Here’s a good one — and a good followup to yesterday’s story discussing “when is it *okay* to let go of something original?” and introducing the Retro Renovator’s Creed. Karen wants our help. She wants to brighten up her 1954 kitchen … should she replace the ceramic tile countertops with something more sparkly? Read on for her entire story and question… then let’s confuse her some more with all our ideas and opinion –>
Pam, You ROCK! Thank you so much for hosting this retro reno PARTY!
I’m throwing my hat in the ring. While my dilemma is not new or particularly unique, I could sure use some help from all your retronistas. The simple problem is whether to replace a perfectly good, original, 1954 tile countertop with one that will add pizzazz.
We bought the house 20 years ago from the original owners. It had not been touched since a year before, and sneaking into it late one night, we were truly caught in a time warp. Back then, we were too busy raising three daughters to make any changes to a perfectly usable pink bathroom and all original everything else, apart from new carpet and the addition of a dishwasher. When I began to breathe and look around, I had no idea what I had or what to do with it.
Then, I found this Brown Saltman sideboard in a dirty old junk store. It had amoeba handles and the glass top, and I HAD to have it. After we squished it into the dining room and I saw the flow to the corner fireplace, it truly hit me as an epiphany: This house was one of those fifties retro houses! Seriously, this is 15 years after we moved in.
Then came a year of mad ebay, yardsale and junk store shopping. I’ve settled down on the buying, but still pass the counter tops with a sigh. While replacing them seems sacrilegious, the grout is a germ magnet, and the colors are drab next to the gorgeous ash cabinets, well, they will be gorgeous once I steam and refinish them.I have my eye on some of that new glass tile for the backsplash and maybe a black formica counter? So, help. What do you think?
Any suggestions are soooooo much appreciated.
Thank you, Karen. But no: You ROCK. Your house is just lovely!
What do you think, readers?
Should Karen replace her original ceramic tile countertops?
If yes, with what?
If no, how to add the ‘pizzazz’ she seeks to this kitchen?
I will hold back and see what you say… but I for sure have some ideas.
Andrea says
I am big fan of tile counter tops. I don’t mind keeping up with the grout cleaning. however, as retroly perfect as your house is, you may be able to replace them with something more fitting the time period.
Methyl says
What about just replacing the decorative edge with a different color of tile, and keep the same look and feel? A different color will be refreshing. Change lights, paint, knobs, and get the existing tile professionally cleaned – Voila! A new kitchen for a few hundred dollars.
[Our cabinets had 4 layers of paint (matte and gloss white (yes, mixed), cruddy brown, yellow, and turquoise), and chipped formica counters. Ew. Substituted with IKEA and am not sure I did the right thing.]
Wendy says
I can’t tell if the counter top range and the wall oven match the two shades of mauve. If they do, aren’t you in luck! We moved into a house with avocado laminate countertops and had to hunt for avocado appliances to match. Also, removing tile countertops is not an easy thing to do. Some of them have very heavy, thick set mortar and could damage the cabinets that you are trying to highlight. I agree that flooring and wall color would be much easier. They have tinted grout sealer in different colors that can really make your countertops stand out. We used a dark grey with out floor tile to hide the water stains in our old grout. It’s also easier to keep darker grout clean “looking”.
Paul says
Wendy, that’s a very good point about the thickset/mortar bed. I wonder if new countertops would have to be supplemented a bit to reach the same height. That would be even more work…
Meghan says
I like the counter-tops and would keep them. I think the floor is what is really making the space drab.
Laura's Last Ditch--Vintage Kitchenwares says
I think those countertops are as pizzazzful as anything you could put in. And once they’re gone you can’t get them back. I second the clean and seal, and then just be good about using a cutting board for anything that is prone to have bacteria. And arm yourself with a little spray bottle of diluted bleach.
I’d love to see more shine to the cabinets and some vintage chrome knobs. Then, perhaps more color to the walls and the trim. The counters are absolutely lovely, though, and I love how it ties into your bathroom.
Laura MacKay says
I’m not sure what I would do. Honestly, I’m not a fan of the tile counter top either. BUT, I’m sure there are things that you can do with the walls, accessories, fixtures and what not that would make it really shine. My husband and I bought our 1960 ranch house last November from the original owner. It’s a beautiful little house with many original details. But one thing to keep in mind is that just because it’s vintage/original, doesn’t always mean that it was quality or a top design choice. When we moved into our new house, the kitchen was YELLOW. The cabinets are blond wood, the floor is off-whitish/marble (faux), the counters and backsplash were all yellow formica, and the walls were creamy off-white, the cabinet hardware with almost all aged yellow bronze, light fixtures with polished ‘gold’ finish, and a built-in china cabinet with wavy amber (plexi)glass. It made me feel jaundiced just thinking about the room. But a kitchen make-over was not in the cards, so I decided to just change what I could to compliment the elements I liked the most. I painted the walls and the backsplashes a yellow based sage green that compliments the yellow counter tops and the amber glass in the china cabinet. I put in a stained glass light fixture with some mid-mod flair, and added bright red accessories. Now I love everything about my kitchen…even the yellow counters 🙂
Karen says
Ah! You have done such a good job with your cute cute retro house! I personally think ceramic tile counter tops are a pain, too. I have ambivalent feelings towards IKEA, but there are some countertops there that have some sparkle and pizzazz that would look lovely in a retro home. My husband and I bought a 1900’s home, but made a 1940’s-1950’s looking kitchen on the cheap…for the time being. We found beautiful mint green paint and modern but retro glass tile for backsplash all on clearance at Home Depot. We actually considered using IKEA’s laminate flooring for a countertop…it sounds weird, but I have seen it done and it looks great. my vote is smash it all up and start fresh!!!
Throughly Modern Billy says
All I have to say is,
“If it ain’t broke….”
Kimberly Lindbergs says
I love the kitchen and the original tile. And I agree with others above who have suggested having the counters & back splash professionally re-grouted & sealed. I also agree that the kitchen will have much more pizzazz once the wood cabinets are refinished and that beautiful golden wood is given more life. A new vintage period light fixture would do wonders for the room and I’d add a lot more vintage kitchen accessories (the copper stuff looks especially great in there! Look up vintage copper kitchen accessories on ebay and you’ll find lots of lovely stuff that would work well in that space). I also like the green paint color I see in the dinning nook and I might consider carrying that color through the whole kitchen. Maybe a new green toned vintage looking linoleum floor would work in there to add extra color? I can’t tell if the floor is original or not but the neutral color doesn’t look bad either. Vintage style kitchen rugs and linens in shades of green or neutral would also do wonders for the room.
Janice says
The tile is GORGEOUS! I think you don’t like it because everything in the kitchen is so neutral. I agree with what others have said – change the light fixture, add some lighting under the cabinets, get a bright formica on the floor and brighter color on the wall and it will make a TON of difference! I would also put white mini blinds or brighter curtains on the window above the sink and chrome knobs on the cabinets. All of these changes will really brighten everything and it’ll look like new! Well not new…old…vintage…you know what I mean.