Kitchen renovation/ updating help please

4 years ago

Hello Houzz-ers!

In the process of buying a house and here’s the kitchen/ diner. Would like to update it and put our mark on it without spending a fortune.

The house is probably 15 ish years old, dining end of the room is south facing and the house looks traditional rather than modern from the rear.

Things I’d love some advice on....

What colour should we paint the wall?
Should we paint the kitchen cupboards- if so what colour?
What sort of door should we replace the 12 pane door with?
What sort of ceiling light fitting? (I love the triple rose gold pendants from Jim Lawrence but don’t want to spend nearly £1500 on light fittings)
Should we replace the wall tiles, if so we with what?
And should we change the worktops?

Ideally we’d keep the kitchen cupboards and the flooring

Any thoughts and ideas are very much appreciated!!

Thank you

Featured Answer

Monica

4 years ago

How exciting for you, Congrats on your new home.

I would keep everything as it looks quite nice. What lets it down is that red paint and the tiles. Start by painting the tiles (tile paint is so good now a days) and the walls. Then you can asses further bt I bet you will be impressed just with that change how much different it will look?

As for what colours is hard to say as I do not know more, almost anything will go because of the position ( apart from red LOL add more fire to fire)

What furniture you have that will go in the room? what are your preferences when it comes to colour?

I do not mind the 12 panes door and wouldn't replace it for now.

A bit more info will be needed for further advice but I do not think you need to spend a lot of money straight away to make it look inviting. Then once you lived in there for a while you can start planning better based on your needs as a family.

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Comments (12)

PRO
Sterling Pillar Construction
4 years ago
Hello Natalie

Congrats on the new house.

I remember when we bought our house we were in a rush to put our finger prints all over it and make it really ours.

Looking back had I left it for a few months I would have end up with a better designed kitchen.

I sense from the message you would want a cost effective way of doing this.

So

What colour should we paint the wall?

- I would paint the Red lava white and give the space a uniform color

Should we paint the kitchen cupboards- if so what colour?

If you can avoid it, please don't paint the cupboards but instead change the doors.

Cupboard paint is good in principle but it is still a thin layer of paint. After a few knocks here and there and if you have a cook-out the cupboards near the cooker start discoloring.

What sort of door should we replace the 12 pane door with?

The Door design mimics the panel widows in back of the kitchen.

The reason why the panels are important is by letting light flow the whole house.

Try giving it a layer of gloss paint and change the handles instead tying it in with the new color of the wall it is on.

What sort of ceiling light fitting?

Start off with looking at The Lighting Company, they have a good website and you will be spoilt for choice. And theyl present good value for money.

Should we replace the wall tiles/Worktop if so we with what?

Notice that the Kitchen cabinet door knobs, Flooring and wall shelves share the same brown.

If you are going to change the worktop top stick with brown/beige or wood if the budget permits.

The wall tiles really could do with a refresh, Trying going for large, really large pieces. Because the give the wall a smooth finish.

And since you are replacing the tiles...

a-)Try to get a colorer splashback that will go over the Range cooker. Cleaning food out tile grout lines is not fun.

b-) This kitchen could do with a few more wall-sockets preferably a modern USB ones. To cater for all appliances instead plugging and unplugging all the time.

Good luck with your kitchen Natalie and let is know how it goes.

Cheers
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I had a similar situation in a house I moved into years ago. I did a quick fix of painting all of the walls, woodword and the cupboards the same shade of cream. Sounds a bit OTT but it really knocked back the cupboards, which in all honesty are not something you want to make a feature out of, and created a calmness to the whole space. In your case, I would go for an off white so that the gang plug wires, radiator pipes and covers hiding the wires for the extractor fan etc., are disguised as much as possible -- that will tie in with the palest of the tiles in the splash back, and then you will have a pretty basic colour scheme of a very place colour and the dark worktop, fireplace and floor, which will stand out more. I think you need more storage with doors -- that bookshelf isn't doing anything for the kitchen. If you could get something in there that could hide lots of clutter -- even if just something cheap from IKEA, that would help greatly. Or work something around the filing cabinet that you have? A huge cheap mirror over the fireplace would bounce some light around too. If you don't want to go for undercupboard lighting, and if you have enough plug points, how about some lamps on the worktop, especially at the FF end with a floor standing lamp at the end with the chair. For the table, I would go for a table cloth and reupholster the chairs if they are not to your taste. A new blind in a much fresher colour would be great. Depending on the colour of your filing cabinet (if you use it), I think a petrol blue could add a nice vintage vibe to the chimney breast, and make more of a feature of it. I would try and go down a vintage/slightly industrial route rather than country. You may have some stuff lurking around that you could use, once you have got the base colours right -- currently it just feels a little cluttered and a bit of a mish mash. Best of luck. Looking forward to seeing some after shots :)
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Ribena Drinker
4 years ago
I think your starting point should be repainting the red. Then personally, I'd either get the tiling re-done or for economy, paint the tiles.

At that point I would hold back doing anything more until you've lived in it for a little while. Making too many changes, too quickly without thinking it through, may result in a very bitty, incoherent look.

FWIW I think the floor is lovely, and if the worktop is wood, I wouldn't touch those. I also think the cabinets and doors seem good quality and are in keeping with what I can see of the house - I'd perhaps change the knobs for a quick update.

I'm quite a fan of the door - it matches with the windows and unless you replace it with another glass door, I think you'll notice a different to the area on the other side of it.

I essence, I wouldn't rush to make too many changes in the first instance. Moving into a new house can be a costly exercise, with a lot of surprise and hidden expenditure. So it's probably best to leave the major changes until your settled in.
Daisy England
4 years ago
That’s a lovely big space for a kitchen diner. The red walls definitely have to go. Personally I don’t like the wall tiles, so would get rid of them. I’d keep the cabinets and also the worktops which will be the main cost as there is nothing wrong with them.

I don't like the 12 pane glass door but do like the fact that it lets light through so if you do swap it consider another but plainer glass door. I do realise it matches the window but to me it’s just fancy when plain could suffice.
PRO
At No 19
4 years ago
Congratulations! A very exciting time for you. This is a great space; my advice would be to do nothing for the moment until you have your own furniture and possessions in situ and see how natural light works at various times of the day. The kitchen units / worktop and floor appear to be of a very high quality. The one element that doesn‘t work for me are the tiles. In the longer term these can be changed for something more in keeping. It might be possible to adjust the extractor height to keep the replacements at a uniform below wall cabinet level. When used with epoxy grout they are simple to maintain. Swapping the 15 panes of glass for a single sheet would be a quick update and look less fussy. I don’t think it needs to match the window, better to echo the patio doors. Wall colour, lighting etc can be tackled at a later date once you’ve got the feel of the space. Good luck with the move!
Juliet Docherty
4 years ago
It's a gorgeous space. Paint out the red the same colour as the rest of the pale wall and live with it, then you can see how the light it and this will determine how you paint it. For me, the shelves look odd, not quite long enough, but I would leave the rest until you have lived in it for a bit.
Danielle H
4 years ago
What sort of look are you going for?

If it were my kitchen I would repaint in a neutral throughout, cornforth white or similar. If the existing cupboard doors are white I would leave them (can't tell if white or cream in the photo) If they are cream I'd consider painting them either neutral or possibly a deep blue. Replace the handles with a cup style or a D pull in a metal to complement whichever metal accent you decide to have on the lighting.

I'd replace the worktops with a high quality slim laminate, I have duropal calacatta and it often gets mistaken for real marble. I'd be tempted to have an upstand instead of tiles but possibly an antique mirror behind the range.

If changing the worktop I'd get rid of the curved open shelves on the base run as I think this dates the kitchen.

I'd keep the 12-pane door but paint it black and replace the handle with a black one to mimic a crittall door.

I'd reduce the number of open shelves to one each side but take the one on the door wall full width to reach the adjoining wall.

Replace the lighting - have a look at Matalan. They often have similar styles to Jim Lawrence.

Have a look at DeVol kitchens for inspiration if you like that style.
kazzh
4 years ago
what beautiful worktops! i agree with everyone else - it is the red which dates the room. And again, resist the temptation to think about changing everything, change the red and it will make a world of difference to the room! The other notions might reduce in importance once this element is addressed.
Sam Potter
4 years ago
I agree with Danielle H about painting the door black to mimic Crittal.
Danielle H
4 years ago
I painted mine as I couldn’t afford Crittal. Door only cost me £20 + £15 for the door furniture.
rinked
4 years ago
"What colour should we paint the wall?" Either white or a sandy color that goes with the tile.
"Should we paint the kitchen cupboards- if so what colour?"No, they look fine. If they're worn, replace or repaint white. Change the knobs to black or brushed nickel for a quick update.
"What sort of door should we replace the 12 pane door with?" Keep it, it suits the room.
"Should we replace the wall tiles, if so we with what?" Keep them for now.
"And should we change the worktops?"No. Why would you? This kitchen looks great. Change it once the kitchen needs to be replaced.
Natalie Andrews
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks everyone for your input. Will update you all once we’ve moved in.

At the moment we are thinking of painting the walls, maybe tiles and changing cupboard handles. And then, as has been suggested, living with it for a while to decide what else to do with it.

Kitchen renovation/ updating help please

Monica

Comments (12)

Sterling Pillar Construction

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Kitchen renovation/ updating help please

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