An older kitchen should incorporate some of yesteryear's charm.
Improving an older kitchen provides the opportunity to use great artistic touches. You can incorporate vintage-look appliances, artwork and tile designs, for example. Try to avoid making the kitchen too high-tech if the home has great historic features. Keep some of the old flavor as you remodel to make the kitchen function well for the 21st century. A 1940s kitchen redo might also include family heirlooms, such as bowls or cabinets, you wish to display. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Inspect the kitchen thoroughly to look for repairs needed. Pull back linoleum or vinyl flooring to examine floor boards. Look under the kitchen sink for any plumbing issues or water damage. Plan on which, if any, cabinets or fixtures will remain, so you can carefully remove any base cabinets, upper cabinets or pipes from the space. Remove cabinetry gently, in case you want to reinstall some of it after refinishing.
2. Go into basement or crawlspace areas. Look at water pipes and drains beneath the house. Hire a professional to examine all electrical wiring coming into the kitchen. Figure out what new plumbing will be needed and decide if a new breaker box might be a good idea. Don't begin the work until all permits have been acquired, however. Take documentation of your electrician's report to the building officials when you apply for permits.
3. Gut the kitchen to the studs for new wall covering and flooring. Run new plumbing and wiring while walls are open. Insulate exterior walls with fiberglass insulation, because homes built in the 1940s likely did not have insulation in any walls. Add plaster board or drywall over studs and finish with appropriate materials before painting. Work on the flooring by pulling up any sub-flooring and replacing it in sections, if needed, before laying new flooring.
4. Install new cabinets and the sink. Plan the placement of a new gas range and other appliances around the cabinets' footprint. Use a reproduction farmer's sink, antique stand-alone cabinets and 1940s framed prints on the walls to add ambiance, if desired. Remodel the kitchen to harmonize with nearby rooms and their decorative style.
5. Finish the floor before completing final kitchen touches. Lay tile and allow the grout to dry thoroughly. Roll in the range and refrigerator carefully on a truck-dolly to keep from scratching the floor. Hook up light fixtures and add any needed open shelving.
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