Kitchen Remodel, Weeks 7 and 8

 

Mikey is exhausted from supervising the workers.

He clearly approves the new sink.  I like it too!

ALL of my large pans and baking sheets fit in this sink.  Only problem: the InstaHot appliance doesn't turn.  Not enough clearance for the faucet handle to go straight back, plumber turned the spigot so that the handle went to the right but the faucet then refused to turn counterclockwise.  It has to be returned and another purchased, the plumbing supply house doesn't want to accept it due to COVID.  Discussions continue.  The lady who writes the checks (that would be me) is refusing to complete payment to the plumber.  Discussions continue.

Mikey verifying that the doors are acceptable.  Several were returned as they were the wrong size.  Discussions continue.

The new spice rack.  All spice bottles had to be labeled on the top.  Only took an hour.  Now I have to alphabetize them.  The blue tape on the island granite are spaces that need to be polished to smooth.

Loving the backsplash, waiting on the electrician and painter.  Trash compactor needs a piece of wood to cover the upper opening.  Handles have now been attached.  

Sent this picture to the contractor.  Different door styles on the pantry ... not acceptable.  Wood guy calls me to explain:  Door people (evidently, different from wood people) will not warrant any door from warping if over 49 inches.  Upper doors are exactly 49 inches, lower doors are 50 1/4 inches!  I said, "I don't care, put three hinges on them but they WILL match and I don't want the support bar in the middle, it's too busy."  Doors have been reordered.

Flooring guy is finished.  Last of the carpeting has been sent to the dump.  We are now carpeting free.  I'll need some rugs to soften the space, but I need to live in it for a bit more.  I sure do like it!

The hutch is almost finished, missing two doors.  Here are the boxes labeled "Future Hutch" with things I haven't seen in over three years!  Such a joy to handle my special plates, stemware and sterling again.  And the best part ... my neighbor is moving (that's NOT special at all) and needed more boxes, so they didn't go to the dump!

First thing I did was make a batch of Stollen.  With a double oven I could proof all of the loaves at once.  Oh, happy me!  

We're in the home stretch.  And my FB memory popped up yesterday with a picture of my California kitchen in its home stretch 10 years ago!  

So much has happened in that time span.  Here's wishing you all a very happy Holiday season,  Please be healthy and stay safe.  I sure miss our daughter and sons and grands and families.   Let's usher 2020 out and open wide for a better 2021!

Kitchen Remodel, Week 6

I feel like we're coming in for the home stretch.  The granite arrived.  Actually, before it even made the turn onto our lane, a neighbor called to tell me it was here and she thought it was beautiful.  I was thrilled!

And here it is.  It's 10 feet by 4.5 feet weighing in at 920 pounds!  

Inch by painful inch they lowered the trailer down our driveway and,  hopefully into the garage.  

Yea, not quite. 

They called in the rest of the crew to, oh so carefully, slide it onto the cart.  I decided I wanted it on the island in the other direction so they spun it around in the garage and carefully moved it into the house.

Onto the island, hmmmm.  Would you boys mind spinning it around again?  Not certain I want it like that.  They did.  Then they all took votes and decided to spin it one more time because they didn't want to cut into that much of the blue.  "Okay," I said, "Do what makes you happy."  (I was in agreement but they were so happy that I let them vote.)

The slab is so beautiful the guys did NOT want to cut out the hole for the cooktop.  "Please, Miss Shon, don't make me do it!"  They moved here from South Carolina.  I thought I was sick of being called Ma'am, I just gritted my teeth every time Zach referred to me as Miss Shon.  Nice boys with excellent southern manners.  "I'd be fine with that, Zach, but where do propose putting the cooktop and be prepared to relocate the exhaust hood."  The tenting took place.  

Then they cut the holes for the faucet and instant hot.  Then window sill was installed.

The next day David arrived to install the glass/slate backsplash.  I'm in love with it!  

In this picture the counter looks blue, it's really a sage green.

Plumber and electrician bailed so no functioning kitchen this weekend.  Really, if that's the largest problem I've encountered this week, we're good.  The sink is large enough for a full size sheet tray to lay down flat.  NICE!  It is a composite sink (made from ground up quartz).  The showroom sales person said that her friend's kitchen burned down.  The only thing that was salvaged was the composite sink.  They are indestructible.  I just didn't want a black one.  The ledge about half way down is for a rubberized shelf, works similar to a colander.  

We we are supposed to be wrapped up by next Friday.  Last of the flooring for the stairs and office, electricians, plumbers, painter, appliances and finally the cleaning crew.  It's been a real "treat" living in dust and boxes, but it will be so worth it in the end.  End of week 6.  So pleased with the progress!

And thanks for all your comments on the island.  It's even more beautiful in person, do stop by when you have a chance!  I'll be cooking up a storm, there is always coffee, tea, wine or whatever available.  

Kitchen Remodel, Week 5

 

The boys are so pleased to have their bedroom back.  They are usually hiding under the bed.  

Where there was carpeting, they had to lay plywood to bring the floor up to meet the hardwood in the hallways and tile in the bathrooms.  

Couldn't be happier with the new flooring.  The thin strips of hardwood were so formal and so not my style.  These planks are various widths, lengths and tones.  AND they are waterproof and cat barf proof, a necessary feature in our house.

On Monday the appliances (double oven and cooktop) arrived.  Oven outer width is 30".  Hole is 30", supposed to be 28 1/2".  Shon gets on the phone with the cabinet people.  My designer is no longer with the company.  Great, "Now I want to speak with Michael (the owner)!"  When Michael is finished with his customer he calls me right back.  "Oh," he says, "Eric must not have installed the spacers.  And Fergal (contractor) doesn't want anything installed until after the granite comes."  Wish Fergal had shared that with me and I would not have scheduled it for Monday this week.  Michael:  "So if the appliance installers want to charge you an additional fee to return, just give me the bill and I'll cover it."  THAT put a stop to my irritation immediately.  So here sits my beautiful new double oven with bread proof top and bottom ... in the garage.  So sad.

I get a call from the granite people.  "Would you like to stop by tomorrow to inspect the layout of your slab?"  ABSOLUTELY!  The next morning finds me at the granite place at 8:30 IN THE MORNING!  I'm even bright and chipper.  Here comes the guy who will actually cut it.  We measure, I assure him I want it cut from the bottom UP, not from the top DOWN.  The slab looks like a map with a very large island in it.  I want all of the island preserved.  It's going to be spectacular.  There is an additional two feet left (it's only 4.5 feet wide, but 10 feet long, there are two inches to spare on each end).  They will cut me a pastry board out of the smaller island in the upper part with some blue in it.  I have felt feet so I can move it without scratching anything.  Granite, quartz and glass backsplash are supposed to be installed on Wednesday, but if not, definitely by Thursday.  I'm hoping for Wednesday!

Meanwhile the electricians arrive to complete all the lower plugs.  We are off to Jan and Rogers for dinner (can't thank them enough for their generosity in feeding the kitchen orphans).  So we leave the electricians to continue their work and we go off to deliciousness land.  

Next morning it's still dark when I stumble out of bed.  As I enter the living room to turn on the coffee I notice a particularly dark shadow in the walkway.  Something told me not to nudge it with my toes and I lean over to turn on a light.  It's a mousetrap with a dead mouse in it.  (No I didn't take a picture of it)

Why in the wide world would Gary put a mousetrap in the living room without telling me?  I wait for him to get up.  "Carful of the dead mouse." I tell him as he not looking down when he finally comes in for coffee.  "Why in the heck did you put a mousetrap in the living room without telling me?" I ask in a not so pleasant tone.

"I didn't do it!  The only place I EVER put mousetraps is in the dirt room."  Good grief!  Electrician must have not completely closed the dirt room door when he was working on the panel.  I go downstairs.  Dirt room door is wide open.  Inside I see several tubs of Christmas ornaments overturned.  Mikey!

Mikey must have found the mouse and brought it upstairs for show and tell.  Will have discussion with electricians when they next arrive.

The next day I get home from Mahjong to discover that the boys had finished the baseboards in my sewing room closet.  Yippee, I go downstairs to inspect.  There is a very cold draft downstairs.  I'm not liking this one bit.  In the sewing room my glass AND screen sliders are wide open and two cats are on the deck looking over the edge at the birdies.  I yowl at them and Harvey scampers in, Tommy was unsure so he hunkered down until I approached, then he dashed inside with me scolding the entire time.  Mikey, a good boy for once, sat inside watching (and gloating) the entire time.  I shoot off a text to Fergal, rather tersely worded.  He has assured me that it will NEVER happen again.  Right answer.

Meanwhile John has  been hard at work  Dining room shot toward Enty.

Kitchen between window and island.

Entry toward dining room.  

John determined that there is not enough flooring to complete the office so it will be put off until they can order more.

Mikey is exhausted after supervising the entire week.  I had just turned off the fireplace and it was warm.  He passed out immediately.

Next week should really step things up.  Once granite is installed the cabinet doors and drawers will be installed!  Then appliances.  Flooring should be finished (except for office) by Friday and then the painter will arrive.  Stay tuned for more adventures in a kitchen remodel.