How would you fix up this kitchen?

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

We live in a 1937 home with very few updates. We added black speckled marmoleum and removed some wallpaper and replaced the appliances. It has a lot of charm and not a ton of space, especially given the three kids we've had since we moved in. At some point someone convinced us to rip out the bottom cabinets to fit in a small dishwasher. The counter height and depth did not allow for a full size one, so we installed an 18" wide model. We did this in a hurry and planned to figure out how to patch it up later. Three kids and eight years later, we are finally getting around to trying to rectify the situation. We need suggestions and are open to anything from patching the space to ripping apart the kitchen, but would like to keep it under 10k. We recently replaced our stove with a stainless steel model which got us thinking about replacing the dishwasher to match. Also curious what people think is worth keeping.

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Diana Bier Interiors, LLC

10 years ago

Here's a lovely small kitchen that has the same retro 1930s vibe as yours--I'd try to work within the footprint to keep costs down.

A Cottage Kitchen · More Info

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Comments (7)

gtcircus
10 years ago
Can you add a layout? I lived in a 1920's house and was able to save the butler's pantry but had to gut the kitchen due to layout. Was able to match old cabinets. Without specs it's a bit hard to help.
emmarene9
10 years ago
I agree with Maggie. What is the height of your counter and the depth for the dishwasher?
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inkwitch
10 years ago
Your upper cabinets are good - go all the way to the ceiling and a Shaker style that came around again. No doubt those uppers are better built than anything you can get now.

However: I would tear out the lowers. The countertop looks narrow and the cabinets look beat up. With that budget, you could go for a Farmer's sink, which would be a nice touch. Love the faucet coming out of the walls.

A floorplan would help, but just from these photos, consider taking out one of those walls. Hard to tell which from the photos. There is that little wall at the end of the cabinet; could that come out and expand the base cabinets? 1937 Kitchens were not built for current styles and appliances.

You could expand your working countertop and storage capacity by an island. Depends on your traffic patterns. A custom job can be any dimension to fit. Consider a buffet as an island. (They come in all sizes, and the only consideration is height which can be changed with the addition of a base or removal of legs. I bought one as a substitution for 4 base cabinets I could not afford - the difference between $1000 and $150.) It can add to the vintage style.

Love the arched doorways. 1930s Craftsman is my favorite style.
rocketjcat
10 years ago
Love the upper cabinets and I agree I would try to keep them intact. The most awkward area to me (aside from the dishwasher) seems to be the fridge which appears to be half under the archway? What is the little door between the stove and the fridge? A pantry? Agree that a sketch of a layout would be helpful.
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Karol L
10 years ago
What a sweet area. I would preserve the upper cabinets. Buy or sew a valance in a beautiful colorful pattern and mount between the sink cabinets to hide the fan, making it deep enough will be important visually. New backsplash and counters for sure. If the lowers be saved, great, if not perhaps a different color of your choice. Spruce it all all up with fresh pash paint. Love it!
Joey R.
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
It looks to have great bones and is really charming. The upper cabinets, as others have said, are lovely. I'd definitely draft up a quick floor plan with dimensions to better get a better idea of the space, plus as it is pretty compact, every inch counts. If you have photos of the room in natural light, that would help too.

I just realized this was from four years ago! Are there any "after" photos?