LaDonna loved the look of vintage steel kitchen cabinets, but wanted the features of wood. So, taking a cue from the vintage Elgins at her parents’ house — and inspired by her grandmothers’ kitchens — she mimicked the look with 3/4 overlay slab doors. She also incorporated New Old Stock liner tile from a Retro Renovation ebay find, and has tips for matching its size to subway tiles.
LaDonna writes:
Hi Pam,
I have very fond memories of both of my grandmothers’ houses and decided to merge elements from both of their kitchens to create a “comfort” kitchen into my no-character brick ranch. My parents still had their Elgin steel cabinets left over from their 70’s kitchen reno, but I remember hitting my head on them and how sharp they were. So, I decided to recreate them in wood.
Later, my mom and dad sold their house and Dad gave me the metal Elgin plaque as a momento. I even had a plaque made to put where the metal Elgin sign would normally be using our last name in place of “Elgin”.
I purchased some of the tiles on ebay from Angela for my backsplash and paired them with white subway tile. I found that they are the same thickness as porcelain 3 x 6 subway tile and not the thinner ceramic 3 x 6 subway tile.
My tile installer had no problems, and I love the way it looks!
My countertop is quartz, but I picked a style that reminded me of laminated countertops. I also live in an all electric house, therefore a vintage gas stove was out of the question, so I opted for a GE Artistry range.
I liked the GE Artistry refrigerator but it was also smaller than I wanted. The one I have now is a Samsung.
My most favorite thing in my kitchen is the NBI double drainboard sink since I think that gives it the most charm.
Thank you for your wonderful blog and giving your readers the resources to help them in the remodeling of their dream homes.
Sincerely,
LaDonna
Nicely done, LaDonna — a blend of old and new that shows off your beloved collections and gives you tremendous decorating flexibility. Thank you for sharing!
mag says
Love the sink, and all the Penn Dutch (tulip) kitschy items. I’m a total sucker for Penn Dutch kitchen goodies! In addition, my mum had those mixing bowls, that are on the top shelf, when I was a child. I also appreciate what LaDonna said about the counter. When we worked on our 1920’s kitchen, I went with a soft black solid surface because black was not unheard of in kitchens of the time. Also, I could get around to having drain boards routed into the sides on either side of the sink, because I couldn’t find integrated drain board sinks at the time.
Being that this is a challenge in our 1960’s kitchen as well, I just read of someone painting their fridge to be a mid-century colour, and it looks great. The challenge of white appliances these days is that unless they are all from the same design generation and brand, they won’t coordinate, and then if you have a white kitchen, that’s another challenge. Wish appliances came in more colours so one doesn’t have to get panel kits or repaint to make it work in a space. Wonder what LaDonna thinks about choosing modern appliances for a vintage-inspired kitchen.
Margaret in Maine says
LOVE your project! Absolutely classic, timeless choices, and I am sure they suit the house perfectly. When you choose styles that fit your house, they’ll never look dated. And you NAILED IT!
Thansk for sharing,
Margaret
GlenEllyn says
“When you choose styles that fit your house, they’ll never look dated.”
Amen!
GlenEllyn says
What a wonderful blend of vintage style with modern technology! Big cheer for no stainless steel appliances! I’m soooo tired of seeing them seemingly everywhere.
I’ve often wondered if the look of metal cabinets could somehow be recreated with wood. You’ve done it so very well. Not sure why, but I’ve always liked the vent detail on sink cabinets and yours is perfect.
I particularly like how nicely you integrated the drainboard sink into your kitchen. I’ve seen plenty of examples where it looks completely out of place, but yours looks exceptionally good!
I’m envious of your lovely tile work, too. Gosh, I could go on and on… Congratulations on your fabulous kitchen!
Dan says
A real charmer, and it’s nice to know not everyone feels compelled to go stainless. That custom logo is what really sells it.
What finish did you use on the cabinets? It has such a flawless look in closeup.
Gretchen in Greenwood says
I love it all, but I totally agree that that sink makes the space! I have an original drainboard sink and Geneva cabinets in my kitchen .They are slightly beat up, since they’ve been in use since 1957, but I wouldn’t trade them for any modern options. They are still attractive and functional.
Debbie in Portland says
That sink is swoon-worthy and I adore those red sizzle strip tiles, but the custom-made plaque is my favorite touch in this kitchen!
Calif Phil says
Beautiful! The white appliances look so nice compared to stainless that most everyone uses. My Grandma also had white metal kitchen cupboards. Brings back memories for me as well.
Stacy says
This is such a darling kitchen! Love all the bits that belonged to Mom and Grandma. It’s like getting a little hug from them every time you look at them. 🙂
That enclosed work station is fantastic. Great job!
Barbara says
I really love this kitchen because it is so charming while looking like a great place to actually cook. I think it’s not easy to strike that balance. Is the flooring commercial vinyl?
lynda says
Super job! This is a very nice kitchen. Love the Jewel Tea collection. Lots of attention to detail created a beautiful kitchen. I have a question for all GE Artistry range owners. I bought the range for the “look” for my daughter’s kitchen. I do like it. However, recently the oven indicator light will not go off. The oven temperature is still correct and the oven does turn off, just the light remains on. I have called GE, and they say call a repairman. I have done some research and cannot find a fix. If anyone else has had this problem and has fixed it, I would love to hear about how you fixed it. Thanks, so much.
Bob Connor says
Sounds like it may not be wired right, that is if you are expecting the light to go out when the set temperature. I have the gas version with a light and it does go out once the temperature is reached.
pam kueber says
Is it under warranty? Call the phone number…