No pictures today, sorry. But the kitchen is taking shape. We hung the upper cupboards. We set the lowers in place. We have the counter top in place, but not yet attached.
The countertop comes with a story of its own, and you will see what a hard ass I can be. We were looking at countertops at our local big box store, and I saw what I wanted...live edge teak.
While I saw it displayed with a price, I could not find the product. Tim liked it too, so we thought that we'd ask about it. Perhaps it needed to be ordered. How long did a special order take? So we tracked down an employee who couldn't look the product up on his phone, so we followed him to his desk. He looked the product up and said that it was not available and that it couldn't be ordered.
Disappointed, I said, "Well, I don't know why they would show it as an option." He shrugged and said, "I agree with you."
Now we had already told him that we intended to purchase countertop that day, but he made no move to assist. Shifting 10 foot sections of counter top requires employee assistance, but he leaned back in his chair, his hands behind his head and so I said, "Well. Let's go pick out something else, then."
We went by ourselves, and we settled on our next choice. I didn't like that nearly as much as I did the teak. Perhaps we could locate the product on line, but really, we just want to make forward progress, and really, so I gave in. It will need to be finished. (Feel free to hop in with suggestions).
So...we still needed to get it loaded on a cart, so we headed off once again. I found two employees who tried to direct us back to the other employee (still sitting at his desk with his hands behind his head). "No," I said firmly. "He's not interested. I'd prefer to stick with someone else." They both looked surprised but they said, "Sure..." and off we went.
I have the receipt, and the two of them will get good customer feedback. I will not give negative feedback about the other employee. Who knows? Maybe he was having a shit day. It happens. But, credit where credit is due.
Today, I watched my kitchen take shape. and it was pretty exciting.
We went back to Lowe's afterwards. I want shelves instead of upper cabinets in the corner, and I knew the brackets I wanted.
We also wanted to look at range hoods. Not necessarily to buy today. We still have the backsplash to install, and so...we thought we could wait on that. We just wanted to find one that we both agreed on.
We did too.
We both liked it.
It was also $180 off.
And it was the only one left.
It's been kind of a spendy-spendy weekend.
But...I'm excited about the kitchen.
At least you're done with a lot of acquisition before all of the tariffs go in to effect. The range hood had a nice discount on it. I am really excited about the kitchen going in.
ReplyDeleteIt is just so amazing to us how quickly things happen when you're not dividing your time (and money) between a renovation and a new house. Tim has mentioned it several times himself.
DeleteCool brackets on those shelves! We have cabinets with no doors up top in our kitchen and I love the convenience; it bothers tidy people because it's rather a jumble, but it's my kitchen! Congratulations on showing empathy to the crumby sales person! I'd have struggled with that!
ReplyDeleteCeci
We have two upper cabinets, but in that corner, I just want shelves. They will be a convenient place to store things that I use every day. Storage is not such an issue when the pantry is right around the corner.
DeleteThis is exciting you sharing your kitchen taking shape. When we remodeled our kitchen years ago, I found a complete kitchen, cabinets and all appliances for sale. We even got the sink and counter tops that we could fit in our kitchen design. The lady wanted a different color theme and being married to a doctor he said ok. They took the kitchen out; we picked it up in a 4-horse trailer, so you know how much we picked up when we had to tie the doors shut because it was too full to latch. All for about 2200.00, I think we made a great deal.
ReplyDeleteOurs was $500. We like it a lot. The undersink cabinet was one of the cabinets destroyed when the tornado knocked three trees on the previous owner's house. But the one that that Amish craftsman built for us is indistinguishable from the others. Interestingly enough, we paid $540 for that cabinet alone!
DeleteReally, great progress on all fronts.
ReplyDeleteIt really is quite exciting to watch it happening.
DeleteShoot, I was hoping to see food! I liked that teak too, I hope we get to see the kitchen when it's complete.
ReplyDeleteNo food, although Tim did stick two burritos in the oven for lunch.
DeleteThe kitchen's coming together well. Good deal on the range hood!
ReplyDeleteIt was. When you see what you're looking for with a 30% discount AND the last one there, it's one of those things that you need to get while the getting's good.
DeleteI've needed a new kitchen sink and faucet for a while and have been putting of getting one until I learned about the new tariff's coming.
ReplyDeleteI purchased the sink and faucet immediately for a good price before the end of the year and it is stored in my shed until I feel comfortable spending the money to hire an installer. I want to be confident that the employees left working at the social security offices don't f* up getting my social security checks to me on time every month before I drop some cash on the installation.
I know that feeling Ana! We worry too. My sink is a composite sink that Tim got 5 or so years ago. It is black. I wanted a ceramic farmhouse sink. In the end, we're using the $50 sink because it's sensible and I can live with 'sensible'.
DeleteI was going to say, get the sink you want, but then I looked up black composite sink and they actually look good. I have a stainless steel sink that is stained with rust because of Jack's iron medicine. I didn't know that would happen. When he's done with the medication, I'll have to figure out how to restore the stainless steel finish.
DeletePixie, here in the US (!) we have a product called CLR that claims to remove rust stains easily…
DeleteI can tell you that CLR works a treat. We had hard water when we lived in the woods, and I added it to the laundry because we were getting iron stains on our whites. But I can also tell you that an SOS (or the Canadian equivalent) pad will remove the stains.
DeleteYour kitchen project is moving by leaps and bounds! Great that the hood was on sale, too! And I am glad you found SOMEBODY to help you. I can't wait to see pictures.
ReplyDeleteIt just irks me that the man knew we'd be back to ask for help. You can't get the counters out without an employee. But who knows. Maybe he'd been running his feet off all day. Dunno.
DeleteWe've all met people who are not interested in serving the customer.
ReplyDeleteThat's correct, Red.
DeleteSad to meet someone like that..not even a jobsworth!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing a working kitchen
So am I. It's strange to see something taking shape from a picture that I've been carrying around in my head for literally months.
DeleteLove your new choices. And you didn't even endanger yourselves! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteYep! We need one of those signs! "We have gone (x) days without an accident." Of course, we still have two large trees to fell, which involves a running chain saw...
DeleteI hope you guys have, or can rent or borrow, helmets and Kevlar pants!
DeleteTim's son nicked himself with a running chain saw once. We bought him Kevlar pants. My dad nipped me with a running chainsaw once. My hands were so cold that I didn't notice until the blood was everywhere. Tim has never injured himself with a chainsaw.
DeleteAll things you need, and that you usually find items at reduced prices, means you are doing it well. It is a pity about your hoped for counter top but as a very minor consolation, I prefer what you bought.
ReplyDeleteIt's too light...it sort of fades right in with the cupboards. We could stain it, as Thelma suggests. We'll see what happens.
DeleteI agree with Andrew.. I actually prefer the counter top you bought 🙂
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to seeing the photos of your completed kitchen now!
It will be quite exciting. Years back, I bought an antique butcher block to use as an island, of sorts, and I have a pot rack that I need to get sandblasted and painted.
DeleteI liked the original one, though maybe it will look too dark in the kitchen. You could always stain the one you got darker anyway, presumably the tops get protective cover.
ReplyDeleteI liked it too. It provided a nice contrast with the cabinets and would have (sort of) matched the dark floors.
DeleteToo bad the teak raw edge wasn't in, but I do love the brackets. Be fun to see the pictures as you go! Exciting! :)
ReplyDeleteI like the brackets too. The funny thing is that we saw the shelves with the brackets. We already have the wood that we want to use for the shelves, so we didn't want the whole kit. We noticed that they sold the shelves alone, and we kept thinking that somewhere, there were the brackets being sold alone. An employee walked by and asked if we needed help. I explained what we were looking for, and he said that they did not sell the brackets separately. I swear it wasn't but a minute after he left when Tim found bins of them on the bottom shelf of the display!
DeleteWe haven’t encountered an employee like that, but at Home Depot, we once were not able to find items in the store that were supposedly in the store.
ReplyDeleteThat happens kind of frequently here. I imagine once the tariffs hit, it will happen even more.
DeleteIt's a truism, but the kitchen is the heart of the home and you've very nearly completed yours. Exciting!
ReplyDeleteOh it is exciting. I haven't had a dishwasher for years. I'm really excited about THAT!
DeleteYay! Progress! I agree it's very weird they show the teak as an option when it's not available, unless it just happened for some supply-chain related reason.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to know what happened there.
DeleteYou are a good decision making team. I hope we get a tour of the finished house when you're done.
ReplyDeleteHave no fear. You will!
DeleteI am going out today to stock up before the tarriffs start. That dumb fuck is going to hurt both of our countries with his stupid mindset. I am glad our Prime Minister is educated. Your kitchen is really coming together. Gigi
ReplyDeleteDid you see that 'the second couple' went to Greenland. They wanted opportunities to address Greenland. No one would host them. The three day travel was reduced to three hours on a US military base. Doesn't sound like anyone is buying what they are peddling.
DeleteYour kitchen will be beautiful and functional. When we lived in Iowa we purchased a butcher block countertop from IKEA but I do not remember the type of wood it was. We sold the house to a family member of a friend and she reports all these years later they still love it. I kept it oiled with Howard Clear Food-Grade Mineral Interior Butcher Block Oil and I think the buyer has done the same. It is so exciting to see your new home come together!
ReplyDeleteI'll tuck that name away for future reference. Do you remember whether it requires 'curing' time?
DeleteI do not remember what was recommended but it seems to me I I usually treated it after dinner so it most likely cured overnight.
DeleteI have no idea where the extra "I" came from!
DeleteThank you for the added information, Jackie. We actually wound up using a product that we had on hand. Tim got it from his cousin who owns TheHardwoodMall.com. I did not know he had it. It is something called Rubio Monocoat. We were both really pleased with the job it did. It brought out the grain so well. I rubbed and rubbed, and it just glows. It darkened the wood up just enough that I'm happy.
DeleteI am off to read about Rubio Monocoat. My husband restores old farm toys and occasionally deals with solid wood parts. The things we can learn from blogs :-)
DeleteI can't wait to see your kitchen come together. To stand and look with pride all around you, at all that you have literally put together, with your own designs and hands, is one of the best feelings.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that we noticed is that when it is chilly, using the oven makes the kitchen and the livingroom cozy.
DeleteGlad you found a good bargain. It's going to look nice.
ReplyDeleteWe are so very lucky when it comes to finding just what we need on sale just when we need it. It always makes me smile.
DeleteWhat a lovely kitchen it's going to be!
ReplyDeleteI think so too. It's an amazing feeling.
DeleteI’m the same - I leave good reviews but not bad ones because I don’t know the life circumstances of the one providing a poor service.
ReplyDeleteHeads of companies, that’s different, that’s punching up and the more we hold the powerful to account the better.
But the late night taxi driver who didn’t help me lug my suitcase?
I can live with that and I’m not going to give his boss a reason to drop him.
Whoo, boy, one time I did complain. About a manager. I complained big time. https://lifesfunnylikethat.blogspot.com/2023/09/complaining-again.html
DeleteI have two kinds of countertops, butcher block and solid surface. I love the butcher block and it gets nicer looking as it ages. I keep it oiled and put wax on it once in a while. The solid surface is around the sink, because of the water, and I love it too.
ReplyDeleteYou're kinder than I am, I would have left a comment about that employee that couldn't be bothered to get up off his ass.
Can't wait to see your finished kitchen.
No. Everyone has a bad day. If he would have been extraordinarily bad or rude, I might have, but he was just disinterested. I just left positive feedback for Doug and Jesse though.
DeleteSo excited for you about your kitchen!! Xo, Rigmor🤗
ReplyDeleteOne hissy fit has wrought many changes. I think that Tim is relieved too. I don't think it would have occurred to him that he could stop. He's pretty single minded.
ReplyDelete