I just LOVE this above photo. Complete chaos! Ha! Actually, we are moving everything out of the cabinets in this photo so it literally is a complete mess. But I took a photo none-the-less and our cavern of blegck is here for you all to devour!
Can you believe, after almost 20 years we are finally getting to the LAST remodeling project for our house? Just to catch you all up on the most recent major renovation progression, we started our downstairs overhaul 2 years ago with the living room. Gosh! Has it been 2 YEARS already? Wow. Time has gone by so fast.
Last year we completed the family room and now, the last room in the downstairs is the Kitchen/back hall and bathroom area! We just love saving the most complicated for last right?
Well, it’s also the most expensive too. At this point of the project I was ready to just have someone come in, design it and let them do it. We spent the last month working with a remodeling business here in town and we have their proposal in our hand. Friends, let’s just say my emotions were all over the place.
My first reaction was excitement! Yay! The plan is here! I can see the light! Our home will be finished! Whoot!
Then getting more into the plan I realized I was going to be compromising SOOOoooo many things that my heart sank, I actually shed a small little sniffle of a tear, let out a really BIG sigh and stood in my kitchen almost in a daze. I’ve waited sooooo long to have this space made over that I just DON’T want to compromise on the quality of cabinets I WANT, the tiles I WANT, the amount of cabinets I WANT, the counter tops I WANT and so much more that literally our proposal was so compromised full of reduced cost items that I couldn’t bear the thought of parting with twice my budget for what I’d be getting. The Value to Cost ratio was so off that I knew I’d have to find another way. So my Veruca Salt (from Willy Wonka) melt-down ensued.
After a few days I went back to square 1 and now I’m working and designing the plan with the help of some virtual planning software. I stumbled on Lowe’s version so far that is easy to use. Wow…this was only after a couple hours playing with the program!…
Then I re-visited our friends at Barker Cabinets in Portland, Oregon (we visited them last year!) and WOW! They have so many options now! Their website has expanded and options, options, options galore (I was getting really excited!).
These are photos I took last year…
After lots of hours on the computer I think I have the confidence to go forward and make our kitchen happen now. We’ll be hiring some professional craftsmen and tradesmen for the things we can’t do ourselves but I’ll tell you. I am so relieved now. I think we actually CAN get what we WANT within our budget now.
Another big sigh! And full of renewed excitement!
Happy Happy!
~Cathy
Sewing.for.Life! 
Can’t wait to see the end result!
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