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Kitchen Cabinets


Debsrand56

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I am working out a color scheme for my Merrimack kitchen.  I’ve decided the year of this house is 1961, although it was likely built in the mid-50s.  Thanks to Samantha, Emily and Ashley, I was able to even out my appliances and cabinets by cutting down the dishwasher and building up the cabinets slightly. Currently, nothing is set in stone.  I stained the additional wood just to retain the option of wood-grain cabinets.  I also have a plan to hide the line under the sink where I’ve added the extra wood.  I will likely not keep the current counter top, as it is too sparkly for me.  However, the counter and blacksplash will be a white or grayish color.  I’m hoping I can get Skylark, in the white/gray/black color scheme, to work, but not sure it will look like much when shrunk down to half-scale size.  The floor and wall paper can also be changed out, although I like them.  My current options on the cabinets are wood, yellow or a light aqua-blue.  Thoughts?

 

58f52781277e8_MerrimackKitchenCabinetOpt

 

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57 minutes ago, havanaholly said:

I suggest Googling images of kitchen ads from the late 1950s magazine ads for colors & wall treatments.

Oh, my goodness.  I've Googled and Pinterested until my eyes are ready to fall out.  :)  Any of the three possible cabinet colors (stained wood, yellow or light blue) would be true to the period.  I think I've lost all perspective. . . .

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The first house we lived in as a married couple was built in 1961....The cabinets were metal and pink originally. Very similar to this. Cabinets

 Did you try using the term Mid-Century in google. You will get modern versions and retro versions...Just a suggestion

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I used to live in a 1960s ranch house with what I think were the original cabinets. The sink had about as much space under it as yours does before the tops of the doors with a door across it - not a drawer, but a door hinged at the bottom that swung down 45 degrees. I'm not sure if this is what it was meant for, but we kept sponges in there. Anyway, yours could be nonworking, but if you add a door-like thing to that area it could cover up the seam in the wood and make it look like it's not quite so much bare space between the doors and the sink.

For the countertop, consider adding a bullnose lip that hangs down over the edge of the cabinet tops. It doesn't have to be very big but I think it will look more realistic than the counter resting on top of the cabinets as it is now. I'd make it about the same size as the white part at the top of the dishwasher (and use it to cover that up as well). In my neighborhood (all 1950s and 1960s ranches), tile countertops were common.

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I like both colours, but am probably leaning towards yellow too... 

Remember this pearlescent  "cracked ice" formica from the 50s/60s?

Image result for 50's formica countertop

There was a white version too.

Related image

I think it would look great as your countertops. You could even do a blueish version to tie in with your floors.

There's a great tutorial on paper doll miniautures to make a faux marble countertop but I think you could apply this technique to any number of finishes.

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Our first-ever house was built about that era and I vaguely remember our cabinets were stained with the "cracked ice" countertops Samantha shows. The kitchen was miniscule;  I copied two of Andreas Vesalius' anatomical plates onto the walls in black oil color & fine brush, using my hubs to get them life size, and flipping them so the faced each other on either side of the kitchen door, with the muscle plate on the wall by the dining room and the skeletal one on the wall by the living room.  I hung a bit of black fishnet between them and hung small pictures from it.  I'm sure whoever bought the house repainted the kitchen walls pdq!

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5 hours ago, Samusa said:

Remember this pearlescent  "cracked ice" formica from the 50s/60s?

Yes!!  Samantha, this is one of the "Formicas" I have been playing with (the white/grayish version) and is a strong contender.  I like it because it's true to the period and is so neutral it could go with almost anything.  Also, there's not really a "pattern" to get lost when you shrink it down, if that makes sense.  I don't think marble was very common back then.  What I really remember is Formica countertops with metal edges.  I have been playing with a couple of silver metallic tapes for the edges.  

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13 hours ago, fov said:

For the countertop, consider adding a bullnose lip that hangs down over the edge of the cabinet tops.

I'm not sure I would go with a true bullnose, since it would be difficult to do a metal edge on something rounded.  But having the counter extend out and down a bit over the top of the cabinets is a good idea.  I could add a bit of narrow strip wood to the edge of the counters to create that effect.  Thanks!

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2 hours ago, Debsrand56 said:

I'm not sure I would go with a true bullnose, since it would be difficult to do a metal edge on something rounded.  But having the counter extend out and down a bit over the top of the cabinets is a good idea.  I could add a bit of narrow strip wood to the edge of the counters to create that effect.  Thanks!

Yep, if your metal edge is slightly taller than the countertop, that would have the same effect. You could use that silver golfing tape to do the metal edge. Maybe a rounded corner at the end of the row of cabinets? That would compliment the nice rounded shelves Shellie custom cut for you.

I like the yellow. Have you ever seen this kitchen project from Nutshell News?

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westville06.jpg.e3a8705aede551c50548b251

 

 

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9 minutes ago, fov said:

I like the yellow. Have you ever seen this kitchen project from Nutshell News?

No, I haven't.  (I've never seen any Nutshell News.)  It's adorable!  It has so many elements that I'm going for, including the little rounded shelves framing the sink.  Thank you!

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4 hours ago, Debsrand56 said:

Yes!!  Samantha, this is one of the "Formicas" I have been playing with (the white/grayish version) and is a strong contender.  I like it because it's true to the period and is so neutral it could go with almost anything.  Also, there's not really a "pattern" to get lost when you shrink it down, if that makes sense.  I don't think marble was very common back then.  What I really remember is Formica countertops with metal edges.  I have been playing with a couple of silver metallic tapes for the edges.  

I agree! I was going to suggest metal edges and then though it might make it too 50's not 60's but I love them. :D

I linked the tutorial because I think you could use the same technique for the cracked ice look. An if you want metal edges just don't round the mat board edges and do the side edges with silver tape 

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14 minutes ago, Debsrand56 said:

Nail striping tape!!!  Now I'm trying to find it where I can get it quickly in this country.  :)

Check your local drugstore's cosmetics section or even a dollar store.

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I save the tin fresh seal from planters nuts.  Cut in strips would work.  They have a tiny diamond texture.  Also, I made a Formica table from a dollar store table.  I did a copy and paste from a photo of cracked ice top. Printed on glossy photo paper then glued to top of the table.  Chrome paint and it was done.  (actually I spray painted the chrome first).   When I was searching the table top I searched, and searched........silly me. The real table in my kitchen.....cracked ice Formica...now don't I feel dumb.

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8 minutes ago, L Swearengin said:

When I was searching the table top I searched, and searched........silly me. The real table in my kitchen.....cracked ice Formica...now don't I feel dumb.

Too funny!  Yes, I am printing my Formica on "soft gloss" photo paper.  I'm going to try for the tape first.  I'd prefer it to have its own glue.  :)  It's a good idea to save the tin fresh seals.

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On 4/19/2017, 5:49:46, Debsrand56 said:

Nail striping tape!!!  Now I'm trying to find it where I can get it quickly in this country.  :)

Deborah, I was thinking.. (that's dangerous! :D )... If you use the nail striping tape you could "dent" it at TBD intervals and glue on a standard pin head to be the screw detail that counters back then had.

 

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