mjr_inthegardens's kitchen renovation topic

[snowangel]

To do:

- Soffit construction

-mjr

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Why soffits? Why not cupboard space right up to the top of the ceiling? So, you need a stepstool to get to the stuff, even if you're tall. That's valuable space that's wasted on air!

I really don't understand soffits unless they are there to hide something.

[Daddy-A]

Why soffits?  Why not cupboard space right up to the top of the ceiling?  So, you need a stepstool to get to the stuff, even if you're tall.  That's valuable space that's wasted on air!

A little late since the cabinets are already installed.

A.

[mjr_inthegardens]

To do:

- Soffit construction

-mjr

←

Why soffits? Why not cupboard space right up to the top of the ceiling? So, you need a stepstool to get to the stuff, even if you're tall. That's valuable space that's wasted on air!

I really don't understand soffits unless they are there to hide something.

←

Actually there will be 2 soffits and there are good reasons for both.

Basically our apartment is a concrete box. It has a fresh air chase going up from the bathrooms (which we are not supposed to vent into).

I want to vent the a) bathrooms b) dryer I am putting in the .5 bath and c) the kitchen, all to the backyard.

I cannot do this (I figure) without the construction of soffits as the ceilings and floors are concrete and I cannot go up into them.

Therefore soffit #1 will run around the top of the kitchen cabs from the bathrooms with an exhaust vent pipe for the dryer and the bathrooms and then meet up with a separate tubing for the above range microwave oven vent. The two tubes will then go through the DR in a 6" tall by 8" wide soffit out the wall to the yard.

Soffit #2 is for the kitchen island lighting, as my contractor thinks it unwise to try to install more lighting in the concrete ceiling. This soffit will bracket the kitchen on the ceiling and lights will be hung or installed in the soffit (depending if we do pendants or recessed) for the island illumination.

Hence the soffitry.

The cabinets see very tall already-- we will need to get a step stool. I am 5' 6" and my gf is 5' 2".

cheers

-MJR

Edited April 1, 2005 by mjr_inthegardens (log)

[mjr_inthegardens]

Minor kitchen update:

The soffits are all constructed. They look good and the plaster guy has finished them. They really do add a dimension to the room by establishing the limits of the kitchen.

Now the bad news: My contractor decided (without calling me) to drop the exhaust pipes down a few inches and out the window rather than punch through the wall. There were good reasons for this which I more or less agree with, but fer chrise sakes, why not call us to tell us?

Result: He sheet rocked down the face of the window about 6 inches so that you cannot tell at first glance or for some people without being told that the sheet rock is blocking the window. Apparently this is the solution used in many manhattan apts floors up where exterior wall venting is a real no-no. We did not have fantastic light in this room to begin with and now have even less. If we hang blinds from the outside of the window instead of within the frame I am hoping that the end result will be the same because the blind tops won't block the window. Perhaps next year after I gauge condo board politics I will see if I think we can change it to go out through the cinder block and brick exterior wall. This is what comes from owning a apt instead of a house.

Further frustrations:

The granite is installed and it is f*cking gorgeous. I will post some pics later on. I need the granite installer to come back and add another hole for the sink however. We had originally 2 holes drilled (pullout faucet and soap disp). Now realize we want a center hole drilled for faucet placement and the pullout Hamat faucet we bought is faulty and must be returned. We have purchased an all metal kohler faucet with sidespray instead. We have decided that for our needs a sidespray is better than a pullout. Sidebar: we bought a noname stainless steel soapdispenser for $18 from Home Depot. The brand ones are 40-50 minimum -- why???

Remaining kitchen tasks for contractor:

1) Remove Damper from Above Range microwave fan. WHY DO THEY MAKE THESE OUT OF ******* TIN? WHEN YOU TURN THE FAN ON THE DAMPER RATTLES LIKE TIN CANS OFF THE BACK OF A STUDEBAKER!!! IDIOTIC ENGINEERING. Our Mwave is 10 ft and a 90 degree downward angle from the wall exit so I am not really worried about a draft coming back in.

2) Put finish trim on bottom wall cabs. this will give a nice finish to the cabs and additionally conceal the undercab lighting.

3) Install Hardware --- we bought aquabrass online and are very happy with the hardware so far. Nice satin nickel <a href="http://www.aquabrass.com/data/products/image/PRO5D290ED1D480403BB5A5EE49C26671F6.jpg" target="_blank">pulls</a> and HEAVY beautiful stainless steel <a href="http://www.aquabrass.com/data/products/image/PRO937166EFCF4B4E179C3379D823DC1412.jpg" target="_blank">knobs</a> from Aquabrass. Should look great.

We need this stuff to get finished already so we can clean up, put EVERYTHING away, and settle down for a while.

cheers

-MJR

[mjr_inthegardens]

Keep us informed.

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Electric is finished by the way -- beer fridge is on, island is electrified.

Just need to get some better looking outlet covers now.

[Daddy-A]

Sidebar: we bought a noname stainless steel soapdispenser for $18 from Home Depot. The brand ones are 40-50 minimum -- why???

You'll be able to answer that yourself when the $18 soap dispenser gunks up and no longer dispenses. Having said that, I've had $45 Grohe Dispensers do the same thing, but the cheaper ones seem to be more likely to fail.

A.

[mjr_inthegardens]

Sidebar: we bought a noname stainless steel soapdispenser for $18 from Home Depot. The brand ones are 40-50 minimum -- why???

You'll be able to answer that yourself when the $18 soap dispenser gunks up and no longer dispenses. Having said that, I've had $45 Grohe Dispensers do the same thing, but the cheaper ones seem to be more likely to fail.

A.

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It seems solidly constructed... I imagine I will have to clean it now and again.

With my dishwasher hopefully I won't be handwashing much except my knives ;)

[mjr_inthegardens]

new pics:

Soffit for lights (before plaster guy took a visit)

Pendant Lighting Array with Finished (Plastered) yet unpainted soffit (and GF's head)

Pendant (need to be cleaned)

Fuzzy closeup

Drumroll.... THE COUNTERTOPS

"Extreme" Closeup #1

"Extreme" Closeup #2

Dishwasher under C'Top

The Tavern Master

Reverse View of Island

Short section of C'Top

Countertop and Sink with OLD (busted and now returned) faucet

Countertop and Sink with NEW functional faucet w/sidespray and 3rd hole (center) drilled

cheers

-MJR

[Daddy-A]

Well done! Since I'm too lazy to search through the thread ... what's the name of that granite?

A.

[mjr_inthegardens]

It's called "Lapedos Dark" or "Lapedos"

At least that's what was written on the back of the sample from the stoneyard.

I'm not convinced that anyone knows how it is actually spelled though.

Edited April 22, 2005 by mjr_inthegardens (log)

[Daddy-A]

It's called "Lapedos Dark" or "Lapedos"

At least that's what was written on the back of the sample from the stoneyard.

I'm not convinced that anyone knows how it is actually spelled though.

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That's pretty common in the granite industry. Some granites are given different names by different fabricators to differenciate "their" stone from another fabricator.

Example:

Absolute Black = Absolute Noir = Nero Absoluto = Nero Asoluto = Zimbabwe Black

Same stone, 5 differenct fabricators in Vancouver. Depends how exotic you want to sound I guess.

A.

[johnder]

Wow the countertops look really nice. Who did you end up getting to install them?

[mjr_inthegardens]

Wow the countertops look really nice.   Who did you end up getting to install them?

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Countertops were installed by a stone company employed by my gf's mom's neighbor who owns and architectural kitchen design company in Sugarloaf, NY. We picked out the stone we wanted from a yard called NY Stone that is actually in jersey.

My contractor says we got a fair deal on it.

We are ecstatic about the resulting stone and the installation is solid.

-MJR

Edited April 22, 2005 by mjr_inthegardens (log)