Refurbishment - A Kitchen Makeover Option

I have to confess: I have never been a great fan of refurbishing when it comes to kitchens or any other built‑in cabinets (BICs) for that matter. But of late, I have seen a tangible spike in inquiries to that effect.

First, it was an elderly gentleman from Soweto who called in, asking if it could be possible to do a kitchen refurbishment by simply working on the doors of his kitchen. He requested that I visit him to see what could be done. Politely, I suggested he take the measurements of the doors and forward them to me. My intention was to design – free of charge – new doors for him, get him a quote from a board‑cutting and edging outlet close to his place, forward it to him, and have him pay for the materials and complete the job on his own. In fact, in our ten‑minute-or-so discussion, I basically gave him a 101 tutorial on how to go about effecting the makeover.

He sounded enthusiastic and willing to follow through on my suggestions but, strangely, he never came back to me with the requested measurements.

That was the first call. Over the weeks, a few more calls came in inquiring about the same, with the latest being just a few days ago from one Isaac in Randburg.

Now, from what I gleaned from Isaac, he has just bought a new house. From the picture he sent me, his new house already has a reasonably good kitchen, and Isaac seems hesitant to strip all that out and do a new kitchen from scratch. As I remarked to him during our chat on WhatsApp, the kitchen – as you will see in the image below (in a marvellous Natural Oak finish) – has a wine cellar that any wine connoisseur worth his or her salt would not easily give up.
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The Point of This Blog

But that is not the point of this blog. Rather, the point is to highlight the pros and cons of a kitchen refurbishment option when considering a kitchen makeover – and to weigh that against the option of designing and installing a completely new kitchen. With the current economic climate in South Africa, that question is even more pertinent.

So, what are some disadvantages of a kitchen makeover via the refurbishing route?

Primary, I think, is that one eclipses oneself from the numerous possibilities that are out there. In other words, remember that your "new" kitchen is essentially someone else's taste and idea. The previous owner or owners made choices that were in line with their tastes. It makes sense that you, as a new owner of the property, should make your own lasting mark on what now rightfully belongs to you. And what better way to do that than to give your kitchen a serious revamp, more in keeping with your unique taste?

Of course, there are other factors that would influence your decision – such as the condition of the carcasses and countertops. With regard to these, if their condition is still reasonably good, perhaps refurbishing would be sensible when weighed against the cost of a completely new design and installation.

And what about the sink and cooker units? Are they in good condition? Besides, modern sinks, such as those from Franke, come with a dedicated strainer on the drain outlet. This comes in handy when doing the dishes, as it sieves food particles floating in the water, preventing them from clogging the P‑trap (or U‑trap) underneath your sink.

You might also want to seriously look at your cooker, with a view to replacing a possibly antiquated hob with a much more modern ceramic cooktop, perhaps.

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The Range of Ideas and Choices

Then there is the issue of the range of ideas and choices available when it comes to the types of units. We have, for instance:

  • Dedicated spice units that can house all your spice bottles in one smart, integral floor or wall unit.
  • Retractable ironing boards that "disappear" under the countertop when you are done using them.
  • Pull‑out pantry units (sometimes called tall pantry drawers) that open like traditional drawer units but offer deep, accessible storage for dry goods and canned foods.
And the list goes on and on.

But what is the big picture here? Simply put: don't rob yourself of the opportunity to make your own mark on your kitchen.

That said, you can further weigh the option of preserving the existing kitchen against the advantages of having the liberty to choose new colours for your new kitchen. And what colours are available!

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A Case in Point: Summer Oak

To illustrate, about three weeks ago I was introduced to a totally new coloured board called Summer Oak. It has a much deeper orange hue than your average natural oak persona, with deeply engraved grains almost rivalling the colourful flamboyance of Indian Ebony.

In fact, I have just finished refurbishing a kitchen for a long‑time client of mine – a prominent property manager in the Kew area of Johannesburg – using the Summer Oak board. What a marvellous job it turned out to be! You can see the completed job along with the "before" pictures on [this link].

These manufacturers keep churning out new colours every now and then, giving you almost endless options to design a kitchen that is more in keeping with your taste.

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So, What Do You Think?

Is the route of a kitchen refurbishment still as appealing to you as it was a moment ago? Or are you now closer to a total kitchen makeover conversion?

Well, the choice is yours to make.

But whatever route you decide to take, be assured that my team will greatly appreciate the honour of assisting you in realising your goal.

And if you are wondering whether the option of refurbishing your kitchen would be good for you, by all means, add pictures or videos of your current kitchen to [this photo album], and let's discuss your options.

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Note: This blog has been updated to include the "before" pictures, provided courtesy of the client – in this case, Phillip.

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For further details on my built‑in cabinet (BIC) services and other home‑improvement services, feel free to contact me by SMS, call, or WhatsApp on 063 888 5573 or, ðŸ“§ info.aptdesigns@gmail.com

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