Comments on: How to make vintage metal cabinets fit into your kitchen http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/ A place for your postwar 40s 50s 60s and 70s style kitchens, bathrooms and mid century modern home aesthetic. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 02:22:42 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: pam kueber http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40419 pam kueber Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:26:53 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40419 Susan, what i mean is that if you have 6" of space between your wall cabinets - as you install them left to right or whatever - then you could use the 6" wide, 12" deep wall cabinet opening to construct a wine holder. Hope that helps. Maybe I can do drawings of my ideas and post them - next week. This week: Historical kitchens! Susan, what i mean is that if you have 6″ of space between your wall cabinets – as you install them left to right or whatever – then you could use the 6″ wide, 12″ deep wall cabinet opening to construct a wine holder. Hope that helps. Maybe I can do drawings of my ideas and post them – next week. This week: Historical kitchens!

]]> By: Susan http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40416 Susan Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:15:36 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40416 oops! I meant love the wine holder! Freudian slip? oops! I meant love the wine holder! Freudian slip?

]]> By: Susan http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40415 Susan Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:04:40 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40415 Pam, I can't picture what you mean. An under-the-cabinet semi-circle kind of holder? And then a hook for the cutting boards? Any photographic evidence to help me? (I know my husband would live the wine holder!) Thanks, Susan Pam, I can’t picture what you mean. An under-the-cabinet semi-circle kind of holder? And then a hook for the cutting boards? Any photographic evidence to help me? (I know my husband would live the wine holder!)

Thanks,

Susan

]]> By: pam kueber http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40407 pam kueber Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:42:02 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40407 Susan, with 4"-6" you might be able to build a wine holder on top, a very narrow cutting board holder on the bottom. If these are at the end - as you say - you could build a what-not shelf on top. Susan, with 4″-6″ you might be able to build a wine holder on top, a very narrow cutting board holder on the bottom. If these are at the end – as you say – you could build a what-not shelf on top.

]]> By: Susan http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40403 Susan Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:36:35 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40403 This photo helps me a lot. My Youngstown cabinets are going on one wall, as my current cabinets do, with the stove on the end (finally replacing that harvest gold 70s Magic Chef). No window for the sink--my windows are on side walls. But there are about 4"-6" of extra space compared to the current set of cabinets. I will show my contractor ("design to build" firm, or whomever I end up hiring) the shim photo. I'm also thinking of suggesting a curved, formica-shelved end shelf, as so many of the great images in the gallery include! (See 1940s gol-coat-kitchen-crop in the 1940s kitchen gallery.) I'd love to see some open slot shelves (what else can we call them?) in current photos; these shelves also appear in some of the vintage images (e.g., above the sink in the pink and green kitchen on the right of the 1960s kitchen gallery page) . I'll have one 16x24x30 cabinet left over, which I hope will become a freestanding unit with some formica overhang. I'm leaning toward the red cracked ice formica with metal banding. It's brighter than the vintage pictures, but I think it will provide the "pop" i'm looking for. Wait...I should be posting this part on a countertop strand!!! Can you tell I'm obsessed with this project? What about the brick mosaic tile backsplash I'm planning. Not really retro but in the fun, colorful spirit! Thanks for all of the help so far. This photo helps me a lot. My Youngstown cabinets are going on one wall, as my current cabinets do, with the stove on the end (finally replacing that harvest gold 70s Magic Chef). No window for the sink–my windows are on side walls. But there are about 4″-6″ of extra space compared to the current set of cabinets. I will show my contractor (“design to build” firm, or whomever I end up hiring) the shim photo. I’m also thinking of suggesting a curved, formica-shelved end shelf, as so many of the great images in the gallery include! (See 1940s gol-coat-kitchen-crop in the 1940s kitchen gallery.) I’d love to see some open slot shelves (what else can we call them?) in current photos; these shelves also appear in some of the vintage images (e.g., above the sink in the pink and green kitchen on the right of the 1960s kitchen gallery page) .

I’ll have one 16×24x30 cabinet left over, which I hope will become a freestanding unit with some formica overhang. I’m leaning toward the red cracked ice formica with metal banding. It’s brighter than the vintage pictures, but I think it will provide the “pop” i’m looking for. Wait…I should be posting this part on a countertop strand!!! Can you tell I’m obsessed with this project? What about the brick mosaic tile backsplash I’m planning. Not really retro but in the fun, colorful spirit! Thanks for all of the help so far.

]]> By: pam kueber http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40382 pam kueber Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:45:39 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40382 Susan -- see image 1033 on this post on the Forum -- http://retrorenovation.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=1430 You can see filler pieces (I would not call them shims) to the right and left of the sink base, and to the left of the cabinet to the left looking at the sink base. The corner piece is also a filler. These filler pieces could be purchased as needed, for base or wall cabinets. I'll try and get some photos up as some point of the built-in shelves we installed between metal cabinets. I see no reason why other cabinets can't be integrated into steel cabinets - as the steel cabinets have the same dimensions as wood cabinets today (depth, height). The only issue, I can think of: Securing wood pieces to the steel cabinetry may require extra bracing. Good to work with a pro on this. Susan — see image 1033 on this post on the Forum — http://retrorenovation.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=1430

You can see filler pieces (I would not call them shims) to the right and left of the sink base, and to the left of the cabinet to the left looking at the sink base. The corner piece is also a filler. These filler pieces could be purchased as needed, for base or wall cabinets.

I’ll try and get some photos up as some point of the built-in shelves we installed between metal cabinets. I see no reason why other cabinets can’t be integrated into steel cabinets – as the steel cabinets have the same dimensions as wood cabinets today (depth, height). The only issue, I can think of: Securing wood pieces to the steel cabinetry may require extra bracing. Good to work with a pro on this.

]]> By: Susan http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40379 Susan Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:43:01 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40379 Hi, Where can I see a photo of Scathing Jane's kitchen? Or is it still in progress? How do the shims help? Does anyone have a photo of open shelving (a baking tray slot, maybe) created to account for leftover space in the cabinet layout? Has anyone tried to install the custom storage features (pull out 2-sided pantry drawers, for example) in a vintage metal cabinet? The wheels are turning... Hi,

Where can I see a photo of Scathing Jane’s kitchen? Or is it still in progress?

How do the shims help?

Does anyone have a photo of open shelving (a baking tray slot, maybe) created to account for leftover space in the cabinet layout?

Has anyone tried to install the custom storage features (pull out 2-sided pantry drawers, for example) in a vintage metal cabinet?

The wheels are turning…

]]> By: pam kueber http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40179 pam kueber Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:03:28 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40179 You're welcome, Lara Jane. This is a post I've been wanting to do. Hey -- I just added Jane's input, so you can go back into the main post and see what she has to say.... You’re welcome, Lara Jane. This is a post I’ve been wanting to do. Hey — I just added Jane’s input, so you can go back into the main post and see what she has to say….

]]> By: Lara Jane http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40178 Lara Jane Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:55:02 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40178 Pam, Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. Your eagerness to share your experience is so appreciated, and the knowledge therein is invaluable! btw, You did not scare me off! haha! I've just been mulling it over. I will wait for those oft-mentioned "retro decorating gods" to send just what I need when I need it! Pam,

Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply. Your eagerness to share your experience is so appreciated, and the knowledge therein is invaluable!

btw, You did not scare me off! haha! I’ve just been mulling it over. I will wait for those oft-mentioned “retro decorating gods” to send just what I need when I need it!

]]> By: Joe http://retrorenovation.com/2009/08/25/how-to-make-vintage-metal-cabinets-fit-into-your-kitchen/comment-page-1/#comment-40176 Joe Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:43:23 +0000 http://retrorenovation.com/?p=16201#comment-40176 I recently ran into this same dilemma when we went to install my Geneva set last month. It was like a giant game of Tetris. We found the best way to go was to start from the piece that HAD to go in one place: the lazy suzan. After a lot of measuring and figuring we got the entire kitchen squared up and in place, with one tiny exception. The small cabinets above the stove were missing a trim piece because the stove in the previous owner's kitchen was only 38" wide, and my Frigidaire Flair is 40" wide. So, I'm only missing 1 little 2" spacer. Other than that it looks great. I recently ran into this same dilemma when we went to install my Geneva set last month. It was like a giant game of Tetris. We found the best way to go was to start from the piece that HAD to go in one place: the lazy suzan. After a lot of measuring and figuring we got the entire kitchen squared up and in place, with one tiny exception. The small cabinets above the stove were missing a trim piece because the stove in the previous owner’s kitchen was only 38″ wide, and my Frigidaire Flair is 40″ wide. So, I’m only missing 1 little 2″ spacer. Other than that it looks great.

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