It Has Begun

My kitchen remodel, the one I have been dreaming of and planning for 2 years has officially begun!!!!!!! Be careful what you wish for though, we have started ripping out the old. Part of my vision involves being featured in This Old House when we are done. See, I LOVE TOH, watch it like it's required viewing, and it is when you have a 157 year old side hall Colonial. However, I look at the projects and it's just not realistic when you have most of a house to remodel and are just normal people, not Doctors living just outside of Boston. My goal, is to have this remodel, and entire kitchen with new cabinets, flooring, a stamped tin ceiling, the works, come in under 15K. Impossible you say? Oh, you just watch me!
To date, I have purchased all my cabinets. I shopped 3 different kitchen centers, Lowes, Home Depot, and J-Kay Lumber. All three were quoting me about 10K for new cabinets, and higher. I hemmed and hawed over design, and guess it's a good thing I did. While I was obsessing like I do over which style to buy, a friend of mine has a friend who gutted a new kitchen. It's a long sad story ( husband may just be mentally ill), but they decided their CUSTOM MADE pine beadboard 42 inch cabinets and brand new stainless steele appliances ( GE, top of the line) were not what they had in mind so they gutted their own new kitchen and called my friend. They said if you want it come get it, otherwise it's going to the curb. My friend didn't, the look is too modern for her ( she likes primitive, very old country), but they knew I would like it. The sold it to me in what I call our "Yankee Deal." I got, for 3K, ALL the appliances ( the dishwasher was still shrink wrapped, never used), and ALL the cabinets ( did I mention they were hand made, and do not include any particpl board??). My friend got some cash to re-do her roof, and I saved over 9 thousand dollars and I got the look I wanted. In the process, I needed to order a few pieces to "fill in" and I went with a distressed off white beadboard to make my look like something out of Country Living magazine. We discovered that a Wine chiller ( a 29 bottle, electric, digital, locking wine fridge) cost less than a base cabinet ( base was almost 500.00, wine chiller after my 10% off coupon was only 385). So I am actually getting a wine chiller to go under the counter between 2 base cabinets. I am very excited as this was not in the original plans.
We took off the hardware because it was gold, and we want satin nickel to match the stainless steel appliances, and I just found the decorative handles I wanted on ebay. For 4.75/each, that is at LEAST 6 bucks a piece less than what I was looking for special order elsewhere. With 35 of those to order, that's a savings of more than 150.00. Did I mention they were new??????????? And my sink, I just purchased a great looking Victorian vintage satin nickel on Overstock for 200 less than the home improvement big boxes.
Finally, I wanted an apron sink, or farm sink to bring my farm look together. They are well over 1K at tht three kitchen centers I looked at here. I found one online for 400 ( with shipping!!!!). That is 600 less if you are counting. It's porcelain, from a known manu. and has a life time warranty. Cool!

And of course I am re-purposing something. My butcher block counter, lovely and worn, Brian is sanding down and re-oiling to use as the top to me NEW ISLAND!!!!!!!!! It will be centered, topped with the butcher block as a work space, have room for 2 counter stools, and it has all kinds of storage.

I am both stressed over the demo, yet so excited that my vision is coming together, and will under 15K. Photos coming soon.......