Kitchen Updates

7 years ago

Within the last year, We purchased a house built in 1994. We are slowly removing the 90’s (peach and hunter green!) and have this kitchen to contend with. We want to give it a face lift as we are not interested in spending 100K+ on an entirely new kitchen and the cabinets and layout work for us. We are thinking white quartz counters, a subway tile style backsplash, black cabinet hardware, and some sort of new tile floor - the adjacent family room is carpet and the foyer floor leading into the kitchen is wood. We could also paint the non-cabinet side of the island and we could paint the cabinets. We are open to suggestions! Note that we have removed the entertainment center on the far side of the family room since it only fit televisions from the 90’s.

Featured Answer

PRO

Patricia Colwell Consulting

7 years ago

I would get rid of the raised bar it is dated like the house.Get new counters if you love the layout and the cabinets are okay I would spend my money on new hardwood in the familty room to match the rest and continue it into the kitchen add LED bulbs in 3500-5000K range in all the pot lights so colors look true,Change the knobs to stainless get a nice TV cabinet that is long enough for that wall and low enough to keep the TV a proper viewing height. Use the desk area in the kitchen for a coffee bar and then choose a paint color that is a little more interesting and works well with the wood floor and cabinets.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

PRO
Edmond Kitchen & Bath LLC
7 years ago
Ditto Patricia's comments - highbars are out. If you are up for drywall work, then make the columns thinner (they appear to be boxed out for substance), and remove the soffits. Explore the soffits in depth if this is a 2 story....plumbing and other mechanical often runs through them. The large tile grid on the floor does not help. If you want to change up the cabinets, swap the doors for new shaker style, then repaint everything. And if you are refinishing cabinets, then you can rework the oven cabinet to install a wall microwave over the oven and replace the over the range unit with a vent hood worthy of a focal point.

Here's a kitchen we designed for our client in a wheelchair - a hood like this or a stainless factory model would look better.

Allure of the Details · More Info
Related Professionals
Daytona Beach Interior Designers & Decorators · Ashland Interior Designers & Decorators · York Interior Designers & Decorators · Beatrice Interior Designers & Decorators · Roswell Interior Designers & Decorators · Longview Interior Designers & Decorators · Miami Architects & Building Designers · Johnson City Architects & Building Designers · Fayetteville Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Saint Joseph Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Enid Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Clarksville Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Saginaw Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Oneonta Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Phoenix Kitchen & Bathroom Designers
Susie .
7 years ago
If you switch countertops, it needs to relate to the floor (the current one appears to work with the current floor). White may look off with that floor tile, which is in the peach/orange family. I like white countertops and backsplash, for its timeless quality, but I don’t think it would work with that tile, and you may be better off keeping the countertop (non tile one). I like the idea of hardwood, but not sure that’s in your budget. I also agree the bar height would be better at counter height, as well as removing the tile counter. Once you start changing things, you have to change others. I keep hearing peach is coming back in style.
Susanne Casey
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks for the feedback! We DO want to change the floor tile. Not to wood - I don’t like wood floors with wood cabinets (it’s like denim on denim.) With white counters I’d do a floor in the gray family like we did in the owner's bath (see photo.) We did remove the entertainment center built in and donated it to Habitat for Humanity. We have a piece from Arhaus in its place. The only problem with switching out the island with a counter height is that I would lose three outlets that I really like for small appliances. Any suggestions on that?
Susanne Casey
Original Author
7 years ago
Oh, and I love making the desk into a coffee bar! We talked about adding a beverage fridge to that area.
PRO
Edmond Kitchen & Bath LLC
7 years ago
Outlets can be added:

- In the side panel of the island cabinetry

- Under the counter overhang

- Pop or tilt up from the countertop

All personal preference.....we have used all options - here's two we did awhile back:

Modern on the Prairie · More Info

Look under countertop close to center of the island:
Mustang Masterpiece · More Info
felizlady
7 years ago
If the posts aren’t structural, I would remove them.
I would change the island to a rectangle or square because the angled island is dated.
Susanne Casey
Original Author
7 years ago
Sadly, the posts are structural.
PRO
Edmond Kitchen & Bath LLC
7 years ago
Should be able to make the posts thinner - they are usually a couple of 2x4's wrapped in plywood or drywall. You might explore below counter height to see if you can find out how many 2 by's they used. May need to open part of a cabinet or that back wall. Also - when you go to drop the bar down to a single height, you'll need to re-frame that support wall down lower. Easy job but as you say there is electric in it that will need to be dealt with. May be easier to open the drywall to get to it, then replace the drywall with matching doors and face frame (if you are replacing your cabinet doors). Make the entire structure look like cabinetry. But do that before flooring in case you want to make the pony wall footprint smaller too.....
David Orme
7 years ago
the worst part of that kitchen are the posts they spoil the flow of the kitchen can you not have a structural load bearing beam fitted in the ceiling perhaps boxed and containing spots or hanging lights your choice over granite is a good one as more durable and less upkeep>