The Home Ownership Thread

[texas_jack]



^I really like that style house. It's definitely a dark kitchen but it fits the house well.

Thanks, all the wood in the house is quite dark.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Nice jack. If the cabinets are made from a light wood species they can be refinished lighter. However this is a process often best left to professionals.

Leave them be until you form a game plan, they may work well with the plan.

 

[Ataturk]

As far as '70s houses go, that's a really nice one.

The problem with lightening the cabinets is that if they're not solid wood (and they probably aren't,or they're mixed) you will have to chemically strip the old stain, which will be hard to do evenly.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I would not recommend it, but it's not impossible. Just my opinion (unsolicited/unwanted) a house like that calls for a darker interior, so the cabinets are not out of place.

 

[aravenel]



I would not recommend it, but it's not impossible. Just my opinion (unsolicited/unwanted) a house like that calls for a darker interior, so the cabinets are not out of place.

Agreed. Not to say that the place shouldn't be updated, but a house like that screams for dark wood.

 

[Gus]



Can you make dark stained cabinets lighter?

Congratulations on your new home. I have found it to be very enjoyable to personalize my home. I hope you do too.

There are cabinet refacing companies and some painting contractors who can come in and paint your cabinets. (I'm having that done this week) They pop all the fronts, sand and prime the wood, then spray . Then they will install new updated hardware. As long as the cabinets themselves are well made it is worth it. New hardware can transform a kitchen into 2013. You might want to consider options for a backsplash and counter top at the same time. That will really update a 70's kitchen. It would make sense to do that at the same time as cabinets if you can swing it.

A house I bought 20 years ago had 50 dark stained louvered closet door panels in the kitchen and bedrooms. They made each room dark. I rented good quality spray painting equipment and hung plastic sheets in my garage forming a spray painting booth. Over the course of 4-5 weekends I primed and sprayed all of them white. It transformed the house. I then painted all the interior doors, casings and trim white. If you decide to do this yourself, be sure to talk to your local pro paint shop about mixing the paint for the best spray and coverage. It is very different than using paint out of a can, but it isn't hard.

Of all the things I have done to homes I've owned, adding specialized lighting and dimmers is something I've enjoy every day. A few well placed spots or floods and dimmers really set the mood for a home. They can also add light to dark areas. A few extra outlets on the floor under your favorite chair or sofa is nice so that you don't have to look at power cords.

Hope this doesn't come across as me trying to spend your money I just wanted to share a few things I've learned in owning four homes. Only in my current home am I routinely paying people to do the work. I always did the majority of it myself (except major electrical or major plumbing). Part of that was for financial reasons but most of it was that I enjoyed it. It was a challenge.

 

[Gus]



I would not recommend it, but it's not impossible. Just my opinion (unsolicited/unwanted) a house like that calls for a darker interior, so the cabinets are not out of place.

Having grown up outside of NYC in a community filled with large dark circa 1880 shingle and Tudor style homes, I can tell you that many had white kitchens. In the 70's it was very COOL to have the dark wood in new homes. The problem with much of the 70's cabinetry is funky hardware. Repainting or refacing while adding new hardware can be amazing. A friend of mine did it a few years ago in an old, classic, Pasadena home and WOW!. That is what inspired me.

 

[lefty]

I have resurfaced old cabinets. The problem with these isn't the colour, it's the style, specifically the curved tops.

Lovely house but the kitchen may need a gut.

Failing that...
see if you can have the curved sections of the upper redone to match the lowers
remove and patch the centre pulls and move new ones to the sides
burn the valance
check to see if there is hardwood under the tile and if so redo it
replace the appliances
burn the paper towel dispenser
if budget permits replace the counter and backsplash
keep the hanging flora light to wear on your head at parties

lefty

 

[texas_jack]

Look at this incredible 1950s home. Unfortunately it's in a pretty run down area in the South suburbs on Chicago

http://www.realtor.com/realestatean...89663-74636?ex=IL548708707#modal_PhotoGallery

 

[Hannerhan]



Look at this incredible 1950s home. Unfortunately it's in a pretty run down area in the South suburbs on Chicago

http://www.realtor.com/realestatean...89663-74636?ex=IL548708707#modal_PhotoGallery

Good mid-century homes are a dying breed. There are actually two homes in Fort Worth, both of which sold for north of $2 million recently and were designed by well-known architects in the 1950's, being razed in the next month. The replacements should be fine homes as well, but will undoubtedly be built in the 20's and 30's mansion styles that are currently much more popular.

 

[Piobaire]

Congrats on the casa, TJ.

 

[otc]



Look at this incredible 1950s home. Unfortunately it's in a pretty run down area in the South suburbs on Chicago

http://www.realtor.com/realestatean...89663-74636?ex=IL548708707#modal_PhotoGallery

There is a metra stop within walking distance...I wonder how the commute would be. Pretty dang affordable.

Although its probably a ****** neighborhood to live in.

 

[otc]

Ooof, look at the street view though.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=1350...=h&z=17&iwloc=A&panoid=5c6b2_kAGsTrg5Q_uuqqnA

 

[brokencycle]



Ooof, look at the street view though.
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=1350...=h&z=17&iwloc=A&panoid=5c6b2_kAGsTrg5Q_uuqqnA

Who doesn't want to live across the street from a Citgo station?

 

[Ataturk]

Presumably the street wasn't there [or just wasn't that wide] when they built the house, right? I mean why would they buy that huge lot and put the house right on the road?