10/16/10

Kitchen Renovation - Part 1


Last week we finally had our kitchen countertops replaced, this was the aging before put in by the previous owner.


The reason for my builder question last week was the time we had to wait. He originally told us in early May it would be about 6 weeks, and it continued like that until 5 months later when he finally arrived!


But to be fair his work is excellent and they did everything they could to keep the dust down for which we are grateful. And he was a real perfectionist about matching up the grain pattern and the finishing is excellent. Plus we could leave them in the house alone and know they were trustworthy.


We did not go for Granite as neither of us were interested in paying $63 per sq ft. But like others we love the look and so when we saw this new product by Formica - 180 FX we both knew instantly it was perfect.
(Double click pics for a closer look)


 There are many granite colour/grain options available, but we loved this big, bold design called Blue Storm, and at less than $4 per sq ft it was a no brainer decision! We also replaced the sink with a nice new sparkly Corstone in a neutral shade.


We love it, the kitchen has been instantly updated without breaking the bank. Next up is that backsplash you can see, the tile is ordered and I will be spending Fall Break next week installing it for us. This will be a new enterprise for me and I will definitely report back on progress. We have chosen mosaic size ceramic tiles on a 12x12 mesh, with some real fancy glass ones I will be inserting sporadically.

Keep your fingers crossed for this DIY project!

24 comments:

Snippety Gibbet said...

Oh, Sarah.........That is gorgeous! Have fun spending time in there now. jan

Kay said...

I just love to see renovation projects. We've been through quite a bit of it so it's fun for me to see everybody else's befores and afters. Your After is fabulous! I love everything you did. Fantastic choices! You must be smiling everytime you enter the kitchen.

Gaelyn said...

I like the new look and really thought it was rock. The mosaic project sounds like fun. Look forward to seeing what you come up with.

A Brit in Tennessee said...

What a difference it has made to the look of the whole kitchen.
I love it !
Sometimes you just have to put up with the delays and be glad he did nice work....and THAT he did.
I think the colors are awesome.

Anonymous said...

Very nice, Sarah! But, what if your house had burned down, and it took the builder 5 months to start rebuilding???

Vickie said...

GORGEOUS! Really looking forward to seeing your backsplash.

Unknown said...

Sarah & Gary! The look is awesome...I thought it was real granite...the builder did a super job & the wait was definitely worth it! My countertops are in...I also went for look of stone, but tis formica...also love your drawer pulls & knobs! Great job & good luck on the tile backsplash!

Joe Todd said...

Your kitchen looks great. Our small bathroom refinishing took 3 months from start to finish.

Midwest to Midlands said...

Looks great! Happy cooking:)

Expat mum said...

5 months is a bit ridiculous I have to say. Anyway, looks very nice and I can tell you - you're not missing much with granite. It's the bane of my life trying to keep the streaks off it.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Beautiful result. Worth the wait? I would think so.

We got new granite earlier this year. I totally deferred to Sweetie the design. When it came to the sink, she said "Oh, the standard 50/50 design will work." and I said, "The guy that does the dishes wants a 60/40." So that is what we got.

George said...

Your 'new' kitchen is beautiful. Although the wait was frustrating, the results are really worth it. Your man did an excellent job.

Pam said...

Looks fabulous! The building process is awful but so worth the results.

(I tried to comment here the other day, but the word verification and me just don't see eye to eye for some reason...) And now I can't remember what all I was giong to say :(

Jill of All Trades said...

How wonderful. Looks so fresh and new.

Brown English Muffin said...

What a huge difference....LOVE IT!

Daryl said...

I am green with envy

Linda Jennings said...

Great improvement! I know you will enjoy the new look!

Amy said...

Those counters look fabulous. I might have to look into that product. Be sure to post you backsplash. We really need one. Maybe I can get motivate3d to finally do it.

Stella Jones said...

Looks very modern and new. I notice you've got an electric kettle there Sarah!
Good luck with the tiling.
Blessings, Star

Sherri said...

Sarah, great job!! Can't wait to see the backsplash tile!!

Maddy said...

Don't think we're up for a full makeover - but that looks fabulous. I think I'll just opt for refinishing the cabinets as a half way house.

Lynn said...

You made the right choice. Using lots of heavy equipment to dig up granite then more heavy equipment to cut and polish it is not very environmentally friendly. :-)

It's beautiful. I love remodeling pics. I'm an HGTV addict.

A Brit in Tennessee said...

Just checking on you !
The remodel must be keeping you busy, I hope it's coming along nicely ....
Jo

Sandi McBride said...

Looking good, Sarah! Love the countertops, a dream they are! Keep showing us what you're up to!
Sandi