Back wall plans

So, in my last post, I mentioned that we were talking about switching up our back wall configuration a little bit. The original plan was to stick the refrigerator on the end of the wall and then have the range and flanked by two lower cabinets between that and the tall pantry. I liked this plan because of the symmetry -- two floor-to-ceiling cabinets on either end with a range feature wall in the center.

But, when we sold our old refrigerator and that spot was open, it felt so much better! It was essentially removing a 2 1/2 foot wall on the end of the kitchen. I began to think about that a little bit over the next couple of weeks, but I was reluctant to really commit to action because I still liked the symmetry with the refrigerator on the end and the tall pantry on the other end.

Last weekend, we had to move everything out of the way in order to work on the ceiling, so I figured when we put the refrigerator, range and lower cabinets back, we might as well just try the new idea -- mostly just because I couldn't stop thinking about it. Then, if we hated it, I'd finally get it out of my system.

Well, I didn't hate it. I loved it! It really does open up the kitchen a ton. When we walk in from the garage or even the entryway, it feels so much better. So, the reason that we were "in negotiations" (Luke and I) was because by moving the configuration again, Luke has to redo pretty much all the electrical and move the plumbing line for the pot filler. He's not thrilled.
But, one more reason I'm convinced this is the better configuration is because he's willing to do it now, after seeing the difference. ;)

So, here's my plan for the range wall now that it is on the outside part of the back wall. I don't want to do anything to lose the open feeling, so we have decided to nix upper cabinets. I know! No uppers. But, we have moved everything back into the kitchen and we don't need them anyway. Our plates and glasses, etc. are in the large drawers next to the dishwasher. Best idea ever. Unloading the dishwasher is so much faster. Pretty much everything that comes out of the dishwasher goes into those three large drawers and I can unload the entire thing in about a minute.

Here's the system:

 I put non-slide liners on the bottom of all the drawers and it keeps all the dishes in place really, really well. Luke was a bit skeptical at first when I told him my plan, but he's liking it now. No more hefting heavy stacks of plates and bowls up to a high cabinet.

Anyway, back to our plan for the back wall -- sorry, I got off on a tangent -- This is our new configuration as it is now:

Pretty rough, I know. But, the idea is there. This is my plan for what it will look like in the end:

The wood surrounding the lower cabinets illustrates our butcher block countertops with a "waterfall edge" -- meaning it runs down the sides of the cabinets as well. I've seen this done before -- mostly on islands though -- and I'm hoping it will look as good in reality as it does in my head. (That's always my hope!)

We've got a lot to do before we get to that point, but I think we're heading on the right track!

Dishwasher Panel

We finally got our dishwasher panel on last night. It was kind of a pain. Mostly because the template they supplied was incorrect and off about 11/16". That seems like a small amount, but it caused a lot of delay and frustration. But, we got it adjusted and remounted and thankfully, it all worked out in the end.

We also got our hardware installed on the island cabinets a few days ago, which means I can finally start moving our stuff back in. Hooray! Today marks the 8 week mark since we ripped out the old kitchen. 2 months without a kitchen! Whoa. It actually went pretty fast and wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I think mostly for two reasons: 1) We had a kinda-sorta kitchen in the basement.
Yes, this fancy setup:

And 2) It has been amazing to see the kitchen that I've had in my mind for months, become a reality. It definitely has been stressful at times (I've mentioned a few of the reasons why in my last post), but for the most part I've been fascinated by the process.

Right now we are in the process of tweaking our back wall arrangement a bit. I've been mulling over a new option for a couple of days and I'm currently still in negotiations with Luke. :) I'll keep you posted on what we decide to do...

Island Cabinets

Whew, the island cabinets are all painted! I'm not going to lie, it wasn't an easy job, but it is SUCH an improvement.
I set up a spraying room in the basement (basically just taped up plastic on all the walls and the floor). Spraying definitely made the job easier, and I think the cabinets came out better. The sprayed finish is pretty much flawless.

We just have to install our hardware (that has been a saga and a story for another day...) and then we can move some of our kitchen stuff back upstairs. I can't wait! Running up and down the stairs for every little thing is getting quite annoying.

Oh, and our dishwasher won't look like that forever. We actually bought a dishwasher that is designed to have a cabinet front attached to it, so when it is installed, it looks like a cabinet instead of a dishwasher. I'm hoping we'll get to install that this week as well.

Countertops are in!

Whew, after over a month without real countertops, ours were finally installed this morning -- and I'd say, it was worth the wait! They look even better than I'd hoped.

It is interesting. I can pick out materials and items for clients all day long, but when it comes time to commit for my own house, I am the worst of the worst of clients. I changed my mind countless times, visited pretty much every stoneyard in the area and even after making the commitment, agonized over whether or not I had made the right decision.

See, I've had in my head my dream kitchen for years. If you look at my Pinterest Kitchen boards you'll see the one thing that most of them have in common: Carrara Marble. It is absolutely beautiful in person. White and gray with stunning veining and movement. It isn't over-powering, but it definitely demands attention.

But, I cook -- a lot. I have kids.
Marble does not like either of those scenarios. It stains, etches and can even chip.

So, I had to get over my "dream kitchen" in my head and switch gears a bit. When I saw this quartzite, I was immediately intrigued. It was still a little busier than I'm usually attracted to, but it had incredible movement and "veining" instead of the splotches that granite typically has.
It also had some great colors to work with. Instead of just white and a light gray, it also has dark grays, black, a little brown and tan and even a slight grayish-green tone in some of the veins.
Bonus for Luke: it was A LOT cheaper than the marble I had fallen in love with. ;)

Now that it is in, I can make some more decisions about cabinet colors, hardware and lighting. It really is the jumping-off point for the entire kitchen -- now everything else should be a little easier to commit to. (Or so I'd like to tell myself.) I really am the worst client.