Here’s a timeless question: Readers Kate and Tom ask how to approach a Retro Renovation of their 1960s kitchen — which was updated by previous owners in another decade’s style — but, with an eye toward being thrifty and toward resale some day. What is your advice? Note: I’ll let readers comment for a while, then, I will follow up with my thoughts and what I learn from you!
Update: My followup story with my ideas is here.
Kate and Tom write (edited from two emails for flow):
Hiya,
This truly is a great resource! I’m pondering ways to re-vintage our 1960s house, which we bought a couple years ago from a couple who had done painstaking renovations of their own (not the original owners) in the 1990s. The house has their flesh-toned fingerprints all over it, and he was a master woodworker, so it’s a very professional 1990s vibe that we have to contend.
We have both lived in older homes that looked more true to their era, and we long for that midcentury look which seems to match the house’s soul. Here is a photo of the kitchen. We just added paint color but dislike hardware, granite, backsplash.
I’m still just in the visioning stages of trying to picture some remodeling, and need some input about our granite countertops/stainless steel/wood cabinets (cherry? oak) with their wrought iron pulls….Worried about resale value, and expenses just to create an aesthetic when what we’ve got functions well and is “up to date.”
What are your thoughts? How can we accentuate more of that 1960s vibe in a way that won’t detract from potential resale value?
–Kate and Tom in Minneapolis
Readers, what do you think?
How should Kate and Tom approach a Retro Renovation — also with an eye toward resale and unnecessary expenditures?
Barbara says
This is my dilemma as well, although my kitchen is more of a muddle. Previous owners slapped a granite countertop on part of my kitchen but not the whole thing. They never updated anything else and it is a weird 80s-90s mix in a 60s house. I’m hoping to paint or reface my cabinets as the boxes and layout are good. I think that is where I would start in your kitchen as well.
Reader Deb says
Hardware:
https://retrorenovation.com/2008/04/26/50s-kitchen-cabinet-hardware-elizabeth-finds-chrome-pulls-great-value/
They mimic the handles on the stove and fridge.
Backsplash:
http://www.wilsonart.com/retro-renovation-creme-caramel-y0406
It has a subtle gray in it that blends well with the stainless, and the caramel blends with the wood. If you don’t want to use it for countertops, white quartz will pick up the white in the laminate.
Ashlee says
Oops, it cut off the rest of my comment….
For now, I would leave the cabinets, appliances and floor. Swap out the countertop if it’s in your budget (I would do a white quartz) and put in a fun backsplash and period hardware. I think that would completely change it for not a huge expense. Good luck!
Ashlee says
When we did our kitchen remodel, we were concerned about resale as well. What we did was went with slab door cabinets and white quartz countertop. This gave it a contemporary look that most people love. To give it a retro flare, we added a 50s tile backsplash and original 50s chrome cabinet hardware. Both of these things could be swapped out easily if someone wanted to achieve a more contemporary look. My advice: for big, immovable finishes, I’d go with timeless; accents that are easy to change, go as fun as you want 🙂
LuAnn says
Personally, I tend to go with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy. I would suggest leaving the cabinets, granite countertops, and appliances as they are unless you decide that this is your “forever” home and want to do more personalizing. I would remove the short backsplash and install either 4″ x 4″ or even subway tile. You could easily change out the cabinet hardware. The floor color seems a little off compared to the cabinets in this photo. Maybe you could restain and keep it. Then it’s just a matter of adding curtains and decor you like that is more in keeping with the period. I hope you have fun with this project! ????
ineffablespace says
I would leave the cabinets as is. The wood tone is not inappropriate to the midcentury and while recessed panel was not common, I don’t think it was unheard of.
I would probably put most of the budget in quartz countertops in a solid-looking actual color for a laminate vibe that had durability qualities similar to granite. Although granite started appearing in the 1970s it was limited to custom “High Modernist” (my term, I think) or late modernist, architect-for-client designed houses.
Unfortunately, granite in a midcentury builder house will completely derail any vintage look, not matter how complete it is in other respects. because you just would not have seen it. I think it may have the potential to make added vintage details look half-hearted or costume-ish.
For the rest I think a mid-century, but not-too-modern or too-European hardware would be most appropriate with the current cabinets. Nothing too fancy or expensive or too slick.
I would not worry about the appliances at all. I look at real estate daily with an eye toward intact kitchens and baths, and even in kitchens and baths that are otherwise Intact, you often see replacement appliances of exactly the sort you have, I don’t think it is distracting to see newer appliances in older kitchens because it’s a natural progression even in unremodeled rooms.
BungalowBILL says
Ugh I hate getting rid of things that are still fully functional. It’s a waste of money and bad for the environment. You can change the look totally by accessorizing. Change out the hardware to something chrome, add little 1/4 round plant/knick knack shelves on the cabinet at the window and sink, new hand towels, and decorate the soffit with a collection of plates, tiles, trays, or kitchenalia. Use the countertop to show off some vintage styled appliances, canisters and storage.
Lynne says
I forgot one other simple thing. Get a cute, short, little valance on that sink window. Put it up with a spring tension rod so that when you sell/move no one would ever know it was there.
Lynne says
First off, what’s the budget and what are your diy skills? Secondly, you’re concern is resale, are you looking to move in one year? Two? Five? If its only a year or two, I wouldn’t bother with too much of anything.
Cheap and short term: Change the cabinet hardware. Wallpaper the soffit and the backsplash. ( At the very least the soffit ) Clear the counters and stove of the modern appliances. Find some vintage canisters, and do-dads such to replace them. Try to find a throw rug in a style and color to compliment the afore mentioned wallpaper for in front of the sink. Same goes for dish towels, tie in your colors.
More expensive and longer term: All of the above, as well as, change the sink, counter, and faucet. At first I thought to paint the cabinets. However, after looking more closely at the style of the doors, I think a better idea would be to try one of those places who just put new door fronts and skins on the existing boxes.
Lauren says
I like wood so I am biased toward keeping wood. Definitely change out the cabinet hardware. And add fun paint or wall paper above the counters. Wood floors are very 1950s, no reason to change them. And I would discourage you from painting the cabinets. I believe that it is a current trend that everyone will regret in 15 years and a disservice to well made cabinets. If the 5 panel cabinet doors really bug you, you could replace with flat panel. It may be tough to do without them looking out of place/cheap as most cabinet makers will want to use more dimensionally stable plywood (If you accept the risk of warping they might use slabs like your drawers, that is what I did). Overall seems like a really nice kitchen. You can replace the appliances as they wear out with less shiny ones and that will probably make a big difference. If they are the element that bugs you the most, sell them and get different ones now. Good Luck!