# Kitchen Renovations



## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

So after buying my 2 family house, I spent 9 months of weekends renovating the rental unit on the 2nd floor. That work is complete THANKFULLY and before and after photos can be seen here. 

http://picasaweb.google.com/darenrogers/PrivateResidenceRenovation?authkey=Gv1sRgCOnlx4Oxnd_ZPw&feat=directlink

With that out of the way, I've now set my sights on renovating my own kitchen. The demo is done, as is the rough plumbing and electric. Cabinets are somewhat constructed/installed as are the appliances. Below are photos of the kitchen as it stood when I bought the house and the mess that it's become. I still have plenty of work left to do so I'll continue to post photos and I welcome any comments, questions or suggestions anyone might have. :thumbup:

Thanks!


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

*More Photos*

After removing the cheap Ikea floating floor, the 1/4" luan and the old vinyl tile, I finally got down to the original floors. Phew.


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

*More Photos*

The brick corner was an old chimney no longer in use. It was taking up valuable kitchen space...so out it went.


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

*Last Photos for Now*

Bought pretty much all of the applianced used from a variety of sources. Decided to build the cabinets from scratch to make sure they fit exactly as I need them to. 

I'm currently ordering up drawer slides, door hinges and beginning to build the drawers and doors themselves.


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## Itsdanf (Jan 29, 2009)

That's an amazing job you did with the rental unit! Love the floors, kitchen wall removal and vaulted ceiling. Did you do most of the work yourself? Very impressive. :thumbup:

Of course, you've set the bar high for your own remodeling. Looking forward to seeing the results. Looks like you've got a great start.


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

Itsdanf said:


> That's an amazing job you did with the rental unit! Love the floors, kitchen wall removal and vaulted ceiling. Did you do most of the work yourself? Very impressive. :thumbup:


I had contractor friends do the majority of the drywall/taping and pull the new circuits from the electric panel in the basement up to the 2nd floor. Otherwise, my dad and I did the rest of the work along with help from the rest of my family...demo, plumbing, flooring, tile work, cabinet install, painting, etc. It was such a great time it got me hooked on this DIY stuff!


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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

It'll look great. Have fun.


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## starr5678 (Jan 22, 2010)

Looking good. Looking forward to seeing the final results.


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## campos202 (Oct 21, 2008)

Looks good. What kind of power tool are you using in that pic for tearing up the old chimney?


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

campos202 said:


> Looks good. What kind of power tool are you using in that pic for tearing up the old chimney?


I'm using a Bosch demo hammer. Basically a smaller, hand-held jack hammer which I rented from a local tool depot. It worked wonders!


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## campos202 (Oct 21, 2008)

darenrogers said:


> I'm using a Bosch demo hammer. Basically a smaller, hand-held jack hammer which I rented from a local tool depot. It worked wonders!


Thanks! I may need to rent on of those for one of my future projects of demoing a brick landing.


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## AppleMac*Fit (Dec 26, 2007)

Very nice job so far! I love the appliances and farm-style stainless sink. What are you thinking for countertops - Granite? Concrete?

Now that my bathroom project is nearly complete (and I told my wife we're getting back a good chunk of change for taxes), she's bugging me to redo the kitchen. So I'm going to be following your project closely for some inspiration.


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

AppleMac*Fit said:


> Very nice job so far! I love the appliances and farm-style stainless sink. What are you thinking for countertops - Granite? Concrete?


The countertops will be quartz...haven't selected a specific manufacturer as of yet. Will be also building a movable island, which I'm thinking will get a butcher block top.


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## AppleMac*Fit (Dec 26, 2007)

darenrogers said:


> The countertops will be quartz...haven't selected a specific manufacturer as of yet. Will be also building a movable island, which I'm thinking will get a butcher block top.


Very nice!

We recently did a peninsula in our kitchen and used a stainless steel top. It is 3'x6'. We special ordered it from a commercial restaurant supply store. It was only $400 with delivery... $22 per square foot. Custom fabricated it normally runs about $150 per square foot I think. Could be a good idea for your moveable island... Here are 2 pics…

With protective sticker still on it…









After - sorry no good pics, just one from Thanksgiving.


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

AppleMac*Fit said:


> Very nice!
> 
> We recently did a peninsula in our kitchen and used a stainless steel top.


Do you find the stainless steel holds up well to scratches and nicks? Just curious.


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## AppleMac*Fit (Dec 26, 2007)

darenrogers said:


> Do you find the stainless steel holds up well to scratches and nicks? Just curious.


It does get *very* slight surface scratches (similar to swirl marks on a car's paint job - only viewable at certain angles), but it is not that noticeable. Plus, since it was built for commercial kitchens, it is a very thick piece of stainless. Normal pieces of stainless that one can buy (such as a stainless steel topped cart from Lowes) are very thin. This table is several gauges thicker than the stuff at the big box stores.

BTW, your kitchen is going to look fantastic! :yes:


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## a new DIY-er (Jan 19, 2010)

Super job with the rental. It looks terrific. I look forward to following your progress here!


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## noahweb (Feb 11, 2010)

The appliances are in awfully early :whistling2:

I have some stainless steel countertops. They scratch fairly easily. But after the first few scratches you get used to it and realize that the scratches/wear/tear are part of the beauty of these products.......and then eventually you can have them re-sanded down to look like new again (another great feature)


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

noahweb said:


> The appliances are in awfully early :whistling2:


The pictures fail to capture the 9 months I spent without a kitchen sink, stove or any countertop space . To save money, I bought all of my appliances through Craigslist or Green Demolitions, so it was a game of luck to piece everything together. Let's just say in the time it took me to buy them all, I learned to cook just about anything - breakfast, lunch or dinner, on my grill. :laughing:


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

It's a bit crazy to think my last post to this thread was back in January, but what can I say...time flies when you're having fun. :whistling2: Here are the latest photos from my kitchen renovation. 














































Still have some bits and pieces to finish...glass in the wall cabinet doors, shelves in the open cabinet above sink, toe kick, base board molding, so on and so forth. I'm just excited having reached this point! :thumbup: I'll post other photos of my antics soon.


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

Your kitchen floor looks to be oak. Any issues with wet mopping it? I'm trying to talk my wife into oak for our kitchen. We need to open it up into the dining area which has oak. It makes the most sense to extend the oak floor into the kitchen.

I was looking at your Picassa pictures of your upstairs renovation. It was hard to tell if any load bearing members were removed in opening up the wall and ceiling. There was one picture of you cutting a ceiling joist with a recip saw. Just hoping everything is still structurally sound in there. 

What took the place of the unused chimney? It's a shame that couldn't have been restored but probably in disrepair after years of unuse. I just like the look of a mason chimney on a house. They don't seem to build too many houses with a chimney anymore, at least not in my area. 

Looks good otherwise. I especially like the stove. Keep us posted with pictures.


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

Jim F said:


> Your kitchen floor looks to be oak. Any issues with wet mopping it? I'm trying to talk my wife into oak for our kitchen. We need to open it up into the dining area which has oak. It makes the most sense to extend the oak floor into the kitchen.
> 
> I was looking at your Picassa pictures of your upstairs renovation. It was hard to tell if any load bearing members were removed in opening up the wall and ceiling. There was one picture of you cutting a ceiling joist with a recip saw. Just hoping everything is still structurally sound in there.
> 
> ...


Jim, the floor are in fact oak but I have not polyurethaned them yet. I'm using a gloss, high traffic polyurethane and will probably put down 3 or 4 coats. I did the same thing in the kitchen upstairs and haven't had any problems at this point.

The wall I took down between the kitchen and living room was not structural but I still headered off the opening for peace of mind. I did cut back two collar ties but reframed the remaining, cut portions into adjacent structural members. Going on almost two years and no issues from all of the work!

Kitchens on both floors took over the space vacated by the chimney. In my kitchen, it gave me room for the pull out pantry and refrigerator. I still have the main chimney on the house...the one I took down was no longer in use and previously fed from wood burning stoves that long ago disappeared from the house. Thanks for commenting!


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

darenrogers said:


> The wall I took down between the kitchen and living room was not structural but I still headered off the opening for peace of mind. I did cut back two collar ties but reframed the remaining, cut portions into adjacent structural members. Going on almost two years and no issues from all of the work!


Odds are better than not it was done right but this being a DIY site I thought it was worthwhile to put out there for the benefit of other DIY visitors to your thread. Holmes On Homes fans tend to develop a sense of caution about such things I guess.


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## gma2rjc (Nov 21, 2008)

It looks wonderful. Can you show a close-up of the backsplash and the wall? 

I love the faucet above the stove.


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

gma2rjc said:


> I love the faucet above the stove.


A pot filler is a nice touch, not to mention an added convenience.


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## gma2rjc (Nov 21, 2008)

I've always thought it would be nice to have that feature. Mostly when there are small children in the kitchen and I have to carry a big pan of hot water to the stove.

Just yesterday I saw part of a diy tv show where a family installed a refrigerator just like yours in their kitchen. They said it saved floor space and has the same number of cubic feet inside. To me it would be nice because it's tall enough that people would be less likely to set clutter on top of it. :yes:


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## Bootz (Jun 28, 2010)

Holy crap that looks awesome  We actually looked at that exact same faucet but decided to go peerless.. lol But I really like the look of that faucet in that kitchen looks really really unique and cool :thumbsup:


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## Momof8QTpies (Dec 10, 2010)

*wow great job*

Wow ! I want to make you dinner in my kitchen......Im sure the wheels in your head will be turning 100 mph and when youve had your last bite ..u can get started making my kitchen as beautiful as you did this one. hahahaha Great Job !!! we think alike.... if its not of any use and its taking up space..KNOCK IT OUT! Totally luv the layout ..workspace and appliances Goodluck !


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

.


gma2rjc said:


> It looks wonderful. Can you show a close-up of the backsplash and the wall?
> 
> I love the faucet above the stove.


Thanks! Here are two photos of the backsplash, sorry one's a little bit blurry and the other a little dark.

















And here's a close up of the wall at the stove.


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

gma2rjc said:


> I've always thought it would be nice to have that feature. Mostly when there are small children in the kitchen and I have to carry a big pan of hot water to the stove.
> 
> Just yesterday I saw part of a diy tv show where a family installed a refrigerator just like yours in their kitchen. They said it saved floor space and has the same number of cubic feet inside. To me it would be nice because it's tall enough that people would be less likely to set clutter on top of it. :yes:


I must admit, I figured the pot filler at the stove would be a pure indulgence item. But after using it now a few months, it really is great. I wish there was a way to drain any excess water at the stove and heck, I'd be set. I also hooked up my in-line water filter to the pot filler, so it's easy now to fill up water pitchers while they rest on the countertop as opposed to holding them in the sink.

And I love the slimline fridge. There is a good amount of storage space but for larger items, think many jugs of liquids or pizza boxes, it's a really tight fit. Luckily, I tend to not keep much in my fridge so no complaints so far!


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

Momof8QTpies said:


> Wow ! I want to make you dinner in my kitchen......Im sure the wheels in your head will be turning 100 mph and when youve had your last bite ..u can get started making my kitchen as beautiful as you did this one. hahahaha Great Job !!! we think alike.... if its not of any use and its taking up space..KNOCK IT OUT! Totally luv the layout ..workspace and appliances Goodluck !


Thanks for your post and dinner sounds wonderful. And yes, my goal was to use every last inch which I think I managed to do. I do still plan on building a moveable island with butcher block top to provide more work area.


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## Sandra20 (Dec 30, 2010)

Wow I love your kitchen! Such a difference from before and after. Great job!


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## cocobolo (Dec 16, 2008)

You're right...the backsplash does look pretty nice a bit lighter.


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## cocobolo (Dec 16, 2008)

You're right...the backsplash does look pretty nice a bit lighter.

That is one terrific job you've done there so far!


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## Bootz (Jun 28, 2010)

love the back splash man :') we are looking around for our back splash which i think is actually going to be that glass or sea glass back splash


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## masterofall (May 27, 2010)

I'm crying seeing all the brick in a broken pile. There is so much used brick back east and it is so rare where I live. One of my favourite design elements. Ive used it several times in passive solar homes for a structural element and thermal mass.
It is an inspiring project your undertaking. I like the use of commercial appliances and sinks. 
Like every one else looking foreward to seeing the end result.


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## masterofall (May 27, 2010)

OOOps mised the finished product. Awsome Thanks for some refreshing Ideas


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## ChrisDIY (Feb 1, 2010)

Awesome! My cooktop is too close to put in a pot filler, but boy was I tempted.


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

Sandra20 said:


> Wow I love your kitchen! Such a difference from before and after. Great job!


Thanks Sandra!


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

Bootz said:


> love the back splash man :') we are looking around for our back splash which i think is actually going to be that glass or sea glass back splash


Thanks Bootz. I can give you this piece of advice with a wood beadboard backsplash. Wood loves to expand and contract, especially in a winter like I'm having with such dramatic temperature swings . However you design the wood backsplash, be sure to leave room to account for, or better yet HIDE, the inevitable movement in the wood.

I did not take this into account as much as I should have and now see small gaps in some areas where there previously were none . Oh well, I still love it and am curious to see how the wood reacts come spring time!


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

masterofall said:


> I'm crying seeing all the brick in a broken pile. There is so much used brick back east and it is so rare where I live. One of my favourite design elements. Ive used it several times in passive solar homes for a structural element and thermal mass.
> It is an inspiring project your undertaking. I like the use of commercial appliances and sinks.
> Like every one else looking foreward to seeing the end result.


The large sink, while I did have to sacrifice on countertop space, is so wonderful. Once I build my kitchen island, I'll have plenty of countertop space and in the meanwhile, I can soak and wash my largest pots and trays with room to spare in the sink.

Too bad about the rarity of brick in your area Master. You could have definitely had whatever came out of my house. I'd love to see how you used old brick in passive solar homes. :thumbup:


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## darenrogers (Jan 18, 2010)

cocobolo said:


> You're right...the backsplash does look pretty nice a bit lighter.
> 
> That is one terrific job you've done there so far!


Thanks cocobolo. The photo may not do it justice but the beadboard is white as white can be!


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## masterofall (May 27, 2010)

Too bad about the rarity of brick in your area Master. You could have definitely had whatever came out of my house. I'd love to see how you used old brick in passive solar homes. :thumbup: 
It was a double brick wall structural element used to seperate the kitchen and dinning room. It carried floor joists on top and had beam pockets on either end. Art hung on the dinning room side and a wood cook stove backed up aginst the other. Check out the Elmira oval wood cook stove with pie warming shelf and 5 gallon water resivior in black. Nicest kitchen I ever had. Two stoves and two islands. Five people could work in there.


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## geffbarnet (Sep 27, 2011)

Looking really good so far mate


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## Ironlight (Apr 13, 2011)

I so wanted a pot filler over my stove for the simple reason that they are totally cool. But my stove is under a window 

I guess I could just run the garden hose in ...

That's a great looking kitchen. There seems to be a trend going on here with people building their own cabinets.


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## mepsidurdo (Nov 11, 2021)

Kitchen Remodel Bakersfield


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## kajal.wcoast (Dec 29, 2021)

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## jitterbugjim1 (6 mo ago)

darenrogers said:


> So after buying my 2 family house, I spent 9 months of weekends renovating the rental unit on the 2nd floor. That work is complete THANKFULLY and before and after photos can be seen here.
> 
> http://picasaweb.google.com/darenro...?authkey=Gv1sRgCOnlx4Oxnd_ZPw&feat=directlink
> 
> ...


looking good partner. i really am digging that stove and big farm sink i will be following


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## Carolndanmusic (13 d ago)

Very, very nice!


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