If you've been following along with my #HelloProKitchenReno series on Instagram, YouTube and social media, on my blog, and on here, you've witnessed the up-and-down rollercoaster ride that is a renovation. This week compared to last is like night and day -- figuratively and literally! (Check out this week's vlog above to see what I mean.)
Before I dove into this renovation, I could not wait to get started, and now, I can't wait to call it done! This week, I started to see the light at the end of the once dusty, dark, tired tunnel, and it's beyond exciting. At this stage, it's a game of small feats and little victories as all of the heavy-lifting is behind me, so things like ripping up the cardboard from the new hardwood floors felt so satisfying! Rather than demolishing my space, it's finally time to build it back up again.
Although I'm taking this renovation on mostly by myself, I have to give credit and thanks to my dad, my mom, Shawn and the various workers and contractors who have come in and out of my house at all hours of the day to help me with all of the things that I thought I could do on my own, but definitely could not when it came down to it. There are certain things that you just have to hire professionals for, such as plumbing, electrical, gas, and even dry-walling and mudding! It may cost a bit, but to do it on your own would take you double or triple the amount of time and heartache, and, at the end of the day, it will never look as good or even be to code, so those small expenses on professionals are worth every penny.
Earlier this week, the electrician, gas line installer, plumber and plasterer finished up, which, for me, meant it was finally time for all of the fun stuff to start! Throughout this process, I've learned that I love the idea of doing the demolition and construction work, when in reality, I am not Nicole Curtis. I have learned (and have to admit), that I really only enjoy the aesthetic work and process. So without further ado, on to the fun, aesthetic stuff! This week I began assembling my shaker-style off-white cabinetry and installing it.
I also chose my lighting fixtures, which was easy and enjoyable thanks to my sister, Elyssa, who is a lighting designer. I actually got lighting that she designed, which is a pretty cool feeling.
As you can see, multi-tasking and making lots of notes (even the back of a hand will sometimes do) is what my life looks like right now, all with a nosy Piper!
And last but certainly not least, one of my favorite tasks in any home update had to be done: painting! Which mean selecting a wall colour which is one of the hardest things to decide on. I love white walls, but the best white walls you see in magazines is not actually true white.
White is one of those wall colors that seems easy and safe, but there are so many tones and nuances in white that make it terribly hard to match, especially when you’re trying to match white to white to white like I am. As I mentioned in this week's video, one of the most important things to consider when selecting a white paint is the lighting and temperature of your room, what's in it already, and what you're trying to tie together. One way my choices got narrowed is due to the fact that my kitchen is open to my living room, which is open to my entryway, which is open to my hallway, so the white I pick has to go everywhere, which means selecting something very neutral and forgiving.
Furthermore, in my kitchen, my cabinets are off-white, my back-splash is pure white, and my furniture and flooring is all warm and cozy, so with neutral in mind, the tone becomes important as well. A good rules of thumb is to select a shade that is either lighter or darker than anything off-white, such as my cabinets. It's better to commit to being different than almost the same, so that little bit of contrast is what I'm after, and I ended up erring on the side of a darker wall paint to help make the cabinets look whiter than they are. After testing a small area and with help from my mom, we made a choice, I committed, and I'm thrilled with how it turned out!
Things in #HelloProKitchenReno land are finally shaping up, and I could not be more excited. It's starting to look like a kitchen again, and in mere days, my Frigidaire Professional® appliances will be delivered and installed and I cannot wait! The thought of having a top-of-the-line, home-chef-worthy professional grade fridge, stove, microwave and dishwasher is making me anxious with excitement. I'm patiently waiting, but I can feel my happy-dance legs prepping in anticipation. Check in next week for another update, and until then, I'm off to touch-up paint and install more shelving and – the best part of all – shop for accessories!