Kitchen Remodel, Part Trois - The Pantry

While "redeveloping" the kitchen, we went ahead and developed a new pantry space.  This was something we had planned to do eventually but not necessarily at the same time as the kitchen.  Since one thing leads to another, we didn't really want to lay new flooring until the new pantry space was done.  Because we wanted this all to end, we decided to jump on in and get'er done.  Building a new pantry space also meant repositioning the HVAC intake vent.  That was a task I was really dreading to undertake.  However, this particular project ended up being a piece of cake, not as difficult as I had expected.  I moved the vent all by myself and it was surprisingly easy!

Here is part of the original space where the new pantry is.  It served as our "kitchen" throughout most of the remodel.  Yes, a microwave, toast and chocolate milk were staples there for awhile!  :-)  This part of the original space had a buffet-banquet-like space with about five drawers.  It was really terrific...if you had 142 placemats, tablecloths, and 14 sets of silverware you needed to store.  Needless to say, it appeared pretty useless to us.  We had better plans for this cubby.  I was able to yank it out in it's entirety and may use it in the garage for something.  

To the left of the cubby (above) was our old pantry.  

Really, it was a 2x3 closet we turned into a pantry by adding shelves.

By removing the cubby drawers and demolishing the existing pantry closet, 

we gained about a 3x6 amount of space. 

This is the HVAC air intake that used to be located directly above where the microwave sat in that cubby.    I was able to remove one piece of ducting at the seams allowing it to rest perfectly where I needed it to.  Look profesh, right?!

Here are the beginnings of the MDF shelves and pine supports.

After some research, I learned how wonderful MDF can be...notwithstanding certain parameters.  This particular project required that the MDF shelves to have some additional support.  Oh darn, time for a new toy tool!  I found this dowel jig at Harbor Freight (which is like the Dollar Tree of Home Depot).  FYI - This exact same "jig" was nearly 3x the price at Sears.  EXACT.SAME.JIG.  Just sayin'.  What this allowed me to do was to add those little dowel-and-hole siteeeations you come across when you buy do-it-yourself furniture.  I felt pretty cool having the capability to do this on my own!  How cool is that?

Anywho, here's a piece of the process...

...and here is the finished product after tending to the "certain parameters" part as mentioned above.  I had to add addition strips of wood in the corners and front for support.  I'm pretty sure these shelves aren't going anywhere anytime soon!  :-)

Voila!  It's the the biggest pantry you've ever seen.  However, it is about three times bigger than the original.  It feels so good to have everything all organized and siteeeated.

Kitchen Delivery!

Absolutely nothing has changed since Part 1 of the kitchen remodel, frustratingly enough.  However, we purchased the IKEA cabinets last night and they arrived this afternoon.  Oh how exciting it is to see our new kitchen amongst a pile of 178 packaged goods!  I'd be more excited if I was able to put them together and begin installation.  So much to do before that process begins...

Don't the words "Lidingo" and "Akurum" make ya wanna go na nuh na nuh?!!!!!

Meanwhile, this is our kitchen right now - 

Note the Nesquik which has been a vital part of our existence lately.

Kitchen Remodel, Part I

As if we didn't have enough going on (like preparing for the arrival of our kid in January) we have started the kitchen remodel.  If you had the opportunity to meet our old kitchen, you would know why.  It was a special little beast, previously remodeled in 1986 according to the newspaper I found stuffed in the wall behind the drywall.  :-)  This is something we felt needed to be done prior to Bajeda and sibs because when would we ever have another chance to be without a kitchen for an extended period of time?  Additionally, who wants to constantly try and keep the little rascals out of the demolition area?  Blek.  Not fun and not me!

So here we are - pushing it to the verrryy lasstttt minuteeeeee...

Here's the beginning of THIS adventure -

Our lovely 1986 kitchen.

...and so it begins...

The original drive-thru window...

Moral of the story, don't be alarmed if we show up at your doorstep for a bite to eat.

Just sayin'...

Roses and Berries

Not much has been happening with the manor lately. Lindsay continues to stay pretty busy working her jobs and growing gummy bear. I sit at home in contemplation of the long list of things that we'd like to get done, some sooner than later, and feel somewhat overwhelmed. Remember when we were at Paiute Place and most of our really big projects were completed? Ahhh, those were the days!  Why is it that I'm always so motivated to get things done on the house while I'm sitting at my desk at work?  That motivation tends to die down by the time Ava the Avalon gets me home.  I'm not too concerned.  It just takes a few great kitchen remodel DIY shows and I'm revved up again.  Perhaps I should start watching those sooner than later...

Meanwhile, the backyard has been taking on a life of its own. From wild and crazy blackberry bushes to random rose bushes to weeds and shiz everywhere else, it's a jungle out there!  Let us not forget the wildlife of all kinds roaming the grounds, including skunks.  What is it about the Heights that attracts the skunks?!

Here are some samples of the rose bushes from a few months ago randomly grouped on the side of the house...because that's a good place for rose bushes! I'm not quite sure what the thought process was when these were planted on the side of the house (aka the RV access).

"Painting the roses red..." (Click image to make larger)

The wild and cRaZy blackberry bushes are yielding some fabulous berries. I reckon we won't keep ALL of the bush being that it takes up quite a bit of space so we're going to enjoy the berries while they are in abundance. I've found two recipes (thanks to our beloved Food Network Magazine and a fellow blogger) to make with berries so far.   Have berry recipes you'd like to share?  Please do!

Like a Ton of Bricks!

What's that burning sensation you're feeling?  That's from our newly renovated fireplaces at the Manor!  Yes folks, we've gone from fireplace facades that would make you want to slap on a harness and repel to those of a more classic look.  Probably the most expensive but much needed reno to date was the removal of the sandstone rock and the installation of a ton of bricks for not one but two fireplaces.  We have dual fireplaces, one opens to each the family and living rooms.  Pretty nifty, eh?  

If this doesn't scream "HELP ME" I'm not sure what would!

Family Room Fireplace

As you can see, this particular 'place had a bit of a spit up problem.  

Living Room Fireplace

We're just not sure how this look was every popular!

Off with the climbing rock!

The rock coming off this thing was real, not that fakesy fakesy look alike stuff!  We had to have our very talented masonry come and handle the project for us.  

Due to an issue on the backside of this particular side, 

smoke was not able to properly escape through the chimney.

Hence the spit up problem mentioned earlier.  

(See below, right hand side)

The Help (Buffy and Amber).

It was quite fascinating watching the progress of our new fireplace(s).

He did his math in the mastic!  Ya do what ya gotta do!

 

He applied a layer of mastic over the upper half so 

that we would have some sort of finished surface to work from.

Family Room

Living Room

 I ended up sheet rocking and painting that upper half on both sides.

What you're seeing here is a more finished product.  

Join us next time for our living room transformation!

For additional photos of the fireplace project, visit our online photo album.