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This historic home built in 1909 has been through a number of renovations over the years, and now the homeowners have decided to update the dark and dated kitchen.

Though most of the cabinets will remain, they’ll be given a fresh coat of paint as well as new doors, drawer fronts, and countertops. Other changes include removal of the vintage wallpaper, new lighting and appliances, and laying an engineered hardwood floor.

Cabinets

Once the countertops, doors, and drawers had been removed, modifications were made to the cabinets to accommodate the new appliances. Next, the cabinets were primed with an oil base primer and allowed to dry overnight.

After being lightly sanded with fine sandpaper and wiped clean, they were given two coats of oil based enamel. While slower drying and producing more odor than latex paint, oil based enamel produces a smoother and more durable surface.

When deciding whether to upgrade existing cabinets, it’s important to be sure they are of quality construction to justify the expense involved in repairing and refinishing them. The cabinets in this home were constructed from solid wood and even the drawer hardware was in good shape.

After the cabinets were ready, the prefinished doors and drawer fronts were delivered and installed using hidden 35 mm. hinges.

The “old world” style knobs and drawer pulls blend well with the age of the house and provide a contrast to the white cabinets.

An additional section of shallow cabinets with glass doors on top was added to provide storage and display space without projecting past an adjacent doorway.

Engineered Flooring

Engineered hardwood flooring is made of alternating layers of wood topped with a hardwood veneer.

The flooring for the kitchen was selected to match the width of the other floors in the house. It was installed on top of and at right angles to the existing kitchen floor, allowing it to run the same direction as the flooring in the adjoining room.

Design Tip

To give a room a more spacious feel, lay hardwood flooring parallel to the longest dimension in the room.

After the new flooring had been sanded smooth, it was stained to match the flooring in the rest of the house.

When the stain was dry, several coats of clear polyurethane were applied to seal and protect the wood. To keep from damaging it the fresh finish, it was given plenty of time to harden before work on the kitchen resumed.

Countertops

The granite countertops chosen for the kitchen are a light color called New Venetian Gold.

After the heavy granite slabs had been carefully fitted, a flexible silicone adhesive was used to hold them in place.

Since granite is a porous material, it’s important to seal the surface every year or two to prevent staining. An easier alternative is to cover existing countertops with an engineered stone veneer like Trend Stone from Granite Transformations.

Unlike slab granite, Trend Stone is scratch, heat, and stain resist and comes with a limited lifetime warrenty. It’s available in a wide variety of styles and colors and can be used everywhere from kitchens to baths to fireplace surrounds.

Once the plumbers and electricians had completed their work, the transformation from a dark, dated kitchen to a light, inviting one was complete. After 18 years, the owners of this historic home finally have the kitchen of their dreams.

While trends in kitchen design come and go, both granite and solid surface countertops, such as Corian continue to remain popular options.

A more recent trend, noted in Better Homes and Gardens magazine, is mixing different cabinet finishes and types in the same kitchen to give it a feeling of gradual change over time.

Other Tips From This Episode

Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
Using Wall Anchors

While it’s best to screw or nail directly into a stud when attaching to a wall, they’re often not found in the right location. Since plastic anchors provide little holding power in drywall, a better solution is to use molly or toggle bolts which spread out behind the wall. To find out more, see our article on Testing Wall Anchors and Picture Hangers.

Best New Products with Emilie Barta:
AccessPoint Digital KeySafe

The AccessPoint Digital KeySafe from GE comes in several colors and can be mounted right on the door frame. A programmable four digit code allows access to the key while a LCD display keeps track of the date and time of last nine times it was used. The AccessPoint KeySafe is available at The Home Depot.

Ask Danny:
Home Warranties

What are the basics of a home warranty, and do I really need one? –Paul from Atlanta, Georgia
A home warranty is a service contract that usually lasts for a year and helps protect homeowners from expenses associated with the repair or replacement of household systems or appliances. In the event of a problem, the home warranty company will send a prescreened technician to your house to make the necessary repairs.

Power tools used on Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford® are provided by Ryobi.

Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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