Still lurking around. Here are some Compound happenings.
Yesterday, Joe.My.Contractor. looked at this over the kitchen sink.
JMC: What’re you gonna do with THAT?
Me: What?
JMC: That…light.
Me: What do you mean?
JMC: That belongs in your garage, not in your kitchen.
Me: There’s usually a curtain hanging there that hides it from view.
JMC: If you don’t get a new light, I’m building something to cover that up.
Totally bullied, I called Tom to tell him we needed a new kitchen light. This involved Trip 2189 to Home Depot. Tom couldn’t care less and was willing to throw some basic globe up there. I wanted stained glass. He said that wouldn’t give us enough light. (Suddenly he cared.) We couldn’t agree. My back hurt. We left and picked up food. (I still have no kitchen.) When we got home, we had only appetizers in our carry-out bag. Tom called the restaurant. The manager? server? had been waiting for our call and personally delivered the food to The Compound. I love The Ambassador.
We ate. Then we did our Christmas decorating. Don’t be impressed. This is our Christmas decorating so far this year.
I put my silver sleigh bells on their little display stand, then Tom wrapped some Christmas lights around the fireplace logs and I put up our Christmas cards.
Ho freaking ho.
This morning before dawn, I awoke to hear thunder rumbling. I suggested to Tom (who deals with the dogs in the morning) that he might want to take them out before the rain started. He agreed, got up in the dark, pulled some clothes out of his closet, and opened the front door. Guinness had already run about a hundred laps through the house and shot out the door, but Margot was nowhere in sight. Since she’s our storm-fearing dog, Tom figured she was under the covers with me, but no. Also not under the bed. I got up and the two of us began a search of the house, flipping on lights, maneuvering through boxes, checking all the hiding places in plastic-wrapped rooms. No Margot, not even in a dog crate. We began the circuit again, and finally Tom called out, “Found her!”
When he’d gotten his jeans, she must have slipped into this little space in his closet and was perfectly happy to hide there without making a sound after he closed her in. Psycho dog. [Edit for Johnnie: Insert Patty Hearst joke here.]
After Tom went to work, I left and began a trek of lighting places. I found something I loved in one store but they didn’t have it in stock. It was hard to find anyone to help me anywhere. I did find a great broom at one of the hardware stores I went to; buying it is an act of trust that one day my floors won’t be covered by boxes and brown paper. Am I being too Pollyanna? (Can you believe there’s actually something called “positive thinking syndrome?” Like that’s a disease?)
I also stopped in Restoration Hardware, not because I expected to find anything, but because it’s Restoration Hardware. They sell bathroom lighting but no kitchen lighting. (Though I did find an electrical switch plate that I’m going back for.)
At the third lighting showroom, I found what I needed. No, not a light. A gay man. He found the light. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a difficult space to fit and it’ll do the trick. Thank you, Mr. W; you’re my hero.
I came home to find Joe.My.Contractor. and several other men (Marika, you’d be in heaven; trust me) arguing in my kitchen. This involved things I don’t want to know about granite and saws. Joe assured me that when it’s all finished, I won’t even “see those things” that are causing me to hyperventilate. Fortunately, while I was gone and before the sawing began, Tim came over and got Margot and Guinness from their crates and provided them sanctuary with Rex in the TimLair. Thank you, Tim; you’re my hero.
After that mess, hints of things to come…
Second attempt at a kitchen faucet, and I really like this one, which Tom found. Thank you, Tom; you’re my hero.
Blue pearl granite, custom-cut to Joe’s specifications, to curve slightly outward at the sink, which gives me surprisingly more counter space, a true luxury in a tiny kitchen. When I can get to my stored photos again and the work is complete, the before-and-after photos are going to show an amazing difference.
I feel like my life has turned into HGTV.
Odd, when I was trying to read the post the pictures were all strangely placed.
Then I come to comment and it is all sorted out.
The custom cut blue pearl granite is awesome. I love the faucet too. Is that a “pull out sprayer”? I want one of those.
I will be so excited when you post the final pics and before and afters! Did I mention I love HGTV?
Oh and hooray for the gay man, Mr W., who found the right light.
It is a pull-out sprayer. I haven’t had a sprayer in years, so this is going to be great, especially since I make salads every day and cook with so many fresh vegetables.
oh, i’m super excited to see that finished kitchen!
I’m getting pretty excited myself!
This has been my world for the past seven months! Except we don’t “get” to do our kitchen quite yet. After reading your saga, I think I’ll live with the current, aesthetically displeasing cabinets and countertops and fixtures for a while longer.
That said, I love the changes you’ve made so far! What kind of flooring are you going to have?
This is the floor tile, and they’re using the same tile for the backsplash. The tile and granite seem to bring out each other’s more subtle colors when they are next to each other. At least that’s what I’m hoping.
We lived with our scarred hardwood floors and less-than-ideal kitchen for twelve years before embarking on this, so trust me, I understand your hesitation. Especially since you’re doing other things to your new home. Sometimes you just want to stop the chaos and relax for a while. I sure can’t imagine doing it with full time-careers outside the house and also the career of baby-raising.
That is going to look so nice!
When we do attack our kitchen, we’re just going to do it “on the cheap.” We’ll be painting the existing cabinets (which are, after all, sufficient), replacing the existing “antique brass” hardware with brushed nickel, and doing some kind of vinyl flooring (probably the peel-and-stick tile). We have a lot of retro-look kitchenware, so it will probably look sufficiently 1950s-ish … .
We kept the existing cabinets, too, and our contractor, who’s a great carpenter, custom-built new doors with hidden hinges, and–and this I can’t WAIT for–enlarged the drawer space and custom-built new drawers that will be on tracks (our current ones are wood on wood, which means I have to always wipe wood dust from the dishes in the cabinets beneath the drawers). I got brushed nickel cabinet pulls because of the stainless sink and refrigerator (eventually, when the stove needs to be replaced, it’ll be the same), and that’s why I chose that finish on the faucet.
I love those retro appliances. I used to have a 1950s metal table and chairs that I bought for nothing in a used furniture store. I wish I still had that! Also, if you ever get new countertops, you could get that boomerang pattern to keep the whole retro look. And they make great clocks in that style, too. I had a friend who used that look for his kitchen and put down black and white vinyl floor tiles. It looked great.
We keep accumulating lineoleum-top tables (the kind with the chrome edging)! Right now, we have a gold one. And a white one — which used to belong to my great-grandmother — is on its way, along with making chairs. A ceramic-top table has been promised to us, too, by Cullen’s mother. I hope we can find uses for all of them! I have a feeling that at least one will be designated as a “craft/sewing” table.
The thing that started the whole retro concept was the reproduction Kit-cat Klock we got as a gift (from Restoration Hardware, I do believe) a few years ago. That, and my could-be-expensive fixation with Fire King jadeite 😛
Goodness, it’s like I was in your head when I wrote my comment! SO cool–the tables and clock. The nice thing about a fixation with something like the jadeite is that it’s fun to go on the hunt for it, especially when you find bargains. My friend Lynne collected a certain pattern of depression glass that we used to forage for in junk and antique stores and resale shops. And one of my sisters-in-law collects carnival glass.
I love that counter top. I, too, can’t wait to see the finished product. The sink is just WOW. I want one like that–and I never thought of the curves for it. Very cool.
I was a little skeptical of the curved counter, but it’s subtle and it really does provide more space. I love that.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND ALL THAT IS HOLY, DO NOT LET LINDSEY SEE YOUR KITCHEN! EVER!
It actually does look kinda cool. Don’t tell her I said that either.
Your secrets are safe with me.
And, I failed to add, Restoration Hardware is the shiznit.
Okay… you KNOW I just laughed my ass off… but, yet, I don’t quite see the humor… I think you’re going to have to buy me a new kitchen to make up for it.
But…what about the new bathrooms?
Damn you, woman…
Okay, enough with the construction. Tell me I’m brillant, and let’s see some pictures of shirtless hotties doing work ALA Lucky. If you want to give them Diet Cokes do it — I know your a purist.
I like the lights in the fireplace.
You’re brilliant. [eyeshift]
I AM!!!
You know what you are? A pusher! Thanks to you, Rex, Margot, and Guinness are now addicted to those damn Schmackos Mini Dogs. Rex even followed me through the house licking the bag they’re in.
Oh so the fact that I gave the dogs of the compound a little unraw joy should make me feel bad? I think not! It’s like giving chocolate… sure it’s bad for you but everyone loves you for it.
How absolutely gorgeous. Judging from the results (at present), your contractor is treating you right. Yay! : )
I never heard of positive thinking syndrome… that’s weird.
(And I’m missing the sprayer that Gene’s talking about… I keep looking. I see an on/off lever and a spigot, and that’s it.)
I understand. The aerator at the end of the spigot/spout is attached to a hose. It pulls out like this and can be used as a sprayer.
Oh wow! I’ve never seen one of those do that. Thanks for the photo. : )
(You didn’t have to dismantle the whole shebang for me, though.)
It hasn’t been mantled yet. I just posed it for a picture the way it will look after the plumber comes and does his thing.
Remodeling seems a lot like exercising…..it can be a lot of work and pain, but the results are worth it.
Hang in there!
Still hanging. Thanks for the encouragement! =)
Those counter tops are so beautiful, I could just lick them. And Rhonda’s got me chained up in the “basement” cause she’s jealous. Won’t you come free me and let me see your pretty new kitchen when it’s done?!
Yes, I will come by on my black horse and sweep you away. And then Rhonda will charge up on her motorcycle and kick my ass. But I’ll show you the kitchen first.
Nah, I’ll just demand to ride the vacuum again. 😉
Oooooh…Aaaaah…great color.
Thank you. I can’t wait to see it after the backsplash is done.
I’d go insane if that were my kitchen for any length of time. But it sure is looking beautiful! I can’t wait to see the finished product!
I’d go insane if that were my kitchen for any length of time.
THANK you. That affirms my current state of mind.
I want one of everything! Hopefully it won’t be too nice to use after it’s completed.
I’m so sick of take-out food that I can promise you, it WILL be used.
Yay! I see my somber black card over the fireplace. My own subtle protest against our not-so “peace”ful situation.