Thursday, April 19, 2012

Almost There...

We are almost there...

Once the counters were installed (the granite on the island took 4 men to carry it in--it was about 800 lbs!), we started feeling like we could see the the light at the end of the tunnel...or at least we could start to put the first floor of the house back to normal again and begin to cook meals at home.

There is still a good amount to do (bar stools/pendant lights/knobs for cabinets/final coat of paint on some of the island cabinets/etc), but here it is at this point:


Details so far:
Cabinets: Painted SW Snowfall White
Granite: Fiesta Gold
Floors: Old World Distressed Hand-scraped Hardwood Oak-4 3/4 in planks
Walls: SW Macadamia
Faucet: Delta







Thursday, April 12, 2012

Cabinets and More


Both sides of the island mostly framed out now. 



We have floors and can envision what it's going to look like when it's done! 

Before (with old floor mostly torn up) and After  ~  Half Bathroom 


Family Room--somewhat coming back together. Yes, the rug is too small--it used to be under the kitchen table, but I needed something in the room until I find a rug I like, to keep the dog from running and sliding!  

Kitchen with a floor! 
  




Floors are in!

We spent countless hours debating and researching floors. I wanted hardwood. Hubby thought laminate was the way to go, b/w kids and a dog. In the end, he was somehow convinced that HW was the way to go. We both agreed on a distressed, wide plank, hand scraped, dark wood and I love it!


Windsor Oak Dark Handscraped--from Lumber Liquidators



In this pic, you can see the peaks and valleys, so to speak, in the floor. Our hope is that this will help to hide any imperfections that will inevitably arise in the coming years! 


Our contractor pointed us in the right direction with regard to shoe molding. It was going to be about $250 from LL and in 8 ft sections. He purchased ours from Home Depot in 16 ft sections (less cuts needed) for $45. Winner! We used the better underlayment from LL, which has a good sound barrier. That was worth the extra $$ for sure! 





Monday, April 9, 2012

On the move...and seeing progress!

Progress...what a blessed word! After seeing into my cabinets (they seem organized enough when the doors are closed), for a week or two, the primer and two coats of paint (SW Snowfall in Pro-Classic Satin) had dried, it was time to hang the cabinet doors again! 



Yes, I know that a cabinet is missing. And the counters are gone. And yes, there are lots of holes in the drywall. And the floor is a sub-floor. And yes, I have bottom of the line GE appliances. The microwave is on its way out. The stove and fridge seem to want to be part of the adventure for longer than I'd hoped...but they work and serve their purposes, so I will not be wasteful! One day, when they are gone, I will replace them with stainless steel (in look only) appliances. One day...but until then, they will be part of the renovation. :) 

But the good news is that the cabinets are painted and back up! 

So the knobs...I love ORB and Nickel finishes. But having been raised by a dad who grew up in the Great Depression, I thought I'd give this a whirl. I'm not loving them, but for now, they will stay. 


One coat of Black, followed by one coat of Silver.

They started off a gold-ish color. It's an improvement anyhow...


Now the fun begins!
We have a fabulous contractor, who came in and demo'd the wall that I hated! They tore up the floors, and ran the plumbing and electric through the floor (as our basement is finished--by the same fabulous contractor), and reset the sink temporarily, so we could have running water through the renovation. Then they began to build out the new island, incorporating our old small island on the left hand side and adding cabinet space you see below! 


It was a dusty few weeks, not to mention, making breakfast for the kids before school was toaster waffles on a little table in the family room most days! 


And a place for the garbage to be hidden! 

Stay tuned...more to come!



Bit by Bit

                       ...So now you know what I disliked about our kitchen and a little bit 
                                    about what my dreams were for the updated version... 


                                  Here are a few pictures, because really, 
                                      aren't they more interesting than words anyhow?



                                                                     The Products
A good cleaning (I love Method from Target because it's non-toxic, and works well on many surfaces) and 3M sanding blocks for getting the clear coat finish dulled down, as well as smoothing out some of the wood grain, worked well. (These are great because they can be rinsed and re-used!)

                                                   The cleaned and sanded door

                                                       Sherwin Williams Primer


                                                          Let the priming begin!                                                                                                        

I used two coats of SW Pro-Classic Paint in Snowfall
(I've found that it doesn't throw any yellow/pink/grey as others do.)
Pictures to follow...

Helpful little hint: If you are finished painting for a little bit, zip-lock bags work wonderfully to keep the brush or roller you are using in usable condition, without having to spend time (and gallons of water!) cleaning it. 
Then, when it's time to paint again, you can pick right up where you left off! 



A Frustrating Room

When we first moved into this house, it was supposed to be for 2 or so years. It was sufficient. I'm not a big cook (ask my poor husband!). So why did I dream and "pinterest" my way to remodeling our kitchen?

For our family. For homework, for dinner with friends. For better use of what previously was a frustrating space. Maybe for resale? For a place to come home to that I love and that feels warm and inviting. 

A friend asked me to document our endeavor. So here it goes...(This is for you, Angie!):

                                                             Our kitchen before:


Why I disliked it:

1) Big unused (waste of space) eat in kitchen that we don't use b/c it's too small for a table.

2) Not enough counter or cabinet space.

3)Cabinets. Builder Grade and not a big fan of the oak.

4) High Counter/Junk Space. Too close to the table to fit bar stools. Not enough overhang for bar stools anyhow! It made the rooms feel too separate. 

5) Kids too far away when they are working on homework, while I try to make dinner. "Sure, I can help you with math. Hang on, while I turn the stove off, so dinner doesn't burn." 

6) The floor. So the vinyl floor actually wasn't awful--it was easy to clean and to keep looking clean. No worries about scratches or liquids if they landed on it. But it butted up to carpet in the family room, (which was disastrous. Light carpets with kids and a dog don't work.), and made the rooms feel small and too separate again. 

What I hoped for:

1) A kitchen that I would maybe, just maybe enjoy (just slightly) cooking in.

2) Eat in counter that the kids could do homework at, nearby while I cook.

3) White cabinets. Granite Counters (I do like to bake). Wood floors. A traditional, but rustic look.

4) For the kitchen/morning room/family room to flow together as one congruent space.

5) For more cabinets/counter space and a cabinet for the trash can to go in. 
That's about it...and I even ended up with a bit more than I originally hoped for!

Stay posted to see the transformation...