Looks like the grey paint on the cupboards is in pretty good shape. I would take down the wall paper, and paint the space white. I would take up the carpet and put down the floor you want...maybe wood or laminate. (I have it looks good) Then I would either paint the backsplash or tile it...probably yellow or something that goes with your floor. When you have money I would get an island for the center of your kitchen where the table is now....give you more working surface and storage.

Nice layout-- I think it could be very cozy. What colors do you like? Do you have a Pinterest board of favorites? You might be able to identify some themes there. If you do a search, there are different ways to manage the soffit (that drywall over your cabinets.)Since they are metal cabinets remiscent of a given era I think it would be worthwhile to Google image some 50's kitchens and see if there's some looks you can bring forward into the 21st c. Checkerboard floors can be very charming :) I have had blue and white kitchens ever since I had any influence over them.

Post on the Kitchens forum. You'll get lots of great advice.

Painting metal cabinets is not something you do with a brush and a tub of latex. The best results come from auto body shops and powder coating shops, though you have to find outfits that have done cabinets before. Otherwise you're looking at messy streaked finishes that won't hold up.

Gray is very big in kitchens right now, often in combo with yellow or other colors. Ask on Kitchens and you'll get tons of pics.

Thank you for the suggestions grandmaof3 and demeron! This is a great start to get the wheels rolling with ideas :)

And demeron, I do have a pinterest board of kitchen ideas, but it's mostly for DIY projects, not necessarily color combos. I do lean more towards the warm colors...and the most color I've ever put on walls is a warm blue that was for a living room. I'm hesitant to add color because I'm afraid it won't look good...but I want color! lol

-Rebecca

Thanks for that suggestion too marcolo! I'll post the same message there :)

-Rebecca

I'm reinforcing marcolo's advice about the cabinets.
Leave them be, but clean them thoroughly inside and out, and do take down that awful border!

You have the chance to do something really stylish with them, so look at lots of pictures of mid-century kitchens and very modern European kitchens, particularly Scandinavian ones, to get ideas.

And when you say "I'm hesitant to add color because I'm afraid it won't look good...but I want color!" you are just a little overwhelmed - but color is exactly what you need.

I can imagine big black and white linoleum tiles laid in a checkerboard on the diagonal on your floor, a collection of white stoneware or porcelain pitchers to hold things, and bright yellow walls and backsplash.

Or a lovely pale pine floor with a natural finish, a blue and white striped rug, a simple old pale wood long table, oatmeal-colored crocks holding your kitchen hand tools and wooden spoons, and soft apricot walls and backsplash.

Or dark gray tiles on the floor, a bright red rug, an old white enamel table with red trim around the rim, bright white glossy walls, and a red and white Marimekko print wallpaper on the backsplash, with a couple of coats of varnish to protect it.

Okay, I'm stopping now...but free your imagination, and look at lots and lots of pictures until you see something you really like. Then be careful to edit, edit, edit until you have just the look you want.

I would also leave the cabinets and take down the wallpaper border and paint a color you love.

On flooring, have you considered linoleum (not vinyl)?

Lots of grey kitchens (see link below). If you're brave, you could go with a yellow or orange wall color.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grey kitchen cabinets

The biggest problem is going to be the handles since they can't be removed. You could paint the cabs, glue on beadboard, or cover with a vinyl beadboard wallpaper everyone will think is the real deal . You can leave the wallpaper white or paint/glaze, with the glaze catching in all the groves, giving more dimension. If you want to go a step futher, glue strips of wood(2" trim) on all 4 sides, but dealing with the handles isn't going to be easy~to make it easier, go around the handle with the wood trim.

It's a little bit of work, but would give an updated 'look' until you decide to do something more.

As for a wall color, a sage green with black accessories and light fixtures(faux wrought iron)would be pretty~I purchased brand new in the box at my local Habitat for Humanity, a 5 arm and a 3 arm for $25. Check to see if you have one near you. A couple of containers of red geraniums on or under the window sill for a splash of color.

Here is a link that might be useful: wallaper

Your cabinets remind me of my DH's apartment kitchen when he spent a semester teaching in Finland. I can easily picture a splash of Marimekko along with streamlined, functional accessories. Do an image search for Finnish kitchens if you're interested in going that route. Keep us posted on your progress!

Love those cabinets! Do change the paint and the paper, whatever color you like...I'd go darker.

Congratulations on your new home :)

Wonderful kitchen, those cabs are to die for! Check out retrorenovation.com for lots of ideas! Have fun with it..

You can skim through some of my post of how I redid my dated kitchen uber cheap. Hope it gives you a few ideas. Check out the link bellow! Good Luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures and Post

Check out this link. A vintage gray metal cabinet kitchen. You could have a lot of fun with countertops and flooring. I don't think you should go all-out vintage, that's not what I'm saying! But you could have a fun countertop or backsplash color. This kitchen probably had aqua or pink or yellow appliances when it was original, so a countertop or backsplash is a way to bring that back in.

Retro Renovation

If that's not what you want, you can also make it look modern.
Maria Killam Gray Kitchens

Or google Light Gray Kitchen Cabinets and you'll find tons of pictures.

This post was edited by geokid on Thu, Jan 17, 13 at 22:22

Ooooh, I am so envious of the cabinets. My dream kitchen has St. Charles metal cabinets and, trust me, it is very hard to find metal cabinets in as god a shape as yours look to be!

I agree that you should get rid of the border. Keep the cabinets, but add a backsplash. Love grey and white, so maybe a white backsplash (marble with grey veining?). Then, choose a color for the walls. Love the idea of linoleum for the floors-very environmentally conscious choice!

I love the cabinets as well. Black and white floor or dark gray floor, white subway backsplash and BM haystack paint with bright yellow and black accessories.

I agree with Homersmom. Marimekko (google it) type colored art display dishes and fabrics along with your neutral grey cabinets would be lovely. I would stay with the neutral grey, white, black look as previously mentioned for the floors. Bright pops of colors like those found in Marimekko would make anyone smile. The layout and range against the wall is great. congrats on your new place !

Thank you Thank you everyone that posted comments! I'm loving all of these suggestions :)

The first thing we're going to do is the flooring (that carpet MUST go!). My husband seems to think a black cabinet would look good, but I'm hesitant to get so dark, but if we do go that route, I could maybe envision a backsplash of maroon and maybe cocoa walls? Who knows. I'll wade through all of the links that you all suggested.

Thanks again!
-Becca