Introducing myself. 3 months into major renovation. Custom inset cabs
Carolyn
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Hi there, I'm Carolyn. We are 13 weeks into a huge renovation. We've had issues along the way, some expected, others not. There has not been a single thing that has gone perfectly smooth and without some sort of complication. It's been exhausting, but we are finally getting to the end and I can see some sort of light at the end of the tunnel. I just wanted to say hi and post a few pics of what we have so far.
Found our carpenter as I was running through our neighborhood (he has a local shop, no website). He has been our best decision throughout this whole thing. With one $2200 mistake because we assumed he was using Blum glides, but he was actually using 3/4 open KV slides (so 1/4 of the drawer was unusuable). We fortunately caught it in time and had him re-make some of our drawers to fit Blum glides. It was definitely worth the extra cost.
Here are some pics from the progress. We converted an enclosed porch into our new kitchen. The floor had to be raised and leveled, which then made the old windows too low, so we had to replace all windows, but since we were doing that, we decided to fix everything and next week our whole house is getting new white hardiplank siding as well. I'm so excited!! There will eventually be a big deck off the back of the kitchen.
Floors will be brick herringbone from inglenook tile (12 week wait, they shipped today!). Fridge is an elmira white french door that had a 16 week wait. We got it about a year ago. Stove is an old 1950's Chambers. There is also an old vintage hutch and butcher block that fits snugly on the right side of the wall. Hasn't been moved into place yet, because we are waiting on the floors.
Here are some pics:
Banquette area (banquettes are from Ballard. Already ordered).
Pendants sloppily hung. Still not sure about them.
Anyway, I've used this board for every single decision in this renovation and I wanted to say hello and thank you all for the wonderful advice and help, even if you didn't know that you were helping me!! :)
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chitown_mary
8 years agoRelated Discussions
$3k budget 'elegant' bathroom renovation done!
Comments (51)Hey guys, I am sorry I didn't see this on Tuesday!! Here are some answers... stinky: The floor tile the Costa Rei series in Pietre Bianca. I THOUGHT it was just ceramic, but then I saw it listed as porcelain on an on-line site, so I am not sure. It was definitely easier to drill through (for the Toto toilet install) than the porcelain we used in our master bath, though. here is the A.O. page for it: http://www.american-olean.com/series.cfm?series=134 The wall paint color is Ben Moore "Balboa Mist". It is a warm grey. Very pretty in all different lights. fly: In order to make the top drawers work, we made them smaller: cut out the inner half of each, rebuilt the drawer sides so there was clearance for the sink. We had to remove the center slide support, too, so in order for them to slide properly we installed new undermount drawer glides (one each). On the other two drawers we installed two drawer glides each, just so they're easier to use. The top of the vanity is now 35.25" from finish floor. I prefer between 35-36" so you don't lean and splash as much. I did have leeway with this vanity: I could have cut the legs down if needed, or added the stone on top of (as opposed to in place of) the original wood dresser top, to adjust height up or down... Thanks again for your kind words! It's great to get encouragement and I'm also really happy to be able to give something back to the community- since you've all helped me so much along the way :)...See MoreCustom cabinet makers for Manhattan kitchen renovation?
Comments (22)OOOH! Those face-frames ARE mitred bevels! They look almost like old window panes. NYC, I don't know what your budget is, but I'd bet those frames will cost you! And, until Marcolo pointed them out, I didn't even realize they weren't standard face-frames. I wonder if that can be achieved by applying a beveled moulding overlay on top of the frames? The doors seem deeply set, and applying beleveld moulding would achieve that look. "If you find the thread" - yeah, I really WISH GW had a better search function! My guess is that whoever copied them beveled the entire 3/4" rails and stiles, instead of just beveling the front edge - that would definitely leave a visible gap. That or Redroze's frames are full bevels, but the actual doors are set into the cabinet carcass rather than inset between the frames (unlikely). From the pics it looks like the bevel starts 3/8" in from the face. With a good tablesaw this can be achieved, as long as you have the patience to measure very accurately. I actually had to do this to fix / shore up the framing where the old and new roofs meet (HORRIBLE GC/contractor experience - I learned more about bevels, mitres and roof pitches than I ever imagined I would need to know (or that any good builder would have REASON to figure out) - not fun!) Crown Point - this is what I really wanted when we were going with a Craftsman look - their Arts and Crafts Designer Series matches the wainscotting in our Breakfast Room perfectly! But, due to budget we are going Mid-Mod (simpler doors, painted = MUCH cheaper than complex doors in QS oak or walnut). But the new kitchen is in an addition and I'm making it look like it was added in the 1950's / 60's (instead of 2010). Kennebec - If I ever win the Lottery I am building my dream house in Maine and having them build all my cabinets! WillTV introduced me to Knight Kitchens in Vermont, and here's what I like (haven't contacted them yet): Their STANDARD construction is 3/4" furniture grade MAPLE - including the cabinet BACKS! Almost unheard of today! Drawers are all 5/8" dovetailed with Blum soft-close bottom-mounts and bottoms can be upgraded (important since I plan to store my dishes in drawers). And their standard finish is Conversion Varnish. I was planning to order unfinished and use Fine Paints of Europe's Hollandlac, but, depending on the cost, CV is the ONLY other finish I would ever get on cabinets. So, based on what they say on their website, I definitely like Knight because their "Standard" construction is the way cabinets used to be made, and a very expensive upgrade with other manufacturers....See MoreInset cabinet doors a budget buster??
Comments (32)Alice -- I have actually been keeping a spreadsheet of cabinet manufacturers who make inset cabs I can find in my region because we are doing an addition pretty much like yours. The KCMA site is somewhat helpful in identifying cabinet makers who do inset and learning how they are distributed. See link below. Play around with the regions, though, because the search engine is a little hinky. The first thing you should understand if you go with a manufacturer instead of a local woodworker is that they distribute through different channels and this makes a difference in your costs. Omega, for example, is a great line and can be found at both retail kitchen shops and building supply companies. When you buy your cabs through a building supply company, the kind your GC uses to buy lots of things, you may not get much design help but your cabs should cost less. Retail kitchen and bath shops, like the kind some GW KDs like Kompy (a great designer, btw) are at, should offer more design assistance but that will be reflected in the price of the cabs. You may not get the best design possible because KDs in these places usually make their money as a percentage of the cabs you buy, thus they have an incentive to pack your kitchen with lots of cabinets, especially upper/wall cabs. You have a large kitchen and so may not need to maximize storage so much as you want to build a kitchen that fits with your house style. Is the KD you met with on your builder's staff or at a local retailer he recommended? You will pay more for countertops if you use the retail shop, too. GCs often like retail shops because it takes a lot of the detail burden off them and kitchens and baths are tricky. If the KD is his employee, you should get design help there but do your own research on cabs and countertops if it matters to you. Our construction manager and his designer will never spend the kind of time I am putting into our project to get the details and pricing I want. A local woodworker would usually buy boxes and even doors from one of several major manufacturers of cabinet parts but should be able to build your cabinet frames on site, giving you a more authentic look. Not all local woodworkers like to do inset, however, because it is harder to do. Painting your cabs on site and with a brush not a sprayer will also contribute to the authentic look, although most manufacturers and many local woodworkers hate the idea because they worry the customer will complain later about the durability of the finish. You will be able to touch up spots easily if you paint on site and with a brush, however. Here is a link that might be useful: KCMA site...See Morescrappy25 renovation Part 4, final reveal, white inset/soapstone
Comments (99)OP here. My Julia soapstone from Stonemasters in Kennet Square, PA, which I picked for the hardness, has only one tiny chip on the flat counter that you can't see unless you look for it. I had the fabricators round over all the edges and there are no edge or corner dings. It has only had three applications of the oil wax mixture on it in over three years and is truly a no-maintenance counter. We put hot pots on it, have had lost of spilled juices and sauces, tomato and red wine, and continual coffeemaker drips, but all clean up without problems. Sorry to hear that dataw1127 did not have the same experience. Stonemasters had given me 2x2 inch samples of all their soapstones and I took them home and experimented before choosing the one with lowest maintenance. Maybe that is a key to selecting soapstone? PS I also had my overhanging counter corners rounded and did not realize what a difference that made until this past week when I stayed at my sister in law's home and banged my hips several times on her very sharp 90 degree granite counter corners. Apparently her 4 year old grandchild had a bad run in with them earlier also but with his head. Thankfully he is OK....See MoreCarolyn
8 years agoThanks everyone!
293summer - attached is a pic. It was a custom color match to the old hutch we have.
chitown_mary - our cabinet maker said we needed two handles or knobs on the bigger drawers (hard to see the size, but they are about 7 inches wider than the drawers with one handle). I actually got the two knob idea from gardenweb! There was one kitchen that had almost all knobs and I thought it was really quaint and simple looking. I think it would have looked fine with handles, I just preferred the ball knobs.nancyjwb - thank you!! It's so nice to hear encouragement and excitement over our choices. In real life I usually get strange looks or comments like "nobody likes brass" when I tell people what we are doing in our kitchen. I have been second guessing myself on everything.
nancyjwb
8 years agoCarolyn
8 years ago
hsw_sc
8 years agoCarolyn
8 years ago
DYH
8 years ago
Jeannine Fay
8 years agofldirt
8 years agomommytofive
8 years ago
Michelle
8 years agoMags438
8 years ago
rebunky
8 years agoLE
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8 years ago
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8 years agojayferg
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8 years ago
countryatheart
8 years agoartemis_ma
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
amykath
8 years ago
PROAmy Wolff Interiors
8 years ago
maven19
8 years ago
Wendy
8 years ago
foreverthankful
7 years ago
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7 years ago
MaWizz
7 years ago
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