We’ve had a very busy few days and the kitchen progress shows it!  Thursday night Ryan and I stayed up late sanding both the kitchen and diningroom.  Friday night we vacuumed the ceilings/walls then started priming – getting the ceilings primed and 1 wall.

Saturday morning Ryan and his dad started with a ceiling paint coat, then finished priming all the walls.  Once the ceiling was dry they got the second coat on and we got all the paint stuff cleaned up.  We won’t paint walls until later on (we haven’t even picked a color yet.

The first cabinets to go in were the 2 small diningroom cabinets – these were initially going to be part of our island so they are the Bali Blue color but we decided to make the island smaller (larger walkways between island and cabinets) – and these 2 cabinets work wonderfully as a buffet in the diningroom.  We may build some shelves above or make a matching cabinet with glass doors or something down the road to make it even more hutch like but for now it is wonderful as a place to put our china – lots of storage!

Diningroom cabinets

These will have a matching counter top so it will really make it tie in with the kitchen perfectly.

Next up was the kitchen base cabinets – starting with the corner.  Saturday they dry fit the first few cabinets and got an idea of level but waited to install them.

Sunday installation started in earnest and the stove/oven side wall was first.  Next was the sink and dishwasher.  We have an end panel on the side of the dishwasher that still has to get installed – we’ll do that Monday or Tuesday night since the counter folks come Wednesday to stencil.

Next up was the island.  This took a few steps, we had to put them in place, then move them to cut out a hole for the return that will go under the cabinet.  Also we had to drill and run wires up from the basement for the outlet that will go in the cabinet/island.  Finally some 2x4s were anchored to the floor so the cabinets could be attached to something.

Island cabinets (also a view of the sink dishwasher).

The rest of the L part of the cabinets

There is still plenty to do – we have 3 upper cabinets to install, 1 small shelf unit on the end then the 2 pantry cabinets that flank the fridge.  Those things all don’t have to happen before counter stenciling though so they will happen in the next couple of weeks.

Obviously we also have to install appliances and plumbing.  Plenty to do but the main rush is done!  Counters take 2 weeks so getting them stenciled was a huge priority.  We can’t do the sink or stove top until counters are in!  Should be in the week before xmas and our plumber (ryan’s cousin) promises he can come over and do our finish plumbing before xmas!  So far we’re on track.  Now we just need ryan’s back to hold out.  It’s been tough and he still has 3 weeks before surgery 🙁