Monday, November 29, 2010

Teaser Pics

Yes.  I definitely had timecrack.  But I did accomplish rather a lot on the punchlist, with some help, and at the expense of rather a lot of sleep.  Turns out you actually can paint until 3am and have it look good.  Not that I'll be repeating that again...I hope.  The kitchen looks and acts like a kitchen, even if there is plenty left to do still!

Anyway, a few pics to keep you interested ;)


Thursday, November 18, 2010

Just. Keep. Breathing.

Timecrack.  noun.  definition:  the belief that you can accomplish something in x amount of time, which actually by all physical laws requires 3x amount of time.

I have it.  I still firmly believe I'm going to have a "finished" kitchen before Thanksgiving.  By finished, I mean the bulk of the work that needs to be done by me will be done.  It will not have new windows or door yet, nor will it have a permanent step, and there are several things that will wait until I've raised more funds.  But in terms of walls, molding, cabinets, ceilings, etc, I'll be done.  I know, mildly crazy, given the amount left.  However - see the definition of timecrack above.

The countertop will be installed on Tuesday!  In order for the template to be made, I had to disconnect the sink (still not sure exactly why), and remove the temporary faucet.  In that process, I discovered that the hot water cutoff valve (very recently installed by the cheaper plumber) does not actually entirely cut the hot water off.  Really?  Really?  I mean, I figured it was ok for them to not clean up their workspace at all, and even to have to get them back to center the sink, since they weren't the high-end quote.  But c'mon, the stuff is still supposed to work!  Sigh.

Spent a good chunk of last night installing the cabinet hardware, finally!  In the process, I discovered the first real mis-step of this process.  I've made plenty of timing mistakes, but I'd always liked how stuff turned out.  But - I don't like the drawer hardware I chose.  It doesn't go with the door hardware I really like.  Not that this is a major issue, I can find new, and for the interim it's nice not to have to use your fingernails to open the drawers, but kind of a bummer. 

Please excuse the bad quality of this cell phone photo - but look, hardware!  A kitchen!  We progress - and I just need to keep breathing...

Monday, November 1, 2010

Goldilocks is fired.

She took too long to make decisions.

I, on the other hand, rocked it.  This weekend I purchased:
4 windows.
1 door.
The rest of the cabinet hardware.
And...
the COUNTERTOP.

Yes.  It is bought.  And it's nothing I blogged about before.  See, turns out I just kinda forgot that Home Depot and Lowes exist.  Know what?  They sell countertop.  For cheaper than the specialty companies.  I now own 25 sq feet (although I need only about 17) of Zodiaq quartz countertop in Eclipse Blue.  Here's what it looks like, though it's not quite as greeny in person.
It's not recycled.  It lacks in cool factor.  It's also nearly a grand cheaper than every other option, and it looks good.  I tried, World.  I really, really did.  (As for those ebay suggestions - did you really think it was a good idea for me to have $2K worth of Icestone sitting around in the hopes of finding a buyer?  If nothing else, that stuff is heavy and takes up a lot of space!  No thanks.)

Back to the windows - why 4, you may ask?  Well, I'm getting awning windows in the kitchen instead of double hungs (so they crank out, not push up to open).  Due to the height of my windows, that means I actually need 2 in every opening.  Yet another budgetary estimation.  Oops.  But it'll look great and I can leave them open without fearing burglar entry!

Run along kitchen, run along...