See that 100 up there before the title? I’ve spent the last few weeks wondering what I was going to write about for my 100th post. Big time writer’s block? Afraid of a number? My WordPress statistics tell me I’ve already written 100 posts, it’s just that two of them weren’t numbered. I started the numbering system after the first few posts, because originally? This blog was for me. For us. So we could keep track of what we’d done on the cottage. I wanted an orderly progression of ugly, uglier, better, beautiful. (And heaven knows, something needed to be orderly in my life.)
For a long time, I thought my 100th post would be the Final recap of the kitchen. The Biggie. 100. The Complete Cottage Kitchen Renovation for Less than $10,000.
We did stay under budget, but there are still a few things left to do, and I can’t write a final recap post when the kitchen isn’t final yet.
But I can do everyone’s favorite — Befores and Afters! (Is there anyone who doesn’t like before and after shots???)
Before.
You can see the sample flooring, but that was the expensive stuff — we bought simple Armstrong VCT.
New old door painted Blooming Grove (Ben Moore) from Habitat for Humanity. The lovely creamy white color is Sherwin Williams Steamed Milk
Before…
And the same space now…
You can see that the subway tile doesn’t yet go around the corner. And there will be appliance shelves above the tile. Oh and real electric outlets…
This is a close-up of the soapstone countertops and sink. You can read about our soapstone love affair and adventures here.
Even after some nicks and dents and scratches, we still love the soapstone.
This…
…to this!
This corner below made it into the recent post about the orange phone. (You can read that one here.)
We don’t have any before photos of the little pantry that we demolished — it was just to the right of this door below:
But we do have a lovely shot of the hole that we found when we took out the wall. These next two pics are of the same space — about 16 months apart… I made the first picture small on purpose — no one wants to see how awful it really was.
Discovering this was one of the low points…
The chalkboard was my Christmas present…And the peninsula covers that hole nicely. The butcher block wood is Sapele from Hardwood Lumber Company in Ohio. You can read about it here and here.
From this above photo you can look in and see the almost finished dining room. You can see that the trim isn’t finished around the door, the crown still needs to be put up (we just finished the ceiling this past weekend!), and the mirror between the sconces still is leaning against the fifth wall… But yes, life is good.
Dining Room before
and what it looks like now.
Just a few Post Scripts: Some of the walls you see aren’t there any longer — we took out some half-walls here and there. The only things kept from the original kitchen were the windows, the light with a pull chain above the green door, the fridge, and the built-in cupboard. Oh, and the pantry sign. We’ve still got art to hang, and finishing touches to do, and now that I see the bushel baskets on the fridge, I think they have to go… But it is Apple Hill Cottage after all, so they’ve got to find a place somewhere…
the circle of life 
It is looking great. We need to do another “we bring pizza” and check the place out night. So grateful to God that he has brought you to back into our lives. You are such a blessing to be around and to have as part of the church family. john
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We are almost ready to invite you guys for homemade pizza!
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I DO love before and after posts! I agree about the bushel baskets. You must be so proud when you see it all put together like this.
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I was thinking bushel baskets in the mudroom to hold hats and gloves and scarves..They would have to be up high though or Henry would crawl in… How is Leo?
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Wow! You two have done an amazing job. I’m envious of the soapstone counter tops and sink. From one old house owner no another…you are never finished.
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Aaaagghh! Don’t tell me that!
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Sorry….but someone has to be willing to tell the brutal truth about old home ownership. On another note…I have made it through the worst of the rat cleanup.
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Actually our city house was built in 1938, so we know the joys of old house ownership. We wouldn’t have it any other way…
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Beautiful work, beautiful people :)
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Yah, it says right there you’re my sister! :-) Can’t wait to get your real life input.
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Congratulations on your 100th post. You selected the perfect topic to illustrate it. The renovations are awesome.
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Thank you! I probably wouldn’t have considered it so much, if I hadn’t started numbering them, way back when…. :-)
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What a beautiful transformation! Your hard work is paying off and it looks wonderful!
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Thank you Daisy! We’re trying to do it well, but not spend a fortune. And sometimes in the midst of it, we both wonder what it is we’re doing here, and how will God use this? I just found an old tin sign (for $3.00 at one of those antique stores that we both love!) that says, “Stop and Eat Here.” And I’m wondering if it is a sign sign? :-)
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