How did I get here? It seems I've wanted a new kitchen forever. I bought my classic arts and crafts bungalow nearly 15 years ago in NW Denver's Harkness Heights neighborhood (part of the larger Berkeley neighborhood). It's truly my dream home. I used to live around the corner, and would walk by all the time and quietly say to myself "Someday I want to own THAT house." Luckily, it worked out.
Back before I moved in, I did a fair amount of remodeling. With the help of my friend, Rob Fisher with New West Architecture, I tore down walls and created a master suite, tore out the ugly green carpet and refinished the hardwood floors, updated lighting fixtures, and generally whipped the place into shape after 75 years of bad design choices and deferred maintenance by previous owners. But I ran out of time and money, and didn't do much to the kitchen at the time, choosing to live with the cheap white cabinets and laminate countertops "for a while."
Instead, during the last decade, my partner Mark and I have pretty much updated everything else in the house. New landscaping and paint, a new roof, and even new sidewalks and driveway, all to spruce up and maintain the exterior. We've re-painted every room in the house at least once. And after the floors in the basement started sagging, we gutted and re-built the entire space (that's a whole OTHER story).
But the kitchen remains. The last great frontier.
Why have I waited so long? Funny. For me, a kitchen is the critical room in anyone's home. The warm, gooey center of domestic activity. Where the action happens. Where the big decisions are made. And of course, where you cook! I love to cook. My Mom is a great cook. I grew up with great food all around me. Where we planned dinner as we were eating breakfast. As a result, my three sisters and I are also pretty good in the kitchen. It's in our DNA.
So why do we still have a dark, drafty, inadequate, cramped kitchen? Don't get me wrong. As you can see in these 'before' pictures, it's perfectly functional. It works. I cook there. I'm just whining a bit. OK. A lot. And over the years, we've done little things to spiff it up. And at first glance, it still "looks" fine. We replaced the crappy laminate with solid surface countertops. We hired my buddy Tim to install a tile back splash. We found some cool light fixtures to add some 'old school' charm. But the splash of bright blue paint we added to the walls doesn't hide the fact the appliances and cabinets are fading fast. The wimpy glass-top stove/oven sucks. The fridge no longer keeps food very cold. The faded cabinet doors are falling off the hinges. Somebody save me from this domestic disaster. (Oh, by the way, it's all for sale. Cheap. Gotta rental? Email me if are interested.)
I'm not quite sure what exactly made us finally decide to take action. It might have been the back-to-back holiday family gatherings last fall and winter that sent me over the edge. You know the ones: A backed-up garbage disposal on Thanksgiving just before 25 people crowd into the same tiny room, trying to simultaneously grab a glass of wine and a piece of cheese, all while you are attempting to prevent the gravy from burning.
So last January, after I calmed down from the holiday madness, I called up my architect buddy Rob. "We've lived with this long enough. Mark and I have decided we want to remodel the kitchen," I said. "If we start now, do you think we can have it finished this Spring?" Of course, we quickly learned of our naivete. Our simple "little kitchen project" wasn't so simple. And we had no idea it would take six months to plan, design, estimate and bid the project.
So that's where we are. About to start construction of our exciting new kitchen! As things start to get rolling this week, I thought I'd document our adventure on this blog, capturing all ups, and downs, and unexpected problems we're bound to encounter along the way. "Why in the world do you want to do that?," Mark asked me this morning. I think to maintain my sanity through the endeavor. A place to vent, or at least, "process." Wanna come along? Along the way, please chime in. Ask questions. Share your stories. You can even question my taste. It will be interesting. And fun. At least for you.
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