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“I Need To Update My Old-Fashioned Kitchen... On A Tight Budget!” By Margot Gunther  We have a summer house with an old-fashioned kitchen. I would like to spark the room up and give it some personality—without having to spend a lot in the process. I am not a big cook, but everyone seems to congregate there, so I would like it to have some zip.Anne Slovac Zeeland, Michigan   A lot can be done to a kitchen without a major renovation. All it takes is imagination and an open mind. One of your best tools is wallpaper, so check out the sample books at your home center. This whimsical border—of cooking utensils and crockery—from the Liberty Home collection sets the kitchen’s country mood. We put it just above the cabinet (instead of just below the ceiling) to anchor the room’s disparate elements. Why pay for a fancy cabinet when you can just add a gingham skirt to the sink? It is functional and full of charm. A pine dry sink found inexpensively at a flea market can stand in for more traditional cabinetry, too. Use mini-floral and gingham wallpapers to create a mélange of country charm. This is not a kitchen to be taken too seriously, so have fun. An herb wreath, a small shelf and prints add to the mixture. photo courtesy Village Wallcoverings For our anniversary, my husband has promised me a whole new kitchen. I don’t want to make a mistake on such an important project, and I don’t want it ending up looking like so many kitchens I see in home centers or ads—just a sterile room with no personality. What can I do?Elaine Troxell Elmira, New York  First of all, try not to be intimidated or overwhelmed. Instead, study and peruse magazines, books, anywhere you think would have pictures of kitchens that would inspire you. A good place to start is with kitchen manufacturers’ catalogs. Catalogs will offer you many options for cabinet fronts, bases, drawers and even hardware, so pick and choose accordingly. Our photo shows an updated, smart, snappy kitchen. The style is traditional country, but with an edge to it. Beaded, recessed maple cabinetry in a dark alabaster finish sets the calming mood and anchors the room. The island achieves the look of an antique buffet and sits gracefully in the center of the kitchen. Here, the black-and-white vinyl tile resembles old-fashioned ceramic but is much easier on the feet (and sound level). Add an old schoolhouse light fixture for excellent light and character. The crown molding on the pieces takes advantage of the high ceilings and adds a refined finish. Just remember that this is not a project to rush into. There are myriad choices out there as well as trained people to help—take your time and make the room your own. Photo courtesy: Wood-Mode Cabinetry  We live in a 1940s house and the kitchen is quite cut up; I am at a loss as to what to do for it. Right now, we are not in the market for major renovations, so we basically need cosmetic solutions. Help. Helen Murrah Skokie, Illinois First of all, check out wallpaper books—they are always full of good ideas and also they do a superb job of coordinating. I have found that a “loose,” airy-patterned wallcovering can often bring many parts of a room together where a geometric pattern will just emphasize the problems. Cover the entire room in a floral wallpaper. To draw the other elements of the kitchen in, use paint in a warm, rich red hue. This is a stabilizing color and will bring a bit of calm to your kitchen. Use an old armoire you’ve found in a thrift shop as a cabinet to hold china, etc. Add a nice, heavy-duty shelf over the stove to hold books or decorative accessories. It will ground the room amid all the florals. Courtesy Gramercy Wallcoverings |
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