Kitchen Renovation Week 7: A Stumble at the Finish Line

This week we had a very good chance at being almost finished minus the install of the new range.  But work pretty much came to a standstill over a faucet and a screw.  The faucet you see here.  A Minta in Super Steel by Grohe.  A faucet the Architect might love more than me and his dog.  What is wrong with this picture is that the faucet is installed backwards.  The level is supposed to be to the side and the toggle pushes back and forth for cold and hot water.  You see, the problem is that you can't install it in the correct manner because the counter top depth in the back is too small.  Why is it too small?  The counter top fabricators failed to read the Architect's drawings where he specifically measured the EXACT depth needed so the faucet would fit and work in the desired manner.  The drawings also had an exact drawing of this faucet and how it should look installed.

The second issue was the impression of a drywall screw in the newly laid cork flooring awaiting its final finish out.  This resulted in much gnashing of teeth, wine drinking, and a terse email to the contractor.  This issue prevented the application of the polyurethane sealant on the flooring.

The contractor "did the right thing" and agreed to replace the entire section of counter top for the faucet and replace the cork tile.  So at 5pm on a Friday the flooring guys had to come over and spend an hour chipping out the defective tile and replacing it with a new tile.  Since the tile needed 24 hours to dry, no sealant was applied.  The counter top probably added another week to the project.  But it will be worth it because the counter top and the favored faucet will be correct.  In the meantime, we realized there was no water line for the fridge and the gas line still needs to be adjusted for the install of the range.

So the microwave meals and sandwiches continue.  What was accomplished this week was some tiling (minus the grout), installation of drawer pulls and lighting (minus the Nelson bubble lamp).

Tiling of the back splash and new window ledge.

Finished tile (w/o grout) and another pop of orange.

Pendant lights w/ marconi bulbs.

Detail of island where paint meets birch.

Drawer pulls from the front.

Drawer pulls from the side.

A view from the living room of the almost finished product.

Museum Tower v. Nasher Sculpture Center

D Magazine's cover article in its new issue is about the problems that the 40 story mirrored Museum Tower is causing for its neighbor, the Nasher Sculpture Center.  The story details how the original Museum Tower doubled in size, could be a risky investment for city taxpayers and how its mirrored facade is harming the Nasher Sculpture Center and its other neighbors.

Read the article here, and Frontburner here, here, and here for additional tidbits that didn't make it into the article.

Kitchen Renovation Weeks 4, 5, 6: Drywall, Cabinets and Counter tops!

I've been remiss in posting the last few weeks, because I wasn't too in love with the kitchen and the renovation process.  Frankly, I'm tired of microwave meals, stuff piled in boxes all over my house, and construction equipment everywhere.  It really gets to me on the weekends.  Our usual Friday or Saturday night spent in consists of a few well crafted cocktails made by the Architect and we relax in our living room and listen to some music.  Then we cook some dinner and might dial up a TV show on the DVR.  Boring I know, but we like it.  While there has been some guerrilla style cocktail drinking in the house, it's been done on our futon and drinks are mixed in the bathroom.  Yeah, not so much fun.  So needless to say I'm ready for the end product to get here, and fast.

Week 3 was drywall, taping, mudding, sanding (and sanding) and painting.  Week 4 saw the arrival of cabinets, and more painting (my allergies loved the oil based paints).  Week 5 saw the arrival of counter tops and installation of the cork floor (no pics as it hasn't been completed yet).

Week 6 should see more painting (missing a second coat on one wall), installation of tile, finish prep on the cork floor, installation of light fixtures and appliances.  Wait - that sounds like it might be done?! BTW, I usually post a few quick snaps every couple of days on Instagram.  You can find me at 4squaresperinch.

Ok, now on to the pictures of progress!

Back side of island clad in baltic birch with a clear coat finish.

Cabinets awaiting their paint job.

That's a heck of a lot of drawers!

Painted cabinets and lots of drawers.

Detail where paint meets baltic birch trim.

Painted cabinets awaiting their counter tops.

Freshly painted beam in the same paint as cabinets.

A little pop of orange.

Ooooh shiny shiny counter tops...

The fly over bar also gets some orange love.

Kitchen Renovation Week 3: Permits, Permits, Permits

Week 3 was a week were you couldn't see all that much progress in the kitchen.  But those little green tags mean we passed all our inspections.  Without these green tags we would not be able to put up drywall and begin installation of cabinets!

Week 4 sees drywall, cabinets, and measurements for counter tops!