Update on the good ole kitchen

Kitchen update: We are done painting the cabinets!

About a month ago, we finished painting all of the cabinets. It has been a long process. We have had to cut more wood than I prefer and I am glad it is over. As is my dad, I'm sure.

Here are some before and after pics:

Before:

This shot was taken in January of 2012. There is cute Maddie!

This was taken before we painted the cabinets but after we got a new stove.

 The finished product!

Before:

Right after we moved in:

 During the painting:

After:

 

As a review, here is what we did:

• Tore out half of the lath and plaster and insulated.
• Tore out all the contact paper. Man, there was a lot of this. I think I counted 5 different kinds. My fingers were bleeding at the end.
• Replaced all the backs of the cabinets with new boards.
• Replaced all the knobs
• Replaced the kitchen faucet
• Replaced the light above the sink
• Wired a switch for the light above the sink
• Installed under cabinet lighting
• Wired a switch for the under cabinet lighting
• Tore out the paneling on the bottom cabinet behind the stove and replaced with new boards.
• Tore out the carpet trim underneath the cabinets
• Replaced the stove
• Painted all the cabinets and trim

 Crossed some things off on our master list. We still have a long ways to go:

 

Replace the floor. It will be the same floor as in the front room and dining room. Either dark hardwood floors or laminate floors.

Inset the fridge into the wall so that it doesn't stick out too much. Stew is excited for this project.

Replace the counter tops with either a concrete counter (depends on if we want to attack that challenge) or a Corian counter top (super expensive).

Replace the back splash with subway tile.

Finish painting all of the cabinets.

Install all the new knobs.

Buy a small round table to eat breakfast and lunch on. (Update: we have done this now)

Paint two chairs that we have to go with the table.

Change out the ceiling fan. I would love to have one on a remote.

Replace the sink when we replace the counter tops.

Install trim in some places.

Paint.

Paint the trim

Paint the ceiling.

Knock out the old heating vent once we install a new furnace.

Maybe someday install crown molding. That is a long ways down the line.

Replace the window above the sink.

The Kitchen

What we have done:

• Replaced the mustard stove with a white one. While we would love to have stainless steal appliances someday, the world does not make a stainless steel 27 inch drop in stove, and we don't feel like cutting into our cabinets to fit a standard 30 inch stove. So we will stick with white appliances. You win some, you lose some. We got it for a great deal though. They retail for about 600 dollars brand new and we bought ours for $150. It is practically brand new.
• Replaced the faucet thanks to my parents Christmas present. It's a funny story, I told them we would like a faucet and sent them a picture of one I liked. It of course was a 250 dollar faucet. Which I knew they couldn't afford that and that they were going to be looking on KSL for one, but I just wanted to give them ideas. What did they find? The exact faucet I wanted for $50. All it needed was a new $15 cartridge for the handle from Moen. Win!
• Painted some of the cabinets. This is a long process. The back of the cabinets is the actual wall which is cracked Lath & Plaster. On the right of the kitchen we put up board to cover up the decaying wall, then we got smart and decided to rip it out on the left side so that we could install some insulation.
• Replaced some of the knobs.
• Installed undercabinet lighting. I will have to take a picture of it later and show you. It is really cool. And thanks to Quinn's help, Stew was able to wire a switch to turn off and on those lights.
• Installed a new light above the kitchen sink. You can't tell in the before picture, but it was just a bare bulb.
• Stew wired me a switch for the new light above the kitchen sink so that you don't have to pull on a chain to turn it on and off.

What we love:

• The cabinets!!! Oh how I love them.
• The ability to cook and see people in the living room.

What we plan on fixing/changing:

Replace the floor. It will be the same floor as in the front room and dining room. Either dark hardwood floors or laminate floors.

Inset the fridge into the wall so that it doesn't stick out too much. Stew is excited for this project.

Replace the counter tops with either a concrete counter (depends on if we want to attack that challenge) or a Corian countertop (super expensive).

Replace the back splash with subway tile.

Finish painting all of the cabinets.

Install all the new knobs.

Buy a small round table to eat breakfast and lunch on. (Update: we have done this now)

Paint two chairs that we have to go with the table.

Change out the ceiling fan. I would love to have one on a remote.

Replace the sink when we replace the countertops.

Install trim in some places.

Paint.

Paint the trim

Paint the ceiling.

Knock out the old heating vent once we install a new furnace.

Maybe someday install crown molding. That is a long ways down the line.

Replace the window above the sink.

 

 

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