Kitchen Remodel

We are now in the midst of our BIG KITCHEN REMODEL. Yikes, I have to admit, I'm not really into the whole chaos of this remodeling business...especially since we're attempting to do most of it ourselves. Luckily, we live in the age of IKEA, otherwise we would never be able to afford to do it, nor do either of us have the skill to install and build traditional cabinetry. Ikea has a handy-dandy computer planning tool where you take measurements of the space and can basically drag and drop various elements to design your kitchen online, then you print the plan out, complete with a list of all the products, take it to the store, pay, and 2 days later a truck pulls up to deliver a kitchen's worth of flat-packed boxes. Then the hard part begins...

The Before...
The original kitchen...not very practical...not very sturdy. The counters were really low...so low it hurt your back to do dishes or cut on them. Also, there was barely a foot between the counter and the wall cabinets...so there wasn't even room on the counter for the coffee pot. The counter also didn't extend out past the wall cabinets, so there was very little actuall counter space. Most of the drawers smelled odd and we weren't keen on keeping anything in them. All in all...not a very functional kitchen.




The After...
Voila! phase 1 of the remodel is almost done. We now have more wall cabinets with doors that actually open and close. We have under-cabinet lighting, especially useful since the main light switch for the kitchen is on the opposite side of the kitchen from where you enter (nice, huh). The counters are higher and wider, allowing us much more space. Also, the sink is deeper and wider. Did I mention the dishwasher....BOOYAH! We went with the Ikea Acurum cabinets with a beadboard finish, butcher-block counters and a farmhouse porcelain sink (which I have wanted since I saw it).

Now we just have to finish aligning the dishwasher and attach it to the counter above. We also have to repaint the wall behind these cabinets and put in a backsplash (I'm thinking subway tile). Next on the agenda are the wall cabinets and microwave/vent/light hood above the stove. Then the floors and the...



Oh...and obviously, we repainted as well! Gone is the dingy off-white/yellowish color, replaced with a deep, rich red (I think the name was "Spiced Cinammon"). Norm does NOT like the color...oh well :-)