Any brilliant ideas for a kitchen cabinet 'feature'?

9 years ago

We are giving our newly-purchased 70s home a quick, well needed spruce up to rent it out. We are planning major renos in 3-5yrs so are just looking for bang for buck to make the house appealing for renters, and so its a nice home for us when we move in next year. I will be painting the kitchen cabinets white next weekend, but thought that before I paint this large back panel I would see if anyone has any quick & easy ideas for something more interesting so it can be a bit of a feature. It would need to be something that I can complete in the same weekend as painting the cabinets. Thanks in advance!

Featured Answer

PRO

Room to Move Interiors

9 years ago

Hi! Are you talking about the panel underneath the breakfast bar?

I'd need a little more info on the style of the house and your planned staging to be sure, but I'd suggest something like painted pressed metal or a wallpaper (something robust that can withstand being kicked occasionally!).

You could repeat this theme in your splash back (in the case of the pressed metal, not the wallpaper!) or back wall, or even on the door (if that's actually a door and not just an archway), depending on which you went with.

Here are some pressed metal pics for inspiration: http://www.pinterest.com/roomtomoveint/pressed-metal/

...and here are some fun wall paper suggestions that might work...
http://revivalwallpaper.com.au/WallpaperPebbleLeaf
http://revivalwallpaper.com.au/Wallpaper/WallpaperDenver
http://revivalwallpaper.com.au/Wallpaper/WallpaperClassicStem

Is the wood ridged paneling or just flat? If it's ridged (as in boards), once painted that will be quite a nice effect in and of itself, especially once you add some stools in front of it.

As an aside you've also got a nice opportunity to improve the ambience of that room quite cheaply by swapping out the overhead light fitting. Something like this could work nicely:
http://www.beaconlighting.com.au/lighting/pendant-lights/modern-pendant-lights/florida-580mm-wicker-pendant-in-natural.html

...especially if you splashed out a little (perhaps next year when you move in) and added some complimentary, low-hung pendants over the breakfast bar and some sconce-style task-lighting over your benches.

Let me know if I can offer any more help, and have fun with your reno this weekend. I'd love to see what you end up with :)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

PRO
Room to Move Interiors
9 years ago
(A quick mock-up)
Related Discussions
Retaining Walls, Garden Beds & Water Tanks ALL IN ONE - Brilliant!
Q
Comments (7)
Yes please, we have a retaining wall dilemma & have bought 2 round tanks but yours are ace! I saw you website a while back & put it in the too hard basket case, lol! Message on my profile works fine thanks David, cheers LouieT
...See More
ideas for an outdoor feature wall
Q
Comments (19)
Agree with others. Render or bag wall and paint a deep grey along with all fences. Then add some rusted metal artwork to wall. You have not left any soil at base of wall and since you aren’t green thumbs plants seem to be out. But if you are willing to try plants, go for big trough style planters that can hold lots of soil and water, and plant some flowering shrubs or climbing plants with wires attached to wall if needed. A timber bench along wall could help soften wall as an alternative
...See More
Design idea for Fireplace in the living area and the feature wall
Q
Comments (17)
<div><a rel='follow' href='https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/moraga-residence-midcentury-living-room-san-francisco-phvw-vp~58419' target='_blank'><img src='https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/pictures/living-rooms/moraga-residence-jennifer-weiss-architecture-img~16019b400c23f839_8-2673-1-d1d156d.jpg' alt='' border=0 width='500' height='750' nopin='nopin' ondragstart='return false;' onselectstart='return false;' oncontextmenu='return false;'/></a></div><div style='color:#444;'><small><a style="text-decoration:none;color:#444;" href="https://www.houzz.com.au/hznb/professionals/architects/jennifer-weiss-architecture-pfvwus-pf~880898489" target="_blank">Photo by Jennifer Weiss Architecture</a> - <a style="text-decoration:none;color:#444;" href="https://www.houzz.com.au/photos/living-room-design-photos-phbr0-bp~t_10702" target="_blank">Discover living room design ideas</a></small></div>
...See More
what are the best blind corner ideas for kitchen base cabinets
Q
Comments (6)
Hi Linda, have you seen the LeMans II corner unit ? They are great for blind corners, come in several sizes as well as left and right options. See details at https://www.hafele.com.au/en/product/lemans-ii-corner-unit-arena-classic/000000c100005200000d0023/ Hope this helps,Malcolm.
...See More
happisue
9 years ago
Before painting, match the existing skirting on walls and wrap around back and side of cupboard. Leave a space then add one or two rows of half rounded 2-3cm strips with a slight gap between so that the top strip finishes at the height of the kickboard. This will give a slight dressed textural finish that will blend well with the feel of the creams and white and your lovely curtains. I like the idea of changing the light fitting to something that blends with the dining room. Best wishes. It looks great.
natashapoutsfamily
9 years ago
I rented a house with the same style of kitchen, the owners got a professional painter in to paint it a cream it looked nice and newish again, but it wasn't practical, it scratched extremely easy & because I'd already done one myself I knew it would do this, so we where extra careful but with children it happens. so maybe painting it and renting it out may be not the best option. I would put some new handles on and new counters that are more modern which you can get cheap at bunnings now, till your ready to do a full overhaul.
Minuet Stephens
9 years ago
I wouldn't paint the cabinets for a rental - they will wear quickly and look shabby long before your 3 years renovation happens. If they are shabby - give them a coat of oil based polyurethane.
Lisa Bird
9 years ago
I painted some kitchen cabinets and benches 3 years ago. There are a couple of minor scratches on the top but still so much better than the mustard before!
I would leave the front panel as is and add some floating shelves in same colour. This will tie the timber look further into the kitchen and give the tenants much needed storage.
PRO
Amanda Cullity Interiors
9 years ago
What condition is the back panel in? If it is fine I'd leave it. My feeling is that the colour combination of the walls, carpets and cabinets doesn't work. How old is the carpet? Could you replace it in this room?! A beige tone would work better (but you'd have to take a wall paint sample with you when choosing to get it right).

Good luck!
robandlyn
last year
Very old post
User
last year
Spammers don't care about that robandlyn !

As its come up though , I'm more with Amanda Cullity ( above ) -- the plasticy fake wood is actually the best feature ! Amanda suggests changing the purple toned carpet , I'd be more inclined to try a diferent wall colour . I'm not a fan of Surfmist or similar blue tones in a kitchen , but here it would work better with the carpet and the benchtop than the existing buttery yellowy beige .

And as others have said , painting the cabinets is unlikely to be a long term solution -- I suspect adhesion will be a problem , its sort of like painting the bench - it will stick , it will dry , but in 6 or 12 months time , what will it look like .

So way too late now , but I would have kept the fake woodgrain , done a the walls a different colour , do the door in a burnt orange so you look at it and not the lino , and the extractor hood in charcoal .

Any brilliant ideas for a kitchen cabinet 'feature'?

Room to Move Interiors

Comments (9)

Room to Move Interiors

Related Discussions

happisue

natashapoutsfamily

Minuet Stephens

Lisa Bird

Amanda Cullity Interiors

robandlyn

User

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US