This 1960s Kitchen Gets a Modern Makeover with a Clever Upcycling DIY
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: House
PROJECT TYPE: Kitchen
STYLE: Colorful, Contemporary, Eclectic
SKILL LEVEL: DIY
RENTAL FRIENDLY: No
Adding your personal touch to your house or rental is the best way to make it feel like home. Anita Calderon (@pichinchabyanita) purchased her new home in Argentina with the goal of turning it into her personal art studio, finding space in every room to display her works. She faced one major challenge, though: Bringing its 1960s kitchen into the 21st century without losing its vintage charm.
“The walls were a cold light green with light yellow tiles and false wood formica on the cabinets,” Anita says. “I like[d] the granny energy of the space and want[ed] to bring it back to life without losing the essence of it,” she adds.
Anita also wanted to bring new light to the space. “The windows have textured glass, so it was impossible to watch outside, and the lighting was ugly and cold,” she says.
With a bit of paint and some crafty upcycling, Anita was able to turn the kitchen into a bright blank slate for her artistry.
Say goodbye to paneling.
To freshen up the space, Anita started by removing the kitchen’s outdated wall paneling. However, doing so proved to be one of the few notable setbacks in her renovation.
“After removing the wall paneling, we [had] to take out remains of glue, sand, and plaster the surface,” she says. Although time-consuming, Anita took down all the brown paneling to create a blank slate for her vision.
Upcycle existing cabinets to create modern storage.
Using a heat gun, Anita removed wood formica covering from the kitchen cabinets. Then, she gave them an inexpensive makeover by painting them steel gray chalk paint and changing out the knobs, which she describes as “an affordable way to really change the style of a cabinet [or] furniture.”
The new, sleek cabinetry complements the existing countertops and floor.
Add new paint and windows to finish the job.
In order to brighten up the room, Anita ditched the kitchen’s original light green walls in favor of a fresh white paint, which she applied to its walls and tile backsplash. To finish her renovation and bring in the light she’d been hoping for, Anita swapped out the room’s opaque window glass for a more translucent variety.
“I love the light — natural and electric,” Anita says. “The space is now a white canvas to add art, objects, and secondhand furniture.”
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
Further Reading
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
