How to modernize this?

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David321

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# 251405 24-Jun-2019 11:33

Hi all, I have these in my living room, I want to keep them for storage but would like to modernize them some how, I am thinking that maybe replacing the 4 cupboard doors with two long verticle ones might be a nice way to do it, but would not know where to find something suitable.

Or perhaps someone on here has another idea?

JayADee

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# 2263635 24-Jun-2019 20:59

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New coat of nicer colour, non glossy paint and new handles should do it.

Aredwood

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# 2263643 24-Jun-2019 21:36

Decide how much display space Vs storage space you want.

Maybe replace all of the doors with kitchen Cabinet doors and hinges. As you can have hidden hinges and handles. Probably remove the draws and turn them into cupboard space as well.

Re tile the fireplace surround and get a kitchen bench top company to make an engineered stone mantelpiece. Then you will be able to display larger items above the fireplace than those bottles.

Edit to add

Possibly a single large door for the top half on each side. Lots of open area for attaching artwork. And 2 smaller doors for each side for the bottom half. (similar to what is already there).

Maybe use the left bottom cupboard for electronics equipment that is currently in the TV Cabinet. And then wall mount the TV or get a lower profile stand for it.

Edit 2

Since your router is also next to the TV. If you do setup an electronics cupboard, you could also use it to house your router and other networking gear.

jonathan18

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# 2263789 25-Jun-2019 09:59

If you're not much of a DIYer, are you thinking of bringing in a joiner or builder to do the work? May be advisable if you're putting in new doors (and combining the top and bottom into one; doors can be a bit fiddly, I reckon, especially if they have to be customised for a specific space.)

One suggestion - if you are wanting to continue to store booze in the cupboard, perhaps provide a rack to allow sparking and any other bottles with corks (though there are fewer of these now!) to be laid down flat?

pctek

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# 2265830 27-Jun-2019 17:46

New handles makes the world of difference. And colour perhaps, you want them to blend in? Same as walls then.

Not blend, some trendy colour.

But handles for sure.

Mark

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# 2265831 27-Jun-2019 17:52

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Maybe remove the doors and draws and have them as shelves, would make the room feel a bit bigger with open corners.

JayADee

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# 2266196 28-Jun-2019 11:54

I think you will be pleasantly amazed at what a difference some nice paint in a bold colour and new handles can make and it won’t cost the earth. The right side ones with the glass will come up especially nice. That old joinery will last forever, the modern stuff is rubbish unless you get a costly trades person who uses real wood. At most I might take the doors off the hinges on the top left side set and put glass in them to match the right side if you want to make a display type cabinet out of it. Or you could put frosted glass in it. Otherwise, go with paint and handles. To avoid repainting again later down the track try to picture how you want the colour scheme in that room to look in the future. If it were me and I was sticking with those light coloured walls I'd go dark value on the curtains in whatever colour. Also if it were me I'd be tiling right over the top of those old tiles. :)

Get some of those test pots from Resene and try out some colours. Make sure you sand first.

wellygary

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# 2266202 28-Jun-2019 12:02

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JayADee: New coat of nicer colour, non glossy paint and new handles should do it.

Yip, getting rid of the glossy paint will help modernize it heaps, but I wouldn't really bother spending $$ to change the doors etc,

The biggest dated item in the room is the tiled fire surround (and then the wood burner), so its never going to be uber-modern anyway,

So change the knobs and latches and repaint and see what it looks like...

Fred99

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# 2266282 28-Jun-2019 14:10

wellygary:

The biggest dated item in the room is the tiled fire surround (and then the wood burner), so its never going to be uber-modern anyway,

The log burner could be updated at any time, and that tiled surround is IMO quite a feature - it seems to be in good condition. I have a friend with a modernised state house, built in the late 40s I guess with a similar fire surround in a room with polished rimu floorboards - it looks great.

I'd rip the entire cupboards and surrounds out and re-line with gib, I'd put a custom-made RHS painted or powder-coated steel frame on one side for neat wood storage, shelves above, on the other side shelves with a new door up to the same height as the wood storage box, then open shelves above matching the other side. I'd think about putting a mantlepiece above the fire, but extending it to full room width, possibly providing a sideboard by butting up against a shelf on either side, can't really see how deep that would be, and would have to deal with what to do if the wall extends 4" or so beyond the edge of the fire surround. I'd use quality materials for shelves, timber.

The thing that would have to go is that heat pump. It's ugly and in a very visible position.

reven

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# 2266376 28-Jun-2019 15:49

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personally i would just fix the hinges so the doors hung better, change the handles, and a lick of paint. paint the shelves white too.

shaker style with a face frame is pretty timeless, a lot of modern kitchens have this look.

possible add lights to the glass cabinet. personally i find these annoying, but theyre "modern"

JayADee

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# 2266391 28-Jun-2019 16:31

These older houses look smart with a mix of old and new. :)

D1023319

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# 2266417 28-Jun-2019 17:22

IMHO - I like the look of these inglenook cubboards

I note the doors are hanging open a bit in the cupboard on the right.
If its like mine - are you missing a latch on the inside of the door on the left that holds it shut tight

I see by the scratched paint on skirting - is the suround made out of rimu? if so i'd just strip it with coopers stripper as it leaves no water marks
and put a rimu architrave on top

I agree with F99 - the heat pump is ugly but maybe a large art deco mirror under it would distrack the eye away from it