I'm trying to decide if we should re-install the '50s cabinets into the kitchen. I know they're not original, but they're the closest thing we have. It's either that, or we buy or build new cabinets. I shouldn't even be thinking about this, since the kitchen remodel is at least 5 years off, but it's been bugging me... If anyone out there has any thoughts, I'd be happy to hear them!
3/30/2006
The not-so-original kitchen cabinets
Sometime in the '50s, our kitchen was remodeled. I don't know what happened to the original cabinets, but when the kitchen was remodeled again in the '80s, the '50s cabinets were relegated to the garage. The '80s cabinets, though they look sort of okay, are cheap. The interiors are laminated particleboard or plywood, and only the faces and doors are wood. The '50s cabinets are plywood, but the interiors were stained and never painted. The doors and faces are green, but they are in good shape and just need a good sanding, a fresh coat of paint, and some new knobs. Here's a picture of them installed in the garage. Please excuse the mess; we have a hard enough time keeping the house clean...!
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3 comments:
If you're not planning to do anything with the kitchen for five years, I wouldn't mess with the cabinets. As soon as you tear out the 80's cabinets, you'll find a hundred other things that need to be done. It could get really ugly after that if you're not prepared.
I'd wait, think about what you really want to do with the kitchen, and take it on at a later date. Believe me, I understand wanting to get rid of cheap and 80's, but sometimes living with it for a while longer is the best thing to do.
Whatever you decide to do, good luck!
I'm not planning on doing anything to the kitchen for about 5 years, including messing with the cabinets. That's why I shouldn't be thinking about it. Even if we do decide that we're going to reinstall the cabinets, they'll stay in the garage until we're ready for the remodel.
I'm just hypothesizing and getting way ahead of myself (like usual!) :)
My wife and I are living quite happily with a 1950s kitchen right now. It's not what would have been in our house when it was built, but it's very functional - far more functional, for our needs, today, than the 1920s kitchen would have been. The cabinets are all very solid (yay steel!). The only issue that you might have with a 1950s kitchen is finding appliances that fit in the spots between the cabinets - we're still looking for a 40" gas stove that both works and doesn't cost and arm and a leg - so be sure to measure those things first.
Also, I might add that it's a lot easier and cheaper to fabricate 1950s cabinets to match than it will be to fabricate 1920s cabinets.
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