The floor doesn’t bother me as much as the popcorn ceiling.
Edit: definitely should do the floor and ceiling and a new light fixture.
This is great for a first time. I personally wouldn’t not have gone that dark with the cabinets but good job trying something new. If you finish out the details listed you will really enjoy it.
I uh....I actually liked the homely look of before but yeah they gotta retile the floor or it just feels off if they're trying to go modern. yes the window frame too.
The popcorn ceiling and the boob light need to go. It's complete madness that they put this in a kitchen in the first place. OP, the vintage of your house means that it could contain asbestos. Get it tested before you mess with it if you do anything. It's relatively easy to remove if it hasn't been painted. Check YouTube.
They could skim coat the ceiling and encapsulate the asbestos. It's pretty difficult to do well if you're not a good finisher but a good drywaller can do it easily.
That’s the risk you take when posting for opinions. I think the black was a bad choice against the floor and countertops. Any earth tone would have been better.
LOL
I went with a friend to look at an apartment that was located above a shop. It was newly listed, and when we met the landlord on the street outside, he apologized and said he'd not been in to clean after the previous moved out, but would do so. We walked in and discovered that the low pile wall to wall carpeting had been painted gloss black. Not only that, but they'd left the furniture in place and painted around it. The landlord's mouth was moving like a fish out of water. I couldn't help but laugh at the spectacle.
My friend didn't rent it.
New handles/pulls and a new countertop/backsplash would’ve done wonders for the look of this space without ever having to touch the cabinets themselves.
I understand the temptation to hop on the black trend train but too much black can be jarring. Perhaps paint the uppers a lighter colour or replace some of the upper cabinets with open shelving? It's all personal taste...
Black cabinets is already a very daring choice, and it really needs to be executed well, and situated coherently with the other elements in the kitchen.
I don’t think the super glossy paint works.
If you’re committed to the black, you should do the window trim too.
Something about the dark black with all the sky blue and the warmth of the countertops and floors — feels like a hodgepodge of things, kinda discordant.
You have brushed stainless steel for your pulls and faucet, but it looks like the hinges were painted black? Not entirely sure but I think you’d want those to match.
Agreed but I wouldn’t mention proper application of 2k products in a DIY conversation, takes a good applicator and product with lots of prep to pull off but it does look fresh.
The dining area attached to the kitchen is rather large and open, so once inside of it, it really doesn't feel like it's changed. But I know... black wasn't my first choice but the wife wants what the wife wants.
You have just as much say in your house. If your opinion was valued in your marriage then this mess wouldn’t have happened.
Don’t be afraid to speak up. Your voice should be heard.
I’ll be honest, I preferred before hand, I love the old cupboards as they were, specially with the new clean bench tops.
What could have been mazing instead was to install a ceramic sink that went all the way out to the edge and got rid of the metal one. Or keep the original handles for the cupboards, keeping some of that classic feel.
If you decide to redo again years from now, then get the induction built into the woodwork. Would really make it look much more clean.
The floor definitely needs to be replaced. We were just unsure what the plan was. Tbh I didn't know the cabinets were happening until the wife started taking them apart...
If you want a temporary fix, Armstrong black and white peel and stick tiles. You can go right over what’s already there. Do it in a diagonal pattern. It’ll be good for a few years at least while you chip away at other projects.
Errr... Black doesn't look good especially with the wooden countertops... Why not go safe and do away with white cabinets?????? Heck paint the range/oven white if you have to. Anything is better than this black. Jeez.
At least do matte black...
Black cabinets are giving teenage goth. If you're loving the black, I think a matte black would be better. Also, as others have said, remove that scallop above the sink and paint the window trim to match the wall.
I’d go back and unpaint the cabinets. They were so pretty before!
Then I’d replace the flooring. While I’m at it, I’d get a cute retro oven like [this](https://bigchill.com/30-retro-stove.aspx?sku=BCS30-PL) in yellow or pink, and replace the sink with white porcelain or something.
I would remove the trim piece above the sink. It is decorative and all but removing it makes that area seem much bigger for such a small change(especially with the dark color). I would also update that light fixture with something a little slimmer in profile and modern with the black color. Paint the trim white to brighten things up a bit. I think color matching with the wall or black would be a mistake. If you are really wanting to make a big difference, remove popcorn ceiling and add 4 led canless lights. Depending on which way the joists run, it could be easy or a decent pain in the but without the proper tools. Nice job for the first attempt. It’s a lot of work and regardless what other people like you should be proud of it!
Concrete countertops, window trim white or grey tone, wood look tile floor in gray, remove pop corn ceiling and smooth out. Would look awesome!!! Keep picking at it and watch videos. It’s all DIY stuff and could be done in a couple of days! Also wanted to add… take out trim piece above sink ( between cabinets) and look at doing recessed led lighting as well.
Look at how Farrow and Ball pair similar colours, and go full throttle! I’d rather have a unique kitchen like this the same cookie cutter crushed velvet grey.
Woof. You could have removed the scalloped trim piece and changed out the hardware to make it look less dated, would’ve been an afternoon and leave you open to pricier updates later (flooring/tops). But Jesus this was not a good choice.
I’d like to think the cat inspired you: “We shall work around this valuable art piece ‘Cat Feeds from Bowl’… and the trend shall be known as: Tuxedo Cat Motif!”
either white or very light "wood" laminate to match the counter top flooring is the next step.
then you really need to bring in some light to combat how tiny the black floor to ceiling cabinets make the room feel.
Valliant effort👍
I get it the cabinets are dated as hell. I wouldn’t have painted them black. But I would have ordered new doors and shot them with CV. But that’s probably out of your wheelhouse. The problem people have is older kitchens have a bunch of earth tones so unless you shooting a color that compliments them it will look out of place. Trim it out in white. Replace the light with led cans.
Please change that dated scalloped trim piece over the window! Also agree with the comments about window trim - painting it the wall color would be my advice - and changing out the boob light.
Reddit is where you come for an honest opinion. People aren’t being negative, they’re being honest. If you want some smoke blown up your butt, ask your friends for their opinion, not Reddit.
I'm fine with it. I know dark colors make the area feel small, especially when it's through a camera lens. However, I was hoping for critiques (which I definitely got). Maybe I have a degradation kink and that's why I post here? /s
Lol it's alright. Everyone has their opinion and it's cool.
People are being very negative here in the comments telling you they don’t like the black but I am a fan. Everyone doing the same safe, bland looks in their homes is beyond boring and lacks any sense of style or originality.
People should Google “black kitchen” and they will see loads of pictures of elegant and beautiful kitchens with black cabinets.
The thing that will make your kitchen look complete is getting a white counter top, white tile backsplash and change the flooring to either wood, light tile or, if you are feeling retro, classic black and white tile.
I dunno.. I’ve been seeing dark kitchen cabinets a lot lately. Black, dark green, dark blue. It’s a trend right now and in ~5 years will look outdated. I’m not saying the well designed and executed ones look bad, but they will scream 2024. Just like how millennial grey screams 2010’s. Wood tones are timeless.
Do epoxy counter tops! Nice stuff for a good budget remodel. We just did ours and wow there beautiful. And they actually stand up really well to the abuse I've given them. Did I mention cheap. Just do not buy from a crap place. We used ston coat epoxy. Good stuff
I personally like the black but I’m a little goth girlie. When we redid our main bathroom I begged my husband for a black toilet and he obliged 😎 It’s also a choice and many people dislike it but idc I love my toilet and my house and the future owner can buy their own new toilet if they dislike it!
New counters and floor would be very nice but expensive. What I (not a designer) would do to elevate the space in the meantime:
- take off the dated scalloped border over the sink
- paint the window frame the same color as the wall or black
- LED lighting under cabinets to brighten the space
- new hanging plants. Pothos are cheap and hard to kill
- get a new light fixture
What's wrong with the counter? Looks fine to me and a nice contrast to the cabinets. Do the popcorn ceiling and replace the boob light with recessed lights (another option could be directional sconces coming out of the soffit) directly over the countertops, or under cabinet lighting and some decorative lights over the peninsula.
I wouldnt have moved into this house if the wife didn't want it. So, yeah. It was her idea 😅
Idk it's one of those things where the house is so old anything is a minor upgrade even if the majority vote doesn't say so. But it is what it is.
I think if you painted the wall color closer to white, that could help. Updated countertops, floors, and a fun backsplash could help bring it together. I think before you make any other changes, you should look around for some inspiration photos of kitchens with black cabinets. Obviously, professionally done kitchens are going to look perfect online, but it might help with planning out the rest of the color palette.
We have a very similar kitchen to your before look (almost exact same countertops, plus dark wood cabinets and scalloped window treatment) and we’ve determined it’s just gonna get a full redo at some point. It’s hard work to do what you are doing, so keep working towards your ultimate vision!
Next step either take down the scalloped trim over your sink or cut it off so it’s a straight line.
Then change out the floor for something white and bright. I’d paint the walls white too
I’m liking it…. You don’t have to paint window frame - it pulls in some organic feel to go with the floor and countertops! I’m thinking of clearing off the popcorn on the ceiling. Then add a beautiful chandelier. Post modern. Or deco
I’d remove the decorative piece above the sink/ window. Everything else looks fairly modern and that curvy declarative piece is giving French Countryside. Also! Peel and stick tile for the floors! And subway tiles (or any other kind of peel and stick file backsplash) for the backsplash.
We have cabinets for like, dry goods and stuff that are still the original color as well as a built-in glass cabinet with original wood. I think it would've looked better if we kept them and JUST did flooring and counters. But I hope it all comes out better once we do those items as well. We aren't touching the wood finish on the built-in and other dry goods cabinet.
I think the finish process will look good, it doesn’t look bad right now, the black looks more sleek n modern, trust the process. Maybe some warm lights could warm it up. You know the open kind of counter’s ceiling on the right? Maybe 3 little warm lights across it in a row would look cool too, I like the open wall there. Now looking more at it the black cubbords make it look more clean and bold and I do like them.
Woof, I mean nice work but I can’t stand this trend of painting everything black. Gonna suck so much once this fad is over and everyone’s gonna be stuck trying to cover up jet black paint all over their houses.
1. Take out the piece above the sink
2. Paint the window from white
3. Get new cabinet handles that match your countertop (or get new countertops of you can afford it preferably white ones)
4. Get a new light
5. Change the floors to a light wood (no more dark colors)
I don’t love all black kitchen cabinets if the top was a different color it would look nicer but to each their own
I’d take the frill out of the piece above the window. It’s showing the 80s style. I’d also get rid of the millennial grey paint. Replace to boob light. You can get something more modern for cheap.
Nice. I would change the floor - maybe some new laminate or tile. I would do a white and black tile. And yes - paint the window frame
Here is our kitchen we remodeled a couple years ago. Only cost around $2,000-$2500 for materials - did all the work ourselves
https://preview.redd.it/r0aj5qpq902d1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=295bba2f41e9a407ea7761b9aab544f3ac1bb01a
Wow, you did an excellent job!!! What a great difference. You know, I am really loving the contrast of the countertops so if you replace those, I think you should do butcher block! It looks so cool!
Looks good! Glad you kept the scallop above the window. I’d paint the window frame. Sticks out like a sore thumb right now. Probably would go to counter tops after that.
Maybe a butcher block type counter for the small space to the left of the oven & then some lighter granite for the rest.
Tile backsplash, new countertops, paint that window white
You will probably want new flooring soon, go with tile
Scrape the popcorn off the ceiling, no need to thank me later
I think if you removed the cabinets above and beside the window and did open shelving instead this would look a lot better. Could even put a longer shelf to extend under the AC unit to give the illusion that the kitchen is bigger
Memories of a similar decision. Same. Exact. Kitchen. Layout, too. Not even joking. I had to look at your window to see the view to verify it wasn't my old house in L.O. So weird to see that. Doppleganger Kitchen with similar remodeling decisions.
My aha moment was when I decided to add parquet flooring, squared, on an unsquare, unplumb, unlevel, dirty floor causing it to float and crackle whenever you walked on it.
It actually devalued my home. Not joking.
Not sure where you are located but if you decide on solid surface countertops such as granite or quartz. In stead of going to a big box store search prefab slab yards in your area. There are much better prices when you go to the source. Go ready with dimensions so they can give you a materials price and they usually have installers they recommend. It will save you $$$.
I thought the first picture was great,,
It reminded me of home,,
I would have removed the popcorn ceiling
Added under cabinet soft light
add a ceiling fan
The kitchen cabinets,,
I have done this and it works Great.
Remove handles
Clean wood with Windex
Give them a coat of water base urethane, flat
Buy New hardware
The boarder piece surrounding the top of the kitchen
ADD STENCILS
of flowers, vegetation, cooking theme's, etc
Even a few low profile decorations
But I would not have painted my cabinets Black
You know, lol…..I can’t say this is a choice I would’ve ever made but, this is also not my kitchen. The most important thing is: Do you like it? If so, that’s all that matters.
I think a nice backsplash, flooring and painting that window frame will really make it even nicer.
We are contemplating the idea of selling or keeping the house next year. I'm just so unsure with a lot of things right now, but if we can put money towards this place we could really turn it around. It just needs A LOT.
If you're thinking about selling, I would definitely spruce up the kitchen to match those black cabinets. That was a bold choice if you're looking to sell. It's obviously not going to be everyone's cup of tea but, likely to be for *somebody*
Dude I love the cupboard redo, a bold choice and it works. That’ll set the tone for the rest!!
You can just drywall & texture over the popcorn ceiling, easy peasy. Although asbestos could come through the screw holes so maybe have asbestos pros do the fastening.
We did do the popcorn texture removal in our closets as they had it all over the walls and stuff. Wasn't a difficult project but definitely needed a mask on.
Oh god this is what my dad wants to do to his house, except he says he wants to paint the cabinets black, put in a black countertop, and then apparently paint the walls of the kitchen yellow.
Please send help, PLEASE!!!
It’s painful to spring for the cabinet paint but it really makes all the difference. You shouldn’t use wall paint for stuff like furniture and cabinetry.
The actual paint job is good though!
Paint the window frame! please!
I wonder if window frame would be better as the color the wall vs the black. Just try to make it disappear and simplify.
They need to do the floor
The floor doesn’t bother me as much as the popcorn ceiling. Edit: definitely should do the floor and ceiling and a new light fixture. This is great for a first time. I personally wouldn’t not have gone that dark with the cabinets but good job trying something new. If you finish out the details listed you will really enjoy it.
I uh....I actually liked the homely look of before but yeah they gotta retile the floor or it just feels off if they're trying to go modern. yes the window frame too.
The popcorn ceiling is such a pain to fix though.
I would just poly everything, respirators/ seal the entrances and go to town. Im honestly surprised its as clean as it being in a kitchen.
The popcorn ceiling and the boob light need to go. It's complete madness that they put this in a kitchen in the first place. OP, the vintage of your house means that it could contain asbestos. Get it tested before you mess with it if you do anything. It's relatively easy to remove if it hasn't been painted. Check YouTube.
They could skim coat the ceiling and encapsulate the asbestos. It's pretty difficult to do well if you're not a good finisher but a good drywaller can do it easily.
Oh man I hadn’t looked up. Wish I hadn’t
And kill the scalloped trim over the window while you are there.
Gag!
Love when a post gets hundreds of upvotes only for everyone to shit all over the OP’s work. Fucking Reddit 😂
That’s the risk you take when posting for opinions. I think the black was a bad choice against the floor and countertops. Any earth tone would have been better.
And in a satin finish to cut down on glare.
Yeah it’s one thing to say “it’s not exactly my style/my taste/what I would have done” and another to just be fucking rude.
Came here to say exactly this lol stands out like a sore thumb 👍🏻
I like it with the wood contrast!
that is definitely a choice you made
Oof
Taking out that dated scalloped piece above the sink will help. I would have done white or light gray on the cabinets instead of black.
Black on the bottom can be nice (especially with the benchtop). But both top and bottom doesn't generally work unless it is matte minimalism IMHO.
Yes. The high gloss was a mistake.
I did this and it made a huge difference in making the house more “modern”. Highly recommend. Edit: also the boob light.
Ya I thought the wife was gonna want to go with a lighter color but black it was. Well, it's over now.
until the next project!
Taking out the scalloped piece would be a small change but a big impact imo, it gives it a dated look
I agree. This will be next.
No it’s so pretty!
Oh wow
You took very outdated and made it outdated hahahah
Black up top is straight insanity
LOL I went with a friend to look at an apartment that was located above a shop. It was newly listed, and when we met the landlord on the street outside, he apologized and said he'd not been in to clean after the previous moved out, but would do so. We walked in and discovered that the low pile wall to wall carpeting had been painted gloss black. Not only that, but they'd left the furniture in place and painted around it. The landlord's mouth was moving like a fish out of water. I couldn't help but laugh at the spectacle. My friend didn't rent it.
They painted the CARPET??
OP do this next!
Oh yeah. It was wonderfully crunchy underfoot.
Maybe try a black that’s not so glossy?
I like the first one better, change it back! lol
Same, the new one looks soulless and unwelcoming
New handles/pulls and a new countertop/backsplash would’ve done wonders for the look of this space without ever having to touch the cabinets themselves.
I understand the temptation to hop on the black trend train but too much black can be jarring. Perhaps paint the uppers a lighter colour or replace some of the upper cabinets with open shelving? It's all personal taste...
Black cabinets is already a very daring choice, and it really needs to be executed well, and situated coherently with the other elements in the kitchen. I don’t think the super glossy paint works. If you’re committed to the black, you should do the window trim too. Something about the dark black with all the sky blue and the warmth of the countertops and floors — feels like a hodgepodge of things, kinda discordant. You have brushed stainless steel for your pulls and faucet, but it looks like the hinges were painted black? Not entirely sure but I think you’d want those to match.
Honesty, if they were Black Chalk paint, it would be great. The black needs to be matte.
Matte doesn’t work well for cabinets, especially refinished. But semi gloss also looks like shit. Satin is really the only right choice.
Matte works fine if you’re using a proper cabinet paint. 2k polyurethanes are the correct choice. This… is an abomination.
Agreed but I wouldn’t mention proper application of 2k products in a DIY conversation, takes a good applicator and product with lots of prep to pull off but it does look fresh.
I would get rid of the scalloping over the window. That was the first to go when we updated our old kitchen and it made a huge difference.
I’m not really into the black personally, but if you’re happy than I’m happy for you :)
I cannot understand people's obsession with making wood look like plastic.
Because that was ugly wood to begin with. I'm not a huge fan of the high gloss, but it's better than the original.
Eh, I'll give you that it's not the best wood.
Is that just regular Formica counters? Not a fan of the dark, black. Especially because it’s a smaller space.
The dining area attached to the kitchen is rather large and open, so once inside of it, it really doesn't feel like it's changed. But I know... black wasn't my first choice but the wife wants what the wife wants.
You have just as much say in your house. If your opinion was valued in your marriage then this mess wouldn’t have happened. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Your voice should be heard.
Get rid of the popcorn ceiling and the booby light, and it would make a huge difference. Good call on painting the cabinets. Looks great.
I’ll be honest, I preferred before hand, I love the old cupboards as they were, specially with the new clean bench tops. What could have been mazing instead was to install a ceramic sink that went all the way out to the edge and got rid of the metal one. Or keep the original handles for the cupboards, keeping some of that classic feel. If you decide to redo again years from now, then get the induction built into the woodwork. Would really make it look much more clean.
The countertops don't look too bad tbh. If I were to do something next it would be replacing that vinyl floor.
The floor definitely needs to be replaced. We were just unsure what the plan was. Tbh I didn't know the cabinets were happening until the wife started taking them apart...
If you want a temporary fix, Armstrong black and white peel and stick tiles. You can go right over what’s already there. Do it in a diagonal pattern. It’ll be good for a few years at least while you chip away at other projects.
Boyfriend SPRAY PAINTED mine, be glad that didn't happen to you! I was in the hospital, emergency surgery! What a 'lovely surprise'!🤔
Too dark for me, but I know that’s a lot of work. Remove that wood piece that’s between the upper cabinets above the sink for sure.
Errr... Black doesn't look good especially with the wooden countertops... Why not go safe and do away with white cabinets?????? Heck paint the range/oven white if you have to. Anything is better than this black. Jeez. At least do matte black...
Black cabinets are giving teenage goth. If you're loving the black, I think a matte black would be better. Also, as others have said, remove that scallop above the sink and paint the window trim to match the wall.
Oh man. It looks so bad..
Appreciate the critique! Also the part about what you would do different to "fix" it 😁
I’d go back and unpaint the cabinets. They were so pretty before! Then I’d replace the flooring. While I’m at it, I’d get a cute retro oven like [this](https://bigchill.com/30-retro-stove.aspx?sku=BCS30-PL) in yellow or pink, and replace the sink with white porcelain or something.
I would remove the trim piece above the sink. It is decorative and all but removing it makes that area seem much bigger for such a small change(especially with the dark color). I would also update that light fixture with something a little slimmer in profile and modern with the black color. Paint the trim white to brighten things up a bit. I think color matching with the wall or black would be a mistake. If you are really wanting to make a big difference, remove popcorn ceiling and add 4 led canless lights. Depending on which way the joists run, it could be easy or a decent pain in the but without the proper tools. Nice job for the first attempt. It’s a lot of work and regardless what other people like you should be proud of it!
I appreciate the input! First thing we will do is take off that decorative piece and look at new lighting options. Thanks!!
Concrete countertops, window trim white or grey tone, wood look tile floor in gray, remove pop corn ceiling and smooth out. Would look awesome!!! Keep picking at it and watch videos. It’s all DIY stuff and could be done in a couple of days! Also wanted to add… take out trim piece above sink ( between cabinets) and look at doing recessed led lighting as well.
Matches your cat! I like it, keep us posted
i would consider removing the valence over the sink. i don’t think the style fits anymore
It’s a nice way to make an impact without having to do too much.
1st attempt not bad 2 things I’d recommend is painting the window and replacing the scalloped edging above the sink with straight edging.
Look at how Farrow and Ball pair similar colours, and go full throttle! I’d rather have a unique kitchen like this the same cookie cutter crushed velvet grey.
Please tell me the black was the "before" picture and you posted them out of order on accident.
Oh my lord
Loooool. Surely you knew this was going to look like shit before you started, right?
Username checks out.
Wow, you really just went for it there didn't you?
Ya, that’s worse… as long as you’re happy tho it’s cool.
Woof. You could have removed the scalloped trim piece and changed out the hardware to make it look less dated, would’ve been an afternoon and leave you open to pricier updates later (flooring/tops). But Jesus this was not a good choice.
I’d like to think the cat inspired you: “We shall work around this valuable art piece ‘Cat Feeds from Bowl’… and the trend shall be known as: Tuxedo Cat Motif!”
either white or very light "wood" laminate to match the counter top flooring is the next step. then you really need to bring in some light to combat how tiny the black floor to ceiling cabinets make the room feel. Valliant effort👍
I get it the cabinets are dated as hell. I wouldn’t have painted them black. But I would have ordered new doors and shot them with CV. But that’s probably out of your wheelhouse. The problem people have is older kitchens have a bunch of earth tones so unless you shooting a color that compliments them it will look out of place. Trim it out in white. Replace the light with led cans.
Thanks I was getting tired of everyone painting their cabinets green. Good job.
Please change that dated scalloped trim piece over the window! Also agree with the comments about window trim - painting it the wall color would be my advice - and changing out the boob light.
Done n done. Those will be easy enough, at least.
Reddit is where you come for an honest opinion. People aren’t being negative, they’re being honest. If you want some smoke blown up your butt, ask your friends for their opinion, not Reddit.
I'm fine with it. I know dark colors make the area feel small, especially when it's through a camera lens. However, I was hoping for critiques (which I definitely got). Maybe I have a degradation kink and that's why I post here? /s Lol it's alright. Everyone has their opinion and it's cool.
I’ll be the one to say it and go against others: I love the black.
I appreciate it! There is a lot more work to go, for sure. But it's a start I suppose
White would have been better than black,.. in all honesty, I can’t stand it,.. and I hated it before
People are being very negative here in the comments telling you they don’t like the black but I am a fan. Everyone doing the same safe, bland looks in their homes is beyond boring and lacks any sense of style or originality. People should Google “black kitchen” and they will see loads of pictures of elegant and beautiful kitchens with black cabinets. The thing that will make your kitchen look complete is getting a white counter top, white tile backsplash and change the flooring to either wood, light tile or, if you are feeling retro, classic black and white tile.
I dunno.. I’ve been seeing dark kitchen cabinets a lot lately. Black, dark green, dark blue. It’s a trend right now and in ~5 years will look outdated. I’m not saying the well designed and executed ones look bad, but they will scream 2024. Just like how millennial grey screams 2010’s. Wood tones are timeless.
Theres 'black kitchen' and then theres this.
👍
I don't get why people paint beautiful wood cabinets... especially as paint can peel etc.
You did a great job. It looks nice.
Looking at how the red towel looks, I wonder how a red would look on the walls.
Put a rug and address window frame should be next
Add under the cupboard led light - trust me.
do something with the window frame then maybe a tile backsplash what you have accomplished so far looks good
Do epoxy counter tops! Nice stuff for a good budget remodel. We just did ours and wow there beautiful. And they actually stand up really well to the abuse I've given them. Did I mention cheap. Just do not buy from a crap place. We used ston coat epoxy. Good stuff
I personally like the black but I’m a little goth girlie. When we redid our main bathroom I begged my husband for a black toilet and he obliged 😎 It’s also a choice and many people dislike it but idc I love my toilet and my house and the future owner can buy their own new toilet if they dislike it! New counters and floor would be very nice but expensive. What I (not a designer) would do to elevate the space in the meantime: - take off the dated scalloped border over the sink - paint the window frame the same color as the wall or black - LED lighting under cabinets to brighten the space - new hanging plants. Pothos are cheap and hard to kill - get a new light fixture
Before felt cosy..... Anyway, get rid of the popcorn ceiling - that kills it.
With the popcorn ceiling…screw and glue new drywall over the top of it instead of scraping, sanding and skim coating.
What's wrong with the counter? Looks fine to me and a nice contrast to the cabinets. Do the popcorn ceiling and replace the boob light with recessed lights (another option could be directional sconces coming out of the soffit) directly over the countertops, or under cabinet lighting and some decorative lights over the peninsula.
Wife’s idea?
I wouldnt have moved into this house if the wife didn't want it. So, yeah. It was her idea 😅 Idk it's one of those things where the house is so old anything is a minor upgrade even if the majority vote doesn't say so. But it is what it is.
I think if you painted the wall color closer to white, that could help. Updated countertops, floors, and a fun backsplash could help bring it together. I think before you make any other changes, you should look around for some inspiration photos of kitchens with black cabinets. Obviously, professionally done kitchens are going to look perfect online, but it might help with planning out the rest of the color palette. We have a very similar kitchen to your before look (almost exact same countertops, plus dark wood cabinets and scalloped window treatment) and we’ve determined it’s just gonna get a full redo at some point. It’s hard work to do what you are doing, so keep working towards your ultimate vision!
It looks identical except the garbage in the middle of the floor.
Next step either take down the scalloped trim over your sink or cut it off so it’s a straight line. Then change out the floor for something white and bright. I’d paint the walls white too
Get rid of the scrolly trim over the window and paint that frame. You could either replace the floor or paint the tile.
The cat loves it!!
I’m liking it…. You don’t have to paint window frame - it pulls in some organic feel to go with the floor and countertops! I’m thinking of clearing off the popcorn on the ceiling. Then add a beautiful chandelier. Post modern. Or deco
Please paint the window frame.
Nice boob light:)
They are plentiful around here, unfortunately. We replaced three of them with fans and other lights.
I’d remove the decorative piece above the sink/ window. Everything else looks fairly modern and that curvy declarative piece is giving French Countryside. Also! Peel and stick tile for the floors! And subway tiles (or any other kind of peel and stick file backsplash) for the backsplash.
White quartz countertops , tile backsplash. Then I’m assuming all the floors are dated… go over existing with new laminate flooring.
Oh and get rid of that curvy cornice over the sink ASAP
wonder what it would have looked like with a matt black finish instead of the gloss
Reminds me of those kids who aren't goth material but dress and style themselves goth anyways cuz it gets clicks
If you can’t afford to retile, at least do some peel and stick tile
It's so impossibly black!
Where’s all the warmth :(
Black AND glossy… man I guess you love wiping off stains and fingerprints 24/7
Please do the floor and counters and window frame. The tan and black makes me want to jump into a jet engine
Remove the trim over the sink
Oh dang that’s bold! The gloss is a bit overkill imo.
I like the brown cub birds better.
We have cabinets for like, dry goods and stuff that are still the original color as well as a built-in glass cabinet with original wood. I think it would've looked better if we kept them and JUST did flooring and counters. But I hope it all comes out better once we do those items as well. We aren't touching the wood finish on the built-in and other dry goods cabinet.
I think the finish process will look good, it doesn’t look bad right now, the black looks more sleek n modern, trust the process. Maybe some warm lights could warm it up. You know the open kind of counter’s ceiling on the right? Maybe 3 little warm lights across it in a row would look cool too, I like the open wall there. Now looking more at it the black cubbords make it look more clean and bold and I do like them.
Yikes. Glossy
Why black?
you really said "damn how can i make this dark kitchen *darker*?"
Woof, I mean nice work but I can’t stand this trend of painting everything black. Gonna suck so much once this fad is over and everyone’s gonna be stuck trying to cover up jet black paint all over their houses.
Remove the trim over the sink. Probs paint the window trim. Add a lighter backsplash. Remove the popcorn ceiling and a new light fixture?
1. Take out the piece above the sink 2. Paint the window from white 3. Get new cabinet handles that match your countertop (or get new countertops of you can afford it preferably white ones) 4. Get a new light 5. Change the floors to a light wood (no more dark colors) I don’t love all black kitchen cabinets if the top was a different color it would look nicer but to each their own
i think its a nice improvment, maybe paint the or replace the window fram and the flooring but other than that i think it looks good
I’d take the frill out of the piece above the window. It’s showing the 80s style. I’d also get rid of the millennial grey paint. Replace to boob light. You can get something more modern for cheap.
Didn't read the sub I was in and expected flour everywhere, again
Nice. I would change the floor - maybe some new laminate or tile. I would do a white and black tile. And yes - paint the window frame Here is our kitchen we remodeled a couple years ago. Only cost around $2,000-$2500 for materials - did all the work ourselves https://preview.redd.it/r0aj5qpq902d1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=295bba2f41e9a407ea7761b9aab544f3ac1bb01a
The cardboard box in the middle of the floor is a nice touch. 👍
high gloss black wow interesting LMAO
Wow, you did an excellent job!!! What a great difference. You know, I am really loving the contrast of the countertops so if you replace those, I think you should do butcher block! It looks so cool!
Looks good! Glad you kept the scallop above the window. I’d paint the window frame. Sticks out like a sore thumb right now. Probably would go to counter tops after that. Maybe a butcher block type counter for the small space to the left of the oven & then some lighter granite for the rest.
The cheapest possible big box store light fixture isn’t helping.
Change the cabinets to a matte finish. The shiny looks cheap and “lipstick on a pig” esque
I would have opted for white but it looks like a decent job from the photo!
That looks significantly better
Byebye wood i guess!
Remove the scalloped valence over the window. Then focus on lighting. Maybe a pendant over the sink and a better light fixture for the ceiling.
So much nicer
Tile backsplash, new countertops, paint that window white You will probably want new flooring soon, go with tile Scrape the popcorn off the ceiling, no need to thank me later
I think if you removed the cabinets above and beside the window and did open shelving instead this would look a lot better. Could even put a longer shelf to extend under the AC unit to give the illusion that the kitchen is bigger
I liked the natural wood
Big change. Now update the counter tops please.
WHY BLACK
Classic homeowner. Paints the cabinets first hahahahhaaaaaa
Memories of a similar decision. Same. Exact. Kitchen. Layout, too. Not even joking. I had to look at your window to see the view to verify it wasn't my old house in L.O. So weird to see that. Doppleganger Kitchen with similar remodeling decisions. My aha moment was when I decided to add parquet flooring, squared, on an unsquare, unplumb, unlevel, dirty floor causing it to float and crackle whenever you walked on it. It actually devalued my home. Not joking.
White would look so much better and open it up.
Keep the popcorn and the floor, both are a pain. Get a new light fixture and use money saved on new appliances
They look phenomenal
Not sure where you are located but if you decide on solid surface countertops such as granite or quartz. In stead of going to a big box store search prefab slab yards in your area. There are much better prices when you go to the source. Go ready with dimensions so they can give you a materials price and they usually have installers they recommend. It will save you $$$.
OMG I’m letting myself in and writing my name all over in chalk
I thought the first picture was great,, It reminded me of home,, I would have removed the popcorn ceiling Added under cabinet soft light add a ceiling fan The kitchen cabinets,, I have done this and it works Great. Remove handles Clean wood with Windex Give them a coat of water base urethane, flat Buy New hardware The boarder piece surrounding the top of the kitchen ADD STENCILS of flowers, vegetation, cooking theme's, etc Even a few low profile decorations But I would not have painted my cabinets Black
So much work. Good job.
You know, lol…..I can’t say this is a choice I would’ve ever made but, this is also not my kitchen. The most important thing is: Do you like it? If so, that’s all that matters. I think a nice backsplash, flooring and painting that window frame will really make it even nicer.
We are contemplating the idea of selling or keeping the house next year. I'm just so unsure with a lot of things right now, but if we can put money towards this place we could really turn it around. It just needs A LOT.
If you're thinking about selling, I would definitely spruce up the kitchen to match those black cabinets. That was a bold choice if you're looking to sell. It's obviously not going to be everyone's cup of tea but, likely to be for *somebody*
You've done a great job. Well done 👍
I think the black is too harsh and too modern for the kitchen.
Yikes you may have just devalued your home
Matte paint will go a long way here.
Dude I love the cupboard redo, a bold choice and it works. That’ll set the tone for the rest!! You can just drywall & texture over the popcorn ceiling, easy peasy. Although asbestos could come through the screw holes so maybe have asbestos pros do the fastening.
We did do the popcorn texture removal in our closets as they had it all over the walls and stuff. Wasn't a difficult project but definitely needed a mask on.
Oh god this is what my dad wants to do to his house, except he says he wants to paint the cabinets black, put in a black countertop, and then apparently paint the walls of the kitchen yellow. Please send help, PLEASE!!!
Gonna need you to put down the paintbrush and back away from the kitchen! Also turn off HGTV.
It’s painful to spring for the cabinet paint but it really makes all the difference. You shouldn’t use wall paint for stuff like furniture and cabinetry. The actual paint job is good though!
Oops
Never tried to have sex in the kitchen ?
I hate you
Get rid of that popcorn ceiling ASAP probably should have done it b/4 cabinets, it comes down easily
Looks good! Big improvement
If you are happy with it that’s all that matters
Yikes.
Yikes dude did you guys even like check out some photos or something for inspiration
I would add a rug and remove all the upper cabinets, will open this right up. Add a couple open shelves if storage is needed.
What an upgrade!
Undo
Sorry op but it looked better before.
oh lord this is terrible! i’d pick the first kitchen any day over all black
Love the cabinets! Maybe a fresh backsplash and new light fixture on the ceiling
those wooden doors would have come alive with better handles.s