Finished Kitchen Snippets

Here are a couple snippets of my finished kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

I know you guys deserve better than instagram photos.  I'm working on the styling and will shoot some good photos soon. 

 

What do you think?

 

xo Meg

 

The Kitchen

Guess what?  My kitchen's almost done!

I thought we'd never get here and I'm so excited to share the rest of the progress with you!  I was just looking back at the last couple of posts about the kitchen and I can't believe how far we've come.

But, like the total tease that I am, this isn't a reveal post. 

The last finishing touches are happening this weekend and we're still waiting for the counter installation (Saturday morning).  But I couldn't resist checking back in with you.  I've missed you after all!

When last we spoke, I was bummed about the idea of caulking and filling the millwork on the ceiling.  (Does anyone else hear The Black Keys "Gold on the Ceiling" every time I say that???)

I'm not going to lie.  This. Job. Sucked.  But it looks killer!



painting in progress

 

 

 

 

Ceiling all painted out. 

You can also see the hood vent cabinet in this photo.  Jay built all our cabinets.  This one is waiting for spraying in this photo.  That's also why the paper is taped to the ceiling.  We didn't want  to risk overspray hitting the ceiling. 

 

 I know these pictures are crappy but I tried to document the process the best I could and my iphone was always handy. 

 

 

In the above photo, you can see the fridge cabinet and the trim around the window starting to take shape.  That is still the old sink and cabinet in the centre.  Remember, we are living through this crazy renovation so we kept the sink in place for as long as possible.

 

Here are the last couple progress shots of the kitchen during spraying:

 

Hood Vent Cabinet (and a furniture kick too!) in the process of spraying.

Fridge Cabinet & Peninsula in the process of spraying.

 

 

 

 

Corbels for the peninsula.

 

 

I'm not going to pretend this process has been easy.  There have been temper tantrums, budget freak-outs and tears.  It has been hard on our marriage, and our kids. But it has been so worth it.  I love the way the new kitchen is looking. 

 

I can't wait to show you the 'after' shots!

 

xo Meg

 

Checking In and Checking Out

Hey Friends,

   It's Monday and a civic holiday here in Canada for my hubs and me.  However, this doesn't mean we're relaxing or doing something fun with the kids.  Nope.  We're working on the final big push to get this stupid kitchen renovation done.  Yep, I've resorted to name calling.

We are exhausted and filthy and our kids have spent a terrible amount of time in front of a screen over the last few days.  We have no cupboards or stove... or floor.  I'm at that point in the reno where the whole thing feels like a nightmare.  I miss spending time with my  family and friends. I miss the days when my whole house wasn't covered in grime and construction filth and I could make a sandwich easily.

So, I'm checking in to let you know I won't be writing for a bit.  I'm too overwhelmed with all that's going on and I just don't have the time to take photos and blog.  Also, my heart just isn't in it with everything that's happening in our world.

The bonus is that you'll eventually get to see the big reveal, and I know it's going to look really great when it's done.

I'll miss you and I'll be back as soon as I can.

xo Meg

Millwork on the Ceiling

Clearly this millwork isn't going to caulk, fill  and paint itself.  I cannot wait to get it prepped so I can try out my Wagner Spraygun.  Lots to do before I get to that stage. You can't skimp on the prepwork!

Here I go... up the ladder.

xo Meg

Eating on Your Lap

We are smack dab in the middle of this renovation and it seems like every time we feel like we've made a bit of progress, I look around at the sheer bedlam and feel discouraged again.

I'm not gonna lie.  I'm sick to death of eating on my lap.  I want to be able to use my table again.  And look my people in the face when we're eating dinner.  Currently, my kids are sitting at the office desk to eat and Jay and I are carrying our plates out to the living room and attempting to balance them on our knees whilst eating.  This is fine for a party but for every day living???

And do not get me started on what constitutes dinner around here lately.  We are tired, overworked, underfunded and simply exhausted.

You can see our pantry in the above shot.  You know, all the bins of food on top of the table?  You might also notice the cabinet doors ready to be installed once the boxes are complete.  If the boxes area ever completed...

It's cereal for dinner again!  Just kidding.  Sort of.

Check out the size of that crazy French door propped up against the wall.  It wasn't working, as it was so heavy it warped the doorframe it was installed in.  We had to remove it.  I'm taking suggestions if you have any ideas about how to repurpose it.  Headboard perhaps?  

Since my dining room is a sham, here's what I'm dreaming about.  I wouldn't want to leave you with those terrible pictures burned into your brain...

Look!  This one even has wine!!!!

You can find all these images on my Dining Pinterest board.

Happy Tuesday!  Anyone want to have us over for dinner tonight??

xo Meg

Trim Repairs & Help in the Bedroom

Thanks so much for all your great ideas about my bedside tables!  I really appreciate your input here, since hanging artwork is really not something I feel comfortable with. 

I loved Casey's idea to switch the large horizontal photographs with the smaller pieces and most of you did too.  Unfortunately, I use the plug behind my bedside table all the time for my laptop, phone, etc.  so I can't just lean the picture up against the wall.  But I will try switching the large and small pieces to see how that looks. 

In the meantime, I'm still working away at the projects we are currently doing around here.  Mainly, I'm prepping the old, beat up trim in our house for a fresh coat of paint.  We're using BM White Dove on all the trim and cabinetry in the house.

I don't want to brag or anything... but I'm kind of a trim jedi master. 

Seriously.   I am currently working on the trim in the living room:  baseboard, crown molding, window and door casing.  It is all original to our 120 year old house so it has seen better days. 

Really, really hard to get a decent photo of this window because so much
light filters in here.  This is an old one 

The trim around our leaded glass bay window is in very bad shape. 



nasty trim before

nasty trim filled in with latex caulking (sorry for the blurry iphone pics)

Right now, I have all the trim in this room caulked and filled.  I use a combination of latex caulking in a caulking gun and Durabond filler.  I'm waiting for everything to dry and cure and then it will all get a coat of White Dove.  I can't wait to show you how nice it looks once it's all freshly painted.

In the meantime, I'm going to head upstairs and put a couple more holes in the wall around our bedside tables!


xo Meg

Bedside Help

Like I mentioned, I'm working on our master bedroom (among a few other things).

I'm really struggling with something though, and I'm hoping you guys can help me out. I hung some photographs this weekend and I'm just not sure.


Backtrack.  Look at these bedside vignettes:

See how the artwork is somewhat obscured by the lamps?


I mentioned that I have a few pieces that I'd like to use in our master.  We bought two black and white photographs a few years ago in Ottawa at an art show and we both love them.  And I have the large painting that I gave Jay for our anniversary last year.

This weekend, I attempted to hang the photographs.  I am doing this now, before I repaint the room, so that any extra holes I make can be easily filled and fixed before my pretty white paint goes on.

Note:  large painting will go in the centre of the wall here once it's framed.

I am struggling with the placement of these photos.  I have seen so many beautiful images where a light is covering some of the artwork (as in above).  But somehow it just looks to me like I mis-hung these photographs!  

Is this how it's supposed to look???  Should I raise the photographs and add a couple other things below?  Should I lower the photographs so they sit under the lamp shade?

They look ok from some angles, but completely silly from other angles.

I'm desperate to know what you think.  Please chime in.  

xo Meg