Kitchen Update Ideas For Me Too, Please!

last year

last modified: last year

We're closing on a house soon. This is the 30-year-old kitchen with original appliances. I have an idea for a light renovation -- new appliances, install a vent, tile the backsplash area, replace sink -- but sure could use ideas for how to replace the fluorescent light. What's a good replacement for it? Maybe add a can over the fridge area too. Lighting has changed radically since I last remodeled a kitchen 20 years ago.

Also, can old cabinets be retrofitted with roll out shelves? I don't mind roll out shelves behind cabinet doors.

Not shown are two butler's pantries to the side & a huge custom designed china cabinet. So plenty of storage.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

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AnnKH

last year

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awm03
Original Author
last year
The photo is .jpg format. I'll try resizing it.
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awm03
Original Author
last year
Can anybody inform me on modern lighting products & good rules of thumb for light placement?

How about retrofitting old cabinets with roll outs?

Thanks.
dani_m08
last year
last modified: last year
You can definitely retrofit the cabinets with roll out shelves. There are many that you can order online. There used to be limited choices + they were fairly expensive - however, now there are MANY options + various price points.

There will be quite a few people who will tell you that you need to have drawers for your lower cabinets because adding roll out trays requires you to open the door and then pull out the tray. I've had a pantry for many years with roll out shelves - the items used most often are towards the front = I don't have to actually pull the shelves out that often. Pantries require you to open two doors in order to pull out a roll out tray - that hasn't been an issue for me (I don't really think about it). I am renovating my kitchen soon - and will be adding drawers to the lower cabinets - but not because it's difficult to open a door before pulling out a roll out tray.

My pantry (24" deep) was built on site and they added the pull out shelves then - they constructed mine so that the heights of the shelves are adjustable - that is a nice feature that you might want to look for when purchasing some.

If you or someone you know has some tools, you can build some fairly easily. Ana White (has a popular website and presence on YouTube) shows how to easily build some pull out shelves + add them to your cabinets. I'm sure that there are many other tutorials on YouTube.
awm03 thanked dani_m08
awm03
Original Author
last year
Thank you, dani_m08, your perspective is helpful. I currently have a number of roll out shelves behind cabinet doors and really don't mind that set up. As I age, I find the trays are easy to grasp, roll easily, & have held up well to usage.

Thinking that adding roll outs to the lower shelves of the upper cabs would make them more functional. Cabs that go all the way to a 9 ft ceiling look dramatic, but aren't very practical. Current owner has nothing stored up on the top shelves. I'll probably have to keep a ladder in the garage by the door just to reach the middle shelves.

I think the lighting set up is wonky. The fluorescent is hideous, and the distribution of the flood lights is odd. Xenons under the cabinets are ok for now. Will get a vent over a new range for task lighting while cooking.
awm03
Original Author
last year
This video is a very good primer on lighting fundamentals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJTAygt-YSo

Beam spread, Kelvins, lumens, CRI -- she covers it all, & I'm getting a clearer idea how to go about fixing the kitchen lighting.