The first thing you notice about Caroline and Jose's Austin kitchen is everything they didn't change. The space retains much of its vintage charm: the cabinets and countertops are still the 1969 originals, as is the popcorn ceiling and tile floors — all things the couple worked around to make the kitchen loved and livable. See more photos below:
In fact, the couple's proudest DIY, as they tell Apartment Therapy in this House Tour, is the openness they were able to achieve by removing the walls and doorways between kitchen/dining and living room. "We were able to change the flow of the house while leaving structure in place and avoiding costly/labor intensive changes to the floors and ceilings," they say. They may not be crazy about the popcorn ceiling and the tile floor, but because "it is so characteristic of the age and style of architecture [in Austin]" they "choose to focus on other details instead." We love the spirit behind that!
See the Full Tour: Caroline and Jose's Remarkable Nest | Apartment Therapy
Related: Laura's Beloved Glass Cabinet Kitchen
(Images: Chris Perez)
5 Things Paris Taught Me About Travel
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Bacsac Bacsquare 04...
Apartment Therapy's Sofa Shopping Guide
Nikki’s Sweet and Cheery Print Studio
This is the reality than many, many homeowners live - it's certainly how things are in my house - unless you love debt or have LOTS of disposable income, you're not going to rip out a perfectly serviceable kitchen and spend $1 million dollars on a new kitchen. I love some reality in a house tour! Thanks!
as someone who is about to purchase their first home, this is a welcome relief. thank you for posting what reality looks like for most of us. and, you know what? it's cute, inviting, approachable and unique.
This is what my 1960 kitchen would look like if I painted the cabinets white from their current orangy oak color. It is nice, as other commenters noted, to see the reality many of us live with featured here on AT.
@itsjustjessica: I bought my first house 2 years ago, and we made all these big plans to change this and that and I'm really glad we didn't do most of it right off the bat. My style preferences have definitely matured a bit since we've moved in, so the plan for the kitchen and bathroom reno has radically changed in both function and style between then and now. You should live in your home for at least 6 months before you can make good plans for changes you won't regret down the road. Of course that's not always possible but if it's 'not that bad' definitely try it.
I was all proud because that definitely feels a lot like my kitchen - and then I realized, it basically is. We're in a 1969 Austin ranch house.
The only changes we've made (the cabinets were professionally made by the first owner's son, the luck!) was to paint it a nice cheery yellow. The striped laminate countertops just "feel right" and granite would definitely feel out of place in our little galley. Nice to see someone else keep their bones intact!
Love it. These kinds of kitchens are much more appealing to me than the perfect ones. Love the whole house, in fact - the colors, the furniture and accessories, the comfortable, lived-in feel.
This is a great post, I love the kitchen here. Shame about the rather backhanded compliment in the opening sentence, though. Renovating a kitchen is a huge expense, and it will not make you a better cook!
I truly prefer a kitchen like this over one that is shiny and new. It reminds me of mine. :)
Wow! I thought we were the only ones with those red counter tops! When I first moved into the house, I loved them. Lately, I've been wanting a change, but seeing this post makes me think twice. Honestly, our kitchens are twins down to the original cabinets and red counters!
Thanks for this tour. I have the same cabinets, and want to freshen them up with paint and keep them. Hints, please, on how to achieve such a nice finish.