Hi Jess!
There are a lot of comments and suggestions here for you to consider, so I'll be brief. I used the image you posted of the fabrics to choose colors. Medium to dark brown counters, creamy off white cabinets, light aqua blue walls, and either blue tiles or a mosaic that incorporates blue for the backsplash. All the tiles/mosaics are from our site, the other surfaces/colors are labeled. Hope this helps, and good luck!

Okay - I am thinking if you have any money to spend, spend it on having the floors done. If you are handy at all, you and your husband can paint the cabinets and walls. After painting, invest in new hardware. You might also consider removing some of the upper cabinet doors for open shelving or even inserting glass fronts to the upper doors - - if you wanted a contemporary feel, use a rippled modern glass for insets. Take down the curtains - they are too much - and use an inexpensive rollup bamboo shade. Depending on your funds, change your counter tops. If not, work with the green (looks green). One more thought - the shelf on the other side of the stove is too tall. You need more of a counter height - maybe a roll-around style that could be utilized in another location if needed while cooking. There really are many inexpensive things that you can do in that kitchen to "make do" and look nice. As I say, spend money on the floor if there is any to spend. Good luck.

I just looked back at your picture. Change your light fixtures. The one over sink is too large. Also, consider under cabinet lighting to illuminate your work surfaces. I can't tell what, if any, ceiling fixture you have but you probably need to address that one also. An economical idea could be a light strip with several accent lights to illuminate where needed.

These old eyes need to put on my glasses. I see that is not a light over sink but the outside showing where curtains are pulled back. You do need a light over the sink.

This is SO awesome!! My kitchen is sad too :/ Thanks for posting, all the replies are wonderful.

A Screen Roller Shades would really brighten up the space . It will also give you alot more light to come in with out blinding you.

http://www.blindsdirectcanada.com/blinds-toronto/shades-toronto/roller-blinds-screen-shades.html

I think there are many of us in tired old kitchens that are still functional but.. lets face it, we could be a lot better with a bright colorful kitchen for inspiration.

Okay, here's the thing. If you are moving in about five years then something classic like white cabinets is probably the best choice. But the fun thing about old cabinets that are still in good enough shape is that you can feel licensed to go a little wild with the colors. Some examples of both old and new cabinets in fun, bright palettes, if you feel that your need for color trumps issues of resale:





https://www.houzz.com/photos/1901-kitchen-remodel-traditional-kitchen-portland-phvw-vp~71269

So many posts. I would say honestly, I didn't read everyone's. I have a budget plan per what you anticipate spending on our website. Suggested by DIY cable tv shows and HGTV. HTTP://tgmcabinets.weebly.com under budget. Your budget is key and you shouldn't be fearful to tell people. It makes them lead you where you want to go. But so many people go into doing the DIY and spend more money then actually replacing the cabinets/countertop. I could do both for less than refacing them. Then the rest is really a matter of knowing who knows where to get what on a budget. I have clients on budgets all the time and I don't mind sharing my knowledge on information. What and who has the right item for the right piece at what you want to spend is going to be the battle so that as a DIY you really do spend thriftily.. Do what you can yourself and then investigate handymen who will do what you can't do for a minimal fee. Call a local church they already know who is a handyman who needs another assignment. They also typically know who does it on the side for half the cost.

Jess, this looks like my kitchen 20-plus years ago. We did everything people on here recommended -- painted the cabinets white (helped a lot), changed out the counters and window coverings. Luckily when we pulled up the old flooring, there was wood underneath, so we refinished that ourselves. Your photos are a "blast from the past" for me. The only thing I would never do myself again is tile. We tiled kitchen counters, bath counters and floor and it just didn't look as good as what I paid someone else to install.
Good luck.
Keep us apprised of your progress. I'd love to see after pictures.

TGM cabinets: your website has some good ideas about kitchen budgets at $5000 on up. Do you have any specific suggestions for the original poster's $2000 budget?

By the way, your website needs a spellchecker.

I'm on the same page with Apple Pie For lack of sounding mean... The pro places always give great advice , but they seem to ignore numbers , kinda unrealistic.... other wise we would all have beautiful kitchens right? It is also difficult to find a handyman / contractor that really knows his stuff for cheap. Unless you see his work first hand, you're rollin' the dice. And always, always sign a contract with budget and time line. Honestly this really is a small reno and it could all get done with $2000. by planning well , being thrifty on what they buy, and of course some elbow grease.

Hi there! I have redone a few kitchens, especially on a budget...My last house (1952) had similar cabinets - Benjamin Moore Kendal Charcoal was used to paint the cabinets, also went to ReStore and thrift shops and found great hardware at a fraction of new. As you can afford it, check the want ads for Stainless Steel Appliances. Surprisingly, many people upgrade their appliances every couple of years! My house sold in 3 days! Just a few suggestions...have fun with your project!

I had these exact cabinets in my house, I did what someone else said and added the molding (very cheap at home depot) Painted white (don't strip if you have lead paint) put on new hinges and hardware. I did make the doors 'face' each other as well, can't believe the difference that made! I had thought of just replacing the door fronts but this was WAY more budget friendly. I didn't have a lot of time on my hands at one time so I worked on uppers then did lowers. Good Luck!

This reminds me of my first kitchen, except the previous owner had stripped the cabinets (formerly painted turquoise, I guess) and then stained them.... plain paint looks so nice by comparison!

My unprofessional two cents:
There will be a substantial cost in getting the dishwasher in vis a vis electrical and plumbing; I think that means you don't move anything else. Have your kitchen electrics already been GFCI'ed? If not, that will be another expense. While you have the electrician there, and before you tile your backsplash, think about new wall outlets, including one for your microwave. I think a microwave over the oven is inconvenient, though; I hate reaching over a kettle to get in there. Will it (or a smaller one) fit in the cabinet currently hanging over the microwave? Because of the flat panels you could have the door cut down and the edge routed to match fairly easily, I think, or go for another section of open shelving over it.

I would get rid of the curtains; if the view is unappealing, use a window film. Once you get rid of the curtains, those cabinet walls flanking the sink will reflect natural light into the kitchen. You could also hang colorful decorative elements -trivets, potholders.

I loved the ideas of taking the doors off the two cabs next to the window and painting inside the cabs with bright colors. I'm not sure taking the shelves off will look quite right; the classic 50s would have had shaped shelves there instead of a open bookcase --but it is mighty cheap to try.

I now own a Victorian and I have stripped a *lot* of paint. Lead paint can be stripped safely, even with little children in the house (and my poor kidlets had the lead testing to prove it) but it may not be worth the effort when the flat panels repaint so easily. If you are really keen, look it up on the web and try just one pair. Test for lead so you know what you are getting in to. Do them outdoors (number the hinges and draw a map before you start!) with a heat plate. Even if there is lead paint, stripping with a heat plate is actually pretty safe as it produces neither tiny inhalable lead particles (like sanding will) nor vaporous lead (for that you would have to set a door on fire). I leave it up to others to advise you on color, but I like the style. Magnetic latches are cheaply installed and will crisp up how the doors close with minimal effort.

Now, about the tile floor.... this could be one of those mushroom effect projects, but really, if you hate them, you should totally try getting them off yourself. If you can see the underside of the tiles from the basement, the floor is probably not all that well engineered. I think you owe it to yourself to see how hard it would be, and my guess is that the cement float they are on (if any) is probably not all that deep. (We took up a small floor in 40 minutes once, when we had nervously allotted a whole weekend.) Look up how to replace a floor tile on the web, move the fridge, and have at one or two of them! You'll have to put a new underlayment down anyway, so you don't have to get whatever is underneath perfectly smooth.

Best of luck!

First organize your cabinets, countertops, etc.

I would paint the cabinets bright white and paint the walls possibly a lighter shade of what you have in your living room.

If your foster daughter is into art and drawing, consider painting the refrigerator with either chalkboard paint or whiteboard paint... You can look up tutorials on how to do this online.

Your countertops don't have to go; you can paint over them. I painted over my countertops and they turned out lovely. It costs around $20 or so. Just be sure not to splash water onto it, it WILL leave a mark.

Perhaps you could change the lighting fixtures as well? Maybe something a bit brighter. Ikea has a lot of cool lighting fixtures, if you're wondering. I don't know much about lighting, though.

sacapuntaslapioz, do you happen to know the source or name of the tile you showed as an example for this remodel? (The olive, gray, white, amber?) Thanks.

There are smart tiles. peel and stick tiles ;-) YEAH! sold in home depot and lowes and if you look online they might have more places.
http://www.thesmarttiles.com/

look in your local home depot and lowes as they have also sinks and faucets that have been in display and go on sale as clearance items. I do not know where you live, I have a piece of granite that I cannot use. I am in the NY area.
also look at ikea, they have good countertops. even the current laminates are pretty good looking

My dad is very skilled when it comes to electric. In fact, last night he just replaced one of my switches. The kitchen was GFI'd before we bought it per our request. My dad suggested that we rent a sawzall with the tile removal part and pull the tile up ourselves. He does expect that part to get dirty and gross and understands if we want to hire out the job. But at least if we pull it up - I can hire out getting the floor leveled if needed. The kitchen floor is at least 3 layers thick if not more (I remember redoing a bathroom once with my dad and the floor had 5 layers. It had a horrible smell and as we got closer to the toilet we realized it was because the seal was bad with the toilet plumbing.)

I will risk stripping down the cabinets and will do it outside likely in spring. At some point I feel there just become too many layers on an item for it to look nice when painted again. They are definitely at that point.

I've contacted a local woodworker who made an awesome sewing desk for me (custom to my tiny height!!). He has done work like this before and will be coming out soon to estimate the routing. He's very reasonable and darn it, I just like the guy and don't mind giving him business.

Since I want to move some appliances and add in some extra surfaces we will definitely have to spend the money on new countertops. I've already purchased my faucet on super sale and keep looking for sinks at Lowes and Home Depot which are just around the corner. Unfortunately our closest ReStore has closed and I've got to make the hour trek to it now.

Thanks for the tile info!

Retrorenovation.com is a great resource for old kitchen ideas and sources. Love the fabric--very retro and sets the tone for the space to be colorful and fun.

Be very careful if you mess around with the floors. You house is of the era that there may be asbestos tile underneath. You don't want to disturb that. Best to have it tested before proceeding.

Not always necessary to remove it. Since you have issues with level, you could pour self-leveling compound over the asbestos and go from there.

Apple pie - R U referring 2the Tweet like words??? Thanks 4heads up but next time... Don't post it here 4 all 2c. There's a contact form 4the webmastr who can forward it 2me if it pertains 2me.
I think I can advise but first I do have to advise the entire situation. The housing market has and continues to increase in prices and go up. See my blog. http://tgmcabinets.weebly.com

A 15 year old kitchen or older gets a 90-125% percent return on investment that you fix your kitchen with. ANy money you spend anywhere on the planet is throwing money away but this...is an investment. Find the $2000-$3500 more and buy new cabinets and a new countertop first. Thermofoil is going to be best on a budget and you can get all wood cabinets at this price. Make the investment since you'll see it again. Otherwise putting lipstick (tile on a old pig doesn't make the pig not a pig).

If I had to and I refused to get new cabinets...which painting in my mind will look just like they were old and were painted. This isn't cool guys. The style is old. The measurements are going to reflect this. The height is probably 29.5 instead of 30-31" which screams old house and old kitchen cabinets. Anything else would be decreasing the value of the home. Doing the wrong diy would hurt them not help them and with cabinets this old, they need new ones desperately.

If all you want to spend is $2000. Save it for getting the whole thing. Go to Home Depot and get tile for 1.88 a sq ft or look for a sale better than that cause at times, they do have it. Then do the Tile /backsplash, redo the floors, and paint the room until the funds are there to get new cabinets/countertop. It's too old to do anything else with and refacing...I can do the kitchen at the same price in brand new cabinets and countertop.

But do go to the thirft store and look for different handles that cost pennies. But I have new handles for about $2 and the thirft stores around here would probably not have them for less. I don't know about where everyone else is located.

If we had $4000 to work with. I'd give new bottom cabinets, shelves seem to be a trend right now that is acceptable for wall cabinets and new countertops. Then Install them yourself, paint the room, do the tile/ backsplash. And buy the 6qrt ninja that cooks, bakes, sears, roasts off QVC until all new appliance set can be obtained. OR check craigslist like someone said. You can find people pulling them out of apts too and often a reseller has a shop where he fixes them up. Course that will give you about a 30 day warranty and then maybe minimal repairs later...but it's another shortcut. I just don't like shortcuts. Sorry. But that is what I would suggest.

Just to show an idea.....I am providing a link to my kitchen in my previous home. It was built in 1938. I don't remember all the specifics of cost, but do know it was about 2400.00 to make the changes. Just wanted to share so you know you can make improvement without spending huge bucks. Is it perfect, no, but was it dollars spent wisely considering all aspect involved at the time???.......YES!!! http://www.roomzaar.com/rate-my-space/Kitchens/HEELLLLLPPPP-Confused/detail.esi?oid=23826011

Yeah, the ceiling NEEDS paint. My husband didn't believe me on the purple to white ceiling paint before but after we did our spare bedroom he believes me now!! It's not *that* noticeable unless you're staring at the ceiling. But, duh, what do people do in bedrooms!

There is a ceiling fan in the kitchen. I'm not sure why.... maybe I'll have my dad run the electric into the center of the living room and install it in there and switch the main light fixture out in the kitchen. The large fan looks really heavy for the space. Do people usually have ceiling fans in kitchens?

My husband prefers solid surface for countertops with a built in sink. I'm just not sure if the little extra on that is going to make the difference when trying to sell.

Oh, our fridge is huge... way too big for the space. I love it though. I can always see exactly what we have. Plus it fits in all these meal organization baskets. It's great.

I am currently "settling" on the 18" dishwasher due to plumbing. There is only about 19" inches between the sink and the corner cupboard. I will have our woodworker come do an estimate at the house though. Since he's done stuff like this before I'm sure he's got an idea or two about the stuff we could run into.

The cabinets are complete built ins. There is no division in space between one cabinets contents and the next. In that sense, I think I'd do better off making a glass or fiberglass insert to open up the space. If I made shelving a divider would have to be installed. The orientation of the pulls really stands out in the photo so that'll definitely have to be changed.

Here's my issue with the flooring... I have original hardwood throughout the front of the house. I plan on getting that redone. I want the laminate but am afraid that it'll look TERRIBLE with the real hardwood in the house. How does one transition from real hardwood to that?

Why not put in real hardwood? I checked yesterday and the supplier had #2 unfinished oak for $1.60/ sq ft. Perhaps you can find some reclaimed wood; it is a lot of work but if you have more time than money, can be a good way of getting a quality product

Regarding the posting about old houses being torn down, I hate seeing the old houses bulldozed too. I used to do deconstruction on teardowns and rip out cabinets, sinks, flooring, doors, windows etc for resale through the local ReStore. Now that I have project houses of my own, I go to demo sales to see if I can find items to be used in my rehabs. The large gut job historic house we rehabbed ended up having material from probably a dozen other houses. We had cabinets from one house, kitchen flooring from another, newer oak flooring from one house and older oak from two or three different collections sold by ReStore. Then, we had the original tub and woodwork from the house and managed to reuse one older solid wood door (2 inches thick!) between the back entry and the basement stairs. We salvaged bathroom fixtures, doors, trimwork, wire closet shelving, solid surface shower surround and even the power vent hot water heater. I hate to see those good quality older products ending up in the landfill or burn pile.

^^As far a transitioning from hardwood to laminate. . . . I've seen it done in several homes and I haven't seen a house where it transitioned well.

Maybe someone else has an example of where it looked good?

The wall behind the stove is a supporting wall.. :( I would love to open up the space but am not quite willing to take on that expense.

Painting the cabinets and getting rid of the saggy curtains will go a long way towards changing the feel of the space. None of the pics showed the edge of fridge. Is it possible to move the clutter around to the side? There are a lot of great storage ideas you could do. You could combine an old shutter, an area that has been painted with magnetic paint then chalk board paint, so you can use magnets and write notes, and a pin board

PAINT your cabinets white with ben moore satin impervo, put in a blind to open and close easily. The curtain has to go. Get new hardware. Our kitchen was much the same and I did each of these and wow what a difference.

I had a kitchen very similar. The first thing I did was paint the cabinets white (which were metal!) I also painted the refirgerator white. I put floor tile (peel and stick) on the counter tops. As I had no light over the sink, I put up some track lighting. On the windows, I made little valances of blue and white gingham with matching cafe curtains. The walls got a coat of white paint and I used dish towels and accessories to add splashes of color. I kept the counters clear of clutter by adding little shelves next to the cabinets by the sink to house a few cookbooks and a few colorful knick-knacks. It turned out great!

snross ^^ what color/style of peel and stick did you choose? I had rejected this idea, so I'm curious. My counter is blue and we'll redo/build soon, but in the meantime. . . blue.

Also, is it better to paint the cabinets before putting new countertop? Or other way around?

Another link concerning laminate flooring and its pitfalls in any area that can be leaked on ( http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/search/label/flooring). Sarah had Pergo in her kitchen when the fridge went and the freezer defrosted and leaked all over. It wasn't repairable so maybe an inexpensive hardwood stained to match your other floors would be a better investment for self and resale!

I have redone two kitchens on the cheap, both with paint. The first had white melamine cabinets, a wallpaper backsplash and white laminate counters. We used molding to trim the cabinets and painted them off white with new hardware. The backsplash is Talavera tile and the counter is a new laminate from Home Depot. Very happy with the results.

The second is at our cottage. We painted the cabinets with Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue and changed the hardware to create a more country feel. Instead of a tile backsplash, we used beadboard and painted it a lighter blue green (can't find the name, but also BM). We ended up keeping the countertop, as it matched the cabinets and we are super cheap!

Photos below.

Be sure to determine if the current paint on the cabinets is not enamel. if it is you absolutely must use primer.

re the response about lead paint testing in this 1950 home:
any house built and painted prior to 1978 has lead paint! PERIOD
that is all there was prior to 1978 so unless someone has completed the huge, costly remediation process, there is lead paint still in the house.

It may have been painted over many times since 1978 with non lead paint and is best left undisturbed without professional guidance.
If lead paint is a concern, move forward with that knowledge.
AND don't chew on the doors and moldings.

Love a lot of the ideas and suggestions and find them helpful as my kitchen needs some work, the first being new flooring. Anyway as to the clutter on the fridge, I have taken cork and mounted on the inside of a cabinet door and use it for notes and papers that I need in the kitchen. It sure helps my kitchen look neater!

Yes, we now use the insides of tall pantry doors as posting boards for what used to go on the fridge before we got stainless steel appliances. Just as handy, and out of sight.

I had a 1950's kitchen that was remodeled in the 70's, thus the orange vinyl and avacado appliances, so I feel your pain. I had a very limited budget so I found discounted vinyl to replace the old stuff, worked some overtime and put a thousand into a new laminate, slate look counter, new sink and faucet. I painted the cupboards and here is the best thing- There is a product that will go onto the old finish and make it tacky so you can prime right over it without sanding. After that you can paint with a sturdy enamel- its a lot less hassle. Change your hardware, and you are well on your way to feeling better about your kitchen.

oh, and for the backsplash, there are all kinds of things you can do. I found a rustic mosaic tile wallpaper. It actually had the texture and look of stone tile, and people would go up to it and touch it before they realize it was paper. It washed well too. You can also used placemats ( there are all kinds of material used for placemats now). Painted beadboard makes a nice backdrop and it doesn't have to be made of expensive hardwood. The ideas are endless. Faux tin ceiling tiles, or textured wall paper made to look like tin ceiling tiles.

sorry for being so long winded! I would love to have at this kitchen! Find a salvaged bit of architechture and fit it beneath the sink in place of those vented panels. Replace those heavy curtains with simple blinds or shutters. (Check out your local Habitat for Humanity store. They have tons of contractor leftovers at huge savings.) Good luck and have fun being creative!

looks like my old kitchen. I worked with a handy man to add wood strips on the cabinets for a shaker style. Painted top a mossy green and the bottom I stained and refaced bombay mahogony.

Wow! Thanks chartstein. this really helps me visualize all our kitchen could be :)

Wow your kitchen will be adorable. My first big girl apartment had very similar style. My measly 2 cents is to use linoleum on the floor because you can pick something fun...(maybe black and white checker on the bias?), it's inexpensive and easy to clean. If you can get the floor leveled out, you can DIY and keep a couple extra for repairs down the road or resale. I completely agree with adding basket storage above the fridge but would make sure it's only used for infrequently needed items or paper goods. (We solved our tupperware storage issue by only buying two sizes of the light reuse type with the same lid size. Never a mismatched lid again and it takes very little space).

#1 though would be to clear the fridge completely and find a new home for kiddie stuff, even if on the side of the fridge that's less visible - if not possible then mercilessly throw away old items, scan if you must and save digitally, rearrange by shape/color, throw away tchotke magnets and buy little strong ones of the same color. Then remove as much as possible from the countertops. With your new, blank, white and black canvas, unify the decor and use the necessities like artwork - kitchen towels in balanced locations, curtain fabric (agree on roman or just box top so the pattern is clean), framed kiddie art work above the cabinets, color on the fridge top boxes.

Have fun! and sounds like you could do a lot with $2000 to make it a space that is as happy and fun as you are!

Just saw dewilder's post - sounds like a lot of the same advice but better with a visual! Fabulous! And I like another suggestion to use painted beadboard for the backsplash for budget. My neighbor actually got scraps for free from Home Depot and neatly put them together :)

A picture truly is worth a thousand words. The black and white theme with "whatever your favorite accent color is" is fantastic.

Hi Jess! Any updates that you can share with us?

Oooh, a 1950s kitchen that's actually been downgraded due to ultra-modern appliances and wear. A floor overhaul isn't cheap when it comes to leveling, but a black-and-white flooring would be fairly inexpensive and would look superb. Consider painting the cabinets (and yes - test for lead paint) and updating the hardware. With a little sweat, this could be a very nice kitchen.