Keep the 1959 Knotty Pine kitchen,or "knot"?

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rickr

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My brother Scott and his wife Lisa are going to remodel the kitchen in their 1959 Ranch style home. The house has the original kitchen,with the 1950's style cupboards. I say they should retain the knotty pine cupboards,and have the fronts refinished. They create a nice warm informal feel that really makes the space feel comfortable,and they both like that effect. Lisa isn't sure,so I suggested we post the Easter Sunday photos,and take a vote.Lisa said "do it"! Photos to follows
Opinions please?
Thank you!
 
Photo one

Scott cutting the Easter ham. To be or "knot" to be...
 
Photo two

Lisa "demos" the 1959 General Electric Automatic oven
To be or "knot" to be?
 
Well

I would have to say it all depends on what Lisa likes! What is her dream kitchen? I would let her decide! BTW, They made a cute couple! And you can tell your Brothers!
 
I think I see an original GE cooktop behind Lisa also. I hope they will seriously consider the refinishing of the cabinet fronts since they like the area. And save those appliances if they want new ones.
 
Great Kitchen!

This kitchen has a lot of potential. I say keep the cabinets. They are terrific! A little refinishing, some kewl retro hardware, and they will be great. I would also take out that wooden cornice above the window.

What a fantastic GE oven. That is definitely a keeper!
 
not my style

Personally, I'd gut to the studs. Add new sheetrock, Insulate, run phone, cable TV and network cables. Also a chance to run more appliance circuits in the countertop area. Most importantly you will have the chance to insulate the INTERIOR walls (thermaly and acoustically)as well as spruce up the exterior walls. This give you a chance to see inside the walls and check for termites, carpenter ants, mold, water, etc.

Even with just new cabinets you get the chance to paint and disinfect the walls behind them, and the chance to pick up layers of old flooring (Assuming vinyl is there now)

Here's where I'd go with appliances...If you want to keep the wall oven, replace the cooktop with a standard 30" self-clean smooth-top range. (Go for the ones that have FOUR "Hot" indicator lights, not the brands with one for all four spots.) You'll have two ovens and may end up spending less $ than just replacing the cooktop. Otherwise the Maytag Gemini double ovens with a GE micro-convection on top gives you three oven in less space than you are using now..Just a thought.

Personally, IMHO that style of cabinets does not work for me.

Lately, in my neck of the woods, it's white or moderately light-wood cabinets, dark counters and a stone or stone-look floor. Sometmes those "pergo" wood laminate floors are an option. The jury is still out on duarbility, though.

In my last place that I renovated, I had white cabinets, dark gray counters, SS knobs and a slate floor with dark gray grout and it looked great! The floor had grey, blue, yellow and a reddish-brick-maroon in it. (With this combination though please avoid wood and brass!)

If you get bored eventually, there are so many beautiful colors in a slate floor that can make it to the walls, curtains, tablecloth etc.

Again, IMHO the trick is to buy white blinds or shades(beige always looks dirty) and then you can change the colors in the room every few years inexpensively.

Regards,
Steve
 
Steve

You're too harsh.. here's how you should have said it!!

Lisa..I honestly can't comment on the cabinetry because I have a severe allergy to knotty pine. I would however keep the wall oven and proceed decluttering by sending Scott to me.

Always remember to be tactful and weigh your words.
People will thank you for it...
 
I love the cabinets, they are very cool (of course I am a huge mid-century buff). Refinish if necessary (they actually look fine to me but you can't always pick out wear from a picture). The oven is tres fab. The countertops, backsplash and dishwasher however must go....those are very obviously 1970s updates.

I personally am all for keeping a house as authentic to its time period as possible.
 
1959 Ranch home

Thanks for the opinions,and comments. They will be passed on to Scott and Lisa.
BTW The cabinets are in great condition. They have a few wear spots around some of the hardware,and the finish has darkened with age. Lisa loves the knotty pine,as long as they look brand new. My brother doesn't care if they are saved or replaced. The cooktop is not original,and Lisa wants to replace it with a *glass topped* free standing stove. (*whatever they are called) The wall oven will be removed,and that area "opened up" for what?? I do not know. I will make sure Scott doesn't want the GE wall oven,before I offer it for free on this site.
The rest of the house is remodeled. The previous owner was an elderly widower and Wintered in Florida. The heat system failed on Winter and all the pipes froze and were broken. The neighbors figured out what happened when Spring came and the water started running out the basement windows,and front and back doors of the house. The insurance company rebuilt the house with all new wood floors and carpet,doors,heat and a/c system,water heater,sump pump,refinished basement, etc,etc,etc. After the house was finished the original owner had had enough,and sold the house and moved to Florida.
So the house is really in great shape,except for some updates,which Scott and Lisa are doing. New vinyl siding,re-remodeled basement (again),new electrical,updated bathrooms,new garage,and landscape,all new windows... And now the kitchen,so here we are.
The house is 1950's and in a 1950's neighborhood. I think a 1959 Ranch home located on a 1950's street named Rosewood Circle,should have knotty pine cabinets. (MHO)
 
Rick, ask Lisa if she has considered the less convenient oven arrangement of a freestanding range. She may be ok with it, but perhaps has not given thought to the fact that she may miss that eye-level built-in oven. Another thought might be to replace the cooktop with a ceran cooktop only.
 
opinion

Keep cabinets, re-finish.

modernize countertop and tile on walls

New flooring

If "I" were doing it, the cooktop/oven would be replaced by a 1959 vintage 40" freestanding range. Whatever dishwasher is installed needs panels to match cabinets.
 
I'd start with some

Murphy's Oil Soap, and see what happens with the cabinets. Might not need more than a good scrubbing and rinsing. Or one of those hand-held steam cleaning thingies.

I'd leave as much original as possible, especially if the layout basically works, and maybe hunt for a vintage KitchenAid dishwasher, even though the original dishwasher was more than likely a GE.

I agree about changing the placement of the oven being a not-so-great idea. Need to think about universal design, and future accessability issues.

Lawrence/Maytagbear
 
My kitchen cabinets had a scaloped knotty pine cornice across the top and i decided to get rid of it and refinish the cabinets. It made the kitchen seem larger plus I could put more collectibles on top of them.I think trying to visualize the finished product is the hard part. Good luck
 
Nice Cabinets

Dr.Mitch.. is the pictured cabinet knotty pine as well?
If it is I'll re-think my position. It is lovely.

BTW is this your full-time residence? I think I remember the room from the pics you have in the "collections" tab, where we see the stove and ref. I am asking because there was a lovely shot of the ref. empty.

Do yo have a Dishwasher? what brand? Love your Maytag W&D too!
 

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