1940s bungalow kitchen before:
1940s bungalow kitchen after:
Wow, Suzann’s 1940s bungalow style kitchen remodel is — fantastic. So bright and cheery, I know this transformation is going to excite a lot of readers. And, after five years of doing no stories at all about Ikea kitchen cabinets, here’s a second one in a row — using different cabinets than the Akurums that Jerry used. Read on for Suzann’s story and the list of resources she used to design and construct this happy space.
Suzann writes:This is a kitchen in our detached 540 sq ft in-law suite, where my mother is moving in. We’ve revamped the whole place. We wanted to make a cutesy, cheery kitchen that would align with the era of the home- 40’s bungalow style.
The cabinets are Ikea. The floor is Armstrong VCT, special order from Home Depot (same price as the ones on the shelf, but takes 2 weeks) to match our apple green Caesarstone countertop (ordered at Ikea, subbed out to a local installer). I made all the curtains from gauzy linen with lace trim to soften up all the subway tile (American Olean 2×4″ in “biscuit”).
We drove 4 hours to pick up that GE fridge in the next state. It is late 30’s-early 40’s.The previous single owner bought it during WW2 with cash rations and used it all her life. She kept in tip top condition for 80 years.
Next to that is a little vintage metal enamel table that we found on the roadside while out walking one evening, same story on the Eames chair. Together, they make a little desk area. Any other questions, just let me know! Thanks again!
Suzann, this remodel is so sweet — thank you! Your mother surely will love it, but stop calling her surely. haha. Little joke there. Things I luv in particular:
- 54o s.f. Yowza. I am telling you, there are many days now, that all I want to have to clean, heat and pay taxes on for is: 540 s.f.
- Bisquit-colored subway tile. I think this is a great way to do it… Back in the day, the whites were not so white. I adore the aged look of the bisquit.
- The door style you chose for a bungalow kitchen is the “right” one.
- Love the basketweave floor. Lofe the apple green. Love the fridge.
- But most of all, love the dumpster diving enamel table, and that you gave it a happy new home. 🙂
Resource list for Suzann’s bungalow kitchen remodel:
- Ikea kitchen cabinets – Adel door style — now discontinued, but Ikea usually has a line with the same look
- Countertops from are Apple Martini from Caesarstone — color no longer available butsee their catalog for lotsa options.
- Kitchen sink: Ikea Domsjo — now discontinued, but Ikea usually has a line with the same look
- Armstrong VCT, ordered from Home Depot in White Out, Kickin Kiwi, and Lunar Blue.
- 30 patterns from 1955 for arranging vinyl floor tiles
- American Olean Starting Line wall tile, bisquit gloss from Home Depot. Suzann notes: “It comes in a 12″x12″ sheet, but I still put a spacer in between each one to straighten them.” Update: Seems discontinued, but there are lots of tiles out there like this now.
- Rebuilt windows: Woodwindowmakeover.com in Tampa, Florida. Suzann says: I’d like to credit our window craftsman (Woodwindowmakeover.com); their replica sashes for all three windows in the kitchen made all the difference in keeping with the period. They sell parts, etc for old wood windows, or can rebuild the whole window sash if the wood is too far gone (like they did here).
Stacey says
Suzann, I absolutely LOVE your kitchen. It blends three of my all-time favorite things: green, a 1940s kitchen, and IKEA!!! And boy, those GE fridges were built to last. Beautiful!
PAppel says
Suzann,
Gorgeous kitchen. The countertop is amazing. I love the green. A suggestion if your mom needs a cooktop. My friend has a similar restriction with her mom’s attached mom suite. She got an electro magnetic cooktop. It is electric, remain cool to touch (a great safety feature) and only heats when the pan/pot is placed on it. The come in 1 and 2 ‘burner’ sizes. Not cheap. I think she payed in the $300 range for hers. But her mom loves it. She also has a convention/micro oven combo and her mom does all kinds of cooking and baking for the grands.
cheryl m says
…that would be an induction cooktop or burner
lisa says
Those burners are listed on Overstock.com for $80-200. Pretty nifty!
Ranger Smith says
What a cool kitchen! The “ice box” is awesome. This is really a great transformation.
Jay says
Wow! The before and after shots are worthy of any DIY program. I’m sure this kitchen brings back memories for lots of folks. All that’s missing is a chrome toaster, a few pieces of Pyrex, Fiesta ware and some ivy or philodendron plants. Please share more photos when decorated. great job! Nothing like a liitle retro porno to brighten the day!
Lynn-O-Matic says
OMG, when I first looked at the post it was scrolled down a little and it looked like the after shot went with the caption for the before. I had a little moment of panic that anyone had destroyed such a stunning kitchen before I scrolled up and realized it was the after shot. Well done! Utterly fantastic.
As far as outfitting makeshift kitchens go, we did one during our remodel and the things I’d add to the toaster oven and microwave are an electric kettle for boiling water and a hotplate. We got a two-burner hotplate at Ace Hardware for about $30, I think. We still use the electric teakettle every day. I love it.
pam kueber says
I don’t want readers getting palpitations. I fixed where I placed the Before: and After:
Better?
Lynn-O-Matic says
That is better, Pam, but it was really my fault, not yours. I haven’t even seen HGTV in months, but I was having a flashback/panic attack for a moment there thinking someone tore out yet another gorgeous vintage room. thanks!
Kristen N says
We used the same cabinets to redo our kitchen and I am very happy with them!
Ally Cat says
Me too! I’ve got an Adel White kitchen and it’s perfect for my 1950 brick bungalow. And great job on the space planning!
suzann says
Pam, Could you add one more resource to our list? This was huge. I’d like to credit our window craftsman (Woodwindowmakeover.com); their replica sashes for all three windows in the kitchen made all the difference in keeping with the period. They sell parts, etc for old wood windows, or can rebuild the whole window sash if the wood is too far gone (like they did here).
Elaine says
You absolutely captured the 40s, it feels just like the kitchens of all our neighbors when I was a little kid. The block was built in 1946 and so new and up to date. I would feel so at home in there.
suzann says
Thanks! I just love how people had no fear of using color back then. I think that’s key in making a vintage kitchen feel vintage.
Kim with Armstrong Flooring says
Beautiful kitchen remodel, Suzann! We love how you created your own unique VCT floor!
suzann says
It’s not a unique pattern, but the colors make it (possibly) one-of-a-kind. My brilliant husband picked the color combo and I think it’s hands down the best part. I was leaning towards pink as an accent color instead of blue for a white, pink, and green floor, like a strawberry or watermelon. I picked out the pattern, so I let him have the fun picking the colors, it’s only fair!
pam kueber says
I was thinking about accent colors yesterday, too. You could also go with something like emerald green, I think… could be interesting.
suzann says
That was one of my color studies…a monochromatic scheme with different shades of green. We used Illustrator and Photoshop to make the different color studies. That helps tremendously!
Kersten says
Choosing colors (for floors, walls) is what holds me back the most from getting going on our kitchen. Sounds like I need to learn Illustrator and Photoshop. Yikes– any tips?
pam kueber says
If I have to learn yet another computer program, my head will explode. I do this on photoshop – which I already know and is easy… Still, there is NO SUBSTITUTE for getting actual samples in your hot little hands and agonizing endlessly over them and of course, using the process to torture DH mercilessly.
suzann says
Tips? Lynda.com has excellent tutorials for every program under the sun.
Photoshop is easy, and it’s fine. I used Illustrator to make my CAD plans to scale (ps can be used), and then I colored them in. Then, I used photoshop’s “perspective transform” tool to create 3D rooms to see how all the walls look adjacent to one another, etc.
Christa says
This looks so so cute and functional and just happy. I can’t believe they were able to make this happen on a budget. Beautiful.