Oh dear, has it really been almost 3 years?!? Here's the 2019 Spring update:
In September 2017, I finished my base cabinets. That same month, my contractors (GC and electrical) did the demo; reconfigured the windows; leveled the floor; installed plumbing and electrical; drywalled and painted; installed the finished base cabinets, countertops, sinks, appliances, and lights. So we had a temporary outdoor kitchen for about 6 weeks during demo/construction (AND my PhD comps - which I passed!). Ever since, we've had a functioning kitchen while I built the upper cabinets. Each time I finished an upper, I installed it (and of course filled it with stuff).
On an almost daily basis, I'm grateful for the advice I've read here (most via lurking, but also when I asked for layout help). My kitchen layout is super functional for us - we don't feel crowded, even when there are multiple people working in the kitchen at once.
Here are some photos, from east to south to west along the U:
East wall:
ETA - I tore my ACL (skiing) while the corner cabinet shown below in the southeast corner was half-finished. That slowed things down - a lot (that, and the PhD that's still in progress).
South wall:
West wall:
Note the lonely plugmold above, at end of the cabinet run. Here's the cabinet that will be finished and installed there next week:
Next steps are to mill, spray lacquer, and install a simple crown molding (like Badgergal's) and toekick. Then I need to finish the design of my pantry cabinets (on the opposite side of the kitchen from the U, which is where the fridge and micro are).
And, most fun of all, once this last upper cabinet is installed, I'll order my backsplash!!!
Thanks again to all who helped me get this far. It's been a process, but I'm enjoying both the process and the end result.
Q
kitchen in front of house, wood burning stove, so many things like we want to do!
Q