tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25258595268243315662024-02-19T20:15:19.683-05:00An Excellent AdventureYears may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11416114075627903898noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-2350573815356626942013-06-17T16:01:00.000-04:002014-07-17T16:02:49.494-04:00spring cleaningI know, I know...it has been a while. We've been pretty busy these past few months shoveling out of a few blizzards, managing busy work schedules, chasing around and having deep conversations with our two year old and, oh, having baby #2! Since we're all settled back into our "normal" routine and come out of winter hibernation, I figured I could update the blog again.<br />
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As much as I hate cleaning, I love me some spring cleaning! We can open the windows and let the stale winter air escape...rugs and drapes are hung outside to gain new life...the sun beams into the house to help us find those last traces of dust and cobwebs....<br />
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And in order to <em>really</em> let our house air out, we decided to take the roof off.<br />
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Yep, we finally got around to that 2nd floor renovation that we have been plotting out since we moved in. We had hoped to get the construction started (and completed) before baby #2 arrived but we were forced to hold off due to weather, scheduling, and budget issues. Luckily having two bedrooms on the main floor has given us the space we needed for the first two years in the house. Since becoming a family of four, the need for the additional space was more apparent than ever!<br />
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Our upstairs consists of a full bathroom and two bedrooms. Despite the generous floor space, the bedrooms were very cramped thanks to the classic roof lines of our cape-style house.<br />
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The bathroom had previously been dormered out a bit but it didn't extend all the way to the edge of the house and the ceiling was still pretty low.<br />
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In order to maximize the spaces, we are raising the peak of our house by a foot or two. Raising the peak willl give us almost 8' ceilings in the back have of the upstairs. Yay for us tall people being able to stand somewhere other than the center of the room without ducking! The full dormer will extend to the back wall of the house giving us about 5 more feet in all rooms. Here is a sketch to demonstrate the increase in living space that the reno will allow...<br />
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<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-71764110753998410462012-09-18T17:00:00.000-04:002012-09-18T17:00:04.714-04:00we're still here!Yes, we are still alive and kicking! It has been a wonderfully hectic summer! We've been on a home-projects-hiatus while our bank accounts recoup from the <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/04/kitchen-source-list.html" target="_blank">kitchen reno</a> and other small updates we made earlier this year. We are hoping to start (and finish) a big project over the course of the next month or three which will involve adding a full dormer to the back of our house. (Hence the need to tighten our boot strings and save up some green!) We currently have two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs that we don't use. Our bedroom and James's bedroom are both downstairs so we have yet to need the upstairs space. That will all change at the beginning of 2013 when we will welcome baby #2. (Yep, we have been busy bulking up our bank accounts AND my uterus.) I hope to share updates and pics of our 2nd floor addition as it moves along!<br />
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We haven't completely ignored the homestead this summer though. Between work, weekend getaways, 3 months of morning sickness, a new nephew and niece, and chasing around a rambunxious toddler, we have chipped away at a few things:<br />
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<li>We finally got the windows replaced in our kitchen. Aside from building a window seat, new windows were one of the last things on our kitchen-reno-to-do-list. I'll try to find some time to upload some pics but they really brighten up the kitchen!</li>
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<li>After getting a few <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/05/tree-removal.html" target="_blank">trees removed</a>, we proceeded to tend to our yard. I have to admit, it looks like complete crap at the moment. Our front yard was recently attacked by grubs and we spent last weekend pulling up dead grass and what seemed to be an endless colony of crab grass and other miscellanous weeds. Joe sprayed the yard down with some evil stuff to kill anything we may have missed and we will try to plant new grass seed this week. Here's hoping we'll once again see plush green grass in the Spring!</li>
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<li>Along with de-weeding a lot of our yard, we trimmed back some of the unruly shrubs and planted fall flowers and other perennials that were previously in big planters on our back deck. Hopefully the mums bloom soon and start to fill out the spaces where we cut back the other shrubs! We also removed the rotting window boxes that were in front of our kitchen windows and replaced them with cheap plastic ones - that are surprisingly not too tacky! We might build our own next year but, for now, these will do the trick.</li>
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<li>We also switched out the lighting in our hallway. There was previosuly a horrifying gold boob light that was begging to be tossed in the garbage. We replaced it with a simple track lighting system that brings light down the entire hallway, instead of just in front of the first bedroom door. I also hung several large picture frames in the hallway that are accented by the adjustable lights. I have yet to put actual pictures in the frames but, c'mon, one thing at a time! I mostly have solo shots of James and as much as I love that kid, it might look kind of weird to have 6 huge prints of his mug lining our hallway. We're not the Kardashians. Maybe we'll get some family shots during the holidays - or maybe I'll just wait until the new baby arrives. Actually, I'd prefer to wait until after the new baby arrives AND my face de-swells back to its normal puffiness before I get family pictures printed.</li>
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<li>I purchased a leather club chair that was super discounted on overstock.com. We put the chair in the awkward corner next to the door that leads to our back deck. It's a weird transition space that joins our living room, dining room, and kitchen so it always felt a little bare. I had planned on putting a desk in that corner but I think I like the simplicity of the chair. Right now it is just paired with a throw blanket, a small area rug, and a large basket to hold magazines, blankets, toys, etc. but I'm on the look out for a small end table to add to the space.</li>
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<li>More large frames were also added to this corner above the new leather chair. No, those ones aren't all empty too! Well, 2 out of 3 of them are. I managed to fill one frame with a little 10-minute little craft project I did while watching the Patriots game last weekend. In short, I cut a "K" out of a diaper box and wrapped it in some fabric I had leftover from our living room curtains. Toss that in a frame and voila...</li>
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<li>During those same 10 crafty minutes, I wrangled together a new wreath for our front door. This was just a plain wreath that I got on sale from Michaels for $4. I also grabbed a few leaves and berries for about $1 and popped them into the wreath. No glue or anything needed. Easy peasy. I should add that I saw similar pre-made wreaths like this for over $30. That's just silly.</li>
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I think that just about covers what has been going on with our house since my last update. No major renovations to report (yet) but sometimes that's a good thing!<br />
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Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-88102645907593499092012-06-13T08:25:00.000-04:002012-06-13T08:25:20.176-04:00open shelving bandwagonShelley over at the <a href="http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/2012/06/open-shelving-in-kitchen-yay-or-nay.html" target="_blank">House of Smiths</a> is talking about the open shelving craze. Head over to their page to check out some gorgeous ideas! We transformed our kitchen earlier this year and are loving our open shelving! Here is a quick before and after that shows how it really opened up our kitchen...<br />
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You can find more pictures of our finished kitchen over in our <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/04/kitchen-source-list.html" target="_blank">source list</a> post!Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-60520404407691665092012-05-02T19:30:00.000-04:002012-05-02T19:32:07.297-04:00tree removal.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our "tree guys" came this morning and removed two large trees from our yard...</div>
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See, you can barely tell that monstrosity was ever even there!</div>
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The tree removed from our front yard makes a much bigger impact...<br />
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It really opens everything up and makes the front seem so much larger...and also draws more attention to the fact that we have a lot more landscaping to do before it looks acceptable!</div>
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They did an amazing job and left no sign that they were even here - expect for the pile of wood chips they left for us in the front yard to use as mulch.</div>
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I wasn't here while the trees were removed so I was a little scared to come home from work and see the results. We are definitely happy and relieved that we don't have to worry about either tree crushing our house every time the wind blows!</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-78692691273544024062012-04-19T19:54:00.002-04:002012-04-23T13:30:32.975-04:00yard tour.Like I <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/04/yard-plans.html" target="_blank">mentioned before</a>, we are slowly chipping away at our jungle of a yard.<br />
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Before I get to the to-dos, I will show some that we've already checked off the list...<br />
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We installed new lighting around the front of our house. There were solar lights on clearance at Lowes so we stocked up...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-54F5D1KzOTfIb9ySP8qaeIlL5-5eczG8lB9me06w29l3hAIH6fVhlrDZxQLPyrcviHQM-g8u3N9wS4vYkQR2TAqu-hd7qswdpP3MUig1eH8pRF70wAz733u_0f3Qvq9r_lzI0tO73M/s1600/IMG_4561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-54F5D1KzOTfIb9ySP8qaeIlL5-5eczG8lB9me06w29l3hAIH6fVhlrDZxQLPyrcviHQM-g8u3N9wS4vYkQR2TAqu-hd7qswdpP3MUig1eH8pRF70wAz733u_0f3Qvq9r_lzI0tO73M/s400/IMG_4561.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Joe also replaced the light that hangs beside our mudroom door. I don't have a picture of the old one but let me describe it for you: it was smaller and uglier. Here's the new one:<br />
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It wasn't 'til I was outside taking pics of the solar lights in action when I noticed the cool glow it gives off...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vz-OnIP1lg4yuWexFmJ3JI94_XQuuHPkNwnfdylzpEp8-5P4Zc9egjlCb_XwJJj2_Lp1dS9jv-0ooMz0qkQEdwb6YOOmfMLGFJa-iTn8aTZ_V32fF6Ji874sCXnjvJ7y1pnQIFhxNOk/s1600/IMG_4562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vz-OnIP1lg4yuWexFmJ3JI94_XQuuHPkNwnfdylzpEp8-5P4Zc9egjlCb_XwJJj2_Lp1dS9jv-0ooMz0qkQEdwb6YOOmfMLGFJa-iTn8aTZ_V32fF6Ji874sCXnjvJ7y1pnQIFhxNOk/s640/IMG_4562.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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In non-lighting related news, we removed the messy-looking, dead-leaf-collecting shrubs in our front yard and demolished the rotting retaining wall (which is mostly hidden by the unruly shrubs in the photo below).<br />
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You can also see part of a wooden box-type-thingy in the mix up there. We thought that it was just a decorative way for the previous owners to display their rusty bucket but had a better understanding of it's purpose as soon as we started to tear it out. You see, our house sits back a bit and is also at a lower elevation from the main road. Because of this, our sewer system needs a pump to make sure everything makes it up to the main sewer line. The unattractive contraption hidden under this rotted wood has something to do with that pump. While sewer systems aren't a big interest of mine, all I needed to know was that we aren't able to remove this thing and had to find another way to hide it (while still being able to access it in case of emergency, prolonged power outage, etc.). It's about 3 feet across and over a foot high. We considered one of those fake landscaping rocks but anything that covered this would be way too big - and expensive. We also thought about re-building a box out of the same landscaping timbers that we used for the retaining wall - and, to be honest, that still might be an option. For now, we used bricks. I figured that bricks would match our front walkway, can be easily removed whenever necessary (they are just resting on top of each other and we didn't use any sort of adhesive) AND they wouldn't rot like wood would. It looks a little unsightly right now but I hope that it won't be as obtrusive once we plant around it.</div>
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I guess it would have been nice if I removed that stack of extra bricks sometime in the near future too. Oh, and we will eventually plant those plants that are just sitting there in their buckets - we're just waiting to get some larger shrubs so we can plot everything out.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHheH9ZyWXgts-YMN7wECfIFnNj_NSY4ZXY-MzEeholp8jHJ20e7BLyR5xEy_mJfFGiIt7DwcKq3NW7EbkhF_TMCxnsyhZ23dYRClDKcMgj9aHjZ5mFfJPVlos2oPsljMROL32uqI6ss/s1600/IMG_4603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHheH9ZyWXgts-YMN7wECfIFnNj_NSY4ZXY-MzEeholp8jHJ20e7BLyR5xEy_mJfFGiIt7DwcKq3NW7EbkhF_TMCxnsyhZ23dYRClDKcMgj9aHjZ5mFfJPVlos2oPsljMROL32uqI6ss/s400/IMG_4603.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yeh, that's a bird bath on top. Totally random. I haven't seen any birds use it yet but James loves splashing around it in. Gross, I know. Also, that small bush was originally in our backyard but needed to be removed so we re-planted here instead of throwing it out. Yay for free stuff!</div>
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Speaking of removing plants, we also trimmed the rhododendron brushes in front of our house. Below is a picture of what they looked like last spring. It doesn't look so bad this picture but they had become very unsightly since this was taken and blocked most of the front windows.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmWxC4cm4RjEiw1gdeoV0Jwm-AWGK6A1mg5b0o5QNRd2bdeCl2IysPreIHWhEA8M8cZBTfsiAqW5waqWGkz2YV1DzX7ads6G6YLAl2ec7UOft1sE8DmRvT5AvwY6akvFe7LOiTclFJDBH/s1600/front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmWxC4cm4RjEiw1gdeoV0Jwm-AWGK6A1mg5b0o5QNRd2bdeCl2IysPreIHWhEA8M8cZBTfsiAqW5waqWGkz2YV1DzX7ads6G6YLAl2ec7UOft1sE8DmRvT5AvwY6akvFe7LOiTclFJDBH/s400/front.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I say I trimmed them but Joe might say I got a little lopper-happy and hacked the heck out of the poor things. Whatever. All of the dead stuff is gone, they don't look like they are eating our house anymore, and if they don't grow back, I will have any excuse to rip them out all together. All signs point to a win in my book. (*crazy shadows alert*)</div>
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Before heading to the backyard, here's a shot of the large tree that looms over the front of our house...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePWwX21-5D48dMgb_6yRu2F1XBnzncGPwE2dvZC-WK7ZYjHAQhGMm_aRmkCR3NBFZLk1f95ppXlZ9452QnABjTtdcLJ7LSb-vzdfZC5MshA8TqgFGXS6Uc_N4952AnqnmsxuYDErflZE/s1600/IMG_4604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePWwX21-5D48dMgb_6yRu2F1XBnzncGPwE2dvZC-WK7ZYjHAQhGMm_aRmkCR3NBFZLk1f95ppXlZ9452QnABjTtdcLJ7LSb-vzdfZC5MshA8TqgFGXS6Uc_N4952AnqnmsxuYDErflZE/s640/IMG_4604.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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I'm pretty sure we're going to have this removed. It isn't in terrible condition but there are several dead limbs and it blocks a lot of the sun from getting to the front of our house - not to mention it would be tragic if even one of the branches were to fall. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IVi5SND9X0KDuLPc6Q6i8SWEb2i6ji1YWzri0hhrpY_1v6K_9Ac1qqOOscFD0t-RUouAoxje1WEszgr94pAOpWyv085oi3OT5GNsQcgVu17WHTzVH14A78XzhEPwEOkZ0B_w3YwTos0/s1600/IMG_4606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IVi5SND9X0KDuLPc6Q6i8SWEb2i6ji1YWzri0hhrpY_1v6K_9Ac1qqOOscFD0t-RUouAoxje1WEszgr94pAOpWyv085oi3OT5GNsQcgVu17WHTzVH14A78XzhEPwEOkZ0B_w3YwTos0/s640/IMG_4606.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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As for the rest of the front yard, we have to clean up the shrubs that line our property, lay new weed blocker, mulch, and hopefully clean out the front corner of our yard that is currently overgrown with briars and other miscellaneous yard waste. I'm not sure if you can see it in the picture below so I pointed to the bright orange corner flag buried back there marks the corner of our property and also drew some lines to give a rough idea of where our boundaries are. It would be nice to be able to actually use some of this space...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYdXw71p-Cga4fZiiqANxADq1DQI33ogAfhvsPlC49yq_KwtVS2c-avtX661R5vVUU4bAQK0Vqj23vd0iVjgNNmwvVLNkLQZrSObN2m4EnB2NOkOmJYWHCtWB8ttrK_7YyU2jZ27U2xg/s1600/front+corner" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYdXw71p-Cga4fZiiqANxADq1DQI33ogAfhvsPlC49yq_KwtVS2c-avtX661R5vVUU4bAQK0Vqj23vd0iVjgNNmwvVLNkLQZrSObN2m4EnB2NOkOmJYWHCtWB8ttrK_7YyU2jZ27U2xg/s400/front+corner" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our backyard is a much bigger challenge.</div>
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Here is a shot of the huge, dead tree that I have referenced numerous times. This tree is coming down soon now that we got the OK from our neighbors - it's technically on their property.</div>
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We spent several weekends last summer clearing out the area around this tree which was filled with vines and briars. (You can see a picture of what it looked like before we moved in <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2011/04/yard-crasher-wanted.html" target="_blank">here</a>.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSyWbQ_puSUb4htRFlSE6LncuNib8abAngo0xjtPqZLJ4bZrZ6sIMjZ009mTJmK70T1HYVYlEwmwFbIk4x8d6WAQGi4Vg1NVAb9KK5-Grk6uJnYl9o4NdZW9Te1OB6Tu86nVNmXpUKaw/s1600/IMG_4596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSyWbQ_puSUb4htRFlSE6LncuNib8abAngo0xjtPqZLJ4bZrZ6sIMjZ009mTJmK70T1HYVYlEwmwFbIk4x8d6WAQGi4Vg1NVAb9KK5-Grk6uJnYl9o4NdZW9Te1OB6Tu86nVNmXpUKaw/s400/IMG_4596.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We also spent a lot of time clearing out the opposite corner of the yard and still have a lot of work to do. Tearing out briars by hand is a grueling process but it's free and it justifies us swearing as much as possible for an entire afternoon.</div>
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There is a random section of fence that will eventually be removed and we are trying to decide if this tree should come down as well. Once we clear out this section of our property, we plan to install a fence. Since the fence will sit about 10 feet back from where this one is now, I am thinking that the tree will look weird being in the middle of our yard - and mess with the open flow we're going for. I should note that we considered just planting a natural fence to line the back side of our property but then concluded that it would be way too hard to maintain and keep all of the vines and briars from attacking whatever we plant back there. As fences can often be an eye sore, we will plant some attractiveness in front of it to keep it feeling natural and woodsy. Big dreams.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-Ga1uXTgUiVA40jUyw9vZKz9yszEh_mz0yidoxkbr2lWvTuTtuDXGh0itZQVNm1JQWTCf3xEZ-APr1PjvbxfJQNEWiZdAb69xByP6cjh1F51jBsPwKoGkPu1YjG4zchfUzlHGwNKvRc/s1600/IMG_4601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-Ga1uXTgUiVA40jUyw9vZKz9yszEh_mz0yidoxkbr2lWvTuTtuDXGh0itZQVNm1JQWTCf3xEZ-APr1PjvbxfJQNEWiZdAb69xByP6cjh1F51jBsPwKoGkPu1YjG4zchfUzlHGwNKvRc/s400/IMG_4601.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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I drew some arrows pointing to a few flags that mark our back property line and also drew a line to show how much we will need to clear out. In the end, a new fence will be built along our property line and we will have lovely grass covering all that area that is currently a yard waste graveyard. Like I said, big dreams.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEK8H0iADz5NqBeiUMe1BHRMhvqJYtAQUYBDLAT4myFCrxk_kFv3Jq7KQcmF6CRgd2-tMJByDAO2AZE7__-fyBx8SmD7MS86u9OKbUSzxv5aoeDqPIkW1664RERnjISa_1rj6-jzjNHs/s1600/back+prop+line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQEK8H0iADz5NqBeiUMe1BHRMhvqJYtAQUYBDLAT4myFCrxk_kFv3Jq7KQcmF6CRgd2-tMJByDAO2AZE7__-fyBx8SmD7MS86u9OKbUSzxv5aoeDqPIkW1664RERnjISa_1rj6-jzjNHs/s400/back+prop+line.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And for the biggest eye sore of them all...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUL9KDpMrH4wdQ4DJeHuitbG883kbnhvXc1mF7yXEP8MIy9AeANi489z4lNf6ukVtUaS5kEXaiupgErQCzbd1rRRPtQezcNQhDYLEfx1Zeu3Hhym3V2o7-YVvqVkwmBw7lcZGLaKlv7E/s1600/IMG_4594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUL9KDpMrH4wdQ4DJeHuitbG883kbnhvXc1mF7yXEP8MIy9AeANi489z4lNf6ukVtUaS5kEXaiupgErQCzbd1rRRPtQezcNQhDYLEfx1Zeu3Hhym3V2o7-YVvqVkwmBw7lcZGLaKlv7E/s400/IMG_4594.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yeh, we still have done nothing with the giant sandbox left behind by the pool we removed last year.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9ewDpcIFGa63UdZ19loUTMkf_eLTFE5xeut56Bl15rTQ6XEbwWhALIkkFgLgMoTiTeH-81-wVBLNdsWTgUMcdLC3w-ur7ZnG0WlC-hbzmQ_UvR6iQTo0BWCc_0EgAq5bogoBO0NzWSKX/s1600/DSCF3014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9ewDpcIFGa63UdZ19loUTMkf_eLTFE5xeut56Bl15rTQ6XEbwWhALIkkFgLgMoTiTeH-81-wVBLNdsWTgUMcdLC3w-ur7ZnG0WlC-hbzmQ_UvR6iQTo0BWCc_0EgAq5bogoBO0NzWSKX/s1600/DSCF3014.jpg" /></a></div>
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We have some huge granite blocks that are just sitting at the end of our driveway and waiting to be moved over here to form a retaining wall/steps that will lead to a stone patio. </div>
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Our imaginary patio will cover less than half of the sandbox so we plan to level out the rest of it and plant grass. For now, we have a gorgeous old barrel to burn some of all this growth we're ripping out.</div>
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Oh, and because nobody has volunteered to come help us with yard work, all of this is probably years away from completion.</div>
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xo</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-75506966812446476222012-04-09T13:13:00.000-04:002012-04-19T20:58:11.235-04:00kitchen source listHere's a roundup of where we got everything...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggPj42XHzKv0uiq0_TLjkOR1GxCR29PyU4SaxAn5M4du5AR9OP9F-7uSGLv0Tf33dqlOkNk6IhayXKnOntlgMX0JTa5egNS2yAC2fy5fHo8355pRMunWhmq-jaP6l8HKit16r9WP99Xw/s1600/IMG_4478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggPj42XHzKv0uiq0_TLjkOR1GxCR29PyU4SaxAn5M4du5AR9OP9F-7uSGLv0Tf33dqlOkNk6IhayXKnOntlgMX0JTa5egNS2yAC2fy5fHo8355pRMunWhmq-jaP6l8HKit16r9WP99Xw/s400/IMG_4478.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cabinets: Adel White, <a href="http://www.ikea.com/">Ikea</a><br />
Cabinet Hardware: matte black pulls on sale at <a href="http://www.lowes.com/">Lowes</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGTPosgV3nIuAqCgF9Pzoz_FmoTbYDoIv7ea5lxT-_yKGT3l7fZQy3QAphDwIY3q8nukbS0Y5kYfK7V3AdaP2dGCu9Dw5I0vLQcrPvPI8L9pXyBKi9-JrnizBlsiruFdTDrg5aPlRTOQ/s1600/IMG_4481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqGTPosgV3nIuAqCgF9Pzoz_FmoTbYDoIv7ea5lxT-_yKGT3l7fZQy3QAphDwIY3q8nukbS0Y5kYfK7V3AdaP2dGCu9Dw5I0vLQcrPvPI8L9pXyBKi9-JrnizBlsiruFdTDrg5aPlRTOQ/s640/IMG_4481.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Sink: Kraus Undermount Sink, <a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Kraus-Undermount-Single-Bowl-Stainless-Steel-Kitchen-Sink-with-Grid/5070922/product.html">Overstock</a><br />
Faucet: Vigo Stainless Pullout Faucet, <a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Vigo-Stainless-Steel-Pullout-Spray-Kitchen-Faucet-with-Soap-Dispenser/6006505/product.html">Overstock</a><br />
Rug: $15 on clearance at TJMaxx (with $5 clearance anti-fatigue mat underneath from Lowes)<br />
Pendant Lights: Schoolhouse Pendant, <a href="http://www.thelampgoods.com/">The Lamp Goods</a> (also on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/LampGoods">Etsy</a>)<br />
Under Cabinet Lighting: SuperBright LEDs, <a href="http://www.inspiredled.com/">http://www.inspiredled.com/</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvDn9rw3bqkP_eipkeNj_ha5GDfzHHzBo-cIisb2pUl0MGskRElxecVDYoqnekA1aAXXCAQGJ3zjuavTYIHG5qHHzSlK-cXN1uJaAJyaEjIj_TT_Hvb6W3KRYYl0KExgDr4oeRod9LVs/s1600/IMG_4483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvDn9rw3bqkP_eipkeNj_ha5GDfzHHzBo-cIisb2pUl0MGskRElxecVDYoqnekA1aAXXCAQGJ3zjuavTYIHG5qHHzSlK-cXN1uJaAJyaEjIj_TT_Hvb6W3KRYYl0KExgDr4oeRod9LVs/s640/IMG_4483.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Backsplash: White subway tile, Lowes<br />
Countertops: White Corian (the Allen&Roth/Lowes brand)<br />
Shelf materials (brackets, wood, trim): Home Depot<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuZXKCBHvkXsAOjY-iS5lhL30sawFS1v5K4ffzzfbVzdO_5OScsDdJjiYAjB32KJLLy1GM4UMzKEC6ohnM404Jyh_XQ_tsA6bvuQc3GHggBRnIX5ORVTAOtvOnXT-2qQo5nixTOH00dU/s1600/IMG_4480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuZXKCBHvkXsAOjY-iS5lhL30sawFS1v5K4ffzzfbVzdO_5OScsDdJjiYAjB32KJLLy1GM4UMzKEC6ohnM404Jyh_XQ_tsA6bvuQc3GHggBRnIX5ORVTAOtvOnXT-2qQo5nixTOH00dU/s400/IMG_4480.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Appliances: Kitchenaide Gallery, <a href="http://www.yaleappliance.com/">Yale Appliance</a><br />
Flooring: Old Madrid 20x20 tile, <a href="http://besttile.com/">Best Tile</a><br />
Under floor heating: <a href="http://www.nuheat.com/">NuHeat</a>, (also purchased through Best Tile)<br />
Wall Paint: Hot Stone, Valspar/Lowes<br />
Crown Moulding/Shelf/Touch up paint: custom mix, <a href="http://www.sherwin-williams.com/" target="_blank">Sherwin Williams</a><br />
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*Update: I've had a lot of people ask for the formula for the paint match of the Adel White color. Here is a bad cell phone picture of our paint label and I will try to take a better picture soon!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zH16GPN9ZetjVK6gSftMRR8wBotBbhyxqEmF2TQhaplz8tHu-GhRwTawTUNSUhgsYH2qAs4aJvMrrbtc7Dp8ceIs8y46farlyzT9xYTC_Ab_uJvRlHZ1DZYWMZ4iaDJZ9KPGkvc-Qro/s1600/adel+white+color+match.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zH16GPN9ZetjVK6gSftMRR8wBotBbhyxqEmF2TQhaplz8tHu-GhRwTawTUNSUhgsYH2qAs4aJvMrrbtc7Dp8ceIs8y46farlyzT9xYTC_Ab_uJvRlHZ1DZYWMZ4iaDJZ9KPGkvc-Qro/s320/adel+white+color+match.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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All other supplies and accessories were already on hand.Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-53915976207734879122012-04-09T13:02:00.000-04:002012-04-09T13:04:08.915-04:00yard plans.Our past several updates might lead you to believe that we chained ourselves to the <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/04/done-for-now.html" target="_blank">kitchen</a> for the past couple months. While most of our time and energy <em>has</em> been spent inside, we also took advantage of the relatively mild weather to get a jump start on the yard. We're fairly certain that it will be a few years before our yard is to a point where we are satisfied with its appearance. Our house is on almost an acre of land and is surrounded by a lot of old trees, vines, briars, and other poorly maintained growth. Getting rid of all the dead and unwanted growth is extremely time consuming but we're chipping away at it. We had our land professionally surveyed so we know exactly where our property boundaries are - and know what we need permission to remove! <br />
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We knew that a large pine in our back yard needed to come down when we moved in a year ago. It isn't ours but would cause major damage to our property if and when it ever falls. Despite it being on our neighbor's property, we don't expect them to volunteer the funds to remove. We're willing to eat the costs of removing this tree now as opposed to pay for the damage it might cause in the future. (We haven't had a chance to discuss with them yet so we're still keeping our fingers crossed that we catch them on a good day and find they are willing to remove for us!) <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2011/06/month-one.html" target="_blank">We spent several days last year</a> tearing out the briars that surrounded and wrapped around this tree last year and discovered that it's almost completely hollow - and is very likely to fall on our house with a nice gust of wind. <br />
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We're not even sure our neighbor knows this piece of land is his property. It appears to have been a dumping ground for yard waste for years. Once we get permission, we will have this tree removed and proceed with clearing out the growth on our side of the property line. Our goal to is clear anything off our property and erect a fence that will shield our eyes from all of this ugliness. We also hope to remove the briars from the side of our yard and replace with some more desirable shrubs - for privacy, aesthetics, to give more space for us to run around, and to eliminate the need to pluck thorns out of our skin should we run too closely to this side of our property.<br />
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There's also a huge cherry tree right outside of our front door. It's not completely dead but it's also not the healthiest looking thing. We'll probably have this tree removed as well because it offers nothing in terms of privacy, it interrupts the flow of the yard, and it would cause severe damage to the main part of our house if any limbs broke off. It also blocks sun from reaching the roof and front of the house - allowing snow to build up in winter months and prevents the roof from fully drying after rain (which then leads to mold and a whole other list of issues!).<br />
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And here are a few sketches because I'm a visual person and I have to see the whole picture in order to understand each of its parts:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYWDT4oduFkdxs57Iu0xbloKCOEH7Q_eASet33sjUdtNyYLTNR7xMptGt8nMldP6gSHvyEe20C9DGxrLDIzr18cN-OkEjoIKBdG9ERYdPD4_b5CFDicfeaUhlMNc-7PGh1N63LCjsHIc/s1600/yard+before.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYWDT4oduFkdxs57Iu0xbloKCOEH7Q_eASet33sjUdtNyYLTNR7xMptGt8nMldP6gSHvyEe20C9DGxrLDIzr18cN-OkEjoIKBdG9ERYdPD4_b5CFDicfeaUhlMNc-7PGh1N63LCjsHIc/s640/yard+before.png" width="530" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AVPHZZYu2g8pr10wlnsDcx25A33cYHM2Sd_QERGprXkpNdIjZvmzY0SKAESMeigjwvAyxQYujJxE8VmZJMEvXuu0C1PNm7QyY5S7iOYfpZAi9bNAWCTJzwPrbin3npqA48yYGf6WqH8/s1600/yard+after.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AVPHZZYu2g8pr10wlnsDcx25A33cYHM2Sd_QERGprXkpNdIjZvmzY0SKAESMeigjwvAyxQYujJxE8VmZJMEvXuu0C1PNm7QyY5S7iOYfpZAi9bNAWCTJzwPrbin3npqA48yYGf6WqH8/s640/yard+after.png" width="530" /></a></div>
Next weekend's weather forecast looks decent so we welcome you over to help with yard work. You will be compensated with animal crackers.Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-83712755248528857962012-04-01T08:02:00.000-04:002012-04-01T08:03:57.951-04:00DONE! (For now.)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Yep. Finally. Our kitchen is done. (OK, so we have a few other things to do in this room like replace the three front windows and build a window seat but those will be ongoing projects.)</div>
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We finished painting and hanging our shelves...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggPj42XHzKv0uiq0_TLjkOR1GxCR29PyU4SaxAn5M4du5AR9OP9F-7uSGLv0Tf33dqlOkNk6IhayXKnOntlgMX0JTa5egNS2yAC2fy5fHo8355pRMunWhmq-jaP6l8HKit16r9WP99Xw/s1600/IMG_4478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggPj42XHzKv0uiq0_TLjkOR1GxCR29PyU4SaxAn5M4du5AR9OP9F-7uSGLv0Tf33dqlOkNk6IhayXKnOntlgMX0JTa5egNS2yAC2fy5fHo8355pRMunWhmq-jaP6l8HKit16r9WP99Xw/s400/IMG_4478.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also tweaked the small cubbies to the right of the sink. Instead of 5, there are now 4 cubbies that fit small baskets for storage...</div>
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We finished installing and painting the crown moulding...<br />
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One project off the to-do list, 37 (and counting) to go!</div>
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<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-23931223731263041202012-03-28T19:16:00.002-04:002012-08-13T11:09:42.085-04:00crown mouldingHaving the open space between the top of our cabinets and the ceiling irked me almost as much as our pre-tiled walls. (Sidenote: Yes, a lot of things irk me. Maybe I'll post a list of all things that irk me but first I should find out how many characters blogspot.com allows per post.) We didn't want a big piece of ornante moudling to distract from the simple lines of our cabinets so we opted for the simplest pieces of moulding that would fit our space.<br />
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First, we needed to devise a way for our moulding to attach to our cabinets. We don't forsee us ever putting any pressure on the moulding except for the occasional dusting but it still needed to be attached. To keep from drilling or nailing through our new cabinets, we decided to use epoxy to secure pieces of scrap wood to the top of our cabinets so that the first layer of crown had a place to butt up against. The wooden blocks were secured to the top of our cabinets 3/4" away from the edge - that way our 3/4" deep moulding would be flush with the front of the cabinet box. Get it? Since all of that may only make sense in <em>my</em> head, here are our cabinets with the pieces of scrap wood attached:<br />
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From there, we took the first layer of moulding and rested that on top and flush with the edge of the cabinets. (Note: this first layer is basically just a piece of wood that was 4"tall x 3/4"deep - except it isn't regular wood - it's some kind of composite that was cheaper and lighter than regular wood.) I used our finish nailer to drive two little nails through the moulding and into the pieces of scrap wood behind it. Result: a piece of moulding that is attached to our cabinet that didn't require drilling or nailing through our cabinet. (OK, to be honest, I <em>did</em> have to nail through our cabinets in two places where the piece of scrap wood didn't completely cure to the top of the cabinet for whatever reason - but I just used a tiny pin nail that you'll never be able to see.)<br />
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Don't mind all the junk on the counters - just looking at this picture gives me sweaty palms...<br />
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Layer two was less fun. I consider myself a fairly intelligent person and even majored in math for the majority of my college career - but all of my math skills and logic escaped my brain when trying to cut crown moulding at 9:00pm after an exhausting day. Several mistakes and test cuts later, I finally figured it out and managed to still have 10 fingers after a long battle with our miter saw.<br />
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Because our ceiling isn't completely level, the gap between moulding layer #1 and the ceiling wasn't consistent across the span of our cabinets. Moulding layer #2 masked this discrepancy. Once all pieces were cut to size, I again used our finish nailer and pinned these pieces right to the ceiling.<br />
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We then filled the few seams so that the cabinets and both layers of moulding looked like a single piece as opposed to 3 separate units stacked together. We also filled in all of the tiny nail holes. After giving everything a light sanding, we were ready to paint.<br />
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I started to paint a few pieces of moulding before installing but noticed that it got fairly dinged up during the installation process so I skipped the pre-painting step and opted to give everything two clean coats once all pieces were in place. We still have another coat and some touch ups to do but we're nearly there!<br />
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It gives the cabinets a much richer feel and makes the entire room feel so much taller. Yay for optical illusions!<br />
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And for the love of before/progress/after photos:<br />
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<u>Remaining to dos</u>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Replace the 3 front-facing windows</li>
<li>Construct a window seat/bench along open wall</li>
<li>Find fabric and make some curtains</li>
<li>Add other decorative touches such as art, a mirror by the back door, hooks, etc?</li>
</ul>
Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-10846488810701806812012-03-26T18:16:00.000-04:002012-03-28T19:16:40.696-04:00the post that Joe was supposed to titleOnce our <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/03/tile-mania.html" target="_blank">new wall tile</a> was given about 48 hours to set, we proceeded to grout. We opted for bright white grout and also made sure to mix it with a solution recommended by the tile shop. 'Grout Once' is a solution that is used to mix the powdered grout in lieu of water that saves the extra step of sealing grout. We used it when mixing the grout for <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/02/and-in-with-new.html" target="_blank">our floor tile</a> and while only living with it for a few weeks, we've noticed that it's particularly easy to clean - and with a 17-month-old running around, we're constantly wiping up spills from the kitchen floor.<br />
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Grouting all of that wall tile wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be - cleaning it all up is what sucked the life out of us. Once we found a nice consistency, we just slapped it on the tiles with rubber grout floats and we had the whole kitchen done in an hour or two. Then we started to clean it all up. We gave it a good wipe-down just a few minutes after we were done smooshing the grout into all of those little spaces. Wiping it down with a damp sponge really smoothed out the grout lines but made the actual tile look like a foggy mess. As not to re-live the nightmare of the tile-cleaning process and to keep from typing out the word "grout" too many more times, I will just summarize by saying we spend the next two days wiping down our white tile. For anyone out there that might be needing to clean that hazy film left on the face of your tiles by grout, I will point out that baby wipes are your best friend. I know they make special cleaners just for this purpose but I think I've been to Lowes about 97 times in the past two months so using something we already had on hand was a win in my book. After trying to buff our tiles with a dry towel, we tried baby wipes and it gave us the nice clean, shiny finish we wanted without the sore arms.<br />
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(<i>For unknown reasons, I don't have pictures to show the mid-grout or the post-grout process. Instead, you will have to settle for the next step in our kitchen reno process...</i>)<br />
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After allowing our tile to set and grout to fully cure, we had the green light to proceed with hanging our open shelving. Open shelving seems to be a popular thing these days and there are endless sources on the web that will explain how to hang and provide tons of eye candy. For two long L-shaped shelves, we needed a total of 12 brackets. Each bracket is attached to the wall with two screws. In order to attach those brackets to the wall, we had to drill 24 holes into our new tile. I must admit that the thought of drilling through new tile was nauseating but we got it done without any issues.</div>
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I measured, checked for level, measured again, stood back for a better view while Joe held up a sample bracket and shelf, measured a few more times, checked for level again, and then finally marked where my first screw hole would go. Repeat 23 more times. Luckily the wall studs created an even bracket placement so every bracket is secured to a stud - somewhat alleviating my fear of hearing a shelf full of dishes crash down in the middle of the night. (Note: we checked for studs before tiling this wall and made marks on the ceiling - that way we could easily determine where the studs were even after the tile was up. I don't think a stud finder or the ol' tap-the-wall trick would have been as effective through a wall full of tile.)</div>
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(Yes, I am fully aware that those shelves are too long. I just had them up there temporarily to get a better idea of how everything would look - not like there was any turning back at that point though!)</div>
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After we trimmed those shelves down to size, everything needed to be primed and painted. I had brought one of our cabinet doors to a local Sherwin Williams store for them to color match and came home with a gallon of paint - way more than I needed but I figured I would use it for several coats on the brackets, shelves, and crown moulding - as well as any other touch-ups. Since it was a custom color that the rep tweaked for me, I didn't want to run the risk of running out and then not getting the exact same color a second time.</div>
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Admittedly, I'm not a very patient person. Because of this, painting something that requires primer, several coats of paint, and a little sanding in between each coat is a painful process for me. Since we both work regular 9-5's and only had an hour or so to work on them each night (although I've decided to start playing the lottery so that won't be an issue for much longer) we finally got everything painted over the course of a few days.</div>
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I'm giving the shelves another day to dry before I attach them to the brackets so I hope to have pics of everything completed shortly!</div>
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Up next: <em>Crown Moulding: The Leading Cause of Divorce</em></div>
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<em><br /></em></div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-45473332113095315362012-03-10T18:23:00.001-05:002012-03-10T18:23:46.364-05:00tile mania.Since moving in last May, we had the pleasure of staring at some retro wallpaper in our kitchen.<br />
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I finally had enough of it and <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2011/06/rainy-saturday.html" target="_blank">tore it down</a> one weekend last summer. While it was a slight improvement, the bare laminate backsplash was still a sight for sore eyes.<br />
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Then we <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/01/demo-begins.html" target="_blank">began demo</a> on our kitchen in January of this year. The laminate backsplash came down to uncover some nasty epoxy residue. Things have to get worse before they get better, right?!<br />
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The new cabinets and counters were a slight distraction but I couldn't help but cringe at the sight of my beautiful new kitchen paired with those grungy walls. I'm all for the rustic vibe but this was a little much.<br />
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Until today...<br />
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We still have to grout it all but I think this has been my favorite update of the entire two month kitchen reno process.<br />
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Holy bright white kitchen. I love you. My cleaning habits will definitely need to be kicked up a few notches but that's not such a bad thing.<br />
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Open shelves will be installed on this wall...<br />
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We still need to install the crown moulding.<br />
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And replace these old windows...<br />
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...but, for now, I will enjoy my clean, bright, new space!<br />
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<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-76062022143493268292012-02-29T19:07:00.002-05:002012-03-05T12:47:01.114-05:00some finer detailsIt might sound strange but seeing our kitchen renovation drawing to a close is kind of a bummer. Joe might have a different opinion but I have really enjoyed the chaos, stress, and long to-do-lists. For the past month or two, I have been excited to tackle a new project each day and watch the progress!<br />
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The majors steps have been completed - <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/01/demo-ends.html" target="_blank">demo</a>, <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/02/and-in-with-new.html">new floors</a>, <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/02/cabinet-beginnings.html" target="_blank">cabinet installation</a>, <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/02/no-more-heavy-lifting.html" target="_blank">new appliances</a>, and <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/02/new-countertops.html" target="_blank">new countertops</a>. We also wrapped up some of the smaller details over the past few days.<br />
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After the plumbing was finished (running water! yay! no more washing dishes in the tub! yay!), we installed the small shelves next to the sink. We had left this piece out so that it was easier to access the pipe located behind it. While these shelves probably aren't the ideal solution, there isn't really a 9" cabinet that you can squeeze into this spot and still keep the sink centered under the window. We eventually plan to do something to cover up the shelves - probably by building small drawers for each. I also thought about making a mini curtain to hang over them but I don't think that would deter little hands from making their way in and pulling out all contents.<br />
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We installed some filler pieces on either side of the sink cabinet so there aren't any noticeable gaps.<br />
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We also added a filler piece between the tall cabinet and the wall. The cabinet had to be set an inch or so away from the wall so that the doors open properly and I wanted to make sure this space was filled - in an attempt to make it look more "built-in" and to keep that space from being a dust trap. As our walls aren't 100% straight, we also caulked the seams around this cabinet to, again, keep it from looking like a random, free standing cabinet. I hope that adding the crown moulding around the whole room will finish this piece off. (Oh, and this cabinet isn't crooked - the photographer is.)<br />
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We installed the toe-kick. No explanation needed.<br />
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Another finishing detail was the window trim. I previously painted the casing and left the trim pieces off until the counters were installed. We decided not to have the tile backsplash run under the window to keep it from looking too busy. Instead, we got a PVC board to run this length so there's no concern about it getting wet and rotting - or allowing water to seep through to the wall or behind the cabinets. Because it wasn't the same tone of white as the rest of the boards, I purchased some <a href="http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/catalog/adhesion_primer/">heavy duty primer</a> before painting the PVC board. I was told this primer sticks to glass so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it holds up. (And, no, I didn't give up after installing 3 backsplash tiles - those are just propped up to the right of the window so I could get a visual on how all the different whites would coordinate!)<br />
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Another water-seepage prevention step we took was to run a bead of clear silicone along the inside seams of the sink cabinet. We already had some on hand so it was a fast and free step that will give me peace of mind if the plumbing were to leak or something were to spill out of the trash that is also located under the sink. It wasn't a necessary step but I guess it's a good precaution to take - moisture getting into the seams of our new cabinets could be devastating!<br />
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I came across this indoor/outdoor mat at TJMaxx for $15. I wasn't sure how it would "go" with the kitchen but was pumped when I got it home to find that it matched perfectly.<br />
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I put in on top of an anti-fatigue mat that we had in our old kitchen. It's super comfy to stand on AND it makes the firm mat look like a thicker rug.</div>
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We also hung the light over the sink - matching the one we recently hung on the other side of the kitchen.<br />
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We have a fully functioning kitchen now so we can take our time with the remaining to-dos. (We <em>can</em> take our time but, if you know me, I want stuff done immediately and am not very good at sitting around waiting for things to happen!)<br />
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<li>install the backsplash</li>
<li>install crown moulding</li>
<li>hook up the under-cabinet lighting</li>
<li>hang the open shelves</li>
<li>replace the bank of 3 windows that look out onto the front yard</li>
<li>make curtains for all windows</li>
<li>build a bench to go under front windows</li>
<li>hang shelves (or similar solution) on either side of the bench</li>
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We started the demolition on January 17th and I'm proud to say that it looks like we will meet our goal of completing all major steps of the kitchen renovation in less than 2 months. I think I might celebrate by starting to plan a bedroom reno - or a bathroom reno - or maybe a 2nd floor dormer addition?! (Uuugh...I hope Joe isn't reading this!)<br />
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<br /></div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-52333915281278110792012-02-24T17:40:00.000-05:002012-02-24T17:42:42.693-05:00new countertops!Finally! It's like Christmas around here - only more stressful. Our countertops were finally installed!<br />
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After the installers left, I tried sliding the stove back into place. It didn't fit. I'll admit that I was temporarily panicked at the thought of them needing to remove that piece, re-cut, and make us wait another two weeks. But, luckily, they were able to come back later this afternoon and make a minor tweak that adjusted the chunk of counter between the fridge and the stove - and now everything fits perfectly. </div>
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A friend is helping us finish some plumbing tomorrow and then we'll be able to put the remaining cabinet doors on, install the toe kick, and install the narrow shelving that will go to the right of the sink.</div>
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We also hope to get the over-the-stove microwave installed tomorrow if there isn't a major issue with the old vent placement. Now that our counters are installed, we can proceed with adding the trim around the sink window as well as the backsplash and open shelving.</div>
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In the photo below, the icky wall to the left will be counter-to-ceiling tile with open shelving. We also plan to replace the windows to the right in the spring/summer so we'll have to deal with the dingy wood tone for a few more months.</div>
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I can't wait for Joe to get home from work and see the new addition to our kitchen - and for me to yell at him for dropping his keys and lunch remnants on it.</div>
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<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-41559713810868750092012-02-18T21:13:00.002-05:002012-02-18T21:14:37.649-05:00We painted.We went to Lowes to grab a new blade for our table saw and ended up with a test pot of paint. The test pot led to another trip to Lowes a few hours later to get a larger can of paint. Then, we painted.<br />
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I took these photos before the paint was completely dry so it's a looking a little brown-ish. Once it dries, it will lean more towards gray.</div>
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We also got around to moving the outlet over the stove and then hung the final two wall cabinets. The outlet was moved into the cabinet so that our yet-to-be installed microwave can plug into that. We're holding off on installing the microwave because the pre-existing vent in the wall doesn't line up with the vent in the microwave. We want to see if we can work with what we have before making any new holes in our walls and the side of our house. We'd prefer it to vent outside but, if push comes to shove, the microwave also has a recirculating feature so we nix the outdoor vent if necessary.</div>
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The un-painted portion of the wall will be covered in white tile. I want everything to look as bright and clean as possible so I figure that counter-to-ceiling tile will add some shine and bounce light around the room. I opted for a darker paint to keep the room from feeling too cold - and since the painted wall has three full windows, I wasn't worried about it being too dark.</div>
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We will be adding filler on top of the tall pantry cabinet below so I didn't bother painting above it and risk dripping on my favorite cabinet!</div>
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There isn't too much else we can do until the countertops are installed so this next week might be spent filling our cabinets and starting to restore some sort of order around this house!</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-81931347243371826272012-02-14T08:59:00.000-05:002012-02-14T08:59:22.095-05:00patiently waiting.Our countertops were templated yesterday morning and they advised we'll have them installed within the next two weeks. While we're not-so-patiently waiting for them to arrive, we'll move forward with finishing up the smaller details. Our hope is that the only major thing to do after the countertops will be to install the backsplash and open shelving.<br />
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Last night we got around to the tall, narrow pantry cabinets. Below is a dark shot from my phone. Having all this extra storage space makes me unreasonably excited! Just these cabinets alone will hold more items than the previous version of our kitchen. We still have to add the toe kick to these cabinets (as well as all the others) and the top will have some crown to fill the gap between it and the ceiling. There is also a side panel that will be attached to this cabinet to make it look completely built in but we are holding off on installing that until we finalize our crown moulding plan. Installing the side panel after we paint the walls will also be a smart decision!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqML1pd5oIQUoLj_uS3_pIibbsmw7UeUKm5GqgXvm8DNehWDNIFaCoDOUpcoaZrJz-IDX3S6XCBHJzhuII_BoeQaveuTYynJJzou1wkkTChQ8qiKAhEyYFCSBW5IUnewOSgz04ObEu8og/s1600/IMG-20120213-00115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqML1pd5oIQUoLj_uS3_pIibbsmw7UeUKm5GqgXvm8DNehWDNIFaCoDOUpcoaZrJz-IDX3S6XCBHJzhuII_BoeQaveuTYynJJzou1wkkTChQ8qiKAhEyYFCSBW5IUnewOSgz04ObEu8og/s400/IMG-20120213-00115.jpg" width="400" yda="true" /></a></div>
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To do before arrival of countertops:<br />
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<li>move outlet over the stove</li>
<li>install final upper cabinet</li>
<li>finish the rough plumbing for the sink & dishwasher</li>
<li>finish installing water line to the fridge</li>
<li>install toe-kicks under all cabinets</li>
<li>install filler/crown moulding on top of all cabinets</li>
<li>install under-cabinet lighting</li>
<li>paint the small portions of wall space not covered by cabinets and/or backsplash</li>
<li>paint window trim over the sink and touch up any other trim</li>
<li>hang light over the sink</li>
<li>move all of our food, pots, pans, etc. back into the kitchen (and out of all the random parts of the house where they have lived for the past month!)</li>
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While there is plenty to keep us busy, we are anxious to get our countertops installed. Not having a kitchen sink and lack of work space have been the toughest part of this entire renovation!Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-26030700855822359822012-02-12T18:50:00.000-05:002012-02-12T18:53:08.175-05:00lighten up.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After looking at the shadows across the room, you should conclude that we spent all afternoon painting and fixing up the trim...</div>
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There are still some touch-ups to finish but I don't want to look at a paintbrush for at least a few more weeks. We didn't even touch the three windows that face the front yard since we plan to replace them all in the spring.</div>
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We also "forgot" to paint the windows over the sink. We'll install trim around that window after the counters are in but we also need to paint the frames. To be honest, it just looked like a pain in the butt to remove the hardware and also paint the outside portion so we're saving that for a day when we aren't quite so exhausted (and hopefully a day when James actually takes a nap).<br />
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We also finished the trim around the doorway shown below. We re-framed this opening so it was about 3inches narrower to accommodate the set of drawers just to it's left...<br />
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The tall pantry cabinet to the right of the picture above isn't fully installed yet. Once it is, it will be raised off the ground a few inches and will also have moulding to "connect" it to the ceiling.</div>
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Ooooh, I should also add that we turned on our heated floors for the first time today. The instructions said not to turn it on for a week after installation to allow everything to set properly. Basically, I'm SO glad we decided on the heated floors. It's heavenly - and despite it being a very cold day, we had to turn it off after an hour because it was getting a little too toasty for us to work in there!</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-10572662927089150412012-02-11T23:12:00.002-05:002012-02-12T18:53:41.026-05:00no more heavy lifting!We have several tasks left to complete but most of the major steps are behind us. Well, the counters still need to be installed but that is being left to the professionals so we're finally breathing easy! With the exception of two uppers, we finished installing all cabinets this weekend. They are all level and completely secure in their final resting place. We exchanged the 24" base cabinet that we originally bought to go to the right of the stove for one that was only 21" wide. The larger cabinet fit but left zero wiggle room on either side of the stove and dishwasher - and we concluded that might cause issues down the line. We now have plenty of room to slide these appliances out if we should ever need to - and can hide the small gaps with filler pieces if we think they are too obvious. So, we're beyond grateful that we've made it this far without any major hiccups!
Our counters are being templated Monday morning and then we can expect them to be installed in another week or two. While anxiously waiting, we will work several other finishing touches including those shown in the pics below. (I'll try to get some better pictures with my camera tomorrow!)<br />
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As mentioned before, we needed to make the opening to our living/dining room a few inches narrower in order to fit the other set of base drawers. We re-framed that side of the doorway this morning and then patched the walls. We will put the moulding back in place once we get a chance to sand and fill a few other little spots and you'd never know we tweaked the opening. We will add a backsplash between all cabinets as well as the entire wall where the open shelves will be - but that has to wait until after the counters are in. We also finished building the tall, narrow pantry cabinets that will go on the opposite side of the kitchen. (You can see the side of them in the right side of the picture below.)<br />
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Despite the nasty walls and the other un-finished touches, we are loving it so far! I expect to love it even more once we can stop washing dishes in our bathtub.<br />
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G'night. xoLizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-18893575965212848862012-02-09T14:34:00.000-05:002012-02-12T18:54:03.576-05:00Wednesday night progress<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because our appliances are being delievered tomorrow, we wanted to ensure that the majority of the cabinet installation was complete before then. We spent a couple more hours last night in the kitchen and, while it might look more chaotic than when we started, we actually got a lot accomplished.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The </span><a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/02/cabinet-beginnings.html"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">previous night</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was spent hanging the suspension rail along with most of the uppers. Last night we started on the base cabinets. The base cabinets come with adjustable feet that can be tweaked post-installation to ensure that everything is nice and level. To make things easier on ourselves, we decided to install a ledger board that the back edge of the cabinets would rest on. While many resources said that the legs were sufficient, we figured that starting with a level ledger board would give us an advantage in the cabinet-leveling game. Because the floors and walls aren't completely straight, installing the ledger board wasn't the easiest of tasks. Well, installing it was easy - figuring out where it should go was the hard part. We didn't want it too high to create a noticeable gap between the bottom of the cabinets and the toe-kick and we didn't want it so low that we'd be hunched over our countertops for the next 50 years. Once we found the sweet spot, we screwed the ledger board into the wall studs and the base cabinet install was fairly simple.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Admittedly, we only installed the two corner base cabinets because we need to make a few other tweaks in other areas first but those corner cabs are beasts! We checked for level about 50 times and made minor adjustments to the leg height. Joe was amazed that despite the right side of our kitchen being an entire inch higher than the left, the cabinets on either side of the room are completely level and at the same height. One of these days he will give up on second guessing all of my ridiculous ideas and mathematical gibberish and just accept that I’m a genius. ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">We have to make a few more plumbing adjustments and will then install the sink cabinet under the window below. There will then be a narrow cabinet to the right of the sink where we will eventually construct and install small drawers. The cabinet to the right of the corner cabinet will be installed this weekend after we make adjustments to that opening to the right. As it is now, the cabinet fits in that space but would hang over the trim work and look icky. I wanted the largest possible bank of drawers in this space so making that doorway a couple inches smaller will be totally worth the extra storage space. (That doorway is about 5ft. wide anyways so two inches won't make any difference.) You will also see that the cabinets aren't totally assembled. We only assembled the bases and will install the doors, drawers, shelves, etc. once everything is complete. We don't want the appliance or counter installers to ding anything up! (Photos below were taken from our iPad late last night so that's why they look a little hazy - we weren't rippin' it up with our rastafarian friends, I swear.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPoSSyJX6pugtx9NWNzhcA_fJpkgIXOMggTMpEevZrVAwGVV4D-6fSkEtYGtWj1SH6t6Z_M40colzBLz6dXGiuXHoT_It8etvK-Cl4TSLJppkLQaBovSlJTxQtdtC0zwLpkFuWvOL900/s1600/Skitch-2012-02-09_02_59_26_+0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiPoSSyJX6pugtx9NWNzhcA_fJpkgIXOMggTMpEevZrVAwGVV4D-6fSkEtYGtWj1SH6t6Z_M40colzBLz6dXGiuXHoT_It8etvK-Cl4TSLJppkLQaBovSlJTxQtdtC0zwLpkFuWvOL900/s640/Skitch-2012-02-09_02_59_26_+0000.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We also secured the upper cabinets together so they are one, solid unit now as opposed to just being hung next to each other. We didn't hang the other two uppers last night as planned because we didn't get around to moving the electrical box. We think the new microwave will require a different outlet so we want to check on that before making any moves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vw5NFqx6r4QK6GbERWAe3t_ijAnFcRFv9MClWbNc2URQbBcOcwax-I_CASlfo14skMRSNIudYCL-quvXU0iXnhk0awYWgFQjIYBgKFp4-0vmc3uylIWg2C8-JGooChJd9mbiZiQp0bQ/s1600/Skitch-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" sda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vw5NFqx6r4QK6GbERWAe3t_ijAnFcRFv9MClWbNc2URQbBcOcwax-I_CASlfo14skMRSNIudYCL-quvXU0iXnhk0awYWgFQjIYBgKFp4-0vmc3uylIWg2C8-JGooChJd9mbiZiQp0bQ/s640/Skitch-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have other things going on and won't be able to do any kitchen work tonight but we plan to kick things up a notch (BAM!) tomorrow night and over the weekend. Our counters are being templated Monday morning so every base cabinet needs to be completely installed and in it's final location before then! Yes, we work best under pressure.</span></div>
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</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-28268461851445676102012-02-07T21:53:00.000-05:002012-02-12T18:54:38.297-05:00cabinet beginningsJust a quick update before my brain explodes or falls asleep - not sure which will come first.<br />
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We spent a couple of hours tonight installing the beginnings of our new cabinets. As mentioned previously, we slowly assembled the cabinets in our garage over the past two weeks and they were queued up, ready for installation. (Note: the cabinet assembly portion of the show was super easy - I'd say maybe 10 minutes per cabinet?)<br />
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As predicted, the hardest part (so far) of our installation was the suspension rail. We had to determine the perfect height, the correct length, make sure it was level and spanned the required number of studs, and confirmed that it would produce an end result of our various-sized wall cabinets being at the same height.<br />
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Several blank stares and a few eye rolls later, our suspension rail was up. After that, hanging the cabinets was easy. We just have two more wall cabinets to install - the one above the stove and the other just to the right of the stove. We need to move an electrical box before installing those so hopefully we can get those taken care of tomorrow night. Once the remaining uppers are in and we attach the cabinet side-panels and the framing that will box in the fridge, we will proceed with screwing each of the cabinets together. (Right now they are firmly attached to the suspension rail and bumped snuggly next to each other but they aren't screwed into one another. We want to make sure everything fits properly and everything is 100% level before doing that!)<br />
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Here's a little reminder of what we started with:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXreqS4z6vIitoypUHwDfyCS_XTipzGEbRopMjX8-eCQqnV5zsXPAHhXQJDhnk45edB9WcvhKGRk0kwFc0BwdDPupRE07T910BrXYg-dloIwQTZSYjxwChygVwOJZh9ddzJj3htK-s_Mc/s1600/IMG_1007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXreqS4z6vIitoypUHwDfyCS_XTipzGEbRopMjX8-eCQqnV5zsXPAHhXQJDhnk45edB9WcvhKGRk0kwFc0BwdDPupRE07T910BrXYg-dloIwQTZSYjxwChygVwOJZh9ddzJj3htK-s_Mc/s640/IMG_1007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And for now, this is the organized chaos that is our kitchen:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfniSNSfb6KjmrYb_hlM2eboSsuxRUnS1zT6m_YPaKQxzgz-0qFFK4_NJ4phStrXgEH18HjKkyAhLt8VZuOVPx5wGi5tCcH_fM8C0roaNkqCPJ5jEY_wn54vY-DV7z2kVQ3y0vmIGIlY/s1600/IMG_3970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfniSNSfb6KjmrYb_hlM2eboSsuxRUnS1zT6m_YPaKQxzgz-0qFFK4_NJ4phStrXgEH18HjKkyAhLt8VZuOVPx5wGi5tCcH_fM8C0roaNkqCPJ5jEY_wn54vY-DV7z2kVQ3y0vmIGIlY/s640/IMG_3970.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The cabinet on the ground under the uppers will eventually hang to the right of the existing wall cabinets - above the stove. You might be able to see the exposed portion of the suspension rail in the picture above where this cabinet will hang (click on image to zoom).<br />
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The picture above also shows the sink cabinet. We moved it into the kitchen to start measuring for cut outs that our sink's plumbing will require. The sink cabinet looks a little awkward because it's resting flat on the ground. All of the base cabinets will all be raised off the ground about 4 inches once they are officially installed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nDdL90EbxZ9H8IObeWEdISjl2Jr4T1drdYVfUYIUidt3uhm6io8X22jN4SpY0-KUE4qZeyQyD8P-7MNoL8ewIR-47hc1KLk1d5MYcbHALmQ8OKouLfkWsNM_oTbuXX1SnBJsjHgS9LQ/s1600/IMG_3971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nDdL90EbxZ9H8IObeWEdISjl2Jr4T1drdYVfUYIUidt3uhm6io8X22jN4SpY0-KUE4qZeyQyD8P-7MNoL8ewIR-47hc1KLk1d5MYcbHALmQ8OKouLfkWsNM_oTbuXX1SnBJsjHgS9LQ/s640/IMG_3971.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As if it wasn't obvious, our new fridge will be installed under the long cabinet protruding from the wall in the picture above. We will also be installing floor-to-ceiling side panels on either side of that cabinet to make the fridge appear to be built in. We will also add some sort of filler/crown moulding along the top of all wall cabinets so that there is no gap between them and the ceiling.</div>
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Blehhh. I'm already babbling about enough random details for my brain to handle right now. Time to beg for a back massage...</div>
<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-69642461867862380252012-02-07T06:39:00.000-05:002012-03-12T10:37:07.049-04:00...and in with the new!After what felt like the<a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/02/out-with-old.html" target="_blank"> longest 3 days ever</a>, our new tile floor is finally complete! Scratch that...the final days of my pregnancy still hold the record for the most excruciatingly slow time passage ever - but this came in a distant second. <br />
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There were a few steps we had to take to complete the new floor stage of our kitchen remodel. First, the old pergo floors had to come up and then we ripped out a layer of laminate and luan.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYmoWzH4Q-FN30OSzRPOQaczM7kE4ruS66PVOx7EEt_saofEO5abTQhrWbvHPK3K3eHroHi6NJQBrSo_v3yZsSRNrGKl6HCqOTOVIzlKX6_XMGqyQoLVfEuk2KI8icTrxNYLZLOtxINw/s1600/IMG_3915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYmoWzH4Q-FN30OSzRPOQaczM7kE4ruS66PVOx7EEt_saofEO5abTQhrWbvHPK3K3eHroHi6NJQBrSo_v3yZsSRNrGKl6HCqOTOVIzlKX6_XMGqyQoLVfEuk2KI8icTrxNYLZLOtxINw/s400/IMG_3915.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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That revealed another layer of laminate but because it was solid - ugly, but solid - we didn't need to tear that out. Instead, cement board was laid directly on top.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYABurWWlyjyiGR_V5l5axiF1sWm2uTwhuI2xMcWHxMfDHM1JkqIrhNUGZQfMFDwJNWvNdbAoSVl8yv7_WpXKLfBxIIJPuTfNw7X55MErwdD78o63vVCcCwCr3GY7j7JE9KadPMZTiMzU/s1600/IMG_3931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYABurWWlyjyiGR_V5l5axiF1sWm2uTwhuI2xMcWHxMfDHM1JkqIrhNUGZQfMFDwJNWvNdbAoSVl8yv7_WpXKLfBxIIJPuTfNw7X55MErwdD78o63vVCcCwCr3GY7j7JE9KadPMZTiMzU/s400/IMG_3931.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSsNq5k32eXlNbbrf4Sdi90dmxQdBkKtY21kV8z9UYxNeksetiKYUPOzDlNnleBR5FAU8GTzyi3G6YYVZ9ENwAVHt8ZOU02FOSsJDmb18_8KlMPHW0jSe6nyM97n_hnZbqpg_lD4zKs4/s1600/IMG_3934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSsNq5k32eXlNbbrf4Sdi90dmxQdBkKtY21kV8z9UYxNeksetiKYUPOzDlNnleBR5FAU8GTzyi3G6YYVZ9ENwAVHt8ZOU02FOSsJDmb18_8KlMPHW0jSe6nyM97n_hnZbqpg_lD4zKs4/s400/IMG_3934.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our under floor heating mat was installed on top of the cement board. As the rep at the tile shop promised, it was an easy process. The mat was laid on top of a layer of thinset. We let that dry for a day before another layer of thinset and then tile went directly over the mat. I should add that the heating mat also came with a sensor that we kept attached to the wiring during the entire installation and tiling process. The sensor would emit a loud "beep" if the wiring was ever compromised. Luckily, we never heard the dreaded "beep". How devastating would it be to spend all that money on a heating mat and tile only to discover that a wire had been torn and impossible to fix without tearing out newly laid tile? In short, the sensor inventor is awesome. I didn't snap a pic of the mat after it was stuck down to the cement board as I was too busy keeping anyone and anything out of the kitchen that might damage its delicate wires but below is a pre-thinset shot. The mats come in many different sizes but because base cabinets will cover the wall to the right and more cabinets and a bench will eventually line the wall to the left, we opted for the 10x7 mat and not a larger one. That would just be extra money to heat the floors under our cabinetry and we chose cabinetry that prefers the feel of cold floors. Also, the final placement of the mat was further left than the picture below depicts. You might be able to see markings on the floor at the bottom left of the picture that indicate where the corner of the mat eventually sat. (Click to zoom...)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ofdcc-IeQ10XsHhVdCQmqd-Tfq_s8ob-r2aEHnZcPpxzZX6bqCCIHwhozarn302KYbnPaekT-ybVLkiSJ8XpplNW6_0A6ta3u22cYqjFN71W3ERGPxT8aTV1Q_g3byMePle0qV1jpYs/s1600/IMG_3937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ofdcc-IeQ10XsHhVdCQmqd-Tfq_s8ob-r2aEHnZcPpxzZX6bqCCIHwhozarn302KYbnPaekT-ybVLkiSJ8XpplNW6_0A6ta3u22cYqjFN71W3ERGPxT8aTV1Q_g3byMePle0qV1jpYs/s400/IMG_3937.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The tile was laid and allowed to set for two whole days before grouting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIOE_j1aNnWks3nxOunRP6k-2gfSvuuFP5tOmPC0qRumyXLz8LgbYgE6ZE0OFosc9rwVnPA7UYTC95qZ28ggmAMAi85WXTNjbvGx1jAAVzUNjaMfKaZBgsm7U4g08R5QLQ03YAyeloVs/s1600/IMG_3964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFIOE_j1aNnWks3nxOunRP6k-2gfSvuuFP5tOmPC0qRumyXLz8LgbYgE6ZE0OFosc9rwVnPA7UYTC95qZ28ggmAMAi85WXTNjbvGx1jAAVzUNjaMfKaZBgsm7U4g08R5QLQ03YAyeloVs/s400/IMG_3964.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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While it’s a relief to be done with this major step in our kitchen remodel, I’m still not able to fully enjoy the new floors because I’m blinded by the nasty walls and the orangey-toned trim. Our new appliances are scheduled for delivery this Friday (eeeek!) so we’ll get crackin’ on installing our cabinets this week. It might be overly ambitious but I think we should be able to put in a few hours each night after work and get most of the cabinets in by Friday. We’re ok with finishing the cabinet-install next weekend but we’d like to have the majority of it done before Friday so we aren’t working around the new appliances.<br />
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My fingers and toes are crossed that our cabinet install goes smoothly and we don't have much to report but I'll still try to document whatever I can!Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-50626023483663814732012-02-03T11:47:00.000-05:002012-02-03T11:48:11.693-05:00out with the old......ugly, dingy, drab floor. Our new floor tile is going down this weekend but, first, we had to tear up a few layers of old flooring. It was a surprisingly easy task but unveiled an even uglier, faux brick laminate. Hello, 1962. The subfloor is super strong so we were able to lay cement board right on top of that.<br />
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Here are a few progress shots of our original floors, the even more original faux brick floors, and then the cement board...<br />
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And the view from the opposite side of the room....</div>
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The under-floor heating mat will go down today and tomorrow will bring some tile fun!<br />
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I should point out that the nasty brown stuff on the walls is just the leftover epoxy from the laminate backsplash. We used a razor scraper to get most of it off to make the walls smooth enough to hold our new backsplash but there is some hideous discoloration left behind - that will all be covered up SOON!<br />
<br />Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-44908398776018698772012-01-23T20:34:00.000-05:002012-02-03T11:48:19.444-05:00demo ends!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">The demo is complete! Well, we still have to finish tearing up the old floor but doesn't seem like it will be much of a problem. There are a few layers of flooring (pergo, laminate, etc.) but it all has been peeling off just as easily as our <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2011/06/rainy-saturday.html">old wallpaper</a> did. Phew! I’ve heard horror stories about having a horrible time trying to rip up old floors or uncovering significant damage so I am so relieved that this step has gone smoothly for us.</span><br />
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(in progress photos...)</div>
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We had gone back and forth on flooring options about 27 times. At first, we wanted cork. Unfortunately, cork flooring doesn’t offer many color choices. We wanted something dark gray/slate in color and we weren’t able to find that in cork – at least not any local, affordable options. Then we discussed tile. Tile has countless color options but often has a fairly high price tag as well. When looking at tile, the one thing I knew I <i>didn’t</i> want was a standard 12x12. For some reason, that looks cheap and 80’s to me. All of the non-12x12 tile I found that I liked was well over $4 a square foot. That might not seem like a lot but when you are working on a tight budget, paying over $1,000 on a floor is a tough pill to swallow. Then we explored the wood option. The rest of our house has wood floors so it would have to flow with that. It would be pretty difficult to match the color of the wood floors in the rest of the house so I would at least want to match the board width – that way it would all match and we could make the kitchen floors a contrasting color to look intentional as opposed to glaringly obvious that we installed those wood floors separately. Because the flooring in the rest of our house is a narrow 2 ¼ inch board, it somewhat limited our options. We almost pulled the trigger on dark, almost black, oak floors but thankfully second guessed ourselves and found a better option that we both love. </div>
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We were actually headed out to run a few errands and order our wood floors when we decided to check out a tile shop that my brother had recommended. Right when we walked in, we heard one of the sales reps talking to another couple about a 20x20 inch gray tile and it’s exceptional quality. Then I heard him say “$2.99 a square foot”. I gave Joe the “cha-ching!” look and darted over to see the tile that they were discussing. It was amazingly perfect. It is mostly gray but has some subtle beige/ivory veining. We immediately nixed all other flooring options and decided to go with this tile. I should also point out that I’ve visited several flooring shops over the past couple months and 99% of the people I have dealt with were total jerks. Perhaps all of the other places that I visited were used to dealing with contractors and a chick that is DIYing a 200 sq ft kitchen isn’t worth their time but I don’t think that excuses their jerkyness. I don’t know the laws about internet bashing so I will refrain from listing those stores here but I <i>will</i> say that everyone that helped us at <a href="http://besttile.com/index.php?mact=CompanyDirectory,cntnt01,details,0&cntnt01category=Massachusetts&cntnt01detailpage=store-details&cntnt01cd_origpage=19&cntnt01companyid=11&cntnt01returnid=74" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Best Tile</a> was beyond informative, friendly, not-pushy and didn’t make us feel stupid for asking lots of questions. They were such a breath of fresh air after our other experiences!<u></u><u></u></div>
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(colors are coming across slightly off on my computer but here's our choice...)</div>
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Anywho, now that we decided on tile as opposed to wood, we also resurrected the idea of installing an under-floor heating system. Long story short, we voted “yes” on that option and the heating unit should be delivered within the next week. I obviously don’t have every installation detail yet but the fella at the tile shop promised that it is installed in three easy steps: 1. Trowel thinset on subfloor 2. Roll heating mat onto thinset and 3. Trowel thinset over mat and install tile as usual. We even found out that many people use these under-floor heating systems in lieu of baseboards as a heat source. While we aren’t planning on getting rid of our baseboards in the kitchen, it’s nice to know that it’s an option and that this will heat more than just the floors. (For more info, here is the type we purchased:<a href="http://www.nuheat.com/home.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.nuheat.com/home.<wbr></wbr>html</a>)</div>
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I plan on spending lots of time on my warm, cozy, kitchen floor like this lady...</div>
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And lounge around in spandex while enjoying my warm, cozy floor wayyyy too much like this chick...</div>
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In addition to deciding on flooring and ordering our under-floor heating system, we also tore out the rest of our cabinets, painted the ceiling, and installed new recessed lighting trim over the weekend. The old trim was beige, looked dingy, and didn’t “go” with our soon-to-be white kitchen. The ceiling had previously been painted after the cabinets were installed so the ceiling was brown in the areas where we tore down the uppers. It took a few coats of stain-blocking ceiling primer and paint but the finished result looks so clean and crisp! I also ordered two pendant lights – one for over the sink and the other to replace the light that is currently dangling in front of the windows on the opposite wall. Pendants were ordered from <a href="http://www.thelampgoods.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.thelampgoods.com</a> (she’s also in Etsy: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/LampGoods" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://www.etsy.com/shop/<wbr></wbr>LampGoods</a><b>).</b></div>
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Progress feels so good! (On the other hand, washing dishes in our bathroom sink blows.)<u></u><u></u></div>
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Next steps:<u></u><u></u></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><u></u>Finish removing old floor<u></u><u></u></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><u></u>Lay under floor heating<u></u><u></u></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><u></u>Lay new tile<u></u><u></u></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><u></u>Install new cabinets<u></u><u></u></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><u></u>Install new appliances<u></u><u></u></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><u></u>Measure for and install new counters<u></u><u></u></div>
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<u></u><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><u></u>Finishing touches – paint, backspash, etc.<u></u><u></u></div>
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We hope to be done by the end of February but that all hinges on how soon we can get all of our flooring supplies delivered and then how quickly the countertop-people can come template, order, and install the counters.<u></u><u></u></div>
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I think it’s also important to note that nobody has been physically or emotionally harmed in the renovation process – yet. Joe and I have refrained from yelling at each other, throwing power tools, or wishing death upon each other. In fact, it’s actually been a fun process so far – and I reallllly hope I didn’t jinx myself by writing that. I figured I would have jinxed myself by thinking it and then purposely not writing it so by writing it, I un-jinxed myself. Get it?</div>Lizzyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01641255587841912802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-23535395578369637222012-01-18T08:50:00.000-05:002012-01-18T08:50:18.439-05:00demo begins!Last night we put James to bed and started chipping away at the kitchen. Our cabinets were emptied with the exception of a few essentials that we need to have on hand for a picky toddler. We then tore down one corner of cabinets as well as the laminate (?) backsplash. It instantly made the room feel twice as large and twice as bright. I'm now even more happy with our decision to put open shelves on this wall! As I hinted at in a previous post, we will also be adding storage to the opposite wall that you see below. Floor-to-ceiling narrow cabinets will go along the wall to the right where that plant stand/James' bag and jacket stand currently sits:<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYH6M8p7zQt2vN7vt6DLwD8dzKnnYasNSdQCWjjtQ_ea1zTAZW2I90_Ual8N23-nMBmG1nlKzja6PJQoMb5Ab6YDWOD08O0QDH3uTnjhN3nYwFvHaxTqjWaKuVzgo646uqkWqLvJXji_t/s1600/IMG_3860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYH6M8p7zQt2vN7vt6DLwD8dzKnnYasNSdQCWjjtQ_ea1zTAZW2I90_Ual8N23-nMBmG1nlKzja6PJQoMb5Ab6YDWOD08O0QDH3uTnjhN3nYwFvHaxTqjWaKuVzgo646uqkWqLvJXji_t/s400/IMG_3860.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is one of the cabinets that we ripped down. These suckers are even heavier than I predicted them to be! Here you might be able to get a better idea of how annoying it would be to store and access any items in this cabinet. Behind those braces, its just one big open space but we would have to snake around those braces everytime we needed to pull something out.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRwiouhd2LtJz9znkeEdhu1ql4l9qe2XC9JzXLNF0QCs7TbKtb2Z68z3SaU8TJK1NGL_FCKpca_m9-86S1h7EoYHTszQu6wgBtrhKHEeT5Q7lORaMRvlEdNAlYihPLmgZEcwXtbHYZ85G/s1600/IMG_3859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRwiouhd2LtJz9znkeEdhu1ql4l9qe2XC9JzXLNF0QCs7TbKtb2Z68z3SaU8TJK1NGL_FCKpca_m9-86S1h7EoYHTszQu6wgBtrhKHEeT5Q7lORaMRvlEdNAlYihPLmgZEcwXtbHYZ85G/s400/IMG_3859.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Our goal is to have the rest of the cabinets out by this weekend and start on re-painting our ceiling and prepping the walls. Woo! These baby steps are so gratifying yet make us so anxious to get more done!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-84381476496103285092012-01-17T10:13:00.002-05:002012-01-17T22:38:15.966-05:00why new?Several people have asked why we <a href="http://anexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2012/01/step-one.html" target="_blank">decided to get new cabinets</a> instead of just painting and/or repurposing the originals. Like I've mentioned, the original cabinets are solid. They are good quality and in good shape - they just don't make sense to us. In order for them to work for us, we would have to make far too many adjustments. Let me explain...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4uQnVNO0KbNZeh1UjUMbrxSofgSseol5I88_mKz1U9Wy3l3QVtrl0ynbwq6DSByb_NDj0K7PeNQZ2zNZkUwGysZ4Lo8qe-HxcrOEanTyzz7JGpkAEBqAwZzWA_p43SeGJXy1bJorHGyP/s1600/kit3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4uQnVNO0KbNZeh1UjUMbrxSofgSseol5I88_mKz1U9Wy3l3QVtrl0ynbwq6DSByb_NDj0K7PeNQZ2zNZkUwGysZ4Lo8qe-HxcrOEanTyzz7JGpkAEBqAwZzWA_p43SeGJXy1bJorHGyP/s400/kit3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left">See all those upper cabinet doors? Yes, there are a few more than there needs to be and it's almost as if a few are on backwards. A seemingly easy fix would be to remove the doors and just replace with larger ones. We were originally going to take that route but after further inspection, we decided against it.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBzJE8Y2txeotUXgdEERkgmR27y7On8hSgA93HY8Yrbb8S3J1tIz4N5tYdt4qGdMq5CbR1-wZ-4caZyZmtqjJZLxYt1oyBSgWfiw_VppDcscsnqg0c4T25mW0KSr3c2PrtK8lWw-3E6r4/s1600/kit3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBzJE8Y2txeotUXgdEERkgmR27y7On8hSgA93HY8Yrbb8S3J1tIz4N5tYdt4qGdMq5CbR1-wZ-4caZyZmtqjJZLxYt1oyBSgWfiw_VppDcscsnqg0c4T25mW0KSr3c2PrtK8lWw-3E6r4/s400/kit3a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="left">Those lime green lines mark a support brace that is a part of the cabinet frame. We would need to cut those all out in order to make the cabinet space and doors more efficient. While it's do-able, we didn't want to compromise the structure. Also...</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2UqSwWRXQlSdaVXbnr-zMlNhooi0zD9RG9v9j_OPMQu-a2JvfzfqCSL8oHZ6Gfknw5Po236GELp58IvIavt3DavptCgAx0eu-WfcXS9TiEwK3mDmr26gnbPlxtT92xxrGBZDNJT_WgGg/s1600/kit3b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin2UqSwWRXQlSdaVXbnr-zMlNhooi0zD9RG9v9j_OPMQu-a2JvfzfqCSL8oHZ6Gfknw5Po236GELp58IvIavt3DavptCgAx0eu-WfcXS9TiEwK3mDmr26gnbPlxtT92xxrGBZDNJT_WgGg/s400/kit3b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>...in order for our new, taller, wider fridge to fit into the space, we would need to shorten the cabinet that is currently over the fridge. (For perspective, the fridge you see in the pic above is an apartment size.) We also want to scootch our new fridge to the right a bit to give us a little extra elbow room when entering the room through that door. Moving the fridge to the right would require us to remove those cabinets, or at least adjust to make them smaller. Again, those tweaks are probably do-able but since we're going at this kitchen ourselves, I'm not confident enough in our cabinet remodeling skills. <br />
<div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">We will also be installing our new microwave a few inches higher than the existing. That would require us to make the existing cabinet smaller. Because all of the cabinet frames on that wall are one large, single piece, adjusting that cabinet would cause a chain reaction of adjustments that we wouldn't want to take responsibility for.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">As far as the other end of the kitchen goes...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TD1YqnWtk3EiatR5jO7O-l4vbvMDrbeaq9MdgYtxAtnw-9uPYJCxESxmyawXuCfmBT4lWc991abLCS5OYnM1luWrJmW4wkgqwG3LWLNL8VQAI61DY6bdvAlyoOD7av3ado0Ngk64nHTf/s1600/kit2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TD1YqnWtk3EiatR5jO7O-l4vbvMDrbeaq9MdgYtxAtnw-9uPYJCxESxmyawXuCfmBT4lWc991abLCS5OYnM1luWrJmW4wkgqwG3LWLNL8VQAI61DY6bdvAlyoOD7av3ado0Ngk64nHTf/s400/kit2a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="left">...we are removing all of the upper cabinets that I circled in the picture above and replacing with open shelving. The lower cabinets will be replaced with a proper corner cabinet and a large bank of drawers for easier access. As it is now, it's close to impossible to grab anything from these cabinets without crawling halfway in first. I'm curious to tear these out and see what might be hiding in that dark corner - perhaps my small cast iron pan that I haven't seen in months?</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">So, with all of the adjustments that would be required along with building new doors, sanding, priming, painting, etc., we came to the conclusion that we will rip all these suckers out and replace with a new cabinet layout that we were able to design from scratch. Our plan is to move some of these cabinets into the storage room behind our garage or into the basement. Whatever we don't re-use, we will try to sell for some extra cash.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Because of the countless number of available options, positive reviews, and, of course, affordability, we opted for Ikea cabinetry. For some gorgeous kitchen photos and a descriptive explanation of Ikea cabinetry, check out this site: <a href="http://carolreeddesign.blogspot.com/2009/10/why-i-love-ikea-kitchens.html">http://carolreeddesign.blogspot.com/2009/10/why-i-love-ikea-kitchens.html</a>. So far, they have exceeded my expectations. We mulled over several design options by using their online design tool (so fun!) and then the beyond informative in-store kitchen expert helped us to make some final adjustments. All of our cabinetry was ordered on Saturday and delivered on Monday - all 113 pieces. While I'm excited for the final result, I am less than excited to put it all together but I will constantly remind myself that doing this ourselves is saving us thousands.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Below is a quick sketch of our new cabinet layout that might help to show most of our changes. While most are minor, our hope is that we will benefit from a significant increase in useable storage. The opposite wall (not pictured) will also include new storage solutions but I'll get to that explanation another time!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXN0TP4h51iPurpOaghoeKRpcy1Mm1V47Kexlycek2Wma6f7DR_KpgkDyd2U8AZ5vMnAZ1nNdDDi3Pf4W29tq1L8Ec7kYgMI7oRsckg0PWgJTjXPv2MqqiFoP9fXmmCXqkHclh6xRbrus/s1600/kit+new.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXN0TP4h51iPurpOaghoeKRpcy1Mm1V47Kexlycek2Wma6f7DR_KpgkDyd2U8AZ5vMnAZ1nNdDDi3Pf4W29tq1L8Ec7kYgMI7oRsckg0PWgJTjXPv2MqqiFoP9fXmmCXqkHclh6xRbrus/s640/kit+new.png" width="640" /></a></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">In related news, I also ordered our new sink and faucet over the weekend from <a href="http://www.o.co/" target="_blank">Overstock</a>. We are going with a 30" undermount, single bowl, <a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Kraus-Undermount-Single-Bowl-Stainless-Steel-Kitchen-Sink-with-Grid/5070922/product.html?CID=208011" target="_blank">stainless sink</a> and a pull out <a href="http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Vigo-Stainless-Steel-Pullout-Spray-Kitchen-Faucet-with-Soap-Dispenser/6006505/product.html?CID=208011" target="_blank">faucet</a>. They should be delivered this week so fingers crossed we love them in person and they work for our space!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Our next steps are to (1.) start putting our cabinets together so they are ready to be installed as soon as we finish the demo. (2.) Demo. (3.) Lay new floors. (4.) Install all of our new cabinets and appliances.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">Our hope is that we can get most of the demo done this weekend. Fingers cross that we can stick to our probably-too-ambitious time schedule!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left">(<em>Attention</em>: If anybody is interested in any of our existing cabinetry or appliances, please let us know!!!)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2525859526824331566.post-85110441698723082772012-01-15T08:26:00.001-05:002012-01-17T14:07:12.351-05:00step one.I guess there were several steps that preceded step one but, yesterday we completed the first step to officially get our kitchen remodel underway. After spending months researching our options, we finally decided on cabinets and appliances.<br />
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To back track a bit, we struggled between modifying our existing cabinets and replacing them all together. The original cabinets are solid, custom, and still in good condition. On the negative side of the chart, they make no sense. Each cabinet holds about half as much as it could because of the way the doors and supports are placed. There is way too much wasted space. Pictures wouldn't explain this so just take my word for it! After drawing out plans to modify our existing cabinets, it was clear that there would be way too many structural changes (we can handle the cosmetic changes). And since we're doing this ourselves and on a very limited budget, paying a carpenter to make the complicated tweaks wouldn't make sense when we could buy all new cabinets a reasonable price. So, after more research (that's putting it lightly) we purchased our new cabs yesterday. They are scheduled to be delivered this week so we will share more details once we get them and move onto the next step.<br />
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Part of our <strike>hours</strike> <strike>days</strike> <strike>weeks</strike> months of research included laying out a plan that would leave us without a functioning kitchen for as little time as possible. An average day with a 15-month-old is chaotic enough and I dont expect living in the middle of a construction site to help very much. Once we demo our existing kitchen, we want to have everything lined up to be able to put it all back together as quickly as possible. For that reason, we also ordered our appliances. They can be delivered whenever we're ready for them as long as we give the company a day or two notice. Again, after studying all options, we went with a full suite of Fridgidaire appliances - stove, counter-depth French door fridge, dishwasher, and microwave. There are several steps that need to be completed before we get to the appliance installation so we'll give more details on that when we get there.<br />
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Our plan for the near future includes:<br />
- demo: remove existing cabinets, floor, etc.<br />
- install new cabinets<br />
- install new appliances (we will slide out afterwards to lay floor)<br />
- install new countertops (they have to be measured for after cabinets & appliances are in place)<br />
- lay new floor (floor won't go under cabinets but will go under appliances)<br />
- paint, tile backsplash, lighting, finishing touches<br />
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Sounds pretty simple, huh?! Yeh, right. I'm not kidding myself - I totally expect the next several weeks to be exhausting, stressful, and involve a lot of swearing. Our schedule above doesn't list all of the bumps that we expect to encounter - nor does it list all of the bumps that we don't expect. It is just a very rough framework but we will try to document and share whatever we have time for along the way!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3