10 Vintage style kitchens and ORC update

Week two of the One Room Challenge plus inspiring kitchen designs

Taking on a big kitchen project is always daunting. The project to do list seems so long! We are on week two of the One Room Challenge, and I have to say so far I am happy with the progress! Considering we have two toddlers, we've accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. I'm hoping we can keep up this pace as the timeline continues to get tighter!

If you're just joining us, you can see all of the kitchen before photos here along with my design plans for the space. My goal is to bring some old house charm to this 1990s kitchen. Today I'm sharing kitchen makeover progress so far plus some beautiful vintage style kitchens that inspired my design.

I am honored to be collaborating with Sherwin-Williams and Kingston Brass on this project. As always, I only promote brands that I love and think you will too.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. For more information, see my disclosure policy.

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Our ORC Kitchen progress

First a quick glimpse above to remind you where we are starting from.

And below, it might not look like there's been much progress, but I promise there has been!

I have painted the entire room in my favorite Sherwin-Williams Emerald wall paint. I chose "Incredible White" which is a nice subtle greige-white. It's one step brighter than "Agreeable Gray" which is my favorite paint color for walls but too dark for the lighting in our lower level.

We took out the glass cabinet and little built in shelves. I plan on wrapping that post with a faux wood beam and installing some open shelving in the open space.

We removed all of the cabinet hardware, and removed the doors from the upper cabinets. The upper frames are done being painted, and I am halfway finished with the upper doors.

The v-groove backsplash has been cut and partially installed. That's our big task for the coming weekend! It will continue all the way along the countertop and behind the fridge.

We also switched out all of the beige outlets for the proper colors! Notice in the photo below you can hardly see the countertop outlets now that they are black 🙌

We also completed the DIY trestle table we built for the breakfast nook. I've still got work to do in this corner but it's coming along! You can see the table tutorial here. 

We've still got plenty to do! In the mean time, here are some spaces that are inspiring the vintage farmhouse kitchen feel.

Vintage inspired kitchens

We want to give our kitchen the same charm that the rest of this old house has. When planning the design, the first thing I did was look at real kitchens from the 1920s and 1930s.

I wanted to see what design elements were in kitchens during the time period our home was built. What type of cabinetry and hardware did they have? What were the popular color schemes? Any other things that stand out from the period?

Antique Home Style has been my go to for finding old decor pictures since we moved into our 90 year old home.

via Antique Home Style

In the 1920s kitchen shown here, you can see that shaker cabinets were in style (thank goodness since that's what we have!) They have cup pulls on the drawers. There is a little bit of open shelving but still some upper cabinets. 

In the early 1920s, kitchens were often white with subtle color. By the end of the decade, they were embracing color and by the 1930s color was in full swing.

via Antique Home Style

It makes my heart happy that green was a popular shade in both the 1920s and 1930s since it's my favorite color. I can't wait to paint our lower cabinets a shade of green.

via Antique Home Style

Above, check out that gorgeous ceiling that is similar to ours and those schoolhouse style light fixtures.

I've picked plenty of design elements from the 1920s and 1930s, but I've also added a few "vintage" elements from other time periods. I'm an old house lover but I differ from a true home preservationist in that I believe it's okay to let your home evolve.

While our house was built 90 years ago, it isn't the only decade it saw. Just as we update things here and there today, our kitchen would have had updates over the years. It feels more natural to me to incorporate styles from several periods while keeping the main elements centered on the correct time period than it does to only acknowledge the late 1920s. I want it to feel like it's been well loved for 90+ years when you walk in the door.

Here's a few modern kitchens with a vintage vibe that have inspired me on my quest to find that feeling.

via This Old House

via Kaitie Moyer

via Life in Our Old House

via deVOL Kitchens

via Jordana Nicholson @ Houzz

via Better Homes & Gardens

via Remodelista

To see more inspiration, follow along on Pinterest. I'm teaming up with Kingston Brass to bring you a Pinterest board loaded with vintage farmhouse kitchen inspiration! 😍

Our kitchen makeover to do list

• Paint the walls ✔
• Paint the cabinets (partially complete ✔)
• Install new cabinet hardware
• Install a painted v-groove backsplash (partially complete ✔)
• Paint countertop shelf/ledge ✔
• Remove glass cabinet ✔
• Add open shelving for Sophie Conran dish collection
• Wrap radiant water pipe enclosure with faux wood beam
• Build new table for breakfast nook ✔ (see the tutorial)
• Buy new chairs for breakfast nook ✔
• Install new light fixture above table
• Update pendant lights above bar
• Install new vintage inspired faucet
• Buy new bar stools
• Paint the doors and update door hardware
• Create coffee nook with peg rail mug rack
• Find artwork and wall decor
• Change all electrical outlets and light switches to white (or black on the countertop) (partially complete ✔)

Big thanks to our One Room Challenge sponsors!

Stop by the One Room Challenge blog to see everyone else's project progress!

Pin it for later!

Related Posts:

DIY Farmhouse Style Table

Farmhouse Kitchen Makeover Plans