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Tuesday, November 04, 2014

LESSONS LEARNED DURING A KITCHEN UPDATE

After all these months, this post is hard to write.  Not because there isn't anything to say, but because there are SO MANY THINGS I'd love to share with you about the remodel!  So, (taking a deep yoga breath) I'll start at the beginning (if I can accurately remember back that far).

Once more, let's look at the kitchen before the remodel...


After...
 



The area behind the chandelier and above the stove, not visible in the preceding picture.



THE FIRST STEP:  Come Up With A Plan, without going into all of those details here, you can read about it and see the drawings here. 

THE SECOND STEP:  Get tradesmen lined up.  All I will say here is get yourself some buckets of PATIENCE and then find a friend(s) who will listen to you whine about them!  One trade goes off schedule and the whole project is delayed.

NEXT:  Start selecting materials.
My first selections was going to be my countertop.  And, so I  danced around granite yards for at least a month, trying to find white granite in a quiet pattern (because I really wanted white marble, but not the upkeep).  I had planned to use the existing backsplash but decided at the last possible moment, the backsplash needed to change too.  This was a major panic for me because I like to look at absolutely everything on the market before making an informed decision, but I knew I wanted marble (the real deal) so that narrowed it down a bit.  I got a lot of pressure to go with subway tiles, but that was what I was replacing.  I am so glad I listened to myself at this point and chose a hex mosaic for the backsplash.  

WORDS OF WISDOM:  ALWAYS, ALWAYS, LISTEN TO YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR SELECTIONS.  IT IS VERY EASY TO GET OFF TRACK WITHOUT A FIRM PLAN IN YOUR MIND BEFORE YOU BEGIN.  CONTRACTORS, SALES PEOPLE AND OTHERS WILL TRY TO TALK YOU OUT OF YOUR PLAN.  YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHEN TO TAKE ADVICE AND WHEN NOT TO.

Here's a closeup of the backsplash...

The countertops are polished 3cm Ceasarstone in Frosty Carrina.  It looks like a very faint marble veining pattern.  It is stronger than granite (which I have on the island from my last remodel) and doesn't stain or react to acids and oils the way real marble does.  Very important details if you cook in your kitchen!

Here is a closeup of the countertop...very hard to see the details in a picture.

I went with the most reputable company in town for fabrication of my countertops and it was a very wise decision.  After my installation, my countertop was chipped and scratched!  My stomach was in knots for days!  Three visits from the installer later, everything was perfect and still is!  Yeah!

Some of the other details added...


The microwave was moved from above the stove a few years ago and it sat on my countertop in a hidden spot for a long time.  With the remodel the microwave and it's electrical circuit were moved here and additional lighting was added inside the cabinet.  The microwave is totally hidden when the doors are closed, but is readily accessible too.


New painted cabinets with glass and lights were then added to the top of existing cabinets and the kitchen went from this...


To this...


And this...


And this...

These cabinets were taken down to the countertop also.

Continuing around the room...


 And the last addition to the kitchen is a floor to ceiling platter rack...


 A few other things added...
  • That arrow is pointing to the disposal button (sorry I didn't wipe out those new stainless steel sinks).  The existing faucet wasn't replaced.
  • Over-the-sink lights were replaced with LEDs so the lighting throughout the kitchen would be the same.
  • The cabinets (oil) and walls(latex) were painted SW 7005 Pure White.

Thanks for being interested in my biggest project to-date.  In this project, my 20-year old vision became reality and it was a thrill ride!

Til next time... 
Robin



24 comments:

  1. Wow! Your "new" kitchen is gorgeous Robin! Love your backsplash and the platter rack! Your tips are great also, especially identify with your "one trade gets off schedule everything is off...SO TRUE!
    Hope to see you at AMAZE ME MONDAY...
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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    1. Sorry I forgot to stop by and link up at Amaze Me Monday--I've been under the weather this week and visiting my sofa quite a bit!

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  2. lovely! i'm patiently waiting my kitchen remodel….and will enjoy yours at the moment. i agree you need to always listen to what u like (learned that from a bathroom remodel a few years back). love the glass lite cabinets on top (it's on my list as well) and the counter tops are amazing. i want Carrera marble on my island but i might have to rethink that. thnx for the pointers. found u thru wow us wed. warmly- mj

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    1. Good luck on your remodel. Good luck with your countertop decision. I'd love to see pictures of your kitchen when it is remodeled!

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  3. What a gorgeous, gorgeous kitchen! I'm so happy for you! I love those added cabinets at the top and all your lighting just makes it glow. Thank you for sharing at What We Accomplished Wednesdays. I'll be featuring it at the next party on the 18th. Have a great weekend!
    Blessings, Deborah

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    Replies
    1. I am super excited that you'll feature my kitchen next week! I'll be visiting your place soon.

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  4. Oh my goodness, this is so beautiful. Your vision was perfect and so is the kitchen. I love it. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me.

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    1. Always good to hear from you Marty. It is my pleasure to link up with Inspire Me.

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  5. Oh my gosh! The transformation is just spectacular. The kitchen definitely looks brighter and airier with the newly-painted cupboards and all. I love the lessons/tips you've enumerated above, which are just what anyone who's planning to do some remodeling of their own need. Thank you so much for sharing! I hope all your future projects be as equally successful.

    Fred Richards @ SGK Home Solutions

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    1. Thanks for the lovely comments Fred. Please come again soon.

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  6. Wow, this looks fantastic! You have great vision. Love the way you took the space above the cabinets and defined it.

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    1. Thanks Sarah, that is where the design began...with the cabinets going all the way to the ceiling.

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  7. Absolutely stunning! Seriously this might be the most beautiful kitchen that I have ever seen!
    Jennelise

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    1. Well, Jennelise, you are my new best friend! Thank you for such a lovely compliment. I am glowing!

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  8. Your kitchen turned out spectacular! You did get all the space out of it, and wow, did you do it just perfectly. Magazine worth. I love it all! Thanks for sharing.
    I'm gonna follow you and hope you would like to follow back as well.
    FABBY

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    1. I found your followers and followed back and I thank you so much for your visit and your sweetness!

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  9. Robin, your kitchen is beautiful! I love the way you added cabinet space up high and that backsplash is gorgeous. Also, that platter rack is wonderful!

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  10. Wow- stunning!! That backsplash has me swooning!

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  11. I believe that your well-developed plan and endless patience gave you that fabulous kitchen, Robin. It’s nice to know that you worked hard in finding the materials for your new kitchen, while being patient enough to deal with the tradesmen who were in charge of the tasks. I’m pretty sure your tips will be helpful to those who are still planning to remodel their home. Thanks for sharing them! :)

    Gordon Fox @ Prince And Sons

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    1. Thank you Gordon for such kind comments. I love my kitchen and it was worth all of the trouble.

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  12. Thanks for this information. We are looking into doing a remodeling of our kitchen in the near future. We are thinking we can handle it ourselves since we both have backgrounds in construction. We have never planned anything ourselves though so that is the main thing I am worried about. I appreciate reading lessons from others though so thank you.

    Essie Reed @ Valley Home Improvement

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