The Kitchen Project: 2011

Yes, we are gluttons for chaos. But seriously, the fireplace was 20 + years out of date and the room needed a complete overhaul. What started out as a simple task to make a Toddler Safe Room is turning out to be like all of our other projects -- only this one must go a heck of a lot faster. It's where we hang out. It's where the baby plays.

CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE

Here's the tour:

BEFORE: Extremely Ugly Wall

Demolition begins.
This is our grandson Adam, one of the hardest working kids I've ever seen. He's always a big help and be counted on to do an efficient and excellent job.

This isn't a poor exposure. This is all the dust in the air. They put plastic across the doorway, but upstairs my kitchen floor had a layer of dust on it afterward.

Note the lack of insulation once the fireplace is exposed. No wonder this room was cold in winter!

You see our son Jared in ALL of our project photos for a good reason. He can do anything. He has the mind to figure things out and the skill to make them happen. I wasn't set on any particular vision in this project. Kristin and I are designing together, and she's making some great choices. But I did have one little dream I'd love to see happen, and that was to get light fixtures on either side of the fireplace wall. It's happening! We picked out the fixtures and the wiring it all connected.

Here Jared is showing Little Jared how to use the spray foam insulation in cracks.

Drywall is going up now. Next will come tile for the floor in front and around the door that leads from this room to the garage. Little Jared learned to drive drywall screws.