Tracy wants our ideas on how to perk up her knotty pine kitchen. What do you think, Retro Renovation Squad? Tracy writes:
Hi Pam! My husband and I bought a 1962 ranch house in Nashville about 3 years ago and I’ve been wanting to somehow “update” the kitchen but still keep the mid-century feel. It’s a knotty pine kitchen with aqua formica countertops and a sort of aqua, peach, and ivory speckled linoleum floor. Everything is in really good shape and functional and the layout works for us. The thing we’re having some discussion about is the knotty pine on the walls and cabinets. I’m not a huge fan of it. I mean, I like it, but I just don’t like so much of it. Honestly, I’m not really sure what direction to go with it. I was wondering if you or your readers could make some suggestions of things we could do to kind of brighten the room up without changing the character, which we appreciate and love.
Thanks,
Tracy
Tracy, you may be new and not quite know it yet, but we are generally nutty for knotty in these here parts. So be forewarned. See this post about Eartha Kitsch’s knotty pine kitchen. And, you might like this story on “heart pine” — the expensive stuff, which I tend to believe you have in your kitchen, given it still looks so great.
In our email back-and-forth to get prepared for this post, I ask Tracy some more questions. First, with the pics, she says:
Yay! Thanks! Here are some pics. The area with the microwave/cart/mess of rubbermaid storage containers is the bane of my existence. Storage is an issue for us in the kitchen and we want to get some sort of behind-doors storage instead of that open microwave cart with all the pet food/crap thrown in the bottom. And the red/green/clear rubbermaid containers are for recycling, but we need to figure out another solution for the recycling/garbage that is functional and sort of funky and visually pleasing at the same time. The ceiling fan hasn’t worked since we moved in – the light is broken on it, so lighting will have to be addressed as well. Thanks again!
Then, I ask her to tell us more about how she and her husband (as yet unnamed, along with the doggie) got into the house. Ahhh! Ford is involved again. They should sponsor my blog. She writes:
Sure…we live in Nashville and bought our house about 3 years ago after an EXTENSIVE house search. We were looking for over a year before we found the house actually. In the beginning of our search, our agent was taking us to newer subdivisions, I guess because that’s what most people she works with want, but we didn’t really care for any of the newer homes. They all seemed the same….didn’t have any character or any sort of story to tell. Then we stumbled on this neighborhood called Charlotte Park and totally fell in love with it. All of the houses are mid-century ranch homes, built in the early to mid 60s for employees of the now defunct Ford Auto glass plant. Ford built a plant here in 1956 to provide glass windshields and windows for their cars and our neighborhood, Charlotte Park, grew up around it for employees of the glass plant. I believe that Ford even provided some money to help build some of the homes. The streets are all named after Ford products….Cougar Drive, Edsel Drive, Thunderbird Ave. and, our personal favorite, Mercomatic Drive. Our street is called River Rouge Dr., named after the original Ford River Rouge Complex in Dearborn Michigan. Anyway, we love the story of this neighborhood, we love the people, and we love the homes. We particularly love our home – it’s not too big (we love the “not-so-big” home ideas), it’s solidly built, and it has a lot of character and just feels warm, if that makes any sense! We knew it was perfect for us as soon as we saw it.
So, gentle readers… whatcha got for Tracy?
con says
I agree with moving the books. The rounded counter gets lost with the corners of the books sticking out.
If you want to keep the colors you have in the floor and counter, how about getting an organizational cabinet made where your microwave sits. If you get it made, or make it yourself, you can hide the microwave with a door. You could also incorporate your recycling and dog stuff in there too. Maybe paint it just one shade darker than your counter to pull that color to your opposite wall. Even leave some small open shelves on each side for your books.
LOVE the light in the dining room. round tables are so nice when you have doors like that. If you don’t want to replace the table, just use a small tablecloth or recover the seats in a fabric, that can also be used for a curtain in your kitchen, to tie the two rooms together with a pattern or stripe. I wouldn’t get rid of the knotty pine…but I would add more of the counter color. And more lights. Under cabinets are so inexpensive, easy to install, and really give your kitchen a big boost! Plus, they would “light up” that old retro counter top even more! A nice retro ceiling light for your kitchen too.
Good luck…you have a great kitchen to start with!
Kikkert says
Wow, I am not a fan of knotty pine and even I love this kitchen. It is in such great shape! I would remove upper cabinet doors and replace with glass doors. Use removed cabinet doors on a floor-to-ceiling built in unit – butler pantry style – for storage (when the cart/totes are – do a combination open shelves, glass doors, and solid doors). Remove back splash wood and replace with light colored small frosted glass tiles. Under cabinet lighting would really help (and softly reflect on a glass tile back splash) and if you go with upper glass cabinets do lighting in the upper cabinets as well.
Tracy says
Good suggestion about the chrome furniture. That didn’t even occur to me, honestly! We just bought that kitchen table and chairs but we got them off Craigslist for $100 so it’s not a huge loss if we don’t use them. I was thinking about getting some colorful chairs to go with the table because it only came with 2 chairs and we need more, but I think the chrome idea makes more sense.
Y’all have no idea how much I appreciate this feedback!!
Amy Hill says
Love your kitchen!
Way back when it was new, housewives had storage issues, too. Why not look for some vintage free-standing storage cabinets at your local antique store to house your overflow on the microwave cart? I have a pair of old white cabinets with glass doors on top and storage underneath for the cat food, and tin foil, plastic bags, etc.
All that wood is making a big statement, and clearing some of the clutter would help. Put away the cookbooks and display some pretty pyrex bowls!
I wouldn’t change the flooring, either. What you have is more durable than most of what is available today.
Congratulations on your house! It’s absolutely charming!
Tracy says
Thanks Pam and thanks to everyone who’s commented so far!! I will admit that when we first bought this house my thought was either to tear out the knotty pine or paint over it. Haha! That’s the reaction of most of our friends too – rip the cabinets and knotty pine out. They usually make a face like they’re smelling something bad when they say it too. But, luckily my husband convinced me that we should live in our house for a while before making any big decisions about what to change and the longer I’ve lived here the more I love our kitchen. The cabinets are solid and in really good shape so there’s no need to get rid of them. I can’t justify that not only for the history of them but for environmental reasons as well. I have wondered about changing the backsplash from knotty pine to something like glass tiles…maybe aqua glass tiles? I thought that might break up all the pine. I love the suggestions about moving the refrigerator and using that nook for storage. That hadn’t even occured to me! I’ve been looking around for a vintage sideboard or long buffet that I could put along that wall that would have shelves and storage and maybe even doors to put small recycling containers behind. We have also discussed taking down that wall where the microwave cart is and making it into a half-wall that would contain a nook for the microwave and some storage built into it. I don’t think we’re going to change the floor. We really love it and it’s in amazing shape. Our downstairs (basement) laundry room has the same pattern with different colors. I’m also definitely going to get some under cabinet lighting and add splashes of color with accessories. Great suggestions!
Kelly – I know what you mean about the McMansions. They’re popping up everywhere. Oh and our neighborhood did sustain some flooding but our street and home is fine. Parts of Annex and Basswood were under water though and the Marina and Blue Moon Lagoon were flooded.
Marc says
My eye goes to those books stored on the rounded end of that peninsula. Maybe those can be placed somewhere else or more artfully arranged. That rounded area would be a nice place to display some colorful pottery that would really show off the detail rather than hide it.
John says
Hi Tracy,
Perhaps you could change the knotty pine backsplash behind the counter and stove to some other material. You could try chrome sheets if you get a chrome table. It could possible to attached OVER the knotty pine temporarily so it could be removed if you decide it dosen’t look good. You could also try other materials cut to fit, lean them up first to see if it works.
John
Candice says
What a great room to work with, the condition IS amazing.
We have a cavalier too, love those dogs!
So, you need lighting, i don’t have any immediate suggestions for the main overhead, but under-cabinet lights would help, maybe run some warm LED strips, possibly even battery operated so the install isn’t too invasive.
I would look for a run of complimentary cupboards to replace the microwave cart. Just a run of lower cabs, painted to match your existing countertop. microwave could go on top, and all your recycling bins could go below. You could even get pull out bins like i use for my trash and compost.
You need one little sheer cafe curtian (for color) but sheer enough to let light in.
IF all that still has you crazy about the wood i would experiment with carefully storing some select upper doors (left and right of the sink?) and painting the interior of the open cabinets in a color to make your dishes pop.
Lastly, as your budget allows i think you need to get every scrap of wood furniture out of that room, and bring in colorful upholstery, chrome, or painted furniture.
For an overhead, something like this, but with three lights. Copper could look cool too.
http://www.rejuvenation.com/fixshowW873/templates/selection.phtml?ref=1
Martha says
Hi Tracy,
Love the knotty pine. I would not touch it, it looks new. I would try to accessorize using aqua colors to match the countertops and floor (kitchen towels, rugs, small appliances in aqua or stainless). I also like the suggestion of lights under your cabinets. Nowadays you can get the battery operated ones that you can turn on and off as you use them or have all of them on when guests come over for that special mood lighting effect. I would also change the dinette set to something really modern (again using aqua and chrome to get away from some of the wood). Do you have a utility room or garage – detached garage? I have moved all my recycle bins to my utility room and it has really opened up the space in my small kitchen.
P.S. Your doggie is adorable!
John says
Hi Tracy,
Love the kitchen and home. I too have wood cabinets although not knotty pine. I was able to brighten up my kitchen by adding splashes of color with accessories. Red works really well and draws the eye away from the wood. Also vintage curtains would help also.
Have fun,John