Hey Chinchette, you will get a bunch of answers I am sure. Mine is an 1890 . The photobucket album is on "my page" link. Can you post pics of what he has so far and how the rest of the house is renovated , or not as the case may be? I like keeping the feeling of the house similar throughout but did not follow a strict Victorian design at all. I went with what pleased me and to my eye it works with the house. I used salvage as much as possible . I don't know where they are but that might be an option. My cab doors were old windows in another life. My marble was salvaged and cost $50.00. I look forwasrd to seeing what others suggest. Caroline

Gas ranges were new and even the white house staff wore long dresses.

On the other hand, I like this one, until we get to the part where I hit my head cooking on that range.

Whoever grazhina is, I'd like to give her or him a big shout out!

You asked what is appropriate. For countertops, either marble or soapstone. But not laminate. I know your SIL likes laminate, but please don't do that to that 1910 Victorian.

My kitchen isn't finished yet, but I went with an "unfitted" kitchen for my 1885 farmhouse using lots of antiques retro-fitted with some modern conviences. Technically fitted cabinets in general are not age appropriate for a 1910 house. However fitted cabinets with continuous countertops make working and cleaning easier. 1910 is rather late for victorian style, craftman styling was starting to become popular about then, so your brother and SIL could go with craftman style cabinets, trying to break up the continuous look with some details. I think a simple cabinet style either painted or stained would look best. Countertops were probably wood, tin or enameled, but I agree with alwaysfixin soapstone or marble would look good too.

I did see a redone kitchen in a victorian mansion that looked like a library with dark woodwork and a huge stained glass skylight. I think they used soapstone for the counters on the two islands. It was stunning. I'll look through my links and see if I can find it again.

I have soapstone and marble and teak. I used old Arts and Craft windows for the cabinet doors. There is brick showing for the fireplace and lots of rich colors and wood accents. I think I took the best of the period touches and added my own eclectic taste to it. Hope you will post pics Chinchette. c

Thanks for the replies. I don't have a photo currently.

trailrunner- I could not find your kitchen pictures. That sounds really interesting.

They are in Providence.

I'm wondering if her pickled oak cabinets can be refaced to look more appropriate. She loved the picture of a GW kitchen- the one with oak inset cabinets and craftsman details. She wasn't sure if that was right for her house. Maybe it is, but the other problem is brother does not want to get new cabinets. Can you imitate that look without the inset cabinet?
I'd like to see the salvage doors.

Maybe if she can pull that off then the budget would allow soapstone- provided the cabinets are strong enough to support it. She likes dark counters.

Actually, you can do quite a modern kitchen in an old house. The trick to that is not to conform to any particularly identifiable trend or style, like "Tuscan" or Italian lacquer, or, really, cherry shaker with granite tops. If you do any trendy kitchen it'll look smart now, and become the pickled oak of the future.

That said, houses have lifetimes. Restored and "updated period" can be fabulous. Unfitted style, farmhouse sink (open beneath for the slop bucket (joke)), old fashioned range, etc. But houses rarely (other than Igloochic's gem) stay in their original state as they are maintained, altered and loved. A house that reflects its whole lifetime is as beautiful as a house that is an exemplar of the year it was built (at least as long as it's been done tastefully--old tacky is charming whereas new tacky is just tacky).

If your idea of great appliances is Master Chef wall oven, induction cooktop, and a separate icemaker, you can do that. You don't have to sacrifice today for the style of the house. Start with the appliances and an efficient layout to cook in, and choose fixtures and finishes that blend with the decor of the house. Blend, not match. And it never hurts to throw in a few easy touches of the past, like a restored antique sink (some of which are better made than new ones). Or one that just looks like it.

Chinchette here is the link to my finished kitchen pics. It is also posted on the FKB. I used a lot of salvage. They are in an area where there should be a lot . I got all of mine from Nor'east Architectural salvage in NH. They are wonderful folks. I had it all shipped to me and the price was very reasonable. You can trust them that each item is as they describe. They have a very good website.

Anyway I used windows for cab doors. Also reclaimed windows for the transoms. Old soapstone sinks, the marble and the cabinet hardware. I have since added an island that is a modern 2" thick maple butcher block top with a commercial metal base and shelf. All of it works really well together.

I think as plllog says that you have to have a kitchen that is timelss in an old house. Mine combines the modern, all appliances, with the old and the features that make it work are just enough of the pieces from the 1890's era that it ties it all together. Also the art work and the colors throughout the whole house unify the styles.

please feel free to ask any questions. I would love to see what they have if you can post pics.

Here is a link that might be useful: 1890 Kitchen remodel

plllg- I have that same philosophy

trailrunner- Now I have to get a Victorian! I love what you did. I will have her take a peak today. $50 for the marble!? I looked at the website. I will have more questions for you later, but for now- how are the prices on the other items at Nor'east?

Chinchette I found their prices to be very reasonable. The huge sink in the sunroom was $400,,,and they did the restoration for that price. It still has the Alberene quarry tag on the front. The one in the kitchen was a special quality and has the little soap dish , it was $1200 but worth it for the quality. The windows were cheap, all of them. They have great prices on windows. The huge cabinet in the morning room that I display pics on was $1500. The clawfoot tub was $1200 but didn't need any restoration at all and has the most wonderful feet. Donna at Nor'east will work with you and send close up photos and call you and arrange everything. She and John are just great. Take a look at their website and then see . Also they have a much larger place now and a lot of stuff is probably not on their site but they will take pics and also look for stuff for you as they know where to find what you want.

PLease feel free to post any questions. My e-mail is:( I added slashes,just remove them)

caroline////donnelly///@////bellsouth.net

Thanks- That sounds reasonable. I e-mailed SIL to take a look at this thread.

A little while ago, House Beautiful featured a really attractive and thoughful makeover of an 1870 Victorian kitchen featuring a mix of contemporary & traditional elements. Here are a few pictures. There's more information on the link at the bottom.

Here is a link that might be useful: Article and pictures

linley1, that's a great looking kitchen!

Depending on the style of the cabinet doors, your SIL and brother could stain the cabinets darker, add some trim and change out the hardware to give them a more period feel.

Ah, trailrunner, trailrunner....your house. It's absolutely perfect. I have been pouring through your pictures for hours, feeling a combination of admiration for your decisions and dissatisfaction with many that were made by the PO of our 1900 Victorian. (And I'm guilty of a major bad decision myself - in the haste to get the wall-to-wall carpet replaced in time for our move, I recklessly and unthinkingly chose Pergo for the master bedroom. I'm sorry!)

I am taking a trip this weekend to visit friends in Vermont (I live in CT) and I am definitely going to stop by Nor'east and take a look at some of those windows and lights.

My goodness, Aunttomichael, you certainly are very sweet. We moved into the house in Mar 2002. I never saw the house before purchase as I was in Fl caring for my Dad. My DH heard the house was going to go on the market and he had my DD bring him over to see the house. He said they stopped out front and he saw the porch and said "well I hope they don't want too much 'cause I'm buying it !". DD nearly swooned LOL> DH has never bought a house or looked at a house for sale ever. He has a 100 % rating now though !

My Dad passed away and my Mom came to live with us all in those first months. We impetuously decided to remodel the attic space immediately so we would have room for family to visit Mom. Little did we know that the day the carpet was put down up there in Mar 2003 my DS1 and DIL moved in from WA state. I was very lucky that my GC was good and had done 13 other attic conversions in Victorians in this neighborhood,, including his own. There are not too many things I would do differently up there. I had never remodeled a home before so was flying by the seat of my pants. I was reading magazines at night and showing him pics in the AM :). I wish the 9ft bank of windows upstairs was french doors onto a tiny balcony and I wish I had gone with wood floors not carpet. Pretty much everything else is good enough.

The downstairs , on the other hand , I spent a year researching. I changed GC's and that had good and bad points. Most everything still turned out great but as my DH says ," only you know where the bodies are buried!". He is a funny guy ! We waited these several years as my Mom got sick and another son moved home ...on and on....you know how that goes.

Please do tell John and Donna hello, I keep meaning to call/e-mail them. They are fantastic folks. I sure would love to go up there and see the new place. They were in a very small location before and have really added a lot of stuff. it is unfortunate that so many folks are tearing down old homes.

Can you take up the pergo. Is there a good wood floor underneath? You know the glue etc can be sanded off....just a thought. Please post pics or e-mail me and send a link. I love old houses and would love to see yours.

I need light fixtures for the foyer and front hall. Probably should look at their website and see what they have. Take care and let me know how it goes. Call ahead also to make sure they will be there. Caroline

GREAT photos from linley. and please no laminate.

Caroline, thanks for telling your story! I will upload some pictures soon and send you the link; I'd love your thoughts on how to put some of the "Victorian" back into our house.

No, the MB was an addition (done by PO) and there is no hardwood underneath. That was my problem. I had planned on removing all the wall-to-wall carpet upstairs and refinishing the original heart pine floors. The plan worked for all of the rooms/hall except the MB; when the guy took up the MB carpeting he found only subfloor. I *really* wish he had just left the carpet (I was at work at the time) so that I could have dealt with the issue later, but he ripped it all out, and I had to get some flooring in there fast. Hence, the horrible and not-thought-out pergo. Replacing it is definitely on my list of things to do.

Are there attic pictures on your photo site? Ours has been renovated enough to use as a playroom/office but there's no bath up there so it's not good for visitors.

Carol

We're circa 1870 here. Did rather simple cabinetry with red oak floors and 4x4 white ceramic tile countertops. I did NOT want laminate, and didn't have the budget for stone. So far, so good. :)

Our light fixtures are all real period pieces from an antique shop in Louisville. They really did a LOT for the overall look. The other thing that I used that turned out to be really important were the glass knobs and pulls. Surprise. Something on which I spent a total of $60 for the entire room make a huge impact....who'd've thought? LOL

Vivian I love what you have done. I think I saw some pics elsewhere, as I remember the tile. I wish I had antique fixtures. I looked and looked and had a lot picked out that were really cool. But I was getting so tired and the money was flowing out so fast , that I stopped. I like the ones I used but yours are really awesome. Do you have more pics?

Carol : here are the pics of the attic space. It is 1300 sq feet. We have a bath and 2 bedrooms and an office area and a large walkin storage area and a greatroom. We use it a lot as my desk is up there and our only TV . Our guests like it as it is so private and has nice views of the treetops and out over the pool. Caroline

Here is a link that might be useful: Attic renovation 2002

I like to imagine mine is 1905, with modern amenities:

Casey

Oh Casey your kitchen is so great. I don't think I have ever seen it finished ! Love the gyro fan and the great dark cabs. And that pretty table under the TV...and the great rug...well you know it is a wonderful kitchen ! Where are there pics of the rest of your house ??? caroline

One of the best places for antique light fixtures is eBay. I bought that pan chandelier over the island on there (under $150). I also bought my dining room chandelier from a dealer on the east coast for a great price (under $500 for an antique French fixture). You can shop chandeliers for HOURS but that just proved to be one of those important things.

Rejuvenation does a great job as well--but I knew that I would spend a lot more for fixtures through them.

Joe Ley Antiques in Louisville has ooooodles of antique lights.... They build some out of old parts and pieces as well. That's where my sconces came from. They have a website somewhere if you Google them...

Thank you for the contacts. I will definitely look into it this next year. that is really all that is left to change....except I want a free-standing cabinet that is cool looking for the sunroom to use as a pantry. Then the pantry in the back hall will have shelves removed and I will have a place on the 1st floor for the vacuum and mop etc. Always something...c