Kitchen Remodel Ideas for 2023
How to Update Your ’90s kitchen
The 1990s doesn’t seem too far in the past. But the home styles of that decade were distinct and didn’t exactly land in the “timeless” category. Tuscan kitchen designs, ultra-earthy tones, oak cabinets, and more were common. If you’ve got a kitchen that was finished in the heyday of that time period, you’re probably dying to update your 1990s kitchen.
Why should you remodel your 1990s kitchen?
Kitchens of the 90s and even early 2000s are chock full of oak cabinets AND oak hardwood floors, loaded with outdated Tuscan vibes, and often times there’s 90s era kitchen trends that aren’t useful for today’s families. Think little desks and awkward corner pantries. There are so many ways to transition your space into that modern kitchen you crave. Today, we’re highlighting four of our 1990s kitchen projects. We’re talking all about how we created updates that really packed a punch and made a huge difference in hour our clients lived in their new space everyday. Read along for inspiration and get ready to transform your own space into one you absolutely love.
RELATED: 10 Kitchen Lighting Ideas for Low Ceilings
Green Heights Trail
BEFORE
Over the years, the previous owners of this home tried to update their kitchen. But unfortunately, the room was covered in 1990s style and outdated earth tones. Paint and hardware could only go so far. Oak cabinets, rusty red walls, and brown granite took center stage. The finishes were all mix & match styles and metals that appeared disconnected and unfinished.
Orangey oak cabinets and brown granite kept this kitchen stuck in the 1990s.
RELATED: Quartz vs. Granite, How to Choose the Right Kitchen Countertop
The deep earth tones in this kitchen made the space feel dark despite the large windows.
The island in this kitchen was functional, but rather than creating space, it felt crowded because of the dark colors.
1990s-style light fixtures and appliances made this kitchen a mix-and-match room that lacked cohesiveness.
RELATED: How to Update Your 90s Era Lighting
AFTER
Our goal was to brighten everything up and keep a cohesive classic vibe. Doing this, we knew we could completely shift the look and feel of the kitchen. Out went the oak cabinets and the outdated colors. In came new cabinets in creamy white paired with a soft grey center island in an upgraded and refined shape (with plenty of storage beneath). The granite countertops blended warm and cool tones, and a warm grey backsplash connected the space.
AFTER – FINISHES
For finishes, we kept things simple and classic. We used oil-rubbed bronze for the faucet, light fixtures, and cabinet hardware. Paired with this, we opted for sleek stainless-steel appliances with the refrigerator hidden behind cabinet panels for a sleek and bright look. Overall, the kitchen became a visual beauty. And beyond that, it was also a space with plenty of room to comfortably enjoy day-to-day tasks.
RELATED: Best Greige Paint Colors
A soft light gray kitchen island pulled a touch of coolness into this space, offering contrast to the warm white surrounding cabinets. Design by: Carla Bast
A hidden refrigerator was positioned behind custom cabinet panels, giving the kitchen a cohesive and bright white look. Design by: Carla Bast
VIEW MORE ON THIS STUNNING TRANSFORMATION: Project Reveal – Prior Lake Remodel and Addition
Nevada Avenue
BEFORE
The oak cabinets, deep tones, and outdated countertops had to go. But beyond that, what this space needed more than anything was to be opened up. Separate dining spaces were popular in the 1990s. However, the open layouts of contemporary design are much more user-friendly in today’s world. For this renovation project, our goal was to open up the whole kitchen and dining space to create a modern look.
This separate formal dining room was spacious but felt disconnected from the activity of the kitchen (and as a result, was not used as much).
In this 1990s-era kitchen, oak cabinets and laminate countertops took center stage, making the space feel bland and in need of a revamp.
Appliances lacked cohesion thanks to updates over the years, and the owners knew they wanted a more curated look that felt complete.
RELATED: How to Work with Your Honey Oak to Update Your 90s Home
AFTER
What a change! Opening up the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room was a big change for our clients in how they lived in the space each day. This connected each area and increased movement throughout the space. We opted for a clean look with dark stained cabinetry for a sophisticated look. Then we contrasted these with a warm white kitchen island (and plenty of extra seating!). We chose finishes and hardware in stainless steel and brushed nickel. Furthermore, our new lighting featured clear pendants above the island to keep things feeling light and airy. From cramped to classic, the remodel instantly transformed this kitchen.
Stainless steel appliances and brushed nickel finishes kept things cohesive and classic in this kitchen. Design by: Carla Bast Design
A coffee bar offered an extra storage nook in this kitchen, using wall space strategically and functionally with open shelving. Design by: Carla Bast Design
RELATED: How to Determine Your Kitchen Remodeling Budget
Oak Drive
BEFORE
This kitchen was open to the adjoining dining and living room spaces. Yet it was still outdated with its light maple wood cabinets, dark granite, and sharp angles. The green walls were a bit too warm and muted as well. Overall, the space needed a contemporary upgrade.
Warm green walls and light warm cabinets kept this kitchen feeling a bit too 1990s in style.
An open layout was convenient for this home’s owners, but the cumbersome island configuration gave it a dated look.
Black granite countertops were a bit too much of a contrast against the warm wood cabinets, and made the space feel much smaller than it was. The awkward divider wall on the island further closed off the space and limited the island usability.
RELATED: What Flooring Goes with Oak Cabinets?
AFTER
We kept the general layout the same. After all, the biggest need in this kitchen was a brighter aesthetic and more contemporary finishes. So, we opted for a modern farmhouse look. We installed a reclaimed wood island, a built-in dining banquette, bright white subway tile for the backsplash, and warm white cabinetry. The result was a bright and airy space that felt both open and fresh and tied in seamlessly with the living space.
RELATED: Are White Kitchens Timeless or Trendy?
Warm white cabinets paired with bright new tile instantly made this remodeled kitchen feel lighter and more open. Design by: Carla Bast
Reclaimed wood pops in the dining room table and built-in bench seating gave this kitchen a modern farmhouse aesthetic. Design by: Carla Bast
A focus on lighter hues in this newly remodeled kitchen with glass front upper cabinets helped the already-open layout feel even more welcoming and spacious. Design by: Carla Bast
RELATED: Subway Tile Inspiration
Pheasant Ridge Road
BEFORE
This kitchen had some nice elements. But the owners wanted to ditch the two-tiered kitchen peninsula. There was ample room to cook, certainly, in the original design. Yet, the space still felt outdated and too dark. And as we know, that was a hallmark trend combination of the 1990s.
The owners of this outdated kitchen wanted to open things up and make the space feel more contemporary overall.
A center kitchen island coffee bar took up a lot of floor space in this 1990s-style kitchen.
A two-tiered kitchen peninsula made the countertop space feel diminished and blocked the view around the room.
RELATED: Modern Countertop Colors for Honey Oak Kitchens
AFTER
We kept the general layout of this kitchen the same since it worked overall. Then we made some significant changes to create an open floor plan and a fresh look to this ’90s kitchen. We first replaced the peninsula with a more contemporary rounded island. This eliminated the extra tier in the process. As a result, the countertop was much wider and the view was not blocked. In addition, we completely eliminated the center coffee kitchen island. Instead, we created a coffee nook in the corner, which increased the floor space.
AFTER – COLOR PALETTE
And finally, we brightened everything up with white kitchen cabinets, stainless steel and brushed nickel finishes, and a classic subway tile backsplash. With grey walls to contrast it all, it became an instant family favorite. It was fit for everything from cooking to entertaining. For more information about choosing paint colors for your check out our Best Paint Colors for your 90s-Era Home blog post.
A new rounded kitchen island with ample seating gave this kitchen a contemporary and open vibe. Design by: Carla Bast
Bright white countertops were built around a farmhouse-style sink for a classic and timeless kitchen aesthetic. Design by: Carla Bast
All-white cabinets and backsplash were paired perfectly with a sleek grey quartz countertop and high quality appliances for a classic look in this open kitchen. Design by: Carla Bast
A coffee nook was created to be both functional and stylish in this updated contemporary kitchen. Design by: Carla Bast
RELATED: Simply White vs Chantilly Lace – Comparing Top White Paint Colors
Ready to tackle that outdated 1990s-style kitchen design? Pull a bit of inspiration from these projects. We guarantee your home will feel brand new and exactly as you imagined it to be. For even more 90s-era home transformation inspiration take a look at my Jordan Project.
12 Responses
But how does it look with the rest of the house?
All of our designs are created to blend seamlessly to the rest of our clients homes. Check out the portfolio for more photos!
I have a 90’s oak kitchen with the single arched doors…also, a LARGE stepped island, brown granite Can I update by painting island only and new one level island, or should cabinet doors be replaced too? So expensive! before
Hello Jane!~ Yes, you certainly can only do part of your kitchen, the island would be a great place to add some color and contrast!
What is the cabinet and wall color for the first kitchen (Green Heights Trail)
I’m a huge fan of your idea of opening up spaces by getting rid of dividers and just making everything feel all the more spacious and liberating. I’m planning on hiring kitchen remodeling services to work on my childhood home and I’ll definitely have to steal that idea. I’ve always felt the place was cramped and too busy so it would be nice to go in the opposite direction and free it up a bit.
Hi Tammie – That’s awesome, I’m sure you’ll love it!
Your design ideas are wonderful, Carla, We just moved and our kitchen is in need of a 90’s update. Wondering if you have any solutions for a U-shaped open concept kitchen with a sink that looks into the living room? The kitchen is a nice size but the cabinets are very shallow and the drawers are extremely narrow. If you have any pictures you might be able to share that would be wonderful. If not, I totally understand. Thank you.
Hello J. Klein, Thank you for your kind words! I’m afraid without having photos and a general overview of the spaces I can’t make a recommendation. However, I do have an affordable Q & A Service that might interest you. Take a look at the Service page and go to “eDesign” > “View eDesign Services” > “Ask Me Anything Q & A” for more information.
Wonderful post however I was wondering if
you could write a litte more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if
you could elaborate a little bit further. Cheers!
Thank you! Be watching for more 1990s home updating ideas and check out our 90s Home category for other recently posted articles on this subject!
Thanks for the tip about how I should focus on lighter hues when it comes to updating the look for my kitchen. I plan to look for a good kitchen showroom soon because I’m thinking about having a minor home renovations soon. The kitchen will be the one affected the most by that because I really want to give it a more modern look.