KITCHEN RENOVATION UPDATE AND LOTS MORE!
Hi friends! So many of you have asked how the kitchen renovation is going… well! I have a lot to tell! Not only about the kitchen reno but more things too! Let’s dig in…
I’m sharing lots of new today. So make sure you read to the bottom of the post!
Before we get into the kitchen renovation I want to answer so many of my friends who are asking about ON THE MENU. I think (not sure yet) that I will postpone all new OTM features until after the Christmas holidays.
I just have so many amazing and wonderful upcoming posts about fall and decorating and Thanksgiving and home decor diy’s and Christmas, Christmas, Christmas that I want to share and Monday is a big day for blogging! I just need Monday’s to fit them in!
All my amazing OTM fans can peruse all the tons of menus on StoneGable because there is lots and lots of inspiration here!
Hope all of you understand.
Now let’s talk kitchen renovation! NO styling has been done in the kitchen so it is what it is! These are very “real life” images.
I don’t get into the kitchen too much right now except to get things out of the refrigerator and as you can see some of the cabinets.
The biggest addition to the kitchen over the last week has been the set of cupboards that go to the ceiling. Oh what a difference this made!
Crown molding will finish off the cabinets at the ceiling. I think the additional height of the cabinets gives this very efficient kitchen a lot of “presence”. It looks like a serious kitchen now!
Wednesday or Thursday of this week the cabinet fronts will be installed. The top cabinets have seeded glass as well as the cabinet in the center.
All the top cabinets will be lit as well as the center cabinet. And they will be on dimmers. My hope is to gently dim them in the evening for a little ambiance when we are not working in the kitchen.
Did you notice my farmhouse sink?
I’m sorta madly in love with it! It is a “composite” sink. These sinks were new to me but after doing a bit of research I found a composite sink would work best in my kitchen.
They are quite impervious to stain and bacteria and scratches and wipe up with soap and water. They almost have a “soft” feel. And I just loved all the styles and colors they come in.
And I’m a bit crazy about the color of our sink! It’s called mushroom. I think it adds a nice soft contrast to all the white in the kitchen. What an interesting focal point!
This is the next generation of the farmhouse sink!
All the countertop is going in on Tuesday and the sink will be hooked up right after that. I think of all the things I’ve missed in my kitchen, running water is at the top of my list.
Actually, I’m adding it to the commodities in life I am most thankful for. It’s right up there with air conditioning and flushing toilets!
Okay let’s talk about countertops! We had bit of a mess with them over the last week and a half.
The short story is that is was really no one’s fault! And the fabulous KBE Company doing this renovation is really working their tails off to push this project forward.
This picture will help to understand what has been happening…
A week and a half ago the stone company came to lay down the countertop but it was very obvious the color was not right! The background slab is what they were going to install.
The countertop is Quartz, a man-made material that looks like marble but is so much stronger and stains a whole lot less!
They did not lay the already cut countertop, lots and lots of cut countertop because it became quite clear that the color was wrong! My project manager Jon (amazing guy) had them leave a small counter that fit between my stove and a door. UGH! It was u-g-l-y!
It was beige and looked muddy! In real life the differences between the countertops is quite pronounced.
The countertop we chose is the one marked “original”. Very different, right?
Here’s what happened. Now I’m not a stone expert so I’m explaining it in very layman’s terms.
Quartz is run in slabs like its real cousin marble. Apparently, there was a darker run of slabs created before the light colored quartz I chose. And some of the colorants were not completely flushed through the machines to create the stone. So it permeated my white slabs.
Since the stone company had to make this right I took the opportunity to head back into the company with the owner of KBE and take a second look at the stone I chose.
Well, sometimes things work out for the best! And I actually, found whiter quartz with some veining that I think will work better than the original one I chose.
And I even changed out the bevel edge, another miscommunication!
So really, it was a blessed and amazing do-over!
I hope I feel the same way on Tuesday!
Sometime this week our backsplash is going to be started. This is the real-deal Calcutta marble. And the grout will be light. Because it is not being installed on a work surface it can have a protective coating put over it so splashes wipe off.
Off topic here, but you can really see the color of the mistake countertop here.
I love Calcutta marble because it white color.
It has some gray tones in it and also some golden tones too. I call my house color palette white and blond so Calcutta marble fit so well with the rest of the colors in our home.
And since our how has such an open floor plan it is important that everything works together!
I chose a basketweave for its classic styling and movement. And if I am anything I am a classic decorator!
The kitchen is being renovated with longevity in mind. Although I love the two-toned kitchens and the gorgeous moody blues that are so popular right now, I want this kitchen to stand the test of time and look beautiful.
I’ll keep you posted on Instagram. Go HERE to follow along.
In other BIG news, Bobby had COVID! Bless his darling heart! We think he probably caught it from a patient. I just could not talk about it until now. So upsetting!
He was very very sick and I was quite shaken because he never gets sick!
The good news is he fully recovered and did not need hospitalization because it did not go into his respiratory system! Praise the LORD!!!! And I do!
We had to be self quarantined from each other in our home for two weeks. And I could not take care of him. That was the hardest part.
But like I said, Bobby is fine and back to work and doing very well now! Only a tickly cough remains.
I’m so thankful for the prayers of my family, friends, church family, and Bobby’s co-workers who lifted us up and brought us food and more! THANK YOU!
I was tested for COVID and did not get it! What a blessing.
So things are rolling along in our altered state of normal! The whole COVID thing really has put all the other craziness of the renovation into clear perspective!
And I’m saving the best news for last. We have a new addition to our family. Our son Christopher, daughter-in-law Abigail and granddaughter Emma Kate welcomed a new little life into their family!
His name is Bailey Law Pratt. He came into their arms and our family by a different route! And we love him all the more for it! Adoption is a wonderful, life-celebrating gift!
Little Bailey Bear we are so happy you are finally here! You can see a little of his journey to us on my personal Facebook page HERE.
Christopher and family are finally home and we saw this darling little family yesterday and they are so happy… and so are we!
Well, that’s it for the big news lately! And here’s what I know. God is good all the time!
And I am grateful to Him and to all those who love us! And I’m so grateful for you too!
Congratulations Yvonne! You are indeed blessed! And a new grandbaby. I’m so happy for you and Bobby! Your kitchen is coming along beautifully! Praise God Bobby is recovered and doing well!
Thank you Ruth!
Yvonne, Thankyou for sharing all that has been going on in your life. My prayers are with you and your family and I am so glad to hear Bobby is on the mend. What a blessing to have a new grandson. He is adorable and will bring you so much joy. This Covid19 certainly gives us time to realize what is important in our lives. I thank God every day for all he has given me and try to remember on some difficult days that he has a plan and will not forsake us.
Be well and God Bless you and yours. Kathy
Thank you Kathy!
Wow, so much news!! So glad Bobby made it through Covid. My husband and I both got it mid March. I got it 2 days after he got sick. It was awful, lasted almost 3 weeks, and it took a few more weeks to feel human again. There were a few nights I thought I was going to have to call the ambulance for my husband, his breathing was bad! So scary!! Thankful we made it through. Wear your masks everyone!! Congrats on your new grand baby, he’s adorable!
Oh, Mary! I’m happy to hear you are doing well now. And thank you! Our new baby is just so adorable. We love him so much!
I pray your having a good day!!! So glad to hear you and Bobby are doing better!!! Congrats on your newest family member the remodel look s like it’s going to be great. Looking forward to seeing the finished kitchen , been busy here doing odd jobs, and finishing up painting the inside of the house, we are doing ourselves , and working on smaller projects .like making a wreath for fall..hugs
Hi Pam, so nice to hear from you! Sounds like you are a busy girl.
Congratulations on all counts! Many miracles to celebrate! ?
You are right, Kim! Thank you!
Bailey Law is beautiful. God’s most precious blessing.
Things are really coming along in the kitchen. I look forward to the finished product.
He is such a darling baby, Jan! We are so blessed by his life!
What a wonderful blessed Monday it is to hear such joy! A new baby is such a blessed gift from God. How happy I am for all of you. He is so beautiful. Bless Bobby on his recovering from Covid.
So happy you stayed isolated and didn’t come down with it. I have such faith in Jesus and know He is still in control and if the sickness comes to my family He will always protect us! Your kitchen is coming along nicely. Sure you are ready for it to be done. God Bless.
Thank you for the wonderful words of encouragement, Kathy!
Congratulations on your new grandbaby, Yvonne! What a precious blessing in these crazy and chaotic months! So glad to hear Bobby is recovered and your family is safe and healthy once again. And finally, I’m enjoying seeing your kitchen project come together (as I’m sure you are even more!) The new countertops will be fabulous – so great that you have a good team working to resolve the issue for you!
We do have a wonderful team working with us! I am so thankful for them.
Yvonne, thank you for this testimony of God’s goodness through the difficult times in our lives. My hope is that your faith is a light that draws others to him! What a hope we have in Jesus!!!
Amen!
Hi Yvonne – Your kitchen is looking great. Can’t wait to see the seeded glass. Sorry to hear about Bobby having Covid. Happy to hear it is behind him and you are OK. My older daughter is a physician and I worry about her getting the virus from a patient. Congratulations on the new addition to your family. What a cute bundle of joy for all of you.
Thank you Diane! I’m sure you are worried! xo
Two things – when we did our kitchen, our designer had us go to the fabricator and personally select our slabs of quartz. I was so glad she did that. Second – We have two adopted grandchildren from Thailand, and they have brought so much joy to our entire family Congratulatons!!!
Janette, I know you have the most delightful grandchildren! Love to all!
I was so sorry to hear your husband had Covid but so thankful that he has made a full recovery and doing well. It certainly does make you see what the really important things in life are.
Your kitchen is going to be beautiful and a white kitchen is something I never tire of.
Stay healthy and happy and congrats to the beautiful new grandson. You are truly blessed.
Chris
Thanks, Christine!
What a crazy time you have been through. So happy Bobbie has recovered from Covid and that you did not get it . Congratulations on the new member of your family. Beautiful baby . Your kitchen will be amazing once it is completed. Things can go wrong for sure but at least they are making it right . That’s why I hate renovations while you are living in the house but when it’s done it seems worth it . Also I don’t deal well with messes and people working in my home . I want to have hardwood put in my whole house when I feel safe with this virus thing . I really dread the mess. Hope you all have a wonderful week .
Hi Yarlette, sometimes we just have to give up that control and go with the circumstances. The end, in this case, will justify the means.
Congrats on your beautiful new grandchild. So glad that your husband is doing much better, can’t possibly imagine what you’ve been through. Looking forward to the kitchen reveal. Good luck!
Thanks, Roz!
It’s been a bit of a wild ride, Roz! But we are through the worst I hope! And we cling on to the best.
My goodness, you have a lot going on! Congratulations on your new grandbaby! So adorable! My 91 year old mother just got over Covid too. She is in a care facility and I haven’t seen her since March. When she got Covid, I was devastated at the thought that she might die alone and worried that I couldn’t be there to make sure she got good care. But the Lord was faithful and even though she had pneumonia with the Covid, it wasn’t a bad case and she came through it. Amazing! They say if your marriage can survive a kitchen remodel, it’s strong. So you and Bobby are good! 🙂
There’s nothing like new life in the family! CONGRATULATIONS!!!
So sorry Bobby had to go through COVID but glad he has recovered.
The kitchen is coming along nicely. It’s not easy going through a kitchen remodel since the kitchen is the heart of the home. All the aggravation and inconvenience will have been worth it when the project is completed.
Thanks, Susan! It was dreadfully hard to see my handsome, healthy husband get so sick! But we are on the other side of it now!
Thank God Bobby is ok and recovering from COVID. Such a scary time. The kitchen is looking beautiful. Congrats on the new grandchild.
Wonderful blog today. I will be starting my kitchen soon, and you have given me wonderful ideas. PLT your hubby is well, and congrats on your newest grand baby. So precious!!!!!
Thanks, Brenda!
My goodness you have a lot going on and so much to be thankful for! Congratulations on your new precious grandbaby! I look forward to watching the continued progress in your beautiful kitchen. Have a great week, and God Bless.
We are starting to settle down now, thank goodness. I can see the end of the kitchen renovation soon.
What a gorgeous baby!! Congratulations to the entire family. Life just unfolds doesn’t it? Trials WILL come but Emmanuel promises His presence. We began a trip last week seeing a rainbow in the early morning. We are back on the road and drove through another one. I am so grateful for the comfort I experience but understanding that God above keeps His promises. So glad your husband had his health restored!!
Hi Deb, what a sweet note. Thank you!
Oh my goodness, Yvonne! The range of emotions you must have gone through is astounding. Much congratulations on your new little grandson. What a blessing in a stressful time. Happy to hear that Bobby is on the road to recovery; how scary that must have been.
Your kitchen will be stunning and every thing that happens has a purpose. Reminded me of the time the stone masons installed the wrong color stone in our outdoor kitchen while I was gone. It worked out better in the end, but it certainly threw a wrench into things.
Stay well.
Thanks, Deb! I certainly am trying to stay well!
Thank you, Yvonne for sharing so much of your life and family with us, your fans!! I’m thrilled to see your beautiful family and see your wonderful kitchen remodel!! You are a breath of warm fresh air in our troubled country! I for one am grateful!!
Oh, my Cindy! If only I could be! But I hope I bring a sense of love and peace to my readers!
Wow; so much happening in your life all at once. But isn’t that how it goes sometimes?. Congratulations on that beautiful new grandchild. Adoption is such a wonderful, loving thing; you are all blessed to have this little wonder in your family and he is blessed to have so much love surround d him. Happy to hear that Bobby is well again, and that you did get become infected also. Your kitchen is beautiful, love the sink. You will all be making beautiful memories in that space soon!
Thanks, AJ! We feel very blessed!
All good news in the end!
Can you share the brand and style name of the quartz you chose? I’ve been looking for something white with only soft markings for my master bath. Nearest slab is 2 hours away.
Congratulations on your new grandchild. They are so special! I am certainly glad to hear that your husband is doing well. God IS good all the time!
Your renovation is looking beautiful. I am looking forward to seeing the finished kitchen. I know it will be beautiful as all of your home is. I love to follow your post because I feel I learn so much. Thank you!!!
I am so happy to hear StoneGable is helping you decorate! That is my biggest joy to help woman be better decorators!
Doesn’t it just alter your whole world when your beloved husband is in harm’s way? It changed everything about my life when my husband had cancer. Luckily he is ok today. I’m so happy for your Bobby and you. Thanks for your wonderful blog.
So glad to hear your husband is doing well, Jaye!
So good to hear from you! Love the kitchen and glad to hear your husband is doing well now! ??❤️Also, congratulations on your new grandson!
Thanks, Laura!
I like the divided farmhouse sink! I could never go back to just a single bowl sink. My current stainless steel sink has 3 sections, and I’ve loved it. Congratulations on that darling new baby grandson!
The sections are what we love about this sink!
Yvonne
I’m so thankful your husband has recovered from Covid. One of the hardest things about this disease is being unable to help or be with one another for comfort. Your kitchen sounds lovely. Can’t wait to see the cabinet lights in a night time or evening pic. And adoption is great my first born was adopted and is a wonderful young man. I thank God for him and my second child whom I was able to carry myself. God Bless your family.
Oh, how encouraging!
Hi Yvonne
What a rollercoaster range of emotions you have gone thru. Glad everyone is doing well, and hopefully back to “somewhat” normal. Looking forward to your finished kitchen.
Thanks, Cathy!
I finished your post with tears of joy! What a celebration of life! God bless this little child and his family! I enjoy the decorating lessons and especially love the Sunday posts.
Even though you are staying timeless, could you say something about dark accent walls? I am trying to decide.
You are in my prayers.
Dark moody blue walls are very popular right now. Just one girl’s opinion, they are hard to carry off! Stay one color unless you have a good eye for accents!
Wow! You have been busy!! Glad your husband is better! Covid has certainly changed things.
Congratulations on your grandson!! He is precious!!
Love your posts! I’ve had a tough year and all your posts help me.
Can’t wait to see your kitchen and all the future posts!
Oh, Laura, I’m so sad to hear you had a tough year. But so happy to know I could help! God bless you!
Really enjoyed reading the post today, Yvonne… and NOW I see what you mean about the counters. And Bobby may be right… It kinda leans to a taupe color. Well, at least putty! 😉 Baily is just LOVELY!
Oh my goodness! Little Bailey just melted my heart! Congratulations to your lovely family. I love how God knits family together. Just too wonderful.
Yes, he does!
OMG Yvonne, so glad to hear that Bobby is ok and you did not get sick. God is good all the time! Amen and Amen.
Your new little grandson is precious! Congratulations to all!
Also, love the kitchen so far and really love the “new” countertop color. Can’t wait to see everything finished.
Take Care, Lynda
Our little grandson is such a joy!
Yvonne, such wonderful news about little Bailey’s coming into the family and that your husband has recovered well from the virus!! <3 I am still pretty sure that Charles and I had it last Jan./Feb. as I had the terrible sore throat (lost my voice for over 6 weeks), fever of 103 off and on for 20 days, chills and shakes, and it went right to my lungs… Using my asthma inhaler every 4 hours for weeks and two different antibiotics finally set me right. There just weren't tests for the virus then. I sure hope I NEVER get it again! And the kids come to school this week… Thankfully we have face shields and wear masks. 🙂
Love how your kitchen is turning out and you are sooo right! That other countertop is brown… Love the one that will be coming! <3 I am hoping we can change out the cheap cabinets that were put in by the previous homeowner in a year or two. There were nice 1990's solid wood ones here before, I know this because the laundry one is still up (the only remaining). So dumb to put in cheap when solid wood is there. Just change out the doors… That's me lamenting. I will go to the ceiling, too. 🙂
God is good all of the time. <3
Many hugs and congratulations to you and your family,
Barb
Sorry to hear you and bobby had to go through that….thank the lord you and your husband are doing great…
Congratulations on your sweet bundle of joy
Kitchen is amazing..your blessed..
What color did you paint your cabinets?
Hi Jane, the cabinets are painted a semi-gloss Benjamin Moore Simply White. It’s a lovely soft white with warm undertones.
Yvonne, I Hope your renovation goes smoothly from here on out! Sorry to hear about Bobby, hope both of you stay healthy! Looking forward to seeing the kitchen completed!
What an interesting post. Your kitchen is looking fabulous even in its unfinished state.
What good news that Bobby recovered from Covid 19. Certainly not a fun experience for you both.
Ah but Bailey Bear makes up for everything. He is so cute. He is a real lady-killer even at this young age!!
Yvonne – so thrilled for all of you and the arrival of Bailey. I know you will be a blessing in his life. God bless all of you.
Yikes! So glad Bobby is recovered and that you are okay. What a hard thing to go through. So glad he stayed out of the hospital. My pastor’s wife is fighting pancreatic cancer– going through chemo now after having had surgery….
I hope you continue to stay well. Take care.
Liberty
Hi Liberty, Oh my! I just prayed for your pastor’s wife! xo
Hi Yvonne , In these awful times it is so good to hear of other people’s good news and what is bringing them happiness . The. good news of your Bobby recovering , the blessing of your new grandson and of course your new kitchen .
Hi Yvonne! I’m just now catching up on this post, praise God that Bobby was able to recover from COVID. I’m so very sorry he got sick, but glad to hear that he is doing OK. Congratulations on your new grandbaby! How precious! The kitchen is going to be beautiful, I’m excited to see the end result. Take care, God Bless!
Omg Yvonne, your in it girl for sure! So happy Bailey has a loving home. Grateful to the birth mother for her decision. Hang in their on the kitchen. Lol.
Hi Marialaina, they are putting the quartz countertop in as I’m writing this! It is so pretty so it was worth the wait!
Oh, my…what a time you have had ! Grateful prayers that you and your husband survived Covid, and what wonderful news about the new baby. Your new kitchen will be the such a treat after all you have been through. I love your choices. We are on our third white kitchen…they are timeless and always look good. Can’t wait to see the finished product !
God is so good ALL THE TIME! He is our rock, our refuge and our healer. Thank you Lord for touching Bobby’s body and healing him of this crazy virus and for blessing this family with this wonderful child you chose to give them through the miracle of adoption.
Yvonne, my heart goes out to you! You have been through so much. We are so happy that your Bobby is doing OK now. How horrible this was for you both. We will keep you both in our prayers.
What a darling little baby! So happy for them. Adoption is wonderful and I know they will be blessed with this darling little baby boy! Love his name!
Happy for you that your kitchen problems have been solved. Sometimes, these things just happen and we have to just be patient — which is very hard! When we were building our home here at the lake, our cupboards were shipped and were so badly damaged in transit that everything went back and they were reordered. We had to wait 4 months before our kitchen was finished. This was hard. However, it was so worth the long wait as we just love our kitchen. Plus, we were happy that they reimbursed us for all the inconvenience.
Yvonne, don’t even worry about your weekly menus. We can just look up the recipes you have on your web site! We all enjoy your menus but you need to have a bit of a break right now with all you are having to deal with. So, just take good care of yourself and Bobby! We can all wait! We have lots of your yummy recipes to keep us going!
Take care and thanks for sharing all about your family with us. Bless you, Yvonne! You are one special lady!
Gorgeous baby. Congratulations!!! Gods amazing gift to your family.
You may have answered this question before, can I ask what brand & color of quartz you selected the second time around?
My youngest son works for one of the largest remodeling companies in DC, said that issue with quartz happens frequently. Sometimes with very frustrated clients.
Hello Yvonne,
What a trying time for you. My husband and I are both so afraid to catch this virus, we can’t imag that one of us would get it and not the other. I knew from your posts that there was something wrong so you’ve been in my prayers. I know it’s such a relief when we come out to the other side of a time like this. It makes the joy of a new grand baby that much more special. What a cutie!
I’m so excited because today we got a price on having our kitchen cabinets painted and the doors replaced. All of the other options have been too costly especially when our current cabinets are in such good condition. But they are so ugly! Watching you and your project has been so helpful. It looks like we will be going with your color of simply white! I can’t wait to see your choice of hardware! Between you and Lory Bernstein I think I have all the options I need.
Take care and stay healthy!
Congratulations on all fronts Yvonne! Kitchen didn’t look too bad to me in the before pictures, but the in progress features are beautiful. Welcome to the new baby in your life!
CONGRATULATIONS on your new precious grandson. He is BEAUTIFUL. I am so happy that Bobby is feeling better and that it wasn’t worse than it was. The kitchen is looking fabulous. Can’t wait to see the finished product. Take care.
Oh goodness….what a cutie!! Congrats on your newest addition to the family!! Welcome to this crazy world Bailey! So glad that Bobby is okay…what a scary thing to have to go through and not be able to care for him and thank the good Lord that you didn’t get it. I can’t wait to see the completed reno on the kitchen…knowing you and your taste, it is going to be beautiful.
Hi Yvonne, Bailey is beautiful! Congratulations!!! Your kitchen renovation post is quite timely for me as we are in the planning stages for our own. I was wondering if you would share the height of your new cabinets that will go above the existing ones. The proportion looks very nice. I would like to do the same but my husband thinks that we do not have enough room. Thank you!
I will when I do the reveal. They are custom made to work with the other cabinets.
Hi. Just started following your kitchen renovation.
Would you please share the name of the sink company?
Thank you
Hi. Don’t know if you missed my question?
I love the look of the new kitchen sink that you put in. Would it be possible for you to give me the make?
Recently had a leak in my kitchen which is enabling me to a small remodel.
Thank you
Hi Vicki, I thought I answered your question. I’m not sure of the make. It is a composite sink. You can find them everywhere!