Ole' barnwood shelves, Installed

Finally, dishes in the kitchen and above the sink on the newly installed open shelving!

Along with installing the pantry the other day, the old barnwood planks were put up. (Last year my contractor dug around in his hayloft and found some 100 year old barnwood planks for my kitchen. I scrubbed and watered the dust and dirt off and then applied tung oil. And then they sat behind the kitchen door for a long time - they are very beautiful with their circular markings and rough cut and they are VERY HEAVY)

Took several tries, but we got it. Eventually I will fill in the holes, maybe when I get around to the backsplash. You can't see it in these pictures - zoom lens problem - but the other two brackets are askewed (along with the pre-dated, pre-coded, askewed studs ... old house factor). For now, I HAVE UPPER SHELVING. And a place for the IPOD.

 

I love my zoom lens but that is all I have, a zoom lens, which makes it tricky to get a straight angle of the shelves.  The best I can do is go down the stairs, look up and snap the misaligned brackets from down below.  I love the shelves; sure makes working in the kitchen complete.

p.s. last years recap of the kitchen renovation, and dare I say, almost down a year later?!

Pantry, Installed

3 months packaged up and waiting, and the unexpected, but long awaited for phone call comes through. The contractor is free and eager to come and help. A handful of screws and bolts, lots of drilling and the pantry is up. It's a bit of a slow blowing whirl wind, waiting and waiting and waiting and then, in only a few hours, the long anticipated update is made.

The IKEA SVEP hardware that I used for the rest of the cabinets was discontinued, shorting me two handles for the doors, so I'll need to come up with some idea ... thinking of leather loops for a temporary fix which will turn into permanent, because, hey, that'll be cool and work; bending down to open the doors will get old quickly.

Let me interject here, with a personal-personal story, Lucy listening to the Ipod...

... and trying to turn it off.  I recently uploaded Songbird by Fleetwood Mac. It came on this morning while we were making breakfast. The music and voice are so powerful, emotional love and pain swept across Lucy's face with in the first few notes of the song, She held up her arms to be held. The voice and lyrics so deep and beautiful, even the young moved to tears. Later on, when the song came back on, she's pictured here trying to turn that sadness off.

I'm not sure where I will prop the IPOD console which had been sitting on the open, temporary shelving, but instead of rewiring and moving the plug and switch that was on the wall, we cut a hole in the back of the pantry, pulled the electrical out a bit, and coverplated it on the inside. The plug is mostly useless now, but the switch is for lamppost in the back yard.

We quickly filled the shelves (and I'll reorganize them as needed) but I'm surprised and impressed and even giddy with all room I have now.  Another 10" deep x 48" IKEA cabinet will fit in the empty space above the pantry, which will bring the pantry to the ceiling (and no  more dusting). Inside, we ran out of shelving so a few more are in order. Other then that, all the medium sized appliances and food finally organized and out of sight!

Building our IKEA Kitchen took 4 trips to various IKEA's within a 5 hour radius. The pantry was delayed knowing it wouldn't fit in my car. But an opportunity arose and in September we drove to Boston to catch an international soccer game at Griffith stadium. The next day we hit IKEA and bought the pantry. Loaded it on the roof and headed 4.5 hours west.  Not even out of the city, it start to rain. We found a dollar store and plastic paint drop "cloth". Wrapped it around the bundle of boxes on the car and made it home, Had to unload the suckers at midnight since it was still raining and I wanted to prevent any potential damage. One door is a bit warped, not sure if it was from the rain or the factory, but hanging up now, it may straighten out.

Kitchen update: Knobs

Another productive day with the contractor. For KNOBs you ask? Well yes. He is good company and can measure and drill faster them me.

In fact, he emailed the other day, wanting to replace the battery in my smoke alarm. The last time he was here he spotted the dangling, broken battery and lectured me.  He was looking for a day away from his home, so I compiled a list of little nitty gritty things for him to do; thresholds, replace broken glass in window, knobs (why not, it was a task for me that I never got around to doing), kitchen shelves, a coat rack and replace battery.

I couldn't find guidelines or standards for knobs although learned from my BIL kitchen installer 2 inches down and 2 inches in for a door front.  I have seen many many different options in stores and pinterest and magazines; knobs on upper cabinets, handles on base.  Knobs on pantry doors; long handles sideways on drawers. So many options. No rules.  I finally chose the IKEA Svep knob for all the doors and drawers. And handles for the 36" long drawers. I liked the wrought iron look of them.  And although I have had the knobs since Christmas and the task was meant for me,  I only started measuring this morning.  I quickly turned it over to contractor. He didn't have a full range of drill bits so we took a run to Lowes for some bits and material.  And, you see below, I need to take another 4hour trip to IKEA for one more package. I'm short two knobs. (I had bought the IKEA drill template and opted to go 4 holes down, which was the center of the drawer frame, not quite 2 inches)

The knobs work, I no longer need to worry about grimy finger markings on the side of the drawers and doors.

While we knocked off a few other things on the list, my task list grew: 

Along with having to buy paint for the baseboards, I'll need stain for the thresholds he made for me today. Two entrances into kitchen, two thresholds. He cut and beveled the oak pieces. And I get to stain them.  I'm leaning towards a black/dark gray stain, to tie into the smokey gray tile.

I have been searching for old barn wood planks to use as upper shelving above the sink. So happens my contractor has an old barn on his lot and he dug up this long piece of wood, just long enough to cut into two shelves. He thinks they are 100 years old. My job, scrub and clean the 100 year old dust and chicken poop off of them. And then gloss them up with tung oil.   While he beveled the thresholds, I scrub the soon to be reclaimed wood. I scrubbed and watered until my fingers froze. These guys are really heavy and cleaning up nicely. More on the shelving to come.

And a "Necessity is the mother of invention" idea; tired of my small vestibule and pile of jackets on the butterfly chair, I decided a row of hooks on my living room wall was needed. Got the wood up today. More painting to do. UGH. Contractor pre-drilled the hook holes in the wood for me, so when I paint over it, I can still see the markings. No excuses to delay. This idea just materialized the other day, so am anxious to see how the living room evolves ...

Whatever happened to the kitchen renovation?

Look way up. Way, way up (Did you ever watch Mr. Dressup as a kid, or perhaps the re-runs?).

Way up on the top of my tower shelf, sits a box. And in the box sits some twisted black fabric cord, a brass socket, cage and edison bulb. That's one task light that goes above the sink, in the kitchen. Got that a month ago. Or longer. Who's counting?  Instead of dropping buckets of money on a beautiful vintage find, I decided to cheap out and find something similar and landed on Ebay.

The cord was long enough that all I needed was another socket and cage to make the 2nd task light. Check, finally ordered that the other day. Once that arrives, maybe I can persuade my contractor to install some of these details. Eggnog anyone?

While we are looking up, lets look over here, at my Christmas cactus, pretty in pink. Moved from my now x-office location, to my home. Hopefully a better environment for him.

Any how, details, details. That is what happened.  I have the lighting stored in boxes and a beautiful piece of exotic wood for a spice shelf wrapped and laying flat on the floor.   I still need to decide on the backsplash and door knobs. These items are most critical. A chimney vent would help. A dishwasher and baseboards would finish it off.  But the guts of the kitchen, thats working really well for us.

Cool contractor

Up to the minute progress on the kitchen renovation! Contractor is at work in my kitchen, doing the electrical behind wall #3. (Wall 1, wall 2) Isn't he cool, sending me photos and keeping me updated.

Goodbye stove, hello lighting

A mere 24 hrs after deciding it was time to get rid of the stove, posting an ad on craigslist and its gone. I suppose FREE is an incentive.

I sold the fridge via craigslist as well, but I experienced too much guilt and angst along with the price tag I had attached to it. A fridge I had only known for a few years.  A fridge that froze my watermelon and melted my ice cream. How was I to guarantee the life of the fridge that was kind of working but could break any time. What if this fridge was put in an apartment and I was the tenant. Could this fridge be better then the one it was replacing. Hardly. I couldn't sell it the lady that was looking to replace her mothers broken fridge or even the scammer who wanted to send me money right away and pay oodles for shipping it to his ailing, fridgeless grandmother.  Nope couldn't even sell it to him. Perhaps a beer fridge or a 2nd fridge in the garage, but not as a main fridge. The guy who bought it was really knowledgeable in moving out appliances, professional and was happy to pay 100 dollars lower then the suggested asking price. I'll take it for 50 and the risk that comes with it he said. Deal done.

I decided free was the way to go for the stove, even though I could guarantee this stove. But I just wanted it out. Free to whomever wants to move it out of my house. This was a 24" white electric stove. Two knobs to share amongst the 4 burners, the rubber lining peeling off and a temperature gauge on the brink. Haven't baked banana bread in 2 years. Maybe a camp stove for someone else, but farewell it was for us.

Clearing some room in the kitchen, I can now store the newly assembled cabinets in their respective areas AND move around the house a bit easier.

No stove meant I had to go out a buy a hotplate and make a "camp cook stove" area to bide us some time until the counters arrive. A .51cent piece of scrap mdf from the hardware store resting on the inverted cabinets, a collection of tile samples, a hotplate and some vignettes.

 This should work for a couple weeks, while I assemble the last two cabinets, install them and get a digital template made for the counter. Ah counter, yep I finally went to the counter store yesterday. In their small display area was a beautiful soapstone counter and sink. Just what I was looking for. Spoke with salesperson, eyed and caressed and sprayed water on the HUGE slabs of soapstone in the ware house ... yes already in stock. Pressuring her for a quick estimate, cubic feet cost, something .... yes, I was pressuring the SALESperson ... I didn't want another day to go by. I finally realized she just needed a sketch of the kitchen and dimensions. Oh yes, I can do that right here on the back of this paper.  Dimensions included. Impressed her, but really after a year and a half who wouldn't know the exact numbers, down to the 5" x 4" beam thing that sticks out. Left the warehouse/displayhouse thinking the kitchen could possibly be completed by my BIrthDay!!!

Arrived home to two huge boxes . Lighting already!  The light is behind the little girl, hidden, as enormous as it is.  So big I have to cancel the order of the large sized pendant and rethink the lighting.

Removal of stove, counter estimate and lighting all in one day!

My Parisian Balcony, in the making

Half a year and 3 moons ago, the doodling and beginnings of the kitchen renovation plan. One can see that there was no plan for a balcony off the kitchen, although getting OUTSIDE from the main floor was essential and always part of the plan, although I was going to access the great outdoors via the dining room.

Some advanced technology, kitchen floor planning tools and playing around found a balcony off of the kitchen and I rather liked it.

I stalled on flooring selection for kitchen but didn't want to slow down progress so made a decision to carry on with another phase of Kitchen Reno, the now dubbed "Parisian" balcony which requires swapping out the 78" rotted window with a patio door.

And now we have the frame and supports...

That was two days ago. Yesterday he laid down the balcony floor, which has not been photographed yet. Look at that, a contractor that works faster then I can photograph! I suspect he is finished for the time being, until the double french doors arrive. A few more weeks.

And to further explain the creative process for the balcony ... Yes, most people WILL bump their head on the balcony while going down the steps to enter basement through door, which happens to be our main door into house as the car gets parked at back. A problem for some people.

Originally I was going to swap out the single double hung window in the dining room, seen on the right of the photo. Seemed like a good place to put a deck, in that alcove. But the window in the kitchen was rotted and malfunctioning and needed to be replaced. And the concrete steps leading into the basement, are cracked in half and also need to be replaced. (A quote on that work was 3500 dollars!!). Eye popping news for me, considering I just dug out a 12 x 6 concrete patio that was under the over growth. BY.MYSELF.WITH.MY.FAMILY. I decided the cracked steps were not a big problem after all, despite the small-waterflow-on-rainy-days-into-the-basement issue.

Thanks to Mother Nature and the warm temperatures we had this winter, I decided to do some outdoor work in January. I called a stump crusher operator and discovered he was thrilled for the job offer in January. Normally he plows snow, but no snow means no work. Fine weather, Bad stumps, bring on the work. He was an easy guy to work with. I snooped around his website and discovered he did contracting work, deck building, basement renovations, any and everything. I showed him my kitchen and he was willing to work with me on my kind of schedule, little jobs at a time. I told him my ideas and he was happy to make my visions come true. I showed him the cracked steps and the balcony idea and he suggested he could bring his back hoe over, haul out the concrete and lawn, grade the area and make it level with the driveway. And create a walk way into the basement door solving three problems at once! (and if you didn't catch those three solved problems, 1) grading slope / lawn away from house, prevent water issue flowing into basement. 2) hauling out cracked concrete steps. 3) Lowering entryway creating more space to walk under balcony / no more bumping head. Ill have to draw it up some time.)

Eventually, we may extend balcony into the alcove area but for now, I'm getting my outdoor access via the kitchen. A place to swing open french doors, step out, sip coffee, admire the rising sun and the sparkling dew drops glistening off the blades of grass. Hibachi some hotdogs in the late afternoon. Clip some basil and chives from the hanging herb garden. My Parisian Balcony.

1,2,3

Momentous event this weekend. Exciting and a tad nervous. Heading to IKEA to get the cook area stuff. EEKS!  One 30" oven cabinet. Two 15" cabinets and an oven.  Although I have narrowed in on design decisions, I'll make the final picks on the spot ... drawers vs baskets vs pullouts. Cabinet fronts.  Hardware. Hinges.   I am investigating soapstone for counters. Sample in the mail ... fingers crossed I love it when I see it - I like the idea of rubbing mineral oil on it and watching it transform to a darker colour... but I digress... The cabinets have to be sturdy enough to withhold the weight of stone.  Lets hope so. 

The NUTID vs FRAMTID - (IKEA appliances are made by Whirlpool) I like that these ovens still have knobs. I don't need a high tech pad for my baking considering I  never use any other button on the microwave other then selecting the time and pressing start. I also like that they are mostly black with just a panel of stainless steel.

NUTID via IKEA

FRAMTID via IKEA

Hardware: Definitely interested in cups (bin pulls) and knobs. Depending on the quality at IKEA, Rejuvenation is my 2nd option. I like the oil rubbed bronze options they have. That should go well with some lighting I just put together.

via Rejuvenation

In other kitchen news, my now coined "Parisian" balcony is in the making. The outswinging double french doors are ordered and will take 4 weeks to get to me.  I chose oil rubbed bronze for the door hardware as well. And my contractor is working on building the balcony portion. Another EEKS-I-am-so-excited/nervous.

As a reminder, here is a sketch I drew up and decided to go with.

wip kitchen

finale (except pocket door is installed correctly :)

The first drawing is flagged with work-in-progress areas. The other parts (sink, fridge,pantry) are current but will relocate later on as seen in 2nd drawing. I had always envisioned access to the backyard from the first floor (we have basement access to outside), but through the dining room to accommodate the nook in the back. Eventually that will maybe will well, it will depend on how things evolve and look.  I liked the look of this narrow balcony off of the kitchen so I took a leap and made the decision to go with it.  The blue marks are the work in progress, the sliding door is installed but the frames have been left off until we do the flooring. Since I couldn't decide on the flooring I decided to change the window to a french door. The huge 78" window was rotting and was part of the plan to update, so hello french doors and parisian balcony.

And for flooring! I found some old barn wood flooring company and I may go with that.

via Old Barn Wood

And for some eye candy, my original inspiration for the cooking area although mine should look a bit more rustic.

via Remodelista via...will be back with link

And this beautiful faucet. I love this. This is me.

via The Improvised Life