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Do Less, Get More
By Keeping the Old Cabinets, These Homeowners Could Splurge on New Appliances
by Joetta Moulden
photos by Janet Lenzen

Reprinted with permission from Houston House and Home Magazine

Recently I received a call from a young couple, Karen Covington-Drenker and her husband, Bob Drenker, who wanted to remodel their circa-1926 kitchen in one of Houston's older neighborhoods. As parents of two 4-year-old twin daughters, they had already stripped the old pinkish-white linoleum off the floors, and were ready to replace all the cabinets and countertops.

They wanted a consultation on style and color. Before I met with the Drenkers, I asked them to mark photos from magazines and books
to show me the look they were after, so it would be easy to visualize
their desires.

When we got together and I saw the kitchen for the first time, Karen showed me photo after photo of white, Shaker-style cabinets, just like the ones she already had. She was planning on removing the cabinets and replacing them with new ones that would look just like the existing cabinetry, yet was not planning on replacing the appliances.

My theory is if you are going to spend a chunk of change on new cabinets, then at least end up with a change! Immediately I suggested they keep their existing cabinets, freshen them with paint and install drawer glides for easier operation. I then pointed out that their biggest problem was the outdated, mismatched appliances - which they had not planned to replace.

The behemoth refrigerator was a big issue. It was located right by the narrow, L-shaped turn into the laundry room and garage, and its depth of 35 inches made it jut out 10 inches from the wall of cabinets, limiting the amount of walking space available to round the corner into the kitchen (with sacks of groceries and twins in tow).

Once the couple saw what a difference it would make to the improved flow and efficiency of the kitchen to buy a space-saving, 24-inch-deep Sub-Zero refrigerator, the light bulb went on. "I didn't even think of replacing my appliances," Karen explains. "We had set a budget of $15,000 for the remodeling, figuring that $5,000 would go towards new cabinets. I couldn't be happier with the new refrigerator and the stainless Jenn-Air range. The new appliances transformed the entire space.

"Now, when looking into the kitchen from the living room, you see a sleek appliance instead of my old white Whirlpool covered in children's artwork and sticky notes," Karen smiles. "I moved the artwork to the magnetic chalkboard above the kitchen buffet, and the rest to the playroom."

I also suggested they keep the dishwasher, which they'd already paid for, and trim the front of it with stainless steel to match the new appliances.

"Instead of sinking a lot of money into new cabinets," Karen says, "we hired Henry Kirkland of Kirkland Contractors to paint and re-hang the cabinets and to install new crown moulding along the tops of the cabinets and the Sub-Zero. His carpenter also built a suspended shelf for our microwave, since counter space is at a premium."

Additionally, the owners replaced their white double sink with a l0-inch deep stainless sink with no center divider, and a new gooseneck faucet with cross handles.

The couple spent $1,615 on carpentry work, $8,774 on new appliances and $2,500 on granite countertops. This truly is a budget kitchen redo.

"We used the money we saved on the cabinets to update the kitchen lighting, and had Henry's carpenter build a bookcase in our girls' room," Karen notes.

Once the kitchen was completed, I suggested that they expand their plate collection, which looked rather skimpy on such a tall wall, and to substitute another desk chair of darker tone for the pale, contemporary folding desk chair.

In the pantry, I suggested that Karen add additional Metro shelving to the end of the room (available from The Container Store), to get the clutter off the floor, and add additional baskets to the shelves to corral the less attractive pantry items.

The couple says the construction went very smoothly because they did it in stages. "First we did the floor, then the appliances, the cabinet painting and finally the counters," Karen says. "Our ideas about what we wanted when we started the project ended up completely changing.

"My advice is before you start ripping out walls and cabinets, invest in the advice of an interior designer or architect," she says. "You may wind up spending far less money than you initially were going to. Go on home tours and look through magazines for ideas. And, finally, take your time - take on one project at a time. It will save your sanity and help you think through the process before you take your next step."

Joetta Moulden offers home makeovers using your own home furnishings. Visit her web site at www.shelterstyle.com or e-mail her at info@shelterstyle.com.

Trade Secrets

• Gather photos from magazines and books of remodeling projects you find pleasing. If you study them, they will reveal a pattern, like white cabinets, for example.
  
  
• Sometimes the most effective ploy is not to gut your kitchen, but to rethink what you already have.
  
  
• Think about refacing the doors of your existing cabinet boxes, either with paint - or literally. If you hate the doors' mouldings, but like the height and placement of the boxes on the wall, have a carpenter replace just the doors and hardware.
  
  
• Because you saved so much money by not replacing your cabinets, splurge on a custom, granite or solid surface countertop.
  
  
• Add your personality to the kitchen with collections, baskets, pretty bottles of vinegar and gleaming copper pots.