
Designing for Littleton
Design Questions Particular to Littleton
- 01
Which building department is yours
Plenty of homes with a Littleton address aren't inside the city limits. Columbine and Ken Caryl, for example, are unincorporated Jefferson County. So permits for structural, electrical, plumbing and gas work may go through the city of Littleton or through Jefferson, Arapahoe or Douglas County depending on the parcel. We confirm the right authority for your address before drawings are submitted.
- 02
Historic downtown review
Downtown Littleton has a historic district, and some older homes nearby may carry local historic designation. For those, exterior changes typically go through the city's historic preservation review, which can affect a new window over the sink or a wall vent for a range hood. Interior kitchen work is usually outside its scope, but it's worth checking with the city first if your home is designated.
- 03
Ken Caryl covenants
Ken Caryl Valley has its own master association with architectural guidelines. Like most planned-community review, it's typically concerned with what neighbors can see, such as exterior vents, windows and doors, not cabinetry or counters. Plan exterior changes early so approval runs alongside the design.
- 04
Dry air and older floors
At roughly 5,300 feet downtown, and higher toward Ken Caryl, Littleton is semi-arid, and winter heating dries interiors further. Hardwood flooring and solid timber cabinetry should acclimate on site before installation. In older houses, we also check floors for level, since a sloping bungalow floor shows up instantly along a long run of cabinets and a stone countertop.
How Our Services Apply to Littleton Homes
Our approach to kitchen design changes with the house. In a bungalow near Main Street it's about restraint: fitting modern appliances and storage into a room that should still feel like the original. In a split-level it's about sightlines and light.
We draw cabinetry made to fit irregular older rooms, where walls are rarely square and a stock box leaves a gap. Scribed panels and custom fillers close those gaps so the cabinetry looks as if it had always been there.
When a wall has to come out or plumbing has to move, we take it on as a whole-kitchen renovation and coordinate the permits with whichever building department covers your address. Our guide to stone, timber and finishes explains how each material behaves in a dry climate.
If you're further south, see our page on Highlands Ranch kitchen design, where the homes were largely built from master plans. To the northeast, kitchens in Cherry Hills Village involve larger lots and estate homes. To talk about your own kitchen, schedule a consultation with our designers.
Also covered from this page
Littleton and Nearby Communities
- Ken Caryl
- Columbine
- Bow Mar
This page also covers Ken Caryl and Columbine to the west, both unincorporated Jefferson County communities with their own house stock, and the small town of Bow Mar, set around its lakes northwest of downtown Littleton, where homes sit on larger lots than most of the surrounding area.
Questions
Littleton Kitchen Questions
01Is my Littleton home in the city or in the county for permits?
It depends on the parcel, not the mailing address. Many Littleton addresses, including Columbine and Ken Caryl, are in unincorporated Jefferson County, and others fall in Arapahoe or Douglas County. We confirm the authority for your address so the permit goes to the right office.
02Can I open up the kitchen in a split-level home?
Usually, and it's often the most effective change in a split-level. The wall between the kitchen and living room is sometimes bearing and often carries ducts, so we verify both before designing. The level changes and stair rail then shape where seating can go.
03How do you modernize a kitchen in an older Littleton bungalow without losing its character?
We keep the window and trim proportions, choose door styles that suit the era, and hide the modern equipment behind panels. Often a well-planned galley with a tall pantry wall suits these houses better than an island. The goal is a kitchen that looks like it belongs to the house.
04Do Ken Caryl Valley homes need approval for a kitchen remodel?
Interior work generally doesn't go through the Ken Caryl master association's review. Exterior changes typically do, which can include a new range hood vent, a changed window or a new patio door. We flag those early so the application doesn't hold up construction.
05Should I face the kitchen toward the foothills in a west-facing home?
If you can, yes, but plan for the afternoon sun. At this altitude it's strong enough to fade timber and some fabrics and heat dark stone. We position open shelving and finishes that fade away from direct light and build window treatments into the plan.
Planning a kitchen in Littleton?
Bring the floor plan, the photos you've saved and a list of what frustrates you about the room you have. That list is where good briefs begin.
Schedule a consultation