Ideas for this 12x12 kitchen?
Our 1930's New England colonial revival comes complete with this uninspiring 12x12 kitchen. The cabinetry appears original, albeit with dozens of layers of paint. I like the interesting curved detail of the upper cabs; I'm less impressed with the exposed hinges, perpetually dirty-looking peachy floor, and formica countertops.
I'd like to update flooring and counters and at the least freshen the cabinets. One of my objectives is to get some sort of seating into the space, perhaps in the awkward 3x5 corner between the doors to the dining room and hall. 12x12 is too small for an island, right?
Although the space is small and dark, I am hesitant to opening up to the dining room beyond. I do like that we can entertain in the formal dining room without guests facing into the messy kitchen.
I was also thinking of putting glass fronts on the uppermost cabs and lighting them; would this be too busy with the number of cabinets?
Very much looking forward to any input from you Houzz wizards!
Comments (6)
9 years ago
9 years agoThis is a very charming kitchen but I can see how it is not a cook's dream:)
Before you do anything you should assess your finances to determine if a home improvement loan is a possibility. Redone with a nod to the history and style of the rest of the house, it would probably pay for itself in increase home value. I love to try to work with original cabinets, but I see two things which would concern me: no vent for the range with cabinets (wood?) low enough maybe for a fire hazard (are they 30 inches from the range?), a small sink, and not a big enough space for the fridge. It may be possible to correct some of these without changing out the cabinets. A custom cabinetmaker might be able to work out some ideas.
For flooring, it would be great if you could match and run the hardwood into the kitchen. You might not be able to match the narrow strips, but you should be able to match the wood species and color. New counters and backsplash would be very pretty - but they do not address the problems noted above and will be a waste of money if you decide that the floor plan needs adjustment. I probably would not light every top cabinet because it may be busy and is not really in keeping with the period of the kitchen. I might consider a few glass front doors for cabinets.
One great thing about remodeling a period kitchen is that it will be more timeless and less subject to trends - so avoid trendy materials. I think if you could rearrange the dishwasher sink area a bit and put a farmhouse sink in - that would be great.
Here is a good article:
http://www.oldhouseonline.com/timeless-tips-for-remodeling-a-kitchen/
I too have a closed kitchen and like it. We do use the adjoining dining room for eating. My kitchen is about the same size, but it is L shaped and there is room for a small island since two walls do not have cabinets.
Related Professionals
Lancaster Interior Designers & Decorators · Carson City Interior Designers & Decorators · Pocatello Interior Designers & Decorators · Birmingham Architects & Building Designers · Dothan Architects & Building Designers · Bloomington Architects & Building Designers · Oklahoma City Architects & Building Designers · Richmond Architects & Building Designers · Beckley Architects & Building Designers · Anniston Architects & Building Designers · South Sioux City Architects & Building Designers · Longview Architects & Building Designers · Oxford Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Tupelo Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Sioux City Kitchen & Bathroom Designers
9 years ago
9 years ago
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
Jennifer Havin