How do I make an old kitchen look modern while keeping the timber?
Karla Fernandez
4 years ago
Wanting to buy this house as a beach house/ air bnb but the kitchen is throwing me off so much. I want to keep the timber benchtop and drawers but how do I make the kitchen look modern?
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Comments (6)
Karla Fernandez
4 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (26)just viewed your imagined dilemma - the jade colour of doors - are they a laminate - if they aren't - yes if you desperately need a change - have white laminate (like the whole neighbourhood). but if the jade cupboards are definitely laminated I would not replace - for the jade is stunning. Furthermore, you would make a good move to extend the black high-gloss laminate to those floor-level cupboard doors which currently have a wood strip (which the previous owner did (I presume)I would suggest you have a single black strip definitely 2inches high inserted as a line in that area. (this job must be done by an experienced laminator - to perfection (this will eliminate the eye-sore strips of wood.( but it must be applied as a continuous band (from a to b) - not bits - Furthermore, the high-gloss black floor-boards will look good so close - meeting each other. I NOTE YOU WOULD DO WELL WITH A LARGISH SLEEK KITCHEN SINK ( YOU SEE BY DOING THESE SMALL CHANGES YOU ARE GETTING A WHOW KITCHEN. Am I imagining the green which seems to extend to the ceiling line is not cupboards up there if that is so do not take the green up to the cornice - the cupboards are the feature not the walls - the cornice in that room should be taken out - having the plastered wall reaching the ceiling without cornice. Your kitchen cupboards are the feature.(it would be good to paint upper walls and ceiling. Just "off white" I am reluctant to tell you the kitchen window should be wider as the kitchen has a message but the window is like a poor relative. If you carry-out these changes - the kitchen should be free of everything else - no utensils on the stove, nothing on benches or on top of other areas - the colour and impact - that is all that is needed (plus it has become modernised) - despite your belief that white is in - maybe in hospitals. Good Luck...See Morewhat to do with my cornices? can I be modern?
Comments (8)Those cornices are both gorgeous and look to be in excellent condition. When extending homes that have some original character and features, there is no need to gut the original rooms. Unless you would like to pretend that the original home never existed and that you have actually built an entirely new home, keeping the original rooms as intact as possible and then, working with your architect and builder to transition into the new rooms in the extension can often make for a more beautiful and original renovation/extension. often the more ‘different’ the two are, the better. Ie, ornate cornice and skirting with original polished boards transitioning to square set and polished concrete for example. if you are wanting an entire new and modern building then buying a beautiful old home would seem an odd choice....See MoreHow do I modernise an old Mediterranean home?
Comments (55)Reza. As said before the lights just gotta go! If you were going to paint any timber beams I’d just do the ones in the dining room that weirdly have the downlights in them. It makes the lights less obvious. You should definitely keep the beautiful sloped timber ceiling as is. The white is ok but not as striking. I am not a fan of the shiny tiles (slip hazard?) but at least they are neutral. I love the timber floors you already have. Not sure if more timber or different tiles would be the answer. Perhaps terrazzo? I wouldn’t do a cheap option such as vinyl or fake wood as it would lower the quality of finishes in the house. Currently all looks very high end. I suggest you invest in some gorgeous Turkish or similar rugs and had neutral furniture (cream, tan etc) with simple lines. Classic but also on trend and would suit the house. Some big pots or baskets with tall palms to add some height too!...See MoreWhat do I do with all this timber?
Comments (27)I was just looking over all the advice and the drawings that have been done for me showing how paint would look in various places. Thank you so much everyone for the time and help that you have given me - plus your honest opinions. I have decided that over the long term, all of the raw timber on the walls will go, but I may also remove a section of the wall joining kitchen to loungeroom. I am not sure whether it will be removed and sheeted or whether it will be sheeted over in some places, and painted in others. What I decide is going to determine what the architraves and window frames look like, because to sheet over the timber means that the current architraves will not be thick (deep) enough. A carpenter has already suggested just using painted MDF due to the difficulty in getting timber architraves at present and their cost. These are decisions that I am not ready to make yet. I have no idea whether it would be best to keep timber window frames and door frames or whether to just have white. Your opinion on this would be appreciated too. For now, the lounge room and entry wall will be painted. The undercoat will start to tell me whether all white or black and white is better. I have a painter coming tomorrow to start. I will be doing some painting too, but I know he will prepare it a lot better than me....See More
PRODr Retro House Calls
4 years agoIt is really a muddled aesthetic with too much happening. I would be looking to keep the elements that you like and look to replace the other elements with something cleaner, simpler and understated, rather than trying to "modernise" and end up with a compromise.
Overhead cabinets with under mounted LED strip lighting will improve the look after you have simplified the splashback, and give you more light. Also look at replacing door handles with something more consistent between underbench cupboards and new overheads. Paint the walls to a new consistant colour - feature wall colours went out with the 20th century.
Post-war kitchen to house kitchenalia collection · More InfoHowever, if it is a beach house and air bnb then I wouldn't stress too much. Lots of people enjoy a relaxed vibe while on holiday.
Best of luck,
Dr Retroof Dr Retro House Calls/Dr Retro Virtual Visits.
dreamer
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
Kate
4 years agopottsy99
4 years ago
pottsy99