New kitchen taking shape
Kitchen installation - look at the space!
It might feel like a long time but thanks to my wonderful builder (on time, on budget, fantastic to deal with), the cottage is finished – all, bar the painting. And the flooring but, due to funding issues, that’s not likely to happen for a while.
After all my agonising over what to do about the kitchen, the builder came up with a solution: Woodcraft Kitchens. Located nearby in Ballyclough, this company makes kitchens to measure. There’s not an inch of wasted space or filler and they were also able to incorporate my two old over-counter presses into the new design.
The only thing that’s holding things up now is my “unusual” Belfast sink. We only discovered yesterday morning that the new taps I had sourced don’t have long enough fittings for this particular kind of sink. Fortunately the builder has come up with a solution and the plumber was out on a mission this morning which, hopefully, will enable us to get the final installation done in the next few days.
This weekend was originally designated for moving house but with the Husband being ill last weekend, the painting – which, of course (for our sins), we’re doing ourselves – got a little delayed. The major priority was the kitchen so, everyday from Friday through to Monday, my long-suffering mother and I, along with a helpful Little Missy, were around at the cottage from 10.30am to 4.30pm.
Someone liked the Chocolate Cupcake icing
The first things that came with us were, naturally enough, the kettle and teapot so the weekend’s work was much assisted by plentiful cups of tea, teabracks from both houses and picnics of bread, cheese and the occasional lentil salad. There was also a few morale-boosting Chocolate Cupcakes, which LM just had to help me pack. She had lots of fun icing them too.
Despite all the help we got from Little Missy, we managed to do one undercoat and two coats of colour before my kitchen arrived on Tuesday morning.
Now there’s only the rest of the house to go…
Caroline,
You are some woman! How are you managing all this?
The sink and kitchen look lovely. When is your new bun arriving?
It’s all about family power! My mother has been in painting every day since last Friday, the Sister undercoated the sitting room on Tuesday and I have a funny feeling that the Little Sister was bribed with some chocolate cake to get stuck in today.
Me? I took off for a leisurely lunch date with an old college friend and Little Missy. Back to the grindstone tomorrow though!
Still got time to get it all finished before things get totally mental. Due in mid-September but my mother has set a bad precedent of twice moving a week before she delivered each of my two brothers. Maybe we won’t move house just yet!
The kitchen is looking lovely and spacious and bright! I bet you can’t wait to start cooking in it. x
My cooker is already connected up so I’ve been able to use it for toasting bread and heating soup over the last few cold days – but that doesn’t count as real cooking! Fingers crossed for a move this coming weekend and then I can really start using it.
I am currently in the same kitchen situation and I feel your pain – You must be so looking forward to having it finished. Mine is promised for 3 weeks time – can’t wait!
Will be looking forward to seeing pictures of your new kitchen! I have to say that I was very impressed with how quickly Woodcraft managed to turn our order around…at one stage I wasn’t sure if we’d have anything in the kitchen at all when we moved back.
Kitchen looks so bright and airy! Love the wood finish!
Oh, it’s a natural woodfest alright – oak doors, beach worktop, plywood interiors. And that’s before I even mention my old cupboards, which are made from an indeterminate kind of pine, I think! At least the pantry doors (mdf, out of sight to the right of the picture) will be painted white so as to have some kind of blending-in-with-the-wall thing going on.
Kitchen is looking very professional I love the Belfast sink, found the French equivalent here and it works really well. Well done and Bon Courage- bit of a busy year this one for you. Beer launch , new kitchen and now more excitement in September !
There is no stopping you.
You’re not joking about it being a busy year, Martin. A new kitchen alone would be grand but the problem is getting the rest of the cottage finished in time for this weekend’s move, between brewing and everything else! Ah well, terrible to be bored, I guess…
Caroline love your kitchen and sink.
Thanks Wendy. SO looking forward to getting back in there. I love my sink as well but it’s been causing so many headaches. Hopefully the plumber got it sorted out today.
Hi Caroline,
Kitchen looks fab, can’t wait to see it for real. Hope the move goes smoothly.
I hope so too! I’ll try to avoid falling down the stairs this time round – that really held us up last time.
..you’re nearly there and just in time by the sounds of it. Love the worktop.
Nearly, nearly, nearly there! Plumber was supposed to finish work last night and kitchen man back in on Monday to finish last bits and pieces. Just as well as we’re scheduled to be back in the cottage this weekend…
Kitchen is looking gorgeous, cannot wait to see the updated photos soon!
Congrats on the imminent arrival .. so exciting! Little Missy will have such an important role soon 😉
We’re still lashing into your ale whenever we get to Stoneybatter to pick some up .. its such a nice drink after a long day in the office!
SJ x