2008: Bill's Big Remodel

After: a warm, earthy, and highly functional kitchen 

I moved into my house in 2000, and did a big remodel in 2008. The remodel included the kitchen and great room, powder room, dining room and front foyer, and we added a new roof and new HVAC system. It was a big project.

The house was custom built in 1980 and remodeled some time between then and 2000. The finishes and floor plan needed improvement, but it took a while to figure out what I wanted. I had to live with it for a while.

The room was white with old white berber carpet gone gray, white linoleum flooring in the kitchen, whitewashed oak cabinets that looked pink under the big fluorescent lightbox on the ceiling. In the living area of the space, there was a big honkin' brick mantle with a wood stove decorated with woodland creatures- it wouldn't have been my first choice. There was one narrow hallway connecting the space to the rest of the house, and a one-foot-square pass-through in the corner of the kitchen.

The project began in July and was finished by the end of September. Here are some pictures after the remodel, including some with a change in decor.

It's a cozy space, and I love how functional the kitchen is. If you've been reading along and noticed some of the details of the kitchen, now you'll know the story behind it. The vision was very clear to create a space for living in Portland, Oregon. I was never wild about the idea of a "Tuscan kitchen" or anything like that. If that's what I wanted, I'd live in Tuscany- whatever floats your boat, I guess.

The space appeared on HGTV Rate My Space as an inspiration room for a couple who was doing their remodel on the show. It was also part of the Tour of Remodeled Homes, and was on the morning news with Drew Carney. Now that I've settled in to the space, it's really time to get cooking!