The Big Reveal

Presenting....

The Kitchen - Before + After

 

The Dining Room - Before + After

TA-DA!  

It feels like a magic trick when displayed like this.  Far from it.  It's a process and it's been a long one for us.  I don't think we could have done any of it without the help of those around us!  Help came to us in many forms.  From borrowing tools (way too long :), to the physical labor for demo/assembly, and the gracious hospitality of Sunday dinners, plus ears to listen and work through the latest 'challenge' with, to voices of reason and wisdom, plus talks of encouragement, and faithful prayers.  Thank you to those, near and far for everything.  Hmmm, this is starting to sound like I'm receiving an Oscar or something.  Oh, well.  :)  I've been waiting for this 'moment', haha.  I thank my husband too, who has exceeded my expectations and worked so very hard despite his ever-changing work schedule.  He is officially handy!  Ultimately, I am so grateful to God for His provisions.  He provided the people, the skills, the knowledge and all the other numerous resources to accomplish this.  Nothing about this endeavor has been easy for me.. when the wind would blow and the rain would pour down, I knew I could hold onto Him and he had it all under control.

I only got kicked out of my house twice (once by J and my dad and then by our GC) during the whole year and a half... not bad, right?  Ha!


Today marks the first month with a fully functioning kitchen.  It is WONDERFUL.  We're enjoying it for awhile before we start the next thing on the to-do list.  It's not done, you ask?  Is IT EVER?!  I suppose this is why one either loves or hates owning a home.

We still have to install a backsplash....future post?  Until then....

In case, you want to take a look back with me -

Moving In - Fall 2009

Busy at Work - Fall 2010

Bye-bye upper cabinet above peninsula!

 Peninsula.

See ya later, double ovens!

 

Dusty, much?

 My corner of comfort.

 

 Gutted. 

Buds of a Kitchen - Winter 2010/Spring 2011

 Flat-pack kitchen. Joy. 

 Island coming together. 

Jason worked incredibly hard to install the microwave and wall oven before he went out to sea.  He did an amazing job and I was able to start 'cooking' in the actual kitchen space.

With the help of my brother, we 'easily' put together the pull-outs.  They are actually easy.. after you figure out what you are doing.  I love the pantry. 

The last MAJOR piece of the puzzle!  Countertops. 

Love the laminate.

Getting there...

 Mother's Day.  

The first time using the gas cook top, my mom and I cooked up some scrambled eggs and garlic rice.  Yum.

It's easy to install drawers when you can fit inside the cabinet.  :)   

 

After much debate, I'm glad we did the 10' island.  Anything less would have looked too small for the space. 

Island - facing the sink.  Drawers!  I love having so many drawers.

Island - facing the living room. 

Sink side view.

Another view of the dining room.  The hutch had a successful makeover!

After this lengthy post (and remodel!) all of have to say is WE SURVIVED......

18 months without a cook top, 7 months without a sink, 4 months completely gutted.  

Hooray.

Good news! Bad news!

Are you sensing a reoccurring theme?  I made my phone call this morning.  

Galaxy Tool Supply is graciously going to exchange my sink BUT it's out of stock.  So, I repeat "Will this hold up the rest of the progress?".  Umm, yeah.  They are due in the end of this month/early next month.  Good thing I was already warmed-up for this game.  I'll be waiting.  Maybe I should think about getting a uniform and make it official.  

One step forward...then two steps back.

It's a funny thing about patience... your opportunities never run out.

The counter tops were scheduled to be installed today!  Hooray!

Installer was running pretty late.

He made it (30 minutes to spare, haha).  Three hours later.  Successful install.

Very nice.  Expectations were met.  (They have a concrete-like look and feel marvelous)

However, his eye for detail caught what I missed - another defect in my stainless steel sink.  Bent rim...it's not going to set flush on the counter.  Boo!  After four weeks of sitting on my floor, I have to hope and pray for an easy exchange and conversation on the phone tomorrow.

Will this hold up the rest of the progress?  Possibly.

Eager to get it all done, today reminded me of how much more there is still to do... and the patience I will need with it all.  I wonder if there is a term in the industry for lack of satisfaction with progress along the way... because you know that this one thing completed only means another thing is ready to be done!  It's a similar feeling of wanting to laugh and cry at the same time (which I think I did when we removed the soffits.. lol.. so long ago).  It's been awhile since our 'rough' period and having a circular saw spitting dust all over my house today reminded me that joy.

I must remind myself how blessed we are though - no major problems or surprises along the way and despite minor things, services have been prompt and satisfactory. 

So, what IS next?  For my GC

Install sink, garbage disposal + dishwasher
Move + hook up gas line
Install cook top
Hook up electrical for island outlets
Cut vent hole through roof for island hood
Install island hood
Cut out + install recessed lighting
Attach toe kicks to island + back wall

For me (and J)

Exchange out my dented sink for new one
Install backsplash
Assemble island drawers
Install rails + drawers
Install handles
IKEA returns!  :)

And stock my cabinets!
That probably doesn't need to be on the list... but it's fun to think about.

Lazy + Cheap

Being the lazy painter I am, I didn't sand the hutch frame... so that is probably why it has required five coats (Behr paint with primer)!  I told myself five is enough!  If I can still see brown wood, I'm hallucinating.  If you see brown wood, you TOO are hallucinating!  :)  Projects take some time..eh?  Good time.  What's left?  Well.... I'm done with the paint brush and now I pick up the can for some detail work.  I'm reusing the old hinges and I'm hoping they will be invisible by painting them white.  I also needed new handles as the old ones were very ugly and I think I tossed them early on (or they are somewhere in the garage, I'll never find them).  As I looked for handles to match my adorable hutch, I found these ones on Anthropolgie's website. 

Lovely, yes? 

 $18 ea

I still need to buy handles for my kitchen cabinets so I just had to say NO.  Sad.  I'm sure they will end up in a perfectly well-adjusted home - just not mine.  So, I leave one happy place and enter another.  I ventured out to Goodwill with the hope of finding six cute handles.  Amazed, I found six handles bundled neatly together for $2.99 - what a deal!  They were also the exact dimension I needed to fit the pre-drilled holes - 3" hole to hole.  Are they cute?  Heh... not exactly.  We shall see how successful I am with the can of spray paint. 

 

 So brassy. 

Waiting...for their turn. 

I actually saw them at Lowes (one of my other stops today).  About $3 each I still got a good deal.  Until I'm willing to pay the big bucks, these will have to do.  

I also made progress in other ways tonight.  I unpacked ONE whole box.  Pretty exciting.  I know the hutch isn't done but I put in the shelves and displayed all my stemware.  Considering it's been packed away for more than a year and moved around numerous times, only one champagne glass was broken.  I was giddy to display some sort of decor! 

Life is slowly being breathed into this little house of ours...

Beige is a-okay.

Painting the built-in hutch has been on my list of things to do since we painted the walls.  It's been half done for most of that time (doors and shelves almost done).  I decided to stop looking at it and take action today.  The first coat is now dry.  What's that?  What color?  Hold on to your hats, it's WHITE!  No surprise there.  I thought about being wild with it and adding color (yes, again) but I always pull myself back into neutral.

Many more coats to go...

Not sure why I can't accept the fact that I love neutral colors.  It really is OKAY.  Someone's gotta love the beiges, taupes, whites, grays, and browns.  Allow me to face up to the fact now.  I have been residing in my guest room for a few days (don't ask, numerous reasons).  I was walking by the room and admired how lovely the unkempt bedding of white and beige looked against the gray walls.  I wanted to crawl back into bed!  Or maybe I was just tired?  Nah.  It really was the charming color combination along with sun shining through my natural shade.  I'm getting sleepy right now.

Here ends the battle.  I surrender.  See my white flag.

Rearing it's ugly head

I'm running out of patience and requiring perfection - it's not looking pretty over here.  I suppose I'll just let go now (see..me...letting...go...now).  I've waited 1+ year, what's another day, week, or month.


So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. 
Today’s trouble is enough for today.  Matthew 6:34

....and the winner is

Wilson Art's Pearl Soapstone.  

Thank you to all for the input!  Votes were split down the middle, believe it or not.  The love affair with gray continues.  I choose the color, the order has been processed $$$ and now I wait.  Unless I've overlooked something this is the last decision ... well, do I count recessed lighting and the pendant light above the sink?  Nuts.  How silly of me to think I was actually was done making decisions!  Well, those should be easy ones, right?  Ha!