Completed! (except for cutting board & ovens)

 
   A little less than a month ago, our kitchen looked like this:

BEFORE ---

And now it's looking clean, spacious, and updated:

----- & AFTER!

 North wall is looking bright and new:

Sorry, ugly cutting board :-(

        East Wall:

Computer Clutter Removed and Concealed

     This has been another of our house projects where Diane and I collaborated, planned, and worked together to keep our home up to date, comfortable, and a great place to live.  Like all projects there were a few unforeseen "happenings" but they were fixed.  For example, the 1 1/2 inches of granite I needed to learn how to remove so the stovetop would fit, first time for that but found it cut somewhat like a brick but needed a diamond blade, plastic tent to contain the dust, and a willing neighbor to get in there with a shopvac to suck up the dust.  Needed a steady hand to cut a straight line, wouldn't have looked to good to mortar in a stovetop! The same will need to be done when the oven arrives next week but --- that's wood and I'm pretty handy with that stuff.  Same technique, plastic tent and a router but this time Diane will be handling the shopvac.

     To keep track of all the doors, I stamped each one to identify it and then made a diagram showing who goes where.  Not being sure the stamp wouldn't disappear when the door was painted, a sharpie was used in the hinge location and covered with tape prior to painting.  You can still see the M imprint but I always figure it's better to be safe than sorry!  Old habit, stick a toothpick into the screw hole to "re-line" it.

Relining the Holes

     It went against my usual Dutch nature to splurge $25.00 on a 12' by 400' roll of plastic at Home Depot but boy, am I glad I did!  Watching how Ron, the sheetrock guy, taped it to the wall to completely cover whatever needed to be covered was a neat technique to learn.  It was done about 4 times to protect the completed work.  Here's the almost last time when I did the grout Thursday night:

Ready for the Grout

Me Too!

    

     This was one of those projects that really make the house even more of a joy to live in.  Since being retired and spending most of our days at home it's great to have an environment you really like.  Diane works part time and then spends most of the rest of her time in the studio while I spend most of my time in the shop either working on a project or giving instruction to a student.  At the end of the day though, nothing like that glass of wine in an atmosphere we love.