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How to Remodel an Old Kitchen and Retain Its Charm

Today I am sharing the small but mighty kitchen in our fixer upper. For those of you new here, we sold our long-time family home and moved into one of our rentals, It had a lot of character but needed some love after being a rental for over 25 years. Let’s take a look at how to remodel an old kitchen and retain its charm.

how to remodel an old kitchen and retain its charm

I am all for creating a modern workable space. However, I am not a fan of what I call “bastardizing” (for lack of a better word) the original space. I think it is important to retain as much of the original character as you can in an older home without making it look dated.

How To Remodel an Old Kitchen and Retain Its Charm

Here is how we did it:

Matched the Existing Cabinetry

Kept the Design Simple

Neutral Color Scheme

Make it Practical and Workable

I don’t have the original photos of what it looked like before we purchased it, but this is how we updated it 26 years ago. Steve had to bring the bottom cabinets out from the wall to accommodate a dishwasher. We thought we were oh so clever with the tile design.

KITCHEN SINK WALL BEFORE

KITCHEN SINK WALL AFTER

The walls now are painted white dove. The cabinets are original to the house and painted Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan cut in half. Unfortunately, before we purchased the home 25 years ago some of the wood windows were replaced with aluminum. If we were staying here we would replace them.

kitchen remodel spanish revival

The tile is Lanka Riva in Barley. The floors are original but were covered with linoleum when we purchased the house over 25 years ago. The counters are quartz arctic white in a matte finish. I really like the countertops and would use them again if I were building a home from scratch.

original kitchen cabinets

The light fixture and shades are from Pottery Barn. Everything including the sink and fixtures will be linked at the bottom of the post. We switched out the frosted glass panels in the cabinets for more of a clear vintage-looking glass.

CHESTNUT-KITCHEN-REMODELED-PAJARO

KITCHEN APPLIANCE WALL BEFORE

We all put our heads together to come up with a more appealing arrangement than this. As you can see there was a small range with original cabinetry above a tiny counter space, the refrigerator, and then a rather large cupboard and pantry. I will explain how we had to rob Peter to pay Paul in another post. Beyond the large cupboard was a small back porch with some open shelving on one side and basically a small toilet room on the other. We needed the pantry space you can’t see and that “toilet room” to carve out a tiny master bath which now resides on the other side of that wall.

APPLIANCE WALL AFTER

We tore out the upper cabinets and the tiny middle one. The former large pantry became a built-in for the new refrigerator. We put the new range in the middle so we would have a little more working counter space. We purchased the Thor Range (it is made in China) to save money and I actually really like it. The range hood is a little louder than some, but I have gotten used to it.

chestnut-kitchen-range-area

Our cabinet maker Shoreline Woodworks matched the existing original cabinets with large drawers on either side of the range, as well as the built-in around the refrigerator which is also Thor. I really like it as well. There is a tiny area right inside the back door where we were able to squeeze in a washer and dryer. They were originally in the garage.

chestnut-kitchen-refrig-area

I always like to add some vintage accessories to take the edge off all the newness. I have linked everything that is available at the end of the post. You can find the Italian pot that holds my utensils at Tancredi and Morgen.

chestnut-kitchen-range-closeup

SHOP OUR REMODELED KITCHEN

We are very happy about how this kitchen turned out. It is very functional and retains much of its charm. Thanks for reading How to Remodel an Old Kitchen and Retain Its Charm. You might also enjoy reading about our Master Bedroom Reveal here, and, the Living Room Before and After here If you have any questions about any of the rooms please leave a question in the comment section.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Les lie harri says

    Cindy I’ve been having such a nice time catching up on all your decorating magic you’ve been putting into your new home. I just love it. The living room. The kitchen. You’re such a wiz at reworking old designs into fresh spaces. I think the muted colors are so classic and warm especially love the kitchen tile and cabinet colors. And those window shades from Pottery Barn are my taste!

  2. Maddie says

    Thanks for the great ideas. I currently have an old craftsman house remodeled sometime before I bought it thirty years ago.. I am going to sell in a couple of years, and I just want to make my kitchen workable. Wonderful ideas and products that you assembled.

  3. holly says

    Three cheers for the reno on the kitchen! So much inspiration as I finalize my kitchen updates to come with the new year. I am now set on the quartz countertops and backsplash tile. I love that it is a white kitchen without the cold, stark feeling that so many have. Yours keeps its original warmth with White Dove, Manchester Tan, and your talented touch. It is all so yummy!!!
    Wishing you the happiest New Year to come!

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Holly

      Happy New Year Friend! Enjoy your kitchen remodel. I really like the different neutrals in the kitchen as well. I agree it keeps it from being too sterile. Happy New Year to you too!

  4. Karen B. says

    The kitchen looks amazing. I love that you retained some of the vintage charms with the cabinets. My kitchen remodel will start in January. I am going to investigate the Thor brand for my new refrigerator. Both drawers on the ‘fridge are freezer drawers? That would make organizing much easier. So nice, Cindy. I love Beau, he’s a perfect model for these photo shoots.
    Karen B.

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Karen

      We went with Thor because they were a more reasonable option. If we had an endless budget it would have been different. I actually really like both the range and the refrigerator. Yes it has two drawers which I really like.

  5. Cherie says

    Recently redid my kitchen and bought an LG double-oven range. Love it. I just could not go to just one oven. As always, I love what you’re doing to your new home and the yard. You are a major source of inspiration for so many of us. Not just decor but fashion too. Wishing you and your family a healthy and happy 2022@

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Cherie

      LG appliances are great, we went with Thor because we had a limited budget. Thank you so much for your support, and have a happy new year!!

  6. Joyce says

    I love your kitchen. You did a great job of updating while retaining the character and charm of the age and style of the home. Your style is impeccable!

  7. Maureen Morton says

    Thank you! How old is your home? You and your husband did a beautiful job leaving the vintage and still upgrading to the way we live today. I downsized about 10 years ago so I look forward to seeing your posts. We have a similar style both in the garden and your home so loving your tips! Wishing you a safe and healthy year ahead..

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Maureen

      This home was built in 1934. We have owned it for over 25 years but never lived in it. I am so glad you enjoy my posts. Thank you so much for your support!

  8. Juliet says

    Cindy, your kitchen has so much charm. I love it. And am pinning away madly for future reference. The cabinet color you chose is perfection and reminds me of the beautiful kitchen restoration work Brett Waterman does on vintage homes in the Redlands area. Your cabinet maker worked wonders … and I adore drawers in the kitchen. Such efficient, and attractive, storage. The refrigerator solution is brilliant. I’m in love with this kitchen … and the entire home. xo

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Juliet

      Thank you so much. Steve is a genius when it comes to space planning. He definitely made the most of that space.I need to check out Bret Waterman’s work. Thanks for the tip!!

  9. Joan says

    Your kitchen looks great! I am just about to do a very similar project in my own 100 year old home. I ordered some new cabinets to match the existing cabinets, and I’m having them all painted. I love your knobs. Are they ceramic or painted wood? I love the look, and I hadn’t thought about doing that. So simple and classic.

  10. Karen says

    Cindy:
    The Kitchen, is Beautifully done. Countertops are Awesome, Such detail and my fav part is ya kept the Awesome charm.

    I was so thrilled that in our Kitchen there was
    original bead board. My most fav is the Original Tongue and Groove 125 plus year) floors.

    Love the Pic of Beau in the Kitchen
    ❤️❤️❤️❤️🐾🐾🐾🐾

    Thank you

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Karen

      I am so jealous of your floors. If my husband had his way we would own a home in Maine!

  11. Sarah says

    My late Uncle Bogie would say you pulled this off “with succotash and aplomb.” Lovely! I’ve endured a tiny U shaped kitchen for 32 years. With both my husband and I working in there, it’s a comedy of errors. I decided it was easiest just to give up and let him do all the cooking, which he does much better than I and with a lot more enjoyment!

    Happy New Year!

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Sarah

      I love that story! I am so jealous of anyone with a husband who cooks! Mine has many talents but cooking is not one of them! A shout out to Uncle Bogie too!

  12. Marcia rayne says

    I was told by a appliance salesman that all appliances are made in China. I am familiar with Thor. I think it is considered a high quality appliance. It looks fabulous to me.
    It is so true that you have to be creative when we downsize, I lost closet space and kitchen storage and we moved to a larger space! We added kitchen cabinets and shelving to an empty area in the 3 car garage. That is where we store little used items. Plus my ridiculous amount of garden stuff. We even have two extra refrigerators out there because we live so far from town.

  13. Suburbohemian says

    What doe you mean by” Benjamin Moore manchester tan cut in half”. is it diluted with white paint?? Everything looks marvelous!

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi

      Any paint store including Home Depot etc. have access to everyone’s formulas now. All you need to do is have them make you a sample and tell them to cut it in half. They understand as they do it all the time.

  14. Homebeforedark says

    As my late MIL would have said,”You have killed dead things!” I never knew exactly what that meant but it was her expression for against all odds a wonderful result! Glad the oven worked out. I have wondered about that. Where do you do prep? Have you thought about having a cutting board made to cover half your sink? I love what I call my twist and shout tight space from sink turn around cutting board area!

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Patricia

      So good to hear from you! I actually have a fair amount of counterspace. I have thought about a cutting board but changes are coming up the pike as you will hear about right here on the blog soon.

  15. Dolley Carlson says

    Love that stove! Please tell us about it😉 We are perched on a new stove purchase & love the look of your Thor freestanding range. New Year Blessings to you, Cindy!✨

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Dolley

      It has one large oven that can be convection or regular. The stove top has four burners and it is gas. If you click on the link at the bottom of the post, you can find out more about it.

  16. deb Wostmann says

    Cindy, as usual you have impeccable taste. You turned an outdated kitchen into a pretty and functional space. Happy New Year to you and yours.

  17. Lori Mascarenas says

    I love that shiny tile wall behind your range!! Must be so hard working/living in such a small space compared to that estate you lived in!… are you guys building currently??

    • Cindy Hattersley says

      Hi Lori

      No we are not building. I will have some sharing coming up in the New Year however!

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