The Kitchen Cabinets-A Family Affair

Dear Blogger Readers,
I'm a frightful blogger, I've discovered! I've been planning to update you all much sooner than this but its been just under 4 months since Lou came home and life hasn't stopped since then! Today's blog is all about our March/April project, which I loved seeing take shape but which also consumed many after work hours for Lou, who thrived on it! 

Lou at home in his little workshop ie. garage :) Nothing more attractive than a hardworking man!

Lou's parents were discussing new kitchen cabinets and told Lou about the amazing amount of $$$$$$$ that such things end up running to. For instance, did you know that a handy drawer trash/recycle can holder can run you $500? Doesn't strike me as a luxury item but apparently in the world of Lowes/Home Depot kitchen cabinet installation, its just that. :) By the time Mom and Dad Crist pared their cabinets down to something close to realizable, they had lost all the cute "cubbies" and "extras". Lou came up with a solution,"Oh, I'll build you all some cabinets." LOL, I'm sure there are some smiles at that statement! But, this is my Lou we're talking about, so these cabinets weren't slapped together with 16 penny nails and some Elmers....although a lot of glue/fasteners were used in their creation! 

The humble beginnings of a cabinet

Lou has always wanted to build furniture, and for Christmas/homecoming I bought him a router/stand and then he supplemented each trip to Lowes with various helpful pieces for his workship, the latest being a table saw and drill press. He read several books religiously, kitchen cabinetry books littered our house, especially the bathroom, his favorite reading spot. :)  

This set was designed for over the stovetop area.

For almost 3 weeks, he worked using the blueprints Dad Crist sent him to build custom sized cabinets. (I provided the moral support, nutrition, and sat on boards to stabilize them as he cut.)

The beautiful inset hinges he measured and fitted to a "T"!

Then, at the end of March we packed up all our tools, managed to fit all the cabinets, them, our suitcases and a 4 wheeler in our pickup truck/pull along flatbed trailer and caravan-ed our way to New Jersey, where we spent 2 weeks installing and perfecting them! 

He built the drawers for the bases in New Jersey as well as some of the other more finicky pieces. 

 The old kitchen had been in much use for the past 24 years and the cabinets were a particle board combination, so the years had not been kind to them!

Two of the three amigos-Lou and his cousin Mark, also known as "General" in the COD world. :)

 Dad, Lou, his brother Jesse and their cousin Mark worked tirelessly on this masterpiece! They tore out the old cabinets, replaced flooring where there had been water damaged, re-routed crazy plumbing, installed new lighting, and installed the cabinets.

Working hard as always!

 

 

 

Lou and Jess intent on the leveling process.

A slight family resemblance!

Mom, Corrie and I admired and offered lots of compliments to help speed the process along. :) 

Still in the process, just need a little paint and some pretty knobs/pulls!

We weren't able to complete the painting and handle installation by the time April 11th came along and our trip was at an end, but I just got the final product photos from them this morning....so here they are!!

BEFORE DEMOLITION

AFTER

We found some lovely little delft blue and white knobs at Hobby Lobby, as the cabinets are a soft buttery yellow they went perfectly with Mom's theme!

The drawer pulls are an especial favorite of mine.

The smaller cabinets on top all open and close normally, and they are decorated with smaller coordinating porcelain knobs from Hobby Lobby.

 Dad's favorite sign is hung above the kitchen sink window in this decorative display box Lou built for them, teehee! He always reminds me of this truth when we come to visit. :) Mark installed the inset lighting and also the undercabinet lighting.

Still needs just a little paint and a stove hood, but it looks stunning!

 Partially opened and to the left of the dishwasher is their own trash/recycling pull out drawer that Lou created, as well as the cubbies above on the left to hold Dad's "important documents". :)

We're so very pleased with how it all turned out! Lou did mention that he might lay off cabinets for a while on our drive home to Kentucky, for at least a month anyways! Just in case you might think this is all we did, we did manage to spend our Easter Sunday with a wonderful morning sermon and worship followed by lunch.......

with the Olson cousins and Grandma Grace, good conversation, and delicious food.

Easter Bonnets and Best!

 This shot Corrie took is so fun I had to share it with you! I love how it focuses in on Mom Crist's pearls and the whisking of the gravy.

 We were also able to spend some time with Lou's cousin's family and

Uncle Bob and Aunt Judy came for a visit!
All in all, it was a great time....Lou and I even squeezed in a trip to Atlantic City, NJ for what everyone goes to Atlantic City for, right? I mean thrift store shopping, of course! Wow, we (Lou and I) were in awe, managing to fall into a Salvation Army full of treasures-cashmeres and brand names. We walked out $350 invested in clothing for our Ebay site, an incredible 2 hours' worth of rack searching! Speaking of which, I'd better finish this up and begin listing! Hope you all enjoyed our latest project and I'll be blogging again soon with pictures of my friend Whitney's lovely wedding in Virginia...or with pictures of our new painting scheme for our home here in Vine Grove, Kentucky! Until then, may the Lord bless you all in life's little adventures!
Kim for the Crists