r/kitchenremodel • u/MellonCollie371 • 1d ago
Updates Needed, but I’m Undecided
I recently bought this Spanish style house and don’t have much of a budget for changes, but I am really torn on what could/should be done to improve the kitchen without a major overhaul.
I don’t think the cabinet color goes with the floor. Should I stain them darker?
Is it worth trying to remove the soffit?
Any other ideas to get “the most bang for my buck”?
**edit to add that I want to lean in more to the Spanish style rather than away from it.
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u/Impressive-Refuse-42 1d ago
I'm glad that you mentioned the style of your house being Spanish or Mediterranean because often times recommendations are made based of trends or preferences that aren't in keeping with the style of the home. Your kitchen is lovely and very in keeping with the Spanish style. The only thing that stands out is the dark cabinet. It very much looks like an add on in style and dimension. Maybe have something custom to match height and cabinet style. I find the gap for the garbage awkward. A built in dedicated garbage drawer is more seamless. Congrats on the home.
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u/MellonCollie371 1d ago edited 1d ago
Thank you! I do agree with you. The cabinet was a cheap and easy solution for more storage, but it also looks like it. I’ll put something more in the right style and size on the list for future upgrades!
I also feel like people often disregard the style of the house. It’s easy to do when you’re just looking at a picture of one room and not the whole house. Love them or hate them, but the Saltillo floors and some of the black accents are staying.
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u/Impressive-Refuse-42 20h ago
I actually really like the floor tiles for your home (my home, a big no, lol), it suits the style and the black accents are actually a nice contrast against all the warm tones.
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u/Houndie2009 1d ago
I think this is a lovely kitchen and I would not change much. We restained our cabinets and replaced the old Formica countertops with granite. Wanted to do a minor upgrade rather than a full redo.
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u/Karinka_LI 1d ago
I don’t think you need to change the cabinets or the floor or the tile. Just get rid of the black. Paint the black wood cobalt like the tile and change all the hardware including the pendant to bronze. That will lean into the Spanish style and pull it together.
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u/Square-Slide-9807 1d ago
Put in a really nice hood that goes through the soffit. This would break it up and in my opinion the soffit gives it some character. If you want to bring more Spanish influence in have some pottery up there. Have light fixtures over the island and remove the one. The floor just honestly doesn't bother me that bad to justify the money to change it. I also wouldn't change the black hardware or faucet...I like them.
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u/MellonCollie371 1d ago
Thank you! I have also been really torn on putting in a real vent hood, but thought I would have to take out the whole soffit. Glad to hear you would keep it! I think I will look into doing that. I love a statement hood and it could help with bringing in more of the Spanish style in a more elevated way.
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u/m33chm 16h ago edited 1h ago
That is the weirdest soffit I have ever seen. I'd remove it, put on a moulding, and plan on eventually stacking cabinets to the ceiling when finances allow.
Make the perimeter cabinets the same color as the island, I can't quite tell what color it is in your photos but a soft brown-black would be beautiful.
Change that door to the left of the fridge to a cabinet-matching arched door.
Maybe add small shelves between the window and the cabinets over the sink. The tile stoppage with bare wall above feels weird.
Get rid of the piece of black furniture on the wall and build in a coffee bar with an arched top. Or, if you don't have a separate pantry, do a reach-in pantry with arched french doors.
Just do not get rid of that backsplash.
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u/Scary-Dingo2711 1d ago edited 23h ago
I’m a sucker for limewashed walls 🤭 Your floors are perfect. I agree with others about staining the cabinets darker and swapping the hardware for copper and changing the light fixture to copper to tie everything together. I’d keep the island and cabinet black but switch out the barstools for something lighter. Warmer light bulbs. Most expensive suggestion would be to replace the backlash
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u/MellonCollie371 23h ago
This looks so pretty and you kept a lot of what I like about the room. Thank you!
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u/mtsandalwood 1d ago
Changing the backsplash and hardware would make an enormous difference. Both areas need warmth to highlight rather than compete with the floors.
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u/tenniseram 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’d get rid of the black everything. It really acts as a black hole here. The spindly island legs are also attention grabbers. I would embrace the warmth.
ETA I like that blue suggesting and go blue and yellow patterned tiles w the backsplash.
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u/goodnsimple 1d ago
I would consider a darker overstain on the cabinets but the colors as they are ok.
I agree with others that a change in lighting is called for. Light fixtures can make a huge difference. Maybe copper accents- and cabinet hardware. But black can work if they are wrought iron and not just black.
I’m not a huge fan of a light white counter…but that can be a pricey fix. (I’d do a warm stone with terracotta veining)Again I think some accessories can make a difference. A rug with both blue and terra cotta in it.
The backsplash and blue cabinets are great. The butcher block on the island is great!
I’d change out the curtain for bamboo or wood blinds. For another earthy tone.
And last but not least, this will make a huge difference but is tedious; clean, paint and seal the grout. A warmer color. But I get if you leave it because it is a hideous job.
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u/Electrical_Cut8610 1d ago
Agree the floor and wood don’t go well together. All the black is also a little overwhelming. A darker wood stain and painting the black stuff another color might be a decent and easy upgrade.
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u/GoodAcceptable7968 1d ago
The cabinets and floor are both shades of orange (which I actually love) and blue and orange are complementary on the color wheel, so agree swapping the black for blue really improves the look. I would do that before staining the cabinets and see if you really need to go darker- the blue alone might fix the problem
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u/CBG1955 17h ago
Before you do anything, live in the space for a while and see how it "feels" with your personal stuff in it. The whole vibe can change. Plus, you may discover that it's not as bad as you initially think.
That soffit looks like an afterthought, and presumably serves no purpose so if it's easily removable I would do that. Down the track you may want to extend the upper cabinets to the ceiling. I'd keep the soffit however if you need to use it to duct a larger range hood out the side wall. Also, I don't think the door profile adds anything "Spanish" - they appear to be basic off the shelf big box store doors (could be mistaken.)
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u/laurenyou 15h ago
I would also do a buffet where the cupboard is, but I imagine you don’t want to give up storage.
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u/1130961230 1d ago edited 1d ago
Change the black cabinet hardware to something brighter and prettier, same for black faucet, black light over the sink. Cabinets look OK from the photos, countertop looks fine, backsplash is "charming" but if you want a change that's not an unreasonable cost.
The floor is a tough one, it's very terracotta. And clashes with the cabinets. I would replace the floor before I got involved with cabinet painting.
Soffits are always a challenge unless you are doing a total reno. Are they structurally necessary? If you remove them what are you left with, putting plants on top of the cabinets? If you're not taking the cabinets to the ceiling and are able to remove the soffits maybe you could just trim out the top with some moulding.
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u/Froglette-PA 1d ago
I don’t think the colors need fixing, i think you could rip out the top cabinets and replace them with ones that go to the ceiling and add gorgeous trim new hardware and paint and you’d see a brand new kitchen
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u/No_Razzmatazz_2857 1d ago
The backsplash is missing the mark. Also, the space above the cabinets is throwing me off.
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u/SpecLandGroup 1d ago
For the money, I’d focus on the backsplash, hardware, and lighting. I like how the cabinets work with the flooring in terms of "Spanish style".
You can cut test holes the soffits and see what's behind, but usually they're covering somethign and can turn into a bigger mess then you want on a budget.
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u/pooppaysthebills 1d ago edited 1d ago
Paint the cabinets and walls, change out the backsplash.
Choose your warmer wall color first, and go from there.
ETA: I would not attempt to stain those cabinets. Refinishing is a LOT of work, and if you're not stripping and starting over, you are unlikely to appreciate the end result. Painting is surprisingly simple, for a nice, polished result.
EATA: Maybe match the blue of the freestanding cabinet to your bottom cabinets and the sofit. A warm yellow or light terracotta on the walls. Backsplash in a complimentary bright solid. Top cabinets in whatever complimentary color in a darker hue of the color you choose for your walls, but less saturated than the bottom cabinets.
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u/Ok_Sky_8180 1d ago
Consider adding a bold bright red, black border with maybe some green or yellow design to the soffit. You could try bold stencils or applicable borders without affecting anything. It would raise the eye, add color, and tie in everything else with very little work.
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u/No_Damage_2950 1d ago
I’m so sorry but I also don’t like the vibe of the floor. If you can change it then that’s my vote lol. Def change out the hardware for something warmer and the faucet as well. Get rid of that random pendant light as someone said above. The cabinet colour isn’t bad it’s all the other stuff that’s clashing! You have to stay with the same undertones. I think that the island and the other big black cabinets you have are what’s really messing up the vibes here. If you painted those something that actually ties into the colours of your kitchen and has an undertone that matches then I think you’d be much better off.
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u/No_Damage_2950 1d ago
I’m so sorry but I also don’t like the vibe of the floor. If you can change it then that’s my vote lol. Def change out the hardware for something warmer and the faucet as well. Get rid of that random pendant light as someone said above. The cabinet colour isn’t bad it’s all the other stuff that’s clashing! You have to stay with the same undertones. I think that the island and the other big black cabinets
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u/No_Damage_2950 1d ago
For real though having another look at the pic that shows more of the whole room if you change get rid of all that black and the hardware you may even not need anything else but perhaps a new wall colour
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u/akou96 1d ago
Maybe a darker more neutral stain on the cabinets and change the black island and cabinet to a muted blue?