Thank you for your help. I use that resource all the time, actually, and this one was produced in the 1920s. I don't remember the exact year, but I should probably cut down on my antique sewing machine collection if I'm starting to forget the dates! Also, I don't think it's covered in a veneer. The clear and bubbly texture is even on the drawers. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I don't know much about such things, but this is my guess based on the information that I do know. The texture is actually chunky in some places. These areas are very, very rough and look as if they were painted with a varnish mixed with sawdust. That's the best way to describe it. The surface even looks eaten away in some areas while the original wood shows through in other areas. I definitely want to keep the machine as original as possible. I will be bringing it along to a new apartment, though, and thought it would be fun to change it from a plain piece of furniture to something more modern, girly, and just more "me."

Your kitchen has character. I recommend Scotts Liquid Gold for the cabinets. Be careful where the finish is worn near the knobs. If you are new to old houses, I recommend the This Old House website. If you are a perfectionist, try Fine Homebuilding. There are excellent resources for tuning up old cabinets on the web - things like fixing the drawer runners or tightening hinges. I suggest you look at lighting first. What do you have now? Sometimes just changing the bulbs can make a huge difference. A schoolhouse style light with efficient LED bulb might work. If you have a big 4 foot fluorescent fixture, look at the best $5 "warm white" tubes for an inexpensive improvement in light quality (better than $1 "garage workshop"bulbs. You might look at new sheet vinyl that looks like cork or old fashioned linoleum. Marmoleum is likely to be too expensive for your current budget, but you may find a sheet vinyl that looks similar. Formica has a zillion patterns, including some re-issues of 1960's patterns. Take a look at their website and pick up some samples. New wallpaper could be a fast and stylish retro choice. Or painting the walls.

@Stephanie Gelem - Beautiful kitchen! I know it’s been 3 years, but I came across your thread and as I was reading I was hoping that you decided to move forward with your original plan. Everything turned out great; and it looks more like a $70,000 - $80,000 project. I can’t believe you did everything for less than $60,000! You made excellent choices and certainly pulled back in the right areas, not sacrificing any noticeable form or function. I bet you’re happy to have that stovetop off the island! The floors are spectacular. Its amazing that you were able to include the refinishing/installation of such a high quality item in your project...for such a reasonable price! You must have really done your homework. Anyway, sorry for the long post. But I am just so pleased that you actually took the time to come back to the thread and give us the update and the pictures. That doesn’t happen too often, and I know everyone will appreciate that you were kind enough to provide the info. Again, great job. Your kitchen is just lovely! Mary

Yes, my kitchen looks and feels so much different now. Mind you, my cabinets were not as nice as yours, nor were they true cherry wood. More like poly-stained cherry. It was a bit of a chore starting off with little DIY experience or knowledge. It took me 3-4 weeks, but I had no help or room to complete the project, so it took a lot longer than it should have. With the right materials and technique, yes it's very doable and long lasting. A friend painted his cabinets at the same time, but took 3 days with help. It also depends on how much effort you are willing to put into prep, which makes all the difference in finish and how long it lasts. Most think I sprayed my cabinets, but I didn't. Professionally painted cabinets or extremely well done DIY, will not damage resale value if your cabinets are already worn. DIY chalk painted and distressed cabinets, and bad paint jobs might though. When are you thinking of selling? 1-2 yrs, yeah keep what you have.