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If you've redone a 1980s/1990s kitchen please share!

15 years ago

I'm hoping to find homes that are of similar style and age to mine to see what their kitchens look like. My home was built in 1988 and has a pretty traditional layout (walk in front door, stairs straight up, formal LR to left, DR to right, Eat in Kitchen straight ahead and to the right, and family room to the left).

I love the look of white kitchens, I like mission style, and I like dark cherry cabinets of varying styles. I tend towards simple, but I'm worried about putting in a kitchen that doesn't fit well with the house - worried I'll go too modern. So, if anyone has remodeled a 1980s/1990s kitchen I'd love to see what you've done and perhaps how well it fits w/ the rest of your house!

Here is a link that might be useful: Albumn of main floor of house

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Comments (2)

Jodi_SoCal
15 years ago
Our Southern California home was built in 1980. We waited 27 years to do our kitchen remodel.

- We opted to leave the soffit because of cost but improved the look and feel of the lighting.
- Replaced the slide-in range/microwave with a cooktop and OTR microwave. Lengthened and deepened the peninsula.
- Replaced oak cabinets with cherrywood frameless cabs and added a cab with glass to the end of the run.
- Replaced 4"x4" tile countertops with Impala Black granite.
- Replaced the tile floors with Chilian Cherry wood.
- Replaced 4" high tile backsplash with Fire & Ice quartz brick.
- Bumped out the cupboard over the fridge and added a side panel to the fridge.
- Closed up a useless little window.
- Added pendant lighting over peninsula.

Here is a before and after photo:

Jodi-
marybeth1
15 years ago
Our home was built in the 80's I had to lagh at your pictures it looks like the houses in my subdivision who knows we may be neighbors. LOL! We are still under construction and it will be awhile before we are done but I just had to share some pictures with you. We have a ranch but it sounds like it is set up like yours as far as the kitchen family room. When we moved in 8 years ago there was ugly dark pine trim and flat panel doors. We replaced the doors and trim and are midway through the kitchen. It is taking alot longer than I would like so please excuse mess. The paint job will be the next to go. Our fireplaces are very similar also but that project will have to wait.
before

after
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I like the idea of simplifying the flooring in the sunken area but still matching it. You are lucky that you have Two steps to the sunken area. One step is a tripping hazard, two is enough of a change that people pick up on it. You may need the railing in some regard because of traffic patterns and making sure people don't fall off it in some areas, however, I do like the idea of creating more entry points. If you Do think you can do without the railing, your furniture arrangement may have to be such that it dictates certain entry points, and clarifies to people that the area is sunken. You should have a handrail to assist people up and down in any case, particularly if you have elderly relatives. Thank you for the update.
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