Chapter Five - I adore chaos!
After the cabinet guys left, I had the weekend to sit back and contemplate how wonderful everything looks. I'm having trouble deciding which improvement I like best: the pristine white laminated cabinetry, the fine paint job (not counting a few semi-gloss booboos), the new drawers or the cupboards with lazy susan swivel shelves. Oohlala, it is just too much to take in all at once.
As kitchen mavens the world over know there is no rest for the weary. Monday morning dawned with sunshine and the realization that there was still a lot of work to do. The floor man called to say he'd be here bright and early Wednesday morning (today). That meant I had to step up my pace. I needed to finish the wallpapering and tackle the job of gently placing old "stuff" on new shelves. [Photo: Old floor autographed by Girl Cat]
Wallpapering seemed the lesser of two evils. I've done that before, albeit more years ago than I can remember. I trusted my ability to complete the task. I trusted Jack to help hold up the wet sticky end of the border while I smoothed a
nd spong
ed. I trusted, perhaps foolishly, that I would not fall off the ladder midway through the process. I soon discovered a nice little unexpected by-product of a DYI project. All that climbing up and down on the stool was akin to a stairstepper drill. Not only were our out of shape arms and legs shaking from the activity, even our hearts got an aerobic workout. That's good, right? We hadn't exactly planned for it, but then we hadn't planned much of anything. Suffice it to say my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants style is definitely clashing with the Boy Scout/engineer "be prepared" method of doing things. In fact, adding an exercise regimen to a home makeover might be another idea I could sell to HGTV when this process is all done. [Photo L: Border; Photo R: Wainscote wanna-be wallpaper - the walls look white in the picture but they are actually a beigy yellow.]
Refilling the cabinets is like one of my worst nightmares. I want everything to have a place that's easy to get to as well as be fuctional. I want everyone who works in the kitchen to approve of AND be wowed by my decisions. I figure this is the last time this particular kitchen will get a make-over like this, so I want every dish, spoon or utensil to lie happily in its new home. Hell, let's not beat around the bush ... I want my mommy.
In the wake of that kind of neediness, I have taken the day off to watch the floormen do their thing. If I feel like it, I might do a little more painting. HGTV's "Room by Room" girl, Shari Hiller, calls the final, and perhaps the most noticeable, step of any project "accessorizing." Sharie is usually off buying accessories while, Matt is busy re-electrifying the room or building a versatile storage unit. Matt usually has a smile on his face, and come to think of it so does Sharie. She is, after all, out shopping spending the homeowner's money.
My mind is a-twitter with what accessories to put where. Forget organizing I want to accessorize ... spice racks, drawer organizers, sponge holders. Flowers, candles, pictures, doo-dads, tchotchkies. Can a girl have too many?Dad is taking bets as to how long it will be before the new counter top is no longer visible under the clutter - ah, excuse me ... accessories!
I don't remember where I found this quote, but I wrote it down for an occasion such as this:
“I adore chaos," said Maggie Soklick of El Ceritto, California. "Some may detest counters covered with food processors, rolling pins and stacks of mixing bowls, [purses, dog bones and wine bottles?] but my kitchen says, ‘a cook lives here.’”
I say, "Right on, Maggie old girl!" My kitchen, while new, and as yet unsullied, has made an almost miraculous transition. But it won't be long before the heartbeat of the house begins to pulse again. It won't be long before everyone knows Mary lives here.
Signing off to add a coat of paint to a cute little re-cycled shelf, just like they do on TV!
Merry ME
As kitchen mavens the world over know there is no rest for the weary. Monday morning dawned with sunshine and the realization that there was still a lot of work to do. The floor man called to say he'd be here bright and early Wednesday morning (today). That meant I had to step up my pace. I needed to finish the wallpapering and tackle the job of gently placing old "stuff" on new shelves. [Photo: Old floor autographed by Girl Cat]Wallpapering seemed the lesser of two evils. I've done that before, albeit more years ago than I can remember. I trusted my ability to complete the task. I trusted Jack to help hold up the wet sticky end of the border while I smoothed a
nd spong
ed. I trusted, perhaps foolishly, that I would not fall off the ladder midway through the process. I soon discovered a nice little unexpected by-product of a DYI project. All that climbing up and down on the stool was akin to a stairstepper drill. Not only were our out of shape arms and legs shaking from the activity, even our hearts got an aerobic workout. That's good, right? We hadn't exactly planned for it, but then we hadn't planned much of anything. Suffice it to say my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants style is definitely clashing with the Boy Scout/engineer "be prepared" method of doing things. In fact, adding an exercise regimen to a home makeover might be another idea I could sell to HGTV when this process is all done. [Photo L: Border; Photo R: Wainscote wanna-be wallpaper - the walls look white in the picture but they are actually a beigy yellow.]Refilling the cabinets is like one of my worst nightmares. I want everything to have a place that's easy to get to as well as be fuctional. I want everyone who works in the kitchen to approve of AND be wowed by my decisions. I figure this is the last time this particular kitchen will get a make-over like this, so I want every dish, spoon or utensil to lie happily in its new home. Hell, let's not beat around the bush ... I want my mommy.
In the wake of that kind of neediness, I have taken the day off to watch the floormen do their thing. If I feel like it, I might do a little more painting. HGTV's "Room by Room" girl, Shari Hiller, calls the final, and perhaps the most noticeable, step of any project "accessorizing." Sharie is usually off buying accessories while, Matt is busy re-electrifying the room or building a versatile storage unit. Matt usually has a smile on his face, and come to think of it so does Sharie. She is, after all, out shopping spending the homeowner's money.
My mind is a-twitter with what accessories to put where. Forget organizing I want to accessorize ... spice racks, drawer organizers, sponge holders. Flowers, candles, pictures, doo-dads, tchotchkies. Can a girl have too many?Dad is taking bets as to how long it will be before the new counter top is no longer visible under the clutter - ah, excuse me ... accessories!
I don't remember where I found this quote, but I wrote it down for an occasion such as this:
“I adore chaos," said Maggie Soklick of El Ceritto, California. "Some may detest counters covered with food processors, rolling pins and stacks of mixing bowls, [purses, dog bones and wine bottles?] but my kitchen says, ‘a cook lives here.’”
I say, "Right on, Maggie old girl!" My kitchen, while new, and as yet unsullied, has made an almost miraculous transition. But it won't be long before the heartbeat of the house begins to pulse again. It won't be long before everyone knows Mary lives here.
Signing off to add a coat of paint to a cute little re-cycled shelf, just like they do on TV!
Merry ME
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