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Everything but the kitchen sink

Sometime between now and let's say... the end of February, the kitchen cabinet reboot will be finished. We reached the final stage this week, and the countertop installers (Plastic Sales Corporation) came out to measure on Thursday. Home Depot had a deal going on which made Corian less expensive than the knock-off brands, so we're getting a real Corian countertop — and it, along with the sink, will be installed once the fabrication process is finished.

I'm pretty sure there will be another write-up of the progress thus far, but I do want to say from my perspective it looks pretty damned awesome. I keep going in the kitchen and just standing there admiring everything. Most of all, I'm amazed at how much of this we did ourselves. I'll freely admit there was some professional help here and there — specifically, one plumber, one contractor we bribed with pizza and beer, and one unpaid consultant who's been remodeling houses and doing woodworking since 1987. Everything else, though, has been us.

For the record, I've become a real fan of Home Depot over the last few months, and I now prefer them over Lowe's. It's not as crowded, the employees are more willing to offer assistance, and I like the selection much better. I also like Smith's True Value Hardware in Big Chimney because they're close, they're familiar with the construction of homes in the area (a big plus in the case of our 60-year-old Rose Red), and they really bend over backwards to help. In an age of giant box stores and super-mega-ultramarts, that's extremely rare.

Ok, here are a few pictures.

A "before" picture, the night before the destruction began. The ever-lovely Deadpan Alley took this picture and provided her own commentary.

An "after" picture, taken mere moments ago from the same angle (but with different lighting). There may be an "after after" picture later.

Another "before" picture, this one of the place on the countertop where the phone usually sits... and I assume will continue to sit when everything is finished, since the phone jack is still there.

Here's the same general area from a different angle, and there's the phone.

This is my favorite space in the new and improved kitchen. This countertop didn't exist at all in the old kitchen — there was a built-in pantry next to the stove instead. We removed the pantry, put in the cabinet here (and above), created more usable countertop space, and moved the stove down about six inches in the process. It changed the whole flow of the kitchen and really opened things up... a much-needed improvement.

Rumor has it the resident chef of the house is planning the first big meal to be cooked in the kitchen when it's finished. It may even turn into a festive event with other people in attendance, who knows. Not too many, though, because then we'd need a bigger kitchen. Alarieloe suggested lobster, saying the kitchen needed to be properly christened with fresh kill, and generously offered her assistance in making it happen. The more I think about that idea, the more I like it. Generally speaking, I'm not a huge lobster fan... but the symbolism of a sacrifice appeals to me. Eating a meal we've collaborated on really appeals to me, because I know it would taste out of this world.

Posted January 23, 2010 @ 11:57:35 EST. 0 comments.

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