Kitchen Reveal - BEFORE AND AFTER!!!

We finally finished our house remodel after 18 months of destruction, construction, and general mess. What a relief it is to come home and not clean up saw dust and drywall mess. We haven't got curtains and artwork, etc... back up but we are getting closer to being done! Thought I would share some kitchen before and after photos. It's still remarkable to me and hard to believe the transformation it made!

Here are a few early photos from when I first rented the house back in 2000. After Gail and I got married, we did some minor updates to get by until "someday". I believe the beautiful green oven (with matching sink) quit working and that started the whole process. We got rid of the lovely wall paper and put drywall over the old paneling. A new backsplash and countertop did wonders for the look but it was still a TINY little one butt kitchen!

No... we don't let our children climb ladders unsupervised, and yes... that is Allison about 7 years ago!!! Always has and always will be a great helper!!!

Right before tearing out the kitchen...

This shows the old walls that separated the kitchen, living room and laundry area. They are all gone now and it totally changed the look!

Here we are during the destuction phase.... What a mess we lived in for so long. But TOTALLY worth it!

We spent a few months eating out of the new laundry room while the old kitchen was torn out!

And I will leave you with one last shot to drool over. I know I do everyday when I come home. I LOVE LOVE LOVE our new space!

More destruction.... kitchen style!

Just last week when we were finally getting settled into the new part of the house, things were looking up. I was a cleaning machine, organizing queen, and anti-hoarder neat freak all wrapped into one. And then they came back.... the construction workers that is. They are like members of our household after nine months. We've decided it's been too long when we no longer worry about strangers in the house and we quit rushing around every night when we get home to see what new and exiciting progress they have made. It's nice to feel comfortable in your pj's among non-family but seriously... you reach a point in a remodeling project when you just want it to be over. Now is not a good time for that feeling as we just began PHASE II: the kitchen. Hopefully we are on the downhill slide but I'm smart enough to know not to hang onto expectations whether they be completion dates, financial estimates, or mental pictures. They pretty much go out the window with the remains of the 1980's wall paper. So here are a few before and "during" shots. I'd love to wait for a dramatic before and after feature but that could be months and you know how I hate to keep you all in suspense!

This is the tiny "hallway" style kitchen we have used for over 10 years.

A view from the living room looking toward the kitchen. You'll see the same view in an "after" shot below. (That is the remains of the original wallpaper in an area of the wall to be ripped out.)

Standing in the new addition looking toward the old entry - this space was our hall closet, washer/dryer, kitchen entry, and general catch-all area!

And now the BIG reveal from the same views shown above... (insert drum roll here)...

We are grateful that the old cabinets along the walls can stay until the new cabinets arrive. Hopefully we can somewhat function until that time. Be sure to stay tuned in about 2-3 months to see how it turns out!