Thank you everyone for the suggestions! I think I really like the idea of green for the walls and I love the netted glass lights!! I also like the idea of BM pewter too. We should close next week and I can't wait to get started! Will have to post after picks! Thanks again!

Well built and maintained home- lucky, lucky you!
Love the red, love the green, love the gray. I think no matter which color you go with, the tiled backsplash will compete with its impact, so get some interesting décor going on the countertops and walls. Keep the focus upward, and try to find attractive anti-fatigue mats for the floor. I'm a big fan of brick, but standing on it for long periods or dropping things on it- no fun.

Thank you brickln! The house really has been well maintained, all the tile even in the bathrooms (even though they are old) are in great shape and the rest of the house has hardwood floors that are beautiful! We also learned that behind the Sheetrock in the kitchen is tongue and groove, all the closets are cedar. The house is really well built just needs updating.

I think it's beautiful -- I would only change the paint. Light green sounds beautiful or a really light blue gray, maybe. buy a couple sample cans and try them out. Also, the light fixture has got to go. I also think once you have everything in place, it will look so much nicer. If glass in cupboards is clear - change to seeded glass or some other pretty glass,

Same in the bathroom as well! I added some pix of my progress as well as the black and white tile, like you im trying to salvage what i can off the existing cabinets. Share some pix of your 1940's kitchen makeover when your done, im interested to see how it turned out!

Actually, I think that kitchen might have been put in during the 70s or 80s. In 1940, they did not build in the stove or refrigerator, they were free-standing. Like in the photo above...

Ruger I like your kitchen too! I will def post some after pics!

Nancy I have wondered about the date of the tile too. Maybe the prev owner was just trying to keep with style of tile used in the bathrooms. The house is a foreclosure so we haven't been able to get any of those details.

You could do one of these less-expensive-then-gutting options:
- New counter
- New paint
- New windows or even just new blinds
- one or two appliances
- even just new fixtures or accessories would freshen it up
Just do what you feel matches best with your budget, time, and style!

I recommend wallpaper in a black and white print, stipe or a toile and give the room a French bistro feeling. Then I would replace the island counter top with a solid surface. and paint the island satin black. Down the line you can replace the counters as budget permits. Add some French country metal pendants over the island and handsome barstools. You can take this look either more traditional or transitional depending on the light fixtures and bar stools. Don't be discouraged. It can be a really inviting space. Count your blessings - the tile could have been pink or burgundy. The black and white scheme is very Chic!

If you think your island should be bigger, put a larger overhang on the new counter top when you change it.

Trey McKinney Design- I love all of your suggestions! Thank you so much!
Any ideas on what I could do for the peach and black tile in the bathroom downstairs? The bath upstairs has the same layout just different colors (more cream/off white) with black trim. We are replacing the toilets, light fixtures, and sinks. Also removing the shower door. so right now we can only paint or wallpaper but I really want to tone down the peach.

The peach and black tile walls and the patterned floors are such dominant elements in the bathroom so you have to work with them. Again - I think wallpaper is the best way to tie things together and make it all work. A black and white stripe would be classic and sophisticated or any black and white print such as a Moroccan pattern, Chinoiserie toile or etching style. Another direction to go is a multi colored wall covering in mocha, black and white and peach. The pattern will need to have some white in it to tie in the white cabinets. Schumacher, Ralph Lauren and Brunsweig and Fie have some great options. If you find a paper that you like that is not vinyl you can send the rolls to a company that can coat it with vinyl which will help it stand up better to moisture in a bath. I think you can have some fun with these baths and bring them to life.

If you go with wallpaper in the bath, cover the floor with a neutral linoleum for the time being.

It would be a shame to cover that wonderful tile floor!

Some peach-toned papers...

don't you dare cover the floor - it's beautiful. I agree that you have to work with the existing colors. Just focus your accents on black and white and let the peach be the background, as much as it can be. Your house is lovely - such a jewel to be kept in such great shape. Can't wait to see how you freshen things up!

I love green walls in a kitchen. I have collected many photos into a Houzz idea book. Here it is.
[houzz= http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/6848268/thumbs/green-walls w=300]

Nancy thank you for the suggestions but of all the things in the bathroom the floor tile is what I like best so I just can't cover it.
Marilyn I too like the green walls for the kitchen! Thank you all for the suggestions.

Thank you Lori! I appreciate your suggestions!

That's why I said it would be a shame to cover it! It was brickln who said to cover it with linoleum.

I love the attached fabric, and think it would be great in your kitchen...

You could use an acid green or yellow for the walls, or paint one wall the yellow, one wall the acid green, and the rest white!

I agree with you on the floor, Nancy, but if I used one of your lovely wallpapers, that's exactly what I'd do for the time being. I wouldn't take up the floor- it's classic!
I'm thrilled that you love the floor, anivey. I think it's enough pattern for the room, though- just a preference.

I would paint the kitchen walls a medium to dark gray, picking up the gray color in the flooring. Ditto priming the red first, it's a bear to cover up! Also use gray in your peach bathroom.

LOVE, love, love your black and white tile. I am so jealous! And the space too.
A lighter color instead of the red - green or blue would be good, but especially a floor with a much less dominant pattern would really change the mood.

DO NOT DO ANYTHING TO THE FLOOR IN THE BATHROOM!!!!!!!!! That's what I've been saying all along. Apparently, you didn't understand what I was saying--I agree with you, it is classic. And even if you took out the peach tile, I would say to keep the floor.

Amivey, your house is my favorite kind. ..built so well, so sturdy and these original bathrooms are going by the wayside for "remodels", only to start being "outdated" the moment they are done. These ORIGINALS will never be "out dated" because they are correctly dated to the age of the home. I have one bathroom with the original seafoam green and sandy yellow 4x4 tiles from 1952. I hope I never HAVE to change it. I have another bathroom that was REMUDDLED before I moved in 20 years ago. It has been redone a second time within these 20 years again this summer. I learned enough to try to take back to an original or classic look. No trends. I put in subway tile which is timeless but still not true to that era as much as if I had gone with the 4x4". Wish I had seen and really thought this through even more. (I could kick myself actually)

Please look at the retro website called savethepinkbathroom.com. Click on the bathrooms for the sweetest ideas for paint and decorating and the history attributed to MAMIE EISENHOWER. Retro renovation is a wonderful resource for the special homes we have.
Congrats on your new home. Please do live in your new home for a while before you make big changes. Take it slowly and choose wisely...most of all, Enjoy!

I get your point, Nancy!! When anivey said she didn't like the peach bath, I was afraid she meant the whole retro thing, which is why I suggested lino over the tile to preserve it. Love these old floors. My pink bath with black and white hex marble has seen its day, but I'm still hanging in there!

m

I have a 1940 house as well, same tile with black trim (also in the bathroom) and red walls to start with. Within a month of moving in I painted it green. (Funny how we have the same pull knobs on the drawers! lol) I also love the green that Marilyn Wilkie posted!

Melanie
I love it!! It's so nice to actually see the green with the tile and it looks great! What color green did you use?

Melanie thanks again for posting your pics! I love the window! And the green is beautiful, I really like it! I was already leaning toward green but I'm positive that's what I'm doing now!

I saw the color in a Home Depot ad for a white kitchen with green walls. It's BEHR "Rejuvenate." Took the guess work out of it! And I love how easy it is to accessorize with green and silver. Everywhere I look there are green kitchen items that I want for my kitchen! haha On my computer screen it looks greyish, time to calibrate my monitor.

Thank you! I can't wait to get started! We should close this week (seems like it will never happen lol)! I will post after pics!

Kitchen greens from Houzz

[houzz=]

For a more modern look, you can always make it gray & green or turquoise & silver

I think that it's too much ceramic. I would keep only the backsplash, change the counter top with something dark gray and paint the walls with Alligator Alley Killy-moore. And a wood floor

I agree green with your crisp white tiles is the answer.

Th current counters are not very practical so your best bet is to go along the lines of a new countertop and a fresh paint - you could keep paint just one wall a color - see the kitchen we did not long ago which was all black and the red wall was the splash of color which made the kitchem

I would seek out a brick expert, and do something with the floor so it looks more consistent instead of all of those browns (paint? grey?), and repaint the walls. Everything else looks decent.

I would prime all the walls, then paint a very soft pollen yellow. It appears you have a wide range of colours in your floor tile, so you may want to go with the lightest colour in your floor for your wall colour.

Funny you should say that, because the name of that paint I posted above is Pollen Yellow!

Take a look at some countertop options; it could add a lot to your kitchen space. VT Dimensions countertops take the look of natural surfaces and combines it with the enhanced performance of laminate; extremely affordable and great design options. http://www.vtindustries.com/dimensions-countertops Let us know if you have any questions!

I adore your kitchen! If it were mine, the only thing I would change would be the paint. I would use a very soft butter yellow. It would go with the floor and the dining room that you are doing in blue. Look at the colour wheel;. Yellow and blue - GREAT combination! Also you could pull in some blue in your window covering. Say a lemony yellow with tiny blue flowers on it. I don't know if you are a flower type person or more graphic. Either way, the two colours together will work for you. You could also pull in the blue and yellow theme with your dishes behind the glass doors, your kitchen ware that will go on the counter. I put in a tile counter like that in the first home we bought in 1986. We double sealed the grout and NEVER had a problem with it. NOTHING stained the grout, not even grape juice. I wouldn't worry about the counter not being sanitary! Just be sure you are good about using dishwashable cutting boards; they come in different colours and you could use one for meat and one for vegies. Again, that is what we do. The great thing about the tile? You can put hot pots and pans on it and you will NOT hurt it! I think you will love your new home! Happy painting!!!

It sounds like you are using a big chunk of budget to replace the fixtures in the bathroom! Tile CAN be painted over... Also there are companies that can resurface tubs and showers; they do til walls the same way. As far as your budget goes... You can do so much with the color you pick for towels, washcloths, bath mats, etc... Don't forget how much wall is covered up with the cabinets and towels. Colours that look good with peach are rose, white, lime, soft pink, grey, magenta and maroon. Peach is a mild tone, warm golden colour. Another way I use to pick out a colour is the grocery store. Of all things, right? LOL But truly, if you find yourself stumped by a colour found in nature, go get a peach. Look at the flesh first. There are so many colours just on the outside that go from yellow to an orange/red hue. Then cup it open and look inside; really look at it! All the way to the brown pit in the middle. If you familiarize yourself with what you hold in your hand, you will have your answer and feel good because YOU picked it and it came from your own heart. There is nothing worse than repainting something because the colour you painted first just cannot be lived with - experience is a great teacher...

I would paint the walls white and change the light fixture to something contemporary and kind of large scale. Simplify since the floor is quite busy. Good luck!

Will all the white you can go with so many accents, mi love the black and white with red, and the flooring is very unique, I'm all for different. If you can afford to get canister, small appliances in black or red, that would be my choice. I had an all white kitchen and added color slowly after 5 years. You have great color in the floor, pick an accent from there. Gook luck

Love the kitchen!! I agree with painting walls a soft green that is where I would start. Next thing I would tackle is the island - I too see it larger - maybe with a butcher block top & a couple of stools pulled up. You could create an overhang for stools with larger top supported by some nice corbels or legs or columns depending on how handy u are. I like the idea of painting it a different color. Then depending on budget next would b a solid surface for rest of countertop but ur existing one looks in good shape so definitely usable. Home Depot has some great inexpensive pendant lights for over the sink or over the island that would make a big difference. Post pics as u go & good luck!

I agree with Audrey Carrol re tile counters. I love mine. They never stain or scratch and the sealed grout has lasted years. Hot pots don't damage them. Just a matter of wiping them down regularly.

I love the white with black trim that you have. Agree that the bathroom peach could be stunning if you work with it. Even though I am not a huge fan of wallpaper, a black and white pattern might be interesting.

Keep to the era as much as you can and your rooms will be timeless rather than trendy.