Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Whole House Remodel: Kitchen--Finally!

For those of you who have commiserated on remodels, here is where we are: the front half of the NEW kitchen floor went in pretty much without a hitch. LOVE, love, love our vinyl plank floor. The interlocking pieces look and feel like real wood, are waterproof and easily replaceable. We chose a plain wood that looks like oak and blends with our existing door frames and trim.

More on installing this type of floating flooring at this post, Vinyl Plank Floors.


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First step in the kitchen after the floor is the ceiling and tearing down the sofits. The blinds are drawn because of the heatwave. I removed all my decor, and items from all the walls, counters and shelves. Then everything was washed and stored on the table. Then I began to pack.


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and pack

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and pack

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and packed it all, from my Grandma's Monk cookie jar to the bitty bunny. 

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I can't believe I had this much on the shelves and walls.

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I had no idea what of my OLD treasured decor I will be able to use, since the soffits and shelves held so many of these items. Rather than make the decisions now---I washed everything and packed it up to wait for their REDO.

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These are the totes of all the kitchenwares plus 2 cardboard boxes and two heavy tubs under the dining table removed from the kitchen. 

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The table is in the living room now with chairs on top and storage below.

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Here, hubby removes  OLD shelf brackets. The molly-bolts were stripped, so he basically yanked them through the dry wall. I sorted through the OLD blue Mason jars, dumped some of the herbs and washed the jars. They are in cardboard boxes now and a huge tub.  


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We had a wasps' nest in the attic a few years back that had been patched. 
Here you can see the painted cardboard patch disguised behind lots of fake and real greenery.



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This room originally had Mediterranean beams on the ceiling at one time, but it chopped up the room and rough cedar caught more than it's share of ceiling cobwebs. 

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Since we are in our late sixties and do everything ourselves, we opted for lightweight bead board to cover all the existing ceiling issues instead of huge pieces of heavy drywall.  This bead board came in long strips-two boards wide and unpainted. Hubby gave the boards one coat of primer and one coat of  enamel. A final coat will be rolled on when all the installations, electrical, and moldings are on.


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Here hubby and buddy push the boards into position after gluing and then they pneumatic nailed them. This way no missed nails and hammer damage. It is very rustic though. Very country kitchen, which is what we are going for. 

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Two $69.00 scaffold units made it safe and easy to walk across for the correct height for installation of the beadboard. (We figured the right equipment was still cheaper than someone walking through the door to do the work.)

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The boys pieced around the fan-light. I'm keeping the fan because of the eating area being in the kitchen and when fourteen people are around the table, it gets hot.


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I love how the ceiling ridges echoe the fluted trim around our windows and doors. So the floor and ceiling are done to the center soffit. Eventually the wallpaper will have to go, but probably not immediately, since I have to get a feel for an all white kitchen.

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Here are some old pictures of our existing kitchen cabinets---builder-plywood grade, circa 1973 with the original Mediterranean hardware. At one time I had bought all new hardware to use but the holes were different. We did not opt to paint the cabinetry---because it's falling apart and some cleaning product in the past had messed with the finish, it's cratered, gooey and really banged up.  

That corner is a dead space...no cabinetry and wasted space. All of what is on the countertop will be able to be stored in the new swing-out corner cabinet. I will have a carousel in the upper in the corner.

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I'm hoping for some more interesting shelving for the coffee station---and some hooks for cups.
 Also looking forward to almost all drawers in the NEW cabinetry. No more standing on my head and dislocating a shoulder reaching for something.


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I'm still not settled on colors for the walls as there will be very little surface. I do like this combo here, Red, blue (of course) and a bit of yellow from the vintage towel. 


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Here's the white cabinet that fits under the windows we purchased last summer. Stock cabinetry was all too high to put under the windows as built-ins.

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We put the island in a few years back by chopping off a peninsula counter and adding butcher block countertop which I love. I have arthritic hand issues and drop things all the time, and the non-slip surface is great for someone who is klutzy, and super for baking and canning. 

My mixed stools will all get a REDO coat of some color and new seats.

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We had upgraded our appliances within the last five years, so we will stick with those. I can't live without the extra oven. Too many people eat here for just one oven. The microwave will be on a shelf in the same location with a shorter cabinet above.

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Our cabinetry is being planned to the ceiling with a crown molding at the top. The added storage space will be wonderful. The cabinet above the fridge will be full size out to the edge and perfect for trays and large baking sheets. But, where-oh-where will all my bowls go? 


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Here's the cabinetry plan. A 30"built-in pantry on the left. A hood will go over the double ovens. The plan at this time is the counters will be butcher block, and that's not shown on the island or over the dishwasher on the right. Two double glass door cabinets will hold glassware and entertaining next to the fridge, and my everyday--un-matched blue and white dishes and serving pieces on the right above the dishwasher. These will be lit and have glass shelves, and all the other cabinets will have lighting underneath.

The stainless sink on the right will have a built-in drainboard. I'm not sure what sort of light I will have above the sink, as I have to wait and see the space with the soffit gone. We have chosen school house pendant lights for over the island with maybe a hook in the middle for hanging a rack or something interesting.

So tomorrow the plumbing's getting gutted, the dishwasher moved, and the sink plumbing and a new air stack vent installed on the porch.

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This is our cabinet/sink on the back screen porch set up for a party---the sink did not have water at the time. When hubby installed a new drain and running water last week...we discovered a problem that ruined the whole works.


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Water from our sump pumps were shooting out of the sink and up into the kitchen sinks. What a mess. Ground water everywhere---and here's the aftermath. Since we need the porch for eating and cooking while the kitchen is gutted, this plumbing is the major issue right now. Hopefully in a couple days everything will be resolved.

Meanwhile my best friend from my school years is coming on August 3rd for a week for our
50th High School Reunion! That's in 7 days, good grief!

OMG, please will the Plumbing Fairy be kind. Luckily my BF and I will be gone for three days, and leaving all this mess for hubby and his buddy to deal with.

Thanks always for stopping by and I will be happy to answer any comments or questions.



All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or posts. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

I will be posting at these great parties:

WowUsWednesdays
Moonlight and Mason Jars


Sandi










24 comments:

  1. Oh boy, you will be so glad to get away for 3 days and hope that magic happens while you are away. Great progress, lots of hard work. Better now that in the future though. Ceiling looks great too. Nice layout plan.
    Joy

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    1. Not going away until next week, stumbling around for coffee this morning. Thanks so much for the encouragement, Sandi

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  2. Wow! What a project. I am excited for you. We are in the middle of a kitchen remodel right now, and it is quite an upheaval. I will look forward to following along with your new kitchen plans.

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    1. Upheaval is major, thanks so much for stopping by and your encouragement.
      Sandi

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  3. Refitting a new kitchen is such a huge project isn't it. I love the look of the plans for your new kitchen. It will be an amazing space!

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    1. We are sort of lucky we have been living with the arrangement for quite awhile. The biggest mistake was the dishwasher blocking the path to the backdoor and basement and the island too close to the fridge. So that will get rectified, and add a full length pantry that is 30" wide. Can't wait, I know it will take a while to complete. Thanks for the encouragement. Grins, Sandi

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  4. It will be so very nice for you when you are done! I love the ceiling. Just think of all the money you have saved from doing it yourselves! Be thinking of you.

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    1. Thanks Lynn for stopping by, and yes, we save money, as I look at a 6 foot long--18" wide hole in the floor. Actually the problem has been the add-ons to the original plumbing, which we didn't do, until hubby hooked up the extra sink, then the screw ups really manifested themselves. Hopefully by Saturday that issue will be fixed. Grins and thanks, Sandi

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  5. Oh boy!!!
    I know first hand what it is to live in the middle of a remodeling house, no so cool... But at the end it is well worth it, I can tell by the pictures that your house will look great and you will be so happy with the final results.
    Do it yourselves is a lot of hard work but it does pay-off.
    Great Job.

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement, as this morning is pretty grim, LOL. My parents never did a thing to their house for 40 years...we just didn't want to leave that type of mess for our kids. Thanks for stopping by, Sandi

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  6. How exciting to be getting an all new kitchen! Love the beadboard ceiling and the new floors.

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    1. New will be wonderful, as the panels to the existing cupboards are held together with ductape...lol. Thanks for stopping by---and LOVE the flooring--we have put it throughout the house after so many of our friends complained about hardwood in the kitchen. Thanks, Sandi

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  7. I'm swooning over all of that blue!! Your plan looks wonderful with lots of storage. In the meantime, good luck on all the mess --- it will get better and worth it in the end. Sally

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    1. I'm Scandinavian in heritage, and all the blue is just part of my life and my inherited
      goodies. Thanks for stopping by, Sandi

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  8. Your vinyl floor is beautiful ♥

    summerdaisy.net

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  9. Whew, what a lot of work, Sandi! It's coming along though--the floor and ceiling look just fantastic. What a clever idea to line the ceiling with bead board; I just love how it turned out. Looking forward to seeing the final reveal when the room is completed. Thanks so much for linking up your posts with Vintage Charm :)

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  10. Well, I'm impressed. We are in our late 60's and we don't climb ladders anymore.

    The new design looks wonderful.

    Good luck with it all and thanks for sharing with SYC.

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  11. Hi Sandi, I know it's a huge job but how wonderful it's going to be. I love the new design you share. Enjoy the process and don't work too hard.
    Best wishes on your new kitchen!! Blessings xo

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  12. Hi Sandi, I know it's a huge job but how wonderful it's going to be. I love the new design you share. Enjoy the process and don't work too hard.
    Best wishes on your new kitchen!! Blessings xo

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  13. You have so much going on Bless your Heart but the Outcome will be oh so worth all the work and inconvenience, the Vision for your new Kitchen is so exciting! I too, during the Big Move, didn't realize how much stuff I had in certain rooms and boxing them up has given me the ability to live without for a year now and realize how much of it I don't really NEED and can thus Sell or Donate. Minimizing, Simplifying and culling, curating possessions was and still is an ultimate Goal. Hard when you have a lot of Cool stuff you still Appreciate, but now I only keep what is most Beloved or Useful. I Hope you Share the Big Reveal? Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

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    1. Gosh Dawn, isn't that the truth---Anything that doesn't fit will be donated, sold or passed on. We are getting too old, to simply fight with stuff forever. Thanks for your encouragement, and curiousity---which is something we have in common, LOL,Sandi

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  14. How exciting! I love your flooring and new ceiling! Looking forward to more!

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    1. thanks for stopping by---Linda. As I speak they are tearing out the old soffits---and finding no insulation to the attic. I'm surprised we don't have mold--with all the heat and moisture going up into the attic. And of course no proper stud work either. Such a shame the builder spent money where is showed and skimped everywhere else. Thanks for taking the journey, Sandi

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    2. thanks for stopping by---Linda. As I speak they are tearing out the old soffits---and finding no insulation to the attic. I'm surprised we don't have mold--with all the heat and moisture going up into the attic. And of course no proper stud work either. Such a shame the builder spent money where is showed and skimped everywhere else. Thanks for taking the journey, Sandi

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Thank you for any and all comments. I will be happy to answer any questions or comments in replies or email! HUGS!