Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Kitchen Renovation 2013 ~ Home On Purpose

You gotta want it. You can't give in when you want to cry. Because when you've recovered from the stress of all the choices and the inevitable mishaps, it all comes together into what you never imagined you could design.
Why go to all the trouble?
Our home was just right for all the reasons you just can't 'buy'. Great schools, great pricepoint in a neighborhood, potential for possible re-sale, if the need arose. But it was the one from which most folks ran walked away. Bad carpet, poor use of space, questionable window placement...But the changes were calling us like the Sirens. We're suckers for a challenge. 
And we needed a home. Bad.  
The yard is over an acre. It was a treed lot. It's now 50 trees less than it started. I now look out a kitchen window into a flat yard with a treeline in the back.
After in what was the dining room/school room.
 
I previously had a great view(sans trees), but the kitchen left alot to be desired as it was a drop zone for everyone's stuff, right in my dinner preparations. Now everyone has their own area, that's not in my kitchen!  
Kitchen in previous location. Wall to the right no longer exist!
And the kitchen sink/bar is gone!
View from doorway helps with perspective.
View from the door before.
View from the door after. If you look carefully on the floor
 you can see where the previously room dividing bar/countertop/sink area used to exist.
Now just some fun shots, of my ever so quickly picture friendly staging. Far from finished, but you can see the general idea.
By the way, we left one set of the cabinets on the right of the picture above and put a coordinating granite countertop and tile.
They are not perfect, but serve as a buffet and desk and storage.
I mixed it all up with stainless, white crackle subway tiile and
St. Cecelia granite. A friendly terracotta sheep holds my spoons.
Mason jars are used for rice and beans.
I'm hiding my sugar in the cabinet. For now.
That's a quince tree my neighbor gave me. As soon as the crews quick tromping around the yard, it's going in! That's Jack's plate, a baby gift from Hadley Pottery.
Exterior Before.
 
 
Exterior After.
Colors: Sherwin Williams siding: Anonymous/trim:Creamy. Door stained Dark Walnut. Minwax.
New roof helped with black architectural shingles. Certain Teed.  
 
I tried to get this post up and going, because I knew folks might be in the middle of the same thing. And wonder what it might look like. Should I mix all those finishes in my kitchen? Really. They don't match Edie's exquisite kitchens, but I know I'm not Edie.(love lifeingrace) You have to go with what you like. I knew I loved oil rubbed  bronze faucets, but knew also that I needed my husband not to panic when the finish was damaged. And besides it looked so clean to use chrome. So I got exactly the faucet I've been wanting, and the finish that made sense. To me.
After all as much as I'd love for other folks to come wash my dishes... really,
 I'll be the one in there the most. And truthfully, I spend way to much time on Pinterest. Just got to decide and get packed up for little leage. Make the decision and move on.
I also wanted to share this with folks because I think Edie's Home On Purpose theme is amazing.
We aren't lucky, we're blessed. And we've planned, praying that it will be what God has in mind for our lives. To use our home.  To finish the inconvenient projects and live. Garden, eat, play and enjoy friends, share and serve in our community. So that's what we'll do.
For now, I'm headed to the garden because that's what's for dinner. More pictures to come, because friends-- it's not complete. We have floors and fireplace to go. But the kitchen's open for business.
 
Blessings on your home. Use it to glorify God, serving your family and those who pass your way.
Hebrews 13:2
'Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.'
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Routine During Renovation

 
Reading through the Bible. Even in the sheet rock dust. Cereal. Toast and the book of 1st Kings. That'll wake you up in the morning.
We are so thankful for our newly renovated home. It's coming together. Just need to snap a couple of more pictures before I post the big reveal. But I cooked dinner in the kitchen for the first time last night. Boy it tasted good!

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