Week two of building-a-kitchen-from-scratch is coming to a close… this week we made progress on the electrical work, reframing of main wall, addition of sheetrock and installation of a new whole-house fan – and it looks great!
See ‘before’ den pictures and a break down of week one here.
I’m so proud of Kevin – it has been his week! He’s on fire. As an architecture student that loves to get his hands dirty, this kitchen has been his baby from the start. With the exception of the electrical work he’s completed 99% of the project on his own (don’t worry, he has experience working on all of the above) and his buddies have been more than helpful.
Let’s take a look:
Day 7, 8 & 9: Install electrical wiring for kitchen outlets and appliances, put can lights and pendant lighting up and install switches. Clear out old framing material (see those thin wood strips lining the walls? Our home has original lithe and plaster walls – some of which badly needs replacing).
Install whole-house attic fan (we live in a temperate climate that calls for AC only a few weeks out of the year. This new fan circulates air in the attic and can cool the entire house down in minutes – plus it saves major dinero since we’re not running the air conditioning all summer long). Our cabinets have arrived too! There they are in that middle picture, all stacked and ready for install.
Day 10, 11 & 12: Install insulation (believe it or not none of the house is insulated, it’s too old. This will be the first room!). Put sheetrock up along walls, and finally up on the ceiling.
12 days down and we are on time and on budget to complete the new kitchen by October 1.
Next up: have tile delivered, order selected counter tops (Hanstone quartz counter tops in Tiffany Grey) and pick out backsplash for behind the counters.
We’re taking the weekend off from construction and heading out to Arizona for a baby shower with Kevin’s family – Happy Thursday!
I loved restoring our 1940’s cottage. I was alarmed to find out at my 2 year tested positive for lead. Please be careful with lead dust when remodeling!
Mor, I can’t believe what a difference the new walls make in that room! I can’t wait to see the final outcome!
What a transformation already. Your husband is doing a fantastic job, and you’ll be so glad to have insulation for those cool southern California evenings!
I need your help…we just remodeled our kitchen, but still need to add a backsplash. Where do you go for tile inspiration? I’m also re-doing my bathroom and need tile ideas for there, too. There’s too much out there and I don’t know where to start!
Thanks~
Hi Kate,
I agree – picking out tile for the kitchen and bath is challenging. For inspiration, I start with magazines (the magazine section at the front of Home Depot and Lowes is great for this) and online resources including photo galleries of stores (like this one: http://design-4-less.com/gallery) or design sites (like: http://www.decorpad.com). Start clipping, printing and saving your favorites and watch for a color trend. When I have an idea of which design direction I’m headed, I walk local showrooms that share lots of little kitchens and baths in one central location to learn more about my material options.
Use your new inspiration board to find your perfect tiles and begin creatively seeking out resources to get the best bang for your buck (we like to order from http://www.arizonatile.com but have heard great things about the big DIY stores and different online stores as well). You might even find that perfect brand on craigslist (contractors with extra material) or at a smaller online store. Don’t be bashful about asking for a deal, especially if you are purchasing a large quantity or a combination of tiles from one store (ie floors, countertops, backsplashes…)
And most importantly, have fun with the process! This is the best part in my opinion :).
~Morgan
Looking good! Can’t wait to see the end result!
wow! now comes the fun stuff: counters & tiles!
Looking good! I love remodeling and making your house truly yours.