FINALLY! Remodeled Kitchen Photos

Here are the photos of the finished kitchen! The contractor came with the final pieces a few weeks ago. But the wood piece under the cabinets to help block the light was the wrong color and she ordered a new one.

We love all the counter space! And the WilsonArt Betty laminate is so lovely. The top mount Kohler farmhouse sink was a great find as it can be used with laminate. And the Bosch dishwasher was worth every penny. So silent and it actually get the dishes clean.

The quartersawn cherry cabinets are aging beautifully. The middle cabinet front below is a replacement as the carpenters marred the first one, so it has not aged as long.

And the cork floor is a dream to clean!

People love the bling of the stainless steel mosaic back splash behind the hood. We have LED lighting under the cabinets.

The glass door cabinets hold some vintage tea sets, dishes, glasses and the Smiley face cookie jar we got for a wedding gift in 1972.

 The pulls are minimalist.

 Did I mention I love the cork floor?

I looked for months before I found this Michael Miller fabric with teapots. I knew it was perfect for our kitchen. It had the right colors, a nice retro feel, and we are tea lovers.

The 1950s chrome and laminate table was found in the basement of one of our parsonages. We traded it for another table we had. My husband had to remove lots of paint from the top. People drool over it. The red chairs were bought from Target about 15 years ago.

 The bread box was 50 cents at a garage sale.

 I am glad we splurged for the built in cabinets around the refrigerator.

It is a hard working kitchen.

Cafe Curtains for my Retro Kitchen!

It took months for me to find the right fabric or curtains for my new kitchen. When I saw High Tea by Michael Miller I ran and got my hubby, who was reading on the quilt shop's husband chair. Was I crazy, or was this 'the one'? I found the fabric at Sew Elegant in Port Huron on our trip 'up the St Clair River' last month. I bought a yard of the fabric, took it home, loved it, and the shop shipped me more yardage.

I had determined to made old fashioned tiered cafe curtains on rings. Finding the hardware was another long search. I wanted the rings, and I wanted a white or silver colored rod. And the rod holder had to extend out past the sunshades already on the windows. The windows are 70" wide and I wanted two long rods. Who'd a thought it would be that hard? Well, I could have bought something right away...for over $70. And I couldn't bring myself to buy the set, it was too much money and too fancy.

Two nights ago we dined at a local Greek Street Food restaurant (I had a hankering for Spinach Pie). We went to W*****t, a store I never shop at, and they had the rods I needed. For under $35. Sold.

I had wanted to do scallop topped, lined curtains but gave up and just did simple, lined cafe curtains. I like the ability to close or open the top and bottom as this is a west facing window and also faces the neighbor's deck.

We finally have the final touch to the kitchen!

Kitchen Remodel Update and Brag

A few days ago I uploaded pics of our Wilson Art 'Betty' laminate counter top on Retro Renovation. Pam Kueber gives readers a chance to share their vintage finds and remodeling pics. Well, today she featured my photos and asked for the reader to come out of anonymity! Read the post here.

I first saw the Betty laminate on Pam's website this past January. You can see the original Retro Renovation post announcing the Wilson Art retro line here.

Pam's goal is to help people remodel Mid Century Modern homes in keeping with the original style. She also is all for 'saving the pink bathrooms."

I found this stainless steel retro bread box many years ago for fifty cents! The canister set I found at a local antique shop for about $30.

In a few weeks the final touches will be put on my kitchen. A door marred in installation will be replaced, a board will fill in the gap above the refrigerator and another to hide the under-counter light above the sink.

Then our contractor will have photographs taken for her portfolio.

My goal was a nod to the 1964 origins of our home--such as staying with slab cabinet doors--but with all the features of a modern kitchen. I added some bling by using spun aluminum lighting, drawer tab pulls, and of course that vintage canister set.

The back splash behind the range is all bling: Brushed steel mosaic tile!

I just love the kitchen. Thanks to Pam for all her inspiration.

Kitchen Remodel : Nearly Over!

Just a few things lef to do...glass doors and half wall top, organization pieces.

 We used  blue paint in our hallway last year. It went perfect with our kitchen!

 A few of the roses we cut before the Japanese Beetles ate them.

These lights are so perfect but the arm had to be modified to fit the pendants.

It's hard work fitting things into a new space. But hard work that is exciting.

Some missing doors and top of half wall...but nearly finished!

Kitchen Remodel - Just a Few More Days!!!

This week has been exciting. We have a sink and the dishwasher installed. The back splash tile behind the range is up. The undercounter lighting and one ceiling fixture is up. The pendant lights are giving the electrician problems; they cost a pretty penny but are from China (I didn't know this when I ordered them) and have plastic parts that are already stripped. Tomorrow the hood and range will be put into place, and Saturday painting will be done. It is looking SO GOOD!

Just a little glimpse....waiting now for the big reveal!

Last Week of the Kitchen Remodel

WOW, things are at the interesting stage!

We went to the cabin again while the flooring was installed. The countertops were installed today

 Betty by Wilson Art is a new laminate with a retro vibe. The Koehler top mount Vault sink can be used with laminate countertops and retrofits into any existing cabinets.

The cork floor is amazing to walk on. It is plank and can be taken up and removed to a new locale, still under the 35 year residential warranty.

The quartersawn cherry cabinets have  metal finger pulls that hardly shows.

The cork floor extends into the family room now. Photos of that later--when that room is cleared out.
The kitchen carpet had been glued onto the red oak flooring in the hallway off the bedrooms. It was refinished and looks amazing, too.

Kitchen Remodel: We Have Cabinets!!!

This is a really big change! The new kitchen cabinets were installed. They are quartersawn cherry in a slab door style. We took out the soffits and they go to the ceiling. There are all drawers in the bottom cabinets. The storage will be amazing!

 The blind corner will have shelves that complete pull out. There is a trash can cabinet next to it on the right; the sink will be on the left. The upper corner cabinet has a hinged door that opens to the right.

The empty spot is for the dishwasher.

The stove will go where the shop vac is sitting. The two 'empty' cabinets will have glass doors. The left drawers are for pots and pans.

This is what the original kitchen was like:

Kitchen Remodel Update

We went away for a week and during that time the inspections were completed and the dry wall installed and mudded.

The doggies wondered where the carpet went! The family room will have the same cork floor as the kitchen.

 Meanwhile we have a mess.

And since these photos were taken the cabinets were delivered and are in the family room, and the drywall primed.

Tomorrow things get exciting again: the cabinet installation!!!

Kitchen Remodel: Day 4

We have now entered the doldrums of the remodel. Today the electrician installed outlets and switches and upgraded the electric system.

That's all there is folks. New wiring.

The old overhead light switch is being replaced in a new location. The old switch wall will be behind the utility cabinet. I asked the electrician to turn it into an electric socket where we can plug in the hand vac or stick vac for recharging, all while inside the cabinet. I am so brilliant.

When the house was built in 1964 they used fiber wrapped copper wire! That is now gone. We are to code.

Nothing more will happen until the inspectors have approved all the plumbing, electric, HVAC, and carpentry work completed so far.

On the bright side we have cobbled together a semblance of order! Our Suki has her family room corner back, the television is reconnected, and there is a table in the kitchen.

In five days it will be back to plastic over the doors and dust and disorder with the drywall installation.

Kitchen Update: Day 3

This used to be our family room. 

Today HVAC installed the vent for the range hood and the plumber changed the plumbing to accommodate the new sink. Its pretty boring stuff visually.

An exciting photo. The little piece of PVC will go to the sink.

Making a hole in my house for the range hood vent

Up on the Housetop, cutting another hole in my roof.

This is my new floor.

The tools

Meantime, the truck, a 2004 Dodge Ram which was my dad's, has been in the shop getting spark plugs and oxygen sensors. I guess after 11 years they need replacing.

Tonight we get away from it all, eating dinner in downtown Royal Oak with a book club. We will discuss The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. More about that....later...