Hi Everyone, there is a second part to this post, but since part 1 is so short, there’s no anchor link this time. Please scroll to here:
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Or, if you would like to see the progress of the kitchen installation in only two days, please start from the beginning.
Dearest lovely readers.
It has been over three years since I knew I was buying my new home in Boston.
I bought it knowing full well that I had to change the kitchen and the spiral staircase.
What I didn’t know was how long it would take me to make it all happen.
I could’ve given birth to three children in this amount of time, and sometimes, it feels like I have.
On Monday, October 16, 2023, the kitchen cabinets began their journey out of the living room, where they will be permanently installed in my 7 – 10″ x 11′ – 7″ windowless kitchen. Permanently means for as long as I’m living in the apartment. Of course, the hope is that the next person living there will appreciate and preserve all that was done.
However, one day, someone may decide to gut the place.
So, just in case someone rips apart this lovely lady, I left them a note:
Laurel, have you been over to see the work since Monday?
I was there on Monday and had a lengthy meeting with the delightful carpenters Eugene and Brendan.
All of my contractor’s subs have been terrific. I don’t take it for granted.
The guys were still getting everything organized for the kitchen installation when I showed up on Monday, close to noon.
But, they also had a slew of questions for me. We covered a lot of ground. I left around 1:00, and then the guys got to work. Then, they came again today. Everyone starts at 7:00 AM and leaves at 3:00 or 3:30. I imagine they do this to avoid the ultra-heavy rush hour traffic, which would extend their travel time considerably.
I was working on today’s post. This isn’t it.
Finally, I left my rental apartment and arrived at my place at about 5:15 or so. The days are now getting a lot shorter. Sunset today was at 5:59, and it was completely overcast and raining lightly. So, yes, I went over and took some photos, but the lighting conditions were horrible.
The only lighting is a single bright, bare lightbulb in the middle of the kitchen. It’s not flattering light, but it does the job of illuminating the space.
I walked into the entry and couldn’t see much, but after I turned on the lights, this is what I saw as I walked in.
The far-right stud is where the new wall will end.
As expected, about a foot of the fridge cabinet will be visible. Yes, they have cut away part of the door to make room for the new casing. We will also be removing the casing from the kitchen and entry side. I will use whatever we use in the kitchen for the front door. It will only be about four inches wide because that’s all our space for the front door.
Taking it off makes sense because, as it is now, the top of the door casing on the kitchen side will be in the way of our crown moulding.
Okay, please come in and take a look at what the guys have done so far with the kitchen installation.
Of course, the entire sink wall of lower cabinets is missing. However, the kitchen looks so big and spacious.
Above is the range wall with the pantry on the end. The range is arriving tomorrow! It will go where the ladder is.
A close-up of the fake vent.
The only thing slightly amiss is the faux breadboard. It’s totally my fault. I missed it on the drawing. It should end where the drawers and doors end. I spoke to Eugene about this, and it’s not a problem to fill it in and use the router to correct the groove. Then, I can add two little knobs.
This is not the toe kick for this piece.
Above the view from the living room. Naturally, everything will look a lot better after the doors and drawers are installed. Please note the dividing wall will be six inches wider. When the new staircase is in place, if I took another image from this point, we would not be able to see any part of the new staircase.
I’m so happy this is finally happening!
If you’re interested in other topics concerning the renovation, there is a tag cloud in the sidebar, or you can try using the search box.
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Part 2
The next day, just as the guys were finishing up for the day, I went back to check on things.
That was yesterday, and I was shocked to see that everything except the end cabinet, appliance panels, trim, soffit, and crown were in.
So, let’s take a look!
The two little cabinets, as well as the glass cabinet, will have a decorative toe kick. I did not do this on all cabinets because I think it’s too much.
Please be aware that there is only one single lightbulb on. You can see the reflection in the glass. Based on this, I am pretty sure any recessed ceiling lights will be overkill. The bowl chandelier I’m getting will throw the light up and out, which will be wonderful.
Another bonus that you can see is how reflective the glass is. It will reflect the lights from the sconces, undercabinet lighting, and the bowl chandelier.
I also took a photo of the room with the lights off! It was 4:10 when I took this, about an hour and 45 minutes before sunset. The sun was long gone from the windows in the south-facing windows. However, there was still a good amount of light being reflected from about 35 feet away!
A straight-on shot. The dishwasher will go next to the back cabinets. I’ve been living with an 18″ dishwasher in my rental and love it.
There is an unbelievable amount of storage in this kitchen. There are 17 drawers! Then, there’s the back cabinet, the radius cabinet (coming next month.)
And, finally, there’s the wonderful kitchen pantry.
There’s also hidden bonus storage space.
The flanking hood cabinets open up with an easy push. Yes, it’s pretty high up. But, the bottom shelf is accessible without. Note: Trim pieces will be added to the bottom of all three hood cabinets.
While walnut is standard in Crown Point Cabinetry’s custom kitchens, I decided on the clear maple finish. Although I have a friend who did the walnut, and it’s gorgeous!
I’m finishing with a detail shot from the gorgeous glass cabinet in the back.
Here, you can see Crown Point’s superb craftsmanship and possibly a brush stroke here and there from the hand-painted finish.
Laurel, I don’t see any door hinges, and please tell us about the drawers. That’s an interesting trim.
I opted for the European concealed hinges. While it is a somewhat more contemporary look, this is a small kitchen. There will be Cremone Bolts, +Â knobs, cupboard latches, and cup handles on the four big drawers flanking the range. In addition, there will be fridge and freezer handles. It’s already a lot, and the concealed hinges keep things from getting too busy.
As for the drawer trim style, I debated between the drawer style you see, the one with smaller rails and stiles. (1.25″, I believe). Or, a flat panel like Nancy Keyes did with the beaded inset.
As you know, I adore Nancy’s kitchen. However, when Crown Point did the drawings for my kitchen with a flat drawerfront, it felt like something was missing. There is already, existing, a fair amount of hunky trim. Still, I’m not fond of kitchens where the trim overwhelms the space.
Ultimately, I went with this drawer trim with the beaded inset for all doors and drawers. And, I love the way it turned out! I think it’s not too much or too little.
There have been many times when I’ve found it tough to decide what to choose. Even though I like all of them, there’s usually one that would make me sad not to have. That’s the one!
Well, that’s all for now.
Tomorrow, I’m picking my son Cale up in western Mass and then driving to Stair Galleries in Hudson, NY, to fetch my sconces!!!
Get this.
One of my darling friends volunteered to lend me her car for the weekend! It’s hard to believe, but the last time I was out of Boston was the Crown Point trip Cale, and I took on December 1, 2022!
xo,
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54 Responses
The kitchen installation looks amazing! The choices in design and color scheme are spot-on. Excited to see the final result—a perfect blend of style and functionality. Great work!
Laurel, Gorgeous! Beautiful! A Gem in process. Love how it is coming together.
Congratulations! You’re almost there. Can’t wait to see it all finished. Quick questions… you mentioned you’re doing latches, knobs, and cup handles. On another post could you let your readers know where they are going?
I’m especially interested in what hardware you will be placing on the beautiful glass hutch doors.
Enjoy your trip out to western Mass. Hopefully the rain yesterday didn’t knock all the leaves off the trees.
Many thanks!
Sue Ellen
Dear Laurel, This has/ is such a thrill. To have followed along from your first conceptual renderings to install, with a few cliffhangers and setbacks. Speaking of, are you still waiting on fabrication of the rounded end cabinet, it hasnt been installed yet, or has to wait until after the appliances due to space? I love that detail. Giddy with anticipation of your next post.
Hi Laurel,
Love your blog! Love these progress pics too…super fun to see. I do have a question. I’m assuming somewhere along the way you’ve mentioned, but how tall are your ceilings? They look tall!
Anyhow, keep em coming!
Sara
Before you finalize your lighting decisions I’d recommend you stand at various points around the kitchen facing the counter and cabinets. I think you’ll discover that your body will block light coming from behind you and cast shadows on what’s in front of you. At the very least, have the electrician pull the wires for the additional lighting fixtures. You don’t have to install anything but the wiring will be in place (hidden in the ceiling) if you decide more light is needed. It’s much cheaper to have the wire pulled now than it would be later. Just my 10 cents – up from 2 cents due to inflation 🙂
So lovely already and only the bones of the kitchen are installed!
I highly recommend that you still plan to install 2 recessed lights, one on either side of the chandelier, on a separate dimmable switch. You may only use them a few minutes every couple of months but having them available when you need brilliant visibility is a huge boon and when they are turned off you will never notice them at all – certainly not after the first 2 or 3 weeks of living there and not with so many other pretty things to look at.
This is based on my experience in a somewhat larger kichen with good natural light. 95% of my lighting needs are met by 2 milk glass pendants over the island, a sconce over the sink, under hood lighting and a couple of lamps, but very occasionally I need much more light and then I am very glad to turn on the 4 recessed halogens.
Milk glass makes beautiful light but it reduces brightness more than you might expect.
Wow!!!! Just in time to cook a scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner in your stunning kitchen!!
It’s so beautiful Laurel! I really like seeing your ideas coming to life.
Hi laurel. I may have missed it in your blog or maybe you didn’t print it… but could you share the color white you chose for your beautiful kitchen?
Just gorgeous, Laurel! You make the best choices & have such wonderful taste. Thank you for posting your.whole process.
Laurel, I have been a silent observer of your blog for 3 years and look forward to every new post. I just had to respond to the pictures of your kitchen cabinet installation! It’s so exciting to see everything you have been working on come together. You are a gifted designer. Congratulations on your wonderful new home!
Just spectacular! Of course it is. It’s you! It’s been so enjoyable watching your vision emerge, refine, and come to fruition. Congratulations.
It’s gorgeous! And incredibly functional for a smallish space. It’s been fun to watch the process and the progress.
Simply stunning!! The kitchen of anyone’s dreams. All the effort that went into the design really did pay off.
Laurel,
I love your blog and new kitchen! Once you are finished with this project please post (again) contact information the contractor and subs if possible. I live in the Boston area and it would be very helpful to streamline the vetting process for my future renovations.
I look forward to seeing a more detailed post about the above kitchen cabinet soffit and moulding once completed. Most builder grade kitchens overlook this.
Stacey
The kitchen will be fabulous . The cabinets are truly fine crafted. Just love all the storage and those glass doors arestunning! Great job Laurel!!
Hi Laurel!
It’s Marilee Hobbs from CATSKILL. When you go to Hudson visit The Maker Hotel on Warren St. for lunch. It’s across from Steiner’s Sports. You will really love it! Enjoy your day with Cale! ❤️🌻
Love everything you do. You make my day, everyday!
Sent from my iPhone
That glass cabinet is to die for!!! So beautiful. The complete kitchen will be gorgeous! Love watching this every day !! đź’—đź’—
Knockin’ out of the park!
Laurel! Seeing these first photos of your kitchen finally getting to come together, felt as good as any childhood Christmas-dream-scene, in where one wakes to find everything wished for tucked under the tree! I am so thrilled for you, and excited to watch your beautiful design drawings come to life; at long last!
Elizabeth H.
Laurel, your hard work, attention to detail and perseverance paid off. The kitchen is beautiful,,,I can’t wait to see it finished.
O M G. Gorgeous, Laurel, it’s gorgeous.
As one designer to another: What you’ve done is wonderful! Brava!
There is something so satisfying about a small but well designed kitchen.
I love seeing the cabinets finally in place. Thank you for taking the time to post the pictures!
Laurel,
Trust you to make such a small space an absolute jewel box of a kitchen! It’s really beautiful. Cannot wait to see it all come together! I may have missed where you explained it, but will the top crown go to the ceiling? I’m sure you designed it with care, just like you do everything. The cabinets are so well made. It really makes such a difference to go with a higher end cabinet maker. The details don’t get lost.
Thank you for sharing your precess with all of us design junkies! My husband thanks you as well- it saves him from me planning another new remodel since I get a vicarious thrill from yours!
Hi Dee-Dee,
Yes, there will be a soffit, flush with the fronts of the cabinets and about an inch lower than the wall. On the seam will be a small piece of molding, and then at the top of the soffit another small piece. That whole thing will be about 7 inches and then the crown will be another 3 inches. The crown will be more on the ceiling than the wall and it will run all the way around the kitchen and extend into the entry.
Oh Laurel- its so exciting to see your Kitchen come to life! The cabinets are wonderful!! you should be so happy to see them!! I can’t wait to see more!! I love all your detail!
Laurel, on another sad note besides your good news. Did you see that Joni of Cote de Texas suddenly passed away? She had the very first shelter blog I ever read and continue to read to this day. Very unexpected passing and I know I and thousands of others will miss her.
WHAT??????????????? Oh no, Robin, I didn’t know; this is so upsetting! We had corresponded a few times over the years. Thank you for letting me and others know.
Laurel, love love how it’s coming together. I know the biggest change will be the new staircase, so I’m sure I’m not nearly as anxious as you are to see that happen! About your faux breadboard…funny note – I kept reading that as beadboard and I scrutinized your photos trying to see where on earth you were putting beadboard and why couldn’t I see it … anyway, it seems to me that it isn’t entirely your fault. That seems like something your cabinet maker/designers should have caught and asked you about. I mean, there’s this missing gap with nothing there that should have shown on their end. Maybe I expect too much…
Love the note you left for future homeowners!
Quick suggestion… wherever electrical and plumbing will be installed, take pictures before the wall is closed up. I am always so happy when I can show a service provider exactly where pipes are or whatever so they don’t have to tear into a wall to see how things are. Saves a lot of time and money!
Hi Joan,
Great idea! I’ve been taking pics of everything, just to record the progress.
How wonderful it is to see the kitchen coming together. I cannot wait to see it completed as I know you must be.
The stair case will happen soon.
Before you know it this will be a blur.
I’m so happy for you- I feel like it’s my kitchen that’s about to be installed! Looking forward to the next steps…….
Yay!!! Congratulations!!!
So happy for you, Laurel! You have put so much thought and creativity into your kitchen design. Time to reap you harvest!
Excited for you Laurel! I smiled from beginning to end of this post. Very uplifting!
I’m surprised you used euro hinges.
How exciting and beautiful already! You will have plenty of storage too. Awesome.
Love the faux vent pattern! I never considered a faux bread board.. you are so clever and what a wonderful little design feature!
Sooo excited to see it coming together.
We are just starting cleaning up to renovate a cottage my father in law built in @1950. After years of neglect we need vision to see it to the end. It won’t be grand, but we can see it in as a cosy home for our kids and grands.
You help me keep on !
Hi Laurel,
It’s a major milestone when the cabinets start going in. It helps to get a better feel of the space.
And from what I can see, they are beautiful.
This is SOOOOOO exciting to see it coming together!
All construction crews work 7 to 3:30. Tradition,I guess.
Dear Laurel,
Wow! I have never written before, but have been following your amazing site for years. Seeing your kitchen come to life is a joy! Thank you for sharing your journey,
At my age, my dream-come-true is living vicariously through your dream-come-true. I can’t thank you enough for sharing every little detail. Each one is enormously enjoyable. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Exquisite.
It’s going to be really beautiful!! I’m very happy for you!!!! 🎉
So pleased for you, Laurel, at last it’s the putting-together phase rather than the knock-it-all-down! Good that you can go to the building site daily to deal with any questions, it really helps to get exactly what you want and to iron out the odd problem at once.
Laurel, such an exciting stage in renovation!! Congrats on surviving the process so far. It’s going to be amazing when it’s all done. Having recently built our dream home, I’ve experienced the ups and downs and oops! It can be exhausting to see your dreams come to life but it’s worth it!
Laurel, I could be terribly wrong, but I think where you wrote your lovely note for the future occupant is actually on the edge of a pocket door built into the wall. The edge of the door indicates former locations of hardware. In the very last photo you can see the full square archway opening with a similar door on the opposite side – like a double french pocket door. Love the cabinetry with the bead surround at the edge! Don’t know what you’re planning for cabinet doors but antiqued silver mirror would be my choice to add glamour and some reflected light!
Hi Laurel. I love following along with your renovation and your humorous take on its many twists and turns, I must have missed an earlier post on the “fake vent” in the kitchen and it has my curiosity. Does it hide plumbing, etc?
Good Morning Laurel
I’m overjoyed the kitchen is coming together and you are seeing a small bright light at the end of the tunnel.
I know a good crew makes the heart go pitter pat.
Hang in there and know a year from now it will be a memory and will put a smile on your face. You have been such an inspiration to all of us fans and your tenacity for detail is paying off.
I still like the idea of antique glass in the doors.
Blessings to you.