Artwork.

One of the things about having a house (vs. an apartment) is the overwhelming need to decorate. This requires artwork, of course. We have a few pictures framed that I took - and some old posters we haven't put up yet (and may not), along with some unique prints that will eventually go somewhere, but we're more or less art-less.

Our first venture was a with allposters.com. It's an old Chicago & Southern airlines poster redone as a high quality print. You can order just the poster, or matte and frame it and have it shipped. We did the latter. It hangs behind our couch:



The second major piece came as a gift from my Mom. She's recently gotten back into painting (watercolors mostly) and wanted to do something for our house. It seems a bit frightening to get artwork from a relative - if you see something in a gallery that you hate, you don't have to buy it. Art from a family carries a certain obligation.

Fortunately, my Mom has been doing some really great work, and I really like her style. She used the color scheme in our house as a base, with an abstract frame of our front porch - and some brown-eyed susans for color and interest. It turned out great!

Mom and Dad brought it with them on their last visit - and we took it in to be framed. I just got it back today and hung it up. It looks fantastic. Here are two views:





I'm so proud to have her work on display - hopefully she'll give us more down the road :)

New Dining Room Light!

We've been talking about this light since Christmas 2006, so I figured we should order it. I found it on Amazon.com for $333.00 and free shipping (through a 3rd party) so I just went for it. It came in about a two weeks ago and last weekend, I put it in with Brian's help (it's really quite easy). The hardest part was figuring out which circuit breaker shuts off the ceiling lights in the kitchen/dining room!

Anyway, here are a few shots of the cleaned up dining room and new light. Enjoy!





There are four 100-watt bulbs in it (they're full-spectrum compact flourescents though, so they give off a LOT of light but don't take a lot of energy). It really improved the look of the dining room dramatically. It will definitely be an 'exclusion' when we sell the house.

Not finished yet, but oh so close.

So we're still not finished yet. I'm not sure if someone at Home Depot isn't bothering to order the final things we need or what - we finally got the panel for the island (to make the blank spot less blank - it will be a false door). But we're still missing:

• Broken deep drawer needs replaced
• Double-layered silverware holder for top drawer
• 3 roll-out shelves (had 2, were the wrong size, one is still missing)
• Faucet still leaks a little bit
• One shelf needs to be planed down so it fits

Some of that (last 2) are just waiting for the REST to get here so they can come finish at once. This whole thing has gone on for over 2 months now (was supposed to be 'less than 2 weeks').

So, in the spirit of spinning this to a POSITIVE post - here's what it looks like ALMOST finished (dishwasher is in finally!)

















Oh yeah - the glass for the two doors next to the wine fridge isn't here yet, but that's our fault. We're custom ordering it ourselves and just haven't called the guy yet. Soon. Very soon.

So close...

The rest of the countertops are in - and I LOVE them. Brian will too when he gets home, I'm sure. I sent a pic to his Blackberry but it doesn't do them justice. In fairness to Home Depot, it WAS roughly 48 hours after my tirade about the wrong sink that this got done. Kudos to keeping a deadline.

Shot of the sink base and adjoining counter:


Close up on sink:


Call my crazy, but I think that dual-sized bowls in the sink really make an impact and class up the joint. Maybe I'm overthinking it.

We called our HD contact last night to confirm the plumber. You'll recall on Tuesday that it was 'either Thursday at 4pm or Friday morning at 7am.' With a promise he'd call us on Wednesday to confirm.

No call. So we called Home Depot. Of course, our guy is up in the mountains on 2-days off and won't be back until Friday. So the guy we spoke to called him, and said "I couldn't quite make out what he said but I think the plumber comes at 4pm." Lovely.

After the sink was installed, I called our contractor (unfortunately the only number I had was the owner's cell, but he was gracious). He's checking with our lead guy to confirm the plumber. I think if it's NOT tonight at 4pm, I'm going to explode. Still waiting to hear.

We also got 5 boxes from Kraftmaid via FedEx this morning - presumably all of our missing doors and pieces. So I let them know those are here and hopefully they can find time to install and get things finished.

Right now, I could care less about 3 damaged and 1 missing door. I want a sink. I want a dishwasher. Those are priorities!

Countertops - only 1/2 way.

Unfortunately, there was a f*ck up with our sink. I don't know any other way to describe it. We ordered what's known as a "bishop" sink. It has two basins, but one is larger than the other. We confirmed 4 times with Home Depot® that the right sink would come.

So today after they go the island done, and the countertops to the left of the stove, they brought in the countertop for the sink base and the sink. The conversation went something like this:

"It's the wrong sink."

"This is the one we have on the order form."

"I believe you. But it's the wrong sink - let me make a call."

From there I had a "conversation" with our designer at Home Depot. In the end, there was apparently some miscommunication between him and Silestone® about the sink - so they will work out the $1500 cost to cut a new piece for our REAL sink.

After a bit of discussion, we will have the new sink & the rest of the countertops put in between 10 and 1 on Thursday. We felt 48 hour turnaround was acceptable.

The plumbers will then come EITHER 4pm on Thursday or 7am on Friday to hook up the plumbing and dishwasher.

For now, enjoy these photos of the two pieces that ARE done:







No word yet on the 3 replacement doors (damage), 2 missing doors, missing silverware inset or kick-panel finishing. On top of getting them re-doing the microwave venting so it actually VENTS to the outside, fixing a few shelves and other finishing touches.

As soon as those parts are in, we'll get a date scheduled.

We can cook again!

As we were thinking about the countertops being installed - and a 1" bullnose end on all of the exposed edges, we measured the stove and realized that odds are it wouldn't fit. It would have about a 1/2" of clearance - if that.

We called John at Home Depot and after much discussion, the contractor sent over 2 guys to put the stove in place this morning (at 7:30) before the countertop guys get here at Noon. To ensure it will fit. It was quite an ordeal, even without the countertops in - but it's in. Looks great. And it works. If it wasn't 9:40 in the morning, I'd go make a pizza or something.



Now we wait for countertops.

Countertop Update

While I was in Chicago yesterday in agency meetings, I got a voicemail from the countertop installers. The short of it - they're coming on Tuesday at noon to install our Silestone® countertops!

I have to say - not a moment too soon. If all goes well the last remnants of replacement doors and kick panel will be here by then, and by Friday we'll have the kitchen 100% finished. With working oven, dishwasher & new sink.

Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Kitchen in stages.

Before:


During:






Today (waiting for countertops & finishing touches):

Kitchen - End of Day 8

This is how our kitchen will sit for around 10 days until:

• counter top comes in and is installed
• replacement doors (3) come in and are installed
• finishing touches put on (once the two above are done)

Pantry & fridge on the East wall.


Left corner.


Right corner.


Sink base.


Island.



(Glass for the doors will be installed once countertops are in).

Kitchen Progress - Day 7

Some photos of the kitchen taking shape.

The pantry being framed & completed.




New microwave goes in.


Contractor mounting doors.


Sink base complete.

Flag irises blooming strong.

Looking good - will be great to spread them out before next season.

Our cabinet pulls.

For those who have heard the saga of these pulls, it's nice to finally see them in. We first chose these when we were building a house, and then when we chose to end that process and buy an existing house - as soon as we knew we were re-doing the kitchen, we went on a quest for the pulls.

They're cable pulls. By Merillat. And apparently, no normal home improvement store has them or can get them - we tried Home Depot, Lowe's, Great Indoors... no luck. After a search online, Brian found them through the Merillat store.

We ordered our 40 pulls almost immediately - to ensure they were here when the cabinets arrived. About 3 weeks later, still no pulls. I called them and they said their courier tried to deliver them to my office - at 4:15 am. Of course, no one was there. (This was over 10 days prior to my call). So they took them to one of their dealers in Aurora - and there they sat.

After my call, they had them UPS'd (from about 5 miles away) to my office the next day - still in plenty of time for the kitchen redo.

Thankfully, after a few ups and downs - they look great.





They do look a little dark here because of the flash - they're really a nice brushed aluminum cable. Easy to pull. Nice to look at.

End of Day 6

And here's where we ended up today - looks like 2 more days and we'll be done except for countertops/sink/dishwasher.

New pantry is framed out.


Bottom cabinets have most doors & pulls on.








Shot of the full kitchen from the dining room (note the new microwave is in - though they didn't vent it out the top, so they'll likely have to redo it).



As always, more pics if you click here or click through to the photo album.

Kitchen Day 6 - In Progress

Here are images from today in progress (Day 5, for those counting, was electrical. Then we took a day off).

The old pantry being torn apart.


Last corner cabinet going in.


Doors & drawers go in.

Countertops Measured

Countertops were measured today. They are holding with a "10-days to install" estimate for time frame. Not sure if that's working days or normal days. So by June 1 or June 5 we should have it installed.

Fingers crossed.

Here's a sampling of the color: