Some decisions made . . .

We got home Sunday evening late. After my heart breaking open at the cemetary, I didn't feel up to doing much visiting anywhere. It was such a shocking emotion to me - I thought I had shed all of the tears when Dad passed. We took Mom and my aunt back to Missoula, stopped in Helena to visit Bob's parents graves and headed home. We hit some snow on the passes but there was not snow here when we arrived home. Yesterday I went to the Memorial Day parade and then enjoyed a quiet day at home with a little sewing.

Today I made some decisions about the kitchen. Here is a picture that shows the cabinet, floor and wall colors I am aiming at and the granite here is right on with what I have selected. This picture (borrowed from some cabinet site) also shows the cabinet style similar to what I have selected. I love this look. I have to get a new dishwasher and microwave so will get stainless. I might keep my black stove for a couple years as it is good and it would save me some money for right now. I want gas and will have that line put in now for the time when I get a new range. The current black refrigerator works for now and I can put a stainless insert in the front as it has the edges to hold a wood cover. That might help me stay within my budget. We will just have to see. The insurance company will pay for the flooring and for the counters to be replaced with laminate as well as all of the tear out.

We also have a back area that we call a butler kitchen - it has some cupboards, more counter space and a large sink. How to do that has been a problem. It is kind of a long narrow room that you walk through when coming in from the garage. There is a small bathroom off from it and a large pantry closet also off that area. Well, that tile extends from the kitchen and will also come out as will the cupboards and counter. The tile out there is under the cupboards.

What to do with that area? There are only 3 cupboards - 2 lower and 1 upper - out there with a large open area under the counter. First I thought I might paint the cupboards there and use a laminate that resembles the granite I want. But I didn't like that idea and I don't want granite out there. Today I decided to order new cupboards for that area and use a charcoal laminate that has no granite look pattern - it will just look like laminate. I will keep the same sink with updated faucet. In the little bathroom, I will paint that little cabinet charcoal and hope for a little piece of leftover granite for that counter with a new vessel sink - if not then use the charcoal laminate with the same sink.

Done deal - decisions made - now to get the work done. The kitchen will not be torn out for 2 weeks. I hope to get the cabinets ordered by the end of this week as they will take about 8 weeks to arrive. I will post pictures of the progress - but for now I am excited! I will see how closely I come to this in the final implementation - let the fun begin. I will take lots of pictures - before - during - and after.