A kitchen redecorating question today, from reader Libby. She writes:
Any ideas on how to re-decorate my kitchen around these heart pine cabinets? My house is the ubiquitous suburban ranch-style, built in the early 1960s. Despite its small size and ordinary details, I love it.
I want to redecorate my kitchen, but I am at a loss on how to work around these country-esque (notice the fixures and decorative accents) cabinets. Replacing the cabinets is not an option, nor is painting or refinishing them.
Click through for a larger photo of her cabinets and our thoughts.
Libby, thanks for the question. It's hard to give a good answer without seeing the rest of your kitchen, but we can get a glimpse of your style through charming vintage Jadeite collection in the corner of your cabinet!
Our primary suggestion is to remove the cabinet doors. Take a look at this kitchen spotlight to see how this can make a very average rental kitchen a little more modern and open:
• Tara's Tiny Yet Powerful Rental Kitchen
Then perhaps you can paint inside the cabinets, or use a removable wallpaper? You can see a good option for removable wallpaper over at AT: San Francisco:
• EasyChange Removable Wallpaper from Sherwin Williams
Taking the doors off the cabinets does expose your cabinets' innards, which is challenging; some of us aren't organized or curated enough to expose the insides of our cupboards! But if you are fairly organized and limited in what you put in your cupboards, this could be a beautiful way to open up your kitchen. Make your storage beautiful with vintage glass jars of spices and grains, and put your cereal into jars too. Repackage your baking supplies into reused jars to keep them looking nicer.
Any more ideas for Libby? Other thoughts on how to coordinate her kitchen around these country cabinets?
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My parents used to have the same cabinets and they did a few things to spruce them up:
-they cut all the scalloped edge details straight
-applied a white wash finish to the cabinets
-they wanted to replace the hardware but when they removed them, you could see the outline of the hinges, even with a lot of sanding. Instead they sprayed them silver
They did eventually remodel the entire kitchen but it looked better in the meantime.
Yes we really need to see more, but they have a vaguely Scandinavian look to me--perhaps that would be a direction to go? I was thinking lots of florals and bright accents.
I like the cabinets but not the fixtures--Check to see if they can be replaced--there may be wear underneath that prevents that. Or, maybe the fixtures could be painted!
If you're interested in preserving the mid-century feel of your kitchen, you might be interested in the Retro Renovation blog. While I'm not a fan of the pink bathroom that the blogger is, there are lots of good resources for vintage materials and housewares.
Nothing a good bonfire couldn't fix.
Your kitchen is cute. I like the ideas for changing the cabinet interiors, but I have another idea: Instead of trying to make changes that bring the kitchen in line with current trends, really get into embracing the age and style of the house. I know, not many early-60s colonial revival/early american kitchens on the pages of Domino, but those cabinets have served your house well for 45 years, and they fit the style and era of the home.
Need inspiration? Check out Don and Betty Draper's kitchen on Mad Men here and here. It's the best set decoration on TV. And I think you need their clothes, too. ;)
I would take off the doors for open cabinets and go with the Scandinavian look - coordinate with painted interior shelves and wallpaper lining the back of the cupboards.
Also, try to cut off the trim around the cupboards and windows. And if there is anything you can do about the hardware - remove it or paint it.
I have a 1956 suburban home too - with clean midcentury lines. I try to play it up and keep all the lines in the house clean - i.e. no crown molding and tall baseboards. My kitchen was the original and similar to yours I assume, but the cupboards had been painted white. However, it had the WORST layout for cooking and so we decided to remodel it and ripped everything out and started over.
Good luck!
maybe not the best solution, but certainly the easiest: repaint. the bits of blue shown in that picture don't appear to help the cabinets at all. can you find a color that draws out the wood - or even a nice, clean white to contrast and make it pop?
Unfortunately it's not online yet, but we just got the newest issue of Old House Interiors (August 2008) and there is a cabin inside all decked out in 1940's cabin chic. They used a lot of vintage green, yellow and red with the knotty pine and it's adorable! Maybe removing the doors of the upper cabinets and using a fun shelf paper and a little yellow paint on the walls would help.
but but but i want to tell you to paint them....
If you just CAN'T (rental?) I'd do the door removal, interior color as suggested above and if you don't like the scallops i'd build something wood or using fabric trim (lace or laser-cut poly depending on your taste) to cover it.
I agree with elissa--green, yellow, and red would make the cabinets look like they belong. The blue is too big a contrast.
Why is it that people who don't love these cabinets are always lucky enough to get them? They're so super charming. I agree with the people who recommend green, yellow, and red. Or maybe just green and yellow. Seriously, they're great.
Thank you for the many great suggestions and ideas....I love the ideas about using green, red, and yellow...how about a vintage dark green, oxblood red, and pale yellow linoleum tile floor?
Chzplz, I felt exactly the same way 6 years ago when I moved in, so I had to nod and laugh when I read your comment.
And brittanykate, I do love my cabinets..I do! I do! They just had to grow on me. I wrote lovingly about them here:
http://thepharmacistsdaughter.blogspot.com/
If anyone is interested, please check in on my blog!
Oh, and R2T, thank you for the links to Mad Men---that kitchen is great!!
http://www.thekitchendesigner.org/journal/2007/8/1/scandinavian-kitchens-open-shelving-ideas.html
ideas above, but something you may want to try on the cabinet hardware (on the inside, in case you don't like the effect) is a white vinegar and table salt scrub. it's incredible for cleaning copper especially, and metals in general. if you were to choose to paint the hardware, take it (cleaned thoroughly for best results) to an automotive shop for spraying...much more durable.
http://prattandlambert.com/color/color-sampling-system/
you lean towards blues:academy, abstract blue, duckling
andyou need greens and oranges (no suggestions without knowing the space painted, or the proportions)...muted lime or pampas.
ben moore green colors:AF 525 fiji or AF-420 agave...tons of blue choices, but hard to judge on my screen.
also, invest in a new light fixture behind the "scallop". good luck, and you may have a new trend!
To be honest, i would throw away those country cabinets. I recently redecoratedmy house. Hierd a specialised company ( the West Palm Beach remodeling company ) to help me get the most simple and elegant interior design. You have no idea how can you completely change your house... and make it like you never even dreamed you could...