Adding Vintage Character to a Builder-Grade Kitchen

Budget remodels and quick flips often come with builder-grade materials. How can we make it more charming without a full renovation? Do we really need an antique refrigerator to achieve vintage character?

Here are a few easy-to-implement ideas for adding charm to a builder-grade kitchen.

What’s a builder-grade kitchen?

Builder-grade kitchens are new remodels or construction completed with basic, budget-friendly materials. 

Think laminate countertops and floors, plywood shaker cabinets, and economy appliances. 

Is builder-grade bad?

No! Builder-grade kitchens are new, affordable, and most importantly, up to code. It may be the “bare minimum.” But it’s also an access point for budget-conscious homeowners to gradually start making customizations and upgrades. 

Retro charm and vintage character for builder-grade kitchens

Personalizing builder-grade kitchens is more strategy than expense. Here are a few design ideas that attract the eye and set the mood you’re looking for.

Trending colors of yesteryear

They won’t know it’s not retro. Coat builder-grade cabinets in shades of split-pea or avocado green, baby pink, powder blue, or even a buttery yellow. These trending kitchen colors of the past look anything but ordinary.

Lighting fixtures

Nothing says builder-grade like a stock light fixture. These can stand out even more than countertops as a basic big-box store buy. Choose vintage-inspired or authentic vintage pendants or sconces for immediate character. Newer statement lighting fixtures can work their way in, too. 

Gallery walls

Framed retro advertisements, black and white family photos–there are many directions you can go with a vintage kitchen gallery wall. Mix up reclaimed frames and arrange pieces close together in a puzzle configuration.

Molding and baseboards

One exceptional quality of times gone by is craftsmanship. Molding under and around cabinets, at the ceiling, on doors, and along baseboards was much more commonplace. Many builder-grade kitchens don’t include it, but it’s easy to find some in home improvement stores. 

Vintage décor

Builder-grade components don’t necessarily drag décor down. In many cases, they’re an inconspicuous foundation for the items that give your kitchen character. Vintage sifters, colanders, flour sacks, or coffee cups are easy to find in antique shops.

Fancier faucets

Reject the clean lines of the modern age and replace the faucet with something a bit more ornate. But don’t stop there. All hardware, from cabinets to door hinges, can be swapped out for scrolling and molding that calls back to a bygone era.

Wallpaper

If painting cabinets is just too risky, drench your builder-grade kitchen in character with wallpaper. Choose designs reminiscent of your favorite old eras, from dramatic Art Deco patterns to retro checkerboard and geometric designs.

Café curtains

Nothing says retro window dressing like classic café curtains. New or the real thing, covering the lower half of a window in pleated linen or charming gingham is a staple of vintage style.  

Subway tile

Subway tiles have been taking over kitchens since the 1920s, making them a solid fit for any specific decade you’d like as a theme. To keep it from looking basic, use contrasting trim or borders. You can even consider textured ceramic tiles.

Upgrade from builder-grade with The Designery

Deck your builder-grade kitchen out in vintage charm, but keep your remodeling dreams alive. The Designery is here when you’re ready for new countertops, smart appliances, custom tilework, or top-quality cabinets. From hardwood floors to hardware you won’t find anywhere else, we specialize in the fine details that make your home one of a kind. 

You don’t have to do it all at once; call us, and we’ll take it a step at a time. Get a free professional design consultation to start.