While the kitchen is bearable, I'd say the bathroom is the worse off of the two.

By the time you get to the bathroom, vintage pink will be either retro or in style. :-)

Both really aren't that bad (I'd like to send you pictures of my kitchen and baths!). We're in the same situation (both our k+b were last renovated in the 50's!) and we decided to go with the bathroom since its a far smaller project. We're acting as our own GC and thought redoing the BR would be a great opportunity to build relationships with the trades (tilers, plumbers, plasters, etc).

Best of luck!

Please tell me he'll let you paint the bathroom cabinets. If so, paint them white, new countertop, you can get standard countertops and sinks for cheap at any home reno store. New floor if you can. It won't be super expensive, I mean, a basic tile is what, $7 to $10/sf installed? Clearish shower curtain to let the light in from that window. Paint the over toilet cabinet white as well. You will like it sooo much better. If you can live with a hint of pink, keep the floor tile and do everything else a bit more luxe -- marble countertop, sparkly platinum fixtures. Retro girly!

Kitchen -- fight the good fight on painting those cabinets.

But yeah, get started on the bathroom first. Way easier project and if everything stays in the same place, way simpler.

I think first you need to consider why there are such restraints. I assume it's the cost, but you should consider whether this cost restraint is relatively permanent or just very temporary. In other words, is it worth replacing the old formica now with new formica (clearly, you don't like it) when you could wait and replace it with something you actually like months down the road? Are we talking about never being able to update the kitchen completely or just waiting a year?

If it's the latter, please don't replace the formica with more formica you hate. Just wait until you can save up for the surface you actually want. And do the same for the cabinets. If he won't paint them, you can look into refacing - but that will likely cost just as much as buying new ones. I would advise him to reconsider his decision to not paint the cabinets.

Top priority is to convince your partner to get new cabinet doors. Since the cabinet boxes are in great shape, replacing the doors with an updated style will make such a HUGE impact. Either that, or embrace a french country theme and make it work.

Nix the counter-depth fridge. Counter-depths are 6 inches wider than your standard depth fridge and they wont fit in that nook you got. Also, you can't install a stainless steel sink without replacing the countertops because the opening for the sink will be the wrong size.

we did the bathroom remodel first in our home, i'd definitely recommend bathroom first. for your kitchen you might want to consider getting new door fronts and keeping the base cabinets. You could have a carpenter cut wood to size and it would be a lot more affordable than demoing the whole thing.

We updated for under 4k and our for around 1k

I gasped when I saw this, because this looks like my house did when I moved in-except I also have a cobalt blue sink! The previous owner took their fridge with them, so I had to get a new one, but otherwise I did the same things you are suggesting with the kitchen- I immediately replaced the window treatments with dark grey solar shades and switched out the hardware to a style similar to the one you show above. I have to say, just that amount made me happy enough to leave the rest as is (including the sink) until now (3 years later). I used the rest of my time/money elsewhere. Good luck!

What is the source for that cabinet handle? It's lovely, and a friend and I are going shopping tomorrow to look for brushed stainless handles to update her almost identical honey oak cabinets.

After replacing the window coverings and hardware in the kitchen, I would concentrate on the bathroom. Take down the cabinet over the toilet and replace it with some open shelving and repaint the vanity perhaps a deep espresso color (okay, so chocolate and pink is one of my favorite color combinations). Somewhere down the line, you can have the kitchen cabinets refaced and a new countertop put it. For right now, it isn't too bad, although I might change the faucet.

If everything is clean and in good working order, just live with it for a while. Sure, take down the curtains if you don't like them, but take the time to figure out what the long term plan should be for the bathroom and kitchen, save the money, and do it properly. If you want to spend $100 now to swap out the knobs and handles, great, but I wouldn't bother doing anything else until you're really ready to do it. Remember, this isn't just about making it livable, it's about making the house more valuable, so don't throw good money after financially worthless upgrades (i.e. more Formica countertops.)

And don't wait too long! It's so sad to me when people update their homes to put them on the market--they could have been enjoying the improved stuff all along!

In my opinion, the kitchen is fine for now. Believe me, if you want to see dated, check out my early 70s golden varnished cabinets. He has a 90s kitchen but really, it's not really all that bad for now. If he'd let you paint the cabinets, that's all I'd do.

Have you thought about painting the countertops? Rustoleum makes a product for just that purpose. $20 is hardly a huge investment and is much cheaper than replacing it with more crap Formica. Personally, unless you're switching to a different material, I'd keep the Formica.

I wouldn't bother replacing the sink with a stainless one. Stainless sinks look very "contractor special" to me.

As for the bathroom, I know it's not environmentally friendly but Vinyl flooring might be your best option. It's cheap and very DIY. The same goes for vinyl tiles.

Are these short term or long term fixes. That is what you need to ask yourself. Do you plan on gutting these two rooms down the road? If so, make a plan and don't invest too much money into something that will be ripped out in 10 years.

That is great bathroom tile. Leave it and paint the walls a warm grey. Paint the cabinet white and you are done with the bathroom.

I wouldn't even bother putting new pulls on the kitchen cabinets right now. It might seem like a cheap fix but they do add up when you do that math. With that profile in the cabinet doors everyone will look at the cabinets and say, "nice replacement of the pulls".

Replacing the refrigerator is a good idea. The current model really makes your kitchen small.

I agree with others here who have recommended painting the bathroom cabinets white. When I moved into my new home a year ago, the bathroom was virtually identical to your picture. Painting the cabinets made the room look like a whole new space....very light and airy. I also replaced the shower curtain with something patterned against a white background; again, it just visually opened the whole space up for very little moolah.

Stain, stain, stain! Get a good gel stain and turn those cabinets into a dark stain! It maybe better for your partner than painting, and that 90's curve in the doors will be less noticable. Also, consider covering the lower cabinets in stainless sheeting.

You may also look into having the tiles in the bathroom reglazed instead of changing them. I have heard its afordable and as long as the tiles are in good shape, a nice white glaze would turn that into a classic pallet.

I think trying to update that kitchen with streamlined, "modern" accessories is fighting a losing battle against the style and color of those cabinet fronts.

I personally would paint the walls in the bathroom gray. It would work with the pink and also the tile in the shower. I don't have a problem with painting the cabinets in the bathroom. They would be painted a charcoal gray and then use charcoal and white towels. White accents, and a simple round or square flushmount ceiling fixture with nickle trim and white glass. I could live with that :)

At least get a quote for replacing the cabinet doors before deciding they are too costly. Those busy curved doors are making the kitchen look so fussy and small. Plain, flat doors would really help modernize and declutter.

If it really is too expensive, then I agree with the others here to paint, and if it were me, I would go for a medium tone taupe or gray, non glossy.

They sell laminate countertop paint, so why not try that first? Nothing flashy -- I think they key to painting kitchen surfaces is to keep the new color plain and neutral so it disguises a less than perfect paint job.

For the fridge, it is possible to get a counter depth fridge that fits into a smaller space - look at Fisher & Paykel Active Smart.

@Medusa12120, I agree about the bathroom tile. Keep it.

For the bathroom, get that hanging thing off the wall and put up a beautifully framed piece of art or printed poster. Paint the walls Abalone (Benjamin Moore) a pale gray with a hint of pink to it that will balance out the floor and countertop. Paint the vanity base a deep dark charcoal. White towels and a white shower curtain for freshness.

The very first thing that I would do is to paint the wooden cabinets white. This would completely change the appearance of the room. Maybe you can try to convince the owner. Anyway pink and white go well together. Another option is to buy foil for the cabinets, although it's a pity that this would hide the nice wood.

Its hard to be sure of the exact size of the kitchen but I think I'd add a new lighting fixture like this one:

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/claudine-chandelier/s607650

Beyond that I'd get a new kitchen rug (o.co and home decorators have good cheap choices), and new curtains. Finally I'd switch out the hardware and leave it like that for a while. Eventually new doors (or painted doors) might be a great idea. I'd fix the kitchen first.

While the house needs some updating its still a lovely little place.

Definitely agree on painting the cabinets white.

Then, have you considered painting over your formica with a faux painting kit?

There are some worry-free kits over at Crystal Top Overlay. You can see the beautiful results that we get. Even if you wanted to transition to real granite on down the road, it would be a great move at this point, and it wouldn't cost much money.

The area is so small...I would lay a laminate floor over the tile...it will "man up" the floor and then a nice coat of a coffee bean color to the vanity and change out the hardware...the bathroom tiles will fit right in with that mid-century take. Do silver/chrome hardware and silver accents to go with the silver flecked tile. Plan on the laminate being a gimme. Later on when time and money permit take out the floor and replace for real.

I would leave the kitchen cabs alone including the hardware. Dark cabs suck the light right out of the room. The finish that is there is good. And the hardware is appropriate for the style of cabinet. The hardware you are suggesting doesn't complement but instead is too contemporary for your cab style. I would redo countertops, sink and faucet and paint the walls Benjamin Moore Atrium White. Like the roller shade plan. See Parnassus for the bath redo.

Forgot the lighting in the kitchen. You could install tape lighting under the upper cabs. Update the lighting over the sink with a pendant and then redo the overhead too. A smaller frig would also be welcome. Let the grocery store warehouse the food for you.

I don't think you should paint anything or replace the window shades & light until you've got all your colors picked out. Since you're probably not going to pick a custom countertop color (aside from the dozen or so standard choices) you should start there, and then paint or decorate to that. It'll be easier than trying to match the countertop to a window shade or paint color that you've already picked out. I always start with the item that has the fewest options.

We have those same dated cabinets and I have the same "won't paint wood" issue at my house.

One thing we did that helped a lot was to take off that frilly moulding along the top. You can probably knock it off gently (as in, it's likely not on there super tightly.) Be aware that it might leave glue or ridges of varathane aroudn the edges of the removed moulding. If it leaves lighter marks, you can sand with the grain, and to darken "dry" lighter oak if you expose it, try a moistened black tea tea-bag to stain it darker to the surrounding wood if need be. Use one of those waxy hole-filler crayons in a matching oak colour to fill any nail-holes. Once you've smoothed out the look and made it all match, a clear spray varathane or whatever will match the existing finish on the cabinets to help it blend in. We raised a microwave shelf this way to accommodate my kitchen aid mixer, as well as removed cheesy mouldings from the top (including a header board with a heart cutout that was over the sink window) and you'd never know it was done.

I would really think about painting the cabinets. If you paint them, you can even disguise the arch - like this http://manhattan-nest.com/2010/10/13/conquer-your-vanity/

I would leave things as they are for a bit. But I would put up some affordable bamboo blinds in the kitchen and bath, that alone will make you feel better. Getting a stainless frig will completely transforn the kitchen.

Monet's house at Giverny has traditional French country cabinets, but in such wonky color combinations (yellow, turquoise, etc.) that it feels artsy and fresh instead of Grandma. Maybe there's some inspiration there?

http://giverny.org/monet/home/

Another possibility for the kitchen is to do a Dorothy Draper black-and-white paint job on the cabinets -- i.e., paint them black, with the indented section in white. Swap out the flooring with black-and-white checkerboard linoleum, and it could all look glam.

Examples of the Dorothy Draper look:

http://www.dorothydraper.com/

http://specialevents.com/decor/events_absolutely_fabulous/

http://nyshowplace.com/Pair-of-Fully-Restored-Dressers-by-Dorothy-Draper-1940s/3_209_object=2343.aspx?type=all&category=1331

I would say keep the kitchen cabinets as is. If you're bothered by the countertop, and don't want to paint- try contact paper. I put "Instant Granite" on top opf my old countertops and while it took a lot of patience, it looks much better than expected. And was about$100 for materials. Change the kitchen shade to something graphic to add color/interest. For the bathroom, I think a fresh coat of paint and replacing the cabinet with art would make a hug difference and getting a new shower curtain would make a huge difference.

Have you considered painting the backsplash?

The first question to ask is this: why are you writing to AT about this and not your partner? It's his house, not yours. You don't even live there.

The second question to ask is this: Does he actually care if his kitchen is outdated, as long as it's clean and solid? Or are you just so excited to have an opportunity to redecorate a "cute" house that you're riding over the top of him?

Sorry but those handles are not going to improve those cabinets. They need to have the arches disguised like Fulinlin above commented.

Besides putting in a new counter (maybe Corian or cheapie Ikea butcher block, if he doesn't like laminate) and getting a new refrigerator (the old one looks pretty ancient, so you may just want to wait until it dies) I wouldn't touch either of these room- any light renovation that doesn't immediately improve the usability of the space is just money wasted when you renovate for real a few years from now. That kitchen looks eminently usable and the worst part of the bathroom looks like that ultra shallow tub.

My own take on it would to be put up some fun window treatments and fixtures, maybe a backsplash, paint the rooms some cool colors and then bide your time until you have the money to do it properly. I personally think you'll be MUCH happier when you don't have a bathroom with a cheapo new vanity and an ancient tub, or a kitchen with new floors and old cabinets.

You must consider this: SAVE THE PINK BATHROOMS
http://retrorenovation.com/category/bathroom-categories/pink-pink-bathrooms/

For the kitchen, stick with small changes until you can do a full well thought out reno. A new butcher block counter stained dark with a new sink would be an improvement. Check out Shades of Light for great, modern, reasonably priced flushmount ceiling lights. I agree that the pink tile in the bathroom would not be a problem if the walls were painted in a colour like gray and the cabinets were lightened up with white paint.

Some elements from this remodel might work http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2012/07/alma-project-kitchen-remodel/comment-page-1/

If you do get the rolling screenshades get them in the same color as the wall otherwise it will look like a big hole.

I would wait on the kitchen. There might be some really interesting things to do with the cabinets... I might consider a white-wash sort of thing on the cabinets. Whatever happens to the cabinets, since they seem like they will stay in some form...will lead you to whatever happens to the countertop.

As for the bathroom. I would ditch the vanity and cabinet completely. Get a white pedestal sink. That will help it feel less claustrophobic. Keep the floor tiles. I can't see the walls, but I do have a soft place in my heart for that flecked linoleum. (I did a retro kitchen with it). Find some shiny chrome things for the bathroom (shelves, handles) and let it shine. The floor will look like it belongs. But firs, ditch the sink. Its an easy install and not too expensive.

I would put can lighting in the kitchen, and then select a fixture for its decorative impact rather than its output. If you want to disguise the fridge, look for the smallest size you can find, and then see if the required opening will allow you to frame a wall where the exposed side now is. That bulk you see is very distracting. Other than that...don't do anything. Don't replace Formica with Formica. If your partner doesn't want to paint the wood, that's his call. Do things for functionality and enjoyment. You will be happier learning to live with it than thinking something like new hardware will really make a difference. Because it won't.

I'd say get a new floor for the kitchen, as it looks terrible with the cabinets. Also, I'd consider getting a different color refrigerator (maybe black? or stainless steel?). The kitchen cabinets are actually attractive, at least in the photo.

As for the bathroom, getting a new, colorful shower curtain would help the most for the least outlay of cash.

I'd address the bath first. It would not be expensive to replace the vanity entirely -- there are many reasonable options from Home Depot, Lowes, Ikea that would be better design choices and not break the bank. You could also lose the over-the-tank cupboard and install a nice mirror and light. The only possible snag here is the flooring. Does it go under the current vanity? That will dictate the size/shape/type of new vanity -- or expand the project to include new flooring which I'd avoid if I were the homeowner -- that floor is OK looking. Paint & shower curtain will complete the deal.

As for the kitchen, if you are going for a minor change with no plans for additional updates in the foreseeable future I think replacing the counter and sink are a good idea. You can choose a more attractive formica or really whatever you want. Personally with the oak cabinets I think darker would be better -- dark grey would look good with the floors. One fairly inexpensive option would be to tile the backsplash all the way up to the cabinets with something that adds sparkle like a glass mosaic tile and keep the counter dark and plain. I'd also replace the fridge with black or stainless, and look into options that will result in a better fit into the space. For the hardware, updating to nickel is a good idea but possibly choose a slightly traditional shape -- squared off, but with bevels perhaps -- so you are not fighting the cabinet design.

I think you can keep the changes pretty minimal and still end up with spaces you enjoy. I'm working with the same arched cabinet door look in my kitchen, and while I wouldn't choose it I think it is not a deal-killer.

Ok - it seems like you want a bandaid answer .... so here goes. For the kitchen, I agree with the roller shade in the window but would skip the hardware exchange. The straight lines of your chosen hardware will only accentuate the arches in the cabinets and the mix of styles would be disturbing; the quantity of hardware would cost a substantial amount to replace unless you use cheap hardware which defeats the purpose of replacing it; if you do purchase the "good" hardware believing you will reuse it after a complete reno ... think again, there's no guarantee you will have the correct pieces and finding a match in a few years will be tough. As for the countertop - well, I did see a Rustoleum Countertop coating at the HD. for 59 or 69 dollars you can make your countertops look like granite - this may be a quick fix to remove the pink. As for the bath, I saw a shower curtain at West Elm that was a horizontal charcoal and white stripe. Match your wall paint to the charcoal in the shower curtain ... dark charcoal towels and rug (the largest you can find) ... then stop. Really, make it liveable for now ... and save all the money you can for that dream reno down the road ...