Kitchen Remodel Progress Part IV: Vintage Lighting, Cabinets & Old House Lessons

Vintage Lighting, Cabinets & Old House Lessons

Picking up where I left off… 

Last we spoke, we were working on our kitchen island by adding beadboard to the back. I had a few finishing touches to wrap up before sharing the next phase, and somehow a lot happened in between — the kind of progress that doesn’t always feel big until you stop and look back. This kitchen remodel progress update covers cabinet reinstalling, vintage-inspired lighting choices, and a few old house lessons learned along the way.

Kitchen Remodel Progress: Finishing the Island Details

I went back in with a very small paint brush from my paint-by-number project kits to paint the sides of the beadboard (use what you have). It was raw wood, and I didn’t want that to show when you looked at the island from the side. I carefully painted along both edges of the beadboard and then filled in between the boards where my sponge brush had missed.

As you know, I am a perfectly imperfect person. I actually liked the way the paint looked brushed on and how the cherry wood peeked through in spots. I love a collected-over-time look — but word to the wise, be careful saying that to a contractor. They may take your words very literally, and you could end up with work you’re not thrilled with. Just a tip from your old friend Cara… I learned that one the hard way.

Is the island finished? No. Eventually, we plan to extend the top an additional twelve inches (maybe more — we’re still thinking on that) to create a larger eat-in kitchen island. I’m really excited about that part, but it won’t happen until the floors are installed. We’ll need to move the island out when the floors are done, and with an extension added, it won’t fit through any doorways. This island may end up getting a post all its own since we have other plans for it too.

Reinstalling Cabinets and a Few Old House Surprises

We were able to get the lazy Susan put back together after its makeover. Putting things back in is sometimes trickier than tearing them out. Thankfully, my husband figured it out, even though the clicking mechanisms were not clicking into place. It’s a tight space, and he couldn’t see where it needed to latch.

We purchased cabinet clips to hold the new panels in place

This piece of wood holds the shelves of the lazy susan in place 

I plan to write an entire post about the cabinet fronts. Even though these are recycled cabinets, we still wanted to make them feel like ours. You know my motto — use what you already have — but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a little pizazz to recycled goods.

Drywall Repairs and Ceiling Work in an Older Home

We had to wait a little over two weeks for the drywall professional to have time to work on our ceiling. If you’re local to us, his name is Tim Dixon and he can be reached at 740-243-6814. He’s a painter by trade but learned drywall and plaster repair along the way. He and his son, Kyle, cleaned up every night, leaving their tools and drop cloths neatly stacked in front of the window  — something I really appreciated. It was one less thing to worry about, and I didn’t have to double-check that Bentley wouldn’t get into anything.

The first day, they repaired all the holes we discussed. The second day, the ceiling was re-stippled, and on the final day, they returned to paint. They worked quickly and efficiently, mostly half days, which I wasn’t expecting. I’m used to someone being here all day, so it was actually refreshing to have time to get my own work done.

Ceiling patches where wires were coming out of ceiling

Wall patches from electrician

Electric channels patched

This is where the soffit extended above the peninsula

Holes patched 

Hole from old schoolhouse light

Stippled channel

Stippled old soffit area

Socket moved for future work to be completed

Ha! Do you see where I was testing dark paint on the door? Then I painted over it? Oh, the things you do not see that I do around here...

After the drywall mud dried, a few pock marks were still visible on a few walls. I added the same spackle I use for crafting, waited for the pink to turn white, sanded it smooth, and used leftover paint from the first time we painted this kitchen.

Small pock marks, you really have to ZOOM in to see them

I tried sanding, but it had been primed

Sanding down paint drips so I did not need to use as much paint to cover

I stirred up my spackle with a paint stick then applied it to the holes from the curtain rod with the paint stick

I smoothed over the wet spackle to make it as smooth as possible

I’m a neutral-color gal, and I decided to keep the Ultra White and Horizon paint colors our local paint store custom-mixed for me twelve years ago. I have enough leftover paint in our basement to paint several rooms — thanks to contractors who clearly don’t know how to estimate paint quantities. It’s kind of sad, honestly. 

But guess what? Tim does know how to estimate paint - I needed exactly one gallon to paint the ceiling. He also primed the areas where he knew I would be painting to make less work for me later. 

Paint from 12 years ago was a bit thick, add water to thin water-based paint and stir well

Kitchen Remodel Progress: Upper Cabinets Go Back Up

We put the upper cabinet boxes back up — woo hoo! One small step that made a huge difference. It finally started to feel like a real kitchen again.

Here’s a funny story. My husband used his stud finder to make sure the cabinets were going into studs. When we removed the cabinets originally, we discovered that some of the screws weren’t actually anchored into studs at all.

The stud finder indicated a stud, he marked it, and started drilling. The impact drill made that familiar sound it makes when it hits a stud — but something felt off. When he tried to back the screw out, it wouldn’t budge. Thanks to our electrician, there was a hole in the wall nearby that allowed him to feel inside.

Turns out, he drilled into the denim insulation we installed behind the wall. The insulation wrapped tightly around the screw, making it nearly impossible to remove. I had to cut and finagle the insulation to free it. Strange, but strange things happen here often.

To hang the cabinets, my husband used two 2×4's screwed into the wall vertically to support them. This corner was tight, and there’s no way I could have helped hold that cabinet — it’s heavy. The cabinets sat securely on the 2×4s, and he used this method for all the uppers.

One large corner cabinet coming up

He drilled into the existing 2x4s on the wall that supported the countertop

It's up

Drilling into cabinet and studs

We are level! Always be sure to check your work before you move on 

Spice cabinet goes up next, see the level?

All of our uppers are on the wall

Lower cabinet is also set 

Tip: When placing upper cabinets on the wall, begin with the corner cabinet first. It is much easier to add cabinets surrounding it than try to squeeze it in later. Be sure to attach cabinet boxes to each other by adding a screw from the inside to keep cabinets tight, no spaces between.   

Electrical Work and Why Hiring a Professional Matters

We had to get the cabinets up before the electrician arrived that Monday, so we worked on fast forward all weekend. I painted only the areas near the ceiling where he’d be working so I wouldn’t have to paint around lights later. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — I am not a perfect painter.

Our electrician was here for two days finishing all the lighting work, and I cannot tell you how happy I was to see functioning lights again. It felt like a miracle.

Why Electrical Work Is Not a DIY Project

We opted for Porte lights where most people use can lights. I’m just not a fan of recessed can lights in old homes — that’s a personal preference, but they often feel out of place to me. Perhaps since they were not a thing when these homes we constructed. 

We chose two brass pendant lights over our kitchen island. The island is 70 inches long, and while I briefly considered three pendants, two felt like the right choice. Three would have been way too crowded in our kitchen. 

Now here’s where things get important.

This idea didn’t come to me all at once. Originally, I was told lighting above the window wouldn’t be possible because it’s an exterior wall and the header sits right above it. I accepted that for a while, but it never quite left my mind.

I even toyed with the idea of using battery-operated lights with a remote — I can get pretty creative when I really want something to work — but the thought of climbing a ladder every few days to recharge them quickly took the wind out of that plan.

The idea finally clicked when I was looking at homes across the pond and noticing how often conduit and surface-mounted lighting was used in older spaces. Instead of hiding the wiring, it became part of the design. That’s when I realized we didn’t need to fight the wall — we just needed to work with it.

To install three lights above the window along the back of our kitchen, we needed conduit to carry the wiring. When we initially discussed the idea with a contractor, copper or brass pipe was mentioned. At the time, I didn’t think much of it.

Some of you know I worked for an electric company years ago, but my experience was with load and service — transformers, amps, and distribution — not in-home wiring. It wasn’t until I spoke directly with an electrician and explained our plan that he stopped me in my tracks. 

Copper and brass conduct electricity. Using them would energize the entire pipe.

No thank you.

Galvanized conduit and proper insulated fittings are required for a project like this. Please consult a licensed electrician — I would never recommend tackling something like this as a DIY.

Tip: If you do not like the look of galvanized, you can apply Antique Gold Rub-n-Buff to the fittings and pipe to create the look you desire. This is what I did here. I would have shown in process photos, but our electrician was handing me the pipe and fittings as he was working. I didn't have time to stop and take photos since I was working as quickly as I could so as not to hold up his progress. 

 

Electric and water are two things I simply won’t mess with. Fire and flooding can cause total loss, and that’s where I draw the line.

Vintage Kitchen Lighting Choices That Finally Made Sense

While we’ve saved money in many areas of this DIY kitchen remodel, lighting is where we splurged. When we first bought our home, the kitchen had a ceiling fan with no light, two can lights in the soffit over the peninsula, and a low-hanging 1950s fixture — likely meant for a table close to the large window. There was also a washer-dryer combo in the kitchen. That came out immediately.

My husband replaced the ceiling fan with a chandelier years ago, but at 6'2", he always felt the need to duck slightly. The other hanging light was even worse — full-on dodgeball every time he went to the fridge.

Eventually, we replaced it with a schoolhouse light, but it never felt bright enough. When our electrician took it down, we discovered it only had a 25-watt bulb. That explained a lot.

Reusing and Updating Our Schoolhouse Light

I decided to reuse the schoolhouse light and give it a new look. Using the same tools I reach for in my everyday crafting — and my trusty finger — I applied antique gold Rub ’n Buff. You know I love that stuff.

Old schoolhouse light fixture

I found my finger method still works best for me, I quickly dropped my brush

Do not forget these when painting a light fixture 

What is old, is new again 

I’ve wanted a vintage kitchen from the beginning. While we’ve used many vintage materials, some things ended up looking a little too new after refinishing. Oops. This helped bring back some age and character.

How Our Kitchen Lighting Finally Came Together

In the 1950s, there would have been a light over the sink. We found the old socket when the soffit was removed. Since the schoolhouse globe is larger and round, new wiring and a new opening were created. It now hangs right where our sink will be.

Yes, the wallpaper is still up there, darn it.

That old light fixture isn't looking too bad, eh?

The three lights near the back door, hallway walk-in, and stove are dimmable. We love the brass Porte lights and the fact that the shades are glass, not plastic.

Electric was not turned on just yet so it's a bit dark in this corner

I’m not a matchy-matchy kind of gal. The new schoolhouse lights over the window inspired me to reuse the older one. Everything coordinates, but nothing is an exact match — and that feels right to me, especially in this old house kitchen remodel.

We have light! This is one of my favorite parts of the kitchen

Let's not forget the lovely pendent lights above the island

The pendent lights were set to reflect the extension the island will be receiving after our floors have been installed. Yep, still a mess around here, but we're getting there. 

Kitchen Chronicles Part IV: Progress, Perspective, and What’s Next

Even though it feels like we still have so much to do, I often sit in the kitchen and admire how far we’ve come. There were moments when I wondered if this project would ever end. Then I think of another blogger who lived without a kitchen for years… she is a better person than I am. I just do not think I could do it. 

Throughout this remodel, we’ve hit rough patches where we thought we’d need to hire someone to finish things, but usually all we needed was a little time, a pause, and some problem-solving. If you let it, a kitchen remodel will eat you alive. I believe my husband and I have learned several things about each other through this kitchen remodel, along with a whole lot of information about our home.  

I’m over the moon with how the lighting turned out. It’s finally starting to look like the vintage kitchen I imagined.

That wraps up Kitchen Chronicles Part IV. Some may think progress has been slow, but I am happy with the results we are seeing. I'd never want to rush through this and make mistakes and find myself unhappy at the end.  

What's next? Countertops are scheduled next, and plumbing will follow after a 24-hour waiting period. Running water? My husband says we are moving up in the world. 😉 Since we chose an undermount sink, the countertop installers will set it for us.

Can I tell you how excited I am about an undermount sink? No more crumbs caught around the edge — just sweep them right in. It’s the small things in life, at least for me it is.

I’m off to tackle what’s next on my ever-growing to-do list. See you next week with more kitchen remodel progress.

If you have missed any part of our Old House Kitchen Remodel, you can find related posts below:

Kitchen Chronicles I

Kitchen Chronicles II

Kitchen Chronicles III

How to Refinish a Vintage Buffet

Ciao,

Cara