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Design Dilemma
aimeesc

Kitchen Cabinetry

Aimee
10 years ago
We recently put our house on the market. We have recevied a couple of comments from potential buyers that they didn't like the oak cabinetry in the kitchen. We bought all new appliances before putting it on the market and don't really want to invest in doing the cabinetry. Our realtor is confused as to why someone wouldn't like them. I can honestly say that if we were to stay I would replace them only because I do not like the finish and the island is oddly placed. I wanted to get everyones thoughts or ideas. Should we do something about them or just wait for the right buyer?
Featured Answer
  • jclindberg
    10 years ago
    Why don't you wrap the outside of the island in bead board and then paint the island black or espresso? It will look great, break up all of the oak, and make the island a real focal point. Bead board is my go-to material because it is relatively inexpensive and looks great. You could spray your cabinet pulls with Rustoleum oil rubbed bronze paint (make sure it is the one the metallic flake in it) for the oak cabinets and then do brushed nickel on the island. The paint and bead board for everything should run $50 or less if your husband can do the work himself and then whatever you spend on the counter top and stools for the island.

    Comments (29)

    • Aimee
      Original Author
      10 years ago
      I should also add that there is a backsplash, it's just white tile
    • ajw50
      10 years ago
      maybe you could replace the doors and draw fronts or paint them and yes the island does look a bit lost could do with being larger

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    • MarleneM
      10 years ago
      There is a lot of oak on oak, with the floors and cabinets and no colour to draw your eye away from it. Looks like you have room for a bigger island to. I would add a larger darker counter on island that overhangs towards fridge if there is room and add a couple of stools. Maybe some roman shades on windows in a contemporary style. Island also looks lighter in pic, you could stain it darker also.
    • pbarker75
      10 years ago
      If you're up for it ... paint them. Most everything in this kitchen is very neutral so white, ivory, cream, light grey, light green, or any soft hue would instantly make it look current. The cabinets appear to be in great condition but I agree I would not want an oak kitchen either. More than likely your hardwood floors do not extend under the island, otherwise I would recommend getting rid of the one you have and substituting a free-standing butcher block type island just for a little contrast. I think you have a lot of options to work with!
    • R Robulock
      10 years ago
      wait for the right buyer, most people like oak.
      We spent an extra $6,000 on our previous house before selling it. Exactly a year later, I visited her and found that she ripped out everything we put in just for the sale of the house to something more modern and to her taste; some of the upgrades I could have taken, but now it is a wasted investment. Don't waste your money.
    • leannebrum
      10 years ago
      A recent posting on Houzz showed an island update that could work really well for you, I think. You could add on to the disproportionately small island by adding 2 legs and a new, larger countertop which would allow for a stool or two. Your oak doesn't bother me but there does seem to be a lot of similar toned wood at first glance.
    • andreaintexas
      10 years ago
      I agree with R Robulock. Actually we had a similar issue when we sold our home in Houston, Tx. The home was great condition and in a desirable area. We decided to price our house under the area home market by the amount we would have spent on a kitchen redo. It sold in a week and no price haggling with the buyer! The homeowner was delighted and redid the kitchen to her taste. They felt they got a great deal and we moved on. A win-win! And...we didn't suffer going through a reno and trying to guess what a buyer might want in a kitchen.
    • PRO
      Mary Dancey Interiors
      10 years ago
      No matter what you do someone isn't going to like your tastes. If you're not in a hurry and feeling pressured to sell then wait it out. I like Andrea's idea above if you can make it work.
    • mcbriec
      10 years ago
      Is your realtor inexperienced?? She should know who will be the likely buyers and what their tastes are and how much to spend in relation to the home's value as compared with that of the rest of the neighborhood. It seems like anybody with any savvy would know that oak would not be the most desirable cabinet choice. If she doesn't know that then I would not rely on her for advice about what changes will give you the biggest return. Redoing a whole kitchen would probaly not give you a good return, not to mention the headache involved.

      I guess I would find out how much it would be to paint them. But I consistently hear that oak is hard to paint because the grain shows through. I agree that a bar new counter on the island seems like something doable without tremendous expense. The example that was just featured in an Ideabook looked fantastic.
    • jclindberg
      10 years ago
      I would suggest replacing the island top with a neutral granite that has an overhang so you can put stools at the island. Most buyers go crazy for big islands with an area for seating. It would probably only be around $600-800 if you look for a scrap piece. Also, it's hard to see what finish your cabinet pulls are, but I'd make sure they were brushed nickel. Other than that, it looks like a nice, bright clean kitchen with pretty good curb appeal.
    • User
      10 years ago
      As a Realtor, I'll weigh in. You're never going to please everyone, but the problem with oak cabinets like this is that they are dated. The color is so close to the color of the floor that the room lacks color, character, and contrast. If you were my client, I would not recommend replacing them, though. That's too much money and you'd still never appeal to everyone. If I had a buyer, I would remind them that cabinets can always be painted. It's hard to see the hardware, but that might be a place you could update for not a lot of money. With the island, is it attached to floor? If not, it I'd take it out and replace it with something more interesting. Or...can the base of that be painted (I can't tell what the material is). Lastly, you could replace the top of that island with something with more color. It would give the eye some place to "land". It's hard to tell if you would have the floor space to give the top enough overhang that you could slide two stools under it. Last but not least....every house can be sold and every objection overcome if the price is right.
    • bubblyjock
      10 years ago
      last modified: 10 years ago
      Did you catch this discussion? The contractor updated the island - maybe you could consider something similar - expand the top so it's 42" deep vs the current (?) 24" deep, and paint it a contrasting colour, say ebony, which might give some balance to all that lovely oak, without breaking your budget? Borrow a couple of fancy stools and plonk a wine bottle with a couple of big glasses on it, for enticement...

      https://www.houzz.com/discussions/existing-island-got-a-big-boost-dsvw-vd~799185
    • Lesley Delle_Grazie
      10 years ago
      We did the same thing as andreaintexas when we put my mother-in-law's home on the market after she passed away. The entire house was very dated, but it was just not worth it to spend a lot of money re-doing things that a potential buyer might change anyway. We priced it to sell, and it did (even with oak cabinets) in 3 days! In the time it would take to paint or reface your cabinets, you could find a buyer who either likes it how it is, or has the foresight to recognize the potential in the space.
    • natandalex
      10 years ago
      If your agent is good s/he should be able to assess whether your kitchen is marketable enough, at a minimum what you might need to make in terms of upgrades to sell the house, cost them out and factor that into the purchase price. As many have said, why make upgrades that no one may like and they will end up dinging you anyway on price...on top of the time and money you already spent. An agent who knows his or her market should be able to tell you how to price it to sell, and if you go that route and it doesnt sell, maybe you rethink making improvements. When I think back on buying our home in 2007 -- outside of NYC in the housing boom -- I would have been delighted to overpay for your kitchen!! (Instead...I overpaid for something much less attractive.)
    • PRO
      Northshore Kitchens Plus
      10 years ago
      Hi Aimee, Don't panic! There are a lot of good ideas that can be done at a reasonable cost that will appeal to the 90 percent of buyers that you are looking toward. The Island is the thing that is looking out of place- not proportionate to the overall space. It looks like you might be able to add a 36" wide x 12" deep open shelf unit on this end of the Island without conflicting with the table area. Then, Put a 38" deep countertop on the entire island which will create an overhang on the refrigerator side with a couple of stools. That will take away from that perception. Certainly, painting the cabinets a neutral color appeals to more buyers. I like the idea of a Light Taupe, Gray, Blue, Tan Yellow, etc. as opposed to cream because the walls appear to be very white. This will give it a contrasting color and a warm- calming feel. Having the countertop on the island to be a contrasting color, makes it more of a focal point and will look more custom. The wide plank floor is great but it doesn't help the space with all the oak wood cabinets. Hope these suggestions help. I am attaching a few photos that show various ways to mix & match (or not) countertops! Best of Luck, Ken
    • Aimee
      Original Author
      10 years ago
      Thank you all for your feedback it is greatly appreciated. My husband loved this home because it is packed with molding everywhere, however the kitchen was the worst of it. This house had potential however after a short period of ownership we have to sell so trying to fit into the market for our area before we were ever able to bring it to it's full potential. I received a quote from a local company to do a cabinet painting and they do amazing work but it would cost $4,600 more, after spending almost that in appliance replacement we aren't ready to invest that just to sell. Our realtor is more of a buyer realtor but has more than 20 years experience in the area, I think she tends to lean on the client for their opinion.

      I may go with the island extension and a countertop replacement on the island and maybe even some additional moulding to give it some characteristics, Should it stay oak or should I give it another color?
    • User
      10 years ago
      I think jclindberg hit the nail on the head. I have also used bead board like that and the espresso would go well with the dark chairs that I assume is your dining room. Easy to install, easy to paint. Love the idea of spray painting the hardware too. When we bought our house, we replaced the door knobs, then, spray painted the brass hinges to match and it save a ton of money. Don't spend your money painting your main cabinets....let the buyer.
    • Aimee
      Original Author
      10 years ago
      I may take that route, would I leave the island countertop the same color as the rest?
    • User
      10 years ago
      I wouldn't. If you paint the base, find a new, but compatible counter top for the island. That will help it become an interesting focal point.
    • Amber
      10 years ago
      I hate oak and would change it if I bought it. That said it wouldn't stop me from buying if your house was priced right. I love the idea of a bigger island counter with stools painted to add some color and contrast. Simple cheap fix that will help this kitchen. I did see a house with painted white oak cabinets, (they did the whole house added marble counters spent the money on counters, floors and new tile but skimped on the cabinets) In pictures it looked great in person all the grain showed and it looked cheap and nasty, but it sold in 3 days.
    • PRO
      rgkDESIGNS, Inc.
      10 years ago
      instead of spending thousands offer a small 'credit' or wait for the right buyer of the home, not the kitchen cabinets..
    • trebinje
      10 years ago
      last modified: 10 years ago
      The kitchen is bright & spacious, the appliances are serviceable, it has good bones and a hardwood floor ... all characteristics I value in a kitchen. I could take this space and put in the kitchen of my dreams, without major structural changes. I might even keep the appliances.

      But I wouldn't put an offer on your house unless you had priced it to acknowledge that the kitchen needs a facelift, if not a total rip & replace.

      It's really that simple. Don't waste your money making enhancements. Instead, start by dropping the price by half of what it would cost to do a major kitchen remodel in your market, and be willing to concede more for a quick sale with qualified buyers.
    • Ashley D
      10 years ago
      As someone who just bought a house, I can say I did not want a house with a newly remodeled kitchen. I want to be able to remodel it my way. A new modern kitchen might make the house sell faster, but you would have to take into consideration the cost and time of a renovation/remodel.
    • grobby
      10 years ago
      last modified: 10 years ago
      While many homes have these very same cabinets and are happy with them most buyers today want the Fabulous kitchen - a big island, granite, the works.
      I think younger buyers especially look for the Wow factor. They haven't been conditioned to " love" wood the way previous generations have. Personally, I would want an updated kitchen as well, but as we know it's very expensive to remodel one, just to sell. Have you thought of offering the buyer an upgrade allowance. At the least, I would paint the cabinets,
      update the hardware, enlarge the island and add pendant lights.
    • susanvetter
      10 years ago
      I would not remodel at this point. However, I would add a rug or two…put something on that skinny island..bar stools if they would fit…distract the eye of the buyer…as someone mentioned your kitchen has a lot going for it…large--appealing. We bought a house last June knowing that we had to add a half bath and gut the kitchen…our offer reflected the changes we felt like we needed to make to enjoy the house...
    • hayleydaniels
      10 years ago
      One quick easy cheap way you can make the oak look less orange is to put some oiled bronze hardware on it. I just did that to my oak cabinets yesterday and today, and it's amazing how the bronze brings out the brown whereas the brass brought out the orange in the wood. They look a shade darker by doing that alone. And it only cost me $70 to do 32 doors and drawers. Here's a links to the hardware. There are several other selections as well:

      http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00897DBC0/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

      http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00897DBC0/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

      Don't worry if people don't like your cabinets. From what I've noticed watching House Hunters and other renovation shows, potential buyers seem to absolutely hate every house, but buy them with the plan of totally renovating them!! The first they do is redo the kitchen so let the new owners redo to suit their taste.
    • babblingjulie
      8 years ago

      I would make sure the price is right and wait for the right buyers. Do you have a lot of comps? Did you interview a couple realtors and get an idea of what they think is the right price? I wouldn't put any more into the kitchen (I wouldn't have changed out the appliances unless they were really horrid.) You bought it with the kitchen as is, so someone else will have the vision if the price is right.

    • PRO
      GannonCo
      8 years ago

      You have a nice, clean and functional kitchen. If your house is priced appropriately I wouldn't touch a thing. There is nothing horribly wrong with that kitchen. Plus I will assume the rest of the house is in the same design?

      So your house is listed for $200,000 you install $10k in updates so the part time lazy realtor can make a quicker sale buy now telling you it isn't worth a penny more then when you started??? Tell him or her to put it in writing that if it doesn't bring "X" dollars more it comes out of their commission. It will never happen as they know it is being done to sell the house faster. Go look at other house sin your area at your price point and you will have your answer. Redone or not you might have to lower your pricing. Remember you haven't gone through an inspection yet.

      Houses unless 100% updated and fresh are sold on location and SQFT and your realtor knows that. They should insulate you from all the comments as people who come through houses for sale have the craziest requests and comments one could imagine. Not buy a house because they don't like living room color? Yes, if the realtor can't explain and educate them properly.



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