what do you think about the top of the cabinets.. I was thinking of closing it in with glass or something and putting lights in there???

I would close the top of the cabinets in with white glass window panes and lighting. Change the hardware on the cabinet doors, add subway tile and if you could possibly change out the counter top that would be great.

Looks like you are wanting to keep the cabinets. Not sure if painting will cure all that ails them especially the sink base. I would consider removing all the upper cabinets and if you want open cabinets put some similar to your photo on the wall between your oven and wall with window. Maybe extend them around the corner.

Repaint & get new knobs. Subway tile would be a nice addition. I would consider getting estimates for complete replacement of cabinets since some are in need of repair.

To be honest, if you are going to invest in new flooring, ceiling, sheetrock, quartz countertops, backsplash etc., you should really get new cabinets as well. I urge you to go to a place like Lowes or HD, they usually have sales on kitchen cabinets in January, and get some estimates before you invest in rather costly repairs to what you have now.

your kitchen is nice and seems to be all in order, so you might consider just a little fix-up. and not do the wholllllle thing. You could be into 25k dollars before you know it

THanks everyone.. I know where I can get solid oak cabinets , about 70 feet for 2500$ does that sound right or not? I would have to paint them.. My brother in law is doing all the labor so I will save money there.. I really want the subway tile and new counter tops,, and my ceiling reallly needs to be replaced.. will attach a pic of it.. and my floor ..Its now vinyl tiles that are in bad shape. I will actually eliminate the cabinets where the microwave sits and put in tall storage cabinet. then the oven will be under the stove with a convection microwave on top of that so those cabinets will go too .. and the ceiling fan will go and be replaced with a nice light over an island.. what do you think?

Well, you'll love the changes. Maybe you should get a kitchen consult with someone to make sure everything turns out the way you want.

Glad to hear you are getting "new" cabinets along with all your other changes. You will no doubt love all the improvements. One suggestion, leave some counterspace on the right side of your stove as well if you can. Good luck!

Sounds to me like you can have cabinets in your kitchen, laundry, basement, and garage...70 feet of cabinets is quite a lot. In my area, used oak cabinet sets usually sell for $500 to $1000, depending on construction quality, extras, and size. If the construction quality is good, that's a great deal. If you're getting the basic particle board box with plastic fittings, not so good.

Before saying yes or no, you need to look at the cabinets to see how much damage was done when they were removed (do you have to remove them yourself?). Also, look at the cabinet sizes as many older cabinets were built in large sections which may be more difficult to reconfigure than newer sets. Used cabinets sets require significantly more labor to use by the time you redesign, shorten, lengthen, create new end panels, take off extra filler pieces, etc

no friezes please

I would definitely think about meeting with a kitchen designer. Not all designers charge for a consultation. You might be really surprised how little you'll pay for new cabinets. There are some lines that are quite economical and they are ordered to fit into your space instead of trying to accomodate existing cabinets.

I'll design it for you
I love remodels, get me a flight and a room. We can do it in a few days.......we will be the spin on HOUZZ

LOL - Gary - love that, I'll come too. I love renovations, they are so amazingly gratifying.
Your kitchen melysel definitely needs a complete gut. There are lots of amazing and talented people here on Houzz, I think you should try to find someone local that you trust, to help you get the job done right the first time.

In the interim, you should set a budget for this renovation, have a style and inspiration photo in mind and then decide on the designer your going to hire to help you bring your vision to fruition.

I'd start my budget at 25K but be prepared to go to $50K depending upon your style and taste. Don't forget your contingency - if your home hasn't been touched since 1960, your going to need minimum 15% contingency for those unforeseens!
Good Luck to you!

Gary, she obviously is not willing to pay for your travel expenses if she is here looking for professional advice (keep your wallet shut this time)! Back to the question at hand, ruthmand had some great ideas for you. As have others, continue to post pics and consider all the forthcoming ideas.

Now now ....you never know ...I may get a ticket and a room, to assist. $600 should cover the travel
and the room. the above budget seem right 25-30k if all is being replaced.. there are cost saving ideas.
I'll share those on the drive form the airport

wow... I cannot afford 25K .. going to have to cut back somewhere.. Gary.. come on down. I need HELP! haha.. I appreciate all the help and suggestions everyone.. I will keep you posted with progress... but keep the suggestions coming~~

can someone sign me up for one of those tv shows where they come remodel for you??? thats what I need~~ I think I qualify! ha

find the amount you want to invest in your home, $1,000, $10,000. what ever the amount you are comfortable with spending. Then budget 80% of that, This way when you run over budget, and you will, you will be able to complete the project. Nothing comes from nothing.......nothing ever did!

Thanks Gary.. I will do that.. I have a very old house that I am updating a little at a time.. by the time I get through, I will need to start over :) ~~ LOVE the video! It will be something good ~

there are other options, have you thought of selling and moving.....if you dont require the space you have and would enjoy a smaller home, consider a move. A fresh start smaller newer more comfortable, it's worth looking into. Let some young family with kids, work on that remodel!!!

This is true... I am really just getting it sellable..I just got a new metal roof last year and new windows and heat pump... lol .. it will increase the value.. and eventually I will sell .. Once my daughter gets out of college.. she feels like this is home for now .. so i am biding my time.. and I am retired and must stay busy!!

When you are planning to redo a kitchen, it helps to have some basic ideas of what things you like cost. For a couple items, you can do this in a few hours.

You can ask a countertop shop to give you an estimate on the cost of new quartz countertops. Take your photos and measurements in. They'll be able to give you a ballpark estimate. It will be several thousand dollars. Also ask for an estimate with Formica laminate. That'll give you an upper and lower limit to the costs of just the countertop.

Then take your photos and measurements to a flooring shop and ask for a ballpark estimate for basic tile such as Daltile or American Olean (they own Daltile brandname, too) and for sheet vinyl, too.

A handyman can tell you if the cabinets can be repaired for a reasonable amount of money (I'm guessing the screw holes for the hinges are shot, so resetting the hinges might be an option). If they can't be repaired, then you need to decide what your priorities will be in your budget. You can make trades: buy the quartz countertop and install press-and-stick vinyl floor tiles yourself. Buy used stainless appliances and a new sink with new faucet. Reuse the garbage disposal unit. Paint the over-range vent hood.

Hi apple ,,, lol ,, I have decided to go with corian or similar counter tops.. the quartz will be just too much.. I already have someone getting me cabinets cheaper than I can get them.. I will just have to paint them.. and I am deciding on the floor as we speak.. I already have a new white porcelain sink i got for 20 bucks.. its a great idea on the used appliances tho . thanks very much for your suggestions.. I am pretty sure I will sell this house in the future and just want to get it in shape for that .. actually Gary made a good comment about that.. I do need smaller.. this one 3600 sq feet with basement..

If you are planning on selling, what do the competing houses have for kitchens? Are they all remodelled with granite countertops and stainless steel? or more modest? What price range do the houses sell for? An hour spent snooping on the internet real estate sites is very useful.

yes I will do that..I already decided against granite , etc.. I will check out the internet real estate.. thanks~~

what are the room dimensions, just the two main directions?

Hi Melysel,

I think you have a really good kitchen for a refacing candidate. It's a great way to save you money on your remodel, while providing you with the new doors, drawers, hinges, pulls and more. You can even put in glass doors with lighting to show of your nice glassware. Here is a link so you can learn more about the process- http://www.granitetransformations.com/southjersey/cabinet-refacing-page

I've attached a picture of an antique, white cabinetry that I think would look great in your kitchen. You could consider a darker cabinetry for your island and still use the table top.

I like the idea of choosing a white subway tile for your backsplash. Here is a link to a few samples you might like- http://www.granitetransformations.com/southjersey/products/mosaic-tiles/colors/subway/

I'd recommend using a 12x12 tile for the flooring. A natural slate might be nice.

Good luck with your remodel. You should post before and after photos once the job is completed!

Hello,
I would suggest the Refacing process. You will save about 50% than the classic remodeling. You will receive new doors and the exposed areas will match the new doors with real wood veneer. You can google "cabinet refacing" and you will have some contractors available in your area. Thank you and I hope you have a great remodeling project :)
there are before and after pictures attached of the refacing project.
I apologize if I do not know how to rotate the pictures just yet!

@apple_pie_order.... That's a very good suggestion.

I don't know the American market but in the UK houses often sell just as well without a new kitchen as people here like to see £££ ($$$) potential in doing them up... Unless of course you are aiming for the exclusive market purchaser who may want everything up to the fan lights...

the room is a perfect square..14 ft 5 inches on all walls.. I thought about refacing.. but what a lot of work.. Its still an option.. they are very solid cabinets.. not cheap wood... thanks for the suggestions.. I will check out those websites/// :)

rememer the song!!!! it will take effort no matter the direction you take, so be ready to invest time/effort/ and budgeted dollars

OK I talked to my brother in law... he said refacing makes more sense.. He can make some doors and do them however I want them...He used to own a cabinet shop.. YAY. new hardware, new doors, hinges etc.. I like it~~~~ and I have decided I do want the subway tile.. and tile floor.. I will have my brother in law make me and island out of an old table I have.. EXCITED~~ thanks everyone~~ I will post after pics~~

fyi....it may be more cost and time effective to purchase doors...look on line and find sorces, also consider a few open shelves with no doors, or with glass in wood frame doors, I might also think of closing the upper most cabinets with solid doors.....think about it....ones eye goes right to them.. and thats 'not so good'

Two bits of caution -- painting cabinets is a LOT of work, especially if you want a sprayed look finish (sand, paint, paint, sand, paint, sand, paint, sand). Second, oak is an open grain wood and the grain will telescope through your paint job unless the grain is filled. So I recommend using something like MDF or maple for a smooth surface.

That said, I agree with Gary Finley's suggestion above. Paint the bases yourself and purchase doors pre-painted -- a style with inset beadboard or a shaker style would look nice too. When I built my last house, I saved $400 by not having my bathroom cabinets prepainted. Not only wasn't it worth the money I saved, but I was never happy with the finish I achieved and I eventually gave up. If it were me, I would save money in other places - e.g., less expensive light fixture, knobs, appliances, etc.

better yet, rent a sprayer for the brother in law!

thanks.. my brother in law is going to make my doors and use a grain free wood.. I will paint the bases ,, here is picture of what he is going to build.. he also has a sprayer to paint them in high gloss.. and I will brush paint the bases.. I will have a couple with glass doors in the panel.. and those will have glass shelves.. all the other shelves will stay.. and I will also get cheaper where I can.. such as light fixture etc.. gary which cabinets are you referring to as top most?? over the refrigerator??

the doorless area above..... have the BIL check out MDF (fiber board pre- made doors)

Hi Melysel - I just wanted to let you know that it truly IS possible to do a complete kitchen remodel on a small budget. I have 2 posted here on Houzz that were done for under $20K - one of them for around $16K. I will say that this can be pretty hard to achieve without a professional - they have great resources to find you the best deals. That said, keep looking at pictures and gathering your ideas. The more clearly you know what you want, the more you can be on the lookout for good prices. White subway tile can be wonderfully inexpensive. For the cabinetry, you will need to decide what level of quality is important to you. If they don't take a lot of abuse, and you don't need a lot of bells and whistles, there are any number of lines that provide a beautiful look without a huge pricetag. Shrock's Entra line, Aristokraft, and Armstrong are just a few that come to mind. I hope that helps, and let me know if you have any other questions!

OH Gary... I am going to sheetrock that in and put nice crown molding.. so there will not be an open space there~ thanks KN interiors .. appreciate the information..

OH Gary... I am going to sheetrock that in and put nice crown molding.. so there will not be an open space there~ thanks KN interiors .. appreciate the information..

Here are some inexpensive ideas, assuming the cabinets can be reused, for materials only:
$800 update:

$25: repair cabinet hinge installation, soak hinges in trisodium phosphate to remove old paint, install new cabinet door catches as needed, replace switch for garbage disposal, remove remaining wood framing of old soffit, remove pot rack over sink
$175: paint
$200 for 200 square feet of peel and stick vinyl tile.
$100 for new light fixture.
$120 for two roll out shelves for pots under cooktop.
$100 new kitchen faucet
$80 contingency

$1500 update as above, but install sheet vinyl flooring.

$2500 update as above, add $1000 for new laminate countertops and subway tile backsplash

$4000 update, as above, add stainless steel dishwasher, cooktop, oven, sink.

Hi apple,, those are excellent choices.. I am going to do my best to stay under 5000$$ I have been convinced on this site that I really don't need to do all the things I started with.. I had BIG ideas and now I see that I only need just enuf to make it look more modern without all the expensive things.. thanks~~ and my labor will be really cheap... just gotta put my sister, her husband and son up in my house until job is done~ lol

He has a sprayer Gary!! YAY

good deal...............................do have him check in the MDF material for the door, it comes smooth

OK I will thanks so much~~

Everything you see except the floor - $7600. That includes all appliances, vent hood, butcherblock counters, cabinets, moldings. Drawers and doors are soft close and cabinets have a 25 year warranty. Ikea. You design it yourself at their site and it gives you a list of your items and what the cost is as you design.

Nice!! thank much~

I have completed my kitchen renovation... I am just waiting on countertops to be installed.. takes so long for silestone !! anyway... I will post pics when that is done... thanks everyone for all your comments and suggestions~~ this is a GREAT website~~ re-doing dining room now~

Can't wait to see the result melysei....please remember to post the pics.