Cabinets, Beams & Basement Floors...

It was a very exciting time here this week, because we are one step closer to a completed kitchen.  The cabinets have been delivered and installed!

I will never, ever forget the moment that I walked in to see the kitchen for the first time.  I was instantly overwhelmed with happiness, so much so that a few tears managed to sneak their way out of the corner of my eye.  After all the planning, all the decisions and selections that went into my favorite room in the house, it was finally real.  I had previously only seen drawings on paper, and to walk in and be able to touch it, explore it, was an experience that I will not soon forget.

This little piece of countertop will house the coffee maker. 

The fridge will go in the large opening.

This is the back wall of the kitchen.

This large opening is for a double oven (goodness, how I could have used this yesterday when I was trying to cook my sweet potato casserole at the same time as my rolls!)

A hood will go in the next slot, over the gas cooktop.

I forgot to photograph these cabinets under the cooktop open, but the set of double-doors reveals two HUGE pull-out shelves that will hold all my pots and pans.  Notice the furniture detailing at the bottom?  I just adore it!

To the left of my cooktop is a knife drawer.

Below the knife drawer is a breadbox, with space to the side for the boxes of sandwich bags I use to pack lunches everyday!

All of the cabinets go all the way to the ceiling.  I've always hated the dust & grease that can accumulate on top of cabinets in the kitchen.  Plus, it provides so much extra storage space for entertaining pieces with the smaller cabinets at the top like this.

A double tiered silverware drawer to the left of the sink.

The two faux drawer fronts under the sink have finger pulls routed into the top edge...

and they open to reveal storage for sponges, scrubbers and scrapers.

The island has lots of storage as well.  The back side, across from the cooktop, has two cabinets and two wide drawers.

The side across from the fridge has a single standard drawer plus these special basket drawers.  The baskets have plastic liners so they are easy to clean and keep little bits and pieces from falling through the cracks.

One will hold potatoes and the other onions.  

The end of the island has a small ledge where we will put stools for the kids.  There will be large chunky table-style legs being added after the floors have been stained.  

There are recessed lights all around the kitchen so there will be adequate lighting throughout.

You can barely make it out here, but the fourth side of the island, facing the sink, features another lower single drawer and space for the microwave.

One last view of the kitchen as it appears from the great room.

This is the cabinetry that was installed in the butler's pantry area between the kitchen and the study.  A wine fridge will be installed next to the lower cabinet.

Stemware will be stored underneath the cabinet in stemware holders that still need to be installed and the actual cabinet can hold other miscellaneous glasses and entertainment pieces.

The beams in the great room have also been erected.  They are just fabulous!  They make the room just come to life!  This is the way they look when you first walk into the room from the foyer.

Here is the way they look from the upstairs landing.  They are made from rough-sawn cedar boards that have character and personality, just the way we wanted them.

A little peek at the transition of the beams into the upstairs landing as well as how big & substantial they are when you get a peek closeup!

Here is the master bathroom vanity...

featuring a double sink as well as an opening for me to have a small stool and a place to put on make-up.

Pergo laminate wood floors have been laid down in the basement level.  They are a nice wide plank with a warm brown finish.  These floors go throughout the sitting area and pool table room as well as my studio...

Speaking of studio, here are the finished floors in there.

I have recessed lights around this room as well so there will be plenty of lighting.

There is also a ceiling fan to help circulate the air.

The big closet that I'll have to myself in there has lights now so I can finally start planning the interior and how all the shelving & storage  will be designed.

This past weekend we took on a family project and created the tiered floors for the seating in our theater room.

Each tier was insulated so that there wouldn't be any echo from the surround sound system.

It was a fun little project to tackle ourselves.

The tiers, along with the rest of the house, should be carpeted next week!  We are looking at a definite move-in before Christmas, December 15th most likely at the latest!  We are ALL getting so excited, the anticipation is just about all we talk about at the dinner table these days!

Comments

[Bridget]

I LOOOVE the coffered ceiling! I love all of the details on the cabinets. I can tell you spent a lot of time planning your kitchen and it will pay off! Great Job!!!

[Rycrafty]

That sponge storage idea is genius!

[Katie {choc0holic}]

Oh my goodness...what a dream! Thanks for doing all of the hard work for me should I ever get to build a dream home? ;) Everything is just beautiful. I am so excited for you and your family!

[SueB]

Fabulous, fabulous!!! I love it all. You've designed such wonderful parts to your home - love the bread drawers and the basket drawers, and the cupboards - wow! You must be SO excited! So glad to see the latest updates.

[L Lee]

Love your new house - Thank-you for sharing with us!

[Jeanne]

Oh, this is all so exciting. Love all of the planned details coming alive....the drawers with specified inserts, bread box, what a dream come true! The ceilings are full of character and certainly add a warm feel. The light fixtures and the butler's pantry area are awesome. Wow, the theatre flooring is really great....I know there were lots of eager hands to help and that investment of labor so very special! Just think, you will be in and settled by Christmas! Your studio and closet are also a dream come true. Thank you again for sharing this joy with us! May the countdown and move go as well as the planning.

[diane mcvey]

I have to admit I am envious...your new home is just PERFECT! It's just what I would plan if I could build my own! I know you are going to L*O*V*E living there with your beautiful family. What a dream come true...and you deserve it. I hope you have many wonderful years in your amazing abode!!! :D

[Rose A]

wow how gorgeous thanks for updating !!
Hopefully, your studio did not hear you calling your kitchen your favourite room in the house !!

[Juanita in Ohio]

What a treat, your photos are fabulous! Your home looks as if an interior designer designed it. I LOVE the cabinetry and I am psyched about the potato and onion baskets. The studio looks like it is the size of my apartment, WOW! The closet is unbelievable, oh, what joy. It is amazing how such busy people get so much done...building the levels for the theater is not a simple task, I know it will be AWESOME. You thought of everything, Nichole, everything. The lighting and lamps are spectacular as is the butler's pantry. The cofferd ceiling is so elegant and dramatic, TFS.

[Deebi27]

Thanks for the treat of watching as this home comes together. It has been such fun see all that you have thought of to make this home just so! Your kitchen is obviously a dream come true kitchen, have a blast making yummies!

[Rach]

Extreamly envious of this kitchen! So actually it is the whole house and land! Congraulations of having this dream of yours becoming a reality more and more every day! It must be an amazing feeling! Have lots of cooking fun in there!

[Aliessa Preston]

WOW! I have just spent the last 1/2 hour or so exploring your beautiful home from start to present - I'm so excited to see the completed home in a few weeks! What a wonderful feeling it must be to be almost at the end. I will tell you I am terribly jealous (in a most loving way). You seem to have thought of absolutely everything. I love it all and will have to borrow some of your ideas should we ever get the opportunity to build our own home (which is definitely my dream). Thank you so much for sharing this special dream come true!

[Danielle]

Holy moly! Your cabinets are beautiful! We are planning our build right now. Would you mind sharing where you gots yours? I love the simplicity and color. Gorgeous! TIA

[Jeleryl Comisky]

Everything looks fine. Has it been finished? Your furniture looks very classy. I would like to see the photo of the basement.