Vintage 1957 American Kitchens - working & complete - $500 (Metamora )

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Those are awesome!  I'd get rid of the wallpaper and that ceiling fan and keep the rest as is.  Nothing these guys will purchase will last like those cabinets.
 
Whats the matter with these people!!!!If I moved into a home with a kitchen in that condition------KEEP IT AND USE IT!!!!You would be STUPID to replace that with kitchen DRECK furniture made today!KEEP THAT KITCHEN AND ENJOY IT!!!Yes,the wall paper needs to go.The ceiling fan may be nice on the really hot summer days.Don't usually see ceiling fans in kitchens.I am amazed at how good of condition that kitchens furniture and appliances are in.The former owner took REALLY good care of it!Again, would be sad to rip that out!
 
I had basically the same cabinets in my former home, also built in 1957.  Mine did not have the applied trim on the doors, just flush birch doors, copper drawer fronts.  Mine also had the double-bowl and double drainboard version of the sink.  Someone has taken very good care of this kitchen.

 

lawrence
 
Some people I know would pay full asking price...

just for that SINK! I know it's kinda blasphemy, but if I had to live in that kitchen I would paint those wood cabinet faces (not a fan of mapley looking wood) and make the great moldings really "pop"....change the countertops and wallpaper. I'm with bluejay on this one...That is a far better kitchen set than anything new they'll find.
 
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">I almost bought this set, but decided against it for a few reasons (these cabinets appear to be fairly uncommon, I would've needed to go to Missouri, and I'd need to house them for about 5 years until we're ready for the big remodel). </span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">  </span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What got me was the text of the listing: </span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"My parents bought these cabinets because the salesman took his key and scratched the front all the way across and didn't leave a mark.  My parents figured they would survive a family.  In all honesty we only removed them because a realtor said he couldn't sell a house with a pink kitchen.  These cabinets will be around longer than the new ones that we put in." </span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">  </span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">It kills me that sellers seem to realize the durability and quality of vintage items and in the same breath will say something like 'it's dated' or 'someone else told us to do it.'  If you're living in a 50s house, chances are good that no matter what you do, it will always look like a 50s house, unless a drastic remodel occurs.  Having cabinets from the early 90s, I can say that newer stuff just doesn't hold up.  </span>
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span>

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Kit...5AgelwDJGM3iYLL8iyy4A%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
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I would've fired the realtor before I gutted that kitchen.  We looked long and hard for a time capsule place and every home was an awful flip (we're in NE Maryland).  This area is only building McMansions, so the smaller homes are being gutted and flipped.  It's awful.
 
Thanks for the link, Bluejay.

I've only seen one kitchen that I know of that had Capitol cabinets, and that belonged to the lady who was our babysitter when I was a kid. Her's were older (probably late 1940's) and were plainer, with different hardware. Don't know what's in that house now, as I haven't been in it for over 20 yrs.
 
Those look to be in good shape too. Out of curiosity, what's the quality like on these metal sets? I know there are quite a few brands that were made and I'm sure each has pros and cons.
 
Quality???? Hmmmm...

I suppose it's "ok"....I've been around a little bit of it. If it's properly fitted and bolted down it's structurally stable but I remember it being awfully loud/clangy/echo-ey when used in kitchens for plates and glassware. I knew some people who had it for years and wound up lining the interiors with cork to cut down on the clattering.
 
Is that issue common to all of the brands?  I'm enamored with St. Charles cabinets and if I ever stumble across a cheap set locally it may just come home.  I love the features on those specifically.  It seems a lot of thought went into the design. 
 
If you can...

Go look at a few things in person and really analyze what you think they'd be like installed in your place. Not sure which mfg. used the thickest gauge steel vs. anyone else.
Best comparison I can make is to think of these things like file cabinets. That made in China crap they schlock off on buyers here is really thin/flexy--as were some of the lower end metal kitchen cabinets in the 60s. But I would bet that the bulk of them are fairly acceptable.
The noise level would probably get on your nerves--I personally would still line all the interior surfaces with either Cork or whatever that stuff is called that is used as sound deadening on dishwashers (one side is adhesive, other like compressed felt...but thinner overall material).
 
These old metal ones being sold...

are a worthwhile prospect. They're already made, easy to fit together and totally "of the era". Plus, repainting them is not a huge deal either (whenever you tire of what they look like). I'm actually considering that $300 set because it would go into an area of the house where it wouldn't be used daily. Good cheap ready-made storage.
 
Maybe...

I'm debating turning two dining room walls into an extension of the kitchen, or building 1/2 of the wall as a sit down bar. I don't know what to do....but that subzero I bought has to fit into the equation somehow.
 
We're in need of more cabinet space; the plan is to extend off the back of the house, which would allow for a pantry and additional cabinetry.

 

It sounds like you're in a similar boat. Are you going to make the Sub-Zero look like a built in unit?
 
Have a weird floor plan here...

It's a 2 story (but 1800 sq ft) end unit condo...so when you come in the entry, the dining area is on full view at immediate right. There is a full height wall separating it from the 10x10 kitchen (U-shaped/galley style, only 3 full walls). I've fully refitted kitchen with complete uppers on all walls, completely lined lower in pull out drawer cabinets. But the fridge, stove and dishwasher occupy a lot of space (90") in there still...

So for overflow storage/seating I thought I'd take advantage of the 130" dining room wall and use it to build in the Subzero in a corner cabinet and the remainder with a high line of uppers. Sit down / bar countertop butting up to side of fridge with maybe a couple "pier" door or drawer stacks...I dunno yet. It lends itself to be like a small loungy/casual / den type area. Sub Zero in place for looks/bulk drinks keeping. The metal cabinets are tempting but I'm afraid there would be more than I can use. Gotta have a long think about this one.
 
Sounds like you have a plan pretty sketched out.

 

When the kitchen gets expanded, my requirements are a pantry, vented exhaust, and room for my ever increasing Pyrex collection.

 

The kitchen is in an L shape and opens into the dining room. There isn't a wall separating the spaces. It's a large kitchen spacewise, but it was planned for people that don't cook.

 

 

 

 

 
 
Pantry!

You need a walk-in if you can do it. Had one once and miss it badly. A little room like that holds ALOT of stuff totally out of sight/mind. It's funny you mention "planned for people that don't cook"....I find most unremodeled American homes under a certain size were built just like that. Unless you could afford a larger custom built place, you didn't get much thoughtfulness or space planning, really. Just basics, but not laid out in very efficient way.
 
We had a walk in pantry in 2 of our apartments, here we have the useless pantry cabinet. All of our cabinets are full. Interestingly, this was a custom home. Our kitchen suffers from a lot of wasted space; we have a breakfast bar which makes no sense since it is in between our open kitchen and dining room. The plan is to add about 300 sq ft. onto the back. I can't wait.
 
Having lived in a house with steel cabinets (Youngstown and Lyon brands) I can say the ones made in the early 50's were sturdily constructed. Didn't find them to be excessivley noisy either. The Youngstown was a little quieter than the Lyon.
 

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