What I Did on my Summer Vacation: Kitchen Remodel (part 1)

It all started with the appliances. I've now lived in my house for twenty years (can that be possible???) and the appliances were not new when I moved in. The refrigerator had been making occasional little noises for quite a while, so I knew it was time to buy new ones. That was all I was going to do - spend my income tax refund and get new kitchen appliances: fridge, stove, dishwasher, and microwave.

My parents bought me this microwave back in 1988 when I was teaching in McBain, MI! It is one of my favorite gifts from them. It has been well used!

Then I started thinking. Maybe I should paint the kitchen walls as long as I was getting new appliances; update the look a little bit. And as long as I was updating, how about new countertops...and a new sink...and a new backsplash... Two months later, it's almost done - just waiting on some artwork and curtains to finish everything off. I ended up doubling my budget and then totally forgetting about a budget at all. But I love the finished room. And I don't plan on moving anytime soon, so I'll get to enjoy it.

For someone who doesn't do well with making decisions, I've come a long way - with a big thank you to some good friends who went shopping with me and gave me advice as well as a wonderful interior design consultant, Debbie Rooks, who told me what to get and where to get it! 

The kitchen remodel basically took on two different parts: what I did and what the experts did. This is what I did:

1. Paint the kitchen as well as the mudroom and hallway. Not a fun job!

Toby was definitely curious about the paint

2. Change the hardware on all the cupboards: 254 screws unscrewed and then 254 new screws put on. It seems like such a little thing, but it makes a huge difference in the finished kitchen. (Of course the holes didn't fit exactly with the new hinges.)

I did all the handles first and then started on the hinges

3. I decided this would be a good time to clean out and rearrange all the cupboards. Oh my - I found things in the back of cupboards I didn't even know I had! (The local mission resale store got several boxes of "collectables.") I reorganized everything and applied a few Pinterest ideas as well. 

 (in progress)

I bought new canisters, containers for boxes/mixes, and turntables for baking things. Every cupboard is now organized; we'll see how long it lasts!

This is what it looked like when my part was done; the painting, hardware change, and cupboard reorganization took about 2 weeks. Next post - the experts come.