Kitchen Remodel Suggestions

8 years ago

Hello!

We purchased a home we plan to turn into a rental. We are going to update the kitchen some first. Here’s what we’re doing.
-painting cabinets white with new hardware
-new flooring (vinyl plank)
-taking out wall dividing kitchen/dining and relocating refrigerator.

I would love suggestions on colors for the flooring, counters, and dining room walls!

Also there are some very dated spindles on pony walls in entry. Any idea what I can do with them? I’d like to replace with something but I’m at a loss.

Featured Answer

PRO

Elizabeth Minish Design

8 years ago

Glad to hear you're retaining the services of pros to do the work as sketched out. You won't regret it. I'm never clear why people are willing to pay pros to do the construction, but not to plan that construction. I routinely save my clients a LOT of money by having them working on the right thing and not doing things that are unnecessary.

All that said, re: the spindles. Rather than just removing them an leaving odd-looking pony walls, consider using just one solid-looking post at each side to make the openings look intentional. The openings in the walls undoubtedly let a lot of light pass from the main space to the adjacent hall way.

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Comments (12)

Suki Mom
8 years ago
Are the spindles necessary for support? If not, remove them.
acm
8 years ago
Same -- just remove the spindles and leave the pony walls. It's not that uncommon.
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Anne in Virginia
8 years ago
Your project looks very much like ours ; I just posted our kitchen remodel as

[From 1984 to 2018 in one month! (Our kitchen remodel story)[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/from-1984-to-2018-in-one-month-our-kitchen-remodel-story-dsvw-vd~5504063?n=33)

We moved our refrigerator but in the wall behind it were water pipes and heating ducts, so be careful when you move your fridge and open the walls! We also had those 1980's spindles and the remodelers just threw them in the dumpster!

The biggest improvements in our kitchen were changing the cabinets from oak to white painted ones, putting in new light colored countertops,. and adding more can lights to the ceiling. Most older kitchens had terrible lighting. I think keeping it light and bright will attract renters to your house.
Suki Mom
8 years ago
I think white paint is not a practical option for a rental house, especially with the indented lines on the cabinet doors.
hplatt87
Original Author
8 years ago
Anne your new kitchen is beautiful!

I will see if I can remove the spindles without damaging the wood it’s attached to!
User
8 years ago
DIY painted cabinet will look chipped and shabby in no time. Taking down a wall means replacing all the floors, relocating electrical, HVAC, maybe plumbing, and patching and repairing drywall, plus painting. And that is if it’s not load bearing and you need to get someone with a clue to put in an LVL.

If you are going to spend 20K-30K here, it should include new cabinets. And some real

licensed and insured Pros.
hplatt87
Original Author
8 years ago
We are having a professional do everything, Including the cabinets. None of this will be a DIY. We are replacing all the flooring after we are done with all the other work. I appreciate the input from everyone, was just hoping for some design input as I am not a professional and that is the one thing we are not paying someone for.
User
8 years ago
That's quite a project. I hope you have a competent, licensed contractor.

If you're going to the trouble and expense of removing the wall between the dining room and kitchen, moving appliances and replacing the floor and counters, it doesn't make sense to rework and repaint the old cabinets - get new ones.

If the spindles are original to the house, they probably aren't load bearing. However, they were such a popular feature that over-enthusiastic do-it-yourselfers often cut open bearing walls to put them in. Also, after removing the spindles, the lower wall sections are likely to be floppy.
hplatt87
Original Author
8 years ago
Suki, if not white, what color would you pick?
Suki Mom
8 years ago
What is your budget? Are you thinking laminate countertops?
hplatt87
Original Author
8 years ago
Suki, It’s a pretty small amount so we’re thinking granite.