Sarah Perdue’s Mid Century Kitchen

[sarahperdue]

Ok, guys, I think it’s coming together.

I’m buying the Hotpoint combo for 500, and I may have just found wall ovens to match as well as a modern Elkay sink. I’m posting a link to the ovens below.

Thank you all for encouragement, advice and support as I work, plan and dream about this project.

Sarah

https://tucson.craigslist.org/for/d/tucson-vintage-mid-century-stainless/6883444893.html

 

[mixrman]

Sarah: Tell about the modern Elkay sink.... is it stainless double bowl with drainboards? Dimensions? Since I cannot find a way to get our Youngstown porcelain sink refinished- might be an option.

 

[mixrman]

never mind- found the link in the other forum...

 

[pulltostart]

Sarah,

Looking good!  Here's a nice SS sink - LARGE model - Lustertone; high quality if you can spare the room.  I had an aunt who's kitchen had a sink like this and washing dishes (no dishwasher) was a breeze.

 

It's located in Knoxville, TN for $200.

 

lawrence

https://knoxville.craigslist.org/app/d/harriman-large-stainless-kitchen-sink/6907734563.html

 

[sarahperdue]

Thanks, Lawrence

That's a really nice sink, and I will keep it in mind. At the moment, I'm still considering the double drainboard sink although the price is certainly better.

I'm attaching the link to the Elkay sink.

Elkay ILR6622DD3 Lustertone 66" Drop In Double Basin Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink with Drainboard | Build.com

Save on the Elkay ILR6622DD3 from Build.com. Low Prices + Fast & Free Shipping on Most Orders. Find reviews, expert advice, manuals, specs & more.

www.build.com

 

[circlew]

$200. is an excellent price for that 43" sink with the deeper bowl on one side. It's like the one in our church kitchen, except the church's uses a Hudee ring, rather than being self-rim as the one shown. It was installed when the kitchen addition was built in 1959, and still looks new 60 years later. I didn't see this model listed on the Elkay website, so it probably is a made-to-order modification product (rather than true custom), so would be rather expensive. When I last saw it in their catalog a few years ago, the list price before any discounts was well over $1000.

 

[sarahperdue]

Sinks

John, the enamel double drain board sinks come around pretty often. I saw one not too long ago. I'll see if I can find it. If you're willing to wait, I'll help you look. Lawrence, you up for the hunt? You are always posting cool listings on shopper's square.

Sarah

 

[pulltostart]

Sarah,

Always looking.  You're looking for a double-bowl with drainboard(s)?  Porcelain on steel?

 

lawrence

 

[sarahperdue]

Yes, please

Double bowl, double drain boards in stainless for me, and then white porcelain for John. The stainless ones seem to be rare. I found a new Chinese one for 600+, and an American made Elkayfor over 1000. If I go to new, I’ll buy the Elkay. I can just hear the tinniness of the Chinese one when I look at the picture. I’m also trying very hard to buy American. That said, are used to stainless one would be magnificent, And, given the price of the Elkay, I might settle for a double bowl sink without the drain boards.

 

[sarahperdue]

Progress

So, guys,

The old kitchen is out, the sills and structure have been restored, and my builder is waiting for me to choose flooring, countertops and appliances. The stainless Hotpoint fridge in Birmingham sold. I’m kind of revisiting the one in Louisiana. I’m concerned about all the tape in the butter and egg compartments.

I’m definitely thinking linoleum floors in the kitchen and butlers pantry. I’m considering Lino, Formica or stainless for the countertops. I think I’m leaning towards stainless (but I haven’t had the price comparison reality check yet. Hmmm, maybe a girl can have it all—stainless in the kitchen and Lino or Formica in the butlers pantry.

I hadn’t thought about it until I started laying out the kitchen, but do all vintage fridges open from left to right? My preference would be a left to right layout of fridge, sink, stove/ovens, but a right to left opening fridge seems best...

So here are some photos starting with the demolition. That’s my older son wielding the sledgehammer.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

 

[pulltostart]

Sarah,

It's good to see progress!  Looks like some hard, sweaty work - good thing you have young help.  I love the old (must be original?) red-and-white tile floor.

 

This was your grandmother's house, right?  So in the long term, what are your plans for the house?  Do you plan to reside here?

 

lawrence

 

[spacepig]

Sarah,

Thanks for sharing the pictures of your re-model. I saw that the fridge in Birmingham sold after being dropped to $500, so I was hoping that was you who bought it. In regards to door openings, we have two vintage refrigerators (both GE) that open to the left, so they are definitely out there.

Like Lawrence, I *love* that original red/white tile! When we re-did the floor in our old kitchen, we uncovered several layers of old flooring until we got to the original which was a gorgeous dark teal linoleum. Unfortunately, it could not be saved, but I kept a few pieces to make something that I could incorporate into our "new" vintage kitchen. Keep the pictures coming!

 

[lowefficiency]

>> So here are some photos starting with the demolition. That’s my older son wielding the sledgehammer.
>> Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Yes, start wearing a respirator and use more caution with the floor! Unless you have submitted a sample and received a negative test result, the odds are pretty good that those floor tiles you're ripping up contain asbestos!

 

[sarahperdue]

Failed compromise

My son and o compromised—instead of a respirator, I told him he could wear one of the paper ones with the breathing valve. I confess that I didn’t notice he didn’t have it on when took the pictures...bad mom. It was a deathly, punishing 105 degrees, but we had to get it out that day because the builder was coming down the next day(1:45 hours each way). Regarding the mask, it’s a lame excuse, but I know he kept t on while ripping up and sawing the floor out. I need to teach better safety.

Damn! I missed it when the fridge dropped to 500. I most definitely would have snapped it up.

I remember the red and cream (or yellowed) linoleum tile from my earliest childhood. I even remember her replacing on of the cream tiles with a white one and being disappointed that it didn’t match. I think the brick sheet vinyl came shortly after.

Lawrence, I do want to live there.

The original structure was built in 1938, and there was an addition during the late 50s. Although the addition was added some time mid century, we think the structure was moved from somewhere else because the construction techniques are much older—

 

[sarahperdue]

...

I thought the Lino squares were the original floor, but we found red painted tongue and groove under that. Alas, no salvaging it. We had already scored the floor into 2’ squares for easier removal before we discovered it.

I’ve decided to deconstruct the addition. It’s always seemed out of synch with the rest of the house, The quality of construction is not as good as the original structure, and we don’t need the space. Large houses are, in my opinion, overrated. Also, the siding is a match, and the original house has a lot of rotten siding. I’m going to ask the man who restores asbestos fiber cement roofs in Alabama and nearby areas if he’ll go thirds or halves to remove the shingles in tact. A stash of shingles will be like gold although, after weathering the 2011 tornadoes here in Tuscaloosa, we will be doing our best to remove trees that might threaten the house.

A lot of trees and vegetation has been removed since some of these pictures were taken. A house nestled in the trees looks lovely, but my boys and I watched the tornado uproot a 50 year old oak and drop it down the roofline of the next door neighbor’s house—bisected it clean in half and crushed the building’s supporting structure.

And, without further ado, photos

 

[vacbear58]

Thanks for sharing the pictures Sarah, its easy to see why you should want to restore and live in such a beautiful house.

Personally I would advise not to have stainless steel countertops, I work for a company which supplies commercial kitchens where stainless is universal and, whilst it is certainly durable, it will get scratches and over time will not look as good as new for considerable expense. On the other hand, if you do decide to go for them you could get sinks and drainers moulded right in to them to your exact specification and size as part of their construction. We do this all the time and any commercial kitchen supplier or metal fabricator (going back one step in the supplier chain) should be able to do the same for you.

Good luck with your project, I look forward to seeing your progress

Al

 

[justjunque]

What a beautiful house!
Thank you for sharing the pictures.
I'll hop on board too with the love for the red and white/cream kitchen flooring.
I've discovered so many flooring options that really appeal to me, that we never even considered before we put hardwood floors all through the whole house.
Oh well. First house. Live and learn; right?
Best of luck with the projects!
Keep us posted, please!

Barry

 

[mixrman]

Sarah:
Looks like a lovely house! Can't wait to see how your project progresses. I agree with your comment about the addition being out of character with the original structure. I don't however, agree that large houses are overrated!

 

[sarahperdue]

Happy Fun Time!

Too funny, John, I'm in the process of writing an email message to you this very minute!

And to everyone--

My lino samples arrived yesterday, and I cannot wait to get down to The Pines and hold them up against my cabinets. Since I already have the cabinets and a big room to stage them in, I'm going to block off the kitchen/breakfast room footprint and experiment with arrangements.