Kitchen

Our kitchen has been done for a while.  Here are some pictures before we got it all messy with cooking and fun.

November 19, 2010 -- Passed inspection

We passed the final inspection (with 2 minor things to fix) so we can finally  ;-) begin living in our new home!!!

September 23, 2010 -- Day 382 -- Goodbye shared walls forever!

Today is the day that James and I say goodbye to sharing a wall with neighbors, stinky and otherwise.  Today, we're completely vacating the apartment (keep your fingers crossed that we get a deposit back).  The timing couldn't be better-3 new groups of renters just moved into the building.  The building is only 8 units and for the past 6 months or so, 3 of them have been empty.  This emptiness means less noise, less stenchiness, less chance that you'll want to use the clothes washing machine and it will be full.  Within a few days of new people moving in, we noticed a difference in the amount of smells that would waft around the building.  What it is about onions cooking that smells so nice at 7pm but so disgusting and gross at 7am?

This isn't to say that only rental apartments are stinky.  Many of you have heard my tales of my previous condo and my neighbors, "The Rasputins".  They smelled so much that one night the fire department was called!  When I went to the door to answer the knock of the firefighters, my neighbor, Rasputin, also answered his door.  The firefighter says, "There's been a report of a strange smell".  I'm guessing he was thinking of a gas leak, noxious fumes, toxic waste...something like that.  "Oh" says Mr. Rasputin, "that's us.  We had a stove incident."  Really?  A stove incident?  Like, you tried to cook something disgusting and it stenched up the complex?  S-U-R-P-R-I-S-E

Another stinky time, James and I came home to the condo and parked my car.  My parking spot was about 100 yards from my door.  Not close, but not too far.  We got out of the car and smelled mermaid.  Dead mermaid to be exact.  There was a smell in the air that smelled exactly like what a dead, old mermaid would smell like.  We kept walking and the mermaid smell got stronger.  We got to my front door and discovered that the smell was coming from The Rasputins condo-their door wide open for all to smell.  GROSS!!

No more shared walls for us!  Yahoo!!!!!

September 16 -- Day 377

Whew!  We've been living at the house for a couple weeks now.  Even though there is still work to be done, we're so grateful that we've moved in.  There are lots of boxes in the house and the garage but we're sorting through them to decide what to keep, what to sell, and what to throw away.  I decided that my volleyball trophy from 1992 was a throw-away, but I just can't part with the one from 1991.
James has had a great time being able to grill on our outdoor Weber grill again.  I look forward to getting out our new Kitchen-Aid stand mixer and making pasta and other baking jobs.
More pictures will come soon.

August 26, 2010 -- Day 357

No photos for you today.  But, it's a good thing.  The reason I can't post photos is because the floors are being finished today and I haven't been able to walk on them for the past week.
The house had hardwood floors throughout, except for the kitchen and bathroom.  They were in pretty good shape-only a few patches here and there.  We decided to keep the floors as they were and extend the hardwood into the kitchen.  The floors are ash, which we couldn't find anywhere in California.  We had the wood shipped from Ohio or Michigan or somewhere else I've never been.  They arrived, rested in the house, and then were installed.  We also had the installer sand and refinish the rest of the floor in the dining room, living room, and hallway.
This weekend, James will install the kitchen appliances and we'll move in!  We have a lot of things to move from our old apartment and my storage unit so we'll be moving things for the next month. 
The end is near!!!

August 10, 2010 -- Day 341 -- Before's and After's

We have had so much work done in the past few weeks I barely know where to start!  I'll start outside and work my way in, like I do when I eat sandwiches.  =)

We had the driveway and the walkways replaced.
Before:

Cracking asphalt.  It was difficult to park on and really difficult to roll the garbage can out.

After:

Smooth concrete.  We integrated the walkway with the driveway, thereby widening the driveway.  The walkways weren't in bad shape but they were a bit boring, so we had them re-done and added some striping to make them more interesting.

Our next step is to figure out what plantings we want to do in the front yard.

In the back, we had our patio made.  It's also concrete, but it's stamped concrete so it has an interesting texture and some more shapes in it than just regular concrete.

James is currently using the patio for a work area, but once we move in, we'll be sure to BBQ all the time.  Maybe I'll invite you over, if you're good.  Maybe.

On to the inside.  The bathroom is basically completed.  Below are a before and after of the sink area.  James did most of the installation in the bathroom and almost all of the design.  He's created a gorgeous bathroom and we both can't wait till we move in.
Before:

Wall hung sink.  The words that come to mind to describe this sink are: sad, hospital, tiny.  I'm sure it worked well for Veronica (the previous owner) but James splashes far too much for this to be useful.

After:

Marble vanity.  James (and I) will be able to splash all we want.  The new sink/vanity is on the opposite wall from the previous sink.  It has more counter space, more storage beneath, and classic sconces on each side.

We also replaced the laundry room.  The house had a large laundry room when all we really need is a laundry in a closet.  Take a look below at before and after.

....and after.  Front loaders are more energy efficient and stack easily.

Now, the kitchen.  When we look at pictures of the previous kitchen, it's so hard to believe the new kitchen is the same space.  Take a look and see for yourself.

Before:

After:

The appliances and the floor are not yet installed, but you get the basic idea.  The countertops are brushed granite, the backsplash is travertine subway tiles, and the island top is alder wood planks.  James did almost all of this work himself (we hired a subcontractor to install the countertops).  He even fabricated the island top out of 5" alder planks.  He stained it to work with the rest of the kitchen and we both love it.  Maybe I'll invite you over to see it sometime.  Maybe.

All in all, it's been a long process and we're so glad it's almost finished!  We have to have the floors installed (the wood is ash and NOWHERE in California sells ash, we had to order it from Ohio or Montana or somewhere that I've never been), and install the appliances and then we move in!  Should only be a few more weeks!

JOY!!!

July 30 -- Day ?!?! -- Concrete work

A few days ago, we had all of the concrete and asphalt removed from the driveway, walkways and patio in the backyard.  I can't believe that 30 years of solid rock was removed in mere hours.  It was so quick there wasn't any time to get pictures!  Tree roots had split the asphalt driveway so we're getting a new concrete driveway.  The walkways were old and sagging so we're getting new concrete walkways.  And, the patio in the backyard was that old style red painted concrete.  So, we're getting a new stamped concrete patio.  We had to move the patio as well, to make it accessible by our new french doors.  See photo  =)

We plan on doing lots of alfresco cooking and dining on our patio.  It's shady in the afternoons and evenings and Santa Clara often has a really nice breeze in the evenings.  Can't wait!!!

July 21, 2010 -- Day 326 -- Kitchen Work

James installed the microwave into the cabinet.  The oven will be below the microwave.  All of the appliances are stainless steel, with black and chrome accents so the will all work nicely together.

Here's an up-close image of the backsplash.  It's hard to see all of the colors in this picture, but the backsplash looks really nice with the black countertops and the white cabinets.

These are the handles that we'll put on all the cabinets.  We really liked the chrome finish and the top molding on the handles imitates the molding on the cabinets.  Also, there were handles just like this at Renovation Hardware for 3 times the price!! James is an excellent shopper.

July 6, 2010 -- Day 306 -- Bathroom!!!

All of the bathroom tiles are in and grouted.  Take a look below for some before and after pictures...

Before

After....well, during really.

During.

This is the floor of the shower.  We chose tiles that are made to look like stone.  We thought they brought an element of nature and whimsy into the bathroom.  

This is the floor tile for the rest of the bathroom.  It's a dark brown with a "wool" pattern.  The very slight pattern gives the bathroom a textural feeling.  LOVE IT!

June 26, 2010 -- Day 296 -- Countertops installed, and we LOVE them

Our countertops are in!!!!!  We chose a granite called Absolute Black.  The finish is a brushed finish.  It's not dull like a chalkboard, but it's not shiny like a 1980s black granite either.  It's got a little bit of texture and feels great under the hand.  The farmhouse sink was a great find and since we bought the floor model, we saved money.  The sink is deep and very big.  It also has a slight curve in the front which looks incredible with the rest of the kitchen.

You can see the texture in the photo above.  The granite is not as gray as it appears in the picture, it's more black with some gray, brown, and blue undertones.

This is the edge of the countertop.  The different colors really show in the edge.

This is where the microwave and oven will go.  We're thrilled with how the countertops turned out, they've become one of our most favorite parts of the house.

June 6, 2010 -- Day 276

It's our one year wedding anniversary!  Happy Anniversary to me and James.

Now, on to the house updates...

We hired a subcontractor to work on the windows and the French doors.  We installed the French doors in the middle bedroom (the room that will be the office).  The house used to have a laundry room with the only door out to the yard.  We got rid of that laundry room and gave half of the space to the bathroom and half to the kitchen.  So, we needed a new way to get out to the yard.  We both love the look of French doors so decided to go with them.  The picture above is from the inside of the house and the picture below is from the back of the house on the outside (where the patio will be.)

We also installed the garden window in the kitchen.  We plan to grow herbs and orchids in the window. It will be such a relief to be able to cut basil right from the plant instead of going to the store to buy way more than we need and throw away half of the container.  See below for the picture of the garden window from the outside of the house.

May 31, 2010 -- Day 270 -- Lots of progress

We've been busy! Well, James has been really busy and I've been a little bit busy.

Above is the tile for the tub surround in the bathroom. It's far from finished, but this picture gives an idea of what it will look like. The subway tiles are a gorgeous tan/cream/brown marble and the accent tile is a geometric gray pattern.

James has installed and painted all of the kitchen cabinets. The cabinet above is where the stove and microwave oven will go.

This is the cabinet where the fridge will live. We bought a stainless steel side by side fridge for a great price. Here's a tip-go fridge shopping in April, when last years models are deeply discounted. We saved hundreds of dollars this way and got a nicer model than we had planned.

We're currently shopping around for countertops for the kitchen. We plan on using a black granite and want to find the best price and the best fabricators!

More soon.....

April 27, 2010 -- Day 234

Yesterday, we bought our kitchen cabinets! We bought directly from a supplier called HD Supply so the price was incredible! Half the price of a typical kitchen cabinet remodel. The cabinets are being delivered in a couple days and then James will install them. It took a lot of work to figure out the exact layout, especially for me, because I can't picture things unless they're right in front of me. Thank you, ISFJ. Fortunately, James made a drawing for me so I could see exactly what we were doing. He's such a Picasso.
We've chosen unfinished maple for our cabinets and will be painting them white/off-white. We love the look of wood cabinets but the finishes that are in style change every few years. In the 80s and 90s, light wood was stylish, right now dark wood is more stylish. We hope that white cabinets will always be in style so we won't have to remodel in 10 years. We're putting glass doors on a couple of the cabinets, to add to the style and interest of the cabinetry.
We're getting closer and closer!!!

April 22, 2010 -- Day 229

The walls are back in! We're a day away from the drywall installation being finished. The difference is unbelievable. I'm really able to picture what the house will look like now, as opposed to a week ago where it was all exposed wood and wires.
Also, big news, we bought our kitchen appliances and they should be delivered on Saturday. We chose all Frigidaire appliances. A side by side stainless steel fridge (the most grown up fridge I've ever owned!), a gas range with a convection oven and a microwave and dishwasher. The fridge was last years model that will no longer be sold, so we got around a $400 discount. In addition, there are all kinds of rebates that we're going to apply for. We're so excited about our new appliances. I even got misty-eyed in the middle of Lowe's.

April 6, 2010 -- Day 213 -- Inspection Passes!

I had no doubts James' work would pass inspection, it was just a matter of getting all the loose ends tied up and getting the inspector out. Our electrical, plumbing, gas line, framing, mechanical all passed inspection. The next step is getting our PG&E account set up so we can apply for some rebates. Also, getting the walls put back up!

April 2, 2010 -- Day 209 -- The weeds, the blasphemous weeds.

Above is a picture of our yard with lots and lots of weeds growing. These weeds grew up upwards of 3 feet tall in only a few months! James and I pulled them out and then covered the ground with plastic. We read about this technique for getting rid of weeds in an organic weed removal book. What should happen is that the ground will heat up to 120-130 degrees and kill all of the remaining roots and seeds. We'll be leaving the plastic on for a few months

to get the roots good and burned up!

April 2, 2010 -- Day 209 -- Some more progress

Here's our drywell. The drywell was built to help drain the water discharge from our water softener. First, I used the jackhammer to break up some concrete from the walkway, then James and I dug down about 4 feet. James then installed the drain pipes. The next step is to fill it up with small rocks and cover it with soil. The water will drain from the softener into the well and then dissipate into the surrounding soil. It was a lot of digging. A lot.

March 1, 2010 -- Day 179 -- Furnace work

James has spent the past few days working on installing the duct work for our new furnace. The old furnace was in the floor, in the middle of the house, with 2 vents coming up from the floor. This isn't a very efficient way to heat the house because 1)it's a very low efficiency furnace and 2)if you want to heat a room, the door to the room has to be open. Either way, the furnace was no longer functional so we had to replace it. We decided on a forced air heating system, with the furnace up in the attic. This means installing ducting in the attic and making cut-outs in the ceiling of each room for the air ducts.
We should be ready soon to have the furnace installed up in the attic!

February 4, 2010 -- Day 154 -- Insulation

One of the things we really like about the house is that it will be very energy efficient once we put in new windows and insulation. Well, putting in new insulation means removing the old insulation. The insulation is so old that it doesn't do a good job insulating. Installing new insulation on top of it would just be a big mess so James gets to scoop out the old insulation. It's blown-in insulation so must be bagged and removed. He's worked for a few hours so far and has removed about 8 big black garbage bags!
We'll be re-roofing within the next 2 years, so will install the new insulation after re-roofing. A bonus to installing new insulation is that the City of Santa Clara has a rebate that we will apply for.

January 20, 2010 -- Day 139 -- Gas Line

Instead of being out in the rain, lucky James has spend the past few days crawling under the house putting in the new gas line. Lucky is sarcastic because under the house is a dirty, yucky, generally unpleasant place to be. This is according to James, because I'm far too afraid to go under the house.
The previous owner had a gas line for the water heater and the furnace only. The furnace was a floor furnace (that appears to not have been functional for years) with only 50% efficiency and the water heater was a 30 gallon heater in a closet. We're buying a high efficiency furnace and installing it in the attic. We've also bought a 50 gallon water heater and moved it out to the garage. In addition, we're installing a gas fireplace, gas oven and range, and gas clothes dryer-hence the necessity for work on the gas line.
The gas is turned off during this whole process so there's no need to worry about James' safety. Also, the way to test if there's a leak in the gas line is pretty amusing. You hook up all the pipes, turn the gas on, then rub liquid soap at the connections. If the soap bubbles, you have a leak! If no bubbles, no leaks. I'm not sure why, with my fear of foam, this is so hilarious to me, but it is.