Buzzings from a quilter who bumbles her way through life!

Friday, April 25, 2014

Hill Country House Progress - Mid-April

We have been having computer problems, so I haven't been able to post easily! I have a little catching up to do now on our progress. 


We're at the stage where we have gone into a perfectly good house and demolished it! I know that it will be nice when we finish, but I really dislike this part of the process. Here you see some of the rubble after removing cabinets and walls. We have also removed the appliances, which we will donate. We will reuse and repaint the cabinets, so we really worked carefully getting them down instead of taking a sledge hammer to them. 
 We have a plan to rearrange the kitchen and add a "dirty kitchen" (I know, most of us already have one of those and WHY would you want to ADD one!!!). Other names for this special room are "butler's kitchen" and "working pantry", not to be confused with a butler's pantry which is between a kitchen and dining room. This is a large pantry with a sink, dishwasher, counter for crock pots, toasters, etc. as well as storage shelves for food items. The idea behind it is that you do all the "dirty" work in there before company comes and the kitchen area will stay clean. We have a very open living space, so the idea appealed to me and I had the space, so why not? The extra dishwasher is for dishes during a party. Since we will get a free dishwasher when we buy our range and we have a dishwasher to use already, we thought this was a useful idea. The cabinets had to be removed so that we could cut a door through to the former laundry room (which we will move to a room near the bedrooms)  beside the kitchen. This 8' x 12' room will become the "dirty kitchen/pantry".  We have taken extra cabinets to the future quilting studio and will use them in there. (I have that planned out also! I'm big on re-using things!)
Here is what I am wanting for my countertops around the perimeter of the kitchen:
                     Crema Marfil Leather T3137

    It is a grayed white "leathered" marble called Crema Marfil. It has the look of honed limestone, which is what we have on the outside of the house. The Texas hill country is on a limestone bedrock and there are outcroppings everywhere. I love the idea of something so natural decorating my house. Although marble is porous, it is not as porous as limestone! The honed marble is supposed to be a little easier to keep. (I haven't finalized my choice, but I LOVE this!) My dad is going to make us a mesquite wood countertop for the island. 
Mesquite Island
Here is a sample of a mesquite countertop. This  link will take you to the website of the Texas company who makes these!
We haven't talked to a fabricator yet, so this is not a "done deal", but after walking through row after row of glossy granite, I just wasn't falling in love with any of it. I told Doug I would know it when I saw it - and I did. It isn't anything like what I would have thought of on my own. I'm the same way with anything I buy. I have to have an emotional reaction to it before I want to part with my money!

I know that you can't really see yet what we're going to do. I wish it were all finished so you could see that we haven't ruined our house! (Phooey! I wish I could see that we haven't ruined our house! ) The floor guy can't put in the floor until the kitchen is finished. We are getting some bids on help with the kitchen, but one carpenter can't even start until late June! The other hasn't found a chance to come out and give us a bid! I guess we are in a holding pattern as far as the kitchen goes. 
If you didn't see my last quilted wall hanging, I posted it last week HERE for the Superpower Blog Hop. The birds I appliqued are two of the hundreds common to the hill country - mockingbird and scarlet tanager. 
                                                

13 comments:

  1. This IS a really difficult stage in the renovation process, prayers to you and family for the time needed to get through it! Thanks for sharing the process in pictures...sometimes it does a mind good to watch others going through a similar process! I can't wait to get rid of our hardwood floors, can't believe I wanted to add more once upon a time, I am totally passed wanting to care for them, ours are aged and need to be fully redone, never mind, give me linoleum throughout (the new type that just lays on top and selfseals) and ease of cleaning LOL for now we have plywood flooring and you can just imagine the clean up there.

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  2. Love the idea of a dirty kitchen. Never heard of it before. Wonderful concept.

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  3. Linda have you ever seen granite that they finish with the leather texture? I saw some at a home show and it was really nice. I wish you luck in getting a kitchen before too long.

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  4. Hi Linda. I haven't heard of a "dirty kitchen" before! I like the sound of that except it would mean two kitchens to clean up!

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  5. The good news Linda, where there is a beginning there is a end..before you know it you will be in your lovely home

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  6. How wonderful that you both are hands on and can design and implement your visions. Reusing and saving what you can is very smart. I know you will have the most amazing and beautiful home when you are finished. I love the countertop your father will make for you. Creative Home Sweet Home Bliss Dear...

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  7. Never heard about a dirty kitchen before but sounds really excellent. Renovations can really be a pain but I guess you have to keep your eyes on what you will have at the end. I know that the end product will be gorgeous. Blessings Sandra

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  8. The Dirty Kitchen is such a great idea with an open floor plan! Your "holding pattern" will be just a distant memory one of these days...and so worth the wait!

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  9. I know it probably seems overwhelming now but focus on the future - it's going to be gorgeous! :) blessings, marlene

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  10. Its a mess being in the middle of it, but it will be GORGEOUS when you get it done!! I am so happy for you!

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  11. Limestone is lovely. Glad you found something similar to the look. That mesquite countertop looks cool. After cleaning machines on my kitchen counter for the past 2 days, I'd love to have a dirty kitchen, or, at least a large laundry room with a work bench and sink.

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  12. I love that you are reusing what you can and I really like the idea of a dirty kitchen!! Some relatives have a butler's pantry, but I can see where adding a few feet and lots of counter space would make it really useful!! Now you have me wondering how I can remodel my awful kitchen to make it more user-friendly!! Love the mesquite wood countertop your dad is going to make!!! Fabulous!! It will be worth the wait!!

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  13. The mesquite top on the island will look gorgeous. I like the limestone look you chose too. A working butler pantry will be wonderful, especially with an open concept.

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