Nancy, I will try some of the Lee Valley brushes myself. I plan to install beadboard in the new master bath and in general I need some good brushes that won't hurt my skin too.

Ahh, I see another fan of Barkeeper's Friend! That stuff is the greatest. When I was a boat captain, I chose that to use on galvanized pipe used as handrails on the stairs of the boat. Deckhands hated me for it, but by golly the pipe ended up looking like POLISHED CHROME. What you do after using it (wear gloves to keep tarnish off your hands) is to take either rubbing alcohol or club soda on a rag and wipe it down to remove the residual tarnish. That way, when someone comes sliding down with hands on the rails, they won't put black hand prints all over the walls or whatever they touch next. It now comes in a sort of liquid paste too, and I buy both the paste and the fine powder. It cleans formica countertops and removes all kinds of stains such as cranberry juice or coffee circles, and talk about polishing up brass and copper....wow. If your brass is sealed, don't use it. But I have some copper trays that I sometimes need to remove crusty verdigris from, so it makes light work of that gooey job.

And Nancy, I will look into the Green Demolitions locations on my route north. This time, because of the delay by the contractor, DH will fly up ahead of me and I will be left waiting on the contractor to weatherproof the bath/closet bumpouts. And will drive north by myself.

Well, it has been a busy week. DH has settled on a Frigidaire single 30 inch True Convection oven as our wall oven. We will watch for a sale. We are still investigating the downdraft options. Every time I think we figured that part out, we have something else change our minds (like the $1500 price tag on one, a poor review on the other.) I found a lady with tiny subway tile in glass mosaic and I plan to see them tomorrow after work. She did not realize that they were tiny subway tiles, and she does not like them. It is cheaper to sell them for half price than to pay to ship them back where she bought them. I have a line on a couple skylights on Craigslist, too.

We met with our builder, and of course he has ideas that I had not considered. Turns out that the sofits (or bulkheads, depending on who is talking about them) will need to be built out to come over the tops of the pantry and fridge (they are only 1 ft deep, so need to be built out to the 2 ft depth of the pantry. When I suggested a Solatube for more light, he said that an operable skylight makes more sense, and he is right. He also wants to take out the sofits on two sides and in the middle of the room that serve no purpose except to make the room seem smaller and closed in, so that means that my whole bizarre ceiling paint treatment is off the table (since my whole purpose in doing it was to make the ceiling above the chandelier seem like it had a purpose in being an octagonal tray ceiling that was separate from the rest of the room). Now it will "be one" with the ceiling section over by the food prep area in the kitchen, so my sunset ceiling won't be made. The skylight is what Jim prefers, since we can open it and let out some cooking heat, too. We liked that idea, and with the sofits gone, it fits between the two areas of the room, the dining area and the kitchen area.

Jim will also build a wall behind the cabs that separate the kitchen from the family room, so it will look more finished than just having the back of the cabs showing in the family room.

He thinks the floor squeaks are fixable with just a bunch of screws. That is a great relief. I was afraid the whole house was out of plumb because of a foundation sinking problem on one side (that was fixed by the previous owner), but he thinks it is not an issue. DH and I are leaning toward having a real sheet linoleum floor (not vinyl) done, and it can wait until the rest is paid off, since that flooring can go in last.

My friends helped me start cleaning the cabs, we got about half of them clean. I picked up a pint of french vanilla colored paint to touch up the pickled effect in areas where there was wear. I think that the sanding and touch-up will be a breeze, and only hope that my wrists don't give out before I can get the polyurethane on. I have Carpal Tunnel and other joint and ligament problems that makes doing work difficult. I checked into getting a sprayer for the poly, but was told it is too thin and runs when you try to spray it. The cabs are looking very nice, and I am continually surprised at how well made they are. Twenty three years old and as solid as a rock!

I am glad to point more people to the great bargains at Lee Valley, I think you will find lots of uses for the hand-scrub brushes, ML. Check out their spray bottle that can spray in any position. I got it for a friend at christmas, and she said it was the best present she ever got (but she is a compulsive cleaner and likes noting more than to get everything clean and sanitized). I hope you do get to stop by GD, I bet they have the pantry cab you need.

When we clean house tomorrow, I will take pics of the existing kitchen so you all can see what it is we are dealing with here.

Good week everyone!

Nancy, enjoyed your post, and I think you must be reading my mind! I am about to start a new thread--on this board, about the solartubes and skylights. You're the first one to mention using them amongst "our gang."

Yep, the Lee Valley brushes and the squirt bottle sound great. I eat up squirt bottles giving showers to the parrots, and spraying/misting house plants.
Thanks. You have a good week too.

Oh, I love Lee Valley stuff! Some of their prices are high, but the quality sure is good. On the other hand, I think their cabinet hardware prices are very reasonable. That's likely where we'll get ours when the time comes.

Looking forward to more pics, Nancy! Glad to hear you're making good progress.
~Missy

Well, I picked up a used white cast iron/porcelain sink at the ReStore for only $60. It is a huge single sink, 33x22. On Craigslist I found a faucet, new for half price. See below, it is one that was ordered and never picked up from a local building supply place that does not have a storefront because it sells to builders. We got it for $75. It is a Danze

I decided to see what I had left from the last back splash, and use whatever I can. I have 90 4x4 tumbled marble tiles. I figure with the design I have in mind that I will need 50 more. I have 213 2" square glass tiles from Oceanside Glass Tiles, but I don't want to use the blue ones I have because their color is so much more saturated than the Midori (green) and sand colored ones I have. Luckily, blue can always go in the half bath, and DH agrees!

I went to the Virginia Tile store yesterday to scope out what other tiles I could get to add to what I have. I will need 4 more sq ft of the glass tiles and chose three colors that, when mixed with my Midori and Sand colored tiles, brings the backsplash colors into the darker colors and metallic colors (Harvest, Olive, and Truffle, if anyone is following along and looking at the Glasstile.com website). I did not order them yet, since we need to wait until the cabs and counters are in place to get the real measurements of the space. I only have to 'know' what colors I will be using, since I do have to figure out the counter top color soon. Then the linoleum.

I received some samples of counter materials from Wilsonart and Nevamar. None of them really float my boat, though. Now that I have a few plans in mind for the backsplash, I find I want different countertop colors. I ordered some more samples from Wilsonart the other day, and five tonight from Formica. I also ordered five solid surface colors from Formica, including Beachglass - which would allow me to use the blue glass tiles, too. Has anyone ever used Formica solid surface, or have any idea what the price range is?

Meanwhile, back in the garage, My friend and I have almost finished the cleaning of the cabinets. They are looking very good. I now can sand and touch-up the paint. Our weekends have been very wet, so if they don't improve, I do not know how I will ever get the polyurethane on!

I am off to our state capital for a conference tomorrow night through Wednesday, so no work will be done on the cabs this week. I am hoping for a relatively cool and DRY Mother's Day weekend so that I may get some real work done. Our launch date for the remodel is still the first week of June. We have a firm price of $3500 to add 8 can lights, remove the flooring and fix the squeaks, and build the partial wall between the family room and kitchen (just to back up the cabinets, so they look built in, not floating in space with ugly backsides to the family room. Then it will be around $1200 (he won't know until he sees the condition of the cabs and how much work to make them fit) to install the cabs and bring out the soffits so they are flush above the pantry. It is $400 per soffit to remove the three that are not necessary. We may just take the one that divides the kitchen area from the dining area down, leaving the two that ring the rest of the kitchen up. He forgot to price the skylight, but it probably will be $500 plus the cost of the skylight. Someone had one for $150 complete with flashing, apparently new, on Craigslist, but he never responded to my emails, so it must have sold already.

Oh, DH ordered the cookware today, it was 30% off at Amazon. Kitchenaide Gourmet Distinctions.

We are thinking of getting his wall oven Frigidaire wall oven, the downdraft GE Profile, and the garbage disposal all from Lowes. My sister works there and we like to give them business. I almost looked at a used downdraft this weekend, but decided the builder needs a new one with all the parts and instructions, and without the grease! Garbage disposals are too gross to get used!

That is the the report for this week! Maybe photos next time :-(

Gosh, this is the first comment about getting stuff at Restore. The one I volunteer at is as big as an HD. And you are right about garbage disposals which is why we don't even take them. They end up as recycled metal if one does get through donations. I'm not sure I'd buy a toilet either, but many contractors put them in their houses.

What great finds! I've enjoyed reading all your ideas--you've put so much thought into everything. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished project. Good luck!

I love the shape of your faucet, and that tile site is cool. I can't wait to see what design you come up with. I have not put up a backsplash yet because I can't work out the design.

This is a link to a discussion on the kitchen board about formica. It really is georgeous.

FX180 Formica

Have a good time at the conference.

Nancy, hope you enjoy the conference.
Just stopped in to see what was in the new posts to your thread. You really make a nickel holler OUCH before you let it go. I bet you know exactly how much your kitchen will cost? How about coming down and managing my bath and closet budget!

Good show, lady.

I'm gonna have to go up to our Restore place! maybe i can save some money that way - and i'm always up to recycle something than buy new anyway!

it's great that you're finding things you need that way. and it is amazing what some people get rid of ... my sister's ILs would always just trash stuff. she's tried to tell them over the yrs that there are people out there that would pay money for things they just tire of and toss in the trash - they can't be bothered. that always upsets me. I do think they just can't imagine anyone else would want something used - because they don't.

btw, my new place has a skylight - it doesn't open tho. it's in the kitchen.

This is great stuff! Really happy for you, got a really nice deal on the cabinets and the stove! Oh, the stove! *faints dramatically*

Do you know if they ship the cabinets to other states? I'm in Maine, and the closest place Green Demolitions have is in Connecticut. Ugh!

I haven't bought my house yet, but I'm a DIY kind of gal, and always looking to recycle. My brother, though, bought his first home, a fixer-up, and he's always looking for used parts and such. He's going to love that!

*siiiigh!*

Nancy, I am now vacillating between tall pantry cabs on either end of a dining room window seat, .....or
maybe regular height bottom cabs all drawers, a counter surface, and then 13" deep wall cabs going to the ceiling.

It is so hard to find any place that has the tall pantry cabs that I can get shipped to south Alabama, and that can have the heavy duty roll out drawers down low and the deep upper adjustable shelves further up to the ceiling.

So right now, I'm looking at the Green Demolitions and Restore sites. My DH does not want any particleboard cabs.

When you finish your kitchen, be sure to post the AFTER photos, to this thread or to a new one? You have a lot of folks paying close attention to your outcome. Thanks.

If you find Restore sites, be aware that some of those that auction are not Restore. They do give part of their income to Habitat. Also, not all Restores are alike, depends upon management and location of stores. But always worthy to drop in.

Emagineer, after Hurricane Katrina, a Restore opened up not far from our property. I checked the phone book under Restore today, and nothing was listed. Do the stores come and go based on need or catastrophe?

Too bad it is gone, I was going to look for the RevAShelf products.

Look up Habitat Restore. Yours may have gone away, there are so many different types and pricing. I think they set pricing and store locations with the type of donations are accepted, sales, needs, etc. Just know that not all are the same.

We normally do not take furniture. But a large ski complex is revamping their interiors and donating all furniture to us. Will be interesting. We also get donations from the big box stores, contractors, businesses going out, etc.

Link below is for Restore locations. I "think" you are in Alabama. If not, go back a page and select your state.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alabama Restores

Hello small homers! I have been quite busy - behind at work, getting caught up on garden chores, planning for the kitchen. I do have something to share. Yesterday I downloaded Smart Draw for a trial offer and I drew up the kitchen plan. This week's version!

I got tired of trying to fit in a good sized island AND a kitchen table, so I got rid of the table. That was easy! Really though, we can now use the entire island that came with the kitchen. I don't have to chop off the ends of the island and lose two nice base cabs. I also reuse the butcher block top of the island. If we find we don't like the look, our builder can laminate it with the Wilsonart counter material Crystaline Dune that will be on the other counters. The longest counter is 12.5 ft and is on the sink wall. Note that the dishwasher is elevated in the corner cabinet to the left of the sink. Not shown is the small 6" baking pan cabinet and a 6" filler piece that helps give the dishwasher room to open. Then comes the 18" trash pull-out. So there is really 30" of counter to the left of the sink. Then there is the 4 drawer base, then a 33" base cab with pull-out trays. There is a blank space after that cab, in which the carpenter will put a fake cab door (I have one extra cab door he can use) that opens out, toe kick and all, where we can wheel the dog food container into the space under the counter in the corner on the right. Above the drawer base and 33" base is a 45" wall cab that will have to hold the regular dishes. It is the only full wall cab, and the one closest to the dishwasher. Next to that is a wall cab with cupboard doors on top, but a space for a microwave below. Out toaster oven will go there, since the micro is above the dishwasher.

Turning the corner, we first find the floor-to-ceiling 18" pantry. It is 2 ft deep and does not have pull-out shelves, so it will need to be well-organized to stay neat. Next is the fridge, a 36-inch french-door model we have had for five years. Then the wall oven, a single 30" oven. I don't know yet if it will be in a dry-walled wall or if Jim is going to make a new cabinet that we can finish to match the rest of them. Our problem area comes next. It is what we lovingly (yeah, right!) refer to as "the slant". It is currently at the bottom of the unworkable pantry (30" wide, 40" deep - a space where you can lose five pounds of flour and not see it for years). The "slant" is the floor of that cab and it is slanted because it is really the ceiling above the basement stairs. It makes a 2 ft wide area 40" deep on the floor of the kitchen that cannot be used for other things. It keeps us from getting a double oven in this space, because the oven controls would be above our heads. When I remodeled the kitchen last, I decided that this was not a good space for the oven. No matter what I did, opening the oven door and standing in front of it meant your butt was up against the kitchen table or the island. I decided to move the oven to the left of this area. Now Jim can build a bench above the slant. Doing this does not get rid of the floorspace problem right there, but at hip level, there is more room for walking past this side of the island. (And, boy,do I have the hips that need the extra room!) Behind the bench, Jim can build bookshelves, getting DH's collection out of the library and freeing up a whole shelving unit for books we acquire in our 50s! I think we will need to put glass doors on the bookshelves because the stove top is just feet away. Maybe a glass with vertical texture (cane?) will complement the cupboard doors.

Going back to the sink, near where we started, we will now move to the left. After the trash pull-out we have a 35" tall cookie sheet cab that is 6" wide, then a filler piece that makes room for the dishwasher to open. It sits in a corner wall oven cabinet. The microwave is above the DW and a cab above that. At the bottom of this cab there is a drawer. Next comes an identical 6" filler piece, like on the other side. Then the big 36" pantry cab with the twirling shelves. Both of these cabs are floor-to-ceiling, so Jim will put a wall behind them so they look built-in. In this corner, and across at the 18" pantry and fridge, Jim will build out the soffits so they are above the cabinets.

After the pantry, the wall between the kitchen and the family room is not full height. Jim says it will need to be a bit above the desk area here, to allow for electrical outlets. I am going to use the 18" desk drawer cab and the 26" drawer and cabinet cab on either side of the 30" desk drawer to make a real desk area. It will be 30" high, not counter height. If there is enough room (probably not), I might have an overhang of the counter top at the end of this run. so that someone could sit and eat at the desk, and at the end of the counter, too.

In the center of the room, there is the big 45" x 93" island. It is just as you see it in the original pictures on the Green Demolitions site. If we really do not like the look of the butcher block, we will have Jim laminate the butcher block top, as well. The island has six cabinets, four with drawers, so it is valuable for storage. There is a 21" overhang for sitting at. We got four leather swivel counter-stools off Craigslist this weekend, at $100 each. They were hardly used, just over a year old. They match the couch in the family room, too.

There will be a new skylight above the sink/island part of the kitchen. We will use the existing brass 5-light chandelier above the island for light, then have about 8 can lights on the periphery for task lights.

This kitchen design means that we lose the kitchen table. I have no where else to put it. There is room on the end of the family room for one, but not with our TV cabinet sitting there. We will use card tables and odd seating like that at the desk when more than six people come to eat and they don't want to eat in the family room. We decided we don't care. We need a workable room. We hardly ever entertain.

I am about to fall asleep, so I will post now. I will see about pictures this weekend.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nancy-in-Mich Kitchen 2

LOL, when I saw that link at the bottom of your message, my heart started beating FAST. I was sure there would be lots of beautiful pics! Until I read the last line...:( Thanks for the descriptions, I'm so looking forward to seeing pictures. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about the whole project--sounds as if you've made everything work for you, which is really what matters.

Nancy, I'm really looking forward to your big reveal too. I hope you consider adding this kitchen to the Finished Kitchens blog or the GW gallery with comments.

It is great to have your full descriptions about the awesome features you include in your new kitchen. I am most impressed.

Losing the table is not a bad thing if it let your kitchen come together smoothly. I really like the way you made a floor plan in SmartDraw. I'm also waiting for the new finished pictures to be posted by the weekend.

Congratulations, Nancy!

Good morning Mama Goose! Sorry about the pictures. I picked up more batteries for the camera last night when I went to Lowes for the LAST carload of mulch (I think we may have use 90+ 3-cubic foot bags!) We will straighten the house tonight and tomorrow night, so I should be able to take pictures on Friday night or Saturday. Saturday I get to drive out into the country to see/purchase a 45" x 45" skylight for the kitchen. Someone installed it in a roof that did not have enough pitch, then removed it 6 months later and is selling it for $375. It opens, so we will have a vent for a hot or smokey kitchen to supplement the downdraft vent. People say the downdraft does not work so well. Yet another Craigslist bargain for our kitchen! It turns out that Jim will put the skylight on the north side of the room, just above the sink area, going toward the end of the island. This is due to the pitch of the roof. So the skylight will not be above the cooktop, but will sure light up the major work area between the DW, sink, fridge, and end of the island. Mornings will be so much nicer there. Now it is like a dim cave.

Our kitchen remodel is being delayed. Jim is about 2.5 weeks late on his current job. Instead of starting June 1, it will be about the 15th to 20th. That gives me more time to work on the cabinets. Last night I bought a big work light so that I can use the garage to put the polyurethane on the cabinets. There was not enough light in there to do it with the door closed, and an open door invites breezes to swirl around and put debris on the finish.

Do any of you know anything about the new lead paint laws that will add a couple of thousand $ to demolition/construction in houses built before 1979? Jim told us about it last night. Our house was built in 1978! Luckily, we are in the 60-day period when we can sign a paper to NOT do lead paint abatement. Jim took the class required to get the license and said that the whole building industry is in an uproar. Good thing that most of you Small Housers are DIY!

Only a discussion I had read in the 'kitchen' forum. I was recently disappointed to be told by a cabinet-maker friend that I can no longer buy oil-based paint in Ohio--haven't seen anything official on that subject.

Here is a link that might be useful: New lead law info.

Nancy, I can't wait to see your kitchen. I love the idea of the elevated DW. Have you seen that before?

About the lead laws, my dh has been in the paint business for 30 years and is taking the inspector class this week. The bad thing is that every agency has their own rules.

Hi all, thanks for the continuing discussions! I just hate it when we are told to stick to the OP's subject matter and not go "off topic. "Off topic" is what builds us into a community and not just a forum. Yes ML, I will add it to the finished kitchens blog. My old one is already there, so I will be joining a few folks in the blog who have a "2" after their names. I quickly went through the backsplash blog this weekend to see what is new in backsplashes. Other than the tiny subway tiles on a mesh background that form an elongated brick pattern, not much is new. I really do not like those elongated tiny bricks running up and down, but I cannot say why. Maybe it offends my eye, since vertical rows of bricks never occur in building because they would topple right over if you made a wall that way.

My kitchen is not even technically started yet, since we are only in the acquiring stage. I have a sink, faucet, and tumbled marble and glass tiles in the Library, cabs in the second bedroom with the new pots and pans, a counter stool on the porch, wheeled scaffolding in the front hall, and painting/polyurethane-ing supplies all over the kitchen table. And the garage is so full of cabinets that one can barely get in it.

So the new pictures you may get by the weekend are the OLD kitchen that we are going to replace. Sorry :-(

I think I will name it "The Green Demolitions/Craigslist Kitchen" when it is done and I can finally post it.

Hi Nancy, your plans look great. I have 2 questions. What is to the left of the desk area? Is that a doorway? And is your microwave 'catty-cornered'? I can't wait to see the pics.

oh I can't wait to see pictures too. So exciting. Your drafting trial tool looks like it really works well.

Chris

Hi Loretta, the kitchen and family room adjoin each other. Right now, there is no wall between the family room and the cabinets where the dishwasher and big pantry and desk will be, Just a wooden back on the row of cabinets. Our builder will put a full wall behind the diagonal double oven cabinet (that I will put the dishwasher and microwave in) and behind the pantry. So yes, the dishwasher and microwave will be catty-cornered (or kitty-cornered as we say up here). There will be a short wall behind the desk area, too, but it will probably only be six inches higher than the desktop. Our builder reminded us that we will need electrical outlets there, too, so need a little wall.

Right now, there are a counter and base cabinets that separate the family room from the kitchen that come out about 8 feet. After that, there is a simple step down into the family room. So one of our easy chairs and occasional tables in the family room back up to nothing - and the step down into the family room is behind them.

Because I have terrible knees (always did, even when young), I have an aluminum ramp that is 36 inches wide and 36 inches long that allows me to walk down into the family room. So that opening past the desk and to the wall will have my ramp in it, then may have an opening one could step down next to the ramp. The ramp will be covered with the linoleum when the kitchen floor is done.

We cannot estimate the space that the corner cabinet that holds the elevated dishwasher and the microwave will take. It does not have a back on it. We think it will be about 33" on each side, coming out from the corner. Because of this, we won't really know how big that opening to the family room will be until we put the cabinets in place.

Chris, thanks. I imagine the full program will do more, but this one has an irritating quirk. I cannot get it to move things by only an inch, so my diagram is off an inch here and inch there. And putting those labels in was a real adventure. That is why I did not bother to label where the doorways went to. Since most of us have at least a little gray hair (I was reading the "meet you" thread last night), you all might remember counting how many times you hit the space bar on the old typewriter to get the columns lined up. I had to do that with the labels on the left and the right legs of the kitchen! (And what is it with smaller houses and gray hair? We are too practical to live in McMansions and pay for hair dye that may cause cancer? There is a definite correlation, whatever the cause. Just wait until you see my silver locks!)

OH NO hair dye for me. Already had a huge tumor on the side of my head. NOT going there again. No perms either.

I have not had really good luck with design programs.I think the one that worked the best for me was. Graph paper and paper cut outs. Then move things around and THEN take a picture of it with camera.

The graph paper program another lady sent to me worked pretty well but if you changed something you had to start all over because it removed the graph paper part.

The ramp sounds like a great idea. Especially when it comes to dragging a vacuum around. Sorry you have the knee problem though. I hurt my knees once trying to be a jogger and it was terribly painful.

Chris

OK, nancy, I'll try to be patient :)

All this time I've been blaming my kids for my gray hairs--now I find out that it is my house, LOL. I can definitely blame MY knee problems on my yard, though.

nancy - how high up do you plan to put the dw?

some samples -

dw in corner:

higher up counter on one side:

{{gwi:1915980}}

dw up higher:

{{gwi:1643441}}

Have you tried masking tape on the floor or counter? It will give a much better feel for the actual space. You can mark the location of cabinets, size, type, etc. on it. I've even done this in the living room for furniture placement.

I've seen the DW about a foot off the floor in a store display and that is a good height - very comfortable on the back.

I do not have a dishwasher. But if I did I think I would like the last one because it still allows work space beside the sink on both sides. I have had a couple of kitchens that only had work counter on one side of the sink and it made me crazy. Sometimes my dish strainer over flows with clean pots and pans.. I wash right to left. I am left handed. Seems it would be the other way for me but that all feels backwards.

LOL Don't ya just love dishwasher advice from some one that does not own or even like them???? Heheheh Ducking now.

Chris

Chris, you are too funny! Here - I am tossing a tomato at your head!

Serious now....Wow, a tumor on your head? Was it benign (I hope)?

I like graph paper and pencil best myself. I have a tablet of graph paper that comes out every time I start designing something new. After 15 years, it is getting a little thin.

Mama Goose, I can't offer the AFTER pictures yet, but I did get BEFORE pictures taken, uploaded and labeled! Go to the link below. Another month and I may have AFTER pictures.

Steph, thanks for all those photos! I like the dishwasher on the diagonal. Before I found the kitchen I bought, I drew out my "perfect" dream kitchen for this space on my graph paper. It had a peninsula like your last picture, with the sink overlooking the family room and the DW to the left, with a foot or two of counter before the DW. I am like Chris, need counter on either side of the sink, and the stovetop, too.

Emagineer, Yes, I have used the tape on the floor method. While designing this kitchen I have used my island-on-wheels and the kitchen table to give hip-height approximations of space, too. It was after doing this last weekend that I ditched the kitchen table. I also used the cubby shelf on the counter to mimic where the wall will be, cutting off the view to the family room.

Loretta, good to hear the foot-taller DW seems to work, ours will probably be about that high.

Here is a link that might be useful: BEFORE pictures start here

"I am left handed. Seems it would be the other way for me but that all feels backwards.

LOL Don't ya just love dishwasher advice from some one that does not own or even like them???? Heheheh Ducking now."

I would think it'd be the other way for a leftie also. i'm right handed and go left to right.

man you ducked in the nick of time -lol!

- but I'm another one who hasn't had a dw - it's been about 20 yrs since I've had one!

I wouldn't want one right up next to the sink either (high up one) which is why I won't get to do that. I've tried to figure out how I could - even the corner area but that'd only leave me the 2' between it and the sink plus about a foot right of the sink to work on. That's more than i have now but I'd rather have another foot for prep (of what? oh, a sandwich!) than the dw up high.

I'm usually in the old houses forum, but stop by here occasionally as well and your post caught my eye. How exciting to see someone doing the same thing we are! We got our kitchen from a local demo company last August, and like yours does, it takes up most of our garage! We just got a fabulous fridge from Sears outlet - a french door samsung for $850!!! It has a small dent near the top, totally not noticeable. We'll probably have all butcher block counters from Ikea because it will cost too much to re-fabricate (is that a word?) the corian that came with the kitchen. And I'm jealous of your linoleum! I think we'll end up with sheet vinyl, but it will still be better than we have now! I think the demo of our current kitchen will be starting around the same time, I'll definitely check back to see how yours is going!

Hi Nancy I have had many episodes of skin cancers. I am fine from that now.

Welcome Blackcats13. So nice of you to drop in and hoping you will show us progress of your kitchen redo.

Chris

OMG! Blackcats13, do you have pictures to share? Do you have a thread going in "Kitchens" or "The Old House?"

I just searched and see that you do! I don't have time to read it all now, but it looks like you have done nothing but work on your house since you got it - well, except maybe you took time out for..... um, (blushing). Does the tear-out happen before or after the baby is born?

Here is a link that might be useful: Blackcats13 Kitchen diagram

Nancy, if you've had the graph paper tablet for 15 YEARS, and not lost it, you are much better organized than I am. And you probably don't have parrots who love to chew on paper.

And Shades, I understand you are such a nature girl that a dishwasher is unrequired in your lifestyle. But when you get older, you'll appreciate how hard it is to hold onto those heavy dishes with fingers that don't always feel things. I had a doctor tell me I could get neuropathy in my hands as well as my feet, and possibly end up losing them too. I was in shock for a long time over his less-than-encouraging bedside manner, then decided to forget him. Life if too short to sweat the small stuff.

And Blackcat13, we've shared some threads on those other forums, glad to become better acquainted with you here, which is my first choice hangout on GardenWeb. I'm holding off browsing your kitchen link, since I'm on a mission for the rest of the afternoon. Secret mission or mission impossible haven't decided.

Nancy, I hope you do not mind the way we have meandered into other topics now and again, because we always come back to your kitchen, don't we? I submit that we keep the thread alive and active that way.

Hi, nancy, I looked at your before pictures--also checked out your last kitchen in the FKB. Your before kitchen looks a lot like our current kitchen--painted cabs, light counters. The beadboard cabinets are going to be beautiful!

Welcome blackcats13. I have an older home, too. As a matter of fact, your before kitchen looked like ours, before we painted the cabinets. I have the same paper towel holder, which hasn't been on the wall for 2 years. It's nice to meet another bargain-hunter.

Nancy, thanks for the link to your pics. :o)
Sorry if I missed it, but are you keeping the bulkhead? You sure could do some fun 'up-lighting' if you are.

Great pics of the raised DW, Steph. :o)

I said in another thread around here somewhere that I wish I had known about DW drawers before we bought our 'new' DW. I think they are a great idea. I'd love to be able to run a half load at a time.

I agree with those that wouldn't want anything interfering with room on either side of the sink. I think that would make me crazy. (Well, crazier

ML, I totally agree with you. Chit-chat is what builds a community and it does keep my thread alive.

I can't say I always KNEW where my graph paper tablet was in those 15 years, but each time I needed to sketch something, I figured out where it was. I have the sketch of the front porch we put onto the old house in the year that we married. There are also sketches of the ideas I had for the last kitchen's back splash. I do not have parrots, that is certain. I do have a 65 lb dog with a brain tumor who eats junk mail, facial tissues, and boxboard, though. I have to remember to put the pad out of his reach. We also have him gated out of the kitchen/family room during times when we are not with him.

Thanks. Mama! I am excited and find myself thinking every time I put something away about where I will be putting it in the new kitchen.

Hi Missy,
I must have started my reply before you posted. Yes, we are keeping the bulkheads (soffits) on the perimeter of the kitchen. We are taking out the one between the "kitchen" area of the space and the "dining" area of the space. We have the option to keep only the ones above the cabinets and the one separating the family room from the kitchen. That would mean taking down the one on the wall with the clock on it in my current photos and the one above the buffet in the current photos. It would be $400 each to remove those, and I can think of better things to do with the $800. The one bisecting the kitchen is the important one, and it will be gone.

So explain this "uplighting" thing. I am not sure if I know what you are referring to. I sure am interested in hearing about anything that adds style or fun to the space. Thanks for looking at all those before pics with all my clutter!

Just an update:
Jim, our builder, is still finishing up his current job. He won't start our kitchen until July, now. That has given me time to think, and I have changed my ideas on the backsplash, counters, and flooring. I will still use the 3 boxes of tumbled marble I have left over from the last kitchen on the backsplash, but may be getting some tile from Walker Zanger for the color strip. It is a gold and green marble that I cannot find on their site, but saw at Virginia Tile. DH picked it out. That has me thinking about maybe putting marble tile on the island.

Oh - and the island top took a tumble yesterday in the garage and it broke in half long-wise. I think it will glue right up, though. Since I am thinking of covering it in tile, good glue and some furniture clamps should do the trick.

I gave up looking for a venting skylight on Craigslist and just bought one. It will be here next weekend.

I have been working on my father-in-law's room. Took the hospital bed apart, have a taker for it tomorrow. Got my in-laws to come over and sort the clothes. I took the usable ones to Salvation Army last week. I gave the dressers and nightstands from that room to his caregiver. I built them from kits back in the 1980s, knotty pine. A friend and I got the carpet pulled up Saturday - what a filthy job, and I had us wear thick dust masks and made her wear goggles since she recently had an eye infection. Dad had MRSA, and EVERYTHING spilled on his carpet at one time or another. I still need to pull staples from the floor. I will have to get Jim to change a few pieces of subflooring in there, where there are smelly stains on the floor. I mights start stripping wallpaper in there if I get ambitious next week. We need that room clear to put kitchen things in when we move the kitchen stuff out.

Oh Nancy, you have a lot going on. Maybe its a good thing that your guy had to push your kitchen back. Now you have time to clear out the spare room for storage. That way you won't have 'stuff' all over the house (like I did). And stripping the wallpaper! Enjoy, lol

Nancy, I admire your dedication to a plan. Have those staples pulled up before you do the wallpaper stripping. Unless you wear really hard sole shoes, you could damage your precious feet.

Having a spare room to contain all the kitchen paraphenalia while you work on the basics will be such a blessing. I think the delay to July is a good thing, given your chance to make the final tweaks to the plan.

The tile sounds fine to me. And you've covered the problem with the split island top nicely.

" and I have changed my ideas on the backsplash, counters, and flooring."

you're sounding like me. I figure it's a good thing I've got a yr or so ahead of me. maybe by then I'll quit changing my mind and make a firm decision. actually, lately it's just flooring I keep changing. I've decided on other things - but i do have alternates picked out in case I decide to change my mind again -lol!

Well it must be so hard to wait and wait but I agree with the others it might be for the best for you. The newly cleaned room will be great for storing your kitchen stuff. When we redid our kitchen I took the drawers out just as they were and stacked them. Course mine went back in the same place. Bit it could be easier for you find the needed things. I also used smaller boxes and tried to keep one shelf to a box to make it easier to find things. I had hoped to have all we needed to use set aside but I kept having to dig for more. LOL course we had company arrive the day Mario arrived to start in on the kitchen demo redo for us.

Also second the staple removal asap.

Chris

nancy, you are so luck to have a storage area while the kitchen is under construction--anything to make it less stressful!

I just used 12x12 marble tile on a small sink counter, and love it. I think your idea is great.

Yes, Forum Friends, I am, indeed lucky to have the spare room to stash stuff in. I had to light a fire under my in-laws, who were not eager to help decide about their dad's things. I guess I planned all along to use Dad's room as the spare kitchen during construction, but it wasn't until last week that I really got to thinking whether I wanted my kitchen stuff and my food in a room where all kinds of unmentionable fluids and solids were being tossed around a few scant months ago. Once it did occur to me, I really did have to pull up that carpet!

Today I got my first of five sets of shots in my knees, so I am a bit sore. Maybe tomorrow I will tackle those staples....

I did get rid of Dad's hospital bed today. I found someone from Freecycle who needed it. One less thing to trip over in the garage.

Monday night I went back to the tile store to see what my options are for the island. I really liked a golden travertine. It was honed. If I use that, I might do the peripheral counters in an olive green with gold Nevamar color called "Painted Woodlands." It is a textured pattern where the olive is predominant, but the gold shows through like a rub-through in places.

The marble DH chose for the back splash stripe is several shades of green (including olive) and of gold, so the back splash could be tumbled marble in off-white, with a green and gold polished marble stripe, over an olive textured counter with some gold peeping through in a room with a huge island in vibrant gold. We have to live with these samples for a while to see if they will be "the ones."

Steph, when we went to the flooring store the first time, we took a few of our favorite counter top samples with us and chose floors to go with three of them. So, I really have those three for back-up if we decide we don't like our new bold choices. If you change your mind as frequently as I have, you have time for a couple dozen combinations before you have to zero in on a winner! BTW, I am still looking for a porcelain tile to use instead of the travertine. I know that having a stone on the island with the cooktop is asking for stains.

Nancy,

Great post. I'm in Boston, and have kept my eye on those recycled stores in CT for awhile. I'm still hoping that someday someone will donate reclaimed wood cabinets (hah). Keep up the good work.

Desert Steph, I LOVE the idea about for the corner dishwasher. I am planning my tiny (12x11) kitchen renovation (thread on the regular kitchens board) and I've had concerns that my dw-beside-the-sink combination may be too tight. Are you a designer? If not, does your kitchen have that setup? If not, where did you get that pic? With 2 blind corners and very little space to waste, I think the corner DW is a very interesting idea, indeed....

Thanks

Jen

Jen - nancy is putting in the corner dw. I just posted a pic of one I had in my folder along with a few of dws installed higher than normal. I was interested in the higer ones because of my back. My dw will be right next to the sink on a straight run so I won't be able to have it installed higher. The angled corner takes extra space so not usually good in a small kitchen. Mine is a small kitchen also - about 10 x 11.

I'm not a designer but I have collected a lot of pics from the kitchen forum and other forums for my 'idea folder'.