We're in the home stretch

It's been a while since I've posted. There's been some progress of course but nothing major since the last update. The microwave is in, the last of the cabinet doors was attached,  I had some crown molding put in the living room, new baseboards put in the living room and a small section of the kitchen. I got the bill last night. Let's just say, once the kitchen is done I won't be eating out for quite a while.

The counter top is scheduled to be installed this Friday and I have asked the contractor to finish up by Friday as well. We're going on month three in a couple of weeks and I'm ready for this to be done.


So barring any more delays, I should have a working kitchen by Friday. I will clean up and post pictures over the weekend if that is the case.

If you're someone I know personally, you can expect a dinner invite in the upcoming weeks/months.

Here's to a great 2011. Cheers!

Z

Friday Dec 31st through Thursday Jan 6th

Hello everyone, sorry for the delay. I'm finally getting around to updating my blog. I'm happy to report there has been much progress made on my kitchen. I'm VERY happy.

The biggest change is that all of my cabinets are now installed and I can actually walk through my living room now. Here are a couple of shots of my kitchen on New Year's Eve:

 

Put on your sunglasses, it's bright in here!

Lights are on at full blast and I used a flash so it's super bright.

The space for my fridge was framed out but it was a tight fit.The panel on the left was a bit bowed and the cabinet went right up to the brick.

fridge before

 So they added a spacer to the right of the cabinet and extended the space out a bit to the left. Now I have the option of buying a bigger fridge.

fridge after

You might remember I had an issue with the cabinet not clearing the stove. Well that was also corrected. Both cabinets were pulled out about 4 inches so that I could open both the stove and cabinet doors.

 

cabinet BEFORE

cabinet AFTER

 My electrical box was framed out so I could cover it with a picture

I found a nice medallion to cover up the spot that remained after the old lighting fixture was removed

Trim detail was added

I picked up the door from my local glass place and it got installed.

And for the big finish, today the molding, light rails and face plates were installed. It looks gorgeous!

 

 

Wed - Dec 22nd - painted

Well the kitchen and living room are finally painted. What a difference a little color makes. The kitchen is warm and the living room is a bit of a cool contrast. I think it will be a nice complement with my chocolate brown couch.
See my pictures below. I can't believe the clutter.

kitchen in "stone wall' - very warm.

Living room wall is dramatic and beautiful in "Salzburg Blue"

Living room is just a bit cluttered. I can't get to the other side without going out to through the hallway and coming in the other entrance.

The corner cabinet that will hold my kitchen sink.

Umm, not sure what day it is anymore...

Well, most of the cabinets are installed. My stove was picked up and installed yesterday. It looks great. They came out to template for the counter tops yesterday but we ran into a little problem today. The cabinet that's adjacent to the stove on the left side doesn't clear the stove. This means that the drawer and door could not be opened. So, my contractor decided to pull out out those cabinets 4 3/4" from the wall to correct it. This means a narrower path to walk through from the kitchen to the living room but my contractor assured me it was enough space (about 40"). So now they have to come out and template again, for an additional fee of course. That's scheduled for Wednesday, Jan 5th. Therefore the earliest my counter top will be installed would be the last week of January. Painting is schedule for Monday. 

I took the cabinet that needed the glass insert over to a local glass place. He asked me what kind of glass I wanted. I told him the clear, glassy kind. (what other kinds are there?) I think he liked that. I thought it would be expensive but it's only $20. I even got the shatterproof glass. He said he wouldn't charge me labor so it must be an easy job. That should be ready for pickup Monday. Assuming it's not blizzard conditions, I'll go pick that up. 

I also found the correct bulbs for my 5 inch light housings and trim. I originally bought the wrong size bulbs. If I had read the package this would have been obvious.

Another nice thing my contractor did was put the box for the under cabinet lighting in the cabinets. So he cuts a small hole in the cabinet and you can't see it. I like those little details.

Well probably no new posts 'till after Christmas. 

Merry Christmas everyone!

This is how far out the cabinets had to come in order to open the drawer and door next to the stove.

Day 12 - Cabs are here!

Well, they didn't paint today, but they DID install just about all of the bottom cabinets. I know he is going out of sequence because he told me he likes to install the uppers first (easier to get underneath them) and then the lowers. But I think because this is the third time I've scheduled the counter top people to come in AND because he had to leave for 3 days last week he is trying to accommodate me. This will make it harder for painting but I'm sure he'll take care of it.

Suddenly, the kitchen doesn't look quite so spacious.

Day 11 - Saturday Dec 18th

Well, we got more sanding and priming done. I went out and purchased my paint colors today. I did it in a hurry and was second guessing my choices. I may just stick with them. I expect the kitchen to be painted Monday or Tuesday.

Take a look:

Days 7-10 .... We're a couple of days behind schedule

Well, there's been a delay folks. My contractor had to step away from my kitchen for a few days to work on something else so there hasn't been much to report.

My floor has been completely grouted and thanks to Roger, sealed. Pictured below is Roger sealing the newly grouted tile. He used an acrylic based sealer. So if I spill oil or food, the grout won't become discolored. The process was quick and easy. He was done in about 45 minutes and only took about an hour to cure.

Roger (dad) sealing my grout

Here is a short video of Roger sealing the grout. You can see how quick and easy this is to do.

Today, Rob (my contractor's assistant) was here to do my drywall. Unfortunately he wasn't able to get to the priming because the plaster didn't dry in time. He will be back tomorrow to prime and hopefully paint.

Rob closed up the ceiling over the former pantry.

 

Here is a short video of Rob applying what I think is plaster..not really sure if it's mud or plaster or if those two are the same thing.  

My Inspiration Kitchens

I found some pictures of kitchens that closely resemble what I am trying to achieve. The counter tops and cabinetry match closely to what I have. These serve as my inspiration in color only. Ignore the layout as mine is totally different.

This is the actual counter top color I selected. Allspice LG Hi Mac series. I love the contrast and warmth.

Another beautiful kitchen. I like the neutral warm walls.

Again, a very warm color scheme. Looks very inviting.