A Video Tour of Our Home's Future Layout + Sneak Peek at The Kitchen Renovation
/ AshleyI’ve been talking on the blog a lot about our home’s new layout as we approach the remodel of the kitchen. I’ve brought it up because first I wanted your opinion, then because you gave great advice, and then because I needed your help deciding, and then I teased my favorite layout, then I elaborated, and now I’m here to fully explain the new layout - in video form!
The flow and layout of our house has been a critical part of the kitchen design because I feel strongly that no matter how pretty the wall color is or how shiny the tile is, no space is ever going to look good if it doesn’t function well. The way we live in our spaces down to how we get from one room to another or how we open the dishwasher can make a big impact on general family time and efficiency in work space. So, I’ve thought about it for years and years and years and now I finally have a layout that we’ve decided on and sent to get stamps of approval on at the permit office.
I’ve shared some renderings and layouts, but I still get questions about the whole scope of the project. So, instead of inviting each of you over into my house, I’ve put together a video where I show you exactly how the space is transforming. I walk you through the house in its current state, point wildly at blank walls, make arm gestures pretending to be a refrigerator and a wall, include some floor plan reference points, trip over my words and trip over the foster dog. I promise it’s informative!
Watch the Video:
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Here’s a visual outside of video format for ya:
Was that helpful? Even mildly? If it wasn’t, then you’ll have to stay tuned to see how it unfolds during the remodel. Subscribe to get the blog in your email and subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss out!
Check Out The Latest Kitchen Renovation Posts
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Countertops are major workhorses and one of the biggest design elements in a kitchen. So, there’s a lot of thought that goes into the material, style, and design of them. But you know me, I have to research even further. In addition to picking a pretty countertop, I factored in the environmental footprint, worker health, land reclamation of the quarry, and the way it fits into a historic home. Ready to get into it? Let’s!
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The renovation is taking shape! We have level floors (thanks to lots of nail pulling and geometry) and the beginnings of the oh-so-transformative drywall!! The kitchen is finally feeling like a safe space amidst the chaos of a renovation and a pandemic.
I came across a charming book written in 1914 all about how to plan an efficient kitchen. How perfect of a fit for me is that?!? Efficient! Kitchen! 1914! The book has certainly inspired my renovation and I’ve incorporated some of the tips and tricks into my current design. From organizing to lighting, and cooking to materials, it’s got guidelines on all of it. Admittedly, some of the lessons are comical and antiquated, but that’s the fun of it! Beyond kitchen designing, though, this book aims to make our homes thoughtful spaces that are free of waste, that value women’s time, and are utilitarian spaces rather than storage units. It’s pretty forward-thinking for a 100-year-old book!
We’re getting closer and closer to the renovation feeling less like a construction site and more like a room. We’re not quite there yet, but insulation and new flooring underlayment has me seeing the light at the end of the tunnel! Plus, we added a fresh outdoor dining set that has me itching to eat oodles of meals out there!
The crew has left so I’ve taken over the renovation project and my first task was insulation! The process was very easy and actually quite enjoyable. I can already feel a difference in the temperature of the room and how the space sounds, so I’m a happy camper. Let’s get into it!
Electrical went in last week! As did HVAC and venting! And we had our first inspection! While it was stressful for me to make decisions (that’s just not my strong suit in any application), the installation was free of drama like plumbing week! Let’s take a look at what happened, shall we?
I used to write these renovation updates in terms of weeks, but things are just so. slow. moving. So instead of a week 4 update, it’s just the 4th update in the series because it’s actually been 7 weeks of renovation. But, we’re making progress, and in this post, I’m here to chat all about plumbing! Spoiler: things started to suck this week.
There are a lot of times I’d recommend not renovating a kitchen and during coronavirus is one of those times. We’ll work it out, and we’re grateful we have the privilege we do right now, and this will all be over one day (hopefully). But It’s still less than ideal. Many of you kindly have reached out to ask how things are going, so I’m here to share with you what’s going on and how we’re moving forward with this project.
This kitchen renovation and bathroom addition are still cruising. Kinda slow, often uneventful, sometimes thrilling. This past week the guys have been wrapping up framing and that included cutting a hole into a perfectly good wall, removing a door, adding two doors, and adding two walls!
We really like the range we selected during our kitchen remodel, but despite my over-thinking and intense research for a range, I have a regret.