Thread Number: 78690
/ Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Metal (Geneva) cabinets—pros & cons (Please help) |
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Post# 1026871   3/12/2019 at 09:11 (1,871 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Post# 1026876 , Reply# 2   3/12/2019 at 10:24 (1,871 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.)   |   | |
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If you really want metal kitchen cabinets, and you can’t get this seller to come down on the price, walk away and keep looking. Eventually, just what you want will turn up at a price that is reasonable.
I had metal cabinets in a few rentals I lived in during the 70’s. At that time everyone just looked at them as old fashioned. I don’t recall any problems with them, but then again I never lived in any of these rentals for more than 6 mo. and this was over 40 years ago. Eddie |
Post# 1026879 , Reply# 4   3/12/2019 at 11:08 (1,871 days old) by dermacie (my forever home (Glenshaw, PA))   |   | |
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I owned a house with metal kitchen cabinets. I was always afraid I would dent them, but I never did. I never remodeled and sold the house and left the metal for the next owner. The kitchen I would say was from the 1940s or 1950s. I really liked my grandmother's 1950s birch wooden kitchen cabinets much better.
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Post# 1026880 , Reply# 5   3/12/2019 at 11:12 (1,871 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
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No cons,,,They have more room in them, they never warp or stick, they are easy to clean, can be waxed with car wax and they just look wonderful..Its my lifes mission to have a steel kitchen! |
Post# 1026888 , Reply# 7   3/12/2019 at 14:06 (1,871 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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They haven't been on the market long, and I can afford to be patient... Give the owners time to 1) realize that, as amazing as they are, it's a niche market, and they aren't going to get nearly as much as they hope for them. (They listed them for $10,000 the first time and were surprised they didn't get any offers) and 2) They are taking up a ton of room in the garage.
At the moment, my floor plan is a bit flexible, so making them fit is a bit easier. I have the kitchen plus a breakfast room that I can open up if I decide to. I'm betting they had an excellent carpenter do the update on the space for the wall ovens because I cannot imagine that the new ovens are the same size as the originals. I have an excellent carpenter/craftsman here in Tuscaloosa. He's going to go down and work some long weekends to do the stuff I want done by someone I really trust. He likes me and gives me great deals when I pay cash. He came down to see the house a couple of weeks ago. It's still down to the studs so the remarkable craftsmanship and over building is visible. My grandfather and his side of the family were timber people. The wood construction is gorgeous. Anyway, I'd have him do any cabinet modifications and installations that required skilled labor. I'll attach the picture of the cabinet adjustments that he made to the cabinets in our current house for the beautiful P7s Kelly found for me on Craigslist in Knoxville 7 years ago. The doors on the vertical storage are incomplete because I haven't finished the part I'm planning to do myself. I'll also attach pictures of the Geneva cabinets in case y'all haven't taken a look at my other thread. I want a 1950s GE combo and 40" range in the big house, but the stainless cooktop and hood would go well in my great-grandmother's house which is also on the list for restoration. Thanks for all of the input, Sarah |
Post# 1026889 , Reply# 8   3/12/2019 at 14:47 (1,871 days old) by Blackstone (Springfield, Massachusetts)   |   | |
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My parents had Geneva metal cabinets in our kitchen for over 50 years. They were always sturdy and smooth to operate. On top of the cabinet was a stainless double-bowl sink with 2 side strainers. The only defect would be if the white paint got scratched off. Easily fixed with spray paint. Can't do that with plywood and particle board.
When I sold the building, I left the sink/counters, but I sold the individual wall cabinets. Someone on Craigslist specifically wanted metal cabinets for his place in Vermont, to keep out rodents. So, the metal cabinets will still always have resale value. Let me know if you want a 1957 calendar from our store: dates are good for this year. |
Post# 1026895 , Reply# 9   3/12/2019 at 17:05 (1,871 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Cabinets that keep out rodents could make the sale for me! The house is unconditioned and mostly unoccupied, so the persistent rodents are definitely an issue. I wash the dishes as I use them and again when I return.
I almost died from disgust when I pulled the sheetrock down from the sunporch and 80 years of vermin excrement came pouring out. Sarah |
Post# 1026904 , Reply# 11   3/12/2019 at 19:06 (1,870 days old) by spacepig (Floridas Emerald Coast)   |   | |
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I personally love my metal cabinets although they have been a PITA to restore. I had to buy 4 different sets to get the sizes I needed in order to make them work in our kitchen. Two sets are GE cabinets, 1 set is newer Geneva (with the handle shown in the auction listing), and 1 is older Geneva (with the partial bakelite handle). I decided to go with white for the cabinets since my appliances are turquoise, and I wanted them to pop, vs. blend in. So, I've been painting all of the doors white, but keeping their original inside colors. The cabinets in the auction appear to be in good shape, and if you like the color, you probably wouldn't need to do much to them, as long as they were taken out with care.
As for the auction, if they were a little cheaper, I would probably buy them and store them somewhere, although I don't know where--lol. Of the cabinet types I have, the Genevas are my favorite, but the GE cabinets are more sturdy and heavy. If you couldn't use them all, I'd say you and I can make a road trip and split them between us! |
Post# 1027065 , Reply# 12   3/14/2019 at 15:17 (1,869 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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I’m open to a road trip—with someone who isn’t my husband because he would just be a damper on the whole adventure. Sharing will depend on how many I decide that I “need.” I’m considering doing two kitchens with them, but both kitchens are small, judging from the pictures, there will be extras!
Sarah |
Post# 1027579 , Reply# 13   3/21/2019 at 05:54 (1,862 days old) by spacepig (Floridas Emerald Coast)   |   | |
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I am thankful that my husband is supportive and mostly shares my madness about vintage things. However, he is not overly thrilled with having to travel and haul things around, unless it's fairly local. He is a good sport about it and is always happy that it we did afterwards. Since we already have enough metal cabinets (if there is such a thing) to do our kitchen in its current state, it would be hard to convince him to participate in another road trip for cabinets that we don't need (his opinion, not mine--lol!).
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Post# 1032700 , Reply# 14   5/15/2019 at 11:45 (1,807 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Ok, guys, I did it! I just bought the Geneva cabinets for 3,600 including the fantastic stainless Thermador cooktop, hood and Corningware counter saver.
Now for the hard part--transporting, storing and installing. One things for sure. I'm going to totally board up the house where I will be storing them and put a big lock on the door. Sarah |
Post# 1032721 , Reply# 15   5/15/2019 at 17:45 (1,806 days old) by appnut (TX)   |   | |
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Post# 1032747 , Reply# 16   5/15/2019 at 22:09 (1,806 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Post# 1032756 , Reply# 17   5/16/2019 at 02:17 (1,806 days old) by MattL (Flushing, MI)   |   | |
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Glad you got them! If I recall you were going to split them up among 2 or more kitchens, did you work out a layout for your kitchen yet? |
Post# 1032768 , Reply# 18   5/16/2019 at 07:06 (1,806 days old) by norgeway (mocksville n c )   |   | |
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You will love them! |
Post# 1032773 , Reply# 19   5/16/2019 at 09:00 (1,806 days old) by pulltostart (Mobile, AL)   |   | |
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Post# 1032776 , Reply# 20   5/16/2019 at 09:21 (1,806 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Thanks for the encouraging comments all.
Yes, I'm planning to use them in two kitchens. We're going to begin work on the first kitchen in a few weeks. Even though it's in the "big house," it's smaller than the one in the little ranch house. Essentially, I plan to work on the layout of the big house kitchen--including whether or not to tear out a wall between the breakfast room to make the kitchen bigger, use the breakfast room as a butler's pantry or something completely different. I'll store the left overs until we start on the little house. I've been planning on a big, white vintage double oven range for the big house. That's what my grandmother had. Now, I'm seriously considering whether to stick with that plan or use the stainless cooktop that's coming with the cabinets and get some wall ovens. Sarah |
Post# 1032777 , Reply# 21   5/16/2019 at 09:27 (1,806 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)   |   | |
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Post# 1033814 , Reply# 22   5/28/2019 at 15:00 (1,794 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Post# 1035206 , Reply# 23   6/12/2019 at 23:02 (1,778 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Maybe
What do y’all think about this potential combination? I’ve been thinking white 40” range, combo fridge and double bowl & drain boards white enamel sink... Then I saw this Hotpoint fridge which I think would look great with the stainless cooktop and hood I got with the cabinets. And wouldn’t these Frigidaire ovens round out the set nicely? So, then what about the sink? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a vintage stainless sink with drain boards... Sarah |
Post# 1035208 , Reply# 24   6/12/2019 at 23:30 (1,778 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Stamped from China would not be my first choice, but I am surprised that “whiz-wham” here it is in my first search. It’s exactly what I would want. Does anyone know if a vintage model of this sink this sink was actually made.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO sarahperdue's LINK on eBay
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Post# 1035215 , Reply# 25   6/13/2019 at 06:12 (1,778 days old) by jamiel (Detroit, Michigan and Palm Springs, CA)   |   | |
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No doubt that type of sink was made; very simple stainless stamping, with drainboards on either side. Just be careful of gauge and bowl depth...you may want to do some soundproofing (automotive undercoat/mastic) before installation if it's not already soundproofed. In looking further at your link, the single depression for a faucet might or might not work (it will be somewhat limiting, I'd think, unless you're doing something out of the wall).
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Post# 1035314 , Reply# 26   6/14/2019 at 01:46 (1,777 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Post# 1035402 , Reply# 27   6/15/2019 at 11:00 (1,776 days old) by mixrman (Aliceville, Alabama)   |   | |
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Sarah: I have two double-bowl enamel sinks with double drainboards - you are welcome to one... BUT … both need to be refinished and I have no idea where to have that done. |
Post# 1035414 , Reply# 28   6/15/2019 at 16:35 (1,776 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area)   |   | |
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If you're wanting a sink with drainboards, you don't have to put up with any junk imported from China. Both Just Mfg. and Elkay make drainboard insert type sinks, in addition to full one-piece tops - made in USA. Link to Just Mfg. CLICK HERE TO GO TO CircleW's LINK |
Post# 1035416 , Reply# 29   6/15/2019 at 17:04 (1,776 days old) by sarahperdue (Alabama)   |   | |
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Thanks for the offer John. I wouldn’t want to use a refinished sink as my daily driver; the finishes just aren’t that tough. That said, I did have our main bathtub refinished and have the contact info on the person who did it somewhere. It’s definitely a trade off—looks for durability.
CircleW, thanks for the info. I had decided that I would not do the Chinese sink for any reason even if that limited my choices to white enamel with drain boards or stainless without drain boards. Sarah |