It looks like we’ll have a new kitchen by the end of summer. It’s only been a year since we started talking seriously and DH started drawing layouts.
After thinking about several options, the layout is not changing dramatically. The refrigerator is moving and the island is shifting a bit, but nothing earth shattering. We’re keeping a separate cooktop in the island and wall oven. Sink and dishwasher aren’t moving, so hopefully no major plumbing work.
FIL is just about done building cabinets and then will glaze & finish them. He told us last weekend that he was not going to let us pay for any part of them, including the hardware. We were expecting to at least pay for materials and are thrilled at their generousity. Since they’ve been helping both BIL’s with their new houses, I think they feel a bit guilty that they don’t do much for us.
The appliances are already ordered so we can take advantage of a small rebate. We’re keeping our fridge, but everything else will be new. We’re putting in microwave/wall oven/warming drawer combo instead of a double oven. Our microwave died last month so now we have a dorm-sized one sitting on 2×4′s resting on top of the existing wall oven.
I think we’ve settled on countertops. DH really wants granite and I’m almost convinced. We’re looking at one of the black colors which hopefully will be pretty stain resistant and low-maintainence, if there is such a thing when it comes to granite.
We need to decide on silgranite vs. stainless sink, lights for over the island and table, paint color (blue?), design for tile backsplash, and finalize how we’re going to fix the floor. Our hardwood is fairly new, and moving the island will leave some gaps. We’re thinking of redoing the whole “work space” between island and cabinets with cork tiles, we just need to decide exactly where the transition back to hardwood will be.
I’m stressed. DH and FIL will be doing a lot of the work. We’ll need some drywall work and I don’t want to deal with that. I just want it DONE and my new appliances in.
