Kitchen Reno

Progress Report

Kitchen Reno

I have never created a space of my own. In the apartments I’ve inhabited, and in our current home, I’ve decorated, of course, but when it comes to the layout and structural components of a room, I’ve largely lived with other people’s decisions. And so, after Ben and Mike spent 12 hours on Saturday installing their beautiful Shaker-style cabinets in our kitchen, and we could finally see what the space is going to look like, I got a little teary. Tied up in the emotion was a sense of gratitude to these guys for working so hard to make this dream happen for us in a tight, four-week timeframe (my stated threshold for carrying dishes back and forth to the work sink in the basement). On Saturday, we did not make their job easy. One pint-size “helper” (and future OSHA inspector) checked in regularly to make sure the bubble was in the middle on Ben’s level or chastise Mike for standing on the top step of a ladder. And when the power tools drowned out Word Girl on PBS Kids? “Too loud!” screamed our darling boys, who are clearly being raised with sterling manners.

Earlier in the week, Mike laid the birch flooring in the kitchen and Jed Bresette, of Jed’s Painting in Portland, brushed on the new wall color. He also painted the adjacent powder room in Benjamin Moore’s Dark Harbor, using a matte sheen on the walls and satin on the trim. The bold, monochromatic pairing makes the bland space, with its lackluster woodwork and linoleum flooring, feel luxurious, just like the experts said it would. Here are some highlights from the last few days:

What do you think of the progress so far? Share your thoughts below! I’d love to see photos of your home, too. You can upload them here.