Different busy but nice...

I have mobility issues so the bottom cabinets are rarely used, the uppers were so small and hung so low that they were pretty useless. The pantry was my best solution and the shelves work because its easy to get to everything used daily. The ceiling height was only 6'2 before removing it. Its still low but more functional.

Great solutions and very creatively done. I do understand mobility issues. . . I'm small. I found it best to put in loads of drawers and that is where all of my dishes, serving pieces, pots-pans and daily essentials are kept. More are devoted to baking supplies, foils and plastic wrap, two more to utensils and knives. The pantry with the antique double doors holds all of the food, crock pots, etc. and a roll out step stool so I can get seldom used items off of the shelves. My butcher block is also lower then the regular counters. For a small space it acts big. Amazing what we can do to accommodate our needs.

Is that the final color of the double pantry doors, lillibridge? I agree pantries hold more stuff, with easier access and are more economical than all the cupboards needed to store same.

The doors were two cut into four by a cabinetmaker friend so I could have a butcher-block counter inside. He found the dark green under many layers with the top layer being the crème color. I replicated the green and aged it a bit but left the panels crème since a combo of the two fit the room best. Then I look at Maddlers pantry doors and think 'how gorgeous and creative'. Totally different direction and I love that too.

You certainly brightened up the space. I love the pantry! Great job!

I'm glad you like the transformation but I was wondering this: Do you find it a bit dark?
I keep all my rooms as bright by using large windows and lighting. To be honest I would have tried to find the coin to put in a very large bay window instead of the small one above the sink. I have a very large bay window over the kitchen sink and it often makes my day by watching the deers and snow falling in the winter time. I'd take down the valance over the window and put in a Hunter Douglas set back into the window. No offense intended. Great remodel.

Good call on exposing the rafters. not much else to do when you have a 6'2" ceiling!

Beautiful kitchen but the dark valance (like the pattern) hits me... if it was white or cream background, sheer fabric with print/same colors, that could work. Attaching linen tea towels with rings could be an inexpensive, quick solution - and no loss if you didn't care for it

Another idea --- gather 2 and 1/2 times the fabric on a flat 3 inch rod, or a round rod - easy to sew the pocket for anybody who can sew a straight line. You have the hint of color, fabric, but not blocking any light from the window. Set it just inside the top of the window frame. Can be easily removed for cleaning the window, etc.

Why didn't you do a range hood that vents to the outside?

I did

Great job! Would love to see more pics of that beech breakfast bar. Was it custom made?

@madpaddler, I think people are confusing "your kitchen" with that of "lillibridge".

Not likely. I don't have a beech breakfast bar. I think they are talking about the custom steel (?) base under the beech counter. I would like more info on that too. Really nicely done.

Very cool

I lover the cupboard storage area, and metallic look.

The redo is as dated as the previous redo. Details are out of proportion. Be serious. Look at the few photos provided. No architect employed.

Don't know what you are looking at. My pics are the kit with ss shelves.

???

this is so beautiful!

Dear Madpaddler, I am so sorry. When I saw your 'before' picture I was amazed at how much it looked like our 'before' and in an attempt to highlight the 50's generic style I added my pictures. I guess I should not have acted on that whim. I was attempting to show how different redo's can be when done to meet a personal style. Houzz provides a great and somewhat addictive forum for the average person and seeing what others do is fun and very helpful. I LOVE your kitchen. I am so sorry it also brought out the people whose only goal is to pick apart whatever they see. This is not a forum for architects or designers. Yours is modern and mine is dated. . .they are in mid-century houses and now have very workable kitchens that serve us well. Keep on. It's great.

Jay - shame on you - enuf said

In answer to Lillibridge, the bar top is Ikea beech countertop set on a wood base painted charcoal, with a white shelf that holds towels and ipads recharging station. The galvanized metal is covering one end, look at my bathroom pics, I used the metal in different places in the house.

@mproven, agree .. I thought the purpose of this site was to "help & inspire", not to shame!

@madpaddler, WOW, not only is your kitchen awesome but I suspect the "whole house " is also. Love your use of unusual materials.

Had you seen tat metal used somewhere before or did you have the idea yourself?

Love the texture it adds to both rooms!!

Thank you. Creative and very cool.

Lainie Malone-D'Eon Ditto, and ditto some more. I thought so too, but he appears to be the one bad apple in this bunch...

Lainie --- you are my kind of person.....

I have seen metal used on the back of bars/resturants with outside bars, and I don't have a window in that bathroom so thought it would look dramatic and bounce the light around, there is a solartube in the shower so it looks neat. I also created a wet bath and it was much cheaper than using tile on all the walls.

And thanks to mproven and lilibridge, and others for supporting me regarding "the bad apple".

madpaddler - you are so right... the reflective nature of the metal is amazing. And you are SO welcome in your above captioned comment. Jay In Baltimore City is in a class all by himself, a minority amongst the posts. Keep on paddling!!!!!

I did go replace my valance with 2 dishtowels hung on clips, towels are white, looks better, thanks for advice. I love that black fabric so will use it to make a pillow.

madpaddler -- you are welcome. Trust your eye. With windows, unless it is your intent to block out the light, lighten up your fabric color/more sheer fabric.. just my own opinion. I found with small windows like that, that rod/clips take the "commitment" out of your choices, and you can change if you so desire. I live in Michigan near Detroit, so sometimes I add a heavier curtain to my patio door in the winter to block the cold, and as I change the pillows out in the room to something more wintery, it looks better. The other windows have wood blinds, so changing one 9 ft door is a snap.

Love it. This way you can highlight the small window with the art glass which is a real feature in your kitchen. I just avoid the 'commitment' of curtains wherever I can but our views are perfect for that.

lillibridge --- true, or I just had a "brain storm"... I've seen piece of stained glass - hanging from eye or cup hooks in the upper window. Light, color, art, and a smidge of privacy..

I think we pretty much started with the same kitchen, including the low ceiling. Of course mine had never been remodeled prior. I used a similar approach so I definitely like yours! I'm not quite finished. Someday...

To lilibridge, my house is for sale, I renovated to sell it but lived here for a yr. I live in Tampa, we like to block some sun here. My view is of the driveway and the neighbors roof so who cares about the view. My best view is out back, I did add that little hopper window to that wall next to the stove. I will be building a tiny house it will only be 486 s/f. Can't wait.

Spectacular. I hope you are taking pictures of the new project because I can't wait to see what you create this time. I get the view issue. We have nice neighbors on both sides but our front view is ledge and the back is wetlands. When they built this house they understood the need for proper position. And we do get the smell of the ocean. I just can't see it from here.

Nice! Love the open shelving. Your personality shines through in your kitchen.

Absolutely LOVE what you did! I just bought a 50's rancher and was going to paint all the cabinets white and replace some of the panels on the upper cabinets with glass, but now I want to rip them all out and replace with shelving! GREAT JOB!

Nice transformation!

I also have a fifties ranch with the original kitchen that has an archway to the dining room, a window at the sink, a door to the outside, a door to a bedroom and a door to the basement. No pics yet, but remodel is going to be difficult with all of those openings. Oven/Stove, sink, dishwasher and fridge are all on one side of the kitchen in a row and one tiny closet in the only available corner is the pantry. I grabbed my friend's cabinets and will paint them to save money, but rearranging appliances to get more space is going to be a challenge. Suggestions appreciated. Won't be starting redo for a year so just trying to think it through now. I'm out of state right now, so no photo.

I went with smaller sizes appliances (18" DW, etc) and made a pantry out of space where refrigerator was. Get rid of extra pots, small appliances you rarely use.

Thanks for the idea of smaller appliances. I don't plan on selling, but one never knows the future. I wonder if making the space to fit smaller appliances would make the house harder to sell?

My house had 4 cash offers within 12 hours of listing, so no it didn't matter in my case since I had a 2/1 and a family wouldn't have bought it anyway. I put in a " high end" 24 inch gas range. Bertazzonni range. Not that expenexpensive but a cheap apt size range would have looked awful. There is a 19inch Avanti to gas range that is good looking and less money. I built a 700sf house last year and used the 19 inch range and that house sold with multiple offers. You can still get 6 pieces of chicken in a 19inch oven. I always use 18in Bosch dishwasher holds 9 place settings.

Thank you very much for the specifics you shared. I'm encouraged!

Looks really great! I like the style you went with.