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Any suggestions?

11 years ago
We would like to update our kitchen to a more modern look in an inexpensive way. Any suggestions?

Comments (13)

  • 11 years ago

    I'd start by repainting the red in a tan/beige in the tiles, and whitewash the wood wall.

    Paint your table, chairs and hutch a soft cream color, and find a nice rug with the tans in the tile to go under the table.

  • PRO
    11 years ago

    Definitely paint the red... I kind of like the wood wall - a white wash would look nice, but I would wait til you get rid of the red. That wall also needs something on it - artwork etc... the kitchen pics are a little dark, but I would def suggest getting a new countertop - you can do another laminate top - they have beautiful ones that look like stone and are quite inexpensive. If you are handy enough, you could paint your cabinets - it is a lot of work, but makes a huge impact in the space... I would also do some simple cosmetics - find a nice runner for the table , get some cushions for the chairs , a nice area rug underneath with a coordinating samller version in front of the sink... it looks like you have a lot of stuff so you may want to see if you can fit a small island or see if you can move the hutch piece to the wood paneled wall and then put in some pantries where it was ( uppers and lowers for more counter ).....

    Good luck and have fun!

  • 11 years ago
    here's some inspiration. :)
  • 11 years ago
    Paint the walls, paint the wood and replace your ceiling fan with a great chandelier
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    You have a nice country style kitchen, but modern it is not. To make it more modern or trendy, lose the diagonal wood wall, patch and prep for painting, clear all the extra "stuff", and get a "cool" chandelier if you can do without the fan. Either paint the kitchen a color to coordinate with wood cabinets like a light green or turquoise, or paint the cabinets white and paint the kitchen another color that appeals to you. Replace the curtains with blinds or leave them bare. The country-styled trim over the window is dating your space.

  • 11 years ago

    With those cabinets and your furniture, here's the most "updated" yet warm look. Paint the walls an off white that resonates with the buff tone in the tile.

    Paint the cabinets the red of the walls - painting the cabinets the red that you guys love will add a lot of charm, work well with the black appliances (eventually replace the fridge black too) and put the red where it is fresh and warm. use bm pottery barn for cabinets, and bm jute for the walls and both horizontal and vertical elements of the soffit.

    You have traditional, rather cottage furnishings . the cabinets relate to that . so the red cabinets add to that vibe. On the wood wall, use the diagonal as if it were lath and nail into it - layer on horizontal tongue and groove / ship lap (mdf comes in primed paint grade inexpensively / miter any joints) and paint the wall the jute tone like all the others. You could take this one step further and paint the chairs black to give contrast back to the table and pick up the black from the cabinets. Leave the sideboard natural. You might paint the single rolling island element black. You might try simple black knob (iron look) hardware. Paint the backsplash one shade deeper than the walls . . close to the color of the wood toned countertops. bm crisp khaki should be close . .


  • 11 years ago
    paint your walls olympic snowstorm satin, splash a darker wood stain onto the wood wall, paint your cabinets a olympic snowy mount hi gloss, paint or install a bright red backsplash.
  • PRO
    11 years ago

    what are you willing to paint, what are you willing to change? what is your budget.


  • 11 years ago
    add some new cabinet hardware such as this
  • 11 years ago

    I like the wood wall but I would paint the red wall a blue/green but more green color. Get new chairs like parsons chairs to update the space. Get rid of the valance over the sink and also the thing (forgot what it is called) that connects the two cabinets over the sink too. Modern is clean lines so clean off the refrigerator too. A new chandalier and remove the valance over the sliding glass door and remove the two plants there too. It won't take much to turn this kitchen around but don't take down the wood wall until you paint and decide if you still want it up. Take out everything you really don't need out and look at it with fresh eyes.

  • 11 years ago

    To modernize your kitchen definitely paint your red wall. It's a rather bold color right now, so paint it white for now. That will change the whole look drastically. (You'd probably have to put at least two coats of any neutral color, so start with a white/off white). Also get rid of your cute curtains. They scream country. Opt for shades rather than curtains, or nothing at all. Also, get rid of the scalloped cornice above your sink. If your budget allows, see what it would cost to change out your cabinet doors to something more current. Maybe something like this? The color isn't a problem as it matches your furniture and wood wall. The style of the doors is rather dated. Then you can add the appropriate hardware. If you can't afford new cabinet doors, painting would be a good idea, but I'd go with a cream/black theme. Painting cabinets is a chore, but painting your furniture is even more complicated. Also, see how you can declutter. Add under cabinet LED strip lights (not expensive) for added light.

    If you move your china hutch where your coffee center is, perhaps you can get a bigger movable island that goes from your wall and separates your table a bit. It can provide more storage for the things you have tucked away on your counters. Would be great to put your microwave elsewhere. (Perhaps on your hutch? or maybe on the island against the wall?) Think about putting your TV in the opposite corner and move your table a bit closer to the sliding glass doors, even on a slight angle. Visually it will open up the area.

  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Your cabinetry and furniture has a country look, so unless you spend a lot of money to replace them then you will not have a modern look. But you can definitely update it to today's fresher country style.

    As people have suggested above, you'll need to paint some of your natural color wood to get an updated look. Painting the cabinetry would give you a big boost but I think it's the most work. I would remove the scalloped trim over the window, and also remove valances over window and door. Both these are a dated look.

    Many updated country looks have painted furniture, so I'd go that route by painting the cabinet, chairs and table. You can paint them solid or distress them. You don't need to paint them all the same color. The idea is that they look as if they have been collected over time. Annie Sloan chalk paint seems to be what people are finding easy to use.

    You'd get a fresh look by removing the diagonal wood, although you could just paint it the same new lighter wall color as the rest of your walls. We painted similar wood in my home, then removed it a few years later. The nail holes were surprisingly easy to fill, not as bad as we thought.

    Do a search in Houzz for country kitchen. You'll see many variations. If you keep your cabinets natural, focus on the kitchens that have natural cabinets too and see the colors and the furniture they use. Add them to an idea book and you'll soon discover what you like.

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