House Remodeling Thread (long)

[Zen]

Do the drawers have handles?

[Trek420]

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.

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

[redrhodie]

I love the idea of Cherokee red for the coutertops.

[tulip]

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'!

[deedolce]

Finally reading through this thread! Love your camera h/dog!

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 .

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!

[Trek420]

Wait, these are bamboo? Beautiful and sustainable? Be still my beating heart

[tulip]

Wait, these are bamboo? Beautiful and sustainable? Be still my beating heart

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).

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.

[Zen]

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?

[Aggie_Ama]

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.

[tulip]

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?

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.

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.

[tulip]

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).

[Zen]

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

'Hey! Let's put a clown nose on this Mona Lisa thing here!"

[snapdragen]

After seeing some of the stuff our contractor tried to do, your outlet doesn't surprise me. Aside from that, the kitchen looks great!

[Tuckervill]

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

[tulip]

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.