Reuse. Rehabilitate. Restore. Architectural salvage and repurposed pieces for the home.
Previously, we did a DIY on repainting cabinets. We didn’t go over the faux technique we used on these cheapest of cheap Home Depot jobbies we salvaged from the house. Our tenant who inherited the cabinets told us that everyone who comes to visit asks about them. So, we figured we’d share.Continue reading DIY: Antique Glazing Cabinets
Before
Et Voila!
This is one of those things that might look ok online, but the verdict is still out until I see it in person. It’s difficult to get a good idea of what it looks like since the images are shoddy and the display samples are crappy whatever color they are. But hey, it’s probably a good idea if you want to freshen up your kitchen on a small budget and you have ugly appliances that work just fine. Don’t know how green it is. Probably no less green than buying new appliances.
This is actually water based automotive grade stainless steel that you can roll on without priming in many cases. You must apply the finish coat afterwards. It can be used on most surfaces, but is not recommended for counter tops.
I’ve been looking into hidden kitchens lately for our Brooklyn crib. It’s a garden level apartment which we’ve configured as a 1BR. That means the kitchen will be in the living room. Since we don’t live there full time and we never cook, a dorm style set up will do. We have an antique armoire which was once my hidden office. Now that my office has exploded all over the house, I’d like to use the armoire to house our kitchen.
I’m thinking something along the lines of the photo above. Hubby sez “no”, but we’ll see.
Given the size of NYC apartments, I’m surprised I couldn’t come up with any local search results.
I’ve mentioned it before and I’ll say it again. My kitchen necessities: a phone and a microwave. And it has to look cute. Other than that, I don’t care about oven temperatures, layout or warming drawers. Warming drawers? Just stick the dinner back in the microwave. Wine cooler? Isn’t that what the fridge is for? Garbage disposal? Hey, my dogs have gotta eat!
So, when I found Marissa’s Kitchen on Living Well in Westchester, I had to pass along the fine design details to my readers who actually cook. Fivecat Studio’s design features a multi level Fireslate countertop, glass display shelves and a stainless steel recipe hanger, along with bamboo cabinets.
Of all the super duper high end appliances I’m actually only jealous of two:
The Fisher & Paykel dishdrawer, because I’d love to never have to put away clean dishes again.
The Miele Coffee System, because I like my coffee and it’s easier to make a cup at home than to go out for it.
Image Tile of Clifton, NJ offers in stock designs such as the one pictured above. They are fabulous, yes, but what excites me about this company is they can do custom tiles with any digital photograph. And as a photographer, I’m loving that, baby!
The ceramic or porcelain tile is commercially tested and rated. It is unaffected by sunlight, strong chemicals, fire, water or wear. It’s ADA compliant and slip resistant.
Here is the process as described on their website: “Imagine Tile uses a process in which ceramic glazes act like printing inks. Pure minerals and ores are ground micro-fine and suspended in a liquid to produce ink-like substances similar to that a printer uses. The mineral and ore based image is put onto paper and coated with a refractory material that puts a glass finish on it. At Imagine Tile’s production facility in Texas, the glazes are placed on the surface of a glazed ceramic tile. When the tile is fired at temperatures of approximately 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the glazes fuse with the body of the ceramic or porcelain tile.”
The company manufactures wall tiles and custom murals as well as flooring.
Life is so unfair! Prices for these Klondikerf Iceboxes start at $4450, plus options, crating and shipping. I guess that means I won’t be getting one any time soon. Never say never, though. These custom commercial refrigerators for the home can be built in oak, maple, cherry or hickory.
The Roseland Icebox Company offers 2 models, the Sears and the McCray. They also offer panels for really expensive high end refrigerators such as Sub Zero or Viking. Their hardware is gorgeous, but alas, the $500+ price tag for a set is more than I’d want to spend on the entire fridge.
Over on Ikea Hacker, there’s a great renovation of a 1950’s Eichler home by Greenmeadow Architect’s Mark Marcinik.
In the above photo, the bar is made of doors parts, three cabinet boxes and Ikea cover panels. The translucent window in the red wall is another Ikea door. The stainless steel sliding doors against the wall are Ikea cover panels hung on sliding door tracks.
If you’re going to try this at home, don’t forget to hit the damaged section first for bigger discounts!
So, when I was having fun on Houseblogs I came across an old photographer buddy’s site. Renovator’s Diary chronicles Brooke’s renovation of an 1860 house in Sag Harbor. I’ve only known Brooke as a talented photographer, but hey, she’s got some great design ideas as well!
I was particularly impressed with their choice of kitchen countertop. Brooke and Josh used reclaimed wormy chestnut, which they treated with a solvent free linseed oil.
DIY job. And you know what I’m thinking? Perhaps you can use leftover planks from a floor installation, which means the countertop would be F-R-E-E!!
Counters. Part I
Counters. Part II
Zinc
Copper
The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of metal countertops may be stainless steel, but there are so many other types available. Stainless is the most durable as it won’t ding as easily as softer metals and it won’t patina. The color can be varied with laminate and finishes can be customized. It is the least expensive of the metals, which is probably why it’s the most popular.
Being an old home buff, I say “Feh” to stainless. Give me something warm and antique looking! Copper is all that and has bacterial properties too. So you can let your cats jump on it while you’re cooking and it will be ok, right? As if I cook. Anyway, the drawbacks are price and the fact that copper is not scratch resistant. Patina is one thing, but scratches may not look so terrific. Bronze has similar qualities.
Zinc and Pewter have similar tones to one another. They differ from stainless in that they have a grayish hue to them, therefore giving them a less modern look. In fact, it’s pewter that is used on many bars in France and Italy. Zinc is often used on Oyster Bar tops for it’s antibacterial qualities.
These are costly countertops if you have a pro fabricate it for you. My thinking is…you buy the sheet and do it yourself. Even better, see if you can find recycled sheet metal! If you screw up the edges, you can put some molding around it and voila, there’s your beautiful, inexpensive metal countertop!
DIY Forum
HGTV article
Sheet Metal Supplies
Recycled Aluminum
Brooks Custom, Mt Kisco
Handcrafted Metal
Purcell Murray
SMEG, not sold in the US, as far as I know
Lucky you….our dishwasher died! It stopped working weeks ago, but we continue to use it. We’re getting some help from the dogs licking our plates clean. I wish I was joking.Continue reading Buying A Dishwasher
Who says all of your kitchen cabinets must match? Someone show me where that is written as law. Period homes didn’t have consistent Kraftmade or Ikea cabinets lined up neatly in a row. They had pieces of lovely one of a kind furnishings.
I must disclose one minor fact now. I have never been, nor will I ever be, a cook. I’m coming at this from the perspective of someone whose most important appliance is her microwave. Followed by the telephone if nothing is available to reheat. So, all I really want is for my kitchen to look bitchin’ cool.
Hoosiers, cupboards and vintage iceboxes can all be used as storage. Antique farm tables can make lovely countertops. Vintage cabinet doors seem to be easier to come by than full cabinets. If you’re handy, you can build the rest of the cabinet around the doors. If you’re lucky, they’ll fit your existing cabinetry (but chances are, they won’t).
You know where to look….antiques fairs and shops, Craigs, Ebay, salvage places. Keep in mind these old pieces can be repainted or stripped and embellished with vintage hardware.
Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!
Check it out! Found some rather interesting kitchen designs on Desire To Inspire via The Kitchen Designer. I’m actually groovin’ to some of them. I have some 50’s/60’s cabinets sitting in my garage. I’m inspired! Can’t wait to start working on them.
We recently wrote about Squak Mountain Stone and Kliptech countertops. Over the weekend, Treehugger reported that the two companies have merged to form Trinity Glass. Amee Quiriconi and Joel Klippert were constantly meeting up at events and exchanging ideas, so it seemed natural to merge.
Trinity Glass is a composite of 75% glass from recycled beer bottles, plate windows, wine bottles, etc from Seattle and 25% low carbon cement.
I’ve seen plenty of vintage stoves around in antiques shops and on Craigs and I’ve always been tempted. Some are free. Some are only a few hundred bucks. What worries me is the cost of restoration. I mean, you’re dealing with gas and fire….scary. This probably isn’t a DIY job.
Restoration companies can’t really give quotes without knowing about the stove, so it’s hard to say how much that “bargain” will cost you in the end. I’m sure I’ll find out when it comes time to redo our kitchen. Until then, check out some of the already restored models and classifieds:
Antique Appliances: Classifieds
Bryant Stove
Barnstable Stove
Antique Stove: Classifieds
Belgrove Appliance now Stove Lady
Stove Hospital
Home Depot Special
New Life: Faux Antiqued Look
No, No, No, You don’t need to pay $20,000 for new cabinets! Not even $2000. Do you have real wood cabinets? Or even cool metal one? If not, you can probably pick up someone’s throwaways on Craigs.
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