kitchen renovation - making progress

Well, sort of. We've finally decided on a layout, and we think this one will work.

The fridge will move a smidge to the right, the dishwasher will sit next to it, and then the sink. The (new) stove will also stay where it is, with a small cabinet on either side. From the doorway to the fridge will be one big L, with upper cabinets as well. We'll have a peninsula, too, with a few bar stools.

We've ordered the dishwasher and the range, and also a light fixture for over the dining table, plus matching pendants for the peninsula. This is the light fixture, and the pendants we chose are just single versions of the chandelier.

fun with magnets

Ages ago, I was inspired to put our spices in matching tins and organize them alphabetically (how else?) on some sort of magnetic surface. Before we moved, I got everything into the tins, but hadn't found the right spot to arrange them.

I've grown tired of digging through a big box for spices every time I'm cooking, so I finally broke out the glue gun and got to work. We still have quite a few spices in the box, but these should do it for now.

Of all the things I miss about our condo kitchen, the magnetic knife rack is one of bigger things. Since we moved in here, our poor knives have been jumbled up in a drawer with spatulas, wooden spoons, the pizza cutter, an ice cream scoop, and various other tools.

Ikea Hacker posted a hack using two magnetic knife racks from the Big Blue Box. We picked up a pair of the Gruntals a few weeks ago, and I finally got around to assembling them.

oh, christmas ficus

I was tempted to just Craiglist the ficus, but we gave it a good trim instead, and it looks great! We're determined to remember to rotate it occasionally, so it doesn't grow so lopsided.

We've added lights for Christmas, and we'll put ornaments on it once I pick up some hooks. I don't think this will always serve as our Christmas, but it makes sense this year.

the big kids table

The old pub table I picked up on Craigslist back in 2001 has served us well, but it was time to get a grown-up table.

We found this set a few weeks ago and had it delivered on Friday. The cushion fabric is kinda blah, so I'll get some cute new fabric at some point and recover them.

We're looking forward to serving Christmas dinner next week, without making our guests eat with their plates in their laps. We feel so grown-up!

now you see it...

Now you don't!

As we may have demonstrated once or twice before, the previous residents here at the Peralta Project didn't concern themselves much with asthetics. Hence the six feet of cable protruding from the guest room wall:

After borrowing tools from Rick (who else??), we now have a neat and clean little nub in the wall.

we're covered

Or, at least the living room is. Our new rug arrived on Friday. Looks like it will shed for a while, but it's the perfect size and very soft.

october 11 - procrastinate much?

Yes, it's been more than a month since we installed the baseboard moulding, and I'm finally getting around to finishing the job: spackling the nail holes, touching up the paint, and caulking the seams.

Before:

Anti-Climactic After:

october 6 - ready for company

Chez Yagi-Struth is now taking reservations.


Thanks to Papa Struth for the Restoration Hardware xmas gift certificate - we bought this lovely new lampshade.

september 6 - tool man yee

Gotta love friends with skills. Rick came over early Saturday morning with his fancy tools to help us cut and install the new baseboard moulding. Get out yer earplugs!

With the painting and moulding finished, the place is starting to look much better!

    

october 2 - it's easy being green

Our new sofabed arrived today - thanks Mama and Papa Struth for the birthday present! I swear it's only a coincidence that Chachi and I were both wearing green shirts...

august 29-31 - bring in the reinforcements

We haven't been super-productive, so Mama and Papa Struth came to help. It's Labor Day weekend and we labored!

More here. Whew!

august 18 - uh, no

We're not too pleased with the paint samples we chose, and neither is the horse.

       

august 17 - green thumb

Our sad little front planter:






3 lavender plants + fresh dirt + a little weeding =




Not bad for a morning's work.

august 12 - shhh, don't tell

Chachi discovered we have cable.

We decided not to put a tv in the living room, so our little Sony is stuck downstairs with all of the boxes. The Olympics started the other day and we're missing all of the action. Chachi noticed the cable wires outside looked, shall we say, unorthodox, so he tried hooking up our tv. Bingo!

   

august 9 - we need some dip

Chips, chips, and more chips. Paint chips, that is. We spent the morning at Fregosi paint store and here's what we have to show for it:

I want to pick colors based on the name of the chip, but that might not be the best strategy. I do like the Ocean City blue - it's the big chip on the right, between Simply White and Soft Pumpkin.

july 12 - moulding removal

The upstairs hardwood floors will be refinished and restained starting next week, and it was suggested that we remove the moulding before they start. Break out the pry bar and safety goggles!

Someone doesn't know his own strength.

Check out the fab seafoam green paint.

We also removed some of the "safety features" - the inside security gate and the bars on the windows - and cleaned the fridge.

    

More here.

july 24 - floors are done

And just in time - we're scheduled to move in 4 days.

july 4 - new fridge

You know how stores have big sales around each holiday? We could have found a great deal on a brand spankin' new fridge at Sears, Home Depot, Lowes...

Well, that would have been too easy. Instead, we found a beauty on Craigslist, and a guy to haul it for us. We should have taken him up on his offer to bring a friend to help. Instead, the walls (and Chachi) suffered a bit:

     

Just add it to the to-do list: Patch walls in the stairwell.

may 27 - we got it!

Our agent called around 9pm Italy time while we were on vacation with the other Struths to let us know we won the house at probate court!

Maybe we'll look for some Italian marble to bring back with us for the kitchen...

april 19 - bid

We wrote the bid with our agent this afternoon, then celebrated our 1st anniversary with a special dinner at Quince - in our wedding clothes!

april 16 - inspection day

Big day - a pest inspector came to see our potential new home, and I took lots of pictures. After all of the beautifully remodeled and expertly staged homes we've seen, this one is quite a change. We definitely noticed more work that needs to be done, but we're still going to bid. Fingers crossed!

More here.

july 25-28 - moving weekend

I had great intentions of sorting through all of our stuff before packing, separating items to keep, donate, and garage sale. Then all of a sudden we had only 2 days before the movers showed up, hence:

But Chachi was a big help:

The movers were great and the move itself went very smoothly. Now we're in and the house looks eerily similar to inspection day. Hmm.