Kitchen Remodeling: Thoughts on "Retro"

[gallahadesquire]

I have a 1954 house in a 1954 housing development, where something like a half-mile of my side of the road houses had identical floor plans [except mine: different on purpose].

 

Things have been done to my place in the past: An entryway closet was removed, to make a hall to the bath room and back bedroom (originally, to get to the bath / BR, you had to go through the living area).

 

Originally, there was a kitchen (13 x 13) and a dining area (13 x 8). It's now one big area, 13 x 21. [All measures approximate].

 

The problem is: The kitchen has never been updated. I bought a refrigerator in 1990, a new dishwasher in 2010, and a stove in 2004. The cabinets are all as they were.

 

I want to remodel the kitchen, but keep it true to its 1950's character. (It looks similar to one of the scenes in the Carousel of Progress at the Magic Kingdom at WDW.

 

Quite by accident, I found companies that make retro-look refrigerators, stoves, and dishwashers. I'm tempted to do a retro look, but the colors are funny.

 

The Big Chill: https://bigchill.com/

 

 

Elmira Stove Works: http://www.elmirastoveworks.com/northstar/refrigerators/

 

 

 

 

 

http://elmirast.ccjclearline.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/1959RE.jpg

I want to keep the kitchen with white cabinetry, and possible granite countertops that resemble formica (how retro can you get!) but brought up to functionality.

 

Any input on this project will be useful. Also, any recommendations for kitchen remodeling in Central Massachusetts would be nice.

 

Comment mostly on the idea of a retro upgrade to keep part of a very 1954 house true to its roots.

 

To give an idea: The Living room is done in Ralph Lauren Suede brown on three sides, with a very dark, matte blue on one wall. That wall has a red brick fireplace with white would surround, and is really quite stunning.

 

The bath is a '90's mistake. Tiled; 5' jetted tub that's 22" high (it's actually great). Toilet, sink, tub all in the same kind of ...

 

http://image.homeclick.com/product-zoom/kohler-K-1108.jpg

 

so I've already gotten a little modern.

 

Oddly enough, I bought a pantry unil from Kmart, that has one upper and one lower cabinet, and a drawer between. Except for its bead board front, it looks like it belongs here.

 

The basement, on the other hand ... 18x21, previously furnished until the third flood, followed by the septic flood, kinda made it uninhabitable ... has a wood-burning fireplace and a 1/2 bath with shower.

 

That's a whole nuther project.

 

There have to be SOME design Queens around here, somewhere.

[Samfoslom]

look at engineered stone instead of granite. you might want to pick up an issue of "Atomic Ranch" magazine to give you some ideas or sources. white subway tile in the kitchen with a penstripe could give you a retro look you're looking for.

[jjkrkwood]

I always thought Retro kitchen was Avocado and Harvest Gold appliances, although i do prefer the Turquoise... I'm smack in the middle of a Bathroom re-do, and keep asking myself WHY ? I've lived with it the way it is for so long, there's noone here but Me and I'm so close to death, WHY BOTHER now ? But the shower doors with the swans keeps antagonizing me !

[mattr]

Not a big fan of the retro look here as it can get kitschy really fast. I would go for sleek clean lines in both cabinetry and appliances. Natural wood, slab doors, stainless steel or chrome hardware, Quartz counters, etc. For appliances, Sleek gas cooktop and wall ovens, hidden refrigerator and dishwasher (if your budget allows). Glass tile backsplash and add some bling with a great faucet on the sink. 1950's houses were contemporary for the time and adapt well to a contemporary update today.

[+ Truereview]

Gallahad, three questions for ya:

1. is this the place you are planning to stay in for the foreseeable future? If yes, do whatever makes you happy...our opinions will just distract you from your vision.
   
2. Do you spend a lot of time in your own kitchen? If you are the chef, function comes first, look should frame the function you seek
   
3. Are you the sole decision-maker or are there other stakeholders? If not, let's ask that flat-mate for their thoughts. If he/she doesn't care or you don't, I refer you to #1 above.
   

Now for my opinion (remember #1 above!): I'm sensing that what you need is a retro-transitional kitchen. Retro accents that go with a home that has different room decorative styles. I like @Samfoslom's suggestion of having you look in magazines and different sites. I also agree with @mattr that a full homage to retro may bore you after a few years. Here is a pic of a retro-transitional kitchen: yellow retro. The host site, houzz.com, is terrific. I used the site when doing my Spanish colonial reno. Check out the white cabinets & the sink. The tile countertops & backsplash are period but they would drive me bananas with cleaning, but that's where the transitional part comes in - you could choose a quartz or granite. Don't miss the pics on the right of the webpage for additional perspectives on that yellow kitchen. Explore the site for ideas if you'd like.

 

Good luck!

[amused1]

I did my kitchen in the white, black and yellow 50s color scheme. It always looks cheery and there are tons of accessory options available in those colors . A few well chosen pops of red really bring it together. (Think white dish towels with red stripes or red oven mitts. Maybe over sized red s&p shakers.)

 

Just my 2 cents.

[MiamiLooker]

If your bathroom is small (my house was built in 1954 with tiny bathrooms), consider a floating bathroom sink (no vanity). It will make your bathroom look bigger, but you’ll lose a lot of storage space.

 

 

Or, maybe a floating vanity? It gives you some storage space while making the room look bigger.

http://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/6021ea8600884e21_2921-w500-h666-b0-p0--midcentury-bathroom.jpg

 

*I realized after posting that you're only remodeling your kitchen...

[rvwnsd]

Gallahad,

 

I would recommend against granite. It can be a pain in the butt to maintain and, frankly, they didn't use granite in to 1950's. However, some of the engineered stone countertops are really quite nice.

 

I looked at The Big Chill's website and saw appliances in white. Might want to consider that if you think the colors might get "old" quickly.

[MikeyGMin]

Good point was raised about how long you plan to stay there. I think retro is somewhat of a fad and would completely turn me off as a buyer. However, you can do some of the timeless things like subway tile backsplashes and a nice solid surface countertop. (I also hate my granite and I'm just waiting a few more years to justify replacing with quartz.) Then accent it with the retro appliances that you (or a new buyer) could swap out and have a completely modern kitchen.

 

I actually love homes that stay true to the period on the outside, but have been completely updated when you walk through the doors. I love that contrast.

 

Years ago I went "all in" on a Spanish style home and learned that (for me) any theme gets boring. Since then, I have stuck to accent pieces and paint color to give a nod towards a theme rather than a full commitment.

 

If you plan to stay in the home for a good long time, and do whatever the hell makes you happy!

[marylander1940]

Hire him!

 

 

Not him!

 

http://previews.123rf.com/images/piksells/piksells1311/piksells131100154/23812457-Annoyed-aggressive-construction-worker-Stock-Photo-construction.jpg

[Irtwo]

Go for a 1950's futurama type - that way you get authentic 1950's and modern at the same time.

 

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2676/4189652500_330aba436b.jpg

[Rudynate]

Gallahad,

 

I would recommend against granite. It can be a pain in the butt to maintain and, frankly, they didn't use granite in to 1950's. However, some of the engineered stone countertops are really quite nice.

 

I looked at The Big Chill's website and saw appliances in white. Might want to consider that if you think the colors might get "old" quickly.

 

They didn't have engineered stone in the 50s either. I don't think they even had laminated countertops in the 50s. If you want to be authentic you will have to use linoleum or ceramic tile.

[Epigonos]

Trueviews questions are absolutely right on.

 

Since I had no intention of ever moving, I entertain constantly and love to cook, and live alone I was the sole decision maker in my condo remodle. I remodeled my entire place in 2004 and did exactly what I wanted. I'm an extremely decisive individual and created exactly what I wanted in my home. I totally gutted the kitchen. My cabinets are all custom and painted base white (high gloss) with blood red counter tops. Many family members and friends had a fit about the red counters claiming that I would soon tire of them -- ten years latter that hasn't happened. Red is my favorite color and I love spending time in my kitchen. The rest of the walls in the condo are painted a slightly off white but I have a maroon accent wall in the dinning room and a brick red accent wall in the bedroom behind my bed. Again family and friends had a fit and again ten years latter I love the place.

The point of the above description is that I really want to emphasize that you simply MUST do what makes you happy. If you want avocado or turquoise appliances and you know you won't tire of them get them. Family and friends won't likely be living in your home so do exactly what you want and ignore everything else.

[whipped guy]

In my case my northern place has original 1960's baths and kitchen. They are clean looking and functional. That's all I care about at this point in time. I hesitate to remodel based on what happened to the house next door which has changed hands three times in the past 15 years. Each new owner remodled the kitchen as a selling factor for when they needed to sell the house. In fact the first person to remodel was a professional house flipper. Each new buyer immediately remodled the kitchen to their particular liking. So much for the new kitchen being a selling factor! So much for the professional house flipper anticipating someone else's taste.

 

Bottom line: As such, if and when I get tired of what I have and feel the need for a new look I'll consider remodeling for my personal needs. Plus, I will do it to my liking and not attempt to anticipate the tastes of others as doing so simply to increase the selling appeal is probably a nonstarter given what transpired next door. We all have different tastes and odds are some woman is gonna change things to her liking (irrespective of what the other half thinks) anyway so why bother.

 

So if you want a 1950's I love Lucy look go for it!

 

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5gvgs7V3v1qep16s.jpg

 

 

Or even better:

 

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m55hxnhjos1r65l8n.jpg

[+ azdr0710]

Don't forget the KISS rule (keep it simple, stupid).

 

Trends come and go so quickly. In my region, Tuscan was all the rage 15 years ago and some spent millions on new construction with that now-dated scheme. Mid-century Modern got hot more recently and those same folks now chase that trend. What's the next hot thing?

 

Great questions to consider from True review.

 

Do what you like!!

[whipped guy]

Don't forget the KISS rule (keep it simple, stupid).

 

Trends come and go so quickly. In my region, Tuscan was all the rage 15 years ago and some spent millions on new construction with that now-dated scheme. Mid-century Modern got hot more recently and those same folks now chase that trend. What's the next hot thing?

 

Great questions to consider from True review.

 

Do what you like!!

Regarding trends and fads, if I see another kitchen with black granite countertops and stainless steel appliances I might just barf! Everyone seems to be jumping on that bandwagon and it does not seem to want to end. So in a way the OP's thoughts are refreshing. At least the kitchen archeologists of the future will be able to date things to this point in time.

[bigvalboy]

No letters or emails please, BUT...don't do retro unless you hire a professional designer that knows how to fuse it with contemporary functionality. It looks and sounds simple, many have tried, but in my opinion, it is anything but, and it can be pricey to do it correctly, so I think you have to decide the level of resources you are willing to commit. Doing just the kitchen and not considering how that look flows into the rest of the house can be difficult, unless you gut the whole place. So go professional...Personally I like the architectural structure to speak for itself. BVB quietly exits stage left

 

AND:

LOL... @azdr0710 is right. I remember the whole Tuscan look. Now everyone is gutting that out.

[MiamiLooker]

Regarding trends and fads, if I see another kitchen with black granite countertops and stainless steel appliances I might just barf!

LOL You must not watch "House Hunters" on HGTV, otherwise, you'd be barfing for the entire show. And I'm so tired of hearing the wife say she wants a big dick in the back that she can sit on while she drinks her iced tea and entertains guests.

[+ Truereview]

And I'm so tired of hearing the wife say she wants a big dick in the back that she can sit on while she drinks her iced tea and entertain guests.

Freudian slip or on purpose? Cuz I think I'm with the wife and I don't care if I'm a cliché!

[geoffk]

I didnt read all of this but i have to agree with Truereview if you plan to stay there for the long haul then do what makes you happy. If you plan to move after a short while you should consider what will be more generally appreciated.

[bigvalboy]

LOL You must not watch "House Hunters" on HGTV, otherwise, you'd be barfing for the entire show. And I'm so tired of hearing the wife say she wants a big dick in the back that she can sit on while she drinks her iced tea and entertains guests.

 

 

Speaking of which....

 

Sorry for the hijack Gallahad, but Miami started it.

[+ FreshFluff]

TrueReview asks some good questions. Even if you plan to live there for some time, I would try to visit a house with a retro-type kitchen. (There must be forums for this kind of thing, right?) Get a feel for it and see if it's something you could really live with.

[+ FreshFluff]

Don't forget the KISS rule (keep it simple, stupid).

 

Trends come and go so quickly. In my region, Tuscan was all the rage 15 years ago and some spent millions on new construction with that now-dated scheme. Mid-century Modern got hot more recently and those same folks now chase that trend. What's the next hot thing?

 

All about a clean, transitional look now. You may not know this, but Sub-Zero fridges with separate freezers were popular in the early 20th century.

[amigomonty]

I got great ideas and inspiration from Houzz.com when doing 2 projects in the last 2 years. Easy to use and offers a really good shopping service. I even found a pro contractor there. You can create an idea book and share it, too.

[MiamiLooker]

Freudian slip or on purpose? Cuz I think I'm with the wife and I don't care if I'm a cliché!

I had no idea you were an iced tea drinker.