Budget-Friendly Grey, Gold + Pink Kitchen Makeover

Time to show you the budget-friendly, grey, gold and pink makeover we gave my Mom's kitchen!
 
We ran into some small problems along the way, like backsplash tile which never showed up and peel and stick flooring which refuses to stay stuck.  Mom has this weird aversion to backsplash tile, so she was thrilled by the former problem - but kind of bummed by the latter.  There's also still a little more we'd like to do in here: after 20+ years, my Dad finally installed the under cabinet lighting but we still need to paint and install the corresponding trim.  We'd also like to add more art above the coffee station and we're on the hunt for the perfect rug - although my Mom had a cute rag rug already that works well for now.

These little details will be ironed out over the months to come because Mom and I are both fans of slow (read: we're broke) design, but I didn't want to make you wait any longer because I've teased you with this kitchen refresh since the summer! 

So let's get to it!  Here's a look at the before:

Mom's kitchen, which my parents renovated in the 1980s, looked super cute at one time, with a light and bright mint green, peach and white color combo.  She really made the best of a small, dark kitchen on a budget - a classic, all white kitchen still looks good today.  But the wallpaper had long ago peeled off the walls, the vinyl flooring was discolored from the glue, the laminate counters were chipped, and the melamine cabinets had started to bubble (one reason I avoid melamine like the plague).  Her light fixture was missing (long story), the faucet was dented, the fluorescent light fixture about the sink was just a naked bulb.  Plus it was SO cluttered and messy, because it's difficult to care about keeping a space orderly when it looks shabby.  Mom was always complaining about a lack of counter space to actually cook in here, plus a too large dining table - the only space to eat in the house - really made the kitchen cramped.

The kitchen is really in need of a major reno, but that's not in the cards for my parents right now, so Mom and I rolled up our sleeves.  There's nothing a little paint and de-cluttering can't fix!

Here's a look at the kitchen today:



Pictures don't accurately capture how cozy and fresh this kitchen feels now - it just glows, thanks to the soft pink walls and touches of brushed gold.  Here's a closer look at everything we did:

The Cabinets:

The first thing we did was paint the melamine kitchen cabinets with Rust-Oleum's Cabinet Transformations Kit (in Winter Fog, un-glazed) which adheres SO well - even on melamine - with no sanding required.   If you look close, you can still see some flaws where the melamine was bubbling, but it looks so much better than before!  It's also a great way for Mom to experiment with a darker cabinet color, something she's been contemplating for the real reno.

I took photos in different lighting conditions, and you can see how sometimes it reads more pink and sometimes more golden - it's such a pretty wall color/cabinetry combo.

The Walls:

We painted the yellow walls a soft pink (Behr's Shea) because out of all of the paint swatches we considered (numbering in the hundreds, I'm sure), this soft pink looked the freshest and cheeriest under all lighting conditions.  It really brightened the room - even more than white - which was essential for this dark kitchen.  We replaced the baseboard because we found baseboard identical to the to 1950s baseboard elsewhere in the house, but we left the door and window trim.  After an afternoon of caulking (my favorite job), we painted out the trim to match the walls for a seamless look.

The Counters:

To keep things bright, we refinished Mom's laminate counters in a glittering white!  They were in really rough shape, with chips, stains, and missing pieces.  The laminate was even de-laminating from the MDF base.  Click here for the tutorial because I shared some great tips for repairing the laminate counters: we glued back the laminate and where pieces were missing, I built them back up with a mold-able epoxy compound.  Then we used Rust-Oleum's Countertop Transformations Mica (in white) and the counters are now a sparkly white:

It's difficult to photograph, but they just sparkle like crazy when the sun shines in. 
  

The Cabinet Hardware:

I already shared the tutorial for how we refinished Mom's shiny brass knobs - they look so fresh with their new brushed brass look.  Plus we saved a bundle not having the buy new hardware.  
 

The Sink + Faucet:

Although we tried to work with what we had, Mom did buy a new window (she had to replace the windows on the main floor) plus a new sink because her old white acrylic one was just too awful.  We picked up an inexpensive stainless sink to complement her new Pfister Tamera faucet, generously provided by Pfister.  The faucet is something she can use again when she renovates for real (or she can donate it to me for my fish room makeover!). 

 

 
The Table + Art:

Lacking a dining room in the small, post-war home my great-grandfather built, we always ate in the kitchen the way my great-grandparents did.  In the 1980s and 90s, we had a small round table with drop down leaves so it could nestle close to the wall.  In the 2000s my Mom bought new living room furniture and a dining room table in a much nicer teak wood, but it was a bit too big for daily use.  It was challenging to maneuver around it and once Hubby became a permanent fixture, dinner for four was a tight squeeze.  I finally encouraged my Mom to move the dining table to the living room, where there is space, and to put a much smaller tulip table in the kitchen for tea time or brunch for two.  I already shared the makeover of my old tulip table - and the top my father-in-law helped me hack.

Do you recognize the art?  It's my 1960s cat print from the townhouse!  The brushed gold frame, muted pink color palette, and retro vibe are perfect in here. 

The Table Top Lamp:

I feel like this might need explaining?  My Mom LOATHES overhead lighting - especially fluorescent lighting - which is why her naked bulb situation made her cringe.  Eventually, she started using a lamp at the table so she could turn off the overhead lighting during dinner.  When the dining table moved, the lamp moved with it so Mom stole this little brown vintage Lotte lamp from me for the tulip table.  The scale is adorable and the retro look is perfect.  It might seem odd, but it really is nice to have this little lamp on when I come over for tea and gossip.  Even though her overhead lighting situation has greatly improved (with a light fixture - how novel), having this little lamp feels cozy, especially with the days getting so much shorter.




The Coffee Station:

My parents have an elaborate, professional-grade coffee making set up, which they scored for a really good price because they knew someone who owned a coffee shop.  It really commandeered my Mom's minimal kitchen prep space, though.  Between the coffee maker and the microwave -and all of the random stuff piled up on the counter - she had no spot to work.  I suggested she try living without the microwave (I don't have one and never, ever miss it), reorganize a little to find room in her cabinets for the dry goods she stored on the counter, and move the coffee stuff to this little cubby (which originally housed the tiny 1950s fridge).  All of the coffee stuff is together now - along with a vintage cookie jar picked up for a quarter (my Mummu has the exact same one) - and out of the way.  I couldn't help make my Mom's kitchen any bigger, but moving the coffee machine and microwave, and de-cluttering a little, have tripled her counter space, making the kitchen way more functional for her.

The Peel and Stick Tile Floor:

Mom and I were SO excited about this peel and stick tile floor, which brought together all of the colors: the blush pink walls, the grey cabinets, the burnt orange tweed chairs and the warm brown wood tones.  But it refuses to stay stuck in some spots!  We're so incredibly frustrated and currently chatting with the distributor but I'm not sure they can fix it.  We might need to replace it, which we're really disappointed about.  On the plus side, when Mom tackles a renovation for good, now we know that a busier pattern can work, even though her kitchen is small - we were so terrified to commit to anything not white, because that's what was there for so long. 

The Odds + Sods:

In addition to refinishing the cabinetry, counters, replacing and repairing trim, painting the walls and trim and laying down new flooring, we also did some little things.  Mom's naked bulb ceiling fixture was replaced by a fixture she already had.  It had wobbled, so she hadn't put it up, but Hubby took it apart, fixed it, and it looks perfect!  We cut a new sheet of plexi for the fluorescent light fixture and, using a simple bracket, installed that so the light over the sink is no longer a bulb.  Her kitchen door was painted grey to match the cabinets and a door knob was finally installed.  Hubby and I also built a cute pink and gold dog bowl stand for when Szuka visits.  

There you have it - Mom's new kitchen!  I'll be back with a tutorial for refinishing the counters and cabinets - and maybe even a mini update down the road once we fix the flooring situation and accessorize a little more.

Mom is thrilled with how the kitchen looks now and it's sparked a wave of updates and decluttering in the house - we just found the perfect mid-century mod inspired fabric on clearance, so the living room is getting a refresh too (starting with cute new pillows and sheers).

DIY PROJECTS

How to refinish brass hardware
How to hack a pine table top for a mid-century modern tulip base
How to repair and refinish laminate counters
How to make a dog bowl stand on hairpin legs

SOURCES

Wall Color: Behr Shea 
Cabinet Paint: Rust-Oleum Cabinet Transformations in Winter Fog
Brush Gold Knobs: DIY (Similar)
Counter Paint: Rust-Oleum Countertop Transformations Mica in White
Faucet: Pfister Tamera Pull Down
Tulip Table: Vintage (Similar)
Teak Chairs: Vintage (Similar)
Gold Tweed Fabric: Fabricland (Similar)
Lotte Lamp: Vintage (Similar)
Cat Print: Vintage
Pink Hairpin Leg Dog Bowl Stand: DIY 
Pink McCoy Planters: Vintage (Similar)
Glass Fruit Bowl: Iittala
House Cookie Jar: Vintage (Similar)
Yixing Clay Tea Pot: Similar
Pink Linen Napkins: Similar
Coffee Machine: Pasquini

We found, foraged, and hacked a lot of what went into my Mom's kitchen, but I tried to track down some accessories with the same retro vibe and gold, grey and pink color palette - including some things we pined for and have bookmarked for the real deal reno, like this INSANELY gorgeous gold flushmount light fixture we can't stop drooling over:

Huge thanks to Pfister for providing the faucet and Rust-Oleum for providing the Cabinet Transformations and Countertop Transformations kits as well as the spray paint for the tulip table and DIY dog bowl stand!

Marble Topped Tables - Ideas and Inspiration

I have to give myself a pat on the back because I've kept in check my childhood obsession with rocks.  My family would dread bringing me to the beach because I'd stuff my pockets, and theirs, with smooth stones.  I think my parents asphalted the driveway of my childhood home because in its gravel state it was too vulnerable  - I'm sure half of it ended up in my rock tumbler.  As an adult, though, I've played it cool - even as gems cycle in and out of favor as popular decor items.  Sure, this rock collection is on display and another rock collection adorns the mantle.  And then there was the framed agate art project - oh, and the agate necklace tutorial - but that's it!  So restrained.  In planning our looming bathroom reno, I've been visiting a lot of tile shops and stone yards.  I've been spending an extra long time loitering in the scrap piles, because I've been on the hunt for marble to replace the water damaged tops of our teak side tables.  The legs are solid wood, but the veneered tops have seen better days.  I can't replace the tops without risking damage to the legs, but I can add a larger, round slab of marble on top of the wood, which would have the added benefit of a larger surface.




Sadly, I found out that even leftover marble is charged at the same per foot price as a beautiful, brand new slab (at the few places I tried, anyway), which means table tops would ring in around $400!!  I'm going to keep shopping and hopefully find a bargain.  I don't want to spend a lot of money on this project, but I can't get this idea out of my head:

1st Dibs

West Elm

Meanwhile, poking around a stone yard, this hunk of labradorite stopped me in my tracks:

It may or may not have my name scribbled on it, for a side table project.  Welded legs, square stone top?  But, seriously, it's spendy too, so I might just ogle this photo from time to time and keep my eye on the prize.  Although scraps of stone aren't a bargain, did you know there's garbage bins full of free, smaller hunks?  My mother-in-law uses pieces as trivets on her table and it looks so beautiful and earthy.  I've been told I can raid the garbage bin at one stone yard, so now I'm seriously trying to find my rock tumbler...  

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A Swedish Discovery - Giving New Life to a Yngve Ekstrom Mingo Chair

I am quite smitten with mid-century furniture, although I'm by no means a purist.  I like to mix it up, make it mine, and I'm not at all thrilled by original upholstery (this is so juvenile, but when I see vintage sofa or chair cushions, all I can think about are the decades worth of farts that I imagine to be trapped in the foam - I know there's steam cleaning and that this is an irrational worry but I can't help it).  Anyway, as much as I love it, there is a down side to the solidly built, wood furniture of the 1950s and 60s: maintenance.  Teak, in particular, needs a lot of TLC to look good.  I recently took an afternoon to give our teak dining table, my beloved minty teak chair, and the velvet garbage chair a little love.  I wanted to share the process and results - along with an interesting discovery about my favorite chair.  Turns out it's something special!

Long-time readers might remember me acquiring the minty chair in the Ottawa classifieds years ago, after posting a want ad.  I used a photo of a similar chair, but was really hoping for a mate for my orange tweed chair.  Pairs of chairs have always eluded me.  A mid-century collector contacted me and I drove to Quebec to pick up the chair she was offering.  I loved the curvy arms and how comfortable it was - some mid-century furniture isn't meant for the kind of lounging I like to do.  This was the perfect reading chair, save for one problem: its disintegrating foam and ripped upholstery.

The shot upholstery didn't matter to me because I wanted new foam and fabric anyway (farts!!), so I awkwardly shoved the chair into our Versa and sped home to Ottawa.  I agonized over upholstery samples at my favorite upholster (Kessels).  I'd found the houndsooth tweed, for the kitchen chairs, there, after every other Ottawa fabric and upholstery shop had told me "upholstery-grade black and white houndstooth doesn't exist".  Lol.  Kessels found me at least twenty options, so when it came time to upholster the minty chair they were who I turned to first.  The women who helped me were the ones who pushed the bold, abstracted flower fabric on me and I'm so happy they did because the pattern has made the chair a much-loved piece.

On a related note: I recently re-wrote/edited a post I wrote on picking fabrics.  The core of it is there, but updated with more photos and tips.  I don't know if this is "allowed" in blogland, but it was from so many years ago - back when I had no readers and wrote really boring things (were the two connected?) - but I thought the idea of the post was relevant.  Read the revised post here and share your tips and experiences - I'd love to read them!

I paid $250 for the chair (plus the cost of fabric, which I don't remember, and the labour, which was $400), but I recently learned that this chair is quite rare and fetches a handsome price.  Without markings, I knew nothing about it.  After I'd had it for awhile, and realized how amazingly comfortable it was, I put want ads in kijiji (Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal), looking for a pair, or even just more information.  Nada (but I did receive hundreds of emails asking about the upholstery).  Happily, through the magic of the internet and the genius of someone who saw my chair on instagram, I recently found this Etsy listing:

Turns out my little chair is designed by Yngve Ekstrom, and made in Sweden in the late 1950s.  The chair in the listing sold for $1200!  The good news is that it was definitely worth restoring this guy, but the bad news is that I doubt I'll be able to afford a pair for him.  It was definitely neat, though, to Google "Mingo" (the name of this style) and see tons of these chairs - my chair! - pop up:

Finding out about this chair made me love it even more, and it also made me feel a little sheepish about not taking better care of it.  During the move, a little paint had transferred onto the teak when it was bumped against a wall (teak is so darn soft!) and I hadn't oiled the wood since it had been recovered, mostly because I was terrified of dripping oil on the upholstery.  It was looking a little dry and dull.

I decided I had to take better care of it, immediately.  I draped some old towels on as much of the upholstery as possible and lightly sanded the paint scuff (with a fine grit sandpaper).  Then I oiled the legs, applying the teak oil with a lint-free rag, allowing it to sit for five minutes, and then wiping off - as per the directions.  I've bought many different brands of teak oil, most recently I bought a bottle from Canadian Tire, and I have yet to find the one but I have noticed that the instructions can vary a bit, so always default to what the manufacturer suggests.  I've occasionally let the teak oil soak into the wood for longer than five minutes with no troubles, but otherwise I follow the directions to the letter.

With the house filled with fumes, the furnace blasting and the windows open (why didn't I do this when it was warmer?) I figured I might as well tackle the solid wood arms on the velvet chair I heaved from the garbage.  I still know nothing about him, but I doubt he has any fancy lineage.  Because the wood arms are embedded into the fabric, I used a low-tack painter's tape to protect the velvet, along with strategically draped towels.

I used Danish oil on these arms, like I did when Hubby and I first refinished them.  The arms on the velvet chair were really nerve-wracking to oil, but the result looks so good:

You might have never noticed the paint transfer on the minty chair but I did - it was the first thing I'd see in photos.  Now the wood gleams:

As glorious as the wood arms and legs now look on my two mid-century chairs, I'd like you to ogle my wood pile for a moment.  I spent over an hour filling up the cubby.  It should take a few minutes, but I spent a long time rustling around in our outdoor wood pile, picking out the best pieces - only rounds, which look good but take forever to catch.  Next time it will be a jumble, especially because we plan to burn through the janky pile of really hacked apart pieces left with the house, so I'm enjoying the picturesque pile while I can. 

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