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?
Katie says
First of all, I don’t think that there is anything wrong with letting a house change as it ages. But at the same time, you need to respect the time that the house was built in.
The color of the cabinets, and the fact that they are wood works for the period. I’d leave them in place, with new pulls. The floor ditto. What needs to change is the countertop, and appliances. That, and a new coat of paint and the kitchen won’t look like it came out of a 1963 Better Homes and Garden’s photoshoot, but it will fit the house.
Gene Brake says
– keep the scallop 🙂
– keep the counter tops, they are a color and style that will blend in more than you realize
– cabinets, paint or not? hmm. If you do paint them, have them done professionally, ideally sprayed. Nothing worse for resale than badly painted cabinetry in the kitchen. I would honestly keep them wood. If your budget allows, you could have a carpenter put a simple thin luan cover on the shaker doors to turn them to flat panel.
– change the cabinet and drawer hardware to a copper or chrome mid mod saucer style
– keep the appliances, even in the mid century design we find stainless ovens /cooktops.
– paint the soffit and backsplash a bright cheery color, aqua, yellow, green or salmon OR find a great MCM wallpaper to cover it all
– floor. I would keep the laminate and instead of tearing it out would find a nice retro style sheet linoleum to use as a “rug”
– cheery mcm style window curtains and accessories to match your color pallet
mrspetunia says
Ahhh, one more thought! After looking at the kitchen I realize I really like the wood counters because they give it warmth, otherwise it might be too cold. Also, they bring in the golds and warm hues I associate with the 60’s. However, I don’t think they would’ve used real wood, more likely a laminate wood 🙂 The laminate wood would not only look more authentic for the period of the house but would be easier to care for.
Mary Elizabeth says
Natural maple countertops, properly treated with many layers of polyurethane and protected from standing water, will last for years. I have friends whose maple countertops are ten years old, and there are no spots or damage, even around the sink. They merely wipe them up with a dry cloth after splashing water on them–and they don’t even do it right away, just after finishing the cooking. Messy spills can be cleaned with Murphy’s spray soap.
Lesley B says
To my eye, it’s really the stainless appliances and the very light floor that are taking away from a vintage feel. Those would be much easier to deal with than countertops and cabinets. Sell the appliances to pay for some great vintage or vintage lookalikes. Move the microwave somewhere else. Replace the floor with colorful linoleum or vinyl tiles, add some cool accessories and enjoy a clean, well-made, functional space. Waste not, want not – what could be more “mid-century modest” than that?
mrspetunia says
OK, I’ve been thinking more about your dilemma and found an “inspiration room.” Maybe it’s your style, maybe not. Anyway, it’s sorta retro but still updated so it shouldn’t be bad for resale.
https://bigchill.com/shop/stoves/pro-stove-30-inch/
I love the appliances “swoon” and the blue seems to be what you were going for with your paint. You wouldn’t have to do that exact floor pattern but I do really like the colors. Paint your cabinets white and that would be a very close match. I’m not sure how the granite would play with this design… If it looked to out of place you could either go wood or maybe a boomerang laminate in blue or something. Just an idea!
Marie Gamalski says
All the “paint the cabinets cream” comments are just….. strange, who ever saw painted cabinets in mid century houses?!?! The cabinets were maple or pine w/a clear coat…. please, DO NOT PAINT the cabinets, it’s just wrong and weird….
Pam Kueber says
… There were painted cabinets.
Mandrake says
I suggest reading here: https://retrorenovation.com/2013/03/18/wood-kitchen-cabinets-look-like-vintage-steel-kitchen-cabinets/
Bobbie says
Hi Marie,
I think you’re focusing on a very narrow definition of “mid-century” design in making this comment. What I love about this site, and what I feel is most innovative about Pam Kueber’s voice in the conversation about it is a wider idea of what “mcm” encompasses, whether it be modern, modest, “granny,” etc. etc. It isn’t as if people of that era all shared the same design vision. To that end, there were certainly many instances of painted cabinetry, even including elaborate stenciling and details in contrasting colors. When I did my kitchen my dream of white steel cabinetry wasn’t in the cards, so I went with white painted shaker for the clean lines and crisp color.
CarolK says
I have white painted cabinets with slab doors in my mid-century house. We’re re-doing our kitchen and sunroom this year and I’ll replace them with white Shaker cabs. My old lower cabinets are shot -lots of water damage- and the uppers will be donated or maybe even re-purposed. My kitchen is more mid-century modest that MCM.
Marie Gamalski says
A bit confused… are you wanting to re-date or not so much? It looks functional, however, to fit w/the period, that granite should be Formica and the floors should be linoleum or linoleum tile, the cabinets seem ok…are you planning on staying for awhile or leaving soon? Either way, it seems if you were to find a realtor that specializes in the period it should definitely be returned to its former glory….
Kate says
Oh my! You all have given us so many excellent and varied ideas to contemplate, including some inspirations that had never occurred to us. Thank you one and all for all of this, it’s totally brightened my week and I can’t wait to do some more concrete daydreaming (and scouring of this website, and viewing of shows, and surfing of websites you’ve recommended, and purposeful browsing at our neighborhood vintage shops). Now if I can just get the right combination of ideas + time + money….stay tuned! With gratitude, Kate
Brian says
Actually do not hate your kitchen, as I feel it has a bit of a MidCentury Modest/Colonial vibe going on. I’d capitalize on that.
Have you considered glazing your cabinets? Something in a Colonial Green or Rustic Red could be really cool, but even a creamy ivory would work.
By all means, replace those pulls. I’d recommend something Copper – which has that Early American vibe.
And replace those appliances – But you don’t need to go with the “Retro” manufacturers to get an MC-Colonial vibe. How about a cheery red or orange stove from Bertazzoni, which costs about the same as a Big Chill 30″ Retro stove? Mix it with a dishwasher that has a swappable front that you can match the color of the stove you choose by using a painted aluminum panel – or see if you could even powdercoat paint the front of your old dishwasher…
I do like the looks of the Big Chill Retropolitain refrigerator- but the GE looks good too. You know you don’t have to match your appliances to get that Retro appearance, right? Our Mothers and Dads replaced appliances as necessary – so usually nothing matched…
I’d get rid of the microwave hood – nothing Retro about a microwave above the stove. But Copper – oh, that would make a great Retro-Colonial hood!
While you’re at it, how about changing out the sink faucet for a Copper one?
You do need to do your backsplash – I’d either say a great rustic subway tile, like from Heath Ceramics, or put up some beadboard and shellac the heck out of it till you get that great shiny honey color of Colonial kitchens.
Your floor is fine for Early American/Colonial – just accessorize with a big colorful round/oval braided rugs from Capel.
Some fun Colonial light fixtures – think Metal Shades, Toleware, Antiqued Brass/Copper – would be perfect here.
And finally, some bright gingham on black or brass clip rings hung cafe-style below a matching gingham valence!
Retroski says
I love questions like this since it gives my designer brain a chance to kick in! Your kitchen has great design bones/functionality and I can tell the wood cabinets are quality-made. Don’t touch ’em! Minus hardware swap.
The keywords for your design redo I’d think are Classic/Subtle/Simplicty.
The “Early American” design idea is spot on because that look is classic, simple, functional and can be done in a way that reads “classic” vs. 1960s
Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian comes to mind:
http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/kitchen/index.htm
https://retrorenovation.com/2009/09/01/julia-childs-kitchen/
Love the light blue you’ve used. Blue/Orange are complements and the light honey/maple color would pair well with a color scheme of light blue/terra cotta/brick with accents of verdigris, teal or even red or cobalt. Like light blue, copper and a blue or red-toned accent color.
“Some fun Colonial light fixtures – think Metal Shades, Toleware, Antiqued Brass/Copper – would be perfect here” along with an accents of “brick color”, a braided rug with shades of brick or terra cotta with light blue/teal and white/cream, and pulls in copper or antiqued brass. Key…Keep it subtle!
Agree about the tile backsplash/microwave hood. A copper one would look really pretty and if you don’t use your microwave, yay. But if you do, you could get a little counterop model.
Top changes:
-Keep it subtle!
-Keep appliances in name of fruagility. Rebuy as they die, or resell at a reputable refurbished appliance shop and replace with nice basics bought from the refurbished appliance shop.
-For sure replace the pulls in a copper, antiqued brass, or iron look.
-Don’t paint the cabinets.
-You can “wallpaper” the soffit with temporary “fabric” wallpaper in a pattern/color scheme that matches your 60s look. Like Spoonflower fabric/toile/gingham/stripes. Just cut the fabric to size and roll on a paste of cornstarch/water. It stays up and removes in a pinch.
-Tile backsplash in white subway or Heath Ceramics type (LOVE!), matte color that picks up on the color of the pulls
– Acessorize with curtains/decor/cansiters that look retro, but can go with you when you move.
Countertops. The granite is okay. It could remain. But if budget permits, and you can remove it carefully, take out the granite and donate it to the ReStore. Replace with white quartz (not acrylic corain) in a subtle white/grey speckle design. Menards has a nice example of that. Nice because it looks like glitter laminate but it has that modern appeal of white stone that people like now, and it’s durable.
I need to redo my blah 80s redone kitchen in a style that will resell/but that we like so I’m taking the approach of modern materials that lend themselves to a retro look, but done with a simplicity that lends itself to a modern or retro look. Subtle/Classic/Simple always wins!
Good luck!
RL Johnson says
am going to be a devils advocate here.
the article doesnt say if this is your forever home or if you plan on selling the house in the next 5 yrs. if the former than have great fun but it sounds like it could be expensive to remove perfectly good counters and appliances for ‘cheaper’ styles. but thats me..
However, if the latter do not and i repeat this, do not do a taste specific mid 60s kitchen. at least not on the hard surfaces.. the Majority of buyers cannot get past someones vision to ‘see’ what they can do with it. most will simply state -this has to go, & if they are interested in your house they WILL lowball your price.. all they see is $$$ to redo your retro kitchen.. (i speak from experiance here)
even paint can be a problem. unless you go with a very classic neutral.
clean almost plain cabinets and and appliances are the necessities.
Do your self a great favor and DECORATE your kitchen in the sixties designs with all the REMOVABLE items.. the kitchy fun and period appropriate counter top appliances towels paper towel holders etc.,.
then the day you decide to sell. PACK THEM UP nice and neat and ready for your next home and STAGE that kitchen back to neutral with only a few simple items of popped color..
just my thoughts and i wish you best of luck in your endeavors..