Kitchen Update: Finally Finished!

The day has come! It's over! The kitchen is finished! Exclamation points for all!!

It was quite the push to the finish, especially since I stupidly invited some people over for a reveal a little later this afternoon (way to give myself a deadline! why didn't I just do it next weekend??). But in reality, it's nice to have something to aim for. If you I don't have a real motivation to wrap things up, projects tend to stretch into the "I'll get around to finishing that eventually" category.

Alright, enough of my jibber-jabber! You want to see the finished product, don't you?! Let's do a before and after!

The craziest part is how clean everything looks, haha! That was no easy feat. But just check out the new sightline through to the rest of the house...

Three weeks ago, that picture would have been of a wall! It's truly an amazing transformation. Now that it's done, I sort of want to do it all over again!

Kitchen Update: Cabinets and Counters

Drywall and plaster patching are pretty much finished (except for the ceiling), but today was super exciting because we actually got to hang some cabinets! These things have been collecting dust in the garage for months, and I finally got to see them in my soon-to-be-gorgeous kitchen. Anyone who has ever renovated a kitchen knows what a monumental moment this is. 

Beyond just being excited, we had to jump the gun a little on installation, because the countertop guys are coming tomorrow to measure things. Speaking of countertops, want a sneak preview of what I picked? OF COURSE YOU DO!

After much research and debate, I finally went with Carrera marble for the counters. And I am so glad I did - isn't it gorgeous?! I went to Planet Stone, deep in the valley, for wholesale prices. Of course I've yet to see the final quote, but whatever it is, it'll be worth it. Just looking at those two pictures side-by-side gives me goosebumps. 

Kitchen renos are so fun!

More Kitchen Planning

The good news: the kitchen renovation has been officially been scheduled! The bad news: it's not till July! Insert "whaa whaa" noise and pouty faces here.  Martin is booked full time in Sacramento until late June, so I just have to learn to be patient, and just keep stockpiling building materials in the garage until he can get down here.

Speaking of which, I ordered my cabinets! And even though it's going to be several weeks until they arrive, I do have some conceptual drawings to share...

That's right friends, we're taking down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room! I know it's going to make such a big difference, it's all I can do to not run home and start sledge-hammering things right now.

Here are a few more views, to get you as pumped as I am.

The biggest change is obviously the half wall, but another major improvement is moving the sink. Currently, it's centered under those two windows. The plan is to move it across the room, so you face into the dining room while washing dishes. Not only is this more social, but it also allows me to get a full-sized sink and dishwasher! You heard me, DISHWASHER! WOOT!

The wall of cabinetry with the two windows is only about 18 inches deep because of that doorway into the laundry room, so it really made way more sense to move things around. 

I can't wait to see this done! I'm thinking of enlarging the schematic and Mod Podging it to the dining room wall, so I can pretend that it already exists.