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Post by QuickSilver on Jan 21, 2018 18:23:52 GMT -5
I'm planning on doing some major remodeling to my kitchen and master bath. I have an idea of what I want, but I need to run it by a professional who knows what they are doing.. I guess I need an interior designer to draw up plans.. and then a general contractor to handle all the details and tradesmen. I really don't want to be sent off to a Big Box store to pick out my cabinets and fixtures, etc by myself. I just know I will not be able to get it right. I want my hand held and guidance while I am deciding. Has anyone done major remodels and design changes? Where and HOW did you get started?
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Post by highlandannie on Jan 21, 2018 20:39:19 GMT -5
I'm planning on doing some major remodeling to my kitchen and master bath. I have an idea of what I want, but I need to run it by a professional who knows what they are doing.. I guess I need an interior designer to draw up plans.. and then a general contractor to handle all the details and tradesmen. I really don't want to be sent off to a Big Box store to pick out my cabinets and fixtures, etc by myself. I just know I will not be able to get it right. I want my hand held and guidance while I am deciding. Has anyone done major remodels and design changes? Where and HOW did you get started? We did remodeling in 2010 - took me 10 years of marriage to talk him into it. Husband is very handy and can do everything himself, including plumbing and electrical. A lot of people make fun of Ikea stuff but we like it (and we'd rather spend money on travel than posh stuff in the house). So husband built our Ikea kitchen. 5 weeks full time. He totally gutted the kitchen. We even switched from electric to gas for the top of the cooker (not the oven) and we did have to have an official gas person hook up the gas for insurance purposes. Husband put new electrical outlets in, built in under counter fridge, built in dishwasher.
Since our kitchen is small and north facing we chose off white cupboards and birch countertops. I don't recommend birch countertops as they have to be oiled at least twice a year. But they do like nice.
In the middle of the kitchen remodel we had new windows put in the house - 19 of them. Our house is 90 years old so it did need remodeling!
Husband has also tiled all the walls in our master bathroom and put up new cupboards but that was in 2004. He also completely redid my 1/2 bath - new sink, toilet, med cabinet, wallpaper, floor. I would like a new tub, sink, toilet in the master bath but no idea when we'll do it.
I'll post some before/after photos. And I recommend under counter lighting. Really nice.
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Post by highlandannie on Jan 21, 2018 21:08:21 GMT -5
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Post by nkat on Jan 21, 2018 21:12:34 GMT -5
My husband is a carpenter,/builder and I get squat! He did just put in hardwood floors in my kitchen, dining room, hall and master bedroom. He does not buy from big box stores but at a lumber company. They have someone there to draw up plans for a kitchen or bath remodel. My dh can also do brick work, plumbing and electrical work. He is Italian and his father and grandfather did this before him. I want my master bath redone. He is not happy putting in a new tub since we have plaster walls, we have a fiberglass tub and surround in there now.
NKat
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Post by nkat on Jan 21, 2018 21:22:25 GMT -5
Looks good HAnnie. I have butcher block fake counter tops, want dh to put in real wood, he asked why would I want the upkeep? My dd has silstone Quartz, you can put a hot pot on them. Where is your fridge? At a friend's home in England they had a tiny fridge and clothes washer.
Have been meaning to ask you, why do you live in Scotland?
NKat
is that the fridge in the corner recess?
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Post by Kady on Jan 21, 2018 21:37:33 GMT -5
Not sure how extensive your remodel will be but around here most general contractors can draw up plans and give you some good advice as to what is doable...I've lived in this house for 45 years and we have remodeled 3 times...the last time was just 3 years ago. It consisted of new floors, removing old wallpaper, texturing and painting....new cabinets and countertops...took down heavy drapes and replaced with bamboo shades, new cultured marble countertops in bath and laundry rm.
On the kitchen cabinets...a cabinet company sent a guy out that help me decide..I'm glad I did this because he designed a better use of the space that I had...go with the nicer runners for drawers...totally worth it...also they put in 2 big drawers for pots and pans that I love...2 lower cabinets have pull out shelves for bowls he added a rope trim at the top that looks good...all of these were things that I would not thought of if he had not told me...I didn't scrimp on new hardware and it looks good.....
Things I wish I had done differently......Nicer countertops in kitchen, a nicer sink, On the tile floor, at the time the right color was the most important thing but later I found out it was not thick enough and has cracked in two different places when something was dropped on it....go with a dark grout, I went with a light color that is now dark...dirt dark.
I went with dark laminated floors and so far they are holding up well...look good easy to clean..I bought area rugs to go with them....got some good deals with Overstock on the rugs.
Don't know if you know about Houzz but their site is full of good info and great pictures.
Keep us posted as to how it is going....good luck.
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Post by Kady on Jan 21, 2018 21:40:40 GMT -5
Very nice, Annie, love the blue tile.
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Post by nkat on Jan 21, 2018 21:48:39 GMT -5
Kady I buy a lot from Overstock! My dh also went to drafting school and use to draw up plans for customers, now he lets the cabinet lumber companies do that. He installs. He can also make furniture, but does he? No,
NKat
I am like the shoemaker's family with holes in my shoes!
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Post by highlandannie on Jan 21, 2018 21:53:31 GMT -5
Looks good HAnnie. I have butcher block fake counter tops, want dh to put in real wood, he asked why would I want the upkeep? My dd has silstone Quartz, you can put a hot pot on them. Where is your fridge? At a friend's home in England they had a tiny fridge and clothes washer. Have been meaning to ask you, why do you live in Scotland? NKat is that the fridge in the corner recess? I have to oil the counter tops 2 or 3 times a year or things start to stain them - especially strawberries. These are not top quality cupboards and after 8 years there is some chipping on the cupboard doors and dishwasher. But the entire kitchen cost less than £5,000 as opposed to at least £20,000 to pay someone. And we had just paid £21,000 for our new windows. So I was fine with Ikea. Husband did the plans online asking me what I wanted.
We also got new furniture and new carpet in the living room right after this was done. Wanted hardwood floors and area rugs, but after 5 weeks in the kitchen husband did not want to put a floor down.
The fridge is under the counter with the tea kettle. But we have a laundry room off the kitchen which has the fridge/freezer. Yes, our washer and dryer are small but they are fine for us. Would be tough with a family, but people do it. And most hang the clothes out to dry and either don't have or rarely use a dryer. I requested a dishwasher and that is near the sink.
I am in Scotland because I put a companion ad online and met hubby. We married in 2000.
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Post by highlandannie on Jan 21, 2018 21:57:14 GMT -5
Very nice, Annie, love the blue tile. Thanks. I actually wanted bigger tiles alternating blue, white and a sea green, but we would have had to special order and were getting impatient to be done.
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Post by Kady on Jan 21, 2018 22:04:01 GMT -5
I like your white cabinets too, if I was starting all over I would go with white cabinets but I had to go back with wood look and they are kind of a light walnut that matches a china cabinet in dining area.
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Post by highlandannie on Jan 21, 2018 22:07:23 GMT -5
I like your white cabinets too, if I was starting all over I would go with white cabinets but I had to go back with wood look and they are kind of a light walnut that matches a china cabinet in dining area. It made sense for us to get light cabinets because the room does not get a lot of light - one big window but facing north. I really like the glass doors on the cabinets as well. The only thing I don't like about this house is the size of the kitchen as I've always loved having a big table in a kitchen. And there is no way to expand it. We have a dining area combined with the living room.
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Post by Kady on Jan 21, 2018 22:18:36 GMT -5
Kady I buy a lot from Overstock! My dh also went to drafting school and use to draw up plans for customers, now he lets the cabinet lumber companies do that. He installs. He can also make furniture, but does he? No, NKat I am like the shoemaker's family with holes in my shoes! Don't you just love Overstock! I used to do drafting in my 'other life' only it was for Telephone companies...landscapes, roads and cables etc... did your husband do manual or computer drafting? I understand the 'holes in the shoes' thing, my second husband was same.
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Post by nkat on Jan 21, 2018 22:55:44 GMT -5
Kady , manual drafting. I got my TV stand from them, an end table and a coffee table, all solid wood. Dh put them together for me. Stores get the furniture the same way and put it together at the store. I have also bought jewelry from them and purses.
NKat
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Post by QuickSilver on Jan 22, 2018 7:20:59 GMT -5
Love your kitchen Annie... Very nice job!
I had a new Italian porcelain tile floor put in about 10 years ago.. and I still love it.. it's an off white with a gold vein running through it.. Problem is.. the floor was put in around an existing peninsula.. therefore, there is no tile UNDER it. I want to keep my floor, so I need to keep that peninsula.. or try to match the tile.. OR.. retile the entire kitchen. BUT.. I intend to extend the peninsula to make it wider and give me more counter space. I also want to remove the existing soffit and extend the upper cabinets all the way to the ceiling.. giving more storage. In addition, I want to give up the kitchen table and install and Island with storage and seating in it's place.
On an opposite wall, I want a floor to ceiling pantry cabinet.. with a smaller cabinet with drawers and a countertop forming a desk area so I can set up my computer for finding recipes. Something like this..
If I can keep my existing floor.. I would like to do a Black and off white kitchen.. Off white cabinets with Black appliances.. (everyone and their sister has stainless steel).. Besides I just bought a nice black fridge a few years ago. I want Black countertops and sink.. for a backsplash. I'm looking at off white and black glass subway tile design. Of course I want under cabinet lighting..
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