I'm busy

So much so that I've been neglecting everyone who reads this - everyone = Stephanie (whose blog you should definitely check out because she's amazing and finds the time to write often).

Handsome hubby and I went to Mammoth Lakes this weekend.  It was a total surprise for me.  He managed to plan the whole deal single-handedly behind my back.  I even came home to an "itinerary" two Fridays ago.  He called it the "Fall Colors Romantic Getaway" and it was just that. 

We stayed at the Westin in Mammoth Lakes:

In a room like this one:

He did a great job on the hotel - it was gorgeous and he chose the Fall Colors package which allowed us to be in a suite and eat breakfast (very expensive, yummy breakfast) on the hotel.

We proceeded to also go to Bodie which is the largest unrestored ghost town.  It was super cool and somewhat eerie.  Just thinking about who would have lived there and the act of just abandoning a whole town with everything still in it.

This is the inside of one of the homes - with everything still in it.  

I got a little artsy with the camera and I really like this one:

The fall colors in Mammoth at this time are incredible.  Absolutely breathtaking:

And here we are - one photo just so people believe we were actually there :)

Someday maybe I'll be a better blogger - someday.



New Toy!

I don't exactly know who my audience is here, but to those of you who are my audience I do apologize for the long silent treatment.  I'm not angry with you, I haven't quit and yes, I'm still alive.  I just work full time and spend the other 128 hours a week with hubby, sleeping, making invitations for the many requesters and other various life things that must occur.  I'll try to make this a more frequent thing because I know it can drive others crazy.

On another note, I have a new toy!

It's been tons of fun and I haven't even changed any settings.  Yes, I charged the battery, removed an SD card from our other camera (because I haven't even purchased the suggested card, that's getting done today), powered it up and started shooting.  Never touched anything but the power button.  I'm in love.  This camera can make me look good in all the ways that I'm NOT good.

So, these are from my camera and they serve a purpose...

These are chairs that I really like and I have an idea for reupholstering.  Cross your fingers - amateur reupholsterer in the making!

Thanks for bearing with me even when I don't post.



The Reveal...

It's DONE!  I couldn't be more excited to reveal the final product.  After three weeks of being kitchenless with anticipation growing, I must say that we've finally come to the end and it is PERFECT...Let me let the pictures speak.
You might first notice the grey countertops - not what we discussed, I know.  It's just that I was so set with the stainless that when that grey revealed itself to me, I knew I wanted it because it was the most like what I had my heart set on and I couldn't be happier.  It looks like concrete which I also couldn't have because of our raised foundation that tends to settle and I don't want cracked concrete.  Also note, I love the way the handles turned out.  We had a lot of discussion about how to put the handles and I'm so happy that we did (I also really love the long handles!).

Please don't expect me to remove the photos from my fridge, I won't!  See the sparkly dishwasher?  I'm in heaven.  And yes, I've put as many items in the two loads that I've done in there as would fit.  Mostly because I like the light that says "sanitized."  I like sanitization.  I'm extremely pleased with how the faucet looks and I'm enjoying having a soap dispenser.

Built in microwaves are fun and now I don't have a giant appliance taking up counter space.

I think aside from the dishwasher this is rapidly approaching as my favorite part - those glass cabinets are so pretty to look at and I've already rearranged what's in them.  We had reloaded the glasses and dishes back into the cabinets when I remembered that I had these goblets that were sweet hubby's grandma's.  They're gorgeous and I'm proud to display them.  There is one thing that we're waiting on.  The cabinet maker didn't put glass shelves in the cabinets but we have lights in them.  In order for the light to shine all the way down them there needs to be glass shelves.  We're working on that.  I'm also really enjoying that nice big cabinet on the left, such a great big space that I didn't have before.  

All in all, we are so pleased.  I love everything.  All the self closers are great and we like the flooring.  I know that grey or white walls were the suggested color but I'm really enjoying the aqua - it's pretty and it brings some color and life into my little space. 

So to recap, this is what it looked like before:

I'm loving cooking for sweet hubby and being in that lovely space.  We can't wait to entertain!

It's Official

We're ditching out on the stainless steel countertops.  They were a good idea aside from the fact that they've turned out to be double the cost of granite or quartz.  We've decided to go with quartz as it does not need resealing, it's not as porous as granite and it is more bacteria resistant.  I also found a color I like.  So that helps.

Hopefully I will have actual photos of more done versions of the kitchen this week.  Seeing as how there is supposed to be much completion, that should be easy...

Plans for the Future

So we have had this kitchen thing going for a few days.  My life went into hiatus when I learned that our specialty stainless steel countertops would cost almost as much as the cabinets themselves.  I'm not ready to spend that much.  In the meantime, here is what's in the mix for my kitchen.

This is the much anticipated dishwasher which encompasses most of the reason for a kitchen remodel.  Afterall, you can't just put a dishwasher in without remodeling the whole kitchen...

 This is the lovely matching microwave which will now serve as my oven hood as well.  One thing that I will not miss is the film that somehow cakes on everything when you don't have the best oven hood.

This is the faucet - which I'm very excited for the height as well as the extendable faucet head.  No more carting large items that need washed out to the laundry room!

Next you have the beautiful soap dispenser that will also remove clutter from the counter.  Have you heard - I hate clutter?

This is a sneak peak of what the cabinet doors look like (in case you didn't know what shaker style cabinets looked like).

Floors:

Now on a different note, I was given two options for paint in my kitchen by a few friends.  Grey or white...as it turns out, I'm just not that kind of girl.  Sorry!  I have chosen this color to paint the walls and I really think that it will look good against those beautiful white cabinets and stainless countertops.  This is Kelly Moore Baby Aqua.

 Finally, here are a couple of textiles I might want to use with my new kitchen look.

I'm having tons of fun with this new kitchen thing and can't wait to show you (after I finally get to see it myself)!

No Turning Back

That's what sweet hubby told me when we saw this:

That's all for now...

More Big Things...

There are things looming in the Flora household.  I think men are currently in my house, destroying stuff.  My Monday night consisted of moving.  I didn't think I'd be doing anything like that for a long time, but here we are...

 

Say hello to 1954 kitchen with the only way I knew how to decorate: eclectic.  Don't judge me by my refrigerator, I love people and I like pictures :)

 

 

You might have also noticed that I have very little storage which leaves me to store a lot of my kitchen items on counters, shelves and racks. I'm hoping that this project remedies the storage issues and I can once again be the minimalist, neat freak that I prefer.

 

 

That is my husband's hand as he video tapes the kitchen...

 

 

 

 

 

see that thing in the sink...many of you probably have no idea what that is because you don't live in 1954, it's a dish rack.  That's where I put my dishes after my dishwasher (me) cleans them.  That will be no more because alas, there is a dishwasher waiting to be installed!

 

 

 

Now it's time to say goodbye to that kitchen...

 

 

Clear it out, those were the instructions...

 

 

No light fixtures, no handles, no appliances, no light plates...

 

 

We had to put a lamp in the kitchen just so we could see:

 

 

and because I think you just need to see the floor (in case you haven't noticed, I'm a very bad photographer.  I'm looking into a new camera which I think will help but really I'm just trying to blame the camera and I'm the real problem).

Finally, this is what our enclosed porch currently looks like - more to come on this space in the future. 

Now for revealing the new plan... this is the main kitchen portion and mostly what you need to know is that I will have a microwave over my oven (no longer taking up precious counter space).  In addition, my countertops will be stainless steel and the sink will be integrated, featuring an overall seamless design (and very clean, which as you stick around you'll notice I'm a fan of clean).

What you need to know about this is that I will have a dishwasher...as mentioned above.  So I'm excited, what can I say?  We're talking about three years of washing dishes by hand and we like to entertain (sometimes more than 30 people at a time).

The below features include a pantry-ish area - which if you looked at the before photos, you noticed that I kept my pantry atop my fridge.   No more clutter, in fact there won't even be room for anything on top of my fridge because the cabinet over it will come to the front.

This might help with the overall picture, ignore the birch cabinet frames as we aren't technically using Ikea for our cabinets.  Although, if you are thinking of it, I think it's a great option and I did my research.  It just happened that we were able to have custom cabinets made for nearly the same price (we have friends that are really helpful). 

I used Ikea's kitchen planner to help me come up with my first design and it was really helpful.  I researched their cabinets because I felt like it was a great option (all of the above for just over $3,000 without the shipping).  We have hired a general contractor because my hubby and I are neither skilled nor have the time to complete this project in any sort of a timely manner.  We hired someone we trust and it was his suggestion that we look into custom cabinetry.  He did that for us and came back with a deal we couldn't refuse.  

The countertops have been a different story.  I originally wanted granite, I thought, but when the bill came back at $2,600 I started researching other options.  Then when I came across this posting from Pioneer Woman's blog: Countertops, A Comparison, I officially wanted stainless.  Then, to add insult to injury, my husband being the wonderfully skilled fabricator that he is, thought that he might be able to accomplish this task himself.  As time went on he realized that he would be unable as he didn't have the proper tools (something about a press break).  So we set our sights elsewhere and just when I was about to change my mind back to granite my husband told me that he'd seen countertops with an integrated sink, creating a totally seamless design.  YES, PLEASE! (now you know where the name came from).  Now he was stuck with me and what my heart was set on.  We're waiting to see what the countertop guy says...I'm impatient, but hoping deep down that I'll be impressed with his response.

That was a long story about our kitchen and our counters, but I think that it is fun when I get to see what others are up to.  Hopefully you'll enjoy this just as much.  If anyone has extra dinner to spare, we'll be looking for places to eat.  Also, if you have paint ideas, I need to make a decision on that really soon.  More to come!