Kitchen Remodel

Kitchen Remodel
November...

In November we started our second phase of kitchen remodeling.  A couple of years ago we bumped out our bar to give us more space, added a new set of cabinets, and got new granite counter tops.  We were finally ready to finish up the rest of what we wanted to do.  In trying to choose a floor, I kept getting stuck on the cabinets and how I really wanted them white.  Matt was a trouper and decided to make my vision come true!  It was a long and annoying process (think two year old with opened cabinets and boxes spread out all over for weeks and impossible drying times with the paint because of the freezing temperatures) but even through all that, I am so happy that we did it.  Matt added crown molding and then sprayed lacquer, which was a crazy process in itself, but gave the cabinets a really great finish.  I love the way they turned out, and I got my white kitchen!  We also put in new wood floors throughout the kitchen, family room, down the stairs, and in the living room, and new tile in the guest bathroom and mud room.  We put in new pulls on the cabinets, new baseboards, painted the desk cabinet black, put in a new light fixture in the dining area, a rug in the family room, etc.  The little things seem to never end once you get started.  We are pretty much done now except for a backsplash in the kitchen, and a few decorating things.  We are both happy with the results!

 Our maple cabinets before...

 Let the chaos begin!

 There were boxes downstairs and stuff piled all over the kitchen.  Lucas took full advantage of his access to all things he shouldn't have!  He loved having Daddy's tools out all the time, open cabinets, and boxes to explore.  It is an understatement to say it made me crazy and cranky to live like this!  Luckily the results were worth it.  The first part was the crown molding, bar surround, and cabinets, then the second part was the floors, and then we moved on to the finish work, like the baseboards and fixtures.

 The girls having a long tv day while we masked the whole kitchen.  It took the entire day to get everything taped off and ready to be sprayed.  Matt sprayed into the night while we slept at Ashly's to get away from breathing in the paint.  He had a fancy mask.  The cabinet doors took weeks to finish because of the cold weather.  The lacquer had a hard time drying in between coats, so it dragged on and on.  I was so happy when we were finally able to put the kitchen back together.

 Lucas got into plenty of trouble while we were distracted.  This was a corn meal incident.  He is allergic, so luckily he only played in it and didn't try to eat it.  Up to the bath with you buddy!

Spray, sand, spray, sand, spray, sand. . .
I did very little in comparison to Matt in the cabinet process, but I like to think I suffered equally with having the kitchen torn apart and having to live in it all day with a crazy toddler!  Yay Matt for all his work!

 Finally done with the painting portion.

 We found a better price on the floor than we were expecting so we were able to have someone put it in for us.  That was the biggest blessing, and we were both grateful to have it magically together in a couple of days.  Lucas wouldn't leave the floor guy alone.  He thought his tools and all the noise and banging were the best thing ever.  He spent a lot of time using a real hammer to bang nails into that board in the wall.  He was disappointed when the desk went back in!

 Our remodel is almost complete!