So this week I made a new Retro Kitchens Page aimed at helping helping readers get started with a kitchen remodel. Importantly, it shares some of my experienced aimed in particular at folks who are NEW to their OLD house and contemplating a kitchen makeover. My kinda major focus is… take your time. I came up with eight items. But, I want to make this the best page/advice possible. So today, OPEN THREAD: Readers, what else can we advise folks who are new to their old house and who are contemplating what to do with the kitchen? Above: Reader Rebecca recently finished a retro remodel; her story is in the pipeline. I bet she can add to the 411.
Here’s my start at it:
Some of my thoughts if you are NEW to your OLD house and contemplating a kitchen remodel:
- Environmental and safety issues come first. Vintage houses can contain vintage nastiness such as lead, asbestos, and more. Consult with properly licensed professionals to know what is in your house, and how to make informed decisions about how to handle.
- If you are new to your old kitchen — go slow. Before you proceed thinking you need a gut remodel, for instance, get to know your kitchen first. Live in it a year to get to know its flow. Get to know its original style and features. Get to know your “Retro Kitchen Style” — because not all retro is alike. It may turn out that, once you learn about the original features in your retro kitchen, you might come to love them — and you may not need to spend the money, and endure the aggravation of a major remodel.
- Consider updates that are in harmony with the original architecture of your house. Sure, an original retro kitchen may be “dated.” But every kitchen is dated. For example: Don’t kid yourself: Put a 2013 kitchen in your 1955 house… and in a few years that 2013 kitchen will be “dated”, too — and, dated to the wrong year. But, put in a kitchen that is harmonious with the original 1955 architecture – and at least its date will match the date of the house. “Yes, but what about ‘resale’?” folks always ask. Well, my point of view is: Mid century houses are now old enough to be considered “historic”, either officially or non-officially. “Historical restorations” or period-appropriate remodels are desirable to folks who are “into” old houses. And, you can do a period remodel that isn’t “over the top” — one that’s kind of “flexible” (this is what I did with my three bathrooms.) On the other hand, going back to our example, a 2013 kitchen in a 1955 house is unlikely to appeal to a shopper 10 years from now who is into what’s new in 2023; in reality, your financial loss* (*See item #5, below) on your fabulous 2013 kitchen remodel will only grow each and year thereafter, especially if you put in “trendy” 2013 stuff. And finally, mind you, “trendier” has a shorter lifespan every year. Disclaimer, thought: All this is IMHO, do not consider this financial advice, this is something you need to do your own research and consult with your own professionals on, based on your market conditions.
- Humble materials – This point kind of goes with the one above. Many — probably “most” — mid century and older houses were decorated with materials that *today* would be considered kind of… low brow. Things like: Simple wood kitchen cabinets… laminate counter tops… vinyl flooring… even knotty pine. This is pretty much opposite of what the “mainstream market” wants to sell you today — (more expensive) granite… marble… blinged out cabinetry. I personally found it a relief not to have to spec out my kitchen to “Keep up with the Joneses.” My kitchen “fits” with the rest of my (humble materials) house. And by skipping the luxe, I think I saved a lot of money.
- Recognize that most major remodels are a bad financial “investment”. Data indicate that most homeowners will not recover the cost of a major kitchen renovation when they to go re-sell. Read my story looking at the annual research — and be aware.
- Save your time, energy and money for the final fix. Unless there is a safety or environmental issue involved, I am not one for putting a drop of money into a space as a “stop gap measure” while we agonize over the big picture plan. Okay, I might paint the wall (off white), so that I can “see” the space better so I can figure out what I want. My husband is really good about reminding me: An old house is a time and money pit constantly presenting costly surprises. Be careful about squandering on half measures. ‘Invest’ in making plans that will endure for years… and then spend the time, energy and money — once.
- Get a subscription to Consumer Reports. When you are in spending mode like this, your head will spin. As far as I know, Consumer Reports is the only resource out there to do testing to try and really triangulate to “value”.
- Disclaimer and clarification to all of the above: I am not a contractor, an architect, a designer, a real estate expert or variant of some such profession. I am writing this from my perspective as an owner of four old houses over my lifetime, and as a blogger who has been writing on this topic for about six years. Do your own research… identify and engage your own properly licensed professionals… make thoughtful decisions that are right for you.
As you can see, I’m focused on the “planning” stage — not on prescribing specific solutions or “what to do’s”. Readers, I welcome your thoughts and experiences!
Annie B. says
My advice is to live with your kitchen – or the entire house – through a calendar year, if possible. The seasonal shifts in light, mood, and patterns of use can influence placement of kitchen components as well as your color choices, etc.
pam kueber says
Agreed!
TerriLynn says
I second the “live with it a year” advice.
We just moved in to our 1952 ranch. One of the things we were going to do immediately was close in a door from the master bedroom (originally a den) to the kitchen, so that we would have more wall space to move the fridge and put more cabinets. What a horrible idea that was! If we move the fridge to where we planned, there is no good table space and if we closed that wall in, we would have had to walk ALL the way around the house to get to the bedroom or bathroom. Sooo glad we didn’t DO anything to make changes yet!
This bedroom (original den) has 7 doors in it – on four walls! There is the door to the laundry, the bathroom, the hall, the furnace room, the kitchen and two enormous closet doors taking an entire wall.
Kelly Wittenauer says
So, do you have a round bed in the middle of the room? 🙂
pam kueber says
Seven doors! Wow! I have lived in kitchens with almost that many doors – but not a bedroom!
Jay says
Wow! I am having a hard time getting a grasp of this layout. Was the den larger then the master? Or was it a case of the previous owner being in dire need of another bedroom?
Andy A. says
The best advice I received on being new to an old house came from Retro Renovation–live with it awhile before making changes. What initially seemed like something that had to be changed, later evolved to something I was glad I didn’t change. For instance, the original white Formica counter tops. I had planned on installing granite as one of the first changes, and now after living in the house for eight months, I’m glad I didn’t!
Waiting saved a lot of money, and retained an original part of the house that I’ve grown to appreciate with time.
My advice would be to upgrade the electrical circuits and outlets first for safety reasons, and to prevent overloading circuits that now handle more than they were designed to.
Then, live with it without making major changes. You’ll probably find that with time you realize it’s not as bad as you initially thought, and the real issues that need to be addressed will become clear.
I strongly believe the “open concept” trend with kitchens that must be part of the main living area will soon pass, and people who’ve knocked down walls to achieve this look will later regret it (or subsequent owners will wish the changes hadn’t been made, just as many MCM home owners wish updates in the seventies and eighties hadn’t been made.)
There’s something to be said for being able to close off the kitchen, for instance, during a party. The mess isn’t visible to guests, the host/hostess isn’t spending time cleaning instead of being with guests, and heat and odors from cooking don’t spread throughout the entire house. No one wants to look at dirty pots, pans, dishes, and glasses piled up, and with no way to conceal the mess, time has to be spent cleaning them up.
Bottom line, don’t rush into making changes–your opinions will change over time!
Kelly Wittenauer says
Andy,
I fully agree about getting to know and appreciate the house before making changes.
However, I love my open plan living/kitchen. If one doesn’t cook much, or can afford catering – I agree that a separate kitchen is better. But not if, one has to be both cook & hostess. Either someone is left out of the party, stuck behind a wall in the kitchen Or everyone ends up in the kitchen. I remember how crowded my parents tiny kitchen would get during their cocktail parties back in the day. Mom was in the kitchen, so everyone else wanted to be in there as well. I think it’s a decision each homeowner needs to make – based on their lifestyle & not just what’s currently fashionable.
pam kueber says
I think my key takeaway from the open vs. not open plan kitchen discussion is: There are pros and cons to this issue. I will add this to the write up. Thanks you both, Kelly and Andy A.!
MissyN says
True about people congregating in the kitchen during parties. But, I have always maintained that the kitchen is the best place to be during a party. All the people I always enjoy talking to the most end up gravitating there. 🙂
I do think you’re absolutely correct that it depends on lifestyle. Our 1948 ranch was remodeled prior to our purchase and the kitchen was relocated from the side to the middle of the house. We love the new layout, but we might want something different if we didn’t have small kids running in and out of the kitchen all the time.
pam kueber says
Great point about the electric. Yes, we use so much more juice now – and we’ve found that original electric outlets may not be properly grounded – which puts your pricey electronics at risk. My husband is really good about attending to this when we mover into a new/old house.
Sherree says
My 1951 home still retains it original cabinets. Unfortunately, they have been painted MULTIPLE times, with no regard to prep work.They contain drips that were just painted over. Heck the last time they were painted the owners never bothered to take the doors off; they just painted the hardware and all: BLACK! I cannot imagine the man hours needed to strip them and re-stain. AND, even if we did that, they are too small. I cannot even stand up an oil bottle. My cereal boxes have to be turned on their sides. My meat platters have to go in the garage. I could go on and on about the horrors of this room but the bottom line it: what do you do when the room has been so sloppily updated and it just does not function? How do you “undo” permanent upgrades (Tuscan style tile on the backsplash) without gutting the space? Does anyone else have a “semi” time capsule kitchen?
Chad D says
I feel you pain. In my house are thick layers of paint over thumb tacks and scotch tape, and pennies, hair, and dirt stuck in the floor finish. It sounds like you have little or nothing that you’re happy with, so don’t feel bad about redoing things. If there are components to your kitchen that you like you could try to work around them, or remove and reinstall them, but no need to feel guilty about changing things. Just make sure you take time to make well informed choices; it’s sounds like you’ve already lived with things long enough to know what you want.
pam kueber says
Yup.
Sherree says
Chad you are right! In the floor grout along the walls in my kitchen are: paper clips, loose nails, nails still intact, hair, barrettes and dirt. On top of that they never sealed the floor grout or backsplash grout, so they have paint splatters and drips (in assorted colors) and grease stains that cannot be removed. They also painted other rooms (without drop cloths) and splattered it all over the original cork floors and painted over stickers, tape and assorted hanging hardware 🙁
pam kueber says
So maybe it’s “easiest” all the way around to plan a gut remodel. Sometimes it IS easier — and wiser — to just start from scratch.
Jay says
I harbor no illusions. If someone else had bought the house instead of me I know they probably would have gutted the kitchen before moving in. Most people would want state of the art appliances and cabinets with adjustable shelving, pull out drawers, etc. Let the next owner tear out “the dated” kitchen that I call vintage.
pam kueber says
Even if you did put in a “state of the art” kitchen when you moved in… it would be “dated” by the time you sold it. The next person would spit on it and gut it and put in a “state of the art” kitchen. Rinse. Repeat. Over and over and over again. Stop the madness already.
Terri says
And nothing says you can’t incorporate vintage or reproduction touches that would stay true to the design of the house. Even the color choices. Because this one sounds like it needs to go. Not everything is vintage. Some times it is just plain old.
Sarah says
I had the same exact problem with our once-darling 1950 kitchen. Original coral squiggle Formica, cute cabinets with wavy detail—-but they were all gouged and the cabinets had layers and layers and layers of paint on them. Most of them wouldn’t even close. They just weren’t salvageable. Tossing that Formica broke my heart.
We ended up getting a huge set of vintage birch cabinets, all pulled out of air force base housing at our local Re-Use Store for a steal. It’s all done now and you wouldn’t know it’s not an original kitchen, plus I gained a ton of storage (and all the doors close).
I had a good six years to think about materials, colors, etc and had plenty of time to figure out exactly what I needed. Then plotted and collected for another couple of years so that I had most of my materials (for cheap) ready to go.
Good luck!
Jay says
Infrastructure!
Even if the layout / cabinets remain, the electrical needs to be updated. The electrical code was much simpler back in 57 when my house was built. Today, fridges and fans(anything with motor) needs an individual circuit. In my case, when I used the microwave and toaster oven at the same time, the kitchen went dark and fridge went out. Receptacles will probably need to be separated, At my house, whoever installed the disposer and dishwasher, grabbed power from somewhere else. Since I never anticipated changing the kitchen, this item to me was not stop gap but an anxiety reliever. Also the receptacles (original) were worn. It’s annoying Nothing worse then having a plug fall out of the receptacle. (Sorry, not sure if this fits in anywhere).
Jay says
I didn’t do a good job of editing. I already had the circuits divyed up. It’s just a general statement that probably if you buy a time capsule (I did) the kitchen circuit will probably be maxed. The wiring in older homes tends to be in multiples of rooms to one circuit.
pam kueber says
Understood! I am going to ask my tech help if there’s a plugin I can add to allow readers to edit their own comments….
Robin says
We had this issue,as well. Our house, built in ’56, needed major wiring work in the kitchen. The cabinets had been replaced, I would guess late 70s or so. Dark Mediterranean in a very small space. Dark, dated, ripped flooring and damaged counter tops all culminated in a complete gut. (We actually reused the cabinets in the office space). This gave us the opportunity to open all the walls and wire correctly for today’s appliances. It is a relief to know that there are no questionable issues behind those walls. Oh, and it’s nice to have more than two outlets in the room, now 🙂
Guy says
As an architect…and designer, though I think that’s redundant, I completely agree with your tips. I can’t tell you how many beautiful houses I’ve ruined with an insistent client’s idea of a kitchen. Thank you for putting this “out there”.
pam kueber says
Thanks, Guy! Golly, I’m all happy like to get a compliment like this from an architect!
Beth C says
I worked as a design asst for a design-build firm for awhile, in an influential section of Atlanta, filled with MCM modern homes. Very quickly I discovered that all of our clients wanted practically the same granite and wood and oil rubbed bronze kitchen. We did a gut redo in a magnificent historic home that broke my heart. But it WAS the client’s $75,000, so what could I say? The whole time they harped about resale value. But the truth was, there was no resale value left.
As their asst designer, I gently encouraged them to try to bring in elements that respected the architecture. It was wasted breath. Such are the lamentations of a designer who knows better (I live in a 1977 ranch that was built with 1960 plans-not a square inch of granite anywhere).
pam kueber says
Oh my, Beth C, how heartbreaking that all sounds. I hope you are doing something now that keeps you out of the conspicuous consumption remuddling business?
Terri says
Beth – that had to hurt. As an engineer I’ve seen a lot of the same. Our friend, a master plumber, spent $4K re-muddling a neat little Ranch bathroom with black marble and granite. It looked like a photographer’s closet when he was done. *sigh*
And thank you. I’ve harped over and over that you have to honor the original lines and architecture. Sure, put in modern conveniences (my little 1950 Cape Cod is going to wired for light and sound with cable and internet jacks everywhere, including my knotty pine kitchen with the former owner’s mother’s recipes taped inside the cabinet door).
I have a 1950s fridge, but am likely going to swap it out for a low-key euro-style small unit for energy efficiency and being frost free. What won’t be going in is a massive sub-zero brushed stainless yuppie-unit. I don’t need it and it wouldn’t be true to the old lady’s bones.
I love this site to the power of infinity squared.
I have a gigantic utility room where they vinyled over the hardwoods. *facepalm* (At least they didn’t paint the paneling). So that is going to be the grunge room. Dog beds, laundry, trash cans, muddy boots, everything needed for a modern home, but not pretty to look at. It has a wonderful vintage door that isolates it and the upstairs from the rest of the house.
ChrisH says
A bit of heresy – I know how much people here admire “time capsules”, but – real kitchen remodels tend to be evolutionary. Most of us do not have the resources for a “gut and re-do” job. The older the house, the less likely it’s been preserved as a time capsule, and the more likely it has elements that span decades. Example: my WWI era house would have had no built-in cabinets and no electric refrigeration. There is no vintage ‘fridge that will be period correct for 1917. Built-ins circa 1930s will look OK, even though not correct for the date of the house. In very old kitchens it’s ok if everything isn’t period correct.
Chad D says
Yes, my house is a patchwork of different eras; I had woodwork and doors 1890’s, 1930’s, 1970’s, and 2000’s, and I uncovered (and saved) a few fragments of plaster with 1950’s wallpaper on them. That gives us a slightly different set of challenges but pragmatism is universal.
One of my biggest challenges is that I do have safety concerns to address, and making other improvements at the same time makes so much sense I kinda have to do it all at once. The important thing to do no matter the scope is to have a vision and know what should be done all at once (plumbing, electrical, and insulation for the whole house) and what can wait (buying cabinets and countertops, deciding if I want a tall pantry or a little extra work space) but what I do to the place works toward what I want in the end, and gives me flexibility to let the house tell me what to do later.
This does not pertain specifically to kitchens, but I got a home performance audit right away. This means that a professional came in to evaluate insulation, carbon monoxide, proper venting in the kitchen, bath, and laundry room, etc. I would definitely recommend one of these to ANY new homeowner.
pam kueber says
Thanks, Chad, for reminding me about using your early days in your house get performance and energy audits — great point! This is essential to building an informed plan!
pam kueber says
Agreed. Postwar kitchens and the kitchens of today pretty much have the same features and accomplish the same things — they are all “modern”. But prewar kitchens, not so much.
I also want to underscore that I am not a hardline proponent of totally historical period restorations. Do what make sense for you! That said, I think that remodels “harmonious with the original architecture” are wiser than going all-contemporary. But “harmonious with” is meant to open up a pretty wide swath of options.
ChrisH says
If you live in a pre-war house (pre WWII) the kitchen will need more “adaptation” for modern living. Over the decades the American Kitchen changes in very fundamental ways. A mid-century house has an almost modern kitchen, even though it might be “vintage”. A pre-war kitchen is a different animal, even when everything is up to date. To take one concrete example: A pre-war kitchen is likely very separate from the dining room – walls and doors keep sights and smells contained. It won’t become a “gathering” place in the same way a modern kitchen will.
tenantproof says
Hi Chris H,
Your right, pre-war kitchens were seen as work rooms not social rooms. I happen to love them. When watching children you can just shut the door you don’t have to chase them all over the house as you do with an open floor plan. I also like it because it means I don’t stay in the kitchen working and mindlessly eating. Before deciding to knock down a wall to open up the space consider the following: If you have children or roommates, do you have a place in the home where you can retreat from the noise of others and shut the door, a place that isn’t the bedroom?These pre-war floor plans often had multiple rooms that could be closed off with doors great if you have a roommate baking bread in the kitchen, another roommate mapping out his biking trip with friends in the dining room, while you and your book group are meeting in the living room. Open floor plans often create a lot of noise pollution and don’t let people do different functions without disturbing one another.
Katie C. says
I’m seconding Tenantproof’s love of closed kitchens. We have a small pre-war galley kitchen with a lot of doors to close it off from the rest of the house. This kept the heat in when cooking, so the rest of the (un-air-conditioned) house stayed cool. We still use this feature in our home today, keeping our energy bills nice and low. Also, as Tenantproof notes, it keeps the noise level down in the rest of the house, so I can run the dishwasher and still be able to watch TV undisturbed.
Becky says
When I first bought my 1953 ranch in 2007, I was disappointed that the kitchen was not “open concept” like I had hoped to find. Now, however, I love the fact that I can cook in my own little world while my husband watches tv in the living room. I hate tv and if I had to listen to it while I cooked supper every night, I think I’d go nuts. Plus, because my kids are very young, it is nice to be able to shut the pocket doors to keep them out of the kitchen whenever I need to open the oven door. Finally, it is great to leave the supper mess in the kitchen and come eat in a clean dining room. I do have the advantage of a peninsula shaped counter where people can sit and keep me company while I cook, and where the children can sit for informal meals.
Morag says
Chiming in to agree with Tenantproof, Katie C, and Becky on the advantages of having separate rooms, with doors, for separate activities.
I personally find open concept floor plans are difficult to clean. They tend to have several separate sets of tables and chairs, I suppose to define spaces, that just tend to clutter up the space in my mind.
Of course, if open concept is what you love, it’s what you love, but please don’t dismiss the older-style floor plans. They officer flexible,efficient use of space and definite energy savings.
AnnWesleyHardin says
Step Away From The Emotion! I was dead set on a breakfast bar, but after months of trotting in circles trying to make it work in the space, we had to throw it out of the design. It was difficult, but in the end it would’ve ruined the whole majesty of the space. So my advice is: be prepared to “throw out your darlings”. Some ideas or dreams simply won’t work and if you force them, you might be sorry!
ChrisH says
Very good advice.
pam kueber says
Ann, are you a professional writer? Writers call their words their “darlings”. I love your comment, too!!
AnnWesleyHardin says
Pam, you must hang around with writers! Yes, I am. So I learned early if it doesn’t work, no matter how much you love it, it’s gotta go!
pam kueber says
boo to the hoo, love my darlings!
AWade says
As someone in the process of refreshing a family home (it originally was built by my grandparents), the best advice I can give from what I have learned thus far is not to let anyone (friends, family, even websites, LOL) “guilt” you into keeping anything you really don’t like.
Of course, the article is right – you should not rush into anything, but keeping something for the sake of it that doesn’t really please you is a mistake. I have those knotty pine cabinets which are mentioned in the article, which you find an almost religious reverence given to in a lot of the Mid-Century modern community. I am typing this right now with paint under my fingernails from the enamel I am currently redoing them with.
My kitchen is dark to begin with, and after repainting everything else in the kitchen they continued to keep it feeling like it was dark and never going to have a clean look. Personally my style moves more toward the black/white Art Deco classic vein. I also have been staring at them for all of my 35 years and have never really cared for them, and I certainly have lived around them long enough to know that. No matter what else I did to enhance or restore the look of the kitchen, they just kept nagging me.
So I’ve redone them in white enamel and simple black handles. I am on the last section now (I work a ton so I have been doing it in batches over a few weeks now). I am so happy with the sections that are done it almost brings a tear to my eye when I see them, because I am so in love with how they look now. I cannot wait to be done so I can fully enjoy them and finally feel like my kitchen was complete.
I know that wouldn’t work for everyone, but it did work for me. And I hope no one holds it against me, LOL, as I know how loved those cabinets are to some in the community. 🙂
Annie B. says
AWade,
Naturally, I’m speaking only for myself when I say “congratulations to you” for your freshly painted white cabinets – and for doing what worked for you, personally.
Your grandparents’ knotty pine cabinets are still there; they’ve been painted, not destroyed. Essentially, you’ve achieved a renovation which pleases you and you’ve managed to save something of the mid century. Just my personal thoughts. And, yes, I adore knotty pine fairly religiously.
pam kueber says
AWade, you make great points. I hope that we have not made you feel guilty here. Honestly, I’d say I’m so much a cheerleader for knotty pine because THE MASS of the mainstream world is so anti-KP. On the other hand, if you’ve lived with it and it’s just not for you, change it!
This reminds me, I wrote a Retro Renovator’s Creed in this post here — Gut Remodel without Guilt. Here is the Creed:
The Retro Renovator’s Creed:
Thou shalt not beat thyself up for throwing out… features (yes, original bathrooms and kitchens) that you have lived with for a while, sought to understand (rather than just h*** in a knee-jerk way), decide just aren’t for you, and which you can afford to change without adding to the family into debt in a way that will stress you out. (Test: If you only paid cash, and you had saved up all the money, would you really use all the cash for this project?)
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If it’s broken beyond repair… or if repairing it would cost more than buying a comparable new replacement… do what you gotta do.
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If technology has improved and a new product available today delivers important or useful new benefits — and especially if they relate to safety or energy and the environment… sure, swap it out.
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If you need to reconfigure the space to accommodate your needs and to lively happily there… yes, of course, make the house your own.
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This is your house — make it the place you love. But: Let the old stuff go with respect for the service it has provided the generations before — no evil-glee sledgehammering. Remember, that bathroom/kitchen/etc. was someone’s pride and joy once — they raised their families there — they loved that room. Respect their decisions, don’t deride them. See: The Golden Rule. Most everyone I talk today bemoans the “loss of civility” in discourse today; let’s take the high road and be civil about how we treat and talk about the rooms that came before us.
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Send still-functional materials to the Re-Store, if you really think someone else will want them.
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And of course, prioritize renovations that address identified safety and environmental issues — and when you renovate, engage properly licensed professionals and Renovate Safe.
Mary Elizabeth says
I’ve read a long way down about the debate about painting/not painting knotty pine. Although I am a fan of MY knotty pine cabinets, they were (1) not cheap stock, but built in place by the original owner; (2) a light golden finish, not dark brown; and (3) mostly easy to work around in a gigantic kitchen that had obviously been the hub of the house and the largest room. Many of the houses we looked at while we were “ranch shopping” had dark, depressing, poorly laid out and sometimes shoddy rip-offs, and those I would have refinished or torn out eventually. I have in the past painted wood cabinets as well as refinishing them, and my advice is to go with the quality of the wood and the layout of the cabinet area. If the cabinets are good quality, consider taking the time to refinish them. You don’t need to use a chemical strip, but you can remove the doors to work on separately, then go over the cabinets with a small hand sander. (Put away food and dishes, and wear your particle mask.) Then when you are down to bare wood, decide whether you need stain or just want to leave the light wood. If you do decide to stain, pick a stain that is lighter than what you think you want. Instead of putting it on with a brush and then wiping off with a rag, wipe the stain ON with a rag. That way you can control the color. Finally, finish your cabinets with several coats of polyurethane. Since the doors are off, you can either do the same process with them or send them out to be stripped at a furniture stripping shop before you stain them.
I have also painted kitchen cabinets with latex paint, and it didn’t fall off in strips or wash off when I cleaned it, even years later. Be sure the surfaces you are painting are real wood, not laminate, which is difficult to paint over. Preparing the surface is the key to a durable paint job. Sand well to get off all the furniture wax, paint or old lacquer finish, then paint with a universal primer. Ask for this at your own local paint store. If they are true knotty pine, you may have to use wood filler to fill in the knots, unless you don’t mind them showing through.
Follow the primer with two coats of your chosen color in semi-gloss finish. And I always choose the color that is one shade lighter than what I think I want, as it always looks darker when on the surface.
If all this is too much for you to contemplate, think about hiring a carpenter/painter to come in and refinish or paint your cabinets. He (or she) can help you assess the quality of the cabinets and may even be able to take out a section to allow you to put in a dishwasher. I can see that this was done to my cabinets after they were built.
For ideas about kitchen cabinet colors that will go with the mid-century modern house, see the retro makeover kitchens on this site. No one should ever be discouraged from going with the colors and styles that work for you. But one of the things I like about Pam’s site is that she is encouraging us not to rip out what “isn’t broke.” So if you have real wood cabinets, and the kitchen layout works for you after a year living with it, I would strongly advise either refinishing or painting rather than ripping out.
pam kueber says
Thank you for your very thoughtful comments, Mary Elizabeth! My only add: My regular reminder to test old paint for lead — consult with a properly licensed professional to know what you are working with so that you can make informed decisions about how to proceed.