*Photo from Elle Decor
Sunday, March 27, 2011
The List
Since we've decided not to hire a general contractor to oversee our kitchen renovation, we're trying to line up and bid out all of our vendors on our own. We are making some progess, though. Here's the list of things we need to figure out before we start demoing:
Decide on our new kitchen layout--I think we're almost there. An IKEA kitchen designer came out this week and made a few suggestions about the plan we had created in the IKEA software.
Decide on the style/maker of our cabinets--We decided that we are going with the IKEA ADEL cabinets in medium brown. We're also going with a company that IKEA works with regularly for the installation.
Choose an electrician--We had a couple of electricians give us estimates over the past couple weeks and we're pretty sure we found the company we're going to work with. We're planning on rewiring the kitchen to fit our new layout, installing can lighting in the kitchen, and replacing the two breaker boxes for the house. Cause they're old. And a fire hazard. And they are some things in them that are way against code. Way to go, previous owners.
Choose someone to renovate the terrazzo flooring in the kitchen--We decided that, instead of putting down new flooring, we'd just shine the terrazzo that's already in the kitchen. I actually found someone to do this last summer when we were thinking about restoring all the terrazzo in the house. We're only going to do the kitchen right now, though--200 bucks to do the whole kitchen. Not bad.
Choose someone to drywall/reframe the parts of the kitchen wall we're taking out--Still trying to decided on this.
Choose a plumber--The plumbing we're doing isn't that major: we're moving the dishwasher and we need to install shut-off valves under the sink before we start taking the kitchen apart. Still trying to decide on this.
Those are the biggies. I'm hoping we can start demoing by the end of April. And we need to order our cabinets by May 1st--that's when the great 20% discount goes away at IKEA!
Decide on our new kitchen layout--I think we're almost there. An IKEA kitchen designer came out this week and made a few suggestions about the plan we had created in the IKEA software.
Decide on the style/maker of our cabinets--We decided that we are going with the IKEA ADEL cabinets in medium brown. We're also going with a company that IKEA works with regularly for the installation.
Choose an electrician--We had a couple of electricians give us estimates over the past couple weeks and we're pretty sure we found the company we're going to work with. We're planning on rewiring the kitchen to fit our new layout, installing can lighting in the kitchen, and replacing the two breaker boxes for the house. Cause they're old. And a fire hazard. And they are some things in them that are way against code. Way to go, previous owners.
Choose someone to renovate the terrazzo flooring in the kitchen--We decided that, instead of putting down new flooring, we'd just shine the terrazzo that's already in the kitchen. I actually found someone to do this last summer when we were thinking about restoring all the terrazzo in the house. We're only going to do the kitchen right now, though--200 bucks to do the whole kitchen. Not bad.
Choose someone to drywall/reframe the parts of the kitchen wall we're taking out--Still trying to decided on this.
Choose a plumber--The plumbing we're doing isn't that major: we're moving the dishwasher and we need to install shut-off valves under the sink before we start taking the kitchen apart. Still trying to decide on this.
Those are the biggies. I'm hoping we can start demoing by the end of April. And we need to order our cabinets by May 1st--that's when the great 20% discount goes away at IKEA!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Front Yard Facelift, Part II
I made some progress with my front yard project this weekend.
I put down some weed barrier and started planting the shrubs (one row of japanese boxwood and a smaller row of loropetalum) I still need to make another Lowe's run and get a few more plants, but it's lookin' pretty good, I think.
I put down some weed barrier and started planting the shrubs (one row of japanese boxwood and a smaller row of loropetalum) I still need to make another Lowe's run and get a few more plants, but it's lookin' pretty good, I think.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Front Yard Facelift
So the bed directly in front of our front porch had some roses in it that I desperately tried to maintain (they were here when we moved in). I pruned, I weeded, I gave 'em love but I guess I just didn't have the green touch 'cause they eventually just ended up looking spindly and kind of blah. I recently entered such a malaise with that part of the yard that I just kind of gave up on it--sorry, roses.
Then I got so tired of looking at it that I finally took action (grrrr). I figured it was time to start over. Hey, new owners, new greenery. So I gutted the bed over the last couple days.
I'm going to plant some nice, easy-to-maintain hedges this weekend. I'll post some more pictures when it's all done.
Then I got so tired of looking at it that I finally took action (grrrr). I figured it was time to start over. Hey, new owners, new greenery. So I gutted the bed over the last couple days.
I'm going to plant some nice, easy-to-maintain hedges this weekend. I'll post some more pictures when it's all done.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Room of the Week
A little design inspiration from the world wide web. This week: the living room.
Love how they painted the backs of the built-ins.
* Photo from: Elle Decor.com
Love how they painted the backs of the built-ins.
* Photo from: Elle Decor.com
Ikea Fiedltrip
So the biggest structural thing we're planning on doing with the kitchen is opening up the wall between the kitchen and the living room. See the wall with the TV on it? Picture that as a half wall with a bar. We'd also be removing that white built-in bookcase to open up the corner between the kitchen and the dining room.
So, uh, got that? It's ok if you don't, because thanks to some handy-dandy Ikea kitchen planning software you can see it for yourself!
Ikea, you say? Well, we were actually supposed to have an appointment with a contractor on Saturday to get an estimate for the drywalling/reframing work, but the appointment fell through. Well, we thought, what other projects can we get done today? Enter the Ikea fieldtrip.
After we got one bid on cabinets a couple weeks ago, we came home and did more research. Turns out, according to Consumer Reports, the Diamond cabinets we were considering rate only a little better in quality than Ikea cabinets (out of 14 basic and premium cabinet brands they tested, Diamond came in at #3 and Ikea came in at #4). And Ikea cabinets are about half the price. And Ikea is running a 20%-off-your-entire-kitchen special right now (when you buy three appliances with them). It was starting to sound a little too good to pass up...
So we went on a little Ikea fieldtrip, played around with their model kitchens, and got some great ideas.
Those would be the cabinets we'd purchase if we go with Ikea.
Then we made an appointment for an Ikea kitchen planner to come out to our house to make sure the options we chose will work in our space. Robert rocks the Ikea planning software, by the way. We'll keep you posted on all the cabinet selection fun.
So, uh, got that? It's ok if you don't, because thanks to some handy-dandy Ikea kitchen planning software you can see it for yourself!
Ikea, you say? Well, we were actually supposed to have an appointment with a contractor on Saturday to get an estimate for the drywalling/reframing work, but the appointment fell through. Well, we thought, what other projects can we get done today? Enter the Ikea fieldtrip.
After we got one bid on cabinets a couple weeks ago, we came home and did more research. Turns out, according to Consumer Reports, the Diamond cabinets we were considering rate only a little better in quality than Ikea cabinets (out of 14 basic and premium cabinet brands they tested, Diamond came in at #3 and Ikea came in at #4). And Ikea cabinets are about half the price. And Ikea is running a 20%-off-your-entire-kitchen special right now (when you buy three appliances with them). It was starting to sound a little too good to pass up...
So we went on a little Ikea fieldtrip, played around with their model kitchens, and got some great ideas.
Those would be the cabinets we'd purchase if we go with Ikea.
Then we made an appointment for an Ikea kitchen planner to come out to our house to make sure the options we chose will work in our space. Robert rocks the Ikea planning software, by the way. We'll keep you posted on all the cabinet selection fun.
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