Harvest gold kitchen cabinets — vintage St. Charles
Kate - August 1, 2013, Updated: November 3, 2020
We’re on a bit of binge, taking a look at vintage kitchen cabinets spotted in all different colors. Yes: We love these harvest gold St. Charles steel kitchen cabinets for sale on Southeast Missouri craigslist. These are the famous St. Charles two-tone style: All single color metal on the base cabinets, with the wall cabinets featuring doors with applied molding in the color of the base cabinets. (See them here in mod greenand another variation,steel trim on wood doors here.)
These 1970’s beauties — spotted by Facebook follower Helen — thank you, Helen! — are in excellent condition. The large set includes 20 cabinets and comes complete with a matching double wall oven, range hood and cooktop — no need to hunt down extra vintage appliances separately folks — this is a package deal.
From the Craigslist post:
20) VINTAGE ST. CHARLES METAL KITCHEN CABINETS, OVEN, AND STOVE 1970’s
All are in EXCELLENT CONDITION. Very little rust except for a small amount on the sink cabinet. Sink door hinges need to be repaired. Stove burners need to be replaced.
We are remodeling our house and love these cabinets but unfortunately, the don’t fit in our new kitchen. $3500 OBO CASH ONLY
WIDTH HEIGHT DEPTH
18 34.5 25 DRAWER, LEFT HAND DOOR
15 34.5 25 DRAWER, RIGHT HAND DOOR
241 34.5 25 DRAWER, 2 DOORS
27 34.5 25 2 BOTTOM DRAWERS, OVEN, 2 TOP DOORS
15 34.5 25 DRAWER, RIGHT HAND DOOR
16 34.5 25 DRAWER, LEFT HAND DOOR
24 34.5 25 3 DRAWERS
18 34.5 25 DRAWER, RIGHT HAND DOOR
33 34.5 25 SINK BASE, 2 DOORS, HINGES NEED TO BE FIXED
15 34.5 13 SINGLE DOOR
15 34.5 13 SINGLE DOOR
15 34.5 13 SINGLE DOOR
30 36 13 2 DOORS
36 24 13 RANGE HOOD
18 24 13 LEFT DOOR
18 24 13 RIGHT DOOR
18 24 13 LEFT DOOR
24 24 13 RIGHT DOOR
18 24 13 LEFT DOOR
21 30 13 RIGHT DOOR
What a gorgeous set — and a great find for some lucky retro renovator. Mega thanks to Craigslist seller Ron for allowing us to feature the fabulous photos of his vintage golden St. Charles kitchen cabinets.
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16 comments
Comments
Ron Huntsays
Thanks to everyone for looking at my cabinets.. I have just reduced the price to $1799 for the lot. They are in awesome shape. We are remodeling our house and need to find them a new home. You can see my posting on Craigslist here http://semo.craigslist.org/for/3950765541.html located in South East Missouri or email me at dexterautomation@sbcglobal.net.. Thanks for looking…Ron
Mary Elizabethsays
Hi, all. I have seen these two-toned cabinets in a neighborhood of mid-century houses I lived in called Beaver Hill. The earliest houses were from the late 1930s and the latest were built in the late 1960s. The neighbors, however, called it “St. Charlesville,” because all the new houses and all the older houses that had kitchen renovations in the 1950s-1960s had St. Charles kitchens, probably installed by the same builder. So when my daughter had a play date with another kid on the block, the question was not whether or not there would be a St. Charles in the child’s house, but what kind. Mine was the one that was a creamy white for the cabinets and bottom doors and maple doors on metal cabinets on top. (We had a discussion on this site a while ago about whether or not those wood doors on another St. Charles kitchen were original, and I was sure they were.) One neighbor had the harvest gold two-tone like the one shown here, and another had avocado and teak wood doors. One earlier kitchen had a sort of aqua blue, too, with yellow Formica. Several people, however, got tired of the color and had the cabinets taken out and brought to a shop that repainted them, then had them reinstalled. At the time it seemed to me a ridiculous thing to do, but when I realize the quality of these cabinets it makes sense–more sense than demo-ing them and putting in cheap box store cabinets.
pam kuebersays
yes, i am sure st. charles had wood doors at one time when this was a trendy thing to do
lynn karskysays
I have a St Charles Kitchen with metal cabinets on bottom with cherry wood on top . The metal doors need painting to give them a lift but I would never tear them out. The house was built in 1939 kitchen redone in the 60s or 70s . I found several useful tips on painting them. Thanks
Chris Hydesays
Any help on painting metal St. Charles cabinets would be great.
Pam Kuebersays
Chris, this is not a DIY/fixit site per se. We have done some stories where readers mentioned the type of painting method they used. You should be able to find these in either Kitchen Help/Readers & Their Kitchens subcategory or Kitchen Help/Steel Kitchens subcategory. Please be aware: There can be hazards such as lead and asbestos in our old homes, their products and materials, and layer — get with your own properly licensed professionals to assess what you are dealing with so that you can make informed decisions how to handle. For more info, see our Be Safe/Renovate Safe page here — https://retrorenovation.com/renovate-safe/
Harold T. Holmessays
These match my mothers 1958 Youngstown Kitchen steel cabinets and sink unit….need the range hood unit and the right door unit.( 36x24x13 & 18x24x13 right)) …..to complete an area witjh her new 36″ range….please advise if you can ship……to Wheeling WV or Flushing OH via / UPS now handles Freight……and we will pay for the packaging and shipment….need to buy the two units at once…..
pam kuebersays
Harold, we do not sell anything here. You need to contact the seller listed via the link.
Robin, NVsays
I LOVE these! I’d never heard of a two tone kitchen before seeing them on this blog. But now I love the look and would die to have some of my own one day. What color countertops would look good with these, do you think? My Consoweld “Autumn Breeze” counters might do the trick.
pam kuebersays
Hmmm. For this 60s look, I think I would have an off-white counter top (which is what I spy on one of these pieces) with off white 2″ square tiles (or 1.5 or I’d have to agonize over this) as the backsplash. Of course, they also scream for gold glitter laminate.
Puddletown Cherylsays
How about off white or harvest gold backsplash made up of 2″x2″ on the diagonal?
pam kuebersays
How about: Wallpaper! 🙂
Marcsays
Luv them! Hope they go to a good buyer!
Cynthiasays
Very cool. The price makes me feel a bit better about the $5500 we dropped on our Genevas in May…gorgeous set of 20 mint green cabinets, including a 80″ high pantry, all in excellent condition. If we hadn’t snatched it up, someone else would have. And you certainly can’t get a brand-new set of quality kitchen cabinets for that kind of money. So it was well worth it. Still, the price tag made us gulp a bit. 😉
Hope someone puts these to great use…would love to see pics if/when they get used!
Robin, NVsays
I was thinking the same thing – would love to see them set up.
Sarahsays
Wow! Those are from the little town where my mom was born and my grandma lived until she passed away just a few years ago! Small world!
Ron Hunt says
Thanks to everyone for looking at my cabinets.. I have just reduced the price to $1799 for the lot. They are in awesome shape. We are remodeling our house and need to find them a new home. You can see my posting on Craigslist here http://semo.craigslist.org/for/3950765541.html located in South East Missouri or email me at dexterautomation@sbcglobal.net.. Thanks for looking…Ron
Mary Elizabeth says
Hi, all. I have seen these two-toned cabinets in a neighborhood of mid-century houses I lived in called Beaver Hill. The earliest houses were from the late 1930s and the latest were built in the late 1960s. The neighbors, however, called it “St. Charlesville,” because all the new houses and all the older houses that had kitchen renovations in the 1950s-1960s had St. Charles kitchens, probably installed by the same builder. So when my daughter had a play date with another kid on the block, the question was not whether or not there would be a St. Charles in the child’s house, but what kind. Mine was the one that was a creamy white for the cabinets and bottom doors and maple doors on metal cabinets on top. (We had a discussion on this site a while ago about whether or not those wood doors on another St. Charles kitchen were original, and I was sure they were.) One neighbor had the harvest gold two-tone like the one shown here, and another had avocado and teak wood doors. One earlier kitchen had a sort of aqua blue, too, with yellow Formica. Several people, however, got tired of the color and had the cabinets taken out and brought to a shop that repainted them, then had them reinstalled. At the time it seemed to me a ridiculous thing to do, but when I realize the quality of these cabinets it makes sense–more sense than demo-ing them and putting in cheap box store cabinets.
pam kueber says
yes, i am sure st. charles had wood doors at one time when this was a trendy thing to do
lynn karsky says
I have a St Charles Kitchen with metal cabinets on bottom with cherry wood on top . The metal doors need painting to give them a lift but I would never tear them out. The house was built in 1939 kitchen redone in the 60s or 70s . I found several useful tips on painting them. Thanks
Chris Hyde says
Any help on painting metal St. Charles cabinets would be great.
Pam Kueber says
Chris, this is not a DIY/fixit site per se. We have done some stories where readers mentioned the type of painting method they used. You should be able to find these in either Kitchen Help/Readers & Their Kitchens subcategory or Kitchen Help/Steel Kitchens subcategory. Please be aware: There can be hazards such as lead and asbestos in our old homes, their products and materials, and layer — get with your own properly licensed professionals to assess what you are dealing with so that you can make informed decisions how to handle. For more info, see our Be Safe/Renovate Safe page here — https://retrorenovation.com/renovate-safe/
Harold T. Holmes says
These match my mothers 1958 Youngstown Kitchen steel cabinets and sink unit….need the range hood unit and the right door unit.( 36x24x13 & 18x24x13 right)) …..to complete an area witjh her new 36″ range….please advise if you can ship……to Wheeling WV or Flushing OH via / UPS now handles Freight……and we will pay for the packaging and shipment….need to buy the two units at once…..
pam kueber says
Harold, we do not sell anything here. You need to contact the seller listed via the link.
Robin, NV says
I LOVE these! I’d never heard of a two tone kitchen before seeing them on this blog. But now I love the look and would die to have some of my own one day. What color countertops would look good with these, do you think? My Consoweld “Autumn Breeze” counters might do the trick.
pam kueber says
Hmmm. For this 60s look, I think I would have an off-white counter top (which is what I spy on one of these pieces) with off white 2″ square tiles (or 1.5 or I’d have to agonize over this) as the backsplash. Of course, they also scream for gold glitter laminate.
Puddletown Cheryl says
How about off white or harvest gold backsplash made up of 2″x2″ on the diagonal?
pam kueber says
How about: Wallpaper! 🙂
Marc says
Luv them! Hope they go to a good buyer!
Cynthia says
Very cool. The price makes me feel a bit better about the $5500 we dropped on our Genevas in May…gorgeous set of 20 mint green cabinets, including a 80″ high pantry, all in excellent condition. If we hadn’t snatched it up, someone else would have. And you certainly can’t get a brand-new set of quality kitchen cabinets for that kind of money. So it was well worth it. Still, the price tag made us gulp a bit. 😉
Hope someone puts these to great use…would love to see pics if/when they get used!
Robin, NV says
I was thinking the same thing – would love to see them set up.
Sarah says
Wow! Those are from the little town where my mom was born and my grandma lived until she passed away just a few years ago! Small world!