Sprucing up the kitchen

Come share your ideas for sprucing up your property.

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Teatime
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Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:21 am
Location: Abilene TX

Hi all!
My Spring project is giving my kitchen a new look. One of the few things I didn't like when I bought my home was the wallpaper on one wall in the kitchen and the "box" (on the other side is a built-in bar in the living room) which was painted light blue with a border.

Thanks to the FABULOUS tips I read here on the forum, I successfully painted the wallpaper wall and the "box" white to match the other wall. :D I'm in the process of painting all of the cabinets a medium silver-blue. It's looking SO nice with the stainless steel appliances.

The next step is new vinyl flooring. It currently has sheet vinyl (certainly not the best grade) that covers the kitchen and extends into the laundry and utility areas plus the master bath. The existing vinyl is fine for those areas and I think I'd rather leave those be so I can afford better flooring for the kitchen since it gets so much traffic. Is there any downside to that?

Also, is it OK to install new sheet vinyl over the existing or should the existing be taken up? Ditto on vinyl tile -- could that be installed over the existing vinyl? Which would be better -- sheet vinyl or vinyl tile -- in terms of being longer lasting and the better barrier against moisture and such?

Lastly, I'm seriously considering the old-fashioned black and white checkerboard pattern as it would look GREAT with the white, silver blue and stainless steel. (The appliances have black trim.) Do any of y'all have that pattern or know someone who does? Do y'all think it would be a pattern that would become irritating or tiresome over time? Limiting it to the kitchen would prevent overload, LOL.

Thanks!
Julie
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Yanita
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Hi Julie,

Nothing lifts the spirits and over all appearance of the home quicker than paint!

Hope you post pics of your new look!.

As for vinyl tile vs sheet vinyl. I can tell you of my experience and the pros and cons of certain applications.

I love the black white checkered floor pattern. Seems everytime I look for inspiration to start my kitchen I always end up with a common theme blk/wh checks.

I did this in my other home in the kitchen only. Loved it. I used NOVALIS brand peel and stick tiles OVER the original vinyl in the home. My kitchen was centered in the home and received lots of traffic and 3 active granddaughters every other weekend.

Personally if you are going to use a peel and stick do not compromise with a low quality product. novalis is one of the best. Installation is easy. LOL, I did not tire of the pattern. When you install the tiles over existing vinyl there is some prep work that needs to be done.

Hopefully you have no deep rips/tears etc in your existing vinyl. If so these will need to be repaired with a floor leveling compound. Floor will need meticulous cleaning. When installing a checked pattern it is best to measure the room, make a chalk line from side to side length and width. Where the lines intersect will be center. This is where you begin with your first tile. Yes, there will be more waste and cutting of tiles when you get to the walls. But the overall pattern will look professionally done. Cutting the tiles is easy with a sharp utility knife and a box of new blades and a straight edge.

By leaving the existing vinyl under the tiles you are giving your sub floor extra protection from any water from the top surface...

The advantages to to sheet vinyl is it might be cheaper depending on the product. Installation is quicker. Annnnd, of course it being a full sheet with no seams is the best protection you can have for your floors. If installing new sheet vinyl I would not install over the existing vinyl. Instead I would do a complete tear out of existing, lay down luan, float all seams and then install new vinyl.

Now as far as different patterns on floors...typically (according to the pro's) you want to keep continuity in your floor patterns and colors. In other words, all the carpets the same color and all other hard surfaced floors the same color. personally if you choose to break it up that is fine with me. Although I think it looks better when rooms are visible to one another than the floors need to be in the same color hue. Example my home has taupe colored carpets in bedrooms and livingroom, all other floors are done in a taupe colored sheet vinyl in a tile pattern.

JMO, Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Teatime
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:21 am
Location: Abilene TX

Thanks, Yanita! You've given me a lot to think about! I'm disabled and am very limited in my mobility -- heh, y'all wouldn't believe how long it's taking me to paint but I'm very determined and do a little bit every day. It's a huge sense of accomplishment!

The existing vinyl is in good condition -- no tears, bumps or gouges. I was thinking that maybe I could install the vinyl tiles myself but that's probably not realistic. It's not like painting where you can do a little bit at a time. Especially with three dogs romping about!

I guess I'm going to have to price this out -- it sounds like installing sheet vinyl will cost a lot more since they have to tear out the existing vinyl, etc. I'm surprised that luan or some coating can't be put down over the existing vinyl!

Glad to find another fan of checkerboard! And I'm especially glad to hear you haven't tired of it! I think it looks sooooo cool! Did you buy boxes of black and boxes of white tiles? I'm not finding pure black and pure white anywhere online!

Julie
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Yanita
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Hi Julie,

I ran into that also, no pure black or white. Thankfully the Novalis brand sold at Lowe's come in 18x18 inch tiles. Each tile has a checked pattern, equivalent to 4 tiles.

On the new vinyl installation since your existing is in great shape, it would be possible to skim coat the entire existing vinyl with a floor leveling compound and then install the new over the top. The reason for the skim coat is so any texture from existing vinyl does not bleed into the new.

As far as installing luan over existing vinyl...hmmm, not sure of any technical reasons for it not being done that way, but it was not what I was taught many years ago.

LOL, I am still gathering ideas and supplies to renovate my kitchen, and I keep going back to the checkered pattern. What is hard for me is my diningroom and kitchen are together. The only thing that divides the 2 rooms is a small narrow wall the width and at the end of the kitchen counter.

I know that checkered and taupe sheet vinyl will not look good together when joined with a transition bar. This is what I was trying to say in my earlier post, about keeping the floors cohesive with one another. I really do not want checkered in the diningroom...BUUUUT, LOL, it would look good! But, with that said not sure that the checkered would look good next to the taupe carpet in the livingroom, the diningroom opens up into there.

Oh...decorating, it becomes such a process huh? Sometimes I think I should leave well enough alone...

BUT, that is not me, always got to be doing something, today was making a cornice to go over the patio doors in the office/entry/foyer area. Once that was built I had to go to Lowe's and buy the paint...then off to the fabric store to buy the blue/yellow toile fabric for the new drapes that I want to make...

You know I could of just relaxed, instead I managed to tear up the house...

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Teatime
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:21 am
Location: Abilene TX

Yanita,
I totally know what you mean about decorating. It's always a process, LOL. It sounds like you've got the touch! I'm good with the big stuff, choosing colors, hiring guys to install what I want, etc. but I'm not good with crafts and flourishes. My hands are very swollen and don't work well doing fine things.

My dining room is separated by the kitchen by an 8-9 foot long breakfast bar with a very wide countertop and a bunch of cabinets hanging overhead. There are cabinets at the end of the breakfast bar that wrap around it into the kitchen, too. It's a pretty good divider.

I have wood parquet flooring in the dining room, into the entranceway, and the living room. I think the checkerboard vinyl would look fine with the parquet since there are dividing walls and defined rooms. I brought samples of some wood-look and marble-look vinyl and it looked AWFUL next to the parquet. The browns and beiges just clashed next to the wood. Weirdly enough, I think the drastic difference will look better.

I went to the Congoleum website and read the installation instructions for their vinyl installation. As long as the existing vinyl is in good condition, they prefer to install the new vinyl over it. They mentioned some substance they spread over it if the vinyl is textured. Mine is, slightly.

I'm excited! Now I just have to finish painting all of those cabinets, sigh.

Julie
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Yanita
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Hi Julie,

Good for you to do your research on installations. Seems the flooring manufacturers sometimes differ on there installations, this is why I always recommend finding out.

The stuff they are going to use may be a different named product but it is going to act like I mentioned, just giving your existing vinyl a smooth surface.

Good luck with your project and hope it turns out as you anticipate!

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Katie
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:29 am
Location: Central Florida

I am excited for you getting your kitchen all "prettified". I have just had a bad experience with the new sheet vinyl that you don't glue down.... its taped down on the edges and other places. It is bubbling up on us and I am starting to feel hatred welling up inside of me......enough of that problem.
If I was going to lay down a checkerboard pattern I would do a diagonal. Wouldn't that look cool? Of course it is more work, but if you have professionals who know how to do it right...... anyway, I am happy for you and isnt it fun to share here. I learned so very much from this site, and this is the second mh I have fixed up. Yanita is awesome, and always makes you feel like you can do it.

Have fun. Sing. :) Katie
It's only money, Right?
Teatime
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:21 am
Location: Abilene TX

Hi Katie,
Actually, Armstrong has a black and white diagonal pattern in their sheet vinyl. I looked at it in their room function and it made me dizzy, LOL! I crossed it off the list.

Luckily, my existing vinyl is just so entirely neutral that it's fine for now with the "new look" and I'm not pressed to buy new flooring right away. Gives me time to ponder. :)

Yep, this site and Yanita, in particular, rock!!!!

Julie
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Yanita
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Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:16 pm
Location: Eastern N. Carolina

Good morning Ladies...

Hmmmm, As you know from my previous postings I am still in the planning stages of a complete reno of my kitchen..LOL, which has now gone into the diningroom! :shock:

With all this talk of a black/wh checkered floor, one of my favorite patterns I have now revisited the idea. :D Can I say Hubby is not impressed as this will require more work, LOL, I had to promise that I would install the flooring. :wink:

Thanks for the compliments, with all the time that I put in here (as well as the other mods) it is refreshing when members acknowledge us!

Will look forward to seeing some pics of what you ladies are doing.

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Teatime
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:21 am
Location: Abilene TX

Yanita,
You go, girl!!!

I have to say that the dining room has been my favorite room of the house. The furniture and accessories I brought from my other home fit into this room PERFECTLY and, once we installed the parquet flooring, I had EXACTLY the look I wanted!

When you come in the front door, the dining room is straight ahead so it's the first room you see without having to turn your head. That's why I'm so pleased that it looks great with minimum effort from us.

A lot of it was lucky chance and serendipity, though. The previous owner had painted the dining room antique white and added a grapevine wallpaper border around the center of the walls. Normally, I'm not a fan of borders but this absolutely works! Oddly enough, from my other home I was bringing a Tiffany stained-glass overhead lighting fixture with decorative iron work and stained glass that featured purple grapes and and other fruit. It's PERFECT with the border!

Another weird coincidence was that I had ordered medium oak parquet flooring for the dining and living rooms but, when it was delivered, we discovered that about 30 percent of the order came in with darker wood. I was about to call and have them pick it up when I realized that the darker wood would actually look FAB in the dining room if there was enough of it. And there was -- EXACTLY enough to do the dining room. Heh! So, instead of the parquet effect, the dining room got darker wood flooring with natural wood tones. It looks GREAT!

I brought a farmhouse wood table and round-back wood chairs and a lovely buffet with hutch, all with a darkish finish, from my other house. After hanging my old-fashioned cork pub signs and dark baskets on the walls, I realized I had a warm, cozy dining room with a Tuscan feel. I've played that up with a bamboo matchstick shade on the picture window and bamboo placemats. I had also brought with me a lot of dark blue and white porcelain table accessories -- candleholder, napkin holder, and a medium blue blown glass fruit bowl. It looks WONDERFUL on the table and hutch.

I love this room! It's a wonderful place to eat and linger. So, while I wanted the kitchen to have a more clean and modern style, it couldn't clash with the lovely dining room, since both rooms share the large wide counter, breakfast bar and some cupboards.

The greyish blue I chose for the cupboards just works somehow. (It's Behr Premium Plus Winter Lake -- you can see it at behr.com.) I think it's a color that you can make modern or antique-ish. I've kept the wood trim around the cupboards and haven't painted that so I think it allows a good transition.

I can't find the cable that connects my digital camera to my computer, grrrrr. When I do, I'll try to add pics. It's all hard to describe!

Julie
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Yanita
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Location: Eastern N. Carolina

Hi Teatime,

OMG and LOL, our decorating taste seem to parallel a little. I have a huge collection of blue on white china! The dinnerware set was made in England...wedgewood... willow ? Hmmm, cant remember at the moment. I also have a large collection of blue on white vases etc...Your diningroom sounds beautiful.

When you enter my home from the back side, you enter into a large foyer for a mobile home. This entry is literally as large as any single wide bedroom! It measures 8x12. you enter through a set of patio doors. Go left you are in the kitchen, continue on and then you are in the dining, go right you are now in the livingroom. Go to the other end of the livingroom and you are back into the foyer or can go into the kitchen.

I love the foyer entrance, with it being so large and the doors there is alot of light, which I love. This room has evolved into a french country style. Light caramel colored walls, black antique fire place surround. My desk which is a newer style secretary I painted black. Alot of the blue/white plates are hung on the wall, and the vases displayed on various shelving units and stands.

At this time I am making a pair of blue/yellow toile drapes for the patio doors. There is taupe colored carpet in this area, same as the livingroom and bedrooms. But in the foyer I have a beautiful 6x10 wool area rug over the top of the carpet. Alot of black and browns with taupe and . Ties in real well with the black furniture and taupe of the carpet.

I am currently on the hunt for either a very long narrow farm house table or what I think is called an antique sewing table. I want this or something similar I think for my kitchen counter. I only have counters on one side of my kitchen. LOL, if you could even call it a counter. My kitchen is a very tiny galley kitchen, I personally love it.
Love the size that is, not it's current condition.

I am also on the hunt for a farmhouse sink, you know the ones with the front apron on the sink. I also want the faucet to mount under the window not on the sink...not sure how much luck I will have with this.

I did find at auction the antique faucet , but Hubby needs to take it to a friend that is a machinist and do something with it. I love all things old...go figure huh...except getting old myself! While out on the hunt I am also looking for some corbels...love them and in hopes to be able to collect enough to go under the corners of soon to be installed kitchen cupboards. That is another thing I love, vintage architectural pieces.

Oh well, sooner or latter I will get my materials all together and have at it.

Take care,

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Teatime
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:21 am
Location: Abilene TX

Yanita,
Oh, wow, I collect English porcelain, too! I have brown and white transferware that's about 140 years old, from what I've been able to learn. I don't know what the pattern is called, but it shows a gentleman playing a lute while a couple of ladies swoon, LOL. I found it at an antiques mall and the lady who had it didn't know what she had -- she sold it to me for $5 per piece! Can't remember if the English maker is Mason or Wood and Sons. Anyhoo, it was a bargain! I would have LOVED to buy Wedgewood or Spode but it's very expensive. I keep on the lookout, though.

I collect Royal Worcester figurines and such, too, plus anything else English that strikes my fancy. I have an English wood and silver biscuit barrel that I just love! My blue and white pieces are from Mexico, though. Still, they're very attractive and were soooooo inexpensive.

I'm so jealous that you have a foyer!!!! The layout of your home sounds GREAT! I don't envy the galley kitchen, though. Been there, done that, hated it. One of my "musts" was a large kitchen. My current one is 13.5 X 11. I love all of the counter and cabinet space, plus the fact that several of us can be in the kitchen at the same time without bumping into and cussing at each other, hahahaha. We're a family of foodies!

Wish you lived nearby -- we'd have a blast looking for treasures at second-hand stores! There's a furniture auction that has some really great things at reasonable prices in Ft. Worth. If I want/need something special, that's where I'd go. Otherwise, we do have an antique store in town that gets in some beautiful furniture, too.

Julie
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Yanita
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Ohhh Julie,

Every consignment/junk/antique shop within a 50 mile radius knows me by name! I have some friends that during the summer we go to lots of yard sales, flea markets etc.

My Wedgewood collection sort of took on a life of its own. 2 hutches latter and numerous plates, platters etc hung on the walls...looks great with caramel colored textured walls.

I love transfer ware, but over the past few years it is getting rather spendy. I love all the colors, especially the red, LOL, hopefully I can collect some of all the colors. If you ever find a piece from a china set and want history about it go to Replacements.com

LOL, I too have several pieces marked made in China. Granddaughters buy according to color, not the collection value. Love them just the same. BUT, if you come across pieces marked MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN, those do have value.

Another very large collection I enjoy is McCoy Pottery. I have a good sized collection of the vases, jardiniere's and plant pots. I am not real big on the "utilitarian pieces although Granddaughters once again seem to enjoy buying those as well as they have started me a collection of cookie jars! With a galley kitchen this is getting hard.

Other favorite and vast collections are curtains, vintage fabrics and table cloth's, depression glass...oh goodness I collect toooooo much! guess now you have a good idea of why I am always decorating or redecorating my home.

Speaking of the kitchen, I really like it! Yes, it is small but ever since my first son was born way back in 77 I never allowed them in the kitchen while I was cooking, actually prefer no one in there and under foot. LOL, including me...I like reservations!

I do like the layout of my home. When I am sitting at the desk I get the sun and light from the patio doors at my right and can look over to my left and see out the front door onto the porch.

Thankfully we have a relatively short hallway, when you reach the end of it there is a recessed area of 3x3 foot area. To the left is the sons bedroom and to the right is the master suite. Where you have a huge kitchen I have a huge master suite. It is 22 feet long and 13' wide at one end and 16 feet wide at the other end, kind of L shaped.

I really enjoy being in there, one end obviously has the bed and night stands, the other end has the tv armour, chaise chair and a winged back chair, couple small stands and an ottoman...love to go there and shut out the world. From in there if I open the door I can see the pool and some of the gardens!

So you are not confused we have 3 exterior doors. The one in the master suite we had installed so we could go to the pool and patio, without having to walk out the back and go the length of the home and then off to the side.

OK, enough about me, LOL, this is like the first time I have found someone here that has similar interest as myself...nice to meet yeah!

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Teatime
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:21 am
Location: Abilene TX

It's great to meet you, too, Yanita! It's nice to be able to discuss decorating with someone who "gets" my taste, LOL. The layout of your home sounds really cool! How many square feet is it?

The cabinet painting continues, sigh. I'm really, really sick of it, LOL. However, I don't think I'll have to paint quite as many as I anticipated. As I previously described, a very wide counter, wrap-around overhead cabinets and a breakfast bar on the dining room side separate my kitchen from my dining room. The wrap-around cabinets protrude but the section of cabinets over the breakfast bar don't and, of course, there's a wooden inset at the bottom so you can sit at the breakfast bar.

I only painted the protruding cabinets and not the inset or the recessed cabinets over the breakfast bar. It looks fine! Yay! That saves me from painting the four recessed cabinets!

Since the end is somewhat in sight, I'm starting to actively seek new vinyl flooring. I CANNOT find the black and white checkerboard ANYWHERE! I can special order it but that costs a bundle, sigh. So, I'm seeking other black and white options.

Yesterday, I found a really nice type of vinyl called Earthscapes. They have a GORGEOUS charcoal color (called Medici) that is supposed to look like black marble. The pattern looks like black tiles with greyish-white grout and it has white and silvery accents in each square. I brought the sample book home and, yes, it would look awesome! The guy's coming Monday to measure and give me an estimate.

Earthscapes is SO thick and soft. However, now I'm reading online that some folks have had a problem with it tearing. Grrrrrrrrr. I'm still going ahead with the estimate but a lot will depend what sort of product and labor warranty they offer.

I never would have considered charcoal black flooring and it's given me something to think about. If I go with predominantly black, though, I wouldn't be putting it in the laundry and utility areas. There are no windows there and it would make those areas very dark. However, what I would do is make a sort of long "runner" with the leftover vinyl and place it in that hallway. This would tie the areas together without making them oppressively dark. The kitchen has a good-sized window and my dining room has a picture window so the black flooring wouldn't be oppressive in the kitchen.
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Yanita
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Hi Julie,

Congrats on getting your cabinets painted. Can't wait until I can rip mine out. Told Hubby he would not have to demo the kitchen...LOL, I can handle that and enjoy doing it.

Anyways, the flooring...go to Lowe's.com and check out the flooring. They sell a brand called Novalis, it is a peel and stick product and thus far one of the few that I would recommend. It is thick and adheres remarkedly. In the Novalis brand they have tiles that are 18x18 inches. On each tile there are 4 blocks, black/white alternately. I had these in my other home. They are pure black and pure white colors.

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
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