Kitchen

Here is my (mostly) finished kitchen:



(thanks for being patient Maureen)

This weekend...

Derek is away for the weekend and I have a to do list that I will attempt to finish before he returns. Our countertops are coming tomorrow morning at 8:30 am (!!!) so I have to prep for that as well as a pharmacy presentation next week. I'm going to write everything down here so that I have to get it done. Will you hold me to it?

This weekend I must...

Patch the new drywall
Repair the wall for tile installation
Prime and Paint the new drywall
Remove the window trim
Wash the dishes
Clean off the countertops
Finish, fold and put away the mountain of laundry
Clean out the laundry room
Start and Finish researching for my presentation
Meet a friend for coffee (ok, so that's not really a "to do"item)

Do you find that your weekends turn into to-do lists? I hope yours is going well.

p.s. Update pics coming tomorrow after the countertop install!

Things, they are a-changin'

Oh, the delight of change! I love it that I am finally starting to get a glimpse of the finished kitchen! In an attempt to avoid frustration and anxiety about the fact that our kitchen is in total disarray and that all of the timelines have flown out the window, I haven't been getting to excited about renos lately, but I may have reached a turning point.

We ordered our countertop just over 2 weeks ago. Our trusty cabinet-maker, Clint was here last Tuesday to bring us the new lower cabinets and upper cabinets that I changed at the last minute-perhaps a bit crazy but a MUCH better use of space than the desk area that served only as a clutter catcher. After the delivery of the new white cabinet boxes, Derek commented that the cream interiors of our existing cabinets didn't look so nice and that we should paint the interiors white. I picked up a can of melamine paint and spent 2 evenings getting a bit high and stinking up the house, but the interiors look sooo much fresher!

Today our electrician, Brian, came to move electrical service around, wire for the oven, and run wire for new lights over the island. There is drywall dust all over the place and more holes in my walls, but it's progress! Friday, Clint will come to install lower cabinets and do some other picture-worthy stuff. Have you noticed how sometimes a tradesperson will come, work all day, and then there is nothing really picture worthy? It's all the prep that takes the time but results in a better finished kitchen. Our countertops are being installed on Monday morning, bright and early, so there is the potential that we will be done everything in 3 weeks!!!

Here are a few pics that I snapped tonight. Even though we have officially passed the 6 month mark (we started the reno craziness March 11), I have a feeling that it will feel like a drop in the bucket of time and I won't believe (or remember) all the work that has been done.

The Kitchen - Thursday, August 12 - 10:00 pm

Q: Is that a new island?
A: Why, yes it is!

p.s. the sink is also useable again!

The Kitchen - Tuesday, August 12 - 1:00 am

So the cabinets have been moved around and the floors are in! Only 5 weeks left (fingers crossed!)

The Kitchen - Monday, August 9 - 11:00 pm

The Kitchen - Monday, August 9 - 9:30 am

House Updates-Part 3

Oh my, so if you are contemplating a reno and those who have done it already tell you that things will take longer and cost more than you are expecting...I will join in that chorus and agree! Besides our appliance being late, difficulty sourcing cabinet finishes, and out of square doors and windows, everything is going well. Our original deadline of mid-July seems a pipe dream at this point but end of August is not too far and seeming more realistic. Here are some updated pictures of the progress. the tile at the front door, back entrance and laundry room is complete, which has been very nice.

The front rug with the new tile!

The pillow covers are done for the living room:

The Office/Sewing Room:

Laundry Room with new Tile!

The front door looked a bit dingy with the new tile and trim:

But no worries. There's nothing a quick coat, or 2, or 3 can't fix!

The only completed room on the entire main floor!

Back entrance with new tile:

Is this still considered soon??

I promised pics soon on April 8. I don't think this is considered soon. Oh well, these pics were taken soon after the promise, so I'll post them and then have to take some more (no promises this time on how soon they will appear!)

Today I...

...touched up nail holes in the baseboards
...finished painting baseboards and trim (I hope)
...tidied up the kitchen
...finally cut some fabric for my next quilting project
...got ready for my seniors presentation next week

*more updated pics coming soon!

Ma Maison d'aujourd'hui...une mise a jour

(My house today...an update)

So today I painted some more of the door jams...less crisis over painting the wood today. I also finished up painting all of the baseboards. Did I mention that we are replacing all of the trim and baseboards? This also means I am painting the door jams. Tuesday night I started painting. Now, we have oak trim, which is ok but I really wanted larger trim and white so that there wouldn't be quite as much wood and not be so dark. When I started painting, it looked horrible. The paint was streaky and I instantly regretted it. I asked Derek to come and look as the anxiety was growing. I could hear all of the pro-wood, painting nay-sayers coming into the house and saying "I can't believe you painted the wood" and the feeling of regret grew. Thankfully, Derek came and talked me down from the ledge (metaphorically) and I'm ok...I think.

The nice thing about all of the changes is that as things are completed, Derek and I look at each other and say "It's going to look so great when it's done". I definitely have to keep my eye on the goal as the disorganization is threatening to get to me. (I know I shouldn't complain at all about being able to renovate though)

Here is an updated look of what my house looks like this evening (at the request of my Dad):

This is what the wood looks like after 1 coat of paint (so ugly):


Front Hall-the grey is levelling compound:


Living Room:


Dining Room-storage space (can you see my new rug? I love the chevron pattern!):


Bedroom with white painted trim!:


Our Bedroom-hardwood is in, but might come out for floor re-levelling:


Kitchen:


More Kitchen:


Laundry Room-catching stuff (I'm embarrassed about this room especially)


The Office-subfloor down and ready for hardwood:


The Back Closet with Garbage Can:


The Back Entrance:


The Garage:


The kitties don't seem to be bothered by the reno:

House Renos!

So...as with all renos, we started with something that actually needed doing. Our linoleum needed replacing, so we wanted to replace it with hardwood. Since we were doing that, we thought why not replace the carpet with hardwood too. Then we thought we would put tile at the entrances and the laundry room.

Realizing that doing the floors would require us to move the kitchen island, we thought that perhaps we should replace it. Then we thought, while we were doing that, we should raise the cabinets as we like my parents that are higher than standard. Since our oven is in the island we considered what we would replace it with and I said that I would eventually like to have a double oven and a flat cooktop. But if we're doing that we will need to replace the countertops. So then we might as well do a full kitchen reno as we don't like the configuration and the light fixture (nice 80's flourescent that breaks every time we replace a bulb)/ Oh, and I forgot to mention that baseboards and moldings are easier to replace and upgrade since they're already off.

Oh gosh, even with writing it down, it seems like a lot. ETA: June/July...I hope...

So we've been going at this for a week and a half, we are living downstairs, we have already had a few setbacks (unlevel front hall and out of stock tiles)

Here's a peak at what it started as and what is happening around here:





(before)

(before)

(My brother-in-law Scott doing the flooring in the kitchen)

(Derek and Scott removing the toilet. I had to crop the pic to avoid showing the plummer bum ;) )

(yes, that is a toilet in my kitchen)