We are not done with the kitchen yet, but we are getting close. Close enough for a few sneak peeks.
One (of the two) open shelves that flank the range hood is done and installed. Kyle made the box out of fir veneer plywood (with a fir edge band to cover the exposed plys) and we cut a piece from a leftover IKEA Abstrakt cover panel for the back face. I love the contrast of the blue-gray with our white dishes. The steel ledge you’ve seen before – it extends from the range hood all the way into the dining room where it becomes a picture rail. We used a thin strip of fir wood to cover the exposed fasteners.
I’m really pleased with how the “spice rack” project turned out. Here’s a peek because it isn’t quite finished yet.
The fir plywood cabinet wrap is up! Really, I think the world would be a better place if everything was wrapped in vertical grain fir. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. Because our kitchen is just one element within a larger space, we wanted to do something that would provide more definition. The wood wrap helps create a cohesive composition – a cabinet of cabinets if you will. It also solves the issue of awkward upper cabinets that don’t go all the way to the ceiling.
The fir will turn more orange over time, but the blue-gray, orange and white are really working for us. I hope we never get tired of this color palette, because it’s pretty much our whole house.
We also finished the island custom shelving. The back face of the island is covered with fir plywood, which extends out to accept the microwave/dog bowl unit. Yes, the microwave is no longer on the counter! LIFE SUCCESS! (Installing toe kicks – fail.)
The small space to the left of the microwave will feature cookbooks du jour (for now, it’s my Ina Garten collection). The remaining cookbooks go in the stair cabinet.
Dinner time! Bailey is more or less indifferent to his new set-up. Spoiled dog.
I didn’t want to bombard you with photos, so I have another post planned that is less eye candy, more process photos. Actually, it’s Poker Night and Kyle is hosting so I’ve escaped to a local coffee shop. I’m feeling very urban, and slightly self-conscious because I have the biggest laptop here (and not in a good way). I’ve got two hours of free wi-fi and a double latte – LET’S BLOG!