Now that the holiday frenzy is kinda sorta dying down, I’m getting back in the groove with features about reader homes. Did I say “groove”? Veronica — who is closing on her first house — a 1976 contemporary — today, is already chomping at the bit to get her retro nesting under way. And, she wants our help with paint colors for this 1976 kitchen. Interestingly, this is really typical of how readers find my site: They make an offer on a new/old house… immediately begin online research on how to renovate and update it … and land right here among us, sucked into our “back-dating” retro vortex. Veronica writes:
I have recently bought my first home- a 1976 contemporary. I want my first project to be the kitchen, but on a tight budget my only option is to paint… I am having a hard time picking out paint colors. They are currently black and white but it feels too stark and cold. I want to keep a mid century mod motif- I was thinking grays and browns to match the brick red colored tiles on the floor, but I would love some ideas.
My husband and I are first time home buyers in the Albany, NY area. Relatively speaking, it did not take us too long to find our dream house- a 1970′s contemporary. I knew before we even began looking for a house that I would not buy a “cookie cutter” house. When we walked in to this house, we fell in love with the spiral staircase and the retro feel of the house.
The layout is a bit awkward- the main living space (kitchen, dining, and family room) are in the walkout “basement”. The main floor is a wide open living room- the third floor holds the bedrooms and there is even a fourth floor loft area (accessible via ladder). I am very excited to add even more midcentury mod touches to this house!
We are closing on the house Wednesday and will begin our renovations this weekend.
thanks pam!~Veronica
I actually like the black and white and really like the door handles and drawer pulls. I think I’d live with it for a while, accessorize the countertops with colorful canisters, mixer, utensil holder, rug or two on the floor and “feel” the place before I did anything. Great looking house!!
I totally agree. I think it is best to use a kitchen for at least a year before doing anything more than painting walls. I think the cabinets and pulls are awesome, not to mention painting laminate sounds like a nightmare.
Someone mentioned orange. I agree with this as well. My first place had the original ’79 burnt orange countertops and that color might look great on these walls.
So excited for these first time homebuyers. Congrats!
I agree about the wait and getting to know the feel of the home. The hardware is marvelous and the pics look as though the the cabinets are laminate. You may experiment with a different counter and or flooring but try and tie it in with the surrounding spaces.
I also have a mid century contemporary Mediterranean style home. I eventually opened up the wall leading to the family room and painted the lower cabinets a fire engine red. I have touches of red in the family room, living room, and dining areas and it all ties in as I’ve chosen items that I love over the years.
The 1970′s are so not my decade, but those drawer-pulls are awesome!
I always think you can’t really go wrong with yellow in the kitchen, but if it were mine, I’d be thinking orangey-red. I think there’s enough white cabinet and window there that a strong color wouldn’t be overpowering.
I must say I concur with Deb.
Veronica, you are signing a 30 year mortgage. There is plenty of time to renovate. I am working on my 2nd house and believe me, it is a really good idea to live with what you bought for awhile. Think things through carefully. Renovations take time and money and it sucks to waste either. And “rushing in” is a major contributor to waste!
Do more research. Have you ever painted kitchen cabinets before? Are you aware of the prep work (removing all the doors, sanding, scraping, priming and sometimes filling with wood putty)? What paint finish are you considering? If you are not replacing the floor now what will it be in the future? What will the appliances be in the future? Lighting? Countertops?
If you do a renovation a piece at a time to accomadate a moderate budget, it helps to have this all planned out. Otherwise, you end up with just that…a renovation that looks like it was done a piece at a time.
Go in before the moving van shows up and clean the hell out of it and then live with it. Get your stuff in there and figure out what works and what doesn’t. You may decide you like the cabinets the way they are. Who knows?
Agreed!!!
I could not have written this better…esp since I am prone to a.m. spelling errors!!!!
Oooooh! The spiral staircase! Oooooh! The kitchen floor! (That’s all I got.)
i would agree with the overall consensus, do not rush into changing the counters or laminate casework. is the backsplash the same finish as the wall? i can’t see if there is tile there or not. i would advise that if something absolutely has to change, to just invest in some paint in an appropriate color and paint the walls and backsplash area. that way the cabinets will pop and be warmed up at the same time. populating the counters with period appropriate appliances will jazz it up too.
or if you leave it all white and add some clear domes and a wall-mounted computer, it could look like aunt beru’s kitchen: http://massassi.hobby-site.com/massassi/pictures/episode_4/img/lars_moisture_farm18.jpg
I agree with this, and most everyone else. Live with the kitchen as-is for a while, do your research meanwhile and see what speaks to you.
I rather like the idea of keeping the black and while cabinets and painting the walls. Is there anything you have been collecting that have colors you like? If so, start with that. Colors for a room can be taken from a favorite dish, or dish towel, painting, curtain fabric, anything.
I recall all the tupperware colors from that era: lemon yellow , avocado green, bright orange. I think for a kitchen, bright and cheery colors , definitely yellow, with a splash of red!! I love the house however, it shines on its own!!! Elaine
I’m not usually a blue-hued person when it comes to kitchen/dinette areas but that’s exactly what this kitchen “screamed” to me when I saw it! With the black trim, the blue might soften it a bit – and it wouldn’t clash with the floor.
Best of luck in your new home!
I should specify the blue to a nice, calming light blue – not cobalt!
Mine is also a vintage 70′s kitchen – I went with a silver/gray on the walls and did the faux brick backsplash with a burnt orange. Very authentic 70′s colors, but lets you know you’re in the 21st century – I toyed with lime green (or acid green) for the “pop” color, but went a bit tamer. Either would work well – would love to see the completed look – it’s already got a good foundation.
I’m in the “leave it for a while” camp. It may look stark while it is empty but will be a nice clean backdrop for some awesome housewarming accessories in yellow, orange, red or gold ( a BIG 70′s color) and will complement the red floor.
Congratulations on your new home and I hope you have many happy yeas living the retro life there.
Of course greige is always nice ..runs from Pam with hands covering my head.
are you writing this just to check that i am reading? bad bungalow bill!
Hehe you caught me
When I first started reading this I thought…”Earth colors? I need to see the rest of the house…” and then scrolled down. Perfect choice.
My personal taste is for rooms to logically flow from one room to the next; color-wise. Browns with a SMALL pop of oranges, yellows and greens would be perfect.
Live with this house for awhile…see how the light plays in each room and how you end up living in it. The house will tell you what to do.
Ooooopppps! Almost forgot:
Best Wishes for years of happiness in your new home and life!
this color plan is exactly what I was thinking too. . small pops of orange and green work wonders,
My 1st Home that I bought at the Jersey Shore was built in the early 70′s. It came complete with all the colors of the 1970′s:
Avocado, Harvest Gold and I even had a Brady Bunch Orange Counter top. These colors really fit this Home. I think that the Avaocado color incorporated in there would really make a statement and look great with the floor.
Can’t wait to see the completed Work of Art!
Have Fun!
Congratulations, Veronica, on your beautiful new home!
Glad to see so many responders cautioning you to wait and feel the place out while you’re in it. I think it’s very important to see how light affects the space at different times of the year, as well as at different times of day. That kitchen is a great blank canvas: try adding some color-soaked accessories and see how you like living with certain colors before sloshing one everywhere.
I love the door pulls and the dining room light fixture: it’s perfect for the space and the period!
Congrats on the house! Love love love the black and white kitchen cabinets. I agree with the advice to live with it for a while. But in the meantime, throw in some bright colors (accessories, wall art, or even paint a wall or two) and see what works for you. Just about any color works with black and white. Have fun!
I used a Sherwin Williams color called “Brassy” in my kitchen. My house is a late 1950s ranch, but most of my furniture is from the late 1960s / 1970s era, with a lot of avocado and browns in it. When you look at the “Brassy” color on the Sherwin Williams website, it really looks more brown, but when it is on the walls, it definitely looks more green. Here is a link to the manufacturer’s website:
http://www.sherwin-williams.com/search/?Ntt=brassy
And here is a link to a Flickr image that shows the color in my kitchen, on the backsplashes. I was initially just using this color as a temporary solution until I redid the counters and brought the rest of the kitchen back to the mid-century feel the house had when it was built, but I love the color so much that I have now been working my kitchen plans around this paint color. Unfortunately, you don’t see a lot of the walls (there isn’t much – my kitchen covers just two walls, and all there is to paint is the backsplash) as this photo was documenting my new windows…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30395056@N03/3594434205/in/set-72157611870163915/
I would probably leave the cabinets white, along with the countertops until I got used to the space (you may find that you really like it the way that it is) and highlight the green color with some burnt orange highlights / accessories.
The green / orange color scheme will work really well with the floor that you already have in your kitchen.
Good luck with you new home!
I agree with everyone about waiting and living in the house for a little while before you do anything. But, if it were me, I’d leave the awesome cabinets alone and change the floors! I’m not loving the wood laminate platform in the dining area.
I suspect the laminate wood flooring was more out of necessity than a style whim. The owners were probably aggravated by the dining chair legs getting hung up in the grout channels between the floor tiles.
Waiting to make a choice is always a good idea, but since paint is an easy and relatively affordable change, it’s a great way to experiment.
Choosing a new wall color would be a great place to start, and I wouldn’t suggest painting the cabinetry. Keeping with the popular colors of the home’s era is a logical choice: oranges, browns, greens and yellow all would work well here. Orange or brown in tones similar to the flooring would visually expand the space, while green or yellow would provide contrast.
Whatever the choice, the color should be brown based to add warmth. Think Orla Kiely for Target. A pure, saturated or “acid” color could easily make the high contrast black-and-white cabinets and counter look cheap or cartoony.
Congrats on the great new place, and best of luck!!
Already I’m loving your house, Veronica. I know you’re going to be very happy there. I do have to tell you of my strategy when first moving into a new home, tho. I’ve been in about 8 over the years. Each time I move in, I first want to sanitize and unpack. I wait a full year before I firm up my color choices, tho. I like to see how each room feels at different times of the year. The light coming in is different each season. Each room will feel different as the sun moves around. After a year, you will have a better feeling for what you will need in each room. I wish you much joy and happiness in your home. No matter what you decided to do for colors, you have only to make yourself and your hubby happy with it. Be creative and have some fun with it.
Me too! I wouldn’t jump in this weekend and start renovating. I had all sorts of ideas of what I was going to do to my 1954 kitchen when I first moved in. Two years later when I got to that room, my ideas had completely changed and I’m so glad I waited becuase I love my final choices much more than the orignal ones. But Veronica, it the kitchen were mine I would leave the white laminate cabinets as is (assuming they are in good shape.) Trust me, painting cabinets is a LOT OF WORK and if you can avoid it, you should! I would add color in the backsplash, walls, and countertops and how about where the black is currently? Can that be painted? I agree right now it’s very, very white, but those are awesome cabinets and they will look much different with color in other areas. I, too, would lean toward the burnt oranges, reds, and greens when you do start adding color. Good luck and best wishes for many happy memories in your beautiful new home!
Man that’s awesome! That kitchen is a blank slate for you…the first thing that comes to mind (and not because it’s cliche) is Harvest Gold. Growing up in our brick ranch in the ’70s, everything in the kitchen was Avocado. The walls were white, with Avocado panel wainscoting and a brick chair rail around the edge. One wall had fake brick on it, but it was just like the real thing. It wasn’t the flat panel stuff.
Get a good, solid base color for the walls, then the rest will tell you what to do (I mean the kitchen, not the people here LOL). You may even find it necessary to use wallpaper on a wall with green, orange, white flowers on it!
Good luck! I’m restoring my 1954 ranch…..it’s alot of fun!
I really like the cabinets & countertops the way they are. The hardware is just awesome and the laminate is totally functional. I wouldn’t touch them. I agree that the kitchen feels a little cold & stark. I think painting the walls a vibrant color is the way to go. I am seeing avocado green walls with stainless accessories and some sunflowers in a colorful vase!
Veronica –
Congrats! It’s a nice kitchen… like everyone says, wait awhile. Grab some of those retro decorating books from the 1970′s. This one has a lot of potential. I’m seeing lots of bright yellow, orange or lime green.
Don’t try to make it something it isn’t.
Congratulations on your new home! I actually love the black and white kitchen and I could immediately see the walls painted green. Of course we will call it avocado but there are so many fresher updated versions available. Accents in orange and turquoise would be cute. Have fun and remember once you get started your home will constantly be evolving… it is definitely an ongoing process.
Nice place!
Leave the pulls and handles alone whatever you do!
I would paint the walls only if it were me, leave the cabinets alone for now.
The walls need a shade of yellow, not too bright but bright enough to know it’s yellow.
Pam…could you locate that wallpaper from England that you featured several months back? Same company that had the swallows on gray…but they had a wonderful modern floral with gray and orange tilted flowers.
2 rolls of that across the backsplash would really get the ball rolling and hold off major changes for a few years! Thanks.
Sanderson Dandelion Clocks….but I don’t know how to show it. It is black, white and colors and nothing else would be needed!
33 pounds a single roll @ John Lewis. Room done.
add a link… ? although this one is “aspirational” as veronica only wants to paint right now. of course YOU KNOW that my first response would be: graphic wallpaper!
yes, that is a great design. has a real 2010 contemporary modern feel that bridges the decades as well. you can even get dinnerware! i’ll feature this in my post tomorrow…
sunflower clocks design too large for the backsplash, though, i think. ttfn – need to do some house-work (of course)
Something Mondrian-esque would look terrific. Think of keeping most of the cabinet panels white, but using (very sparingly) an orange, green or eggplant color drawer and/or cabinet panel every so often. Restraint is the key to a successful design. I have a picture somewhere in an old decorating book, and the effect is tremendous – will try to find it and scan it.
Hi Veronica,
Congratulations on your first home, it looks fabulous. Like others I would suggest not doing anything too drastic too quickly. I too have had the experience of totally changing my mind about what I want done over the course of a few years. The kitchen looks just about perfect to me, honestly. The cupboards are really unique, with those handles, and I like the combination of white and black a lot. The walls seem to be just wall board, with no tile or anything else, so I think a bit of paint there could be grand. Some cheery not too deep/dark green, or gold would go with the black and white and also the brick red floor, I would think.
Good luck on whatever you decide. And if your are new to the Albany area, Welcome to the neighborhood! I am about 35 miles away and am crazy about this entire part of the country.
Awesome house. You’re going to have a great time there! Others have already recommended living with it as is for awhile – and I can’t recommend this route enough! See how the space functions and how the light acts through the seasons – those are intangibles you just don’t know well at this point.
About the 70s colors: I grew up with them and they are indelibly paired in my psyche with unsure, unhappy times. And then I married a guy whose studies and work took us through Eastern & Southeastern Europe during the bad ol’ commie days where those colors were embraced everywhere, paired with drab concrete construction and acrid coal smoke. Scarred, I know. I just cringe to see them recommended.
So that’s why I like suggestions like James’ above. Try updating those colors with today’s equivalents. Instead of orange, try a coral. Instead of brown, try eggplant. Instead of avocado, try lime green or one of the cool bluegreens. You’ll find more fabrics and other accessories available to coordinate with them too.
Congrats on the new house! How about using “Magician’s Cloak” from Valdspar from Lowe’s on the walls, and a jazzy royal blue of some sort on the cabinets? With lime green accents all around? I got the idea from this Albany artist’s retro 70s kitchen:http://community.livejournal.com/saucydwellings/1650608.html#cutid1. Her blog is here: http://www.modachromehome.com/. You might be able to email her at her blog. She has some great color ideas!! She also sells retro fabric in her Etsy shop.
Also, her etsy shop is here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/allaboutevelyn?ref=seller_info.
Another vote for “live with it” for a while. But it’s nice to have a project to jump into. Paint is PERFECT, and of course you’ve got wall in there to start on.
Painting cabinets is like painting mullioned doors and windows: hard.
Plus the black and white is kind of cool. LOVE the hardware!
I would think about an orange, green, or yellow countertop. Personally I’d go for a hot colour.
And then I’d start painting swatches, figuring out a pop art colour for the wall with the pass-through.
And green plants, definitely plants! This is the 70s, after all.
My sister did a painted warm brick toned back splash in her kitchen and it looks great. I’d paint the walls in the kitchen to match the tile floor.
I’d hang bright interesting shaped plates on the painted back splash for more interest and to warm the space up a bit. I’d use vintage patterns, maybe Vera prints from the 70′s?
Not great, but you get the idea:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vera-Mikasa-Cockltail-Time-Vintage-Plate-/140494659077?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b6225e05
Carol B.
I would just give that kitchen a thorough cleaning and leave the scheme alone. Whoever designed that kitchen was cutting-edge in ’76. When everyone else was slavishly adhering to a avocado/gold/pumpkin color palette, that designer decided to really stand out by complementing the “new look” for appliances around that time (white enamel with blackout fronts and chrome trim). If you go online and look at vintage kitchenware from Dansk and Rosti, and vintage Vera kitchen textiles, you’ll then realize what to do to bring warmth and color to that kitchen. It’s not about bringing color through paint and wallpaper, it’s about accenting with colorful kitchenware and textiles. You’ll want any countertop appliances to be white, black, or chrome. If you need new major applicances, stick with a white refrigerator, black & white stove and a white dishwasher – they really do complement your cabinet design. From your photos, the house was designed with a real minimalist art-gallery feel to it. My eyes pick right up on how everything ties in and flows – right down to the black trim on the spiral staircase tying in with the kitchen cabinet black trim. Good luck with your “mod-gallery” home and many happy years there!
I would leave the black & white cabinets, as they’re mod and they pop! I would paint the walls an airy aqua color, then add little touches of orange and yellow to make it pop. The house may be 1970′s but don’t limit yourself to pukey colors like browns and golds…while era appropriate, you have to look at it every day…and irony gets you only so far. I would wait on making major changes until you live there a while, so you can make one big renovation when you’re certain about what you want. I would change out the floors and countertops eventually, and maybe even some appliances, depending on how well they work. Congrats on your house and good luck!!!
pukey colors? That seems a little harsh, don’t you think? Every era is defined by different color schemes, which were popular at the time. Different people embrace different eras and different colors.
yes, “pukey” is all in the eye of the beholder. remember, everyone: number #1 rule of Comments: No one can be made to feel bad for their choices! And Michael is absolutely right — the colors trends come and go… What one era embraces, the next era despises and ultimately it all comes full circle again….
I would agree with those who recommended living in the house for a while to get a feel for things before diving in and making changes. With our 50′s ranch house we bought last year, there were several things we jumped right on and started changing the week we moved in. Some of those first initial things we changed are now getting changed again, just a few months later as we are getting a better feel for the over all look we are wanting. I understand the urge to get rid of certain things right away, but resist that urge until you make a more long term plan on what you are wanting he house to be. It would have saved us a bunch of time and money as we are now doing the same things twice
LOVE THESE CABINETS! I painted the cabinets in our 1962 ranch white and used black hardware on the doors…we also put in a black floor. I went with a bold green wall color…and I love it! It is a great compliment to the black and white!
Congrats!
Yeah, in complete love with the staircase. I agree to wait, we did some painting over color block painted cabinets when we first moved in and began to cry just after getting a couple done. I had ruined them!
But, I would truly lean towards the typical 70′s “Tupperware” colors. Paint the black places brown to tone that down a bit, the backsplash area in orange or mustard yellow…ooohhhh Pyrex baking dishes in avocado and orange with the Crazy Daisy pattern…pyrex storage containers in Spice o’ Life…OMG!! swag lamps (you should see my huge light blue swag lamp if you’re not into big blobs of amber and green hanging from the ceiling…though you will be before long if you were attracted to the form of that house!! I do have amber and green ones too), amber and green glasses or goblets (seriously in style…check the anthropologie site), lidded candy dishes, giant table lamps, fondue pots, walnut furniture and accessories, big floor pillows, earthenware dishes, mushroom wall plaques…ahhh what a spiral staircase can do to this girl!!!
Sooooo….what I am saying is just live with it a while, start hitting thrift shops, vintage shops, etc.. Eventually something will jump out at you and you’ll start collecting. You can pick your colors when you have enough of the accessories to work with. That’s how we did ours for our kitchen!! We found the blender and it all came together after that!!! I’m glad I didn’t pick the color first. I let it pick me.
Paint is relatively cheap–paint the walls only though. Leave the cabinets as they are.
I totally agree with MaryC. Leave the cabinets. They are terrific. You may regret something you do now if you haven’t lived with your house for awhile. (I speak from experience and sleepness nights over hasty changes!). Congrats on a great house.
I do love the kitchen cabinets and hardware, I’d keep those, maybe paint them pearl gray, and aqua from the Sherwin Williams Suburban Modern collection. If you can swing it, a Northstar Range and Refrigerator in aqua. Or turquoise. It’s a beautiful house. My technicolor wallpaper grew on me, but your kitchen is very white and could use a punch of color here and there. Some colorful embroidered tea towels in retro patterns could also add just the right touch.
I agree with making a long-range plan, but I personally wouldn’t wait a year to get started. I would start by deciding what is staying, and working around those elements. Eg, if the appliances are in good shape, you want to keep them for the foreseeable future. They have a strong black and white thing going, so that would suggest that you keep some white in your color scheme so they continue to blend. I have painted laminate cabinets, and if you use a good primer it is actually not hard–BUT they are never as easy to maintain afterward; the laminate seems to be more durable and cleans up more easily than paint. So I would be tempted to keep the white in the cabinets.
The floor is probably also a keeper for the foreseeable future since it looks to be good-quality and in good shape. And the wonderful stainless pulls and sink are probably staying. So I would make my new colors work with these two and the black and white. Laminate is very affordable, and you may be able to glue a new layer right over the one you have, so the counter is a cost-effective, achievable change you can make to the color scheme. And, as everyone else is saying, paint on the wall is easy and affordable. (Wallpaper is also a possibility.)
New counter and wall paint gives you two colors to add to your scheme; then you can accessorize. You can buy the sample-sized paint jars at the hardware store and paint pieces of posterboard to get an idea of how the colors will look. If you don’t like the paint color you picked after a while, you can easily change it in a year. Good luck with your wonderful kitchen!
I go along with everyone who suggests waiting awhile. I give this advice from experience. When we bought our ’59 ranch several years ago, we ripped out the kitchen cabinets in the first month. Granted, they had water damage and were filthy dirty, and probably we would have ripped them out no matter what. But what I regret is, we didn’t give ourselves a chance to find out if we liked the way in which those cabinets were arranged. The longer we live here, the more I think that the original cabinet layout made more sense than what we came up with. We replaced the original cabinets with some of very similar style and age from the ReStore. One thing I regret is, we got rid of the original floor-to-ceiling cabinet that held a wall oven. It wasn’t in such bad shape, and I think we could have blended it in with our replacement cabinets. I think we would have liked that cabinet and a wall oven, but, too late now. Also, I’m not thrilled with the paint color we picked for the kitchen (it’s a cool pale blue, and we realize now we need a warmer color in that room). But, we’ve had too many other fix-it jobs to do to get around to repainting that room. Eventually we will repaint it, but for now, I put on a sweater when it’s time to work in the kitchen! So, we know we made a few decisions way too quickly. So, congrats on the marriage and the new house, and give yourself time to adjust to both!
Oh, and I forgot to say that I think it looks like a really fantastic house, and I agree with others who point out that the kitchen really makes a statement as it is.
I agree the black and white seems a little cold or subdued for this home. Some nice clean blues and greys would be nice and coordinate well with the red floor. Check out the kitchen in the front of the “red plaid cookbook” copyrighted 70s. Better Homes and Gardens cookbook has pictures of a nice bright kitchen with clean blues and reds.
Love the white cabinet and hardware. If you must pain, paint the black part of the cabinets a bright color and leave the white part alone.
THANKS EVERYONE!!! All of the comments were read over very carefully- gave me a lot to think about. As you know, this is my first time with any type of renovation and im excited to get started – im glad there is a forum like this for me to gather information and ideas from people with experience.
Soooooo, the astounding consensus is to leave the cabinets. I think you may have all swayed me but I really like Priscilla’s idea of leaving the white and painting over the black. I love the pull handles so those are definitely staying. I guess I wanted to get the painting started because we have our apartment for the rest of this month and thought it would be easier to do without any furniture. The “brassy” paint color Missouri Michael suggested really caught my eye and I loved the idea of a mod type wallpaper from Gavin Hastings. I also started looking for inspiration pieces like Carol B. suggested and found this:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/54758161/happybirds-screenprint-in-grey-and-olive?ref=sr_gallery_14&ga_search_query=mid+century+print&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes0=tags&includes1=title&filter0=handmade
thoughts?
My dream is to eventually put in cement counter tops and update the appliances but I know we will have years to do those major things…
Thanks again!!! I will definitely keep everyone posted on my progress… cant wait to see what Pam thinks!!!
Looks like you’ve found yourself a pretty good inspiration piece. It reminds me of a pattern called “country festival” by CorningWare that was popular at the time your house was built. You’re really in tune to your new house’s vibes!
I like those ideas, and the happybirds print is fantastic, go for it!!
I had earlier posted my comments at 1:44pm today. I hope you don’t mind me returning with more thoughts about this kitchen/dining area. First of all, the homeowners should go online and check out the line of step-on kitchen trash cans from OXO – I have the 13-gallon size and it’s white enamel with black and chrome trim and would blend right into that ’76 kitchen. Second, I’ve been online this evening looking for new pleated cellular shades for my house and a thought occurred to me about this ’76 house. What really strikes me is that this house has the feel of a minimalist art gallery. The kitchen and dining room windows are large rectangles with a narrow wood edging that looks an awful lot like a picture frame, sooooooo – why not consider purchasing pleated cellular shades from Levolor or Bali in one of their “patterned” styles? You could pick a nice color that pleases you. Make sure you get the “inside mount” option. When the shades are up, the outdoors are framed living art. When the shades are down, you’ll have something that looks like a 1970′s framed fabric wall art that was all the rage back then. Think about it! I swear, if you asked me yesterday if I would be commenting about someone’s kitchen online, I’d have laughed at you. There’s just something about this site that gets me going.
Pam, is this a good time to mention about my “work in progress”? It’s my parents circa 1910 Sears Craftsman bungalow that underwent remodeling over the past 50 years (most good, some bad – which I am correcting). I suspect you’ll enjoy the kitchen when I have it fully up to what I envision for it. It has knotty pine halfway up the walls from the 50′s; several white enamel metal wall cabinets from the 60′s; fieldstone “veneer” on 3 upper walls from the early 70′s; a coppertone & brushed stainless upper/lower oven gas range my mom bought in ’65; Wilsonart laminate countertops from the 80′s that people really do mistake for real marble; and lots of kitchen kitsch and vintage small appliances.
Don’t worry about re-posting Joe, I do it all the time!
Gavin, I’ve noticed your frequest posts and re-posts. There’s nothing wrong with that, cause you ALWAYS have something interesting to share. Keep up the good work!
If there was a “like” button, I would hit it here. I love reading your posts, Gavin.
Orange!
The walls, not the cabinets. They are fabulous. Orange is a rich color, but it will look clean and modern.
…my advise….get a whole overall feel for the house and get the overall plan set
+find out if you like the kitchen floor which probably has the asbestos underlayment from the 70′s
+ does the floor clean up okay…sometimes those old tiles have lost their finish
+I love the dove grays with aqua/peach accents or get a great piece of fabric or artwork to decorate around
+ I was brought up in a California modern home with cherry cabinets accented with aqua/peach pegboard doors (slide style)
+Spend good money on good paint…I love the top of the line Pratt and Lambert for cabinets Take your time….kitchen cabinets are a ton of work!
The black and white kitchen is to die for! If you MUST, paint the walls, but I think it is a fully realized room already.
Except for that floor. I would rethink that floor.
One more comment, please:
If you have to paint something ASAP….make it the window trim in white.
I am surprised it was missed by other posters!
I was thinking the same thing… I think that window trim is a new addition and must be painted…
Refer back to my post at 9:01pm on 12-29. I don’t think you should paint that trim. I keep thinking “picture frame”. Whoever designed that house deliberately left that wood “au naturel”. Remember to live with that house for a while, then things that originally don’t make sense will suddenly make sense to you. Trust me….I’ve been there, done that……and want to spare you the aggravation and expense!
Veronica,
Congratulations, what a great house! I can tell it struck a chord with readers based on all the comments. I know it reminds me of my childhood. I’m not sure about paint colors but when I look at the pics of the rooms I envision lots of big green house plants, bright, graphic Aztec or Afghan rugs on the floors, some smoked lucite fixtures, and lots of natural textiles. Happy decorating! Hope you share pics when you have put your touch on the place
Mariah, don’t envision TOO long…..you may also start remembering the jonathan livingston seagull wall murals, dried seagrass in urns, shag carpeting, wet-look vinyl upholstery, polyester leisure and pant suits, and disco playing on the 8-track quadraphonic stereo. Yuck-o!!!!!!!! Once in a while, my repressed childhood memories resurface and I can still smell the pierre cardin cologne thick in the air! Meanwhile, whadya say we scan the movie channels to see if they’re broadcasting Woody Allen’s “Interiors” and “The Ice Storm” anytime soon?
Hey, Joe, I think you are new, so you should know: The #1 rule of commenting on this blog is, “No one can be made to feel bad for their choices.” So, no “yuck-o’s” please… someone liked that one day not so long ago and I assure you, the stuff comes back. Hey, I still LOVE shag carpeting, as one example!
I forgot to mention that there is orange shag in my forth floor loft… love it! one reason i wanted to buy the house
to update everyone on the kitchen: an entire day was spend cleaning the cabinets and scrubbing the pull handles. they came out even more shiny and fabulous! im still feeling the black should be painted grey,,, but will definitely listen to advise and not jump into it right away. The black part of the cabinets are in pretty rough shape and in dire need of some paint.
happy new year to all!!!
I love your inspiration piece. How about painting the walls and backsplash in gray or olive and touching up the black on the cabinets? If you don’t like it, you still have a weekend or two before you move in.
It is nice to paint before you move in, especially if you use an oil-based paint on the cabinets. Oil-based will last longer and wash up better, but it really stinks and I hate to be in the house while it dries, especially in winter when the house is closed up.
Veronica -
Congratulations!
Sticking with the color palette of the era, I would say go with a bold and warm orange. It will make a great contrast with the existing b&w scheme.
Whatever color you choose, be sure to err a little grayer with cool colors and a little browner with warm colors.
Good luck!
Nicole
I have to echo Nicole’s suggestion of orange — it was very, very ’70s (often combined with a royal blue, particularly in Scandinavian schemes) and seems like it would be wonderful in your kitchen.
Plus — LOVE the hardware pulls on your kitchen cabinets!
I love that tile and the hardware on the cabinets. The tile can be difficult to coordinate with colors. The 70s look does holler out for warm orangey colors. Are you stuck with the white countertop? I think I would go with a lighter range of colors so the white won’t look too stark.
If someone here had PhotoShop skills, it wouldn’t be hard to “color” in the walls — sure would help in deciding what to do.
Veronica, Have fun with this kitchen, but ask yourself a few questions about YOU rather than the era. When I look at your kitchen I see dots (lights, hardware, cupboards) splotches and chaos in the current color scheme. But changing it to bright orange would also drive me crazy. What makes YOU feel good in a kitchen?
You already have a lot of black in the appliances; you could make these the focus points and let the rest play a supporting role. How about a black backsplash behind the stove? You mentioned gray…it’s tricky but a few drops of magenta in the mix helps liven it up. Then the gray color reads fresh rather than dreary. Or, maybe you could look at a soft coral for walls. Whatever you choose, remember you will see it from the dining area. I like the white counter for now.
You don’t need photoshop to play with room color: print off a black & white picture and color it in with watercolors or colored pencil. And finally…get rid of the off center lights under cupboards. Good luck. I hope we see what you decide to do.
A light or minty blue/green might look good. Then you could have orange as a beautiful complimentary accent color. A bowl of oranges in front of a blue is smashing!
Veronica, I advise you to live in your home for awhile and continue your research. Figure out what does and does NOT work for you in that house (floor plan, traffic pattern, cabinets need too much work?….) Figure out what you really LOVE and want to keep, and also what you’d like to change. Continue to peruse websites and photos of other retro homes to help you gain a clear picture of what speaks to you and what you’d ultimately like to live with. Just because something would look retro cool doesn’t mean it would be comfortable for you to live with — we’re all different, afterall.
Many of us have hastily torn stuff out in our zeal to remodel or update our homes, only to later regret it when we learned more about the era and styles of past times.
Congrats on your home purchase — very exciting time for you!!! (And I LOVE those unique knobs in your kitchen!)
I actually think the ktchen is pretty cool as is. Could the cold feeling just be because it is emply? Just put some color on the back splash – red or turquoise would work well. Or maybe a brick back splash (or subway tiles in a color to match the floor).
You could try the scheme first just by adding some colorful accessories on the counters to see if you like the colors. If you want to change the counters, try painting them black. I recently used Rustoleum’s counter paint and am happy with the result.
If you can change the appliances to black (paint) or stainless steel (try the contact paper- it works, but is pricey), then maybe you could change the cabinets doors with paint. You’d have many options then. Given the current black and white mix on them, I’d be more hesitant
Burnt orange for the walls, leave the cabinets white.
For cabinet door color, give a modern version of guacamole green a try.
Those strange, somewhat off colors of the 70′s somehow worked and there are some good modern updates to these mid-tone colors.
If going for lighter….robin’s egg blue is a good one too.
And if super 70′s is calling you’re name, try Ochre. It’s been all over the place this year and has a real curry-spicy look that is warm and inviting. That tile color on the floor is already paprika! Think about your accessories, and that may help you in your choice:)
A color combination that I really like is turquoise & red with black & white. Since you already the black & white thing happening, I would paint the walls turquoise & bring in red accents with a clock, towels, etc.
Take a look at the Benjamin Moore Affinity fan. TONS of colors in there that would work with the era…without seeming slavish to the era.AF-230 (Buttered Yam) might be too dark for your space…but it might be perfect!
If you want to go green without it being to “avocado” try AF-430 “wasabi”.
Seriously…the whole fan deck is awesome. Additional bonus? The colors are great–but limited. Won’t put you into analysis paralysis.
My first instinct was orange, but then I started to wonder if I could live with bright bright orange. Perhaps, a glass back splash with hints of grey, agua and orange. Then, on larger walls, a pale orange (the palest color of an orange segment).
I love the hardware, so please leave it. I like the idea of stenciling or pale striping the cabinets.
Or, just go wild . . . old school Howard Johnson’s is still a fabulous color match – teal and orange.
Cannot wait to see it.
Okay, I love black and white plus one bright, sunny colour. If tangerine doesn’t thrill you, and I see orange has been mentioned a numer of times… why not yellow? A bright, clear yellow. Or even a chartruese.
What about the Sherwin Williams Suburban Modern chartruese? Or really any of those colours, pink would also be bright and warm without being too acid-y like some people who aren’t me find chartruese to be.
But I love the cabinets. I wouldn’t do them a bright colour, I would keep them white and let the bright colour be bold but not overwhelming.
sherwin-williams.com has a great paint tool online.. you can upload your own photo, highlight the area you want painted, and then fill it with any of their colors. It even shades and keeps textures so the effect is pretty real!
I think a sunny yellow would look great. Black and white and yellow look good together and yellow was a popular kitchen color in the 70s.