Old Kitchen advice

last year

We have an 1951 house in Hawaii and the kitchen needs some some work/updating. It is a rental and in the Hawaii climate (humid, open air, salty, warm...) so many other upgrades I've made around the propery often don't hold up well. So I am tending towards making what we have in the kitchen work better vs. replace because I am afraid we will end up spending a bunch and then having cabinets that look like crap in 5 years. I am upgrading all the applicances and putting in a new microwave above the stove. Some other things I am considering are to replace cabinet hardware and hinges and paint with a polyurethane coating (the paint starts chipping after a few months of use and we had the cabinets professionally painted 5 years ago.) Replace countertop and back spash - but keep cabinets. OR is it just best to replace all the cabinets?? I am a little stuck there. The other thing I am stuck on is the sink. I kind of love it, but I am not sure if it is super funcational in a smallish/medium kitchen for today. I am thinking of adding a dishwasher as I get the upgraded appliances so wondering if I got to let the sink go and expand counter space?

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Comments (4)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
Ar the cabinets themselves in good shape and worth saving? I can't imagine why black appliances in Hawaii but that is another issue. The cabinets look to be in pretty rough shape with the hinges and doors not looking like they function well and of course the fact some PRO??? painted the hinges .I would do DW most people expect one for sure and all stainless applainces is an upgrade but start with the cabinets. and maybe good wood cabinets that have the ability to be finished down the road.
PRO
beesneeds
last year
It's a rental in Hawaii... what is your renter market? I love the sink and would keep it- handwashing is common in Hawaii. Especially if your market is for locals rather than tourists. However, if you are planning on marketing to more upscale tourist renters they may expect a dishwasher in a newly renovated kitchen. So if you plan on the kind of renters that expect a dishwasher, you will likely want to replace the cabinets and counters to upgrade those too.

I would replace the tile countertop with a solid surface. Again, depending on your renter market, that can range from laminate or corian types to manmade and natural stones. A solid surface can be easier to keep clean and nice than a tile with grout surface. I would leave the wood counters to the sides of the sink if possible, they have a nice vibe. If you replace cabinets they will probably have to go- then I would use the same counter material as on the other side of the kitchen.

The cabinets. They for sure are of the era. I'm not sure they could be redone again, but if they were it would probably take a full strip down and redo. If you are having a lot of humidity issues, maybe consider something like outdoor grade cabinetry that is supposed to hold up. Kind of overkill maybe, but if you don't have the AC control in the house to keep the cabinets up it might be worth it.
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PRO
Debbi Washburn
last year
That sink is awesome! I would keep it.

Hawaii has beautiful Koa wood for cabinets. A wood stained cabinet will hold up much better in the humidity than a painted one. You could also use oak as well. I would get to the local cabinet showroom and see.

You don't have a ton of cabinets, so it shouldn't be too bad.

Please keep those beautiful live edge countertop pieces!
rebasheba
last year
You could lean into the retro and get steel cabinets! (no idea if those are available in Hawaii)