We’ve been working nonstop here at the cottage, but sometimes, like life, the actual progress goes in fits and starts. Working on the windows is slow going; we are 3/4 of the way finished, and it seems we’ve been scraping/sanding/repairing/priming/painting them forever. And we’ve been working on the outside of the house (it is a Whole House after all, not just a kitchen…) to protect it from winter. So the BIG kitchen stuff — like walls and floors and doors — has been proceeding on hold. (I had to say that; it’s one of Mr. H.C.’s favorite sayings.) Hence this post is more for me than you. It’s to reassure me
- that work IS being done;
- that we ARE progressing;
- and that we WILL get to the end of this kitchen project.
To that end, here are some before and after pictures:
The front entrance Before — one of 5 pairs of sliding glass doors…(We’re down to 3!
The front entrance After — at the end of the weekend and the sun is setting, but it’s in place!
It took weeks, but those cabinets did get sanded, and their hardware put in place:
One of a whole pile of UGLY kitchen cabinets Before
…and the same cabinet After
Very few doors in the cottage are staying the same:
This was the old door going down to the pantry. This photo doesn’t show that it was actually sawed in half! A homemade Dutch door…
And this is the new door After. It cost $30 at the Restore in Washington. It is primed, but still awaiting the right color of green. (Then the yellow tape will come off as well.)
This cupboard was the one item in the kitchen that I could easily picture as beautiful before it was redone:
The built-in cupboard Before…
And my favorite, the cupboard After with its beautiful paint, new hardware, and new-old wooden top.
And if you squint your eyes just right, you can almost picture the kitchen as it will be someday:
I titled this photo Lovely Kitchen 2 B. (If you look closely, you’ll see the After result of the orange schoolhouse light in one of the earlier photos. We kept the pull chain, though)
Well, I don’t know about you, but after seeing these photos, I feel better! Onward…
the circle of life 
The build in cupboard is gorgeous. Very unique. I sort of like the way it looked before too but perhaps that is my Dutch side talking. Love worn down dark furniture!
Och and the entrance is absolutely lovely! Always fun to work in and around the house, Very satisfying :)
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I like worn down dark wood also, but what you can’t tell in this photo is that it is actually painted to look like worn down dark wood. 70s faux antiquing. Trust me, you wouldn’t have liked it close up. ;-)
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Fabulous improvements. Everything is coming out beautiful. I adore that hutch.
~FringeGirl
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Thanks. Me too! It’s floor to ceiling and I’m wondering what to put on the top shelf — something I don’t use very much! Terrible being short…
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Those sure are some ugly cabinets but the restore job on them looks great. I hadn’t seen the built in cupboard before, beautiful. I think my favorite is still the ceiling. Nice to see Mr. H.C. in our neighborhood again.
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They were so ugly, we almost passed them up.
He said he saw you and that you look good — half of that hug was from me…
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Wow. Great transformations! Onward, indeed! :)
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Thank you! Sometimes it’s slow going when you want to do the big spectacular stuff, but you’re forced to do the little things that no one sees. It’s definitely a patience builder! (Keep that in mind when you’re thinking about that red barn.)
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Love your post. Love your blog. I’m thrilled to have found you through the hop. Very fun read. You inspired me in just a few paragraphs. Thank you. Blessings
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