Let's Get Cookin!

Last week I mentioned that we’ve done some significant work on our house over the past 3 years.  When I moved into my husband’s house it was just that, his house.  A bachelor pad.  Craig wanted to be sure the house felt like my home so he moved out so my mom and I could move my stuff in! We spent the weekend moving my stuff in, updating what we could, and sprucing up the yard.  After only a weekend it started feeling less like Craig’s house and more like our ‘new’ home.  

Next step:  we started to think about updates we would like to make.  Keeping in mind that these updates are not only for our enjoyment, but an investment in the home. We wanted to start with some of the suggestions we had previously received from the real estate agent.  We decided to tackle the kitchen.  Our kitchen was divided into two small rooms separated by an arch.  The red color and ceiling high cabinets made the space feel smaller.  The appliances had not been updated since the house was built.  See, no dishwasher. The countertops were granite that I really didn’t care for aesthetically, but they were in good shape and it would’ve been a waste of money to replace granite with a different color granite.  

I was ready!  We scoured the internet looking for photos of different styles and aesthetics.   Craig drew up a plan for our new kitchen. It was time for a cost estimate. We sat down with our general contractor and went over the project, and our budget number.  That week he started the bid estimation process. (Later I will share how important it is to have a good contractor).   Everything was falling into place.  Then came the cabinet bid.  It was more than twice as expensive as what we were anticipating.  It forced us back to the drawing board.  I was super bummed as I felt the project come to a halt until Craig sent me an email titled “whatcha think?” Begrudgingly, I opened the attachment to see the new proposed plan including open shelving with a full tile wall.  (Yes, this is how our conversations go. Craig says "I have an idea, let me draw it")

It was perfect!!  Eliminating the need to replace 3 additional upper cabinets reduced cost.  We were able to find reclaimed wood (specifically, floor joists from an early 1900s Kentucky farm house) for about $3/board ft.  and some simple steel brackets from Home Depot.  Not only did this design move add some style, but it actually reduced cost.  In addition, we reduced cost further by simply ‘refacing’ the existing cabinet boxes with new doors, drawers, and hardware. I felt we had found the balance between something we would love and something that would not put off potential buyers.  We painted, replaced the oven, added a dishwasher (added. a. dishwasher.), tiled the wall, and installed a range hood. The existing flooring and granite countertops remained.  Based on other color choices we made, the existing gray-brown granite ended up being perfect for the space.  

I love the way it all turned out.  Tell me, what do you think?  Would you want to cook in here?