Like so many, Tyson and I have been talking about goals and projects for the upcoming year. He has been off work for the last two weeks and it’s been fun to brainstorm what we’d like to accomplish next in our home.
Back in November, I mentioned (here) that our hope would be to work on our kitchen this year. It is one of the last spaces in our home that we have yet to add our personal twist on and it is time to tackle it.
When we moved in the space looked like this:
When we first considered buying this house, the kitchen was a definite plus. It’s huge with tons of storage, vaulted ceilings and loads of light and counter space. We absolutely love having it. It is the space where everyone congregates when they come over and even when it’s just the four of us, you can often find us hanging out here. Not to be cliché, but it IS the heart of our home. You can see all the main living areas from it and it’s the brightest place in our house.
And 12 years later not much has changed.
We’ve upgraded the lineuoleum flooring to a wood lamenant and changed out the very small island to a much larger one that includes seating. We’ve also replaced the dishwasher and the refrigerator… which came with us from Tyson’s bachelor days. However, the major painting, counter and cabinet refinishing are all still on our “to-do” list.
So our goal is to make the Mangelsdorf Kitchen our Project for 2013. We are optimistic that it won’t take twelve months, but since we will be doing most of the work ourselves, I’m adjusting my expectations accordingly.
To help keep us from being overwhelmed by the mess and project itself, Tyson and I have decided to break it up into several phases that we can accomplish as time and budget allow.
Phase 1 – Paint the Ceilings and Walls
Phase 2 – Microwave Upgrade
Phase 3 – Paint Cabinets and Add Hardware
Phase 4 – Replace Sink, Stove and Countertops
Phase 5 – Add a Backsplash
That’s it. Shouldn’t be too hard, right?
Okay… don’t answer that. I’m too excited to have my naïve bubble burst just yet. And Tyson is already starting in on the ceiling, so here we go!
Have you updated your kitchen? What tips would you share for us as we begin? And what about you… what are you tackling for 2013? I’d love to hear what you are up to.
