apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

this question was posted (and answered -- many, many times) a couple of weeks ago... why the re-post?

Indeed it was. But it bears repeating - this kitchen has no style to start with. Don't preserve any of it. Gut it, put the cabinets in the garage, and put in a new kitchen.

The only thing ruining that "mint condition home" is the current kitchen in its entirety.

honestly, I like wood, but it's almost painful to look at that colour-mishmash. I can understand that you want to keep the pink oven, but the blond wood just doesn't go with it, let alone with more white appliances and the whatever-colour-it-is thing above the fridge.

I can imagine a whole range of colours to go with that oven, maybe even wood - but it would have to be dark wood. If you don't want to paint, maybe stain?

Apart from that, I also must say that I browse AT to see new things, not the same all over again after a couple of days or weeks. Especially not with "good questions", and less so without offering any explanation as to why the question has to be repeated.

...what I mean is, maybe there is a good reason to it and AT is (are?) aware of repeating the question, but then why not make it explicitly clear?

I would paint the cabinets- the color is pretty blah. The oven is cute, maybe you can find a repro fridge to match, even pink/grey linoleum, if you want to accentuate the kitsch factor.

I'd use soapstone on the countertops.

I guess she didn't like our ideas last month...

black walls. they'll goose up the wood cabinets you want to keep, float them even. and look pretty with the pink.

Please - ignore your mate (I'm guessing the one who likes the unpainted cabinets) and PAINT those cabinets. Stylist Elizabeth Mayhew in her new book Flip... suggests B.M.'s pale green Potpourri 2029-50 for kitchens. This may bridge the gap between a retro look with the pink oven and a modern aesthetic. (I have pink countertops which I initially hated but now find acceptable and even pretty because I picked a suitable color for the walls but I will never love the Euro-look cabinets.) I think your big need looks like under cabinet lighting.Those countertops look dark and dreary but your fridge seems OK so why waste the big bucks replacing it? Do replace the hardware with a retro look (though I know you said you liked it) and scatter about a few retro tins like Mayhew and I think you have the makings of a practical and pretty kitchen.

As much as you want to believe that the cabinets are original... they are not. Wood was finished with a finish that was not UV protecting so it has actually yellowed over time. If they are solid wood and not a veneer, try taking one and sanding the finish of and trying something in a satin finish. New finishes have UV protectants that do not yellow over time. My home had mahogany wood paneling throughout the whole house and it was all yellowed. I sanded it all down and refinished it, and now it is a rich reddish brown and a million time better. Everyone that sees it says they have never seen wood paneling look so great in a home. I bet your cabinets have a much richer color to them than you think. Remember that contrast was a great design element in that era when planning colors for the room.

oh yeah, paint the kick boards a dark color like flat black to increase the floating effect. very nice.