Tuesday, August 19, 2008

My (Not So Pretty) Kitchen

The part of remodeling anything that I really don't look forward to.....is the big mess you have to go through and live in before you see a light at the end of the tunnel!

Jason and I started pulling down wallpaper Friday night. We managed to get one layer down (the top part without the backing) and get to bed by 1:30 a.m.! The next morning, Jason had to make a run to the store for sponges and other things we kept thinking of! This always happens....there's always something we didn't think of or a problem arises that requires a trip to town. I've learned to expect this. So...we didn't get started until going on noon. I worked my way around the room removing wallpaper with a sponge, spray bottle of hot water and fabric softner, scraper, and a rag to catch my runs down the wall. Jason came along behind me spackling and repairing the drywall. This seemed like the longest part! (Jason got a picture of me...which I don't like....cameras always add unwanted pounds and I'm in my lovely overalls too, but in all fairness to the photos I take of everyone else and add to my blog, I'm going to go ahead and put it on here!)



The plastic was covering everything, so we couldn't get to anything pretty much the whole weekend! We finally did cut a slit in the front of the plastic of the refrigerator so we could get in there! Joy helped Jason put up the plastic. She actually helped on various parts, but she drifted back and forth between watching her movies and helping us with something we were working on in the kitchen. (Colt managed to dodge this project....he was working again!) :)





After the wallpaper was down, Jason painted the ceiling. I had nothing to do with that but supervising! I don't like painting over head like that, so he took care of that and I'm so thankful!



The next step was priming the walls which we tackled by Jason cutting in with the detail work and me rolling. When Jason opened up the actual paint can color of bittersweet to begin painting, it looked like mud to me!



I was wondering what in the world I was thinking! It was shocking to see my white walls go to such a dramatic bold darker color! You can see by this photo the contrast of the white to the bittersweet!



By Saturday evening, with Jason cutting in and me rolling, we had the side of the kitchen with the bay windows and by the back door primed and painted. We stopped there and managed to get in bed by 12:30 a.m.!

Sunday was Pastor's Appreciation Day at our church so we had a dinner there afterwards and wasn't able to get home right away, but we didn't have church in the evening, so when we did get home around 3:30, we were able to begin again. This time, I finished taping off around the cabinets while Jason cut in and primed again. Then I rolled the paint on behind him and we actually had it finished up and treated ourselves to dinner out at a local Mexican restaurant while it finished drying!

We were able to get all the plastic down and clean up when we got back in and pretty much get things back in order and get in bed before midnight. I still had some minor clean-up work to do on Monday, but we were very pleased to accomplish this in a weekend. I think Jason was surprised too! I think we've learned how to work together the more we do so and things just seem to move along better! It's definitely more fun working as a team!

So the bittersweet paint is on the walls and I'll show you a picture of that when I mop my floors and take some photos! :) I have to say that I have fallen in love with the color! It's so very warm and it's really a hard color to describe as it's not really a green shade but has brown tones also. I think prim accessories are going to really look nice and stand out with it! I'm really excited now and I love to walk in there (although it echoes because there's still nothing on the walls!)

Joy is missing our "old kitchen" but I think she'll be fine when we add in some of the old accessories! Colt likes the color, but says he'll have to "get used to it" and Jason loves it!

Now we're still trying to make decisions on other coordinating factors such as the countertops and more, but for now, I'm so glad to have especially the wallpaper stripping behind us and the painting all done! We did have to put up with our not so pretty kitchen for a weekend, but I just kept envisioning my pretty prim kitchen that we could enjoy one day after all the hard work!

26 comments:

Kindra-At Home With K said...

Well it's a mess now, but it's going to look great when it's done. That color looks like my living/dining room color. When we started painting over the old white wall...I though oh, that looks so dark. But once it was all up then I saw the whole picture. I really like the color! Have a great day!

Rosemary said...

Tammy,
I personally LOVE THE COLOR!
I too am in the process of primming a room at a time. And yes it's a shock to go from white walls to something darker, but boy what a great shock!
lol

Keep at it!
Rosemary

carolyn@simple~primitive~devotion said...

WOW! Y'all got a LOT done in a short period of time! Good for you! I love the paint color, but I envision pumpkin hues when I hear the word bittersweet! LOL!
I can't wait to see everything finished!

Yankee Ridge Primitives said...

What a job eh? Im also in the middle of redoing my kitchen, seems that is always the worse room. Just keep thinking of the reward youll have when its all finished:)
Cant wait to see pics!!

Jo-Anne said...

So far...it looks GREAT! I love the color and can't wait to see the whole kitchen. All your prim things are going to look wonderful!
Have fun...
Jo-Anne

Raggedy Angel said...

Love that color! Beth

Leslie said...

It's usually the shock of the change that gets you, not the actual paint color. Lots of people think they automatically hate the color and run out for more but it's just that your eyes have to get used to the big change. I have always fallen in love with those colors that I wasn't sure of at first, in time :)

Enjoy your new kitchen! Can't wait to see photos of it all finished :)

Have a great day!

Something Nice and Pretty said...

Wow! You sure got alot done in such a short time. I love the colors and can't wait to see the whole pic when it is done, I so want to see how the oak cabinets look since I have them too:0
Loved the pic of you too;)
Have a great day>
*Rondell*

Anonymous said...

what a great color!!! I may have to look into that one:) I can't wait to see your kitchen all done!

Wendy/TheCozyYellowHouse said...

That is gonna be gorgeous!! Although it is alot of work it will be so worth it!! Can't wait to see it!!! Have a great day!!~Wendy

Gettysburg Homestead said...

Oh Tammy can't wait to see the end product!!! I love that color too.

Huuby normally trims while I roll too. I can't trim at all.

I have an award for you so please stop over when you get a chance.

Mary

Shay said...

Tammy~
Oh I just LOVE the new color!! It's going to look so wonderful when it's done! I can't wait to see the pictures! have a wonderful day girly!!

Robin Beck said...

I think you look as cute as a bug's ear in the overalls-It's nice to see someone still has a pair (I do too-Love them)
I think your kitchen's new color is very warm-I'm looking forward to the full "after" pictures.
Pray you are doing well,
Robin

Colleen/And Baby Makes Five said...

The mess is so going to be worth it, Tammy! I LOVE the color and I just know everything is going to come together beautifully. I can't wait to see the finished results...

I have a little award waiting for you over at my place :)

Have a wonderful day, my friend!

Dawn said...

Oh, I feel for you its a mess when you are living in it. But since its a kitchen remodel, maybe it will cut down on your cooking. Sometimes its just easier to eat out! Its going to look so good!! Dawn

the said...

You are working very hard I see!! That will be me working on kitchen stuff as soon as this bathroom is finished!!

As far as the candle company, its called Scentsy. Its a home party , but if you go to my blog and click on the word Scentsy in my post, it *should* take you right to it. The warmers are on sale right now too and you can buy from the website. My niece (Kizzy P) is a consultant and you can purchase right there. The company then sends it to you , that how I will get refills.......anywho- its great stuff and no more black marks on my walls and ceiling!

Have fun today and thanks for taking us along during your project!
Stephanie

Unknown said...

hi! i just stumbled on your blog...from somewhere...and i love it! looking at your kitchen pics on this post gives me flashbacks from our recent kitchen remodeling. fun times!

be sure to check out The Pink Potpourri...we have a giveaway every weekend, and we're currently hosting a swap! we'd love for you to join!

SmilingSally said...

Hi,

I'm new to your blog. It's a good thing that Sunday was Pastor's Appreciation Day, so you could eat good without cooking.

The plastic is a smart idea.

I know that redecorating's a mess because I've just done my kitchen.

Catty Wampus said...

Hi Tammy; I love your wall color; and I am thinking about getting a sink like Linda's ; she was kind enough to share with me the name of the sink and where to find it. I know I get scared of paint ; mainly because I am the only painter , taper,tarper in my house! So, it it ain't right, I gotta do it again! But you know, it isn't permanent. My dry sink in the living room is a color like that; they used a colonial color paint on it, but I don't remember the name. I think a tiled counter is nice althought the guys who remodeled our bath tried to tell me otherwise; I don't care; tile has been around a long time and is durable, cheaper and easy to fix if something happens. Your house is beautiful; my kitchen has a junky floor right now that I mean to fix when I can; our floors are wonky so it will require some structural work before we can put down anything else! Yikes! Murphy and the mugs say hello!

Anonymous said...

Tammy,
That's is a big job. We just painted the whole(inside) our house this past spring. I know it is gonna be beatuiful. Can't wait to see it. Have a wonderful day~ Kathy

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

OH I already love the color! I can stomping at the bit to see it done, so I can't even imagine how anxious you will be!! This is going to be fun watching the transformation!

angie said...

i love the color~it's gonna look great i'm sure! can't wait to see pics!

Anonymous said...

WOW! the color is great. Remember to relax =D

Tammy said...

Oh wow...good for you guys! It's a lot of work but the rewards are going to be so worth it! I can't wait to see the final pictures!

ohiofarmgirl said...

Don't you just love the job when it is done? I'm sure it looks wonderful...look forward to seeing the new pics! Dianntha

Julie said...

I love it all. It will be so worth the mess and the work. Can't wait to see the finished product. Julie