counters and hardware
We first talked about counters way back in January. By April, we had narrowed it down to quartz. In May, we put together this materials palette to see how everything would work together. We then gathered all of our whitish quartz samples and landed somewhere in between white-white and speckly white.
We thought we had found a winner in Eco quartz, but word to the wise, always look at a full size application of the material if you can. We happened to see a demonstration kitchen at IKEA a few months ago that used the Eco in our favorite color, “polar cap”, and were surprised to find that we didn’t like it. Part of the recycled content that goes into the material are tiny pieces of mirror which made the whole thing very glittery. Fortunately, there is a very similar Silestone product (Silestone and Eco are both owned by the same parent company) that doesn’t have the glitz (and it’s cheaper!). And even though it may not have as much recycled content as the Eco, they’re both coming from overseas and the Silestone will last just as long as the Eco, so it wasn’t a hard decision to make.
One decision down, on more to go. For the island, we were all set on offsetting the more expensive quartz with crazy cheap IKEA butcher block. Unlike other counter options that come in standard 25″ widths, the IKEA product comes in pieces up to 39″x72″. This didn’t leave us much overhang for barstools, but at $200, we could make it work. So a few weeks ago I went down to make the purchase…and when I went to look at the samples one more time (we were pretty sure about beech but I wanted to double check the other options), it just didn’t look as good. We have an IKEA butcher block as a work surface in the shop and as a large cutting board in our make-shift kitchen, and both of the those pieces seem to have narrower strips of wood than what I saw at the store. Maybe IKEA changed their design? Or maybe I’m just seeing things? Anyhow, I figured it was worth one more round of searching and mulling.
After much lunch-time research, these are the conclusions we made: butcher block of various species and sizes is not hard to come by, but it is expensive. I called up Ecohaus and the best they could offer me was side grain fir (at about $35/sf), but it was still more than we wanted to spend and since fir is a softwood, I was worried that it would get beat up pretty quickly. I even contacted Urban Hardwoods and Meyer Wells, two local companies that deal with reclaimed lumber. Meyer Wells said they were doing some butcher blocks out of reclaimed glulams, but for about $80/SF. Boo. We had found some nice lyptus butcher block at Crosscuts (same place we got our teak and teak plywood for the bathroom) a while back, but the largest width was 36″ which wouldn’t work. (We found out that we could order larger sizes but the special order and freight shipping proved to be cost prohibitive.) And then the “ah-ha” moment…buy two 25″ slabs of lyptus and biscuit them together. The lyptus (pictured above) is a gorgeous red-brown color that is extremely durable and about $20/SF. Plus, Kyle gets to use his new biscuit joiner again. Score!
Hardware! Where to start? How to decide? Since we’re doing mostly drawers for our base cabinets, it made sense to do a drawer pull rather than a knob or bar. We used an aluminum pull by Epco for our bathroom vanity (IKEA has some that are similar). They are affordable and look good, but we were worried that the kitchen hardware would see more abuse over time and the aluminum pull might not be up for the challenge. So we went into hardware research mode again, scouring the interwebs and our local hardware store to see what the world had to offer. But deep in our hearts, we knew we had already found the perfect drawer pull. And this is where the champagne taste, beer budget dilemma comes into play.
This pull is from Reveal Designs, a collaboration of architects and designers producing high quality, swoon-worthy hardware and furniture. Our favorite, aptly named the “Washington Pull” was designed by Cutler Anderson Architects, a well-known starchitect of the Pacific Northwest. Ok, it’s a bent piece of stainless steel…but unlike most other pulls, the ergonomics are right and the design is graceful. A few challenges – because of the thicker gauge of the steel (vs. aluminum options) this pull can’t be fastened to the top of the drawer/door face, which means we need to router out a small notch for it to recess into it. I was a bit skeptical of how we could router into the high-gloss finish, but fortunately I am married to Mr. Kyle Zerbey who simply designed and fashioned a custom jig to the do the job. The other challenge – price tag. These puppies run about $18 each (for the 3 1/2″) and $15 (for the 2 1/2″). And that’s after the architect discount. So we did some more research, but in the end we came back to the Washington pulls. Our logic – they’re durable, will withstand the daily abuse of a high-traffic area and they make us happy. I know, a drawer pull makes us happy.
The drawer pull solves about 80% of our hardware needs, but we still needed to pick out something for the three upper cabinets and the tall pantry. We opted for the (more affordable) bar pull from Epco. They’re simple and match the pull on our dishwasher. We especially like the smaller “T” pulls. Last but not least, we also picked up a new doorstop for the front door. It’s a sexy floor-mounted stop from Reveal Designs. A thick rubber disc around a stainless steel bar. Simple and effective.
The quartz counters go in next Thursday(!) and we’ll pick up the lyptus on Monday. My sisters are coming to town next weekend for my b-day and we are racing to get as much done as possible! So please, if anyone talks to the painting fairy, please send her to our house!
progress report: week 22
Well, maybe it was a little overly optimistic on my part to think we could get most of the painting done this weekend. But we did get a lot done! It’s 10:00 on Monday night and we’re beat. Here’s the holiday weekend recap:
Last week we picked up the primer and paint. We’re using a vapor barrier primer and Benjamin Moore’s Natura paint in “super white”. The irony here is that the paint is zero-VOC and the primer is, well…not. Here was our dilemma – we needed a way to keep moisture out of the wall cavity and a vapor barrier primer is the preferred method in our climate and in our situation (interior gut job). Unfortunately, it’s those pesky VOC’s that make the product viable. I googled around, asked a few opinions and even hit up the folks at Green Building Advisor, but in the end, this was the best solution from a holistic viewpoint (assuming that, if you have moisture in your wall cavity and nowhere for it to go, then you’ve got a whole other set of environmental problems to deal with).
For the metal reveals, we’re using a low-voc metal primer that was left over from the bedroom/bathroom project.
We also invested in some sturdy metal trays, which make it a lot easier to move a paint-filled tray from room to room. We also picked up some more no-shedding 3/8″ nap rollers from BM. We made the mistake in the past of buying some cheaper rollers from one of the big box stores…nothing like a little lint imbedded in your walls to drive you crazy at the end of a project. We also picked up a new cut-in brush and some green Frog Tape.
We had so much cutting in to do so we opted to play it safe and mask around the joists, windows, doors, etc.
A couple temporary lights kept us going once we lost our sun (which seemed to be most of the weekend). Since we’re working with new drywall (and since our primer is acting as a vapor barrier), we really need to do two coats. Primer over new drywall is my nemesis. It’s like painting a sponge. To make matters worse, I started in the loft which has so many planes and angles and awkward positioning that I honestly think it took me four hours. By tonight, we now have at least one coat of primer up on most of the walls (two coats in some areas), but we still need to do the vaulted ceiling (which is a very porous material and requires awkward positioning. FUN!). Kyle did tackle the spackling/sanding/caulking in that area which was tedious and decidedly not fun either.
Kyle also got all of the base trim installed (he used shims to set the correct height so we can just tuck the flooring in later). It’s amazing how much a difference a little trim can make!
The big priority for the weekend was not painting though – it was getting the kitchen cabinets installed and ready for the counter template appointment on Tuesday! Even though we’ve had the island up for a while, it had never been fully fastened to the stud wall behind and floor below. It’s completely solid now. In fact, if there’s an earthquake, you should take refuge in our island.
Next came the base cabinets. Per IKEA’s instructions, we opted to install a wall ledger to support the back edge of the cabinet frames and ensure that everything is level (the front of the cabinets have the adjustable legs). This involved the laser level and lots of math, but we eventually reached complete plumbness. And since we always like to modify IKEA in some fashion, we used a 2x ledger instead of the piece of particle board that comes with the toe-kick. This gave us more bearing width and allowed us to install screws through the cabinet frame and into the ledger (in addition to the wall fasteners at the top of the cabinet frames).
Thankfully, our friend Tim came over to help paint and he showed up just in time to help move the range up from the basement.
It’s really starting to look like a kitchen now! Of course, we still have the upper cabinets, vent hood and all the interior fittings and drawer/door fronts but with a bit of a lead time on the counters this was a priority.
This week, it’s back to painting. We calculated that we have roughly 1,500 SF of surfaces to paint and at 4 coats total (2 primer, 2 paint) that’s 6,000 SF total. Bring it!
[P.S. – A few people have asked us about who are drywaller was. We used Stacey Cagampang at Emerald State Drywall and he did a great job. His number is 253.335.5665.]
5 months without a kitchen
All in all, life without a kitchen has gone better than expected. (Disclaimer: we did break down about 10 days post-demo and installed the dishwasher.) It’s sort of like the dorm days, but Easy Mac has now been replaced by Annie’s (or Amy’s) mac’n’cheese and a side salad. Way more refined.
We’re getting by with a make-shift kitchen in our basement, which basically consists of an old drafting table, a microwave, coffee maker, assorted small appliances and shelving below that acts as our pantry and dish storage. Our dining room table/home office is a lopsided card table and 2 chairs.
But back to food. I’ve really tried to resist the frozen entrée route, but we do use the microwave a lot. Who knew you could make pasta in the microwave? It takes a little finessing but it’s totally edible! (Gnocchi is a bit trickier. I’m not sure I’ll try that one again anytime soon.) Speaking of pasta, did I mention that we eat copious amounts of mac’n’cheese? On this night we dressed it up with cherry tomatoes from the garden and fresh cracked pepper.
We also eat a lot of foods that don’t involve cooking. Sometimes I just put together a plate of crackers, cheese, apple slices, almonds, and whatever else is lying around. It’s easy and it’s fast.
For breakfast we’ve been eating a lot of cereal or granola with yogurt and fruit.
For weekdays, I’ve taken over a shelf in my office’s kitchen for breakfast and lunch items. Fortunately, my office also has a fancy espresso machine. Double shot button – oh we’re good friends.
But don’t kid yourself, we’re definitely eating out more too. We’ve also been known to order pizza from time to time. One of those times may have involved eating pizza in bed while watching old episodes of Arrested Development. It happens.
Now that we’re at the 5-month mark though, I’m done experimenting. If it takes more than 20 minutes, I don’t want to do it. I’m holding out for the real deal. Our new range is just sitting there, under a sheet, taunting me. It’s whispering words like “broil”, “roast” and worst of all…convection.
So what do I miss the most right now? Mostly I miss baked goods and things that can be “fresh out of the oven”. [Oh my gosh I want chocolate chip cookies so bad right now!] I also miss having friends over for meals, making something from a cookbook, and lazy Sunday morning breakfast.
Oh, I also miss lazy Sundays.
progress report: week 21
Last week, the drywallers were busy mudding and taping. They are doing an awesome job and it was so rewarding to come home each night and see something new. Bailey, on the other hand, stayed home to supervise. Uh oh…who’s got drywall paws?
After a failed craigslist and consignment effort, the ol’ piano finally got rolled out to the carport, where it will await an unknown fate. Apparently, no one wants pianos. We bought the piano off craigslist (from a frat house no less) about 5 years ago. Kyle spent some time fixing her up, but since we bought our house she’s been pretty neglected. We also don’t have a good spot for it anymore and those tiny wheels would do some serious harm to the cork flooring. So Kyle fabricated a plywood pathway (on top of the existing plywood ramp – this thing is heavy!) Fortunately, there were no runaway piano incidents or piano maulings.
And here’s a glimpse of the mud and tape job, before sanding.
With cooler temperatures over the weekend, we rewired the thermostat to get the heat going and help the mud dry.
Kyle also re-plumbed for the sink and dishwasher (we had to unhook the previous connections so the sheetrock could go up). There was a bit of math involved, but like a good architect, Kyle just sketched it out on the wall. (Normally, we would have waited until the cabinets and sink were in, but it had already been two weeks without a dishwasher and I couldn’t store anymore dirty dishes in the microwave!)
Last night, I got the itch to start building base cabinets. I figured that if I build one a night, I’ll reduce the risk of incurring a particleboard cut or suffer from screwdriver fatigue. The frames are easy enough to assemble (I started with the corner cabinet), but I really hate installing the back panel. All those little nails! Seriously, who really uses a hammer and individual nails anymore? Kyle (who would, if given the opportunity, use only power tools to assemble IKEA products) recommended that I just use the brad nailer. It worked like a charm! One down, four to go!
Oh Bailey, I was just kidding when I told you I was building a dog house.
Well, maybe we won’t put the carousel in just yet.
We also started to gather up our painting supplies! Honestly, we are both still burned out from all the exterior priming and painting we did last summer, but as soon as the 2nd coat of paint is dry we can start putting everything back together and that is our motivation. Even though we will have a good chunk of masking to do, it should go pretty quickly since we’re doing everything in the same color (BM’s “super white”) and there isn’t much trim to work around.
So this week is all about prepping for the big 3-day weekend. Time to whip this house into shape!
blogiversary
It’s true, chezerbey the blog is one year old. (Ok, disclaimer – we were on blogger before but it was basically a glorified flickr account.) We switched over to wordpress last year and bought chezerbey.com. It was a huge jump from the old layout, but there are a few things I’d like to do during year two:
1. Revamp the blog – I like wordpress and the “vigilance” theme, but it’s not quite how I want it. I figured out how to change the default text font to century gothic, but I’d like the images to be bigger and for the navigation to be different. I don’t need anything fancy but I do want more customization. Is there a training wheels version out there or do I just need to jump into the big scary world of CSS? I also want to totally change how the site is organized. Since we had been in the house for 3 years when I started this version of the blog, I did a lot of “back blogging”. I think the pages for each room are too long and start out with the crappy, before photos which probably doesn’t entice people to read on.
2. Figure out a good way to show “inspiration photos” – I’d like a part of the site to be photos that we find inspiring or just awesome. I want to be able to right-click on an image and magically send it to a collector that will automatically link the image to its source. Is this Tumblr? Is this even possible?
3. Learn to use my camera better – Kyle and my fam pitched in last Christmas and got me a Canon Rebel XSi DSLR. I love it, but there is still so much to learn. I also want a wide-angle lens. And a tripod. I could also polish my Photoshop skills. Most of what I know is based on assembling architectural graphics and not for editing photos.
4. Blog more – while there has been a lot happening at chezerbey this year, there has not been a lot of time for blogging. As the big stuff finishes up and we transition to smaller, more manageable projects, we hope to do more posts that go from start to end and that include resources and costs.
Finally, thanks to all the readers and bloggers out there! We are constantly inspired by what people out there are doing and love that there is a forum to share both the high-fives and the headaches of homeownership. It’s been fun to hear people’s comments and feedback and often times reassures us that what we’re doing is not completely crazy.
So here’s to year two and making the rendering above a reality! Can’t wait!
