Kitchen makeover blues

We are getting a bit of a kitchen makeover – new cabinet faces, drawers and pull-outs, along with a new countertop and backsplash. Additionally, we’re replacing the floors downstairs. All of it is happening at once and all whilst we are living here.

In the kitchen remodeling system, the project affects two separate yet equally important people: The spouse who manages the crime, and the spouse who hangs around acting offended. These are their stories.

I’m the principal interface with the general contractor and sub-contractors. Dale is called in for decisions, as needed, but mostly he stresses over his space and schedule being disrupted. He can’t cook! Oh, wait. Neither can I. The kitchen has been demolished.

The biggest issue is the mess. They had to tear up a ceramic tile floor, and there’s nothing I can say to adequately express how gross that is. The noise, the dust – it’s a symphony of horrors. I believe the worst is over, but then I said that two days ago. Fumes come next, as they prepare to paint the cabinet bases.

A couple of nights ago, Dale and I had what we’re calling The Last Meltdown. He was annoyed with me for over-thinking everything, and I was annoyed with him for whining about how hard it is. We vowed we will not be each other’s problem. Laugh more, complain less.

We had quite the chuckle over this fancy kitchen and bathroom showroom we visited. It’s a national chain. Ferguson. We went the first time looking for a sink, and somebody basically pointed and walked away. We ended up buying our sink on Amazon.

Then I went to look at cabinet hardware. Almost everything I found on Amazon was hollow, and I wanted solid. I took pictures of cabinet bases, measured everything and made accompanying diagrams. See attached.

A woman behind a desk greeted me, and I said I was there to buy cabinet hardware. She walked with me to that area, explaining that nothing is in stock. Everything is special order. I asked how long that typically takes, and she shrugged. I asked if there was someone who could help me, and she said they don’t do design work. I said I just had a few questions, and she said she’d see if she could find a sales associate.

None of the hardware had prices. There was another couple looking, and one of them dismissed an elaborate cabinet pull for being too expensive. I asked her how she knew. She said you have to Google it. You come here, you’re on your own. The only benefit is that you get to see it and feel it in person. I took pictures of all the displays so I’d know what brands to consider.

No one ever came to help me, so I left. The receptionist who was supposed to find me a sales associate watched me walk out the door and didn’t bat an eye. I guess that’s a business model.

When I got home, I Googled all the brands, and they are spendy. But one of my searches took me to MyKnobs.com, where I found the expensive stuff but also reasonably priced solid hardware. My little diagrams helped me count up how many I needed and in what size.

I placed my order. We’ll see how long that takes.

The good news is the contractors have been great and seem to be doing high-quality work. I believe the end result will be fabulous, so I’m trying to keep my eyes on the prize.

We’ve had use of our microwave and oven the whole time and have been eating yummy food from the freezer. However, we’ve been bad consumers, using lots of disposable plates and such. I am amazed how quickly the trash builds up – yet another lesson to be good environmental stewards going forward.

Some things require real dishes. We have a plastic tub for the dirty ones, and Dale has been washing them outside every couple of days. Although other sinks in the house are operational, we didn’t want to get food bits in pipes without a garbage disposal. He has a system for heating up the water with one of those big propane things people use to fry turkeys. First soapy, then rinse. Throws the dirty water in the sideyard. It gives him something to do besides sulk.

We’re both in the remorse phase. At least we’re on the same side now. Our motives were pure. As retired homebodies who spend a lot of time in the kitchen, we wanted a nicer space for ourselves. It wasn’t even about resale. But at this point, we’re like, did we really have to do this?

But it’s too late now. The show must go on. We are fortunate that we can do it at all, and someday I can imagine us saying it was worth it.

But it is not this day.

If I had a do-over, I’d still get the kitchen done, but I’d leave the tile alone. God meant tile to stay there forever.