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January 2014

It turns out that my somewhat-celebratory post about getting over the hump regarding our kitchen renovation was premature at best, fate-defying at worst. While I was in Boston, much progress was made, as seen by these photos. The cabinetry is in place, and there is finally a sense of what it will look and feel like when complete. This is the moment I was really waiting for, and it comes with a bit of relief, as I was worried the dark wood and additional line of cabinets would close things in too much. The removal of the wall between the dining room and kitchen, however, achieved the desired effect of effectively opening the space up.

As wonderful as all this was to see, it did not come without a price. That price was the fingertip of one of the workers, who accidentally sawed it off in our garage. Being that I was away in Boston, I didn’t hear the screams. Andy did, but by the time he made it to the other side of the house the poor guy was already en-route to the hospital. They said it was just the tip, but isn’t that what all guys say? What’s worse is that they couldn’t find it anywhere in the garage. I was assured that they did an extra-thorough job of sweeping up that day, but I’m still waiting for the thing to come crawling into the house and begging haunting us forever. (I didn’t ask which finger.)

Aside from that bloody snafu, the project looks to remain on schedule, with the template for the granite countertop being measured and designed, hopefully before the storm delays anything. Once that happens, there’s a typical-two-week waiting period for the granite to be cut. Everyone has said that was the toughest wait, and I think that might be true. The first waves of renovation fatigue are starting to kick in. I may have to make one more trip to Boston… or somewhere else.

It’s far too soon to say we’re out of the kitchen woods just yet, but when you have a visible bit of final-product – like the floor and the cabinetry seen below, it gives one more joy that would reasonably be warranted. At the time of these photos, the contractor said they were about half-way through the project. That was quite the happy bit of news, as it seemed rather early. I was not about to complain about that though, and if things have progressed accordingly then by the time this post goes up we may be ready to have the granite countertop template set into motion.

At my insistence, we went with the large (24”) tile size for the floor, set on a diagonal. Andy was against it at first, despite my explanation that it would make the space appear larger (he didn’t believe me until the woman at the tile store said the same exact thing – story of my life). Now we’re both thrilled with it, and the shininess, while making for a more slippery surface, reflects all the wonderful recessed lighting from above. My only concern with the darker wood color (I fought for white, but compromised my ass off whether anyone admits it or not) was that it would darken the space too much. Thanks to the floor and the lighting, however, my concerns were abated. Of course, I’m saying that before having seen the rest of the cabinets installed…

The way things look, however, is a jolt in the right direction, and though I still may have to visit Boston for a few more weekends, I feel like we’re over the hump.

In a strange way, part of me will miss the planning and the in-between flux of construction. It’s a nightmare and a headache and a dirty and dusty bit of work, but it carried with it the hope of what was to come. Once it’s all done, that will be it. But then the cooking can begin, and the gathering of friends and family, and, finally, the warmth of a home centered around the kitchen.

The kitchen renovation, while somewhat annoying, has not (to date, knock on a boner) been the traumatic experience that some people warned us about. A few minor issues aside, we seem to be on track for the original schedule to unfold as planned. That alone is impressive and worthy of gratefulness – and don’t think we don’t appreciate it.

It’s also been surprisingly uneventful being without a kitchen. The absence of running water is mildly bothersome, but we managed to set up the refrigerator and microwave in the family room, and it turns out we do more take-out than I realized. Minor adjustments on all fronts.

In the early days of moving the window and re-doing the ceiling, there were a few moments of chilly weather that seeped into the place, and when the tile floor was initially laid down we couldn’t walk on it for a day and night (resulting in the strange set-up of having to walk outside to go to bed at night). But with some pre-planning and preparation even that wasn’t a big deal.

I will admit that I miss cooking. We had a snowstorm a few weeks ago and the only thing I wanted to do while cooped up all day was make a collection of comfort food. I’d grown accustomed to trying out new fish dishes and other meals, and there really isn’t a possibility for any kind of food preparation at this time.

Yet the pay-off will be well worth it, and we’re already starting to see the results. The wall I’d wanted gone for twelve years is now history. The dining room walls, and a bit of the kitchen, have been repainted for the first time in as many years as well. (A subtle shade of green called, quite unironically, ‘Quietude’.)

The orange floor you see here is actually the “membrane” that they use as the base to hold the plaster (at least I think that’s what it is – Andy lost me in the translation). For a moment I didn’t want to change it, but cooler heads and pre-ordered tiles prevailed.

Coming up next, the orange goes away, and the first hint of cabinetry appears…

Most years I like to open in a quiet way, silently contemplating the stillness of the morning, gently sipping a cup of green tea while outside a red cardinal sits perched in a bush. This year will be different, and I’m opening it with a bang: the renovation of our kitchen, still in progress. While most of the major noise and banging has been completed, there is much work yet to be done, as the next series of posts will attest.

Luckily, there is a bang-up group of gentlemen who have been working on the project: Skylands Services. I cannot say enough good things about them. Not only are they on top of their game (as of this writing things have remained tightly on schedule, and the work has been executed flawlessly), they are also an affable and friendly group of guys who entertain concerns and questions with courtesy and aplomb.

When we indicated a possible change in plans and questioned whether a doorway opening we had originally laid out was big enough, they explained that not only was a vent in the way, but that the size was good because it left each side of equal proportions, thereby lending balance to the dining room area. (I’m fine with most issues if a decent explanation is made.)

Aside from their obvious expertise in such matters, they also clean up at the end of every day. We didn’t realize the importance of this until they did it, and we didn’t have to worry about tracking dust and debris throughout the rest of the house.