Jambalyle's Remodel

[Jambalyle]

Another disposable camera back from Long's...

First, let me show you the rough in of the island - dishwasher on the left, sink in the middle, and rubbish/recycling center on the right:

The question posed earlier... (oops I screwed up the quote feature): "Will you be able to stand at the sink with the dishwasher door open?" Here is a picture showing this. While there is not a ton of room, I was able to stand there no problem and I'm a pretty big guy:

Not to waste the opportunity, I planted the idea in my son's head that he should get used to loading the dishwasher!

The hardwood floors are in the greatroom:

And a couple more showing the new front facade and scratch coat of stucco:

[lcdm]

Wow it's really coming together. Everything looks great! I remember cooking in my kitchen after it was done (first big meal - Thanksgiving last year). It was a dream to cook in, compared to what I had.

[Jambalyle]

Yet another disposable camera back from Long's...

I mentioned upthread that we needed some custom sheetmetal work to connect the hood to the external blower on the roof. The following picture shows the hole that was cut in the side of the skylight wall to provide access to the blower and the hood mounted to the far wall.

We packed the cavity with insulation for additional soundproofing, then patched the hole. We then tested the hood... very quiet, no motor noise - just the rush of air being sucked outside. The noise outside was not too bad either, except for the clatter of the neighbor's lawn chairs being blown across their deck. I'm thinking I'm going to need to install some sort of air deflectors downwind from the blower, something akin to the blast deflectors at the end of airport runways.

The next picture shows the overall kitchen and backside of the island, with the new 42" GE Monogram ready to be installed.

And this picture shows the fridge in place. It is very, very quiet and it is getting accustomed to be "on"!

Most of the main activity this week (and last) is tiling the two bathrooms, getting the second coat of stucco in place, and getting some of the kitchen details worked out. Hopefully another progress report by the end of the week!

[BekkiM]

Wow! Thanks for documenting your progress. Like you, I've been reading the other (very well-documented, thank you) threads on kitchen remodels here as I'm planning my own. I think I've almost got the hubby convinced we should do this, but, damn!, it's a lot of money!

I've been waffling on the Wolf vs. the DCS ranges myself--can't decide which I like better, especially since what I really need for the decision is a chance to put them through their paces. Do higher-end appliance suppliers have demo equipment in their showrooms? I'd like to hear more about the GE Monogram, too--I've got GE Profile appliances now and I HATE them--can't tell you how much. In 8 years, I've replaced the computer not once, but twice in my double ovens (plus the self-cleaning mechanism has NEVER worked ) and only two of the four burners on the cooktop work at anything other than full blast (which is not very hot to start with) and if you turn on the vent fan it sucks all the heat away from the pans. But many eGulleters seem happy with theirs.

What did you decide about ceiling speakers? I hadn't even thought about it myself, but since you mentioned it, it's going on my (very long) wish list.

Can't wait to see more pictures!

[Jambalyle]

Do higher-end appliance suppliers have demo equipment in their showrooms? 

←

Atherton Appliance - the appliance/kitchen design store we used - has separate kitchens by major manufacturer: Subzero/Wolf, Viking, Miele, Dacor, Thermador, and GE Monogram (forthcoming). They demo all of the equipment during cooking classes and culinary events. Thursday "Lunch and Learns" feature a different manufacturer kitchen each week. More stores should do this if they don't! (I am not a shill for Atherton Appliance, just a very happy customer. Maybe I can talk them into a commision if enough eGer's visit the store!)

What did you decide about ceiling speakers?

←

I installed two pairs of 8" Polk Audio speakers in the vaulted ceiling in the greatroom. The rest of the house has a flat ceiling with attic access so I figured I could always add more speakers later if I wanted to. I am still researching electronics for the entertainment center, but I figure I can connect the speakers to my current receiver/amplifier if I end up not replacing it. I never did hear from other eGulleters regarding ceiling speakers.

Glad you're enjoying the thread. Definitely been an experience - mostly good!

[BekkiM]

Atherton Appliance - the appliance/kitchen design store we used - has separate kitchens by major manufacturer: Subzero/Wolf, Viking, Miele, Dacor, Thermador, and GE Monogram (forthcoming).  They demo all of the equipment during cooking classes and culinary events.  Thursday "Lunch and Learns" feature a different manufacturer kitchen each week.  More stores should do this if they don't!  (I am not a shill for Atherton Appliance, just a very happy customer.  Maybe I can talk them into a commision if enough eGer's visit the store!)

←

Hey, any excuse to come back to the Bay Area! I'll tell my husband it's "research"!

Nice to have the attic access for future wiring needs. Unfortunately, we did our basement before the kitchen project--now we're going to have to pull out part of the basement ceiling to access the plumbing or pull up the subfloor to access it from the top.

[Jambalyle]

While things have been busy at the house, there's not much in the way of new pictures that really document the progress. Most of the last couple weeks have been spent tiling the bathrooms. Both are done. Yeah! Yesterday they were putting up the crown molding and casings around the doors throughout the house.

Our granite countertops are due to be installed on Thursday or Friday. Last Wednesday I was at the fabricators laying out the counters on the slabs... way cool. I was also given a tour of the facility and saw the amazing computer driven machines that cut the stone. Wow... just like on "This Old House"!

Finally, here is a picture of the materials I chose for the backsplash behind the range - primarily tumbled marble 4" tiles in gray-green - "verdigris laguna" I think it's called. Four "palm tree" metal accent tiles will be randomly placed in the backsplash. I sketched what I thought it would look like during a break at choir rehearsal the other night. We chose the palm tree accents because we had palm trees on our wedding invitations!

And, yes, that's a potfiller faucet above the range...

[Jambalyle]

Time for another update...

Our granite was installed last Thursday and we are thrilled with how it looks. No matter where you stand in the greatroom different patches of iridescent blue and gold colors pop out of the overall green and black background. And the best part, it pops under the incandescent light as well as natural daylight.

Here are some pictures of the kitchen as of last Thursday-Friday. First the overall view of the kitchen:

Next a shot of the business side of the island:

Finally, a close up of one of the iridescent patches in the granite:

Today they installed the range and are beginning work on the backsplash! We are starting to pick paint colors, lighting, fabrics and carpet for the master bedroom, and even some furniture. We definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[doc slaughter]

Best be carefull sometimes that light at the end of the tunnel is a train. Your sink look very much lik the one I had installed when I put in my kitchen a few years back. it's 20 X30 and 12"deep it cost as much as the cook top but I'd do it again in a heartbeat, it's one of the best decisions I made. You can put anything in it and nothing splashes on the counter top. The only drawback would be if your were pretty short or a child you may have a problem reaching the bottom.

[Jambalyle]

Best be careful sometimes that light at the end of the tunnel is a train. Your sink look very much like the one I had installed when I put in my kitchen a few years back. it's 20 X30 and  12"deep it cost as much as the cook top but I'd do it again in a heartbeat, it's one of the best decisions I made. You can put anything in it and nothing splashes on the counter top. The only drawback would be if your were pretty short or a child you may have a problem reaching the bottom.

←

Great one about the train, Doc... I've been wondering about the "ding-ding-ding" I'm hearing. I just thought it was the cash register, not the crossing gates!

We purchased the 18"X30"X9" from Franke. We chose the sink because it can accommodate a half sheet pan and the 9" depth because of the wife and kids. I've lived with double bowl sinks and hated them. I also got tired of washing the sheet pans in the utility sink in the garage.

[jgarner53]

Wow, it's really coming together!

I've moved along in my project - finalizing plans, buying appliances, that sort of thing. Got my appliances at Airport Appliance in Hayward because I got a great price on my 36" all-gas DCS 6-burner range. It's in the garage already, and we don't start construction until early January!

Did you look into a Sonos system for your house? I don't have specific info on speakers, but the Sonos is essentially a wireless network that runs from your computer (assuming, of course, that you have an extensive digital library), but can also connect to your stereo equipment. Each receiver you put in place then can be controlled independently of the others with the wireless remote (so you can have one thing playing in the kitchen, something else in the living room, and something else out on the patio, or sync them all together in "party" mode). Spendy, but really cool.

I'm not sure if we'll be going that route or not. Our house is pretty small, and usually if I crank the stereo in the living room, I can hear it in the kitchen.

Can't wait to see it all come together!

How are you dealing with the Title 24 lighting requirements?

[Jambalyle]

Wow, it's really coming together!

I've moved along in my project - finalizing plans, buying appliances, that sort of thing. Got my appliances at Airport Appliance in Hayward because I got a great price on my 36" all-gas DCS 6-burner range. It's in the garage already, and we don't start construction until early January!

Did you look into a Sonos system for your house? I don't have specific info on speakers, but the Sonos is essentially a wireless network that runs from your computer (assuming, of course, that you have an extensive digital library), but can also connect to your stereo equipment. Each receiver you put in place then can be controlled independently of the others with the wireless remote (so you can have one thing playing in the kitchen, something else in the living room, and something else out on the patio, or sync them all together in "party" mode). Spendy, but really cool.

I'm not sure if we'll be going that route or not. Our house is pretty small, and usually if I crank the stereo in the living room, I can hear it in the kitchen.

Can't wait to see it all come together!

How are you dealing with the Title 24 lighting requirements?

←

We were over at a friend's house who gave us a sonos demo. Very cool, but perhaps something we might add later.

I believe we've met the lighting requirements with the fluorescent undercabinet and main cans in the kitchen. We'll have other forms of lighting in the hood, pendants over the island, and the chandelier in the dining room. Throw in the skylight and I think we're set.

Our only setback this week is they had to "undo" a few pieces of tile in the backsplash behind the range to get the potfiller plumbing connections right. Otherwise looks good!

[Jambalyle]

Well it's been a month since my last post... which doesn't mean the project has ground to a halt. My contractor's favorite line these days is "the devil is in the details" - well it's second after, "I'm going to need some more money..."

This past month has been full of tiling and painting, crown molding and baseboards, fixtures and faucets - mostly in rooms other than the kitchen, so pictures of new things in the kitchen have been scarce.

Below are a couple of pictures to keep the thread alive:

First, we chose a tumbled marble tile (verdigis laguna) for our backsplash behind the range, then repeated it on the island and as a fireplace surround. We chose it because it was a light gray with a hint of green and thought it went well with the granite we chose - especially the light vs. dark contrast. We knew the tile would darken some when sealed - we tested it by wetting it at the store before purchasing. Anyway, the sealer darkened the tile much more than we thought it would and I was really disappointed at first. Then it grew on me... while darker than I initially hoped, the greens in the tile and the green in the granite go together beautifully and it makes the room look more rich (and finished). Here's a before and after shot of the backsplash:

Here's a sneak preview of the nearly finished kitchen (cluttered with "tools of the trade") and built in buffet area around the corner:

We are on the home stretch, at least on the interior of the house. Recent activity: yesterday - carpet in the master bedroom; today - shower doors and enclosures in both bathrooms & final wiring and installation of phone, computer, satellite and other entertainment system connections.

We are planning to move back in the house the weekend of the 20th, so we were out of the house a total of seven months. Open house on Superbowl Sunday!

[Porthos]

First, we chose a tumbled marble tile (verdigis laguna) for our backsplash behind the range, then repeated it on the island and as a fireplace surround.  We chose it because it was a light gray with a hint of green and thought it went well with the granite we chose - especially the light vs. dark contrast.  We knew the tile would darken some when sealed - we tested it by wetting it at the store before purchasing.  Anyway, the sealer darkened the tile much more than we thought it would and I was really disappointed at first.  Then it grew on me...  while darker than I initially hoped, the greens in the tile and the green in the granite go together beautifully and it makes the room look more rich (and finished).  Here's a before and after shot of the backsplash:

←

Lyle,

I hope the backsplash keeps growing on you. It looks so rich and deep without screaming "Look at ME!" Is a wee bit of jealosy ok - 'cause I can detect a hint of green in me after seeing the pictures.

Best of luck with the remainder,

Porthos Potwatcher

The Unrelenting Carnivore

[Dave Hatfield]

We knew the tile would darken some when sealed - we tested it by wetting it at the store before purchasing. Anyway, the sealer darkened the tile much more than we thought it would and I was really disappointed at first. Then it grew on me... while darker than I initially hoped, the greens in the tile and the green in the granite go together beautifully and it makes the room look more rich (and finished). Here's a before and after shot of the backsplash:

Too late now, but there is a sealer product called 'Dead Flat' its a variation on polyethylene. Seals beautifully and does not change the colour below at all.

We tested it with a friend who was putting in stone counter tops and it came out best of the 5 types we tried. It also came out by far the best on the red wine stain test. (that is spill red wine, wait two hours then try to clean up.

Maybe this will help other remodelers.

edit: Sorry about the loss of quotes. Don't know what I did wrong.

Edited January 19, 2007 by Dave Hatfield (log)

[Jambalyle]

Thanks for the encouragement Dave... but am really enjoying the look of the "transformed, sealed" tumbled marble. Thank you for not posting until it's too late. And Porthos, it has really grown on me!!

Dave, I look forward to posting on your kitchen remodel thread. We are getting close now and I have arranged for a friend with a highend digital camera to come take the final shots.

We did hit a bit of a setback yesterday - looks like we won't move back in for another week or two. Our floor guy came to put the final finish on the new hardwood floor and noticed it had "swollen, but not yet buckled" due to recent weather and inadequate ventilation in the crawlspace. We need to let it dry out for a week, then he'll come back to finish it.

So, we still plan to have our SuperBowl Openhouse, but I doubt it will be totally finished by then.

Thanks everyone... more to come!

[Jambalyle]

Thanks for your patience... we're almost done - hooray! - but we also feel the last 5% of the project will take another year (and more money). And another year after that to unpack all the boxes.

First some quick advice about blogging your remodel on eG:

1) Do not use disposable cameras... the turn around sucks and the quality of the pictures is worse.

2) Have a functional computer and Internet access to facilitate your blogging.

3) Commit the time needed to do this - time to write, time to document your progress, time to upload photos, but keep your patience when there's nothing blogworthy happening.

I feel I've failed in my blogging and documenting our project, but am generally happy with how the remodel/addition have turned out.

So here's where we stand...

Our first night back in the house was Feb 16th and as of last Sunday all of our boxes and belongs are here. Thank you mom-in-law for letting us live with you for eight and a half months (the first seven and a half months were terrific) and we could not have done this with out you!

We successfully had an open house and Superbowl party on Feb 4th. Over 75 people came through our home, feasted on sandwiches of pulled pork and carved sirloin tip roast, watched the Colts beat the Bears, and debated the pros and cons of Prince's rain-soaked halftime performance. Overall everyone had positive comments about our project and loved the kitchen/greatroom areas.

What's left to be done...

Interior: just some trim work, some touch-ups with spackle and paint, swapping some electrical switches and adding a dimmer or two.

Exterior: install AC condenser, exterior paint, garage door, exterior lighting, downspouts, deck, and landscaping, in general... OK, it's more like 10% to go.

I have yet to have my photographer friend come in and shoot final pictures, but to give you another near finished glimpse of the kitchen area, I have attached four, poor-quality disposable camera pictures showing the overall kitchen area, the island, the buffet/beverage area, and the entertainment center:

[jgarner53]

Wow, it really looks great, Lyle! You must be thrilled to be back in the house after all that time, even with some things still left to do. I bet you're loving cooking in that new kitchen.

[Jambalyle]

Thanks Jennifer! So far it's a fun kitchen to work in... though I haven't done too much serious cooking yet. I did, however, have four burners going at once for one dinner last week!

For Superbowl, we used the small oven to keep things warm, mainly the extra batch of pulled pork. In the large oven, I roasted a 12lb sirloin tip roast with a pepper herb rub. I used relatively low temp and convection - worked like a charm. I left it in a tad too long and it was a little too medium for my tastes, but it was a big hit with our guests. We've baked cookies no problems.

On top of the range, it was nice to bring a large pot of water for spaghetti to a boil in a third of the time it used to take! I broke in the infrared grill with a marinated tri-tip. Worked well, but I don't think it will replace the BBQ grill outside.

I love the new GE big fridge and little one. It is certainly nice not to have to store beverages in the main fridge. We're still getting the hang of the dishwasher... it holds an amazing amount of plates and traditional place settings, but we're struggling with how best to place Tupperware and other weird-sized things.

I appreciate having the large stainless sink - definitely a good investment. My wife loves the garbage disposal - she prefers the strong silent type (which made it the perfect birthday present for her).

Last night, I finally installed the halogen spotlights on the monorail track lighting system above the island. That makes a big difference, both for functional work lighting for the island, but also adds ambiance to the space.

Anyway, I plan to post some final pictures of the greatroom sometime soon and keep people informed of my likes and dislikes in the new space.

Thanks again and good luck with your remodel!

-Lyle