This week has flown by and to be honest, I’m no where near where I wanted to be. In case you’re new here (hi 👋 ) I’m renovating my kitchen as part of the Spring 2022 One Room Challenge. Be sure to check out the other amazing designers over at the One Room Challenge blog hhttps://www.oneroomchallenge.com/orc-blog here.
If you missed week 1: check it out and get caught up!
For real time progress, videos and all of my behind-the-scenes, follow me on Instagram (@tiarrahamlett)
PROGRESS IS SLOW… BUT STEADY
Right now, the kitchen is mess. Over the last 4 years, we removed the wood paneling, raised the ceiling (and found original tin ceilings), demo’d a random quarter bath in the corner, and changed the configuration. Then the kitchen sat like that for almost 3 years, untouched and in a semi-finished state. It has been overwhelming and our new normal, but a constant reminder to GET IT DONE.
Recently, we’ve made some slow and steady progress.
- The ceiling and our decision to cover the tin ceiling. I know people are going to hate me for hiding the original tin, but it had to be done. The tin was in horrible condition and it was going to be too costly to fix it. We are not willing to put in that much for it and still not be happy. Since we raised the ceiling in the nook, which was part of an add-on by the previous owner, we knew that there was no way we could match the original moldings and this also played a factor in our decision to just cover it all up.
- We finished taping and mudding the ceiling, not it’s time for paint! I’m hoping to paint the ceiling and walls this week.
- Double checking all of my materials and orders. I jumped into the ORC and then started ordering material, a bit backwards, I know. Right now I’m working hard to source the floor tile and make sure everything arrives in time. My big orders are:
- Mosaic tile for the border
- Floor tile
- Faucet
- Cabinet pulls and knobs
- Steel door – hoping it works out in time
- + a few hidden bonuses I’m excited about 😉
Sorry for the poor lighting – most of our work happens afterhours!
GOALS FOR WEEK 2:
I’m going to be kicking into high gear and starting the below this week:
- Paint the ceiling
- Paint the walls
- Remove the existing countertop – yes, I made this sad, sad faux marble epoxy countertop back in 2019 and I was so proud of myself. But, the countertop has since yellowed, has air bubbles, gets tacky/sticky in high heat, and is past its life. I’ve learned that not everything should be DIYed.
- Trim out the wall of cabinets: side panels on cabinets and crown molding.
- Start the frame for the range hood. I ordered a hood insert and will be DIYing the hood. Originally, I considered a plaster hood finish but I worry that it will be too busy with everything else going on and painting it might be best.
- Make sure everything has been ordered and will be coming in time!
- Ambitious goal: start deglossing cleaning and deglossing the cabinets!
THE LAYOUT
How does the kitchen interact with the backyard and remainder of the first floor? Well, I thought this diagram would be helpful. The kitchen is at the rear of the house and right off of the kitchen is the mudroom/pantry. The nook area was added on by the previous neighbors and is the space in the pictures above.
Our kitchen is pretty spacious – about 14′ x 14′ and the nook is 7′ x 7.5′. I will only be adding the border tile to the exposed area so that they frame the base cabinets and the nook.
Also, with so much open space in the center of the kitchen, I’m thinking I’d like to add an island in the future.
The current entrance to the backyard is through the mudroom but It’s not practical because the door takes up more than half of the space in the room. So, I am converting the huge 32″x90″ window in the kitchen into the backyard access point. Now, I will say that you should check with your city and review your city’s building codes to ensure you are able to legally make this change. Be sure to do your research and consult a professional if needed (we have consulted a pro and are hiring a contractor since this involves a structural change we are not comfortable or qualified to do on our own!).
TRYING TO AVOID PROJECT CREEP
Project creep is real and is consuming me right now. I want to stick to the kitchen and complete the kitchen and kitchen only. However…. I can’t help but notice that our deck is in disarray and I worry about it’s structural integrity, and, it’s just not cute. What would it cost – financially and for my stress levels – to decide to rebuild the deck? I’ll think about it and talk myself into it, I’m sure lol
Thanks for following along! Next week I will have really exciting updates, a lot more progress and hopefully I’ll have tiles on their way (fingers crossed, please!).
Hop over to Instagram to watch this space in real time and don’t forget to check out the other great designers.
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