apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Ikea all the way--check out ikeafans.com and post pictures and a rough sketch of the room--the moderators will even help you plan, and walk you through purchasing...everyone is really nice and made our kitchen reno amazingly easy.
You can install the cabinets yourself, saving a huge amount of money. As long as you keep the appliances where they are you should be able to renovated for less than half that. Good luck!

I say embrace the tile, it really doesn't look that bad, it could be very modern. Paint the cabinets to match, do a couple open shelves, install glass paneling if you want.

Can we get a closeup of the mosiac? Does the tile match the countertop?

agreed - paint the cabinets white for now and change the overhead lighting to something more modern and tasteful. do the major overhaul only when you have the budget and the determined renovation plan. good luck!

how much storage space do you need in your kitchen? I think the feel of the space would change quite a bit if you removed the cabinets over the breakfast bar, and painted the rest a different color (or, alternatively, changed the doors but kept the boxes).

i agree go with ikea. i recently renovated my kitchen myself and it only cost about $5000...although im in nyc and its not a huge kitchen

Find a blue-gray paint that works with the tile and paint the cabinets. Your next largest "accessory" color should be a golden yellow darker than your counters.

I love the Moroccan tile you have. But the cabinets, esp. the doors do suck. I like the open shelves idea. A rich honey tinted wood.

I would address what BUGS you most first.
Does it have Flourescent lighting? If so, get rid of it.

If you want a more Open Feel, remove the cabinets over the Island. (if you can give up the space)

You can paint the other cabs and/or hang New doors.

Think Light and Clean - Open cabs easily look messy.

Now, I'm not a fan of this method, as white would be my personal preference, but something to also think about:
My parents recently had the same dilemma. White tile, white floors, white appliances, darker cabinets. It all looked very outdated. Instead of going all-white, they chose to keep the cabinets and get new counter tops, back splashes, floors and stainless steel appliances. So, even though it's darker/warmer, it still gave it a cleaner, fresher look.

Their cabinets are a little different than yours, but I think it depends on how much natural light you get...

(Also, I can't tell from your photo, but if you have florescent lighting - start there!) :)

Their results:
http://flickr.com/photos/saidalice/1363685096/

On a cheaper note, couldn't you just measure the cabinet doors, get new ones and paint the bases of the cabinets the color that you want?

Otherwise, yeah, Ikea.

Also, no one says that it all has to be done NOW. Couldn't you come up with a budget and tackle what bugs you the most (in order) over a period of time?

Be careful with the lighting situation. If you paint a color in there before changing out the lighting, what you choose might look very different under new lighting.

I did an ikea kitchen that is about the size of yours. A total redo for about $8,000 with TONS of drawer storage. I saved money by keeping the existing layout (hence, no pipe re-routing) and installing the upper and lower cabinets myself. The cabinets themselves cost about $2000. The new stainless steel appliances were about $3,000. New flooring was about $1,000.

The rest of the money was spent on some basic tools that I didn't have and some electrical work I had to hire out because I attempted to wire up the appliances and the gas disposal after having two 24 oz martinis and I messed things up.

I agree with an earlier poster - www.ikeafans.com was indispensable for advice. It truly is an amazing website with a supportive community.

If you can hang elfa shelving or an ikea lack shelf, you could install your own kitchen cabinets.

I'd just leave everything as is, but get rid of that hideous orange paint design on the side that faces the living room, and hide the countertop clutter.

One other thing, I redid my kitchen in three stages - first the upper cabinets; then I did half of a row of lower cabinets; and then i did the other half of a row of the lower cabinets (with the sink). I did this over the course of two months. I was without a kitchen sink and appliances for just one weekend.

If you do it in stages, though, just make sure to check that your cabinet doors will still be in stock two months later. Some people on ikeafans did their kitchen in stages, only to find out later that the door style they wanted was discontinued.

The countertop would irritate me most, so it must go. The cabinet doors look too dark, but the wood could be an asset too.

Then, there is the clutter of the stainless end caps between counter and stove, and the microwave wedged between the cabinets. But if that goes, there is a gap in the cupboards...

Perhaps Ikea isn't such a bad idea.

Yep, make some decisions about what you're comfortable doing yourself and what you need help with, then find a contractor that will work with you.

Ikea definitely the way to go for DIY.

Having just gone though this process myself, would highly reccomend doing it all at once rather than in stages. Purchase all your materials; demo everything (invite over some friends!); have the contractor in to do wiring, drywall, etc. as necessary; get all your cabs in; have the contractor back in for any final plumbing/wiring you aren't comfortable with; then do all the finishing touches. I did it in stages, and it led to unnecssary time and mess...

Good luck!

Angie, I'm sorry but I must challenge you. I know there are uglier kitchens out there (my parents once bought a house where the kitchen had orange formica countertops, orange/gold/brown sunflower wallpaper, and gold/brown SHAG carpet - yes, you heard me right, in the kitchen), but if it was between you and me, I would easily take that prize.

Your cabinets are as bad as mine, but I'll see your backsplash with my jade green tile, your counter with my jade green faux marble, and your floor with my jade green peel-n-stick, now in full "peel" mode. Yes, someone here really loved jade green (the jade green carpet that covered teh rest of the house is gone.)

My budget is nil, so I've done a lot of research on how to save this kitchen very cheaply. You have a lot of good advice here, but if you want to do it as cheap as humanly possible, I suggest
1. Paint the cabs and add hardware and consider removing some, as suggested above.
2. Cover the backsplash with something waterproof. I'm planning to use metal ceiling tiles, I saw them displayed at Lowe's for this purpose and it actually looked really cool. I also saw them used in a kitchen display at Ikea. There are also those Mibo "tile tattoos" (search this site), though I don't know if they would compltely cover the pattern. But like others said, I really think your tiles are not bad and you can work with them. If you don't like that big design over your sink, you could also cover it or replace it with a big piece of stainless (possibly from Ikea, or else cut to fit from a metal shop - not expensive, I think). I saw that somewhere - here I think? so the person used magnets to have a changing art display. If you're a slob like me, however, it will look disgusting immediately. I also have seen someone here prop up a large framed painting there - again, looked cool in the photo, would probably look nasty in my house.
3. Replace the countertop yourself with formica from Lowes/Home Depot or butcher block from Ikea. OR, if you gotta go really cheap like me, consider painting it with a paint made especially for concrete floors, or covering it with metallic or faux leather contact paper. I know it sounds totally sketch, but it's been done, and I think I'm going to give it a try. Do a search on this site, there have been many discussions of these techniques.
4. Cheapest possible floor is peel-n-stick vinyl, and I've heard from professional installers that it won't peel up (like mine has) if you use the right kind of sealant. Armstrong MiYo linoleum tile is more expensive, but comes in some cool colors and patterns. My mom recently found a box of marmoleum tile at one of those recycled building materials stores - really cheap, but this will probably only work if the area is small. I also recently started looking into rubber flooring, not sure if it's the way to go our not. Supposedly, a good laminate floor is ok in the kitchen - several professionals have told me this, but I just don't believe it. I just can't bring myself to put a floating floor in a wet room. But if you can, it's an option. So, those are the most affordable options I've found.
5. You do seem to have a lighting problem. Under-cab lighting would probably help a lot (cheap at Ikea, of course) as well as task lighting hanging over that island. This is the only change I"ve been able to afford so far, but it has really helped!

Have you looked through the archives for inspiration? You should find some good ones in the 2007 smallest coolest kitchen contest.

this looks much like my apartment kitchen - thanks for asking because i could use some suggestions. i still have the yellow stove and hood, although my fridge and dishwasher are white. best of luck to you! please send photos of your "after" product once you decide and get started...

I agree, if you can't just get all new Ikea cabinets and a simple counter top, then remove the cabinets above the bar. Paint all the cabinets white. I'm thinking that alone would cheer it up IMMENSELY. What were people thinking in the age of dark fake wood cabinets? ug.

Here is a step-by-step diy from This Old House with lots of pictures for painting cabinets. What a difference! http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,202424,00.html

I am confused as to why the cabinets are so bad? what am I missing... isnt dark wenge wood cabinetry all the rage? how different are these dark wood pleasantly simple cabinets?

Yep, we had those cabinets almost exactly and they were paired with a pukish green tile. Rip out those cabinets above the bar, paint the others white, add some new hardware, and consider removing the doors off a few of the upper cabinets to display dishes and/or cookbooks. Just lighting up the place will be good for your health, and some plants or flowers once and awhile are good for your spirit too!

We did end up renovating the kitchen with Ikea, and even with shiny new appliances brought it in well under what you were quoted, though I am not sure our kitchen is as big.

i love the dark wood myself. it gives the kitchen some warmth and character that most white contemporary kitchens seem to lack for me. but definitely change the lighting! and the masterful orange paint job on the outside has to go...
if you could afford to replace the tile with glass tile, that might brighten up the room and make the cabinets look more modern (assuming that's what you're going for?)

I'd start by painting your cabinet doors and adding new hardware. Then tackle the backsplash, which you could paint or cover with something.

I'm in the middle of updating our '80's kitchen on the cheap. So far we've covered the old cream linoleum floor with a "stone effect" vinyl tyle for around $100 from Lowes. I've painted my horrible cream melamine kitchen cabinets (the type with the wood strip at the top) with a nice tan paint and am about to add some sleek handles from Ikea. My backsplash is plain cream tile so I'll leave that but I'll replace the cream formica countertops with new ones, not sure what yet. My kitchen already looks a million times better! It's time consuming work to do it yourself but well worth it.

Not bad at all. First change the overhead lighting and add under counter for task work since you are desperately in need of better light. It should not be very expensive. Paint absolutely - top should be white to blend with other whites already there and bottom could be white, a colour from the tile or a space nearby. Some Ikea cabinets don't hold up over time if you are a heavy user of the kitchen so choose wisely if you eventually go that route. The countertop will really stand out so that must be addressed and painting it will tide you over. If you keep the cabinets over the counter, paint, remove the doors or replace with glass. By the way, men often have an attachment to wood even when it doesn't work in the situation. Pick up the color in the tiles here and there with artwork or crockery.

I think you might want to try to separate out the things that are problematic because they don't WORK from the things you think are just ugly. As you learn more about the options out there for redoing a kitchen, you'll learn that you can change surfaces without a full-on demolition. For instance, you can paint tiles with the proper product, which would take care of the colored tiles if you don't like them. You can bleach AND dye grout if the grout itself is sound, or you can remove grout and re-grout without disturbing the tiles. Even if you want new countertops, you could paint the tiles on the walls, or cover them up with something. You can get stainless steel panels from Ikea for cheap, or you can back-paint a sheet of glass.

I think new lighting would help you a lot. You might consider track lighting (don't worry, it's MUCH prettier than it used to be) so you can "spotlight" certain areas, such as your sink and stove. Undercabinet lighting can be as easy as LED rope lights, which won't get hot like halogen undercab lights can.

And if you don't like your cabinets, you can paint them however you want. Two examples:
http://libbygee.blogspot.com/search/label/kitchen
http://day-lab-diy.blogspot.com/2007/09/cabinet-paint.html

Prime and paint the cabinets. They look like solid wood fronts and the slab style front can definitely look modern with some updates. How about painting the upper cabinets white, and the lower ones some kind of saturated color (I'm thinking orange, or granny smith apple). Don't be afraid to paint over the tile. Again, a really great primer is important. After you paint the tile, apply 4-5 thin coats of polyurethane. I did this to some kitchen tile that had with hideous flowery baskets and floral arrangements all over it. It has held up well, and can be washed, etc. Lastly replace the cabinet hardware with cheap stuff from Ikea. All of that should cost less than $150.

WOW. That kitchen IS harsh. I think the random orange designs are the funniest part. It's also bizarre how the white backsplash tile doesn't match the white counter tile.

So, from the pictures, the kitchen looks classic 80's. I'm just afraid if you paint all the cabinets white, the kitchen will look too drab or washed-out. Perhaps you could use a coral green, slate gray, or cobalt blue color to cover the cabinets, and match it with some polished steel hardware?

Also, if you're up for removing the backsplash and doing some patchwork, you could use the Graham & Brown water-resistant wallpaper that was blogged about last week. Then use the tile tattoos sparingly on the counter (as suggested earlier).

For the lighting, if you're on a really tight budget and can't do recessed lighting, perhaps you could pick up one of the track lighting kits from IKEA and install it yourself? Anything would work better than fluorescent.

Good luck, and post pics of the renovation!

What is your budget and how quickly are you hoping to get this done? I have been designing kitchens for about 200 people over the past 2 years. Last year we had an ugly kitchen contest, and your pics aren't even close to some of the entries we had. I just got off the phone with the customer whose kitchen we are installing now. He is in the construction business and is building a custom house on 10 acres in So Cal. His words exactly: "I am glad you guys are installing the kitchen and not me like I originally planned. I am humbled by what these guys do."

Craftsmen can take inexpensive materials and make them look expensive because they take pride in their work and have the experience from other jobs. Someone inexperienced can make expensive materials look terrible when installed.

You can email me at KAA_Marketing at yahoo.com with your phone number, and I can give you numerous suggestions, depending on what is your biggest concern. (I'm in Ventura County and have done jobs in LA, Orange, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.)

I'd probably try and hide the kitchen, or wear sunglasses. Maybe maybe start using it as a storage room, and start eating elsewhere... or you could prime paint your cabinets a lighter color to match your tiles and appliances, and fill up your kitchen with vintage style small kitchen electrics and accessories. Then make some small lighting adjustments, add a dimmer switch, and you are close enough to the modern era.

Wow, it's an honor just to be posted! I would like to thank everyone that responded with great suggestions. My first step will be changing the lighting and go from there. I will keep you all posted with my brand new (or at least improved) kitchen.

I think you should keep the cabinets and install some brushed steel hardware. I would remove the cabinets over the bar and install either subway tile or stainless backsplash. www.improvementscatalog has stainless tiles that look easy to install. Type 'tile' in the search box, I think it says square tile. They come in stainless or copper color. As the budget allows you could then get new countertops, flooring, lighting, etc. Good luck with your project!!!

I am not sure why so many people are saying to get rid of the cabinets or paint them white. To me, this kitchen is begging to be contemporary, not some version of the Something's Gotta Give kitchen. And people pay $$$$ to put in dark wood slab doors like that; it is very trendy. I would however remove the cabinets above the bar to open the space up. I would also do something about the backsplash. One option is to go with white counters (the current ones or replace them with something like silestone or concrete glazed white) with a glass backsplash. Another option might be to incorporate some stainless steel as a backsplash. I would like to see something different on the half wall/ bar --maybe butcher block there (perhaps a double thickness of IKEA's pronomen). And I would definitely put contemporary steel handles on the cabinets; something simple and linear. I actually think this kitchen could be transformed into something pretty cool with just a few changes.