Sure looks like it. I love having a view while I do dishes ;) There's the plumbing below and everything. Is that a lazy susan style cabinet to the right I see? :D Sweet, nice use of corner space.
Printable View
Sure looks like it. I love having a view while I do dishes ;) There's the plumbing below and everything. Is that a lazy susan style cabinet to the right I see? :D Sweet, nice use of corner space.
Yes the sink will be in front of the window, which looks on to the house that perhaps I shouldawouldacoulda bought for less money and less work. But let's not go there (my bank account has shrunken to a point that I'm a bit obsessed about what I could have done differently in this whole endeavor).
The cabinet installers got the fridge/pantry wall done today, as well as the drawers, but they didn't finish. So I won't post any photos until tomorrow or Friday. The GC says that by Friday I'll have the appliances hooked up, except for the dishwasher. But maybe I can convince him otherwise.
The cabinets are really well-made, solid, and beautiful! Even though they cost me dearly, I'm glad to have them. The drawers are self-closing! oooooh aaahhhhh...
The lazy susan in the corner is really great, and very good quality--big heavy duty swivel pole and solid wood trays. The other corner cabinet was a dilemma because the dishwasher is there, and the cabinet maker (a woman, I might add!) came up with the great idea of having the access on the dining room side by a hidden door to allow for full use of the cabinet. She's brilliant!
Looks great. My husband and I have been fixing up our Bungalow too. We bought ours about 2 years ago. It was built in 1921. I just love it, so much charecter. Our first project was to build a larger garage. We have now moved to working on the inside. In one of the rooms we put up wood wainscoting. My husband was able to match the stain color to the original in the house. I think next summer we will tackle the kitchen. I like your pics!! Thanks for sharing.
I have just read this thread for the first time.
It almost makes me feel like buying a "handywoman special" house.
Hopefully it will pass.
I look forward to the developments. I LOVE those floors. The original Douglas Fir floors sold me on our current apartment.
Pasta???
But tomorrow, hopefully. The cabinets are pretty complicated to install. They are custom-made, but my house is old and nothing is square, so they have to jig things to make them just right. They are doing an excellent job and the cabinets are beautiful (I think so at least, which is good since I'm paying out the wazoo for them!)
Here are the results of yesterday and today. Tomorrow they finish the details, install the handles, and move in the appliances. I now have to decide on color for the concrete countertops...SUGGESTIONS WELCOME!
tulip
I'm not paying a penny for your cabinets, therefore I'm not biased:
They are really gorgeous.
(I love how most photos have dog parts or bike parts in them. :) )
Beautiful! To pick colors I'd want to know a little more about how you're going to paint. The cabs are so warm, light but warm. What kind of hardware/knobs will they have? The windows have lovely framing especially the door with the diamond window.Quote:
Originally Posted by tulip
I'd want to either strip the window, door frame and stain to match the wood of the cabs or paint them a really fun color and pick the tone up on the cement countertop. Probably the latter.
But that's just me. :rolleyes:
I just found this thread. Congrats! Huge endeavour, and well done.
For counter colors, go neutral, something you can change the walls and ceiling around, that still makes the food look good. Neutral with depth, maybe a beige with green texture/pattern?
Are they pouring concrete in situ? Can you mold little patterns in? If you can press in leaves, or printed cutouts of things that make you smile, they can be removed and filled with color, then sealed over, if that would amuse you.
A friend pressed some fossils in, another friend scattered mica dust for some sparkle.
Thanks, ladies. The door with the diamond window is really el-cheapo and it's amazing that someone hasn't busted it down by now (my dog almost has because he jumps up to look in the diamond window when he wants to come in). It will be replaced by a single-pane full glass door (reinforced glass, of course, with a light-filtering shade). Had the place been larger, I would have liked to have double French doors, but I got what I got.
The walls in the dining room are white and I think they will stay that way. I'm really attracted to calm colors and patterns, and this kitchen is really the culmination of the last few years life drama that I've written about elsewhere. I want it to reflect my calm state of mind, yeah. Or maybe inspire a calm state of mind!
There won't be any painted walls in the kitchen proper. The cabinets go to the ceiling and I'm going to tile the back splash, probably with subdued glass tiles that pick up the tones and colors of the floor, cabinets, and countertops. The ceiling is white and I'm sure as heck not going to paint it again! The trim of the door and window will be white. That window needs some repair eventually, but that will have to wait until later. I'm just going to put up a simple bamboo matchstick roll-up shade on the window. I was hoping to get custom cellular shades that go up from the bottom and down from the top for the whole house (11 windows), but that ain't happening any time soon. $13 shades will do just fine thankyouverymuch.
For the counters, I'm thinking a Cherokee red with or without aggregate showing, or a sage green probably smooth (no aggregate). I'm also considering a dark brown, like the floors, but that might be boring. I thought of inlaying little things, but I decided against it because I want as few distractions as possible. I like things simple, I guess. Once I choose the concrete, I'll choose the pendant lights--two over the peninsula and one over the sink.
The cabinets are really beautiful and incredibly well-made. They are made locally by a neat shop, and the main cabinet maker is a woman, which I found very cool. I found one noticeable nick in the one just above where the fridge will be, and at this price, I'm going to insist that they fix it or replace that door. If it was tucked in a corner I wouldn't care, but it's front and center. The drawers are self-closing, and the shelves are very good quality. I've never had nice stuff like this before in my life, and I'm amazed at the difference! I'm really going to enjoy living here.
I got a sink and faucet last night (photo below). All that's left are the lights and the disposal. I have to do a little research on disposals.
Not only is my dog a shepherd who follows me everywhere, he's also a complete camera hog. Whenever I pull the camera out, he's positions himself in front of it! He was the featured dog on the calendar that the rescue organization put out for 2009. I think he knows he's famous.
Do the drawers have handles?
Looks like they will, the fit is so tight I don't think you could do the "no handle" thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen
I love the wood grain. It'd be great to pick it up or compliment on the countertop. Gosh I love kitchen design, especially when it's someone elses that I don't have to live through :p
I love the idea of Cherokee red for the coutertops.
Handles, yes. They were put on Friday. Still no pasta; it'll all be done by the end of Tuesday, except for the counters and pendant lights. There was a problem with the light switches, so the electrician has to come and move them so the microwave will fit. The door above where the fridge will be had a nick in it and they are fixing or replacing it.
I chose a warm dark brown for the countertops. I was really leaning toward the Cherokee red, but decided at last that I wanted something more neutral to be the background. I want to start ichibana again, and so therefore wanted a counter that would not clash with any flower color combos that I might come up with. I was also wondering if the red counter would be too "hot" in the middle of summer. I think the brown will be very nice.
I love the pattern of the bamboo cabinets. The edge grain is a really nice touch, too. They are so well-made. I still can't believe that I'm going to have a kitchen that is so well-made and that I designed! I can't wait to get cookin'!
Finally reading through this thread! Love your camera h/dog! :p
Ah, I wish I had some ability to redo my house! I spend lots of time dreaming up HUGE changes, but am finally scaling down to some things that just might be possible! One would be very much like yours- taking out a partial wall between the kitchen and my front room, and putting in a counter and redoing cabinets. And I would need a floor, too :rolleyes:.
I love your redo! I've spent the past week finally putting time in my backyard, so I hope you put pics of your outside space too!
Wait, these are bamboo? Beautiful and sustainable? Be still my beating heart :cool:
Yes, I tried to be as sustainable as possible with the renovation. Bamboo cabinets and concrete or paperstone counters were a given. The on-demand hot water heater was too expensive, as was the 15 SEER heat pump. But I got the most efficient tank water heater that I could manage, and a 13 SEER heat pump that is pretty darned efficient (my house is 900 SF; one story). Additional work to be done is improving the insulation, building storm windows and screens, installing the wood/coal stove, and opening up one more interior wall to improve circulation (air, person, dog). Every room has a ceiling fan, which helps in all seasons. I have big trees all around and the house is pretty cool in warmer weather as far as I can tell (I moved there in August before the A/C was installed and only the hottest days were uncomfortable).Quote:
Originally Posted by Trek420
Oh, and my contractor recycles or salvages all the construction waste.
It'll be a while until it's all done, but I actually am enjoying the process and learning alot.
I have cherry cabinets.
They are old and dirty and too dark.
Do you think I could lightly sand them to clean and lighten the color?
That's a toughy Zen. If they are stained it does just that, stain. If you wanted to soften to like an oak I would think yes. Maybe an expert can chime in, I am working with limited knowledge from days spent mixing paint after class in college. ;)
Try sanding in an inconspicuous place and see what it looks like. Cherry is a darker wood, but often the stains make them really dark. I was surprised when I had my floor (dark stain) repaired and sanded where the former wall was--it sanded right back to the light oak.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen
With my mother's cabinets, we had great luck cleaning them really well and changing out the hardware. Eventually I'll get around to sanding and staining them (they are pickled, which is light already, but old and rather scrappy-looking), but that'll have to wait.
Repainting is also another option, but if yours are real cherry wood, you might not want to paint because cherry is a nice wood.
Can you believe...the electrian put the outlet RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of the bamboo panels. The plans called for the outlet to be on the end of the peninsula, so they have no excuse. The GC should have caught it. I came home from a week's business trip, happy to have my appliances in (it does look pretty good, except for the outlet), but horrified at the outlet. It ruins the whole peninsula, and it's not acceptable.
So tomorrow I fight that battle. Replacing the panel (custom made bamboo) will be expensive, and I'm certainly not going to pay for it, but someone will and it will get done.
Lesson learned: Work only gets done when I'm home to observe and make sure it's done right. This is not rocket science.
Still to do: outlet thing, pendant lights, plumbing hookups, countertop, tile backsplash (that's my job), stain the new back door (that's my job, too).
That has to be the best example of jackassery I've seen for a while.
I bet you were enraged for hours and probably still are :mad:
'Hey! Let's put a clown nose on this Mona Lisa thing here!"
After seeing some of the stuff our contractor tried to do, your outlet doesn't surprise me. :( Aside from that, the kitchen looks great! ;)
Hideous.
And, you should have him put in a beige one instead of white--it won't stand out near as much. Even if all the others are white. Beige is better in this case. (I hate beige outlets, otherwise!)
Karen
Talked to the GC this morning. He tried the old "that's the ONLY place it would work" argument. Not buying it. I told him that there is a better solution, we just have to find it. I'm disappointed that he was there when this happened. It would be more comforting if the electrician had done it. I would understand if the electrician has no aesthetic sense.
It will get worked out one way or another. I've learned SO MUCH from this project...if anyone is doing renovations and wants some Lessons Learned, let me know.
It's looking fantastic! The cabinets are really gorgeous. So nicely made, and the hardware compliments them nicely. Before I read your comment, I just thought it all looked great. The outlet didn't draw my attention.
I know you want it moved, but here's something to consider. This place makes bamboo switchplates:
http://www.eclectic-ware.com/Eclecti...tchplates.html
Tulip - that's awful! :eek:
To disguise it, can you find some bamboo wall paper, and use that to cover the outlet cover? With a beige outlet, and the wallpaper covered plate, maybe it would be hidden? Unless the whole panel is going to be replaced. Just a thought.
Tulip, that's awful! But is the kitchen counter going to be a seating area? Do you plan bar stools there and make it a sit-and-have-a-glass-of-wine-while-we-watch-you-cook-at-the-housewarming-party kinda thing?
If so a stern reprimand, "replace it with a bamboo switchplate for me and don't do it again" might do. And even then who wants cords around their guests knees?
If not, they'd better replace the whole piece, it's like a zit on a puhrty gals forehead. :p
My friend was having a home built and the contractor put a socket in the shower. Seriously. Because I like the blow dry my hair in the shower, it is shockingly fun. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Zen
Tulip- I am so sorry! They should make it right because I really don't see how that is a practical place. Sure it will work but not in a manner that is useful to you the home owner.
Yeah, I've had a zit in the middle of my purty forehead too many times in my life!
Redhodie, thanks for that link to the switchplate-o-rama place. That would be the simplest solution. The counter will be cantilevered 12 inches on that side of the peninsula...so it would have been okay if they had put it higher even. I just wish they had done what they said they would do and what is on the plans...put it on the end! Something about drawers and such. I think the electrician didn't put the box in the basement in the right place...I have been asking about this switch for some time ("you're going to put an outlet on the end of the peninsula, right?") because there were no wires coming up from the floor before the cabinets went in. And it's required by code, so I wanted to make sure that nothing would prevent the inspection from passing.
If this had been the first or second thing, I would be more understanding. OR if they had just called me to discuss it beforehand! But I've been way down on the priority list for months. The guy who's been doing the grunt work (not cabinets, but other work) seems to be quite a slacker and really not very conscientious in terms of finishing work, cleaning up, and doing what he's supposed to do. For example, he plastered the ceiling where the old wall was but didn't do a great job. I figured that was just the way it was going to be, so I painted. His boss decided to replaster it, which is good, but now I have to paint the ceiling again. Before that, I had requested that everything be "paint-ready" so that the cabinets would not be mussed up by paint, but it wasn't done completely and I have to paint around the cabinets in some places. It's just one thing after another it seems. At least they finally came and took the old toilet out of my yard.
This was supposed to be done by Christmas, then the first half of January, then February first, now I'm looking at March 1st. So sorry to complain, but it's been going on for way too long.
Also, I love the cabinets. They are handmade, hand crafted by some really wonderful and very efficient people. This is like punching the craftsman in the gut. Plus, they are EXPENSIVE and putting the outlet there is just plain wrong!
I did not have enough know-how to be my own GC in the beginning of this adventure. Now I do, and if I ever have to do this again...
But I do love the space and I'm looking forward to living, cooking, and just enjoying it. Thanks for the perspective on the outlet.
Tulip
There probably wasn't enough clearance on the end of the peninsula to have the conduit for the receptacle run up the side where the original plan was. For that, blame the cabinet designer.
If the code requires the receptacle, leave it as is for now. After the inspection make the cabinet guy replace that panel. You can remove the receptacle and cap off the wires (no loose live wires.. that's a no-no). And since the execution of the original design did not allow room for the receptacle, as designed, it's on the cabinet guy to make it right. You should not have to pay for that.
I can see where it would be useful to have a receptacle on the end of the peninsula, but on the back side like that is useless. Will cause a tripping hazard for anyone sitting there, or if you have a hot plate on the kitchen table, reaching over to the peninsula that's even worse.
Good luck.
Martha
WHAT?Quote:
Originally Posted by tulip
Now where will you plant the geraniums?
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...letPlanter.jpg
From prior pics, it looks like a drawer unit at the end; you might try measuring the depth of the outlet unit to see if the clearance exists...but it likely is too deep for the drawer space - unless it can go sideways at a point between the drawers... Details make the difference between satisfaction and dissatisfaction - but it's very hard to affordably plan for every contingency...Quote:
Originally Posted by withm
Some folks would not mind the outlet in its current location, but aesthetics are important to me so the outlet is moving. We worked out a solution and the outlet will be on the end of the peninsula and the bamboo panel will be replaced. There is enough room behind the drawers to make it work.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the kitchen. I finally made that spaghetti dinner tonight--first time I've made pasta in 6 months (well, at my house anyways).
Oh, and the dishwasher works. Now I have to locate my dishes...
Congratulations, Tulip!!!! At least your kitchen is all ready for the spring growing season (farmer's market, etc.). Looks beautiful!
CA
Outlet has been moved, panel will be replaced today, and pendant lights are up. Countertops next week.
Wow, it's amazing how finished it looks just from adding the pendants!
Can't wait to see the whole thing.
eta: Oh, the new door makes all the difference, too!
Karen
Beauty!
And I love the red kettle.
I've visited a house recently that had a dish heater on top of the stove. I was pretty impressed. That would make a lovely complement above your gas range there. :)
Thanks, y'all. I love my red kettle (and all OXO kitchen gadgets!) and was delighted to pull it out of my storage shed last week. It was like seeing a long-lost friend. I have a microwave/convection oven combo that is going over the range. Tomorrow, I'm told. They had to do some finagling with the electrical switches next to the door before installing it.
I found out, too, that my range has a warming drawer...ooh! I didn't know that when I bought it. All the appliances came from Sears Outlet, and luckily I was able to get them all to coordinate. All except for the dishwasher, which is a Bosch--better ratings than the rest.
I still have a bit to do, aside from what the contractor has to to. I have to put polyeurethane on the door's wood parts and paint that wood piece of the doorway frame. And then I need to tile the backsplash, but that will have to wait until after the countertops are in. Other than that and the contractor's punch list, though, it's done. I'll post a pre-final picture once the countertops are done, and then later in the spring I'll post another one when I get around to the tiling.
If anyone's delving into this and wants some info on concrete or bamboo, or heatpumps and hotwater heaters, or even old house electrical issues, just let me know.
I have a question - the first of many, probably. When you're budgeting for work to be done by a contractor, how much do you estimate for unforeseen overruns?
Background - my 1BR garden-style condo was built in the '40s as rental housing for folks working in the Pentagon during WWII. It was renovated in the '70s when the neighborhood went condo. I bought it almost 5 years ago. The previous owners lived out of state and rented it out for at least 10 years. For the most part, before I moved in, nothing had been done to it since the '70s. The stove and tile backsplash in the kitchen were harvest gold. (Talk about an appetite killer.)
Since I moved in, I have replaced the windows and replaced all the appliances. I painted the gold tile backsplash white, which works as a temporary fix. I've also gotten a bunch of new furniture. Right now I'm working on replacing the water heater.
Next, it will finally be time to get a contractor in here to get some serious work done. Every room needs work. I won't bore you with the details, at least not yet. ;) My plan is to divide the work into chunks according to what I can afford, so it will take at least a few more years to get everything done.
For starters, I would like to spend about $5,000. But I want that to be my total budget, so I need to leave room for the likelihood that once the contractor gets started, he will find something that needs more work than we anticipate at the start. It's an old building, so I'm sure there will be some surprises. For example, there's supposed to be hardwood floors under the wall-to-wall carpet, but I've heard that some people find sections of plywood when they rip up their carpet.
So, is there a good rule of thumb for budgeting? Such as, assume you'll spend X% more than the contractor's estimate once everything is final?
Also, I would love any advice you all have on how to work with contractors. I'll be working with someone who has done a lot of work in this neighborhood for decades, and several people I know recommend him.
Thanks!