We're the #1 result on Google for most beautiful kitchen.
I knew it!
But there's much more work to do.
Steve's been on vacation all week. It's been good to have the house to ourselves - let's get this thing finished!
I installed the ceiling speaker volume control (HiFiWorks HFWVC, $40). It works fine but I can't get the plate to screw into the wall box. Steve!
Today I picked up enough warm fluorescents to go around.
Once the backsplash tile was installed the areas under the cabinets started to look pretty dark - we'd had under-cabinet lighting installed but the cool stock fluorescent tubes brought out way too much blue and purple in the tile. The kitchen looked like a designer laboratory.
Warm fluorescents really do work. Check it out - on the far left is one of the original tubes, in the middle is incandescent light from below the microwave, and on the right is the much-improved wash from the new warm fluorescent.
Now I just need to go back and get the right sized bulbs for the rest of the fixtures. I don't want to talk about it.
Keep an eye on those showroom bulbs. We considered bringing our own lighting to the granite warehouses because the samples looked completely different in true daylight.
I jumped ahead of myself tonight and did a quick hotwire of the ceiling speakers.
They sound great - very clean, good definition, a full sound. They're the AudioSource IC8S, and I got them from Amazon for under a hundred bucks. Recommended.
We ordered the drawer pulls online Sunday night and they arrived yesterday. Kitchens Unlimited got the job done quickly and at a price well below what we would have paid at the local retailer - when you're talking 40+ pieces the savings add up.
And it looks great.
The tile is Casa Dolce Casa 'Beige', grout color 'Bone'. Yes, there's a whole brown rainbow of grout colors.
Is still 150 watts. Looks like we'll be investing in a low-voltage dimmer system. Money to burn? Gimme your lighter!
Maybe sunglasses on the lights...
The tile guys are here to set the backsplash behind the counters. The cutter has his saw set up on the front stoop. There's a lot of shouting and clanging this morning.
We spent some time this weekend deciding where to place the handmade accent tiles. I'm trying to impress upon the main tile guy that we want the textures and colors of the 5-inch squares mixed evenly.
I've chosen the middle of the sink as the starting point for the grid. It just so happens that the 5-inchers line up just right to put three accents under the microwave as well as over the sink.
This morning's unexpected decision concerned what to do about the switchplate by the dining room door - it straddles the end of the countertop and would need to be moved inward if we want to stop the backsplash flush with the edge. The tile guy recommended we take the tile all the way to the wall and then down to the floor. We agreed and crossed our fingers.
We're getting very close now with the kitchen.
The open corner shelves are in... we thought they'd be rounded, but we'll take'm.
The pendants are all installed and the molding is up around the refrigerator.
Today Steve and Mike installed the shelves by the peninsula. Melanie ordered the brackets from New Zealand (they got here pretty quick, too).
All that's left is the tile and about four feet of molding over the pantry that somehow didn't make it in either the first or second cabinet deliveries. Still waiting on the stain for the wood in the back room.
Right before dozing off to the Two Towers I cooked up our favorite red pepper/eggplant/prosciutto extravaganza.
This is why we rebuilt the kitchen.