In my last post I shared that we had gutted quite a few rooms (3, 4, 5 & 6) on the first floor to make way for the new kitchen and living room. We had installed new windows & insulation and had rough electric, HVAC and plumbing completed for that space.
We had only one original room left, the kitchen (7).
Our plan all along was to gut, redesign and renovate everything else in the house while leaving the old, yet functional, kitchen in place until the new kitchen was done.
Who in their right mind would willingly live without a kitchen? Right?
Well, I decided that after living in construction chaos for 4 1/2 years and still having an original space in the house, it being a constant reminder of how far we were from the finish line…
I could live without a kitchen!
So while Steve and I were on a drive one day, I decided to spring my crazy idea on him…
LET’S GUT THE KITCHEN!!
I explained that by removing the last original space, we would be opening up the entire first floor of the original house and we could work on both the new kitchen (area above the stairs) and living room (area below the stairs) at the same time!
His mouth opened and closed a couple times as he started to respond and then would stop as he thought through pros and cons and in the end he said…
“If you can handle being without a kitchen for the foreseeable future, lets do it!”
Well I wasn’t entirely sure I could handle it but I knew I needed it, so I was willing to make it work.
So in early January of 2020 we demolished our last original room!
The refrigerator was relocated to our back hall and removal of one of the walls began.
The wall was load bearing so a temporary support was put in.
Next the wall between the kitchen and stairs came out.
This was the last interior wall of original house to come down,
it was surreal and momentous!!
Our plan was to put a full wall back up on the railing side but after opening this up we
decided the site lines were amazing! Steve will have to do some structural work
in the ceiling to carry the load but he agrees the view makes it worth the effort!
Next the countertops were removed…
and cabinets came out…
and finally the bead board ceiling and walls came down.
We were left with a gutted room!
The floor needed leveling and extra supports were required as the floor joists
were too far apart so the hardwoods were tore out …
and the sub-floor removed so Steve could do the needed repairs…
and finally new sub-floor was put in!
I’m sure you’re wondering what we’re doing for a kitchen.
I decided to use the utility room for prep and clean up where
there is a beautiful granite countertop and a huge stainless
steel sink…
and in the new kitchen I have set up a cooking area (since this
photo I have added a countertop convection oven).
It’s quite a challenge to prepare meals but we’re making it work!
Completion of this particular project shifted our focus from…
old house to new home!
It was a much needed boost to our spirits giving us
renewed energy to move to the finish line.
As always live simply but do it with sass!
It is all coming together–wow, what a huge project! You are troopers–love, the Sullivan’s!
Yes it is! Stubbornly we continue to insist on doing it ourselves, after all, that was the original dream and we’re going to see it through but I never imagined it would take this long. I’m learning to be patient 🙂
Kim & Steve ; Thanks for the pictures. It was nice to see what has been accomplished. Steve – how much of that stair wall did or are you removing, What about the end post that was or is carrying the second floor load? It was good to see the ductwork in the crawl space. Kim I was watching Property Brothers one morning ay the “Y” as I was walking on the tread mill and saw a piece of furniture that some carpenter was remodeling for a disappearing TV cabinet. It was a iron track mounted in the cabinet and the TV was raised with a remote. A piece of the top of the cabinet was attached to the top of the TV and raised and lowered with the TV. Keep plugging away at it . Proud of the work your are doing. Wish I were closer to help more.
Love, DAD
It is a slow process but we are plugging along. The stair wall will be re-built about 4 feet tall to house the wall switches on the stair side. The wall will also tie in the structural post. On the living room side it will be cabinetry for storage. Steve had to put in 4 LVL’s in the ceiling to carry the load of the load bearing wall we took out. He also had to put in 2 LVL’s to accommodate for the stairway opening. The “disappearing” tv cabinet you referenced is exactly what I’m looking for. I’ve got some ideas as well as some photos so Steve’s gonna come up with something. I’m sure he would love your input when we get to that point. We have appreciated the help you have given us and we hope things will work out that you can come help us again.
Love
The B’s
We can’t wait to visit when it’s done (or almost done!)
Hopefully it’s soon!!
It is amazing how much work you 2 have done yourselves but even more amazing that you have survived a year without a full functioning kitchen.
It has been a huge challenge with food prep especially during the holidays but I’ve had to get creative and we had a great turkey on the grill this year for Thanksgiving.
Kim