* The back story and drama is here.
I just got back from having the house appraised for my refinance, so I was up until midnight last night trying to get the kitchen finished.
Just last week, I finished grouting the back splash tile. Last night I installed all the outlets and outlet covers, microwave vent cover, and touched up the paint. The day before yesterday I painted the laundry and pantry doors and hung them. This morning my mother had to put the dishwasher back together and install the door knobs!
It's been a long slow process, but I love the outcome.
I added a cabinetry above and to the left of the refrigerator, giving it a built-in look. The cabinets are American Woodmark by Home Depot. The quality blows the Home Depot stock cabinets out of the water for just about $800 more.
I replaced the light in the dining room, too. It's pretty basic, but I wanted something that matched the fixtures in the kitchen, but didn't stand out and distract from the kitchen. The light in the kitchen was replaced when we first moved in.
I still need to replace the light above the sink. I'm torn between something super girly (for our house of women) like a chandelier or something more industrial that is so popular right now. Which ones do you like?
The counter tops are New Venetian Gold granite. It is readily available in Texas, so was so affordable. I really had to fight to get granite in the house, but ex-husband's don't get a say so. ;-) This is the same granite I have in the master bathroom. Austin Granite Direct did both the master bathroom and the kitchen.
The guest bathroom has a stock granite counter top from Home Depot. Again, the quality just doesn't compare. The New Venetian Gold is so much thicker and more durable than the guest bathroom. And for the record, I will never, ever, EVER do black counter tops again. Thank goodness it's just in this one tiny space.
The back splash is Durango Travertine in 1x3 (or is it 1x4?) inch tiles. I think it might be my favorite part of the kitchen! Maybe because (with the help of my mother) I installed it myself? Where as Chris and his friends did the cabinets, and a pro did the counters. I bought the back splash tile from a tile contractor I found on Craigslist. I know, sketchy, but it saved me a ton of money! I got the 12"x12" mesh-bound tiles for under $6 a square foot.
Another short cut I did that really helped a DIYer like myself was use the premixed grout from Home Depot. It saved me a ton of steps, and has so far been a great product.
All in all, the kitchen has:
- All new cabinets
- Granite counters
- Updated light fixtures
- Tile back splash
- New laundry room and pantry doors (replaced the old plain doors with six panel)
- Under mount, extra deep sink
- New faucet (which I don't love, but it was an upgrade and it was -FREE-)
- New disposal
Special mention to my mother, who helped throughout this whole process. She gave blood, sweat, and probably some tears right along with me.
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