Not a kitchen update

We've just returned from a Florida Vacation. Doing a lot of NOTHING. So relaxing, NOT THINKING about renovations. You know, I didn't go out to buy a fixer upper, but certain circumstances landed us here. And I am a bit of a purist so I tend to see beauty beyond. Recently though, its been kind of boring me. I just want it done and I want to live in it and not fuss about floor tiling or kitchen layout. So we went away and I got a vacation from thinking.

When I say NOTHING I mean bike riding several times a day, for something as small as milk at the grocery store or a long adventure/exploration ride around the Island. Swimming in the pool several times a day to cool off or diving for coins.

Or a walk to the beach, strolling along turning over shells and saving the most precious ones. Or just sitting and digging in the sand, meditating with the sounds of waves. Another pleasant surprise, no computers. The laptop was broken. So we were fully engaged with our nothingness. It is hard to replicate that activity of nothingness here at home, at work sitting at desk.

I did shoot off an email to my contractor this morning suggesting we go ahead and replace the large window with an exterior patio door. A bit scary, moving ahead in this direction but the other kitchen layout options are kind of restricting. I tried to avoid this window / door thing by working on the floor first, but selecting a floor tile was also stalling the progress.  So hopefully the contractor agrees and we can carry on.

And I shot off an email to a real estate agent. Actually I did that before we left on vacation. Talked to her today to arrange a viewing of a house for sale. Some home a few blocks away that may be better suited for us. Its a house I viewed on line last year, but never sold. Overpriced for that time. Up for sale again, but 20,000 dollars less.  I remember it because of a beautiful year round sun room overlooking a double large lot in the back. It had an open lay out and a larger bathroom. A single driveway (rather then my current shared driveway). Single driveway means I don't have to park at the back of the house due to shared driveway, and hire a plowing service so I can drive out of driveway. A couple factors that would make me consider going through the hassles of buying and selling. Or maybe it is just the clutter and kitchen of my current home I need to deal with.

In the meantime I have to force myself to not get stuck and move forward with this kitchen reno.

OH My darling! Lacy & vintage gray

Swoosh, a little curl!

shirt: Zara - a keeper, gray cotton blouse

pants: H&M - striped velour hand me down leggings.

from the archives - trying to sit

Paper, string and candy

I ♥

Weekend update

One might ask (if they are following the kitchen renovation progress) if I decided on a tile for the kitchen, or at least narrowed down my selection...

the legs of one Maman

I did lay the 5 new samples on the floor to examine from different angles; different lighting.

But, did I decide?

Nope. Because we went looking for winter.

ITs not here where I live... yea I know, it has evaded most of its normal areas. Warm temps and hardly any snow.

Last night, after driving 3.5 hours south, on our return trip, we did hit some snow. 20 miles and so close to home, turned into an hour drive. White out. And flurries. Slowed us down a lot. But by the time we reached our driveway, the snow had eased up. 12 hours later, its gone. But that was JUST last night.

AND, that is not the winter I speak of.

We went to celebrate Winterlude in Ottawa. And we took full advantage of the -20C temps with frigid winds.

BLUE skies.

Frozen Canal.

And HAPPY people - this is me, elated, in sub zero, wind chill temperatures. Hello Ottawa. I miss you.

We brought along two other keen families.

Our goal, skate on the canal, and a few museums.

Accomplished.

OH My darling! Polka dots & polka dots

dress: Old Navy
tights: Old Navy
boots: Wooly Baby Etsy Boutique - sweet slipper boots, we lost one, gonna have to order another pair
 
accessories: Leather Butterfly @ UrbanOutfitters; Doily rug @ Anthropologie; Fleece fabric @ Joann Fabrics

photo archives Feb 2011 (1 yr old)

the (kitchen) design board

Putting my ideas together on Olioboard, seeing what kind of floor may suit the items I have all but paid for.

black cork flooring

laminate bleach blond

pickle barrel hardwood by anderson

slate

hardwood

As I got better with the design board, I added white cabinets, (but was too lazy to insert&updated with all the other flooring options)

Quadra black opal tile

And this is what my kitchen will look like, floorless, because that is where I am stuck.

Source list:
Maytag EcoConserve Bottom Freezer Fridge - 18 cubic feet
Whirlpool Gold - 30" Sealed burner, gas glass top. 
IKEA NUTID forced air electric oven - 30" convection function


counters:
Corian ® Solid Surface -Flint
ECO™ by Cosentino ® -IRON ORE
Stonemark Granite -Black Pearl

West Elm prep table
American Standard Country Farmhouse sink
TwicesLoveWoodWork Etsy store -dish rack
FrenchMelody Etsy store -ladles

1 X 2 Carrara White Marble Honed Brick Mosaic 

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Throwing it all together, my main inspiration photos:

~flooring

via design sponge

~cook area

via remodelista

~sink area, specifically the little window and maybe the little marble 1x2 tiles.

via

~the pantry

via Dwell

~the image I want to have from the living room to kitchen; soft lighting, warmth, farmsink, white cabinets

via

~the french door-to-balcony look I want:

found on pinterest

The layout:

Now, off to the tile store...


---------------
post edit & post tile shop: After looking at my ideas put together on a design board, I felt that the entire look was too modern, which is not what I am aiming for. I dont HAVE a look that I am aiming for but based on my likes; perhaps it is a bit rustic, a bit minimalist, airy, open, clean, a bit modern. But mostly I dont want a LOOK. I dont want it too look new and done or modern or trendy. I want it to come together and look like it has always been that way. 

At the floor store I gravitated towards a softer rustic flooring (softer then the slate) and came home with several samples:
1) Tumbled turkish travertine ~ "Chocolate Walnut" colour 4x4 squares
2) Tumbled limestone ~"Mystic Green"colour 3x6 bricks
3) Tumbled Marble ~"Sandgate Castle Wheat" 3x6 or 6x6
4) and a 6x24 piece of porcelain ~"Cottage City Loft, dark expresso porcelain w/ a natural woody floor look.

There was nice black montauk slate in 2x2. It was nicer then my sample, a bit more black. I didnt bother bringing it home with me.

The tumbled stones and a black granite counter sample was much warmer and softer together, then the slate. The walnut chocolate turkish travertine and black granite counter was a very interesting combo.  And my kids father is turkish ....

Decisions, decisions

"Pop" cake

A little sweetness for now, 

Progress report

This corner:

Now  looks like this:

Thanks to...

... mr. contractor.

I did go out and by a molding pry bar. I even pried it in between the wall and boards checking out the force required.  And then decided this is a job for mr. contractor. After all, he is already HERE  installing pocket door.  I didn't want to get myself into a big wall-less mess and then have to call someone in to fix it. I get to sand and finish painting.

----
complete change of course here...

And wow, I started that wall a month ago (hope my self-mixed paint didn't dry up)...  while searching for a mid-photo of wall and shelf I found kitty cat pictures (side track mid post writing, like side tracked projects).

the sink, hangout for cats

sharpening teeth

offended.

Do you have cats? DO they hang out in your bathroom sink?

Now back on track, the other progress...
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The pocket door, coming along just fine. Contractor took down wall, moved bathroom light switch to other side of door. Installed tracking. Moved vent hole up. Discovered mold inside the wall due to previous owner flooding (washer and dryer used to be up here) and moisture from vent, thus confirming that installing pocket door was the way to go. I would have never discovered mold otherwise.

We also discussed my longer term goal of accessing backyard from kitchen (its elevated); changing window to slim french door, building deck off of kitchen. Bringing in back hoe, getting city permit, digging out corner of back yard towards basement door and cracked stairs, grading this area and creating a wide walk way and entrance to basement door which would solve several current problems. Water flooding into basement door, cracked concrete steps AND making enough head room for tall people to enter basement door under planned deck.

Then we decided to finish kitchen first.