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?
Eliza says
rehab addict kitchen!! http://www.diynetwork.com/shows/rehab-addict/episodes/700-1/kitschy-kitchen
Eliza says
Just adding curtains would make an impact. red and white checks! Just valance. Change the cabinet hardware to something more 60s. I like the idea of the white countertops. See if you can find the rehab addict episode where Nicole redoes the kitchen in her grandparent’s old house – she put in white countertop although it had originally had red laminate. It was beautiful.
Laura's Last Ditch Vintage Kitchenwares says
If it’s good quality, I’d just live with it. While I don’t love remodels and prefer it be retro to the correct era, what I REALLY find objectionable is botch jobs – because they have no redeeming value now, and no redeeming value later. So, if it is nice quality (you say it’s from a master woodworker), I’d personally leave it alone and try to enjoy it for what it is, with an eye for how cool and retro it will be some day.
Kristy says
Hi!
Personally, I find it horrific and distasteful when the inside of a vintage home is renovated to be a different era’s style than the outside of the home. In terms of resale, I think buyers are really starting to look for and desire continuity from outside to inside in terms of style, renovation, and decor. Plus, styling from the ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s is extremely undesirable now and decreases house resale value substantially as buyers feel that they will automatically have to invest an unknown amount of money towards a possibly expensive and expansive renovation project to bring the home into this decade and still pay homage to its vintage roots (think, the cost of hiring a designer!). Instead, buyers are swaying more to either vintage, farmhouse, or extremely modern styling, and as such, renovating in a way that keeps continuity with the house’s age but also takes a modern twist is the way to go. So with that in mind, here are my suggestions…
I agree that the major issue is the granite countertops. I would replace them with a solid color (either white or slate grey) quartz countertop which do come moderately priced compared to Carrera marble (which is currently extremely hot in kitchen and bathroom renovations this decade). Plus, quartz will increase the value for resale as compared to Formica. Other options are butcher block wood countertops, concrete, or stainless steel, which are all modern but play nicely with a vintage aesthetic.
In addition, I would paint the cabinets but there’s absolutely NO need to completely replace them! Painting rather than replacing will save you a TON of money. I say you should paint the cabinets because the color or tone of the wood is not true to vintage kitchens, instead the color of the wood is very ’90s! You could go with the traditional and higher resale valued white color cabinets, OR you could paint uppers white or grey and lowers a nice darker color (maybe navy blue or dark grey?), OR you could paint both uppers and lowers in a great vintage color like aqua/teal, blue, red, mint green, or yellow, (or even pink! Lol). Painting in a bright color is less a sure thing for resale, but you could easily prime and repaint white when you go to sell and enjoy the color you love in the meantime.
I would also change the cabinet pulls to something actually vintage (check eBay or Restoration Hardware) or something new but modeled on vintage (check Anthropologie). Vintage or new, but vintage styled, pulls and knobs can get to be kind of expensive ($5-$15 each) but I think it’s a worthy investment as it will really bring the look together vintage wise. You could go with brass, gold, or shiny chrome plated hardware, but definitely stay away from brushed chrome or brushed nickel as that is definitely ’90s.
I would also definitely invest in a TILE backsplash as that is kind of mandatory when it comes to a higher resale value for a home these days. I would recommend traditional subway tiles as they are classic and will never go out of style, allowing you to bridge vintage and modern in one investment. Wallpaper, vintage or vintage style, removable peel and stick or traditional pasted, is usually expensive, can be a pain to put up (think…lining up intricate patterns) and take down, and is almost always unique in style to the taste of the current owner who chose it, thus needing to be taken down and replaced with a freshly painted wall (but, then the new prospective owner thinks they will have to invest in a backsplash and it’s an added expense that might dissway them from purchasing the house as, if one detail is missing, buyers get the feeling that multiple details in the house will be missing and it will all add up to fix/install/replace financially!) or new tile backsplash, so it makes investment sense to choose a widely appealing tile in a style that is both considered vintage and modern, and install said tile backsplash in the initial renovation. Plus, plain white subway tile is perfect in a vintage yet modern kitchen as is generally very moderately priced!
I wouldn’t change the flooring at all, however, as the flooring doesn’t really detract from a vintage feel and replacing it would be UBER expensive!
I would also keep the appliances as they are all stainless steel which is appealing for the modern aesthetic and does not detract at all from a vintage feel. White, or especially black, appliances are very dated and ’80s/’90s so you wouldn’t want to go backwards and replace them with those color appliances. And, vintage themed appliances are really cute, but extremely expensive (I know from experience), and will not appeal to a wide array of home buyers as the colors are unique in taste to the homeowner that’s selling. In addition, the vintage themed appliances force the kitchen to be too vintage for modern style buyers and they will move on from potentially buying that house because the investment in replacement appliances to match their modern aesthetic will run around $4,000-$12,000!
Finally, I agree with the other commenters that vintage home decor will really bring the vintage aesthetic together and it is easily removable when it comes time to resell the house. I would collect actual vintage or vintage styled kitchen decor and useful items like towels/tea towels, aprons, oven mitts, curtains, canisters, jars, dishes/bowls/storage containers (think…Pyrex, Corning, or Jadeite), gold/brass/chrome flatware, wooden mixing spoons, cute measuring cups, coffee cups, vases, etc., to decorate and use in the kitchen area. (I would also add in some plants, either hanging or on the counter, and framed vintage prints, if you are looking for more of a boho aesthetic than just pure vintage.) Then, when you go to resell, just declutter and remove the vintage/vintage like kitchen accessories and decor, and replace with simple/modern items.
Hope this helps!
Kristy
Vintage Fox Furniture Rescue on Etsy.com
Kristy says
One more thing, since replacing the countertops should be #1 on your to-do list, take advantage of the situation to also get an apron-front/farmhouse sink which is loved both in vintage and modern aesthetics! In addition, get a vintage looking faucet that also plays well with modern (think materials like chrome, gold, brass, or copper) and ideally coordinate the faucet finish with the finish of the new knobs and pulls. I suggest a pull down faucet that has the curved professional cook’s kitchen style.
That’s it!
Thanks!
Kristy
lynda says
I love reading all of the ideas. I wish there was a like feature on this site so we could click on the comments we agree with. I am with the do not clutter the landfill group. It is a fine kitchen and I think a buyer would think it was nice. I would add a cute retro fabric valance and replace the hardware with some new chrome handles. I would put up the 4″ square tiles for the backsplash and keep everything else. I would put my money into retro accessories and the retro small appliances like Smeg. A retro rug would brighten the space (indoor/outdoor rugs work well) and I would find some retro dish towels too. All of those items could be taken with you when you move. Most buyers still like granite, I think. Another option for a backsplash would be white beadboard. You can get a type like Azek at big box stores so water will not damage it. It might look a little retro for the space. And when you buy the next house, make sure the kitchen truly needs redone so you can do what you really like.
Jay says
You’ve lived in the house for several years now, do you intend to stay there? If so then you can justify making changes to suit yourself and not an imaginary buyer. The floor appears to be a laminate, if so then you can change out the floor at reasonable cost for sheet vinyl or tiles or linoleum that will give you a more retro vibe which can be changed out easily in the future. Flooring is one item that people change out over time due to wear and tear. If you can justify new counters then solid hued Corian or quartz will help and will appeal to others just as much as granite.
Leave those wood cabinets alone, custom cabinets many $$$.
Laura Maschal says
I loved the comment about dealing with the “deal breaker” first! Update the countertops with quartz — white would be great — and either replace the backsplash with fun tile or put removable stickers over existing. Put on vintage-look pulls (check Rejuvenation, other stories here). Put down a classic black and white checkerboard floor on the diagonal — you could even float it — and add some accessories. Boom! Less than $10k and you could have the vintage kitchen of your dreams. 🙂
Ky says
I say love the house you are in, and sometimes that means living with what previous owners have done if it is in good shape and functions well. My house was built in the 70’s but the kitchen underwent a stainless and granite transformation before we bought it. While it doesn’t entirely mesh with the era, the granite chosen complements the original cabinets and is perfectly functional, so we’re keeping it.
There are so many other ways to bring in the retro look without making it look like you are doing a set design for a period piece movie or TV show. Consider changing out hardware or accessories, do simple things that add to the character. In my opinion, the best rooms have a look that feels like it has evolved over time, not stuck in a time capsule.
Robin, WA says
Well I think first and foremost it must be said that renovating a kitchen with an eye for resale is not the right attitude. First of all, and believe me on this, you will never be able to figure out what potential buyers want. We’re inundated with stuff like, “you’ll never sell if you don’t have granite counters” but there are loads of people who don’t want granite. Secondly, and I know the point has been made here before, why are you renovating for some imaginary person who may or may not exist? You live in the house right now, make it what you want and don’t worry about prospective buyers. If the renovation is done well, that will speak for itself.
Jackie says
This is the wisest comment on the list so far.
Jeff K says
Totally agree with Robin!
Louise says
Just change out the hardware. Those cabinets aren’t not-retro. Look at that woodwork around the window. The only thing that is not it’s the appliances and counters. Don’t bother changing the counters when they work perfectly well. Maybe change out the hardware on the sink to something vintage. Throw some early American tea towels around and add vintage flour and sugar canisters instead of modern ones and you’re good to go.
Kathy says
Louise, I agree. Some retro-Early American vibe would work with the brown, wood, counter-tops etc. Change the flooring, paint, cabinet knobs and add some knick knacks that look 1776 maybe? But it depends really on how long this owner believes they will be living in this home until they will “resell” it. If it will be enough years, make it the home you enjoy living in.