If I had a dime for every time I walked in a client's home and they had oak builder's grade cabinetry I'd have....well, a whole lot of dimes. Personally I would welcome the builder cabinet in any future home of mine. Simply because the updating possibilities are endless and I wouldn't feel bad ripping out the previous owner's "remodel". Which in my area usually means cherry cabinetry, beige travertine, and neutrals. Boooring. Being a designer can be a curse I tell you! If I had tons of money to throw around (Ha! That's laughable) in my future brand spanking new fixer-upper abode I would do a 100% from scratch reno. If I had a little less money to throw around and a whole lotta spare time (Yeah, sounds more like me) I would go DIY all up in there.
Builder Grade Kitchen
Well, we got the usual suspects here. Oak wood, arched door style, tacky scalloped sink valance, hideous hardware, white solid surface top, and $25 faucet with mismatched side sprayer. Hey you... yeah track home builder I'm talking to you. Why don't you spring the extra 10 bucks for a matching stainless sprayer? Ugh, cheapos.
With a little bit of creativity and elbow grease this kitchen can become something pretty outstanding. Just take a look at the following examples:
#1 Swedish Country Classic
Paint those bad boys white, rip out the valance, and update the hardware and lighting. They even added molding pieces such as the beadboard backsplash and wood pieces that make the wall cabinet hutch-like. The bun feet help as well but if this were my project I would have put them on the sink base cabinet. It's more of a natural focal point. If you had a little extra dough laying around, replace the countertop with butcher block. It's relatively inexpensive and really adds to the classic country look.
#2 Color Explosion
Okay, this one could potentially look very circus, very easily. If you're going to go this bold keep the main colors in the overall palette to two (in this case red and yellow) and don't over complicate things by doing a busy backsplash. It does sorta make me happy looking at it though.
#3 Elegant Scandinavian
I'm not necessarily endorsing this design. It's certainly cute and could be very shabby chic but the whole stenciling your cabinetry thing reminds me when my mother stenciled ivy as a border on the walls in our house growing up. I've never been able to 100% back up stenciling since that horrific incident. I do however like the paint color they used on the cabinets. It reminds me of my periwinkle high school prom dress.
#4 Country Charm
The wallpaper really makes this one. And those bun feet....Put them on the sink base already! The black and white color theme is great because it allows you to continually change out the accent colors if you get bored easily. They also mixed the metal tones here. Nickel on the faucet and bronze on the hardware. I'm a big fan of mixing metals.
#5 Contemporary
Clean white cabinets, no frou-frou details (I'm talking to you flower stenciling), and simple hardware. More of a transitional/soft contemporary. If you wanted to make this more contemporary don't use the curtain in the sink base (a little too shabby chic) and maybe think about incorporating a glass backsplash. I would also use a faucet that has sleeker lines than the one they used here. Yet again, if you're looking to replace the countertop a honed (matte) black granite would look nice.
#6 Crazy
Just don't do this. Ever. The puppy is cute though.
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