Kitchen Reno

After 8 years in our house, we were very ready for a change in the kitchen.  This past year, we ripped out the terrible fake green marble laminate countertops that I despised since we moved in (Really, why did it take so long to get a move on that project!!? Indecisiveness is my huge downfall!).  When we were doing this project, we had the countertop on the island extended a little longer than the current one, to give us room to fit 3 barstools across the back side.

Handy Manny, er, Jeff decided he wanted to try and conquer this project himself.  So a few new tools later, and many hours in the garage sawing and sanding..viola!

Here is the work in progress...

You can clearly see in this picture where he has built an addition on to the old island to match up with the new countertop.  We also disliked that the back of the island wasn't "real" wood..it was just a laminate type of board that semi-matched the stain on the real wood cabinets..and matched it less and less as things seemed to fade around here.  Eww.

He is pretty amazing, huh?!  Not shabby work for a computer guy! =)
I'd wanted the island to look more like a piece of furniture, so he built out the kickboard too, and stained it all black.

He also took off all the cabinet doors, I cleaned them with a TSP solution (sadly, about my only real contribution to this project!) and then he rubbed a dark stain on the old cherry wood to make them a tad darker, and the stain to stick in the cracks...I think that it is called "tuxedo" staining or something like that. It's not too evident in pics, but is more obvious in real life.

Our barstools are in a sad, sad state.  I am waiting to buy new ones because as soon as Emerson is out of the high chair, we'll need a new kitchen table and I'm hoping to get it all to match/coordinate.  Look what the hubby whipped up in about an hour one afternoon with my sewing machine.  He made slipcovers and re-upholstered them!

I told him on our next date night I'd love for him to teach me to sew! ..And then we can end the night at Target, since that is where you end up on date night when you have children, right? Ha.