Need some kitchen upgrade ideas, photo in post

[jogalot]

From a basement studio apartment that's for rent. The refrigerator has some rust on the door and needs a door gasket, the range is OK. There's no dishwasher or disposal.

Was thinking of limping the appliances along a few more years only because they blend well with the floor and cabinets. But replacing them with perhaps white is an alternative

And maybe adding a microwave above the range... changing countertop and backspash. Would like to add a dishwasher but don't see how it'd fit in. I don't want to trash the cabinets as they are much better than the photo makes them appear.

I've seen this place for a long time and need a fresh perspective. What would you suggest it needs, if anything?

http://i42.tinypic.com/23t49qo.jpg

Click on image to make it larger.

[cari77]

for me a dishwasher is a dealbreaker, I must have one. however it looks like there isn't really room for one, just thought I'd throw that out there. over the range microwave would be great since it looks like very limited counter space. maybe a shelf above the sink. is there room for an island?(ya know, a small area with a couple cabinets and a countertop?) that would help a lot for the lack of counter space....

ets - are there electrical outlets, I don't see any? (for a blender, toaster.....)

[idkMyBFFist]

Probably can't fit a fullsize dishwasher in but what about something like this linky (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02213369000P?vName=Appliances&cName=Dishwashers&sName=Drawer&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a)

Still not much room to put it, but it would probably be slightly more do-able...

Also, is there enough room for a small island or anything like that?

[Zoe Moon]

The kitchen cabinets look very dated and tired. I would paint them white or off white and replace the handles. Also need to get rid of the ugly vinyl floor and replace it with some nice tiles. That would help a bunch.

If there's room, buy a free standing wooden island on rollers. That way the tenant can use it in the kitchen or move it out of the way if they don't want to use it there. Either way it will give them more storage. It's also cheaper than a stationary island. Lowes has some really nice ones.

[heat1900]

The kitchen looks sweet to me. I won't move anything in the kitchen but somehow a dishwasher is needed. From the picture we can't see a complete scan of the kitchen. The places where we can't see from picture, is there any space for a dishwasher?

[gt6mk31]

How about painting the stove and fridge white to brighten them up. Remove the handles, tape off the chrome stuff and use either spray paint or metal paint. I brush painted a fridge years ago with Rustoleum and it worked fine. Years later I spray painted a dryer white and it lasted years. Both washed fine and didn't chip, crack, or peel. (Tape the fridge gasket unless you are going to change it.)

I wouldn't paint the cabinets either, but then, I hate painted cabinets. Some new hardware would be nice if it can be changed without leaving marks from the old.

And if you can get rid of that gold flooring that would be nice too.

[jogalot]

Thanks for the ideas.

Never really thought of doing anything with the floor... guess gluing something down might work but I don't know how to have it meet the carpet molding.

And the idea of an island is great, but wouldn't work only because the room is small.

Need to be really creative with this small kitchen. Every inch counts. Thanks again for the ongoing ideas.

[idkMyBFFist]

And the idea of an island is great, but wouldn't work only because the room is small.


Could always get a small rolling one too it that could work :)... just not much counter space, and 1/2 of it is in the corner...

[PhoenixFP]

You definitely need to do something with the floor.

Next, if possible I'd see if it wasn't possible to fit some sort of dishwasher in there. What's a kitchen with no dishwasher?

[idkMyBFFist]

You definitely need to do something with the floor.

Next, if possible I'd see if it wasn't possible to fit some sort of dishwasher in there. What's a kitchen with no dishwasher?

Tile is really easy to put in, could probably put it in and grout in 1 weekend... plus you can find cheap ceramic tiles for $1-1.5 sq/ft so it'd be really cheap if the room is small.

If you did a stove top right next to the sink, then you may be able to weasel a dishwasher where the oven is, and do one of the wall unit ovens right above it... however then you really would lose pretty much all the counter space, so the rolling island idea I had would probably also need to be done if practical... That's the only way I can imagine getting a dishwasher in there... unless you could do one of the drawer ones right under the sink, but not sure if that's possible... would probably depend on how it's plumbed.

[Flinstones]

MLV -- don't you need at ask about a kitten upgrade, or something of that nature?

[dipietro1983]

For sure ... replace the floor. If you don't know how to install ceramic tile, look at the commericial grade stick on tile. They are great for tenants (rental units). If one tile gets a rip in it, pulled that tile up and replace that tile. Also, replace the hardware on the cabinets and all appliances. Not sure what your budget is and what state you live in, but certain states are offering good rebates on Energy Star Appliances. Also, watch the discontinued area in Lowes. You can find a fridge, range, etc. a lot cheaper then buying sticker price. Good luck!

[abeo]

If replacing the appliances is not an option, you can get them repainted to a "newer" color.

[jogalot]

Just to fill in some voids, questions or whatever. What you see is the full kitchen, and it's a rental studio.

Although a cart and/or island is a great idea, the place is just too small for it. 390SF total; there's just no room.

Microwave above the range for sure. I'm looking into replacing the carpeting only because it's aged, and will check into a sheet vinyl floor for the kitchen area. I'm concerned about how to transition from the vinyl to the carpet and maybe the same installer can do both. The vinyl that's there now is peeling from the cement where it meets the carpet trim.

Will it look weird, or would a new countertop and backsplash on the old cabinets be a good thing?

[tly504]

you may have to switch the wall cabs above the frig and stove in order to add a microwave/range. you can consider an 18" diswasher right beside the sink.

check out the scratch and dent appliances, you can get great deals.

i would change the hardware on the cabinets...that updates the look on a budget. do you have room for a 12" or 18" pantry beside the fridge?

[dipietro1983]

Just to fill in some voids, questions or whatever. What you see is the full kitchen, and it's a rental studio.

Although a cart and/or island is a great idea, the place is just too small for it. 390SF total; there's just no room.

Microwave above the range for sure. I'm looking into replacing the carpeting only because it's aged, and will check into a sheet vinyl floor for the kitchen area. I'm concerned about how to transition from the vinyl to the carpet and maybe the same installer can do both. The vinyl that's there now is peeling from the cement where it meets the carpet trim.

Will it look weird, or would a new countertop and backsplash on the old cabinets be a good thing?

Lowes has transitioning strips specifically for carpet to vinyl. I would advise looking into the stick on square vinyl tiles. They are easy to install (DIY) and maintenance friendly!

[pictureframes]

If replacing the appliances is not an option, you can get them repainted to a "newer" color.

i had a friend who did that. i thought she got new appliances. u have to get "appliance paint"

they have these stick on tiles for the floor. u can find them @ homedepot, ive seen them @big lots too. i did my bathroom w them and it looks great. quick fix until we can remodel. each box was $10 at BL. and i agree w the paint on the cabinets. if u dont wanna paint get some modern knobs...make it look vintage chic :)

[smiley333]

The main thing I noticed was that the counter and back-splash area blend together. I think it would look much better with some contrast with some paint or tiles on that back wall area. I'm with the others on replacing or painting the appliances. I like the architecture of the cabinets, painting them or having them refinished would be nice and the handles could easily be spray painted to freshen them up or replaced.

[Zoe Moon]

Just to fill in some voids, questions or whatever. What you see is the full kitchen, and it's a rental studio.

Although a cart and/or island is a great idea, the place is just too small for it. 390SF total; there's just no room.

Microwave above the range for sure. I'm looking into replacing the carpeting only because it's aged, and will check into a sheet vinyl floor for the kitchen area. I'm concerned about how to transition from the vinyl to the carpet and maybe the same installer can do both. The vinyl that's there now is peeling from the cement where it meets the carpet trim.

Will it look weird, or would a new countertop and backsplash on the old cabinets be a good thing?

There's a transition strip designed to go from carpet to tile so that shouldn't be a problem. Unless there's a big drop from the kitchen area to the carpeted area. If that's the problem and the drop is too much, the installer can lay down some plywood boards in the carpeted area to even out the floor. Tiles are really cheap and are much more durable than vinyl, so in the long run, they'll save you money over vinyl, which would need to be replaced sooner.

If you're going to take the countertop and backsplash off, why not replace the cabinets at the same time? Those cabinets are really dated and I bet they're quite worn, although you can't tell for sure in the photo. For the size of that area, it wouldn't cost that much for new cabinets. Plus you could get new cabinets that fit the space better (taller/lower) to give the renter more cabinet space.

[idkMyBFFist]

In the end, it's only a rental, so as long as you can keep people in it, there's probably not much incentive to put a whole lot of money into it :)

[wreckonized]

390sf? no problem

this is only 340sf and look what can be done (http://www.wimp.com/shapeshiftingapartment/)

[Zoe Moon]

In the end, it's only a rental, so as long as you can keep people in it, there's probably not much incentive to put a whole lot of money into it :) The advantage to updating the rental is you can get more money for it. Yes, you don't want to spend too much but putting some updates in will more than pay for itself in the long run. Plus when it is vacant, it will rent out faster if it looks nice, so less time between renters.

[gt6mk31]

Someone who is renting a 340 SQ. efficiency isn't expecting a full kitchen or even a dishwasher. Making it bright, clean and welcoming might garner more rent, but even more important than that, it will probably get a better renter.

If you are replacing the carpet why not replace it with commercial/kitchen carpet and do the whole thing, kitchen area and all. Consistent flooring through out a small space tends to make it all flow a little more nicely and have an appearance of more spaciousness rather than chopped up areas. It's also softer to stand on and warmer for a basement apt.

It cleans easily and in 20+ years I haven't had anything I couldn't get out of mine. When my kids were little, I had an entire bottle of pancake syrup dumped and half gallon of grape juice. Not to mention all the other normal stuff. Blot it up and occasionally use my carpet cleaner with nothing but hot water.

[jogalot]

you may have to switch the wall cabs above the frig and stove in order to add a microwave/range. you can consider an 18" diswasher right beside the sink.

Never thought of that. Excellent point. The hood's vented outside, but I can plug the holes in the cabinet with a veneer and no one would ever know they were there, and switch them.

Updating with a more wide angle photo:
http://i42.tinypic.com/23t49qo.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/23t49qo.jpg

And regarding the carpet, can you be more specific as to the type?

Handles and floor for sure... to do the countertop or not?

[gt6mk31]

And regarding the carpet, can you be more specific as to the type?

Handles and floor for sure... to do the countertop or not?

Something like this. (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://www.homedepot.com/Flooring-Carpet-Loop/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xitZar9l/R-100655633/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053) [homedepot.com (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://www.homedepot.com/Flooring-Carpet-Loop/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xitZar9l/R-100655633/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)]

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/100/95/952f13ae-fb65-4bef-a0c2-f0ee8d166ae7_100.jpg (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:swapImage%28%27hero%27,%27http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/95/952f13ae-fb65-4bef-a0c2-f0ee8d166ae7_400.jpg%27%29;) [javascript:swapImage('hero','http (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:swapImage%28%27hero%27,%27http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/95/952f13ae-fb65-4bef-a0c2-f0ee8d166ae7_400.jpg%27%29;)]

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/100/a3/a396c8e6-225a-4f4b-81b3-83982103655c_100.jpg (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:swapImage%28%27hero%27,%27http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/a3/a396c8e6-225a-4f4b-81b3-83982103655c_400.jpg%27%29;) [javascript:swapImage('hero','http (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:swapImage%28%27hero%27,%27http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/400/a3/a396c8e6-225a-4f4b-81b3-83982103655c_400.jpg%27%29;)]

Not necessarily that color. There are many colors available.

What I have now is kind of a steel blue gray with a light gray with fleck of a coppery terra cotta color. And that description sounds horrible but it's subdued and neutral. I have two dogs running in and out of a doggy door in the kitchen too and no problems.

If your budget allows it, I would get rid of the gold counter top.

[Zoe Moon]

Never thought of that. Excellent point. The hood's vented outside, but I can plug the holes in the cabinet with a veneer and no one would ever know they were there, and switch them.

Updating with a more wide angle photo:
http://i42.tinypic.com/23t49qo.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/23t49qo.jpg (http://slickdeals.net/?&u2=http://i42.tinypic.com/23t49qo.jpg)

And regarding the carpet, can you be more specific as to the type?

Handles and floor for sure... to do the countertop or not?

I'm not sure I would trust a tenant to have a microwave over a gas stove. But maybe I'm just being paranoid after TR's tenant set his rental house kitchen on fire.What about putting a nice wooden cart there where that wire shelf is now and putting a microwave on top of it? A free standing microwave is a lot cheaper than a wall mounted unit and no installation needed.

You could get something like this...

Linky (http://www.lowes.com/pd_280210-75152-80690_4294855602+8_4294933768?productId=1079971&Ns=p_product_price%7C0&pl=1&currentURL=/pl_$200%2Bor%2Bless_4294855602%208_4294933768_)

[gt6mk31]

What about putting a nice wooden cart there where that wire shelf is now and putting a microwave on top of it? A free standing microwave is a lot cheaper than a wall mounted unit and no installation needed.
Maybe even a base cabinet with a micro sitting on it and wall cabinet above. You could buy the plain unfinished oak cabinets from Menards or Lowes and stain/finish them to match the existing cabinets. I think it would come close enough and look fine.

[MzSuperStar]

Since you're replacing the carpet just redo the entire floor (kitchen area too). You could do a commercial grade carpet, tile or any kind of laminate - wood or vinyl. The square vinyl peel-n-stick tiles (http://www.realtytrac.com/RNshared/HomeResourceCenter/Thumb633831794218156520Vinyl%20Tile.JPG) (click) people are referring to are even at cheapo stores like Family Dollar - their boxes are the same designs (http://www.homedepot.com/Flooring/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ5yoe9Zaq7r/Ntk-All/Ntt-vinyl%2Btile/h_d2/Navigation?langId=-1&storeId=10051&Ntx=mode+matchpartialmax&catalogId=10053&omni=c_Flooring) (click) as the ones at Lowe's & Home Depot but the ones at Family Dollar usually have a few more in them. WalMart has them in store too.
I thought it was pretty cool how they also used it as a backsplash here (http://www.hgtv.com/kitchens/clever-kitchen-ideas-easy-backsplash/index.html)

[Bradini276]

Paint Cabinets, Put new hardware on them.
Install peel n stick tiles or buy real tile from homedepot for .55-.88 cents sqft.
Buy 4-5 year old white appliances off craigslist, find someone who is upgrading to stainless. I sold my old fridge and stove for $500 total.. it was like new.
Don't worry about a dishwasher for a 1-2 person apartment.
I can't comment on the countertop and backsplash because I can barely see it, but from the looks of it I would leave it alone.

edit: Buy a small countertop microwave and put it on the dead space next to the stove.

[rooter]

Just to reiterate what others have said:

Repaint the appliances white (easy)
Replace the cabinet hardware (cheap and easy)
Paint the cabinets
Add a microwave over the oven
Replace the flooring. Go cheap and easy with stick on tiles.
Some sort of shelf or rack over top of the sink. Too much dead space there not to use it for something.
Another electrical outlet? Hard to tell if there's any at all

[angell48060]

I agree, you can look on craigslist and find appliances for cheap. I would definitly do something with those cabinets. Refinishing them would make a huge difference in how the kitchen looks. I found this on diy http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-reface-and-refinish-kitchen-cabinets/index.html Also a new faucet on the kitchen sink would spruce it up a bit too.

[jc2008]

I think an update of the cabinetry would be a good idea. They look like in great shape, so you dont need to replace. Cannot see handles very well but they look rather large?

I just recently did my kitchen (bought a gutted house so had to do EVERYTHING) and I ordered all my handles for kitchen/bathroom from this place:
http://www.dlawlesshardware.com/

Free shipping with $50 and i ordered a bunch of $1 knobs, and splurged on the Fleur De Lis knobs at 1.50 each for the kitchen (new orleans style :).


A quick way to spruce up cabinets is to 'glaze' them. The cabinet lady at the store i got my cabinets from said you can easily glaze cabinets yourself by getting one of the touch up pens for cabinets in a darker color, then just go over the grooves in the woodwork with them wiping after you draw a line on the grooves.

You can get laquer touch up pens at cabinet stores, or they had a deal here on SD a month or so ago for these:
http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?sduid=375697&t=1954574

You just basically draw along the grooves then wipe, and draw again then wipe til you get the desired effect :)

As for appliances, craigslist if you need to get new and cannot fix up the old to look nice.

[SlicKitty]

It looks like you could pull up that carpet and make the kitchen a lot bigger. Is there something preventing you from moving into the space occupied by the carpet?

[HeyLookItsMe]

The cabinets are ugly dated and too darkThe color of the flooring is horrible
The sink/faucet could look a whole lot nicer
Under cabinet lighting will cut out the horrible shadows

[Scampsters]

Linoleum has supposedly come back and you can get vinyl flooring now that looks modern and fresh. We are thinking of getting some that really does look like tile. The difference being that when you drop something you wont have to replace the whole floor.

Freshen it up but dont put a huge amount of money into it because the place may get trashed by a renter.

[Monkfish]

Linoleum has supposedly come back and you can get vinyl flooring now that looks modern and fresh. We are thinking of getting some that really does look like tile. The difference being that when you drop something you wont have to replace the whole floor.

Freshen it up but dont put a huge amount of money into it because the place may get trashed by a renter.

Be careful with true Linoleum (rolled stuff) - you need an installer that really knows what they are doing (it's trickier than vinyl/peel and stick tiles) A relative of ours had some installed a couple of years back and it was a nightmare from start to finish. They do have a couple of major blemishes in it too from things being dropped. If it was my place I'd recommend going with vinyl over linoleum anyday.

[HeyLookItsMe]

Linoleum has supposedly come back and you can get vinyl flooring now that looks modern and fresh. We are thinking of getting some that really does look like tile. The difference being that when you drop something you wont have to replace the whole floor.

Freshen it up but dont put a huge amount of money into it because the place may get trashed by a renter.
wtf they should put pergo down… if a renter destroys it then that the security deposit

[Scampsters]

wtf they should put pergo down… if a renter destroys it then that the security deposit

Even if the deposit did cover the damage do you want to really go through the time aggrevation of fixing the stuff

We rent here and the owners put alot of work into it so they are really anal about the smallest nail hole. they even told us what sort of picture hooks we needed to use when we hung stuff up.

Your using it as a rental property dont put in stuff that you have an emmotional bond to and wouldnt cost a fortune to fix/replace when something happens from simple use. I said when because its a certain.