Kitchen Update

[c9]

For those eagerly awaiting, nay, breathlessly anticipating an update on the status of our kitchen, here you go.

Ceiling:

• stucco ceiling: completely gone, replaced with occasionally bare concrete and some leftover plaster
• then that was replaced with both plaster-type crack filler and marshmallow-type crack filler
• then that was replaced with an almost perfectly flat ceiling painted with primer
• then that was replaced with an almost perfectly flat ceiling painted with paint. Yay!
• Still to do: replace crappy light fixture with nicer one from dining room (little spotlights)

Walls:

• crappy spatter pattern from previous owner replaced with multiple layers of white paint that didn't hide the radioactive shit she used (October)
• then that was replaced with multiple layers of DrumBeat dark red paint that didn't hide the radioactive shit she used (October)
• then that was partly peeled off as we discovered that the room was never primed in the first place (June)
  
• then that was partly fixed up with plaster-type crack filler stuff, then sanded by our very professional friend Mark
• then that was covered up with the yellow paint leapfish chose that I can't remember the name of, applied by our excellent painters Mark and leapfish
• Still to do: another layer of yellow to hide the red that's peeking through, plus touchups when we remove the final countertop piece that's still in place.

Cabinets:

• old "European-style cabinets" (ack ack ack) removed, except for the walls around the dishwasher and sink, mostly because I was afraid to pretend to be a plumber without help around
• new IKEA cabinets have arrived (all except the missing glass door, which still has not shown up Update: glass door arrived a couple minutes ago, must check to ensure they sent the right one.)
• six out of fourteen cupboards have been assembled (no shelves, doors, hinges or drawers yet), sitting on floor and furniture in guest room, confusing the cats

Counters:

• old counter removed except for over dishwasher and sink, those will go as late as possible (maybe tonight if we make good time)
• new counter is solid black, ordered but not yet cut to fit, those measurements will happen tonight if we make good time, which I hope we do since I'd hate to leave Vinny to have to deal with this crap while I'm in Halifax
• must remember to raise counter a bit so that we can still put in new flooring under the fridge, stove and dishwasher and not cause problems later on.

Floors:

• old linoleum still there, but its days are numbered. It's covered in paint drops too.
• Eventually we'll remove the old linoleum, replace it with laminate (easy) or with ceramic tile (harder). I'm leaning toward easy, cause I just want this all to be done!
• Should I remove the linoleum tonight and leave us with bare concrete for a month? Hmmm.
  

To Do:

• buy a sink
• buy a faucet thingie
• book the plumber for "err ummm maybe Tuesday we think ummm..."

Just writing this update was exhausting. Phew!

Comments

[rebelprince26.livejournal.com]

i suggest ceramic tile floors. it's harder, yes, but it looks nicer and is more durable. how exciting! post pictures!

[c9.livejournal.com]

I agree... I'm just soooo tired. :)

Pictures will appear once I have the full sequence. Right now the pictures consist of: pre-purchase, red walls, half-yellow walls. I want to have finished walls with cabinets and all that to show off.

[primary-suspect.livejournal.com]

Ceramic looks nice but it is also much colder on the feet so in the winter and if you have AC in the summer and don't like cold feet, you might want to avoid this. Also cleaning up is a bit harder with ceramic as well if you spill something you are cooking.

[c9.livejournal.com]

True. We have slippers though. So maybe if I come up with an easy way to do the tiles.

[primary-suspect.livejournal.com]

You can also get heated tiles... ;-)

[c9.livejournal.com]

This is a condo -- our options are limited by not being able to tear out entire walls and such -- or at the very least, not being willing to. Heated tiles might be fun, but also might be overkill.

Actually, now that I consider it, I don't know where we'd get the power. Things are kinda limited. Hmmm.

I need to win the lottery. :)

[primary-suspect.livejournal.com]

Bah, minor details...

You don't need to tear out walls for that, you put the elements under the tiles before you put them down. I bet there is electricity in the kitchen you can hook into. ;-)

[c9.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I've seen it done, we just don't have any electricity *nearby*. We're already playing fast and loose to change the lighting a bit, plus I don't have a good sense of how much spare power we have, that's all.

[simplisticton.livejournal.com]

six out of fourteen cupboards have been assembled (no shelves, doors, hinges or drawers yet), sitting on floor and furniture in guest room, confusing the cats

Confused, nothing. They're just trying to figure out which room belongs to whom. Cat rooms are much smaller than human rooms and fit inside things like dressers and drawers :-)

[c9.livejournal.com]

They're been kinda antsy during construction actually. Action Cat, whenever nervous, jumps into his cardboard box and stays there until things have calmed down. It's cute.

[gregr92.livejournal.com]

I have a kitchen in dire need of renovation, *hint hint*

[c9.livejournal.com]

Sure! I charge $100/hour.