I'd paint the walls, using one of the blog paint suggestions,and maybe paint cabinets white/cream or gray.

For Students?!!!!? It's perfect. They aren't going to clean regularly. They will have parties. Some will be neat. Some will throw everything everywhere. When you get ready to sell, then redo.

tibbrix i obviously liked your post, not the fact that students trash your parents' apartment..Will dive deeper into this blog thank you!

elpaso I wouldn't paint great cabinets as to make them work with the wrong granite, as I've said already...but besides that-gray(most of them) will actually really accentuate this pink counter

I used some very warm light gray -and dark reddish brown, in some places in my new home...they accentuate each other. But that's what I wanted, it was a deliberate choice.

As in the above blog post I liked so much-gray might be amazing with pink. But you need to be really careful about choosing that gray..and that's not the case I believe when you should go and try to do that. Solid pink-maybe...as in these old tiles..

I think if you paint out the blue/green walls with a basic cream/ivory paint, the kitchen isn't that bad. I wouldn't use grey paint. It's certainly nicer than having bright blue Formica countertops like I did in college.

One of the students is my DD --- and I have to admit that she and her roommates are super tidy and organized. They realize that they'll get a good deal on the rent and will be happy with repainting.

However, part of my question was already for future resale in a few years and if there's anything that can be done without a major overhaul.

Well, You do have an advantage over most people renting to students. LOL

If you're worrying about that kitchen for students, you're wasting your time. They aren't going to care for it properly, anyway. Also, IMHO, any student getting a kitchen like that, is one lucky student!

I assume the house is in a student-friendly area where new owners would likely be purchasing as a rental property? If so, I wouldn't worry about changing anything to sell it. If not, I would wait until it's time to sell and then see what comparable kitchens in the area look like. There's no reason to spend money on changes that may not be necessary. Assume for budgetary purposes that you are going to change the floor, backsplash and counters and save up with that in mind. If it turns out that you needn't change anything to sell, then you have a nice little special purposes fund to use on something else.

I would find a beautiful rug with quite a few colors in it and everything else will blend into the background. I would paint the brick a creamy white color.

I don't know that there is much you can really do, just because it is the yellow tone in the cabinets against the granite that makes it look pink. I would either embrace the pink and go with it or try to bring out the red so that you just don't notice the pink.

i do think the suggestions from the students are hilarious, partly because I was totally like that at that age, too -but I never would have said anything about it out loud for fear of appearing entitled. Thankfully, I grew up! Now I'm glad I was stuck with plaid sofas and an oak kitchen in college because I appreciate what I have now so much more!

Are they living there for 4 years? If so you might be able to justify painting the walls and maybe doing something inexpensive on the floor to pick up on the brick, which I do really like, but I really wouldn't do any more than that. And that's only if you're feeling generous and have some time on your hands ;)

Also, I completely agree on not painting the cabinets!

In all fairness, the "suggestions" were also made with regards to resale in a couple of years. The area is not only for students, but also really taking off with affluent professionals, so renovated homes sell for substantially more.

I just realized, I hope I didn't come across as critical or condescending - you know when you read something again and realize it could sound completely different with a different tone? I meant that I had big dreams at that age and I remember all of the things I wanted to do in my first apartment - but I never had the time or money and before I knew it my time there was up. So it meant a lot to me when I was finally able to do what I wanted.

And i would have felt entitled criticizing the decor to our landlord, but I wouldn't have hesitated to give my mom a million suggestions - it would have been a fun opportunity to work on projects together before going off to school!

i still think I'd just paint and do the floors, though. And possibly replace the grey backsplash with more brick. The cabinets may not be as popular as white is right now, but it's not like they're builder's grade oak. I do like them, and I think you're smart to be more cost effective and make what's there look it's best. I also really do like the brick, I think going with kind of a cool, slightly industrial kind of look could be appealing to both young professionals and students as far as resale. Part of the reason I like the idea of brick is because it has both pink and red tones without actually being "pink," and I also like the way the light grout breaks it up. I would really consider running with that, it's a very cool look. I know you're trying to lighten up, but if you do the floors I think dark would be better. It looks like the lights near the cabinets were installed well, but there aren't any other layers of light that I can see. Is it realistic to add a couple of pendants above the bar, and maybe fixtures by the French doors? Well designed lighting makes everything look high end in my opinion, and you don't have to use expensive fixtures, just layer it a little more.

I don't think you need to worry about doing much to update or keeping it really neutral because it's a reasonably modern kitchen that happens to have an odd choice of granite. In this case I think it's more important for resale to make it looks it's best rather than keep it neutral. Floors, paint, and lighting would have a huge impact.

Looking at the pics again, the counter stands out a lot more next to the solid backsplash. With brick on the other side and a darker floor without grout lines, I think your eye would be drawn to the pattern in the brick and you wouldn't even notice the granite - it would read as much more neutral.

As others have said, even for the most entitled of college students, that is a REALLY nice kitchen for a rental! I live in a college town, and I have never seen a rental so well-kept!

It is one ugly kitchen, but mostly due to poor design choices for the small finishes. Is that granite great? NOPE. But that fridge is a total eyesore, sticking out, and I personally cant get over that and the mini sink more so than the granite.

That said, what can you do but try to trick the eye. If these are renters who are looking for cute and trendy, do it with accessories. White, Scandinavian, brass, head right over to Target and get some utensil holders, tea towels, etc!

Ultimately, for resale to the HGTV set, I think you do need a new, counter depth fridge and new granite. But I would save that for when youre ready to sell.

Besides re-painting the walls, I think tibbrix nailed it. If you do anything else at all, I'd replace the brick backsplash. There is such a mish-mash of materials now with the different materials, making something more cohesive would go a long way toward reducing the pink tones. Even painting the brick or doing a dark-grey wash to more match the other backsplash would be better than what it is now.

Edited to add, and replace that big bulky carved post with something plain. Is there a place to put a corbel or a wrought-iron support that would disappear under there? Is a post needed for supporting the granite peninsula?

About the post..we had a beautiful (much longer) marble peninsula on a very very pretty custom made wrought iron post, in our home(not in the US) that we rented out.

One of the renting families had a toddler. That toddler happened to love to shake this wrought iron post. Day after day.

One day-and I don't know how he succeeded, in his young age-he won, and down that post went, and down went the many- hundred- pounds- heavy marble peninsula.

Miracle-the child was not harmed..nothing. Just a miracle.

No peninsula and no nice wrought iron post anymore..but to hell with them, under the circumstances.

This is just to say..you won't believe things that happen. I wouldn't if they didn't happen to me/somebody I know. If you change this post-make sure it is very, very, VERY safe.

Thanks so much for all the feedback. The brick is part of the chimney behind it, so can't be removed unless I make a hole into the chimney :) And in real life is actually one of the more attractive features.
The black slate backsplash isn't too bad, either, just not with that granite.

So, let's say, I'd replace the granite at one point in the future, what do I go with? More black? And new backsplash?

White washed slate:

Meanwhile I had another brilliant idea lol-if you change a fridge-put there a Smeg..:) I'd go for orange...)) I'm joking of course, but. Even I would say yes to a Smeg-and I'm not even young and "spoiled", lol, I just like colors..))

Walls, Smeg, copper something, tea towels like Fern Living or Marimekko or Orla Kiely makes..something modern, cute, incorporating all the colors

then when it's time for a resale-you'll decide what you're changing if any

Didn't Pal rent the apartment he is currently remodelling to a bunch of "girls". They were either in college or just out of college. He wrote many threads about the mess and damage they made in a very short time.

I would not make any changes while it is a "rental". When the time comes to sell, then you can make any changes necessary to sell it in a timely manner.

I know the renters, DD and friends. They are super tidy and organized, so no worries on that front.

Smeg sounds great, but not in the budget :)

Off topic: UK ebay has the coolest second hand Smegs....

nosoccermom, I totally agree about the backsplash..the backsplash is not the main offender here..it's most definitely a granite.

In the future, with walls repainted and all, you'll see better what to switch that granite for. I'd probably go for Quartz with less movement in it. And I'm not sure I'd go with black..maple seems too gentle to handle it. Maybe something in light gray realm? I think will also depend on whether you'll decide to change the floors or not.

You might decide to remove these around the window cabinetry..less practical in the terms of storage, but people will love the look. Add two long-ish shelves on that wall instead. Will be pretty!

Definitely no movement counters. Great suggestions, so thanks! I can't envision removing the floor, sledgehammer and all. However, come to think of it, it may come in handy for the bathrooms.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4188028/what-would-you-do-with-these-two-bathrooms?n=14

I'll have 3 fridges, 2 normall, one small-my husband is very into having enough food supplies.. I bet he wouldn't even say no to a fourth one lol..but how much it will take to ship one here? Anyway they're so cute I'm going to check UK ebay in any case..thank you:)

The problem is different voltage and frequency in UK (Europe) and US, so I'm not even sure if a transformer would work. I've been drooling over the cool (and much cheaper) IKEA appliances in Europe.

Ah right..you're right of course

(I checked btw..very cute but most are local pick up only anyway..that of course makes sense..)

Hope this doesn't end up double posted, don't know what happened.

after seeing your bathroom thread, I'm even more convinced the kitchen will be great with just a few tweaks and it would be better to focus your budget on the bathrooms.

Depending on how much you think you can do, and assuming it's a good floor plan and there aren't any structural issues or anything you need to address, if you are able to put a little more into the bathrooms, I think the house is a great candidate. Something about this house - I can just picture it so clearly, you know? So much so that I find myself strangely invested in how it turns out . . .

I'd use a Dover white.

I think if you painted the brick, the granite might not look as "off". Just whitewash the brick - easy fix.

Actually, the pink bathroom doesn't look too bad. It's softer in real life. The one with the jacuzzi is a different story, but DD thinks it's ok, provided we can get the tub clean. The rest of the house is pretty cool, though with good sized bedroom, high ceilings and pine floors.

No movement counters, I would do something charcoal dark grey to go with the slate. I only say this because I do think the two backsplashes are competing, the brick and the slate, and nice dark grey counters would look more cohesive and make the brick stand out in a good way as an architectural feature of the house. Real brick is lovely.

Because right now you have many tones of brown, grey and black, its a LOT.

I would also do new flooring.

One thing, once you paint brick, you can NEVER GO BACK. Just something to consider. I mean, Im sure with lots of elbow grease and money to burn you could somehow find someone to strip it with a toothbrush and a toothpick, but realistically, you can't go back!

I would definitely paint the brick probably black or I believe you could tile right over it. I think the brick is the sore toe here. The counters are pretty IMHO.

For the rental period, I'd stick to painting the backsplash a creamy white that matches the creamy veining in the counters. Then when it's time to sell, have the cabinets also painted a creamy color that works with the veining. (Even careful people or their guests could accidentally scratch the paint, which is why I'd hold off until time of resale.) It seems this would be significantly less expensive to paint the cabinets than to replace the granite, and a creamy white would work with the floor tile. Do I love the floor tile? No. However, a giant colorful runner would do it a lot of favors for showings.

Unless this is a truly affluent area where you are guaranteed to get your full investment in a new kitchen (plus paying yourself for the headache of overseeing the remodeling), I would stop at paint. The kitchen has issues (such as the single micro sink) and chances are a new owner might not make the same choices that you and the girls would. I'd hate to waste time and effort putting new, expensive items in only to have them ripped out.

Kudos to you for raising a neat and tidy daughter with like-minded friends. : )

Keep it simple. Keep the brick as it is, change the counters to a dark grey. It will look very sophisticated and loft-y.

I keep reading how one should never use a yellow with pink. But I was successful in doing just that. The wallpaper on the stairwell and upper hall has a pink-beige background that I was tired of. Too tired to remove the paper. The paint (ceiling and trim) was matched to the wallpaper. After pulling many many swatches and a few samples, I settled on Behr Navajo White to paint the both the stair/hall areas and the adjacent rooms because it seemed to go with the wallpaper yet didn't have a pink undertone.

In the adjacent bedroom, the Navajo White seems definitely a yellow (a muted,soft yellow), but more of a creamy pale beige in the downstairs living area or on the stairs/hall. Amazingly, though, once the paint was up the pink tone to the wallpaper seemed to disappear... boy am I happy with it!

So that would be my paint color suggestion -- get a sample of Behr Navajo White (mixed in any brand you like, I use Sherwin-Williams) and see if it works for your counter and cabinets.

It's not exactly what's being said..one can use plenty yellow with pink. As somebody who has yellow walls and tons of pink accents..))

What's hard to use together-it's pink-beige and yellow-beige together...in hard finishes

True they're not exactly beige here..but they are also neither real pink nor real yellow. The finishes. They have pink in them and yellow in them. And it doesn't work that great. Especially with added black that emphasizes everything by being black.

what you can do with paint, and furnishings, and patterns, and fabrics and wallpaper etc etc-you can't exactly afford when pairing stones and tiles and stuff like that

otherwise yes..repeating one of the elements' color in paint will make this element look more blending

so yes..I'd paint the walls..definitely warm color..bring in accents as I've wrote already..and wait

Why not switch to a light colored painted glass back splash and get rid of the brick and what appears to be black paint. I don't see pink in the granite but I di in the brick.

One one more idea. (Ok, two...) I might paint the leg holding up the breakfast area black, which would help it "disappear", and would work well with the current appliances. Is there chalkboard paint currently on the wall over the breakfast area? Rather than the map wallpaper, I might do chalk paint. Yes, it's been done a lot, but with a busy collegiate household, it would be quite useful and fun.

Just thinking about this more...I believe that what this kitchen needs to pull it together is rip out that black slate on both sides and put in a new back splash tile that compliments the granite, just a nice subway tile and YES cover over that red brick. I think that what the person that put in the black tile was thinking is that it would coordinate with the appliances but it just takes away from the pretty granite and pretty cabinets. I mean who wants to tear out perfectly good granite counters just because they don't match the back splash tile? To me, that is not even a option unless you have bags of money lying around! :) Oh and either paint or replace that massive leg.

Before you rip out tile, change granite, or make any other costly changes, have you considered painting the slate tiles and brick the same color as the wall? I would personally try that first - paint the walls and all backsplash including slate backsplash and brick, the same color (a gray would be beautiful). Carry that color into the adjacent space (behind the peninsula in the picture). I know some people may disagree here, but I have painted lots of tile and with the correct prep (including oil primer), you can have beautifully painted tile - even in a kitchen. Using the same color as the wall helps open the space up like you won't believe until you see it.

A quick fix for the leg on the peninsula is a simple post change - go to your local hardware store or lumberyard and find a more square post to tie in with the cabinet design. Paint it the color of the trim or the same color as the wall.

I agree that a runner / rug in the space would also do wonders and cover up the tile (plus an opportunity to bring in another color if you go with white or gray on the walls).

Finally, put a glass pendant over the sink (replace this recessed can) and then find a complimentary light fixture to replace the fan behind the peninsula (unless the fan is needed).

You know it just suddenly occurred to me that I was coming at this assuming that the things you don't like about the granite and things I don't like about the granite are the same! When you said you didn't like the granites you specifically mentioned the color but I just assumed you also didn't like the pattern because I personally don't care for spotty granite. If you just want to tone down the color you might be able to do it with a different or painted backsplash solid backsplash. However, if you want to draw attention away from the granite color and texture, you have to create a focal point that isn't so busy it competes with the granite - but it can't be solid. If the backsplash is solid, the granite becomes the focal point.

My experience going to an all girls boarding school and later sharing bathrooms with roommates in college probably biases me to updating the bathrooms in the house, though. Even if I had a bathroom to myself storage would be seriously limited with a pedestal sink. It's fine in a guest bath, but tricky when girls need to store hygiene products, hair dryers, flat irons, makeup bags, etc. And if any of them have aligning schedules and are getting ready at the same time, I would want counter space. One of my apartments had a large vanity area with a door between it and the shower/toilet room so someone could shower while someone was getting ready and that was nice. If it comes to spending more on one or the other, bathrooms and kitchens are both great investments, but updating the bathrooms is definitely going to have more of an immediate impact on the people that will be living there now.

Both bathrooms have storage shelves/cabinets. Also, three people for two bathrooms, plus a powder room in a pinch. It's mainly the aesthetics :)

As far as the kitchen granite, I don't like the color nor the pattern. But the main issue is the mismatch of all these elements TOGETHER.

Your SS is DARKer than most, or it is reflecting that DARK back splash. The back splash array is darkening it all up. The brick clashes and the dark tile is the "dark" issue. For my money the counter top and cabinets are very compatible..it is the GRAY tones in the back splash,SS, and paint that are OFF, and the RED in the brick fights the orange in the counter top. There are two different color palates going on. Choose one. I prefer the cabinet/counter top. Not a fan of black/gray. Paint is the easiest most DIY but not the issue so fixing it will not fix your dislike. Yep some day when REAL PEOPLE move in..I would swap out the counter leg..the color/style do not jive with the cabinets. Bottom line;this is student housing..WHY BOTHER, LEAVE IT, as was already said. They should be OVER JOYEDed with such a kitchen. I know you THINK you know these students...but even so they are RENTERS--if they don't like what you are offering--let the MOVE ON.

This thread has helped me figure out my thought processes, and I realize that I wasn't clear about this: I'm contemplating buying this house for DD and roommates. Yes, it will be nicer than most other student housing and they will be happy.

However, I am already thinking about what to do in a few years (like 3-4) when selling. Is there a fix that's less costly and painful than another, which also appeals to most buyers? This will determine whether I'm even going ahead with buying the place.The area is appealing to young relatively affluent professionals or empty nesters looking to move downtown.

It sounds like I can take my pick: Replace the counters or the backsplash (and maybe floor as long as I don't have to tear the tiles out.)

I think that chging the backsplash would make the granite look better. Remove the existing backsplash and replace it with cream tiles with a mosaic stripe. This should make the granite less conspicuous.

I also think that changing the backsplash (the black part) would make the granite look better. Black adds another element that super emphasizes even a bit of mismatch..

Also much cheaper I guess..if to change something already, except for the paint-that's a no-brainer, backsplash is the least hard of all.

I understand they probably did it (the black) to pick up black in appliances..

Do you love the house in generally though? The neighborhood, the bones, the feel it gives, the floor plan?

I would buy a house that requires so many tweaks in hard finishes(bathrooms, especially one of them), only if I fell in love with it myself..I wouldn't do it knowing it's just for several years and then future, pretty close in time resale. Unless it has many redeeming qualities..and maybe it does. Maybe it's a glorious home, and we here see just a glimpse of couple hard finishes that were chosen in the wrong order or for wrong reasons, and it doesn't give us any clues as for what the house actually is.

But then I never bought homes for resale (I did think about this aspect of course, but not as a plan), so my opinion couldn't possibly count as something valuable.

I could have said it shorter I guess: nosoccermom, you know better that any of us whether this house works for your plan.

I didn't like ANY of hard finishes in my new place..we still bought it. But it was for us (or so we thought loollool), and it turned out to be such a PITA..mostly of asbestos of course, but other stuff didn't help..

It's not only money, these things. It's time, it's energy..you can think you have it..and then you just stop having it. Adrenaline runs out..money's needed for something urgent..blah blah.

You'll know whether it's worth it. This house. We -okay I-I have no idea.

Yes, I'm not sure. It would be more of an investment. And, no, it's not "glorious" but it might make sense financially.

How big a deal is it to tear out back splash tiles? Doesn't the drywall come with it?

omg no of course not..at least it shouldn't. might get damaged a bit. it's not like you take an ax and demo the wall..

Well, in that case....

I'm not even sure that house has drywall. Could be plaster.