Need help - What would you do to this kitchen

[Liberty Belle]

If you can swing it I would change the flooring. You can also put a new laminate on the countertops for very little money. My parents did it and it looks like grantie but it formica. It sticks onto your existing countertops. It looks like you had new countertops installed at a fraction of the cost. Maybe 2-3 hundred for everything.

Now, that would be a good "fix" until we could do granite or something nicer.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't see a stove/oven. Do you have to include that in the budget?

I would either do the countertops first and focus on the kitchen look.

Or I would do hardwood flooring in the kitchen and family room. I can't do carpeting either as we are not forgiving with it and it would be a waste of our money for the long term.

More than likely I would do the countertops first because that is important to me for cooking and use.
And it will put into light the type of flooring/look you will want. You can ignore a floor for awhile.

Or you can do granite countertops and put in a cheap flooring just in the kitchen, and new carpeting for a complete look right off the bat.

Run all the numbers and see what works out for you.

 

[krcit]

I would pull the beige/mocha color I see on that wall around the corner right into the kitchen. I would want to de-emphasize the kitchen and I think that would best accomplish that. Then I would simply accessorize with jewel tones that complimented the color in both rooms.

I would wait a while on the counter tops and floors until I had money. At that point, I'd probably put pergo or something on the floor throughout both rooms. I would also extend the countertop on the island to have a bar with stools.

I agree with the beige/mocha color instead of a yellow shade if you keep the dark grren for now. It would tone down the green.

 

[dis-happy]

There is some new "click in place" Pergo-type flooring that looks like tile and is supposed to be great. Check it out before you make a final decision.

My sister had a gorgeous kitchen with white cabinets and dark green granite counters. She painted her walls a very soft moss green and it looked terrific.

Looks like you'll have to buy all the appliances too? I'd be getting that worked into the bid you make on the house, that can be $$$$ too!

 

[luvmy3]

I just asked him and he said he only lightly sanded them, but if he were to do it again, he would sand them all the way down. They were your standard oak cabinets that came with the house. As I remember, he had to put on several coats, and he thinks the paint would have adhered better had he sanded them properly to begin with. Edited to add, yes, it was paint, not stain. My friend also painted her cabinets a cream color after just a light sanding, and her cabinets were originally very dark. It's a fairly inexpensive way to get a new look.

If you look in the background of this pic, you can see my friend's cabinets. They were also painted, not stained, and they were originally very dark.

We have the builder's standard honey oak cabinets now, the tops are in great shape but the bottoms could use some help. Your pic has really inspired me, I'm going to see if dh is willing to start soon, since he'd be doing all the sanding for me.
What did your dh use to paint, a brush or a sprayer?

Sorry OP, I don't mean to hijack.

I agree with the beige/mocha color instead of a yellow shade if you keep the dark grren for now. It would tone down the green.

I said yellow before but I think you are right, a beige would look really nice, and tone down the green if that is the goal.

 

[luvflorida]

Oh, and what about the island? Could some kind of decorative moulding be put on the sides and back (the side facing the kitchen hold the drawer fronts and cabinet doors) or would that make it look worse?

We have an island in our kitchen that looks about the same size as the one in your picture. The top is extended out on the front and one of the sides. We have two stools on the front of the island and two smaller stools on the side. Even though the house has a dining room, I can tell you that the kitchen island gets far more use as a place to eat.

Our counter tops are also green, but I think a lighter shade than the ones in the kitchen you're looking at. We painted the kitchen walls yellow and love the way it came out. The floor in the kitchen is gray slate.

If you want to see what it looks like, go to (edited: Sorry, I removed the link because I wasn't thinking that our address would come up. I'll have to see if I have a picture somewhere that I can scan.) Our house will come up. Click on the center picture of the kitchen, and you'll be able to see the center island with the extended counter. Our stove top is built into the center island, so instead of drawers or cabinets on the opposite side of the counter top we have the oven.

Here is a picture of the slate floor in the kitchen. It's the best I could find. Just ignore my freaky daughter!

 

[Liberty Belle]

There is some new "click in place" Pergo-type flooring that looks like tile and is supposed to be great. Check it out before you make a final decision.

My sister had a gorgeous kitchen with white cabinets and dark green granite counters. She painted her walls a very soft moss green and it looked terrific.

Looks like you'll have to buy all the appliances too? I'd be getting that worked into the bid you make on the house, that can be $$$$ too!

te

We'll be bringing our fridge, but leaving our range, so we'll have to purchase a new one.

 

[ireland_nicole]

I would also extend the countertop on the island if you could to make a breakfast bar. You could also put wainscotting/beadboard on the back to give it a little more interest (just keep it the same white as the cabinets.) I would agree that a laminate in the kitchen (make sure it is approved for use in kitchens) is a cost effective, attractive, and easy to clean choice. I have had porcelin tile, wood and laminate in my kitchens and my favorite was the laminate. Very easy to keep clean, wonderful, clean look, and we put the thickest padding underneath so soft underfoot when cooking You could cover the backsplash too inexpensively, by scraping off the tiles, and then putting up either the same beadboard (for more of a clean country/european look) or stainless steel (for a more modern) look. I really think if you did the work yourselves- and it's all doeable by yourselves, you could make a huge difference with very little cash. As far as paint, I would recommend either a soft sagey green, latte' or ochre yellow, depending on your preference.

 

[Reah Bourne]

First, take note of the HIDEOUS nature of the green tile, floor, counters. Then realize that red will attack your senses in the same way in due time. Red walls are the fad right now and in a few years, everyone will be saying, "What was I thinking?!?!?!"

If you want granite counter tops for as inexpensive as you can, check out granite tiles or granite remnants.

Stay nuetral so it translates to others who might be buying your home in the future.

 

[HERSEY]

You could use a granite slab for the island and granite tile for the counter tops and floor. I saw this recently on HGTV and it looked really good.

I would keep the counter tops,floor neutral and just use color in the accessories ie paint,curtains. They can easily be changed out with your mood.

 

[Colleen27]

First, take note of the HIDEOUS nature of the green tile, floor, counters. Then realize that red will attack your senses in the same way in due time. Red walls are the fad right now and in a few years, everyone will be saying, "What was I thinking?!?!?!"

Ah, but walls are easily changed, even red walls. I agree about staying neutral with flooring, counters, and cabinets, but paint? Go nuts. Worst that can happen is you'll need to prime before you paint over it.

 

[marlynnp]

I'd change the floor to a light colored wood or a white vinyl depending on budget. The counter tops won't look so bad once you get rid of that floor. I'd also get rid of the dark green tile back splash - again with something neutral or just repair the wall & paint it as the rest.

I'd also get rid of the light fixture (ceiling fan?). And what the heck is stuck up in the corner??

 

[Liberty Belle]

I'd change the floor to a light colored wood or a white vinyl depending on budget. The counter tops won't look so bad once you get rid of that floor. I'd also get rid of the dark green tile back splash - again with something neutral or just repair the wall & paint it as the rest.

I'd also get rid of the light fixture (ceiling fan?). And what the heck is stuck up in the corner??

It's the funniest looking little ceiling fan. The blades are very small. Yeah, I'll probably change that out, too, if we get the house.

Our realtor said he thought that thing in the corner was some kind of shelving for a speaker.

 

[shelly3girls]

In our kitchen we ripped up some vinyl and put down laminate. It was the snap together kind and relatively easy. Total cost was around $1000 and I love it!

 

[ksjayhawks]

I like the idea of extending the island counter so that you can have barstools. You can easily add trim molding to the side to jazz it up.

I would recommend going with hardwood floors in both the kitchen and the family room. (I love my hardwood floors!) Otherwise you are going to find out that the edge of the carpet at the kitchen can get very dirty and worn--especiallay if you decide to make the island into an eating area. It might cost a little more to do the wood floors right now, but in the long run they will last longer. It will also make the space look larger.

I would pick up the fern color from the family room colors and add your red in with accents. For countertops, I would stay more neutral in colors and go with granite or quartz. I, too, like the look of the slab for the island and tiles on the rest.

I know beadboard is "in" right now for backsplashs, however if you think you will be moving out of this house in a few years, I would probably do a more standard backsplash--tile or granite. If you are going to live here for years, go ahead and do what you want and realize that might be something you would have to change before moving.

I would suggest redoing the floors before you move in if you can afford it. Once you move in you will have to move all the furniture yourselves and then put it all back, It is not cheap to have the installers move your stuff. If you are doing a whole house, you can usually negotiate a good deal. They really like it when they aren't held up by having to move furniture, etc. You can save money by taking up the old carpet and padding yourself and scraping the floor. Get the best quality that you can afford--stretch a little and use your negotiating skills. Do not skimp on padding--get the best there is as you can really tell a difference.

 

[teacups]

I couldnt find the better pictures.... and my kitchen is too messy right now to take a picture! These cabinets have been many colors. I get "kitchen Bored" pretty easy and re-do it once every two years or so. I like the red a lot and have kept it for a while and am not tired of it yet. I have changed the window sill and some other trim to gloss black. Love it.

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[mamamary]

I couldnt find the better pictures.... and my kitchen is too messy right now to take a picture! These cabinets have been many colors. I get "kitchen Bored" pretty easy and re-do it once every two years or so. I like the red a lot and have kept it for a while and am not tired of it yet. I have changed the window sill and some other trim to gloss black. Love it.

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Love your kitchen!!

 

[3jsmommy]

I would get a Terra cotta looking laminate floor. I'd Paint the walls a warm Tuscan yellowish beige. Then I'd find a tile to go along the whole back splash, nothing too busy, but I would pick one that incorporates the green, tuscan yellow & terra cotta. You could always paint the island to look mahogany & get a ceiling fan & stools to match the dark wood. Oh & you could get cushions for your stools to match the back splash...and an aged bronze light fixture over the island. I love decorating! Good Luck!

 

[Disney Doll]

It's too green, but all in all, it's not a bad kitchen, and if it is visible from your family room, it sounds like it can be made to work with your color scheme that you're planning for in there.

Paint the walls a golden yellow...not quite wheat, because that's too beige and boring, but like the color of a sunflower...maybe a shade lighter. Do that first. It may change your outlook on the floor and countertops.

If you still hate the floor after you paint the kitchen yellow, I'd do hardwood or some kind of laminate thing that looks like hardwood that is within your budget.

Get rid of that ceiling fan.

I wouldn't rip out those backsplash tiles...they aren't that bad and there aren't that many of them and with the yellow, they might "pop" nicely. Trying to repair a wall after removing tile is ghastly most of the time.

I like the idea of putting a new countertop on just your island and extending it to make it a breakfast bar, but if you can't afford to do that, I'd put wainscoting over the flat sides (any sides without drawers or cabinets) to spruce it up a bit. There are a lot of countertop materials that can be made to "blend" with what you have.

Really, all in all, I've seen worse kitchens. Heck, when we bought out house, my kitchen had white speckly formica counters and a backsplash wall covering made of the same formica in sheets, AVOCADO GREEN appliances, and a sheet vinyl floor that had flowers all over it in primary colors on a white background...think 1975. We did have nice oak cabinets though.

 

[IDoDis]

If you need to keep the counter tops for now, I'd put wood laminate on the floor and around the island. I'd try to match the island as close as possible to the floor color or vice versa. You can buy the boards of wood laminate for the island at Home Depo that are attached by tiny screws with an electric screw driver).

I'd also change the paint color on the walls. The back wall I'd do a lighter "warm" (more lime in it) green that would compliment the counters & back splash. Like this color:
http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/658/documents/custom/customimages/KB_2008/TGK_1.jpg

The wall that has the pantry would be a burnt red (red & brown mixed). I'd put an accent color on the wall in front of the kitchen and on that piece of wall that looks triangular near the ceiling. I would maybe go with an adobe brown color or a darker lime green. I'd make that wall darker than the other tan wall (I can only see a spec of it in the picture). If you don't put the wood laminate boards around the island, I'd paint the island the same color as the accent wall.

Print out a photo and take it with you to Home Depo and see what colors would compliment each other. I would not have the kitchen be all one color though. The green in there now has more of a blue cool color to it. I like kitchens to be warm colors. You'll have to do the best you can with matching since the counters are green.

It's a pretty kitchen overall and has great potential!