Chewing What I Bit Off

A few weeks ago we got a nice little bonus at my office. I've worked there 30 years, and this is a first! I don't expect a follow-up. So, I decided to make the most of it and put the money into kitchen renovations. My house was a rental unit for 12 years prior to my buying it. The wear and tear is obvious, and the kitchen got the worst of it. So, I sprung for a new kitchen countertop, sink and faucet. Someone else did the labor on those babies, but now the money is gone, and it's down to the sweat of my brow.

This weekend I ripped out the old, NASTY range hood and the World's Ugliest Light Fixture that hung above the sink. Put in a nifty new halogen task light that's all stainless steel and glass. Super cool. I bought a stainless steel range hood with halogen downlights, and tonight's chore is to get that thing hung. There's a little problem with the structure of the cabinet above the stove, but I think I can resolve the issues with a few shims, some long woodscrews, maybe some carriage bolts and lots of patience.

The cabinetry is sad. It's stained and probably used to be pretty, but years of abuse have just made it nasty-looking. Replacements are out. Ditto for refacing. So, I'm painting. Yikes! They will really look good when I'm done. That image keeps me going when I begin to wonder what the hell is wrong with me! I've picked out a dark taupe that repeats one of the colors in the fake granite countertop. But, Lordy! Painting cabinets is a horrible task! I would never do it if it weren't absolutely necessary. I discovered, however, that those tiny little roller brushes made out of foam do a terrific job on this kind of work. The surface is so smooth, it almost looks sprayed on. So, tuck that tidbit away for the next time you need to repaint a glossy or semi-glossy surface.

And then there are the walls. They have been banged and bunged so many times...and patched badly...that they are shameful. So, I'm texturizing. A cousin did her walls in a kind of European plastery/distressed look, and I'm shamelessly copying her. The technique is simple...just slather on lots of joint compound and smush it around with big putty knives until it's as textured as you want it. Let it dry and paint! It's going to look really good. But....I've got lots of kitchen wallspace.

I had started painting the living and dining rooms when all this started. Decided I didn't like the accent color and stopped. I've regrouped and have purchased new accent color - but the area is striped with endless yards of blue tape and covered with drop cloths. Cans and cans of paint line the hallway. Home Dept bags litter the floor. They contain sandpaper, caulk, extra rollers, rags, gloves...you get the idea.

Are you forming a mental picture of the disaster area that I'm now living in? My kids are coming in two weeks to help me rip out the bathroom vanity and floor. It's only going to get worse! Nothing horrible has happened yet. I figure it's only a matter of time.