Do you want to build a ‘new’ kitchen using vintage steel kitchen cabinets? Well, buckle up: Because if you’re going to fit someone else’s cabinets into your space, you may have to collect quite a few to fit your kitchen layout. How many? How about: 60. Yes, Drew is most definitely a The Hard Way 2017 contender after collecting 60 vintage Geneva steel kitchen cabinets — from four different sets in four different locations — so that he could get the “just right” layout for his apartment in an historic Chicago complex. And to increase the level of difficulty even more: He hunted a rare “Impasto” finish. That Lazy Daisy was… a unicorn, but he found it!
The “After” photos:A lovely blue kitchen that suits the space beautifully. Thanks to Drew and to realtor Newman Realty Services for permission to show these photos. Yes: The condominium apartment is now for sale here (original link now gone but redirects here.)
Here’s Drew’s kitchen cabinet collecting story, edited for readability and to combine several emails:
Hi Pam,
First off, thank you so much for creating such a valuable resource for all of us. Your blog was a starting point for me, via Google, when I decided to renovate my kitchen and keep my original Geneva Kitchen Cabinets with the Impasto finish.
I’ve been meaning to write to you about my project for some time. My home in Chicago is now on the market, and I’d like to share with you my successfully completed project before it sells.
Long story short: In 2009, I bought an all original 1962 condo in Chicago’s storied Sandburg Terrace housing development.
Sandburg Terrace was designed in the 50s and built in the 60s and early 70s as a urban renewal project on Chicago’s near north side. It’s 2,600 units span four long city blocks. The first building was built in 1962, Alcott, which is the unit where my condo is located.
The early Sandburg units were built with Geneva cabinets that have the Impasto finish. Mine was originally built with a set of yellow cabinets that were in excellent shape when I bought the unit – the cabinets were the main reason why I purchased my place.
Famous “Impasto” finish
I always knew that I wanted to expand the kitchen and about three years ago began searching for additional cabinets. In total, I found four additional sets through Craigslist, ebay and my local salvage store with the same finish — a miracle.
My cabinets came from Geneva, IL; Hartford, CT; and Evanston, IL. They were all different colors. I created an inventory of all the cabinets and then worked on designing my kitchen. Missing ones were identified and purchased one by one using the original sales materials — the Lazy Daisy came out of a barn in southern Illinois.
The cabinets were electrostatically painted by a local commercial coatings specialist in the popular Pantone 2016 “Snorkel Blue” to modernize the cabinets and make them new for a whole new generation to fall in love with them.
I selected a KOHLER Cast Iron undermount sink and a Silestone “Mont Blanc” countertop that kept with the spirit of the original gold flecks. The widespread faucet is the same manufacturer as what was original to the unit: Central Brass in Ohio [Amazon affiliate link – Pam]. The original ceiling fixture was restored and painted to match the cabinets.
Appliances are from the GE Artistry series [now discontinued but it looks like there is some last stock remaining in stores – Pam] completed my retro look.
At the height of my collection of Geneva cabinets, I had over 60 pieces split between my condo, two storage units, and a friend’s basement. All extra cabinets found new homes with people who were as passionate about them as I am.
Your blog was key to inspiring me to do the project, find the sources, and make sure I restored everything correctly.
I used a German Chromium cream to shine all the original hardware, which was boiled first in a crockpot to clean off years of exposure to great meals. The bumpers were replaced on all the drawers and doors with modern door mutes, and all the original metal coated shelves got a bath in Dawn in my bathtub – it was an overnight treatment. [Readers: Do your own research / consult with pros when making decisions on how to clean old stuff. Renovate Safe – Pam]It’s bittersweet that happy life events have caused me to put my place on the market.
Additionally, the bathroom was restored similarly. All the chrome fixtures are new in box Hall-Mack fixtures from the 1960s and I replaced all the original Central Brass fixtures in the sink and tub with new ones from the company. A friend of mine in the design trade restored the original Hollywood ceiling fixture. The medicine cabinet and mirror are original to the unit.
Thanks for the chance to share my story with you — and thanks again for all the inspiration!Best regards, Drew
Howdy hudee, Drew, what an accomplishment! 60 cabinets — from four different kitchens! I had 67 before I started and ‘made it’ by just one filler piece. But: All my cabinets came from one space, a cooking-school kitchen. Your story is way more typical. You get many many gold stars for tenacity!
Thank you for sharing your story — and good luck with the sale and your next adventures. It will be interesting, for sure, to hear what comments are made by prospective buyers.
Link love:
- See more photos of Drew’s renovated Sandburg Terrace condo for sale now via Newman Realty Services Inc. — note, original link now gone but redirects here
louiseb says
I have the Artistry refrigerator and dishwasher in my kitchen. As someone said, not high end but looks great in my setting. This kitchen is gorgeous.
Hunter Hampton says
I grew up with pale yellow Geneva cabinets in the kitchen of a pre-war apartment in New York city. The countertops were yellow cracked ice, with the aluminum counter edging. I don’t think the counters were original, I think my mother replaced the originals in 1951.
Marie-Claire Kurt says
Wow, that’s dedication! You’ve done a great job, it looks brilliant
alan says
Nice but sad to see the yellow go!
LuAnn says
Wow! What a labor of love on your part, Drew. I bet it’s hard to let go of that beautiful historic apartment you worked so hard to get just right. Very impressive. ????
Karin says
Lisa, thank you for the heads up. I check eBay daily as well. I must be using the wrong keywords.
Karin says
Drew, your dedication to seeing your “nubbly” Geneva cabinet project through to completion is an inspiration. I hope the new owner appreciates all the work and attention to detail that went into making your condo so special. I’m currently collecting Youngstown cabinets for my condo as well. Although I’ve had great luck with the ones I’ve already amassed, their availability in my area is somewhat limited. I have two or three more to go! So you can see why I almost cried (lol) when a co-worker told me her neighbor tossed some Youngstowns to the curb. In case I don’t find the last few cabinets I need, I actually bought several extra Youngstown chrome pulls so I can “fake” them. This site has been invaluable with solutions and suggestions. It is the go-to resource for steel cabinet help. Great story, thank you for giving us steel cabinet fans hope.
Lisa Compo says
I’m collecting Genevas for a remodel one day so I check Ebay almost daily for my few elusive pieces. Just wanted to pass on to Karin that there are 12 Youngstown cabinets on there now, and maybe more. Not sure where she lives but I seem to find pretty many around the Cincinnati area. It’s Murphy’s Law I suppose that I usually find the brand I am not collecting. 😉
P.S. Drew did a gorgeous kitchen. Congrats on the accomplishment of getting so many Impastos. Sometimes it feels like hunting hen’s teeth when you know what you need and feel like it’s hidden out there in the world somewhere, but you just can’t get it to turn up. The satisfaction of finding things is such a high, I think I have a kitchen cabinet shopping obsession. LOL
s says
After all that work I would be inclined to sell the unit with a covenant, maybe with a historical group or land trust, that the cabinets could not be removed for at least a certain number of years.
Carolyn says
Well, yeah it was easy back then to just order what you needed and be done but I can see why we have to buy too many to get enough to fit our needs today. Lucky for Drew that he lives in an area that probably has a lot of this type of needed supply available relatively close by. But still – 60…and pray you don’t need just.one.more. thing to complete your project!
Congrats to you, Drew for even starting this project, happy you were able to enjoy it even for a little while and hope the new owners “get” it. Thanks for sharing.
lynda says
Absolutely beautiful. What a hard worker you are. I bet the condo is already sold. Both the kitchen and the bath are so pretty. The new owners will be so fortunate to have this gorgeous place. I am sure you have more remodels in your future. You are extremely talented.
I love the look of the Artistry appliances. They are not very high end, but the look is just right for certain kitchens. I hope some appliance manufacturer plans to bring out something that looks like the Artistry line.