Vintage kitchen renovation

[travis]

Color choices

Phil,

This was the original tile. I never planned to remove it. There were a few areas where the tile was either missing or very damaged. I had thought I could have some made, but then the company that does that said they couldn't.

After searching for pastel colored 4" tile on-line, I found B&W tile. I liked there semi-transparent glaze. It's shaded and looks similar to the original tile. They seem to have four or five colors in that. I thought about either the yellow or the green as the field, but wanted another color to offset the boarder.

I then found Heritage Tile at subwaytile.com. They make the box cap that racing around the room. The box cap was my favorite piece of the old layout. Unfortunately, their color selections are slim. Black was my only option. I then debated about yellow or green again. I finally settled on yellow because, the room is light challenged, I like yellow, and it allowed me to use the green as the field color in the main bathroom in the future.

My main goal is to create a kitchen and bathrooms that better match the rest of the house and appear to be original.

 

[mikael3]

This kitchen is a real inspiration to me.  I wish I could get started on something like this myself, but I have structural issues that need my attention first. 

 

I can't wait to see the next step in the process!!

 

[chachp]

Just beautiful!!

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Do you have any samples of what you are considering for your cabinets and appliances?  I'd love to have a kitchen like this but my house was built in '69 and is obviously too new.  I hope to have a home of this vintage someday but will likely have to wait until I retire and head back towards New York. </span>

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">They just aren't as plentiful where I live.  I live in a college town (yeah I know!!) and most of them have been chopped up and are used as apartments.</span>

 

[travis]

Just to be clear, I have contractors...

I am being the good obsessive homeowner. I have selected and ordered the materials. I am not a tile setter though. I have had three very talented guys here doing the work. They've learned what I am after.

The original toilet paper holder just went back into the wall. It looks great, like it did in 1932. The basketweave tile is next, though they won't finish before quitting time.

Doing this is NOT economical! My father asked me if this was going to increase the value of the house. I replied, yes, but not by nearly what it costs. I want a nice room for my appliances to live in and to use the restroom.

The detail, style, and shapes of this vintage stuff is what I find appealing.

 

[danemodsandy]

A Suggestion:

Travis,

Since your town is almost smack in the middle of Arkansas, it might be an idea to keep up with Craiglist listings of kitchen cabinets for sale. Little Rock isn't that far from you, and you have two towns in the northwest with serious money - Bentonville and Fayetteville.

Rich people get bored with their toys pretty quickly these days; it might be that you could get a great deal on cabinets from someone who's remodeling. Wealthy people would be just the ones who might be ripping out a huge, perfectly good luxury kitchen to replace it. In wealthy areas, it's not that uncommon to see a five-year-old high-end kitchen get gutted just because the current owner wants to put in their personal vision rather than live with anyone else's.

I often say: "God bless rich people and their short attention spans." Maybe you could make that work for you! Seeing as how you've got things "on hold" anyway, it seems to me that keeping up with CL might be a way to make things happen sooner rather than later.

 

[travis]

Sandy,

That's a great thought, but I have a serious affection for those lipped door cabinets of the 1930's-1960's. They were built on site usually. I already have the hinges and the pulls. I just need a small lottery to complete the madness.

They have just left. All looks pretty good. They got the restroom floor down, except some pieces in the radiator cove. I placed the last order for some floor tile for the kitchen and some more cap. The cap needs to be level across the top and the face. If not it looks terrible in person. They don't quite understand that I can still see the cap behind the monitor top. You know, it will be behind the fridge comment. That will be fixed.

The other issue is the out of square wall in the restroom. Considering the lower half was down to studs, I am having a hard time accepting it not being more square.

I may just let that one go, but the toilet better get there quick so I can't see the flaw!

 

[whirlaway]

Doing it the RIGHT WAY!!!!!!!

By gutting everything,you can see exactly what lies under the walls and all. I need to do my 1938 bathroom! The kitchen is fine.Do you think in the 1930s the person that built that would think someone now would have the same vision? Wouldnt you like to bring them back after you have finished! They are building on the lot nextdoor to me,one of those plastic palaces.Talk about cheap! Im so disappointed.Its 2stories only 5ft from my fence.All my sunlight will be gone on one side.You can tell the materials are seconds.All for 310,000 dollars.Good Luck its so pretty already! Bobby

 

[travis]

On hold...

I am waiting for more floor tile and color matched bullnose tile for the archway. They grouted the rest of the tile yesterday. I would wash it down, but without a sink, it's a pain.

I did go by the plumbing supply house and get some spuds for my old toilets. I have the bowl that's going on the first floor all ready to go. I am just waiting on the flushometer parts and the plumber. I am trying to collect all the strange parts the plumber won't have on his truck.

 

[chachp]

Nice!

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">That's coming along so well.   You must be very proud.  I know for me I am living vicariously through you on this project.  I'd love to have a kitchen that looks like that. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">I can't wait to see more!!</span>

 

[rp2813]

Travis, when we had our master bath remodeled, it wasn't until the basket weave floor tiles were laid that I discovered one exterior wall was out of square.

 

You'd think we would have learned from the kitchen remodel at our previous house, where we also picked out floor covering with sort of a grid pattern and discovered a wall out of square.

 

Next time, if there is one, I'm going to be sure to select a pattern that's not so symmetrical.  You made a good choice in the kitchen.  If anything is out of square, the octagonal tiles won't accentuate it.

 

[pulltostart]

Travis

That kitchen of yours is looking fantastic!  I am blown away by your determination to have the "correct" materials and installation.  I'm just guessing, but I'm betting that you've spent more on your renovation so far than I paid for this house!

 

lawrence

 

[travis]

Unfortunately, it's been 17k to purchase, demo and install the tile.  I am not really keeping track of the smaller details.

 

I have the receipts, I just don't tally them.

 

[goatfarmer]

Looks great, Travis!

 

[jakeseacrest]

Travis it already looks gorgeous. I'm so glad to see a swinging door in your kitchen. I've always loved them so I had one installed in my apartment a few years ago

 

[mitch]

This looks great!

I really like the tiles you have chosen for this! Really nice! Looks like the tile goys are doing a good job as well. We have a brick ranch that is 50 years old and the hall bath is in major need of restoration--the floor tiles are just worn out!

 

[travis]

Continued slow progress...

Work is now moving rather slow.  The tile got completed, then there was a crack.  The crack has been repaired.  It better not return.  I am at a standstill.  I want custom cabinets,but my bank account says no.  I will wait until I get what I want.

 

In the meantime, my favorite refrigerator has come back from being rebuilt and repainted.  I'll focus my attention on the stove now.

 

[chachp]

Dishwasher

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Love your appliances and what you're doing to your kitchen.  Have you decided what you're doing for a dishwahser?</span>

 

[travis]

Dishwasher

Likely the 1954 GE pull out.  It's already in nice shape.  I took the front panel to the paint shop to be painted white.

 

[goatfarmer]

Looking great, Travis!

 

[chachp]

Wowie,

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Wouldn't this look fabulous in your kitchen!!!</span>

 

<span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?59711</span>