I Can’t Get Over How Good Old Cabinets Look in This Kitchen Redo
I like the kitchen in my 1956 home well enough, but sometimes I daydream about ripping everything out and starting completely from scratch: new cabinets, new countertops, new fixtures, new everything. Of course, it’s a lot easier to do that in my dreams than in reality, when a total kitchen overhaul can cost tens of thousands of dollars! And in reality, there’s a lot about my kitchen I wouldn’t mind keeping — I just want to give it a little bit of a fresher look.
That’s why, as much as I love perusing complete kitchen transformations, I have a particular interest in kitchen makeovers that work with the major elements of the space (cabinets, counters, appliances) rather than just replace them. One of my favorites in recent memory is this rental kitchen makeover, which was done for just $600 and manages to make old 1960s cabinets look completely cool again.
Because this space is a rental, the restrictions on any makeover possibilities were especially strict. That meant the cabinets had to stay, and they had to stay unpainted — perfect inspiration for me, as I’d prefer to update my kitchen’s look without sacrificing the natural wood look of the cabinets!
Before, the kitchen was a lot of blah: beige floors, beige counters, and cabinets that just blended into the background. To make the cabinets stand out (and look brand-new), the renter chose cool-toned colors for the peel-and-stick flooring and backsplash. That allowed the warm tones of the wood to shine through, making the cabinets look so much richer. Another smart upgrade? Swapping out the dated silver hardware for some sleek black knobs.
I love scrolling between the before-and-after pictures of this space because the difference is so remarkable. The cabinets look so much more vibrant, and like they could have been installed in the 2020s rather than the 1960s. It’s got me thinking about the upgrades I could make around my own wood cabinets to liven them up. New hardware? A new backsplash? I’ve got options!
You can read more about this makeover here. For even more kitchen eye candy, check out these kitchen makeovers that feature natural wood cabinets.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
