Definitely
time! The problem was that what we had was quite serviceable, and so
much else HAD to be re-done, purchased new or replaced in emergency mode.
The kitchen worked; the fridge worked; we got a dishwasher, stove was
new...
We even replaced the BLACK picture frames that were nailed on the outside of the cabinets as a 'decorative feature' with a strip of oak. So why remodel?
Well, in the first place, the existing cabinets were made by hand with a hand saw and were ALL crocked. That apparently straight line you see is deceptive, since the oak strip sometimes is at the edge and sometimes above or a tad below, just to make it look even.
The
cabinet above the stove was completely useless, since it is where the
stove fan vented. Yes, it vented inside the cabinet - not even in the
attic!
Here you can see the lovely stain glass piece we bought to hang in the window. (Yes, remember we already replaced all the windows.) It will stay, but can be moved out of the way when the men are working.
The fridge was beginning to show it's age; you know, when the gasket starts to disintegrate, and the 'old girl' just runs and runs and runs all the time.... So, it was really time for it to go too. No, we didn't succumb to having it hauled into the basement, but did put it out and the scrap truck picked it up within a day!
The
shelf above the sink is a favorite resting place for Catherine (the cat,
of course). She's going to loose that perch, but we just ordered a garden
window... not to grow plants, but for her to be able to have a place
to sit, snooze, look out at the wildlife in the yard, watch the birds
flit by, etc.
The only thing that is being kept AND treasured is the wonderful wood floor.
The man from whom we bought the house was from Romania. He's a custom floor man; did beautiful, beautiful floors. However, if it wasn't a floor, he couldn't do it. All his other work in the house was pitiful!
We're not making the kitchen bigger, as we've found that it really IS very convenient to be able to move from the stove to the sink in a step.
It's
also very conveniently just a few steps to the dining room. If you glance
at the table, and you've been to our house, you'll know that under that
cloth is a glass table. This winter was just do cold that we couldn't
stand the glass. Hence the cloth which did moderate the cold glass.
New design is also going to eliminate the clutter on top of the fridge. Wonder how long that will last?
Well, on with things.
Would you believe Sears? Yes, they have a home improvement division. They were so professional and efficient that we were surprised ourselves.
The cabinetry was great; the installers marvelous AND efficient. The disruption minimal. Also, no money until we were finished and satisfied.