A Kitchen Facelift

I hope that you had a good week.  Ours was a busy one and flew by. We are off to lunch today and to see A Man Called Otto.  I have been dying to see it.  

Today, as promised, I will give you a glance at our kitchen reno.  Unlike the one at our last home, this transition was a smooth one. The contractors actually showed up on time, did a stellar job, and cleaned up after themselves. 

When we looked at the house for the first time, there were so many things that I loved about the kitchen.  One was the cabinetry - the style and color.  An added bonus was they looked brand new inside.  There was absolutely no wear and tear on the inside of the cabinets, drawers, or shelves in the pantry.

I also loved the second dining area in the kitchen.  The previous owner sold us the gently-used new table chairs and rug. We moved in at the beginning of 2021.  The owners of our Mass. home bought almost all of our furniture.  In hindsight, I'm glad they did because this house has a whole new feel to it.

 

I also loved the bar chairs, which, incidentally, were spotless.

The owner was kind enough to sell us them as well.  We had to wait at least six to eight months for our new furniture.

After 30+ years of marriage and six homes, I pretty much had the Mister figured out.  I learned to gently introduce the renovations to the Mister a step at a time.  

For instance, I wasn't crazy about this fixture. So I would casually look around the kitchen with a big smile and say how much I loved the kitchen and then settle my eyes on the next object that will be voted off the island.  I would squint a little, cock my head, and ask him if he thought the fixture was a bit dated. He gave me a hard "no" before I finished the question. 

This ain't my first rodeo.  I've got nothing but time.  For the next few weeks, I would continue to squint at the fixture.  Casually, I would add a shake of the head, and last but not least, I delicately throw in the dynamic duo of a frown and an eye-roll.

Eventually, the Mister threw in the towel, no pun intended.

The funny thing about ordering online is no matter how much the Mister and I measure, we really couldn't tell how it would look.  Between you and me, I almost passed out when the two guys and one Mister were hanging the fixture.  

First of all, it was really heavy. 

Second of all, it was as big as a planet. 

No worries, Mister, I love it now.

I gave the Mister a few weeks off from my design critique, otherwise known as nagging.  I used those weeks to compliment "his" taste on the new planet light fixture. 

Next up in my target range ... the dining chairs.  The tribe has spoken... it's time for them to get reupholstered. Now all I need was approval.

I tried a different approach for this task.  Dirt and stains are the Mister's kryptonite.  So every chance I got, I would dab an imaginary spot.  Immediately, the Mister's ears would perk up he would be on high alert.  He would approach and supervise my mission.  I would then comment that between the dogs and (hopefully) grandchildren, these white chairs would look like they went through the wringer.

He finally came around and said that I had a point and said we should start looking for new chairs.  I said that I loved the chairs and that reupholstering them would be much more economical, one of the Mister's favorite words.  He agreed, and I told him he has the best ideas.

I waited about two minutes to tell him the good news.  I had found a performance fabric that would be perfect, and it was on sale!    

He had no words.

I just assume that he was thinking...

How did I get so lucky to find this magnificent woman?!

When the chairs arrived, I congratulated the Mister on his forethought and good taste.

We lived in marital bliss for weeks until I glanced over at the countertops and thought

  it's not you; it's me. 

The problem with the counters, I thought, was that they were too dark for the room.  We have very little natural light in the room. There are windows, but they are covered by the roof on the patio.  

I had to start my new mission:  Operation Countertops.

I knew his Achilles heel.  Every time the Mister was in the kitchen, I would make a concerted effort to walk through and pretend to spot splotch on the counter.  I would sigh and grab a sponge and murmur loudly that I could never tell if the counters were really clean.  His ears perked up, and he pretended to ignore me. 

I thought... am I losing my touch?

So  I began to tweak my strategy.  When he would get frustrated doing a fix-it job around the house, I would put a concerned look on my face.  And then I would ask if the reason he was short-tempered is that he hates our countertops.  

I repeated myself, and he did another head shake. 

The seed had been planted.

Let the nagging begin.

I mentioned countertops to the Mister at least once a day for about a month.  

My comments were met with deaf ears.

 

I then went a whole week with no mention of them.

I suggested we go out to dinner.  We enjoyed a bottle of wine, and before I knew it, he said it was probably a good idea to switch out the countertops.  I complimented his good judgment and keen eye for design.  

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

Within ten minutes of getting home, I called my friend/designer Lori of Lori Lynn Designs. We made an appointment for Monday morning.  

Later that week, we met Lori to look at tile for the backsplash, sinks, faucets, and hardware.  

Lori employs only the best subs - they are prompt and so professional.  

Who's making all that racket?

After everything came in, the entire process took one week. 

The mastermind behind this operation.

We went with a quartzite named Taj Mahal, which was perfect for this space. 

 

The gentleman who owned the company that cut and installed the countertops made the decision to make the thicker ledge around the island and the bar.  I love it.

We also changed the backsplash.

I got that Quimper oyster platter from France through Etsy.

It was super heavy, so the Mister used one of his super-duper hangers.

We went with a stainless sink which we are happy with.

We changed the hardware, as well.

And I got the chairs reupholstered too!

The Mister has the best ideas!

Thanks for stopping by.

Leave some treats in the bowl on your way out.

Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor

Love me some winter white & pearls.

Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor

Ann Taylor

J Crew

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Old Navy

Old Navy

Old Navy

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Tuckernuck

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J McLaughlin

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