Time for a New Look

I’m sorry I’ve been absent here on the interweb.  I do want to thank all of you for continuing to read my meanderings here and have stuck with me through my absence. Lots of things have been going on and it has kept me from being able to do my normal amount of paper crafting.  It will continue to be a bit spotty still for a while, the reason for which I’ll explain below. While I was gone, the awesome team at Inetgrant Services who support my website redesigned my logo and web look for me.  It was due for a refresh and I love the new clean look.

First, my dad was put into hospice about a month ago for Acute Leukemia.  He was diagnosed last fall and underwent three months of treatments with no success.  He and my mother, along with the doctors, have decided it is time to just be comfortable.  He has had a very good long life and is at peace with the decision.  There has been an out pouring of visitors from all over, coming to see them.  What a great gift to be given the opportunity to see all those people meaningful in your life while you are able to enjoy them.  I have been spending time with my folks over these last few weeks, they live three hours away, and will continue to do so while they go through this final journey, thus my continued sparse postings.

Secondly, my husband and I decided to remodel our kitchen.  Ok, to be fair, it was me who decided, and told my husband we were going to. Some of you may remember that I do my crafting in my kitchen.  So when my contractor informed me it was time to empty out the entire room so they could work, I lost my craft space.  Not to mention every other space in my house being covered with things from my kitchen.  It was a mess.  The basics of the remodel were to paint the cabinets, replace the countertop and sink and add a new backsplash.  Of course there were little things too, like including a built-in microwave, new under-counter lighting, painting the ceiling and all the walls.  Ready for some pictures?

BEFORE

The kitchen is large, 14 x 20, but had a dated 1990’s look, which make sense since that’s when the house was built.  Oak cabinets and flooring, tile countertop.  I actually put in the tile countertop back in 1999 to cover up the Pepto-Bismol colored pink formica.  Yes, Pink.  Everywhere!!!  You can see my craft space on the right.  And, no I didn’t tidy up these pictures,  I was taking them right before I had to empty things out so you unfortunately, it’s the lived in look.

Sink and eating area came in handy for when the grand kids were here or I had craft workshops.

I’ve always liked the layout of the kitchen, with the island and the placement of the sink, stove and fridge, but the microwave sat on the counter and took up space.  Originally it was probably supposed to sit on the shelf there above it, but my model didn’t fit there.

AFTER

The cabinets were painted in a dark brown/purple color called Raisin from Sherman Williams.  The same color is found in the granite I selected. A closer look at the paint color is below.

The microwave was replaced with a built in over the stove model.  A new full size cabinet replaced the shelf.  New farm house sink in stainless steel. Note, the cabinet doors under the sink are missing.  My carpenter had to build new ones to fit the new sink and he hasn’t installed them yet at the time of this picture.  I just couldn’t wait to share.

The backsplash is stainless steel pressed ‘tin-type’ from Lowes, made by Armstrong.  Each sheet is 18.5″ x 48.5 ” long and installed with adhesive.  Using electric tin-snips made cutting this metal much easier and more precise.

The purple undertones really come out in the paint when the sun hits it.  The granite is called MAORI.  You can see the dots of purple in the granite as well while the gray in the granite pulls in the backsplash. I used a different type of granite, SUCURI, on the island.  It blended with the rest but added some contrast.

The remainder of the walls around the windows and above the cabinets were painted in Hush White, also from Sherman Williams.  It has a pink undertones that compliment the cabinets and the rest of the living room.

The project still has some little things to be completed, like the doors under the sink and some trim, but the majority of it was done in a month.  I hired a contractor to manage the entire project, he did my master bath remodel last year, and he hired a sub-contractor to do the painting and cabinet work.  I know some people have painted cabinets themselves but I wasn’t up for all of that and I’m glad I didn’t.  The cabinets look like they were factory painted and I know will last.

Thanks for letting me share my project today.  If you have any questions about any of the work of selections I made just drop me a comment or email.

Lynn

StampingwithAverysOwlery@gmail.com