Crown Moulding and Progress, at Last!
I’m sure you’ve all been waited with bated breath for a progress update on this crazy kitchen remodel…today, we are getting crown moulding on the cabinet tops.
It’s a big job, since the ceiling isn’t straight, and it is a six inch drop with a 3 inch moulding. The cabinets are level, but that is about all! Luckily, I’ve got these guys from Authentic Restoration Detroit working on it, and they are amazing:
Erich and Milan, whose expert work in getting the crown moulding up. This is Milan, he’s very meticulous! You can see one part of the moulding here, the crown is not up yet.
The cabinets are level; the ceiling drops about an inch and 3/8. It took some finesse to put that moulding up so you don’t notice the angles!
They actually built a plywood-covered “box” to mount the moulding on. It was cut from a fridge panel we ordered with our cabinets, so it would be a perfect match.
You may want to check out their website. Their specialty is restoring the grand old homes of Detroit, maintaining the amazing craftsmanship of the previous two centuries while making the homes liveable, beautiful and unique. Neighborhoods like Palmer Park, Green Acres, Boston-Edison, Arden Park, are filled with gorgeous old home whose craftsmanship is difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate today. (subject for a future blog?)
Erich believes restoring the old work is almost always preferable to ripping it out and putting in new, especially in an old house that was built to withstand the centuries. Woodwork, flooring, light fixtures, door and windows, and even china sinks and tubs are carefully brought back to their original condition. I hope he isn’t too disappointed in Claymire, but seriously, we really had little character to work with here!
Thanks to my wonderful and talented husband, the wiring for undercabinet lights is complete, and he got the screen installed on the pantry wall. I think the stain is a little light (we were trying to match the floor) and maybe we should have matched the cabinets, instead. Oh well, it can age all it wants, now that it is up. It does hide the dryer vent and gasline, while still providing ventilation to the air return.
It’s made of hickory, to match the flooring. Like my collection of vintage cocktail shakers?
I haven’t spent much time outside this week, but at least I get to see the front garden as I come and go. It’s a beautiful day, although it rained this morning. I am hopefully these peonies will bloom soon.
This is their third year, so they should have enough “energy” to truly bloom. They are covered with large buds.
The countertops were measured today, and we ordered a new sink and faucet and garbage disposal. Also began installing the remaining hardware, which finally came in. Our new ceiling light got here, but the glass was smashed, so we’re waiting on a new one, so we can center the box and install that, and be able to open the cabinet doors, too!
We should have counters by the middle of next week, then we’ll be down to choosing a backsplash tile. I’ll start collecting some samples and see how they look. Maybe I can add a poll and see what readers like.
Kitchen Update; Progress, mistakes, and waiting
Well, we are at the end of the first full week. We have all upper cabinets in place, the plumbing work is done, including the relocating of a gas valve and gasline to the clothes dryer that we forgot about, the additional cabinets are ordered, cabinet hardware is backordered, and we are sitting around waiting for things to happen.
Look, doors!
It wasn’t all that easy. To replace the water valves at the water meter required the city turning off the water, which was made really difficult by the fact that, back in 2003, the city hired a company to replace the sidewalks, and they paved over our shutoff! Our city’s DPW cut a notch in the sidewalk and put in an extension for the shutoff, but it took a while, since they are all on half-staff due to budget cuts. It actually took me four days to get an appointment to even have the water shut off in the first place!
But we got it done, got a new water meter – the old one was leaking – and everything is back in place. Now we are basically waiting on the people who will help us finish the job. mr husband and I decided to do what we do well, and leave the rest to the experts. When we had the “great flood of 2010″ the flooring was replaced; we want the same guys to come back and fix it now, where the new cabinets are shorter than the old ones were:
It’s one of only two changes to the layout of the kitchen.
We also hired a craftsman to do our crown moulding. Working at a museum, I get the opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people, and one of them was Erich Wasner of Authentic Restoration Detroit, whose company specialized is restoring gorgeous old homes without destroying their character. I met him when he and his wife, Jackie, purchased an old foursquare farmhouse in the town where I work and began a sensitive restoration of the 1918 home. Even though I don’t have an historic, century-old home, Erich and Milan will be installing our crown moulding!!!
We chose these knobs, but could only get six of them so far.
So as we wait on the floor guys, we postpone templating for the countertops, which is actually okay, since I decided to return two of our 12″ bases for ones with 3 drawers, and they had to be special ordered. Also, we had to order a new ceiling light, because we didn’t take into account the fact that the new cabinets are 6″ taller than the old ones, and this happened:
That’s not parallax – you really can’t open those doors without hitting the light!!!
Duh!
So now mr husband is planning to frame in the space above the pantry. There is a furnace air return up there, so he has designed an open-work mission-style screen of hickory to close in the space and give it some character. You may wonder why its open in the first place: when we built the pantry, 12 years ago now, the attic stairs extended further back, and we needed to drop the top of the wall so the stairs could open. A few years ago we replaced the pulldown attic stairs with a smaller unit, moved it forward, and now we don’t need that clearance. It is a little weird to have the attic access in the kitchen, but this was the utility room, if you recall, and we are kind of stuck with it. Just don’t look up!
Today we returned to Public Lumber in Detroit for some hickory to build the screen. While mr husband is fashioning that, I took a “break” to cut the grass and put together a new bench for the front porch.
Its acacia wood with an oil finish. I like the design. Sorry it is so dark, but the sun is quite bright today.
Rowley dog, my constant helper. Doesn’t he look better? He’ll be getting groomed tomorrow. He still smells a little like skunk…
So we are plodding along, installing under-cabinet lighting, washing dishes in a washtub, cooking in the toaster oven. Last night we had dinner at the casino with some friends, and caught this picture from the parking deck:
Detroit skyline. It was a pretty night with a storm coming up.
Progress on the Kitchen; bumps in the road
It’s been a busy weekend around Claymire, but we are making progress on the kitchen. We managed to hang most of the upper cabinets on two walls:
You need a lot of imagination at this point to see what this will look like in the end.
Probably my favorite thing is the exterior venting for the hood – I have wanted it vented outside for years (and years and years and years), and it is finally happening!!
TADA!! No, mr husband is not the one who knocked all those holes in the wall, they were there from before. (Remember the "Idiot who didn't own a level? Apparently he DID own a hammer.)
Here is the dainty little vent from outside. We just need to touch up the paint.
This was easier to install than we thought. Actually, I was at work when he did it. It was probably a PITA.
We did have a few setbacks, though. One of the base cabinets was damaged in shipment, and one two of them were actually the wrong cabinets. I’ll be exchanging those today. Also, We didn’t order enough filler strips. We aren’t using totally custom cabinets, those there is a little finagling to be done to get everything to line up nicely.
I am putting these things together by myself now, it isn't really that difficult.
The biggest delay is this mess that was under the former sink.
nasty old water meter!
That’s our water service into the house. Why is it in the kitchen, you ask? This part of the kitchen was formerly the utility room. Some genius decided the kitchen should be bigger, but didn’t bother to really think it through. For years, we had a huge hole cut in the bottom of the sink base so this water meter would fit. Our wonderful, talented plumber, Paul, will be pulling it off, replacing the damaged pipe, cutting nice, neat holes in our new sink base, and putting it all back together again. What’s the delay, you ask? Our cash-strapped City doesn’t have many employees, so they can’t get out to shut off my water until Thursday. Sigh. I am not the most patient person.
Anyway, gives us a chance to move a poorly-placed gas valve and do some repair to that awful wall. It’s been an exhausting weekend, and it really doesn’t look like we accomplished much, but a lot of wiring was run, and a lot of things were measured, shimmed, fitted, etc., which takes time. Hopefully we can be measured for countertops in a week or so, and get the place back together before the annual visits of the relatives!
Meanwhile, the grass just keeps growing! (look at that, there's even a cabinet box in the back yard!)
Kitchen Demo, and Ralph Wiggum’s Pointy Kitty
Demo has begun on our kitchen, and we’ve made some good progress. After dinner last night, mr husband and Princess Chippy started removing the old cabinets.
Goodbye, old cabinets! They will likely get re-used in the garage.
When we removed the base cabinets from the other wall, a decade-old mystery was solved at last. I always claimed there was a musty smell in one of the base cabinets. No one else agreed with me, but hey, I’ve got a good nose. We never bothered to move the cabinet to find out why, partly because the ceramic counters were too heavy, and partly because, on some level, we didn’t really want to know.
Now this is embarassing to admit, but several years ago, from behind that very cabinet, we had a a four-footed visitor. Have you seen the episode of the Simpson’s where Bart and Ralph Wiggum take Chief Wiggum’s key to the city and go into the abandoned Springfield Penitentiary?
Ralph Wiggum from Dead Homer Society Blog
If so, you remember the key was stolen by what Ralph referred to as a “pointy kitty.” I couldn’t locate a video clip, but you can look it up in Urban Dictionary. Enough said. He scuttled around behind the stove, kept at bay by Rowley the gallant Golden Retriever, until he landed in a trap set by mr husband. I still shudder when I remember it. He was BIG!
My hero! No, really!
Anyway, immediately upon removing the cabinet, all mysteries were solved. There, in the wall, was an old heating duct. Built on a slab, the original heating system used floor ducts buried in the concrete. They were replaced about 25 years ago, and should have been filled in with cement.
Alas, our home’s previous owner, whom we shall refer to as “That idiot who didn’t own a level” didn’t feel that was necessary, and simply slapped a cabinet down over the hole. WARNING: the next image may be disturbing. Or at least disgusting. This is what has been under my kitchen cabinet for the past 15 years:
How disgusting is that? And I thought I kept a pretty clean house.
The big blob at the right is spray foam. We found rubber bands, some pennies, and someone’s old math paper under there, too. We cleaned it up, and tonight mr husband will fill it with cement. Then we will be ready for new cabinets, which, by the way, should arrive tomorrow!
crazy old linoleum floor tiles are still in place. mr husband closed up the hole to keep cats in and vermin out!
Ah, the joys of home ownership!
Claymire is Getting a New Kitchen
Folks, for the past several months, mr husband and I have toyed with the idea of leaving Claymire for greener pastures. Local pastures, but greener, in that we considered purchasing an even older house, hoping for a bungalow or tudor revival with natural woodwork, stone, tile, and dripping with vintage character. Frankly, we could not find anything we liked any better than Claymire, and called off the search for a new home.
Whenever we found a home like this, it was in a not-so-great neighborhood, to say the least!
The above photo is NOT our house! (sniff!)
As a compromise, we decided to gut the kitchen and make it our perfect (as far as possible in the space allotted and without moving anything major) kitchen. Actually, we wandered into a kitchen display last week and gasped as we saw our dream kitchen. Kraftmaid craftsman cabinets, Lynchburg Cherry, with copper hardware, tall cabinets and elegant crown moulding. Even our son thought it was the perfect thing for the house.
They were similar to these, but even more beautiful, with little walnut square inlays in the corners, very arts and crafts
After dealing with reality – we could not have both the tall cabinets and the crown, the etched glass was ridiculously expensive (over $700 for one cabinet), and the total estimate of over $11,000 just for cabinets, we took a step back and reconsidered.
We found these:
These are the cabinets we ordered. Plainer, but still quality.
They’re all hardwood, plywood, with NO particle board or melamine. Our cost was less than half the estimate of the others.
We’re going with arts and crafts oil-rubbed bronze hardware, and are looking at a piece of grey-green granite with beautiful veining, not at all shiny, for the countertops.
This is the piece of granite we picked. It has a lot of green and grey and some darker streaks. It doesn't look that great in this picture.
A closeup of the granite. It is prettier than it looks here.
If anyone had ever suggested I would choose a cherry kitchen with granite, I would have laughed at them. But this is beautiful. We’re thinking white (or pale green) subway tile for backsplashes. We’ll be keeping the honey hickory floors, and the Italian Marble wall paint, as well as our light fixtures and appliances, which are only about a year old, anyway. We’re hoping to sell/give away the old cabinets, and probably the wonderful new steel roll-outs, as well. They won’t fit the new cabinets!
We aren’t changing the footprint, either, there’s no room for that, but we are putting a 12 inch cabinet between stove and fridge (finally!) Any advice, warnings, etc., from those who have done this, please pass them along! And stay tuned for progress on this (slightly) daunting process.
Shameless Plug
Hi everyone – here’s a link to an interview I did recently for a highly rated cable access channel. (har har!)
enjoy! I love plugging our museum, you should really visit if you haven’t already!!!
http://clawson.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=94
B&B – does and don’ts
mr husband and I love to stay at Bed and Breakfast Inns. there is something more welcoming and earthy about staying in a small inn, with the unique, personal touches that entails.
That being said, there are a few tips I would offer to those who are thinking of running their own Inn
1. Clean your ceiling fans – this is the number one issue – clean them, and weekly. They should sparkle. Ceiling fans get dirty, fast. People accept their own dirt, they don’t want to live in yours!
2. provide a mirror in the guest room, with good lighting, for makeup. This is especially important with a shared bath situation, but even with a private bath, it will be appreciated. Guests are getting ready to enjoy the wonderful attractions in your neighborhood, and they don’t want to be jostling for mirror time to get ready.
3. A B&B should feel like home, but don’t overdo it. Personal pictures should not be part of the decor – it makes your guest uncomfortable.
4. Don’t display your collections, unless they are very artfully and artistically displayed. Hummels, seashells, hockeypucks, whatever you collect, don’t force it on your guests.
5. Theme rooms – don’t do it!!!! here’s the thing – if you are a B&B in New Orleans, it is okay to provide a Saints themed room, a French Quarter room, etc. But if you are in Cleveland, I really don’t want to stay in the Key West Room, or the Maui Room. If you want to provide character and flavor, go for it, but make it fit the city in which you are located.
6. Invest in the best quality bedding and sheets you can afford. Buy hotel quality bedding, if possible. It will pay off. This bedding will get washed, often, and should always feel new and fresh to your guests. Guests will appreciate the quality. Hey, if I wanted to sleep on Aunt Sophie’s sofa, I could, I chose you because you are a cut above.
7. know your city. why are your guests there? What is there to do in the area? Be ready with maps, flyers, etc. Be a concierge for your community, especially the smaller venues. They, and your guests, will appreciate it.
8. Know your strengths. If you are a gourmet chef, stick to that. Leave the maintenance to those who do it best. We stayed at a place with a FABULOUS cook, but he insisted on doing all the maintenance himself, and frankly, he sucked at it. Know when to write a check.
If you are considering running a B&B, I say, go for it! It looks like a wonderful want to spend your day. Just know your strengths and weaknesses, and above all else – clean that ceiling fan!
About Blogs
I admit I love reading blogs. I have learned SO much from the wisdom of others. From sewing, to decorating, vintage knitting and cooking, to choosing conifers for my garden, I think blogs have the potential to be the very best of the best. That being said, I will admit this: I am not good at this!
I don’t lack ideas, and I don’t lack for projects. Each project is a series of lessons, and even the disasters render some new piece of wisdom, if only to teach what NOT to do. But I haven’t yet mastered the art of documenting my progress.
For example, I have sewn at least six new garments this month, Four of which are actually wearable and highly effective, one was a complete disaster (dust rags, anyone?) and the other has been shelved awaiting further inspiration. How many pictures did I take of these projects? Exactly one.
My brain just goes too fast, and I’m into the middle of a project before I step back and say, Gee, this was interesting, I bet someone could benefit from what I just learned here….Well, a little late now.
So my point is, I have nothing new to offer today. But I will give you this – a list of my very favorite blogs. If you aren’t already following these, check them out.
Gertie’s Blog for Better Sewing. Gertie is an amazingly talented seamstress who offers lessons, did a kind of Julie/Julia thing with the Vogue Book for Better Sewing. Her posts are great, her clothes beautiful, and very inspiring. Besides, she is a cat lover!
Little Grey Bungalow. Shay is a former Detroiter and Marine who is interested in vintage sewing, vintage cooking, reading, etc. She has a wonderful sense of humor, and I check it out daily. Often she has free knitting patterns, too. PS, also a cat and dog lover!
Centsational Girl. Kate is responsible for all the painted furniture in our home, including the sofa that started this blog, and has such wonderful, budget-friendly decorating ideas. I find it inspiring. Oh, and they recently acquired a kitten! (See a theme here?)
A Dress A Day. Erin has sewn more dresses on her own than you can even imagine! And, they are all interesting and unique. A fun blog to read for inspiration, but I don’t know if she has a cat.
Amazing World of Conifers. Ed is a conifer lover, and has a vast store of information about them, as well as beautiful pictures. His posts are inspiring and very often humorous. He really changed the way I look at conifers. My favorite gardening blog, by far!
Male Pattern Boldness. Peter’s posts are about sewing, but it’s his humor and pictures that keep me coming back. And his self-taught tailoring skills are remarkable.
Those are the blogs I check out daily, without fail. I feel like these are my “friends” around the country. Many of these involve sewing, since that is what I’m doing a lot of right now. Not all of them post every day, but most have archives that will keep you busy for a while catching up with their progress. Hope you enjoy them like I do, and maybe I’ll get better at this as we go along.
Warning-History Nerd Alert!
Yeah, You heard right. I’m a history nerd.
The annual Local history Conference is coming up in March. If you are in the Detroit/Metro/Oakland/Macomb area, I highly recommend this two day conference. I never cease to be amazed at how interest the speakers/presenters are. AND…you get a discount on all the new books! Also, in the past, the lunches have been surprisingly tasty!
Check it out! Hope to see you there! I’m including a link to this year’s brochure. you’ll get to see Larry Wagenar without a beard!
http://www.hsmichigan.org/conferences/local-history-conference/
The sadder side of hoarding
I’ve written about hoarding before, how the sheer sight of all the clutter makes me cringe. I know how it ruins lives and alienates people when “things” become more important than people. But what about animal hoarders?
Our little foster cat, we call her Mabel now, came from such a home. She had red, bleeding sores from flea bites, and her blood count was so low, she couldn’t be vaccinated. (She’s now doing great, and has been vaccinated and spayed-she’ll be up for adoption soon!)
At this time, there are 21 cats and 5 dogs still in the house, in various states of health, almost all needing to be removed and get some care.
she's squinting because I used a flash-black cats are hard to photograph!
Paws for Life Rescue, a group I have volunteered for off and on for almost a year, is working to get the animals removed and eventually adopted. At this time, several need booster shots, which will buy them some time to find a furrever home.
These are great cats who need a chance
The “owner” of the cats is a well-meaning but misguided individual who has a huge heart for animals, but is unable to see that he is not doing them any good in these overcrowded, flea-ridden conditions. These are cats that CAN find good loving homes. Please check out this link on facebook, and help if you can. $15 can buyboosters for one kitty. http://santaflux.chipin.com/booster-vaccines-for-jeffs-cats
thanks for having a heart. If you can, pass the information on via Facebook.
