proud of it!

For just over seven years, the remodeling of my kitchen (simultaneously with just over half the total square footage of my home) has been the bane of my existence.  And, while it is still sans trim, window coverings and pantry doors, it finally reached the point of occupation this past weekend!

When I purchased the house, I envisioned the kitchen we just moved into.  Everyone else saw this:

Standing in the original dining room, looking through the cased opening into the original kitchen, complete with red carpet and red countertop with chrome edges!  There was no other cabinetry in the kitchen than what you see here.

Standing in the original kitchen, looking through the cased opening into the original dining room, toward the bay window bench.

Standing in the original dining room, looking toward the rear family room.

For the past seven years, Jen used a "temporary" kitchen (the second substandard kitchen in the home, since the house had been turned into a duplex), while I completely gutted this area, took down the wall between the kitchen/dining, moved the kitchen window and entry door, moved the doorway to the family room, removed a masonry chimney from roof to basement (through the dining room), and contracted 100% new plumbing, wiring, and HVAC duct installation.  (And, that's just the kitchen... I had a bathroom, living room, foyer, stairway, hallway, and 2 bedrooms undergoing similar treatment.)

Throughout the years of work, I envisioned the kitchen we just moved into, everyone else saw this:

Standing in the dining area, looking through where the dividing wall used to be, into the kitchen.

Standing in the kitchen, looking through where the dividing wall used to be, into the dining area.

So, if I had it to do over again, would I do this?  Ummm... NO!

But, that doesn't change the fact that I am pretty happy with the way it turned out proud of it! 

Yeah, in hindsight, it's easy to see it was a mistake, but there's no need to dwell on the negative at this point (I can't change the past, after all).  I'm preferring, instead, to dwell on the fact that I created something nice for my family, and we now have a kitchen to be proud of.  As a draftsman, I liked it on paper, but I like it much more in living color.

Saturday evening was a momentous occasion, as I cut the drywall out of the doorway separating the rear part of the home (where we have lived since we purchased it) and the front portion (where we have never lived), and we ate our first meal (pizza) in the new kitchen at our new table (our old one seated four, we are six)!

Sunday afternoon, I moved the stove and refrigerator from the other kitchen, and declared it officially open for business.  So, I now see the reality of what I always envisioned.  Everyone else finally sees this:

Dining area into kitchen

Kitchen into dining area

Foyer into kitchen

The opening to the family room beyond the bar (moved from its original location), where the opening was cut to join the back half of the house with the front.

The new bay window bench

Family room into the kitchen (the unfinished closet openings beside the fridge will both have doors... a pantry on the left and a small coat/broom/sweeper closet on the right.)

While I can't stop here (I still have a lot of details to finish up), It's a huge load off my shoulders to have the space to a usable point!  It feels really good!  Yeah, it took too long... but, did I mention that I'm proud of it, anyway?