Evolution of a kitchen

So, it's no secret that I've bought a house and that said house has been a bit of work. A fixer-upper. A work-in-progress. An evolving being. A time and money leach.

We each have areas which are most important in a home. For me, like many others, I care about the kitchen. I simply MUST have a place I can relax and bake something fantastic. The kitchen really is the heart of the home in my opinion. The kitchen in my house has left a little to be desired and taken a bit of time (as well as money) to bring to a condition I feel doesn't violate OSHA standards.

The before, as seen on my return trip after making an offer on the house.

Doesn't look too bad, does it? There was hope. They had cleaned it up SO MUCH from the first time I came through. I was planning to refinish cabinets and replace a few appliances but keep it the way it was.

Until this:

And this:

I know what you're thinking. "ICK!!" Followed by something like "So it's filthy. It can be cleaned." You must be brilliant because you're thinking just like me!!! Let's look at that first picture again, shall we?

This was what appeared right before my very eyes when the old stove was hauled away by the handy dandy Home Depot delivery guys. I grabbed the broom and WOAH, NELLIE! Did you see that? Look closely, in the top right corner.

A whole, complete, undisturbed mouse skeleton under the old stove! Now, I'm not the most squeamish person and I'm a science teacher for goodness sake, so the skeleton was not the most traumatizing thing to me. I've seen dead things before and made students piece skeletons together. There is a wheat field right behind the house so mice will come and go, and I'd already cleaned up two other dead mice in the house. But I can't shake this from my mind; didn't they SMELL it? I mean, decaying creatures are not the most pleasant smelling things. And it was the kitchen. Where they keep their food. And feed their children. Ick.

As for the other pic? Lets just say the boards and paint cans are holding the pipe together well enough that some water would make it out the faucet. The cabinet inside was completely rotted away from water damage and smelled like mice did a whole lot more than just die in there.

So, we RIPPED THEM ALL OUT!! That was the most therapeautic thing. And gave me a chance to repaint! Goodness it needed it.

Which left a nice clean slate for the new cabinets. Did you know it takes 4-5 weeks to get cabinets made? I didn't. This was an exercise in patience. Mine were actually made by polygamists about an hour north of my new residence*. As much as that disturbs me I must say they are extremely well constructed.

And the floors... have we talked floors? Let's play a little game; you look at the picture and see if you can tell which is the before and which is the after.

Isn't it amazing what a steamer and a little simple green can do?

I added a pendant light at the sink and got the men in my life to install appliances. The room now looks like this:

(forgive the lighting)

Isn't that spectacular? I can hardly believe it's the same room. I'm falling in love with this homeowner thing (again), even if I will be eternally housebroke.


*I did not know that until a week before they were delivered, well after the order was placed.