PROGRESS ON THE 'RANCH' REMODEL IS SLOW BUT SURE...

KITCHEN PROGRESS
Once the cabinets were lifted enough to accomodate the new microwave and vent over the stove (I've missed since our Howard Street home), Allen began the process of preparing the countertops for new tile. He had to raise the stove to match the countertops, and prepare the new cast iron sink for installation. We also put in a new light fixture over the sink and there wasn't one at all...and it helps to be able to see when you are cooking or washing dishes.

The grout isn't in yet, but you can see the small random designer tile I chose for the backsplash with all of the rest of the tile being glossy white.
These designer pieces are actually white tile with a cut out center, and the small green tiles are glass so they provide contrast and interest to the countertops.

The green color is soft so color arrangements for any season will complement them, rather than
compete with them. For now, I'm making a 'sunflower' arrangement for the soon to be Island...
but when Christmas comes, it will be red and green all the way!

It's kind of hard to see, but Allen is standing near a space where the new BOSCHE diswasher will go between two oak cabinets that make up the new 'kitchen island". Once the Dishwasher is installed, Allen will build the top and then tile it with the same white tile (and random designer tile) that is on the counter top. The sides will have 'chair-rail' which we'll try to stain with a clear varnish to match the existing cabinets as best we can. I'm having 'pull out drawers' installed in the larger cabinet so we can easily access our pots and pans as we did in the Howard house.

I ordered the higher end dishwasher because it is 'extremely' quiet. Cheap brands work fine, but they are noisy and when Faye turns on the dishwasher here at the Skyline house, you can't even hear the television without cranking up the volume to a roar. I can't imagine what the sound of a cheap dishwasher would be like in a living room/great room combination with a 24 foot ceiling...and I don't want to risk that experience, so I made sure I won't have to.

Allen also installed the backerboard over the existing vinyl to prepare to lay the floor tile, which is a light beige, white and darker beige mix. I didn't want to distract from the wood in the home by putting in a multi colored 'French Quater' tile, but we are going to lay the new tile in a French Quarter pattern for interest.

Problem is, Wendy almost grounded her Van when she loaded all the tile delivered to Home Depot in Eugene and brought it home the other day, only to find out they sent four boxes of the 12 x 12 tile, and 12 boxes of the four by 12 tile and completely eliminated any 3 x 3 tile...which is all required to do the French Quarter pattern, so now I have to go back to Eugene and hopefully they will have the tile size we need in stock when I call them. Or, maybe we'll have to have it ordered again, which takes ten days for them to deliver to the Store and that is the kind of delay I am not looking forward to.

Finally, the electrical outlets and plumbing fittings for the icemaker and door access for water have been installed, so the wall can soon be enclosed with a chair rail on both sides and wainscoated. When the texture goes on, I'm going to use a crumpeled garbage bag to create the look of 'lathe and plaster' before we paint the upper wall a very light misty green or yellow.

I don't think you will be finding any 'white walls' in my new home, as the use of color tends to make a home warmer and more cozy...and offers a great compliment to natural wood. I am trying to figure out if I can live with the pink and purple rug in the upstairs bedroom, and am tending toward 'not'...but can't be sure if I will "have" to live with it as replacing that much carpet is going to cost a pretty penny, and with the first huge housepayment going out tomorrow, plus this one...I have to keep my jets 'cooled' and 'conservative' as possible until this home sells and other really important work is completed.

Problem is ...I WANT IT ALL...and I WANT IT NOW....but I have to spank my hand and say "No, No" just because it is the 'right' thing to do...all things considered. I am really getting excited now, as my vision of what the Log home could become...begins to become reality.

Three cheers to the Old Guy working his butt off day in and day out helping make a dream come true in an ongoing, methodical manner. So, that's it for the KITCHEN PROGRESS for now.