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Moving into an older house can add great touches of history and character to your day-to-day in your home. (Think: turning an original brass door knob to walk in to your apartment, treading up and down stairs with a 100-year-old banister, warming up next to an original marble fireplace — the dreamy decade-spanning list goes on!)
However, moving into a home that’s decades or even centuries old can also mean contending with outdated designs and design “upgrades” made over time that are markedly less aligned with your dream home aesthetic. But as this kitchen renovation proves, with a little handiwork, it’s possible to pay tribute to your home’s history while giving a space some welcome modern updates.
DIYer Morgan Pinch’s (@pinch_mor) house was built in 1912. But by the time she moved in, thanks to updates from previous owners over the past 111 years, her kitchen was mostly ’80s-inspired, from its beige tile and granite to its cherry-stained wood cabinets.
There were parts of the historic charm she wanted to keep, and other parts that were less charming. “I liked the layout and was obsessed with [the] stained glass window above the sink,” Morgan explains. “I didn’t love how dark the kitchen felt, even with multiple windows and overhead lights.”
With the help of her parents, Vicki and Clayton Pinch, Morgan set out to bring her kitchen into the 21st century with some fresh paint colors to make the room feel brighter while leaving its original layout intact.
To kick things off, the trio took the cabinet fronts off and removed all hardware. After deep-cleaning the cabinets’ surfaces, they de-glossed and primed