I love my quaint, 1940s condo, but the kitchen has always felt unfinished and out of place. Not being in the financial situation to completely remodel to my liking, I decided to do a few quick, inexpensive projects to brighten the space as much as possible.
The original flooring in the kitchen was a clay-like, synthetic tile which was glued down like nobody's business. My dream floor is something from Mod Walls, but on a tight budget, we chose a white-washed, marblesque laminate that would create a clean base in the kitchen. We spoke with some professional flooring experts who gave us the heads-up that there may be asbestos hiding beneath the floor, which would require a costly remodel by professionals. So, the laminate was positioned directly over the tiles! The light-colored floor widens the kitchen and accentuates the walls, which open the space. It's also a breeze to clean!
The second project we worked on was removing the old, faux, wrought-iron cabinetry above the sink, which was outdated and out of place in the context of the kitchen's aesthetic. Holding onto the glass shelves, we removed the doors and painted the interior a greenish-white to accentuate the glass. With a few wine glasses, some ceramic animal friends, and some personal touches, our kitchen was complete (at least in this budget cycle). I have several ideas for a future remodel, but for now, we are happy with the results!
Images: Andie Wurster
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Nice job. I like the open shelves you put in too, it really does make a difference. I absolutely love the whales print- where did you get it?
The whales are from Enormous Champion. http://enormouschampion.com/ love them!
Cheapest kitchen upgrade everrrrrrr: Adjust the white balance on your camera!
*grin*
before: lights off After: lights on
Love the shelves above the sink :) Great job with some small changes.
Amazing transformation!
There, got that out of the way. Surprised it wasn't in the headline, actually.
Looks great Andie! What a difference a new floor makes. We're hoping to replace ours soon, too.
And a pup for good measure. Hello, I see you there!
I have a 1940's galley kitchen too and just came back from the hardware store with a gallon of paint! I can't WAIT to make my own kitchen transformation! :-D
oh, cute pup! and the nice little touches really do make a big difference. big fan of Enormous Champion here as well. nice work! did you get a new microwave too?
The photos were taken with two different cameras. Before -- 4 years ago after the purchase of the condo. After -- today! You'd be surprised what some higher wattage bulbs will do for a room as well!
By "old, faux, wrought-iron cabinetry" do you mean leaded glass? I hope you donated the doors or the whole cabinet to a building recycling center where someone else can enjoy them.
The squirrel and whales are cute.
I think it looks fantastic as is! The new flooring does help it open up a bit too :-)
The new all-white fridge and dishwasher, and the bolt-of-red microwave and coffee machine, add to the strength of the new look. It looks far more coordinated. Not to mention fun!
just goes to show what a little thought & color can do to make a space WAY cuter! nice work! (but PLEASE find a great print or poster to hang on the back wall to cover up the electric box...)
Very Nice : )
Nice Job on the glass shelves and the Dishwasher; however, the microwave blended in better when it was white and the refrigerator could've been a little sleeker, possibly without handles (the recessed kind). When you replace your range I recommend a Slide-in white range with a glass top instead of a freestanding range (with coil burners), you have a drop-in range now. I sell appliances by the way. I've updated my kitchen for super cheap too, I have yet to post them on AT yet though.
Ah, inspiration! I have almost the same "before" situation and have been stumped about ideas to bring it up to speed on a very modest (zero) budget. The microwave in the cupboard is the first idea I'm going to steal! Thanks!
You can use the electric box to hang magnet hooks for aprons! :)
i had to roll the page up and down more than 3 times just to spot one diference apart from the red microwave oven!