Kitchen remodels do not have to be extensive or expensive if the kitchen was designed well in the first place with quality cabinetry.
Inexpensive Kitchen Remodel using paint, laminate and pieces from a local antique store
We designed and built this house in 1986 and are still right here in Cushing, ME. I was in my late 20’s and had never designed a kitchen before but I had worked my way through school in restaurants and had hosted numerous large dinner parties. I knew that having lots of counter space, an efficient work triangle, a pantry, and a serving area with lots of electrical outlets would work well for my lifestyle. Most people would have put the sink in front of the window but I liked having it in the middle of the island, across from the range, and facing the kitchen & dining room tables.
Laminate Countertops, Ideal Edge, Cushing, ME, Remodel, photo makes kitchen look much narrower than it actually is.
Flash forward to 2014. The kitchen layout worked well and the cabinets were solid cherry. The tile floor was fine. The two major problems were the finish on the cabinets and the dark green formica countertop. They had held up amazingly well with hard, hard use but the look was very 1980’s. The easiest and most cost effective fix was to repaint the cabinets with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and to replace the countertops with laminate. We also refaced the front of the island to accommodate a lovely rosewood piece that we discovered at the Nobleboro Antiques Exchange.
Annie Sloan Paint Cans, Kitchen Remodel, Cushing, ME
The Annie Sloan Chalk Paint was so easy to work with and although the paint cost $40 a quart, the whole paint job cost about $200 in materials and took me 60 hours (3 weekends of listening to Ted Talks while painting).
Actually, multiply that all times two because I painted the cabinets Annie Sloan’s historic green, in the middle of winter on a whim, and then repainted them a more subtle blend of Old White and Brown. The green was fun and we liked it but it didn’t fit the rest of the house.
Annie Sloan Green Painted Cabinets, Kitchen Remodel, Cushing, ME
The hemp oil finish gave the paint a nice patina and an easy care surface. I painted the interior of the doors a contrasting color and asked Olivia and Brenna Lawler, who were here visiting with their parents, to paint a different native Maine plant on the inside of each door. The girls did a lovely job. Every time I open a cabinet door it reminds me of them.
Lupine Hand Painted Inside Kitchen Cabinet Door, Cushing, ME
The new laminate countertops blend well and cost much less than stone. I would have loved a rough hewn slate countertop and slate farm sink but considering the cost and the fact that the original laminate had held up well for 25 years, I decided I could live with laminate countertops and our original extra deep stainless steel sink. The color is nice and laminate is quieter than stone. The Ideal Edge is nice but I am not sure it warrants the extra expense. They cut a 45 degree angle on the squared off back splash to hide the seams at no extra cost. If I had seen how nice that looked before ordering the Ideal Edge, I would have chosen the square edge and saved 30% .
Kitchen Cabinets Doors Hand Painted, Cushing, ME
Not everyone has the budget to completely redo their kitchen and even if they do, they don’t necessarily want to spend it all in one room. When people tell us what they want and how much they want to spend, we listen carefully. Our goal is to match our clients’ wishes with their budget rather than encourage them to spend more than they are comfortable spending.
Are you planning to remodel your kitchen or bathroom in the Midcoast Maine area? If so, we would love to work with you. Call 207 354 6177 and ask to speak with Crystal.
