Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Kitchen Renovation DIY Style Part 1



Okay here is a before picture for you. Look at that retro flooring. Looks retro and pretty from here but trust me when you get close there is nothing pretty about it. YUCK.  We opened up the wall to the left as you can tell from the floor.  This kitchen was closed in and in fact we have the original two doors we could hang back up if I want some quiet time in the kitchen.  Its not 1967 anymore so the doors stay off! My husband and father in law and pretty handy and this project was done quickly.  They have a bit of work left but its already added more light into my kitchen and that makes me happy.  This space was used as my girls art area only because we didn't know what to do with it. We already have a dining room and the size was just weird.  Now its open to walk through and my husband will be adding shelves to make a media area.  It will store books and hopefully keep our personal stuff organized. Right now a basket holds everything and its not organized one bit.

As you can see our island is emptied and the doors are off. This is where were putting my new gas stove in.  Most expensive thing in this whole project is my gas stove. I use cast iron so gas was a must!  Only part we will not be doing ourselves is adding a gas line.  We leave that for the professionals.  Counters will be butcher block and cabinets will be kept and painted.  I had stored all my glassware, pots and pans in there.  Had is the key word. 



Another thing we want to do is take out some walls in our laundry pantry room.  This room sits right off the kitchen.  This was actually a very tiny toilet room but we removed the toilet and added shelves. The toilet room made no sense to us. It was WAY too small and we already have 2 other bathrooms. I think this was the ladies kitchen toilet so she wouldn't have to leave or be seen back when this home was built. Remember those two doors I told you about in the kitchen? My home is a 1967 home made to entertain.   It functions a little right now holding all my food.  I literally have my own store here.  I buy things in large quantities and years of retail has made me even straighten and face everything.  I like a organized pantry where I can see what I have.  If I have only a few of something I keep an eye while shopping and stock up again if I find a good sale.  Recently I added that tablecloth turned curtain to keep my dogs hair from floating in there.  Yep not only is this a laundry and pantry room but its also where my dog sleeps.  See what I mean?  I need to fix this room.  Its bugging me! 
This is another part of my laundry pantry room. But this was a shelf here when I bought the house.  I removed the door from this as well because every time you were looking for something one of my girls would open the door and hit that door. Who puts a door behind a door!!!! Here is where I store more food and all my glass jars.  I will be adding another curtain as soon as I buy one.  My dog has welcomed herself to a few things including a unopened container of chocolate covered sunflower seeds which I found puked up all over the backyard.  She is fine now promise. But as you can see I need to do something here.  


Here is another view of my kitchen which shows another point that I hate about it.  I have one track light that works. Oh I have other track lights but bulbs now days are bigger and when we replace them they get stuck and will not come out. And this is why we have one light.  Then we have this large window which lets the most light in.  Its still not enough as you can tell by the picture. Its so dark in here! Dark cabinets, dark floor and no lighting. I'm starting to hate my kitchen.  

Remember all my glassware,  pots and pans?  Yep look at my counters. This is the only place I can store them.  I swear I'm not that much of a pig. A little but not that much.  That stove we are giving away because it works still.  In its place we are putting our fridge.  My husband will be doing the waterline and work.  In the fridges place will be shelves for storing my cookbooks and such.  We will also be putting our microwave and large appliances such as my bread machine etc.  

Doing most the work DIY style it will take some time.  So until its done I have to put up with this.  Thats lots of sanding and prepping.  


Which means I have to put up with this.  DUST!!!! Its everywhere. 

Stay tuned for more pictures and updates on my kitchen.  
Peace and love to all.
xoxo





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