Monday, August 13, 2012

~KITCHEN REMODEL RIP-OUT CONTINUES~

 
~MY VERY TINY LAUNDRY ROOM HAD TO GO~
(I love a man with a broom!)
:) :) :)

It's been quite a little while since I shared with you anything about our pending kitchen remodel.  My guy and I have been living with constant construction for months and it's become our new norm!  Almost NOTHING has been done since I last posted about our progress a few months ago and it's been a challenge to exist with half my cookware in storage and half boxed up in the garage.  We've kept out ONLY the bare necessities in which to function.  I told you it was going to be slow-going and it has been!  Our projected finish date is next summer.  When you are doing all the work for yourselves and paying as you go it can be a daunting process I can assure you!  Bah!

After going thru this stage of our kitchen remodel I do believe I can handle almost anything!
REMOVING FINAL PIECE OF WALL~
(IT ONCE DIVIDED THE BATH and LAUNDRY ROOM)

With my Mr. AGPMan now on the downhill slide with his accelerated degree program (he finishes in November, THANK YOU, GOD!) he's always studying, but he did have a wee bit of time this weekend to do a bit more rip-out!  With the exception of the sink/counter area everything but the cabinets above my washer and dryer have now been removed.

To catch you up...
~THIS WAS ONCE THE BATHROOM WALL~
(LOVIN' THOSE LEGS!)

Our former galley kitchen is being transformed and will be doubled in size.  This has been possible because the former downstairs half bath and existing laundry room are being moved (new ones are being built) and that space will now be part of our new kitchen.
 ~FORMER GALLEY KITCHEN~
(ONLY A DREAM NOW)

The cabinets/wall you see above are gone (and that 1970's era, avocado and white flecked Formica, too!) and what you are seeing in the above photos is what was hiding behind them.  Just around the stove was my laundry room.  The entry to the bathroom was to the right of the light switch above. 
~BEFORE OUR WOOD FLOORING WAS INSTALLED~
(WHAT A NIGHTMARE)

Here is a picture what what the kitchen looked like when we found the water pipes hiding in the wall that was being opened up.  Removing those pipes over to the right was grueling and my hubbs did all the work.  The only thing in the kitchen that is left now to remove are the cabinets you see on the left (by the fridge).  We have a temporary counter that moves/rolls about and THAT is what I'm using to prepare our food on.  A total nightmare I can assure you.


 ~SWEET KITCHEN IDEAS~

Later this week I'm meeting with a kitchen designer so they can help us map out the best way to continue to transform our kitchen.  Although my guy is doing all the work we are NOT kitchen designers so we are seeking out the best advice we can find on how to proceed.  Such talent out there and so many things to choose from.  

I love all the different elements in the photos I've shown above.  I can hardly wait for everything to be finished.  I KNOW it will be worth the wait!

Today I'm painting two sweet chairs my guy found for me at a garage sale a few weeks ago.  They are vintage wooden fold-up chairs that are just darling.  I've painted them a soft off-white and I hope to get hand painted roses onto at least ONE of them later today.  I'll be showing those to you later this week!  

Hope your Monday is fabulous!

Love to you...

12 comments:

Jacoba said...

Rebecca, how courageous you both are ... and this with the graduation ahead ....
Hold on, you'll get there and 'with a little help of a friend' (in this case the kitchen designer) it is no doubt going to be fabulous.
Love from Holland,
Jacoba

Anonymous said...

Your home is looking good! Soon it will feel like somewhere you'll never want to leave, I'm sure!


Thanks for sharing

Hope you'll visit me too

Ciao Bella
Sensible Sarah

Kit said...

This is going to be a wonderful space when it is done. Like you said, well worth the work and wait. It is great to have such a handy guy. I have one too! Kit

Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder said...

Dearest Rebecca,

Time will move faster than you think! Your make-shift kitchen is after all, far better than what millions of people on earth have...
Hugs to you,
Mariette

Elizabeth and Gary said...

Hi Rebecca,
Such a wonderful project you both have taken on. Gary and I remolded a kitchen once by our self with help from his cousins who is a contractor. I tell ya it was a hole lot of work, I don't think my hands have ever been the same! or my back! LOL. But the joy and pride we had in our kitchen was all worth the work. Your new kitchen will be glorious. It is good to seek advice from someone who is a kitchen pro. It will be so much fun to pick out your cabinets. Looking forward to seeing more..
Have a sweet day, Elizabeth

Marilyn said...

Hey-I could have saved time by having you send me those white cabinets you are removing! Seriously. You know I'm laughing, right? While painting mine I emptied the paint can, then while starting on the opposite wall, I ran out of primer. I deliberately did not go to town and get more yet. School started today and the kids come Thursday. I didn't want to go back and take a nap in my room on the first day of the new year. Administration wouldn't like that!! Guess what I will be doing these new few weekends? Yep--playing for ordination/installation services for our new minister at church and going to Denver to see my sweeties. You just thought I'd be painting.♥♫

PS-Your remodeling job is a lot more complicated than painting!!

Maria said...

Hi Rebecca!
Oh your kitchen is going to turn out so beautiful! I can't wait to see the progress!
It does take a lot out of you, I know...we did ours last year! Here
is the link to my photos. They are backwards so you have to start with the last one and then hit the left arrow key :o)
The first photo was my kitchen inspiration. We only have one glass door cabinet, but we stayed true to the color scheme we fell in love with.

Our electric switch covers are on and we have the trim piece picked out for the back splash. I originally wanted subway tile, or stone tile, but am opting for a simpler, country look. So, we are just adding a lovely painted and sealed wood trim to match the cabinets. The kitchen wall runs into the dining room which meets up with a chair rail.

I wish you lots of energy, patience and faith that it will turn out beautiful... I know it will ~ It will have your sweet and talented touch ~
God bless you!
*Maria

The Polka Dot Closet said...

You kids just don't stop!! Oh this will be fabulous, I hope this is your forever house! Girl I love visiting you, only you are so popular I usually have to wait in line! LOL

Carol

EllenaElizabeth said...

just love reading about and seeing renos. I love your old galley kitchen, and that black stove, love it! I had a black stove in my dream kitchen which I left 2 houses back now. I still think about it, was so lovely. Anyhow hope your reno comes along quickly and that you can suffer your kitchen conditions until then.

Theresa said...

WOW, you are sure making some BIG changes in your home! Can't wait to see it all finished, I know it will be AWESOME!

Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!

Maria said...

Hi Rebecca! I am stopping back to let you know that I totally agree about how hard it is to stay in budget... We kept telling ourselves..."we just need to replace our cabinets.". We knew a countertop and sink were going to have to bet added... But that's it!
We bought our cabinets at Lowes... We shopped for six months trying to find the right ones... We went to so many stores and ended up there. We had it narrowed down to three cabinet manufacturers and was leaning on one in particular: Schuler... One of the cabinet sales people told us that that was the manufacturer that she recommended to her own parents... So we knew that we were on the right track...
We saved soooo much money taking the old cabinets down ourselves and even paid our neighbor's son to help us hang sheet rock! We did have the Lowes installer put in the cabinets, we had some tough areas with our soffits etc...
The installer even tried to get us to add to the project by suggesting changes to the floor plans the nice designer at Lowes made for us (a free service)
But, we stuck to our pledge to "just replace the cabinets, countertop and sink."
We found a great deal on our granite by visiting a granite store an hour out of town.... It's a little removed from the area and so they had great deals. The sink AND faucet were free!!! The granite, that was the perfect match to my picture, was on sale for $20 less a sq ft... And so much less than the stores in town - including Home Depot and Lowes!
It all worked out in the end. It's always a surprise how much things cost anyway. But, when you find out how much others spend on their kitchens, you can see how it happens to them. A designer gets a hold of their imaginations and takes them to town!
We hear our installer say, "Well, if this were my kitchen, I'd want the stove in the corner! I like to cook and would need more elbow room. I can do that for you... It would look great. You can have your sink in the peninsula!"
We actually thought about it for an overnight... And then went back to our original mantra...only the cabinets!
We were also soooo lucky that our stove and microwave matched so well. We did replace the fridge since the old one needed it ~
Well, Rebecca! I wrote you a diary!
I wish you so much success... God bless you and give you grace each day during your project!
*Maria

Shabby chic Sandy said...

I think your galley kitchen was adorable so I can't wait to see what you do next! Good luck!

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