Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Renovation progress

Since my last post, we have progressed slowly but surely. We are so close to the finish line, but yet still so far away. See previous progress posts here and here.


Picking the perfect gray is one of my hardest challenges. I swear I tried these same colors in other rooms only to hate how they turned out elsewhere. It really goes to prove that you have to try the paint on your walls in your specific room to see if you like it. I painted this wall with my samples and left it there for a few days to see which color I liked the best at different times of day. I know it's silly, but I even put a star beside my favorite for different times of the day. The most stars by the end of my trial period WON!  I chose the bottom right sample which is Abalone by Benjamin Moore. I took a color chip to Lowe's and they did a color match for me. (I posted a page here for helpful hints when painting an interior room and choosing a color).


As you can see in these pictures, I did not paint up to the ceiling. That is intentional. We will have crown moulding to cover those areas. 


It felt like Christmas morning when my appliances were delivered! I bought them on a Black Friday sale...over a year ago. I couldn't pass up the deal, and I seriously thought we would have progressed faster than we have...

For floor prep and installation, read the tutorial here. 

These are the white shaker cabinets we chose:

Arcadia from Lowe's

Kitchen cabinets went up pretty fast once we shimmed them into place. 
*FYI, a house built in the 1950s is NOT square... That was the biggest challenge in installing the cabinets. You want to make sure the face of your cabinet is level. This may mean adding shims against the wall to achieve level.*

The easiest way to install upper cabinets is to measure 54" from the floor to the bottom of the upper cabinets. Measure and mark 54" about every 2-3 feet. Use a long level and draw a line at 54" making sure it is level. Locate your studs (usually every 16") by the knock method or using a stud locator tool. Screw a 2x4 into the studs with the top of the 2x4 even with your 54" line. This will give you a prop to rest your upper cabinets while screwing them into the studs and ensuring that they are level. IF your cabinet will not hit a stud, be sure to use sheetrock anchors. You do not want your upper cabinets crashing to the floor as soon as you fill them up with your dishes...



We will install white subway tile under the window and to the end of the cabinets.

I am so thrilled with how my barn lights above the sink turned out! Every light that I found was WAAY out of my price range. Like so:


So... being my frugal self, I KNEW I could find something cheaper than that. I found these lights at Lowe's for a whopping $31.97 each!!


I have Edison bulbs that I will install once construction has ceased. Those little boogers are pricey, and I've already broken one working around them.

Target $10.19


 There will be an additional cabinet on this wall to the right that will house my microwave, appliance garage, and dish drawers. That piece had to be custom and should be here soon! My chimney hood will also be above the stove with white subway tile going to the ceiling... I can't wait!


Here is a picture of our complete (minus paint) exterior renovation:



So, just to recap the progress so far:  

Before:


Progress:
(wall separating kitchen and dining room removed along with 2 interior doors being walled over)


Before: 

Progress:
(new wiring, insulation, sheetrock, paint, floor, cabinets, appliances, lighting, and exterior door)


Before:

Progress:



Stay tuned for more updates and hopefully the final reveal!!



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