Before & After: A 1980s Kitchen Enters the 21st Century

When we came across this kitchen remodel on Home Talk, it instantly felt familiar. Caitlin and her husband knew from the start that they would be renovating their kitchen that was stuck in the 1980s. From the curtains to the cabinets to the vinyl flooring, it was time to bring this kitchen into the 21st century.

What a fantastic modern update! First of all, we love that this kitchen incorporates a lot more color than we see in many of our contemporary kitchen remodels. Don’t get us wrong — we love an all-white kitchen, but this design really fits the space. In place of the former breakfast nook, Caitlin has put in a freestanding island from IKEA to give more counter space and offer some additional open shelving. They also removed the pantry door to make things more easily accessible.

One of the first upgrades they made was replacing the flooring. Even with that change, the look of the kitchen is vastly improved. Catilin also tried a combination of blue and tan walls, but didn’t love it in the end, so decided to go with a fresh spring green instead.

The biggest change in the kitchen, after the new IKEA cabinets, was converting from an electric range to a gas range. Caitlin and her husband had done most of the work themselves until this step. When gas lines are involved, it’s smart to call in the pros.

One of the details we really love about Caitlin’s kitchen is the backsplash. In addition to the pearlized subway tile, they added in a mosaic border to give a little extra character.

Of course, the biggest benefit to redoing the cabinets is the ability to make room for all those clever cabinet options that weren’t common in the 1980s, like this perfectly sized pull-out spice rack.

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