Crown Molding is BEAUTIFUL!

John and Craig did all the crown molding yesterday and today and it looks amazing!  We went with a 3 piece molding unbeknownst to us......and it looks so nice!  I say "unbeknownst" b/c we really didn't have a clue.  When we met with Ron at GPS we had agreed we wanted some kind of crown molding, but it was never specified that we were getting a 3 piece molding.  What's the difference?  Well it's much more labor intensive and takes a lot longer to install, which makes it more expensive in the end.   Had we known that, we probably would've opted for a 2 piece, but since we already bought it and it was here to be installed...we went with it!  It is really nice though! 

So that was installed as well as the light valence above the sink.  It looks really nice!

We also got our faucet installed in the butler's pantry...so I have a working sink on the first floor!  I was very happy about that!  No more washing dishes in the bathroom!  And the dishwasher was set up!  We just have to wait for the electricians to come and hook up the electrical part of that!

And John finished the built-in in the hallway!    It looks GORGEOUS!  We couldn't be happier!  It needs to be painted, but that will come later!  The screens on the bottom are covering the AC stuff.  And I LOVE how the built-in has the arch that looks almost the same as the light valence and the arch in the book case in my island in the kitchen!  LOVE!  LOVE!  LOVE IT!!!!

~Gianna~

It's Showtime!

We got our cabinets delivered on Monday around 3:45!  It was very exciting watching the boxes come in.  I felt like it was Christmas morning!  

Tuesday they started on the cabinets....and that's what they've been doing since.   They started out with the cabinet bases or boxes, and then added the doors once they were all in.   We ran into a few issues with the measuring and a few doors that weren't perfect.....but in all it was a GREAT and EXCITING experience!  I love them, and I think they look fantastic!  They are exactly what I wanted!  Just to remind everyone...They are KraftMaid cabinets.  Kitchen is Canvas with Cocoa Glaze and butler's pantry is Cognac.  I can't remember the door style....but the glass doors are Yorkshire.  The wood is maple! 

Butler's Pantry.....empty space is for a dishwasher.

Same side from a different angle!

Other side of Butler's Pantry...these cabinets have inside lighting and glass shelves.

Looking from butler's pantry into kitchen.

Same spot, but toward mudroom.  Cabinets on left are a "work station" (it's what I call it) for mail, to charge cell phones, to put my laptop when I"m cooking and need a a recipe. 

Looking from mudroom. 

John and Craig did an amazing job so far!  They are the best!  :)

 Tomorrow should be more installing of cabinets, the crown molding, the island and just getting everything ready for the granite guy to come and do the template on Friday.

 ~Gianna~

We have Cabinets and Men on Stilts!

Yesterday I went and finalized everything with Ron (at GPS) for our cabinets!  We made some changes..but I love it all!  He wasn't a big fan of the changes, but it's hard to convince a kitchen designer to change things.   So we decided on Canvas with Cocoa Glaze in the whole kitchen.  And Cognac in the Butler's Pantry.  Both are Maple...and both are beautiful!   We put the deposit down on them today! 

And here are a few pictures of the design! 

More siding and windows today! 

And the funniest part of the day.......Little man, in PJs, walking around on stilts!  I didn't get a picture of him..but I wish I did!  Apparently they wear stilts (the PJs were an added bonus) to put insulation in the ceilings!  It was interesting!  And now we have insulation and our house will be warmer!  YAY! 

We have another inspection (on the insulation) on Tuesday.    Tomorrow Joe and I go pick our granite and finish up the tile!


~Gianna~

Sunday Funday

Tonight I will talk about our kitchen cabinets and counters....we are still trying to decide exactly what we want..but we know basics and have almost gotten it finalized.

We have decided to go with KraftMaid cabinets.  We are trying to stick with a budget on the kitchen...and hope that in about 10-15 years we will change it (if we can afford it) if we even want to/need to.  We found a KraftMaid dealer right down the street from our house....and that was before we knew we were getting KraftMaid.

Honestly, we walked into GPS and looked around and I fell in love with one of their display kitchens!    We sat and met with Ron, and he told us they were KraftMaid and they would  fit our budget.....I loved the display so much (and the make of the cabinets) I didn't even really look any further.  That's probably a bad decision on our part, but there are sooooo many decisions we have to make in this process that sometimes it's just better if you find something you like (or love) to just look no further.  We did price the same cabinets at Lowes and they were more expensive....go figure!  

So here are the cabinets we like.....this picture is JUST the cabinets.  Please try to picture it without this counter, paint, tile,etc.....

All of the cabinets will be Maple.  
















Most of the kitchen will be in Canvas with Cocoa Glaze.  We wanted the vintage look, and because we have small children we already know something will happen where a cabinet will get a ding or a nick...so we should just start them off looking like that!  We also really liked them......

We didn't want too much white and being we have to cabinet 2 rooms(kitchen and fairly large butler's pantry)....it would probably be overkill..so we decided to do the island and butler's pantry in a different color.  So both will be in the Cognac finish (I think.....this is the part I want to revisit and maybe change)....

I really love granite and I am leaning toward using this material for our counters, but I am keeping an open mind, b/c I am not totally sold on granite.   I think there are other nice options out there with less maintenance and without radon.  But if we go the granite route....I love this color:

It's called "Venetian Gold" and it's got specks of browns, creams, golds and a bit of red/burgundy in it.  It's really pretty..and what I am leaning toward right now. 

My other option is to do all Canvas with Cocoa Glaze in the kitchen (including the island) and this counter.....EXCEPT on the island we'd do a wood counter....which would be the same color as the butler's pantry cabinets (which are Cognac right now).....

Decisions...Decisions....but this is where I stand on counters (no I really don't stand on them :)  ) and cabinets! 

****pictures taken from KraftMaid.com****
~Gianna~