Let's Talk Remodeling

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Has anyone ever had a pergola built? Oh my God. They're freaking expensive!

I am in the wrong industry.

 

[binny]

looks great splash!

I love the green!


a friend of mine has the laminate that I want and she actually installed 4 tiles in one part she loves it and it looks great. It matched her laminate almost perfectly.

 

[binny]

Has anyone ever had a pergola built? Oh my God. They're freaking expensive!

I am in the wrong industry.

I thought that today when i asked what my physical therapy is costing. $47/unit a UNIT is 15 MINUTES!!!!!

 

[Hixski]

Getting there!

Looking good!! I'm jealous.....we are still behind on the kitchen a bit.

These are the 2 pics I need to show to DH. He needs to see how yours looks in order to understand how ours would look. Since your cabinets are nearly identical to ours these pics should work great. Thanks for posting them.

 

[mickeysgal]

Has anyone ever had a pergola built? Oh my God. They're freaking expensive!

I am in the wrong industry.

Must be along the lines of what we're seeing for a deck extension and an outdoor fireplace for this piece of investment property we just bought. I just wanted to cry when I saw the estimate. We're not hiring Picasso to rebuild the pyramids, just mortoring together some cultured stack stone.

 

[SplshMtn99]

Looking good!! I'm jealous.....we are still behind on the kitchen a bit.

These are the 2 pics I need to show to DH. He needs to see how yours looks in order to understand how ours would look. Since your cabinets are nearly identical to ours these pics should work great. Thanks for posting them.

I knew you were waiting for them to show DH. Hope they help. You can move you cabinet any amount you want.

One of the reasons we went with such a small molding was because if you have a bigger molding that sticks out further, it limits how much your microwave cabinet doors can swing open. If the cabinet had been brought forward that wouldn't have been an issue. We couldn't bring it forward since there are holes on the side where the screws were used in attaching cabinets together.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Must be along the lines of what we're seeing for a deck extension and an outdoor fireplace for this piece of investment property we just bought. I just wanted to cry when I saw the estimate. We're not hiring Picasso to rebuild the pyramids, just mortoring together some cultured stack stone.

Oh, I don't even want to know what a fireplace would cost. Well, actually I do. I wanted a fire pit and my husband nixed it. The pergola was enough to cause him to have a coronary. The fire pit (natural gas) was over $5k!

All I can say, is pleeeeease let outdoor living spaces continue to be hot resale items.

 

[Hixski]

I knew you were waiting for them to show DH. Hope they help. You can move you cabinet any amount you want.

One of the reasons we went with such a small molding was because if you have a bigger molding that sticks out further, it limits how much your microwave cabinet doors can swing open. If the cabinet had been brought forward that wouldn't have been an issue. We couldn't bring it forward since there are holes on the side where the screws were used in attaching cabinets together.

I'm sure we will have the same problem with holes. I haven't even thought to look that far yet. I still have to convince DH that we NEED to do this.

DH found backsplash tile he likes and when I saw it I thought it would be perfect too. We are thinking about Wilsonart HD laminate countertops. I would like to do granite or silestone but DH is throwing a fit about the cost. I found this one and the sample looks like granite. You have to look and touch it to see it is not real. I guess I can live with it or I will never get new countertops. The picture looks a little too shiny from the glare but it really does look good. I guess a few hundred dollars is better than a few thousand.

 

[Ranatra]

Hixski,
I've seen the commercials for the Wilsonart countertops!! They looked great and I recommended them to my sister. (She doesn't want the expense of granite)
That sample you posted looks really good. If you go with the Wilsonart, make sure you post pics!!

 

[Ranatra]

. The fire pit (natural gas) was over $5k!

I'm shocked to hear that. Did you get other prices?
We are also putting in a firepit outback. We've already had the natural gas line run for the firepit and for the new gas grill. We're trying to decide which firepit to go with at this point. 5K sounds really high to me.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I'm sure we will have the same problem with holes. I haven't even thought to look that far yet. I still have to convince DH that we NEED to do this.

DH found backsplash tile he likes and when I saw it I thought it would be perfect too. We are thinking about Wilsonart HD laminate countertops. I would like to do granite or silestone but DH is throwing a fit about the cost. I found this one and the sample looks like granite. You have to look and touch it to see it is not real. I guess I can live with it or I will never get new countertops. The picture looks a little too shiny from the glare but it really does look good. I guess a few hundred dollars is better than a few thousand.

I swear, I was just in a house with that countertop! I was appraising it, and at first I thought it was granite! Here's a pic of the kitchen (my flash made it look shinier than it is too):

I'm shocked to hear that. Did you get other prices?
We are also putting in a firepit outback. We've already had the natural gas line run for the firepit and for the new gas grill. We're trying to decide which firepit to go with at this point. 5K sounds really high to me.

I didn't get too far with the idea, because I already went $10k over my husband's budget with the pool, then I sprung the pergola on him. We got the original quote from the pool company.

We're now close to $20k over, and my husband never, ever, ever lets me forget it.

 

[SplshMtn99]

Hixski, I had picked that as a countertop too for quite a while. DH vetoed it because it didn't like how he could see the texture from certain angles. He doesn't voice many opinions on some things, so when he does, I listen. It could have just been the color of the one I liked however. They had a sample kitchen with it at Home Depot so I was looking at a large piece & not just a sample. I still liked it.

I like the color you picked.

 

[shovan]

Splash, That looks great!!! The cabinet being moved, really makes a big difference! I think the backsplash looks really nice too!

crz4mm2, That looks good!

 

[Hixski]

Splash,
Looks GREAT!!
I know the feeling, I am STILL trying to get the kitchen put back together (still have crap sitting all over the place).
The door was hung last weekend and we are FINALLY getting the trim in place.
All that is really left is the floor!!!
I am loving it.
I do have a wine rack ordered for the new wall. It looks to bare the way it is.

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Looking good so far!! Is your backsplash the vinyl tin tiles? My cousin just bought those at Home Depot to cover her white tile with forest green grout. The guy that flipped the house put it in and she hates it, so is covering it with those.

I knew you were waiting for them to show DH. Hope they help. You can move you cabinet any amount you want.

One of the reasons we went with such a small molding was because if you have a bigger molding that sticks out further, it limits how much your microwave cabinet doors can swing open. If the cabinet had been brought forward that wouldn't have been an issue. We couldn't bring it forward since there are holes on the side where the screws were used in attaching cabinets together.

DH looked at the pictures and loved it. He said he really did need to see it on cabinets similar to ours to see what it would look like. So now we know what we want for the kitchen to finish it. We just have to wait a few months so that we get the rest of our trimming and painting done and save up some more money. (We are painting the last bedroom right now)

Thanks again for the pics!!!

 

[SplshMtn99]

We finally got the microwave hung back up & put the old oak switchplate covers back on.

Hixski, this pic is for your husband. It shows the microwave no longer hanging below the cabinets. I have 18" of clearance now rather than only 16.5"

OK, OPINION TIME!!! Grout dried lighter than sample we wanted & tile darkened when we sealed it. We are probably going to get grout stain which is an easy fix since we haven't applied the final sealer coat yet. It will darken the grout lines AND the grout in the holes in the tile.

DO YOU AGREE THAT THE GROUT IS TOO LIGHT & A BIT TOO GEOMETRIC AGAINST THE RANDOMNESS OF THE COUNTERTOP? We were trying for a little bit more uniform backsplash look.

Thanks. Also, do you hate the old oak switch plate covers? We kinda like them & hadn't looked for anything else.

 

[crz4mm2]

I love your backsplash, but think it is too light for your countertops. Will the stain make it more brown?
I don't like the oak switchplate. I would look for something else there too.

Microwave looks GREAT!!! Good job!!!

 

[crz4mm2]

Looking good so far!! Is your backsplash the vinyl tin tiles? My cousin just bought those at Home Depot to cover her white tile with forest green grout. The guy that flipped the house put it in and she hates it, so is covering it with those.
Thanks again for the pics!!!

Yes, it is. I had tiles behind the sink before. I found these tiles to put behind the stove when I put in the above stove microwave (that's what started the whole thing!!) and when I saw how good they looked, I took out the tiles and put the tin behind the sink too. When we built that wall to divide the laundry room from the kitchen, I decided to put them on there too. I'll take a new pic now. WE got the trim around the door and I have my wine rack hung up now. I am still looking for something to put up above the wine rack... I just don't know WHAT????

[/IMG]

 

[SplshMtn99]

I love your backsplash, but think it is too light for your countertops. Will the stain make it more brown?
I don't like the oak switchplate. I would look for something else there too.

Microwave looks GREAT!!! Good job!!!

Yes, the grout stain is from the grout company. Stain comes in same colors as their grout chart. So we would just pick another color.

What happened is we picked the grout color before sealing the tile. Tile got darker when sealed. Grout dried lighter than its sample. So the tile & grout ended up in opposite directions from each other. We had intended for them to be similar in color so you wouldn't see so many lines. That didn't happen.

Add switchplates to list. lol
Getting there....but at least the big noticable parts are done!

We have a trip to start focusing on at some point too. lol

 

[crz4mm2]

Yes, the grout stain is from the grout company. Stain comes in same colors as their grout chart. So we would just pick another color.

What happened is we picked the grout color before sealing the tile. Tile got darker when sealed. Grout dried lighter than its sample. So the tile & grout ended up in opposite directions from each other. We had intended for them to be similar in color so you wouldn't see so many lines. That didn't happen.

Add switchplates to list. lol
Getting there....but at least the big noticable parts are done!

We have a trip to start focusing on at some point too. lol

It's always a process isn't it? We still have the floor and the big cupboard beside and over the new fridge (had to remove the old cupboards there to allow for the new fridge- it is WAY bigger than the old one ). I had the most fun with the tin tiles. It REALLY changed the look of the place (well the counter tops were the big change actually). They were not cheap, but well worth it and SOOOOO easy to do!!
Now, I am thinking about doing that to the ceiling!!!!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I think your backsplash looks fine as it is. Of course it looks just like mine, so I'm a little partial.

I would change out your switchplate covers though. My husband switched ours out to a bone color and they blend nicely. Here's a picture I posted yesterday in another thread:

ETA: I'd keep it the way it is for awhile and see if it grows on you some. If you're still unsatisfied with it, maybe you can get a grout scraper and scrape off about 1/4" or so and put darker grout on top of it?