How Far We've Come

So about a week ago, my husband-to-be rented a trash dumpster, because we had a few large pieces of fiberglass insulation to dispose of. Of course, he was not content to simply dispose of the insulation- he wanted to maximize the available space and toss as much "junk" as possible. Thus ensued a mini battle over what should be tossed and what should be kept. You know how they say, "One man's trash is another man's treasure"? I'm the one who typically finds treasure in unlikely items. I guess it has something to do with growing up in a house that was being remodeled, and having all kinds of building materials to appropriate and play with: pieces of pipe and rope made awesome trapeze swings, wood scraps and nails became sailboats, etc. Of course, I'm a lot more practical now, so as piles of scrap wood were hurled into the dupster, I couldn't protest. The thought of our yard becoming a haven for termites isn't an appealing one. There were, however, some worthwhile items being discarded, such as a slightly rusted metal cart, perfectly suited for storing tools and in need of only a once over with a metal brush and a new coat of paint. But I couldn't stop R- he was a man on a mission.

I was angry with him at first, but it doesn't do much good to be angry with someone who is determined. And despite the fact that I seemed to be on the losing end of our battle over whether certain items should stay or go, we were both pleased that the garage and yard became a little bit tidier.

The insulation was a no-brainer- it was falling down from the ceiling of the garage, leaving bits of irritating fiberglass and other debris all over everything. The prior owner of our house was in a band, and our garage was his practice space, so it is totally insulated. The walls are completely covered in drywall (a nice touch, although the seams were never sanded and it was never primed/painted). The ceiling is insulated and the strips of insulation tacked up, but this area didn't get drywall, so over time some of the insulation strips have come loose, hence the dumpster.

Spring cleaning brought back memories for us. We both remembered when we first moved in, and the things we disposed of. The most memorable was an enormous antenna on the roof of the house. It must have been thirty feet long, mangled at the top, and positively ancient looking. The aluminum gutters also went- they were rusted, nonfunctional, and a horrible eyesore. Other items include the original bathroom vanities and one one of the vanity tops (I salvaged the other one), practically the entire kitchen, all the flooring, the "cottage cheese" acoustic ceiling, the list goes on and on!

The kitchen was a joke. The counter tops were a cheap laminate, which is fine, I have nothing against cheap- but the one on the sink side of the kitchen had never been secured to the cabinets beneath, and the one on the stove side of the kitchen was about four inches too short. Those went. I saved the kitchen sink, planning to reuse it outdoors- but in the latest round of tossing "junk", it didn't make the cut. That's ok- as a two bowl sink, it was too large for what I have planned.

So how did I rehabilitate our once frightening kitchen? IKEA to the rescue! As a former Home Depot employee, I know what it costs to redo a kitchen-- it's not cheap! There are a few ways to go- KraftMaid and it's competitors- lovely, but ouch! And the contractor's special- off the shelf super boring, no frills cabinetry. Then there's IKEA. I'm a Consumer Reports junkie, and IKEA kitchens get high marks. With good reason-- the cabinetry features excellent design and European style hardware. Drawers extend all the way out, on ball bearing slides, and have a self close feature. Best of all- features like this are standard (not so with KraftMaid and it's competitors).

I opted for a freestanding kitchen, which simplified matters even more. Unfortunately, the line I used (Bravad) is now defunct, so I won't be able to add additional pieces (what I was planning on doing- darn!!). I don't know why the line was discontinued- not only is it well made, but it is very attractive- much better looking than the longstanding Varde line. And it's not like I can mix and match- Bravad is oak and white laminate, Varde is pine. Oh well, c'est la vie. I was pretty much done with the kitchen, and what isn't done can be completed with pieces from their built-in line. I used Bravad for the base cabinetry and used a few pieces of Bravad for the upper cabinetry, leaving two of the original upper built in cabinets on the opposide wall. With the addition of some IKEA door pulls, they match beautifully. And of course being made of solid wood circa 1950's, they're better made than a lot of other options.

I have fond memories of ripping out the upper cabinets on the stovetop side of the kitchen, along with the old vent hood. I must say, I rock at demolition! Yes, I did it myself, when R wasn't home! R is extremely mess-averse. We make a good team- I make messes, he cleans them up. Just kidding (sort-of!) What else I did: replaced the stovetop with a stainless steel model, put in a stainless steel dishwasher, and added a counter-depth stainless steel fridge. Everything looks great and coordinates, with the exception of the ancient gas oven. The oven, which is black, will need to be replaced in the future, but unfortunately the project money ran out before we could get to that. It didn't help that I lost my job when we were in escrow! Yes, SERIOUSLY. What a nightmare! It makes me ill just remembering those weeks and months of struggle and uncertainty, but it's behind us now, THANK GOD.