A simple kitchen reno -- finally finished!

Our house is finally back to normal after a lot of hard work. Yes, we started a long-dreaded kitchen renovation back in April, and we are very pleased with the results. (Click here for my previous moodling on the topic, and a picture of the day my old counter tops disappeared.)

Allow me to mention that there's something about renovations that flies in the face of our life goals. Voluntary Simplicity is about living simply, sustainably, and in solidarity with the poor and all of creation, so the frivolous spending of money to fix up a kitchen feels wrong when there are so many people in the world who don't have the simple basics they need to survive. The only way to combat this feeling is to avoid the frivolous and the trendy. In our renos, we did our best to reduce waste, reuse or recycle what we had, and go for simple beauty and practicality. And I hope to find ways to use my kitchen in service to those less fortunate.

I wish I had before and after pictures so you could see the difference, but somehow before pictures never got taken, and if you watch home reno shows at all, it would seem like we didn't change very much anyway. HGTV seems to concentrate on trendy and over the top designs and colour schemes that soon go out of style, but we chose a classic plan and will stick with it for years to come so as not to create a lot of waste now or in the future. For example, rather than get the latest in cupboards, we kept our old ones (gasp!) because they are nice solid oak -- just wait a few years and they'll be the next trend! Not that it matters a whit to us.

We aimed for practical, so all that really changed structurally speaking is that our fridge and dishwasher traded places, and we added the two nearest counter pieces with cupboards made to match the ones we already had. What a difference the changes have made to the way our kitchen functions! We're not bumping into each other nearly so much as we put meals on the table or empty the dishwasher, and I'm thrilled to have enough cupboard space so that running to the basement to get bread bowl or food processor isn't necessary any more! (I run enough river valley steps when I walk the dog!)

There are some nice aesthetic changes, too. The new cupboards match the old ones (thank you, Delton Cabinets!), and we found better door pulls that don't bite my fingers. The fridge no longer blocks the window, and I love the sunshine that crosses our new counter space on the right. All the counter tops are a fresh arborite that actually wipes clean. A new back splash means grout isn't falling out every time I wipe it. And for a nature lover like me, it's nice to have a leafy-patterned lino underfoot, and spacious skies blue on the walls. (Who names these paint colours?? Our dining/living room is whispering waterfall pale green. I'm not kidding.)

Of course, it all cost a pretty penny, but it would have been a lot more expensive if we hadn't kept the existing cupboards, subcontracted a lot of the work, and done the really time consuming stuff ourselves (like scraping off the previous tiles' glue and re-painting the insides of the old cupboards). Net result: a simple, spacious, and more functional kitchen that is already making this year's garden produce easier to handle. Not to mention less waste of renovation resources!

I've heard a lot of kitchen reno horror stories -- usually from people who rip everything out because they want a complete update. But keeping it simple makes a lot more sense -- not just for the homeowners' pocketbook and sanity, but also for the sake of the planet. And of course, we are known for trying to keep things simple around here!

The case of the missing mixer

Look Ma, no counter tops!

Did I mention that we are undergoing a "minor" kitchen renovation? Actually, it's turning out to be more "major" than we hoped. When we moved into my dream home 15 years ago, we noticed that the counter tops were pretty worn, but replacing them wasn't as important to us as opening up the wall between kitchen and dining room/living room, so that was our first kitchen reno.

Of course, the counter tops have only gotten worse over time, as have other little problems. We opened up our kitchen space, and no sooner was the wall gone than the little old fridge that came with the home died... and we learned that new fridges wouldn't fit under our old (but still lovely) oak cabinets. So for the past 15 years, our fridge had to sit half-blocking the kitchen window. As for counter space, there was never enough for a gardener who processes a lot of backyard produce.

So when our kitchen windows began clouding up last fall because their seals were done, we did some thinking and planning, and bit the bullet because we knew that changing the windows would lead to a cascade of repairs that meant we might as well take time to renovate the kitchen as a whole.

I find it interesting how just the word "renovation" evokes major excitement in some people. For me, it evokes dread, but I guess I'm not one who watches Home Reno TV channels where renos look so easy and glamourous. We certainly aren't looking for the trendiest new kitchen, or the inevitable setbacks that go with it. Functional is enough when you're trying to live Voluntary Simplicity.

First step -- replace the windows. Easy peasy as we didn't have to lift a finger (other than working to pay for them).

Second step -- remove the old backsplash tiles to allow for new countertop. Quite a bit more work, as we had to make choices about tiles that would match our new arborite. I'm no designer, but I think we did okay. Because Lee is quite particular about having a decent surface for the new backsplash, he put in a lot of hours and muscle removing the tiles and glue from old plaster walls while I was planting our garden.

Third step -- the new built cabinets were installed on Monday, no problem, and the fridge finally took its rightful place after 15 years of warming itself in the kitchen window. I could have kissed Tim, the installer.

Fourth step -- things get complicated. Yesterday morning, the countertop guy came to template everything, old and new. In looking at the removal of our old countertop, he concluded that the bottom cupboards and counter top had been built so well onsite (by the previous owner of our home, who was a finishing carpenter), cutting out the old countertop was impossible because he'd probably end up demolishing all the kitchen drawers since everything fit together so closely. He recommended removing the old arborite with heat and laquer thinner, and applying a new sheet of arborite. A very messy process and a big setback. Just the idea made me groan... and swear.

Thank heavens for Tim, the guy who installed the new built cabinets on Monday. He turned up again yesterday afternoon to check whether the counter tops could, indeed, be removed. "Nothing is impossible," he said, and got to work. He soon discovered that if he took out the sink, he could pry the counters up. No messy laquer thinner required!

Expecting removal and installation in one day (next Thursday) as had been promised, I wasn't exactly prepared when Tim said, "I guess you'll want to empty your bottom cupboards if I'm ripping the old one out right now." After 15 minutes of racing back and forth, they were mostly emptied (I covered our lazy susan pantry corners with towels), and I was laughing at my living room. Pots, pans, waffle iron, tinfoil and wax paper, cutlery holder, potato masher, spatulas and rolling pins all over the place. And our kitchen sink is now out in the garage!

We've been without our dishwasher for two months now (the old one quit as we started this whole process). Of course, the kitchen sink has been really important. Now the laundry sink in the basement has kitchen sink status as we carry basins of dishes down there.

First world problem, for sure. Yes, my back aches with this setup, but at least I'm not carrying jugs of water for miles. This week I am thinking of women all over the globe who don't have the benefit of a sink with running water, never mind hot and cold. How spoiled are we in North America, but we complain when our dishwashers so much as leave a streak!

Tomorrow, we will have new lino installed. For today, I am waiting to hear when the templater will come back to finish the job he started before complications set in.

I am also looking for the hand mixer that I use to mix up my breakfast smoothy. In the fifteen minutes of madness emptying cupboards yesterday, I can't figure out where it went!

On the 107th of January

It's official. This is the longest winter on record in Edmonton, by a few days already. We're on our 171st day of sub-zero temps, but hopefully Spring won't delay much longer. Yes, we're getting more snowflakes today, and the kids down the block have built a brand new snow fort (in the park, to the right of the trellis). Last night I made my own snowman-sized snowballs just pushing a shovel.

But we're making the most of these extra winter days. We've been busy with minor home renos that take a major amount of effort. 7 hours of painting our hallway on Saturday; yesterday, today and possibly the rest of the week, the living room. Shadow has been rather confused by all the furniture in strange places, and I was going to bake bread today, only to discover that my bread book is in a cupboard covered over in newspapers!

In spite of this long run of snow and cold, there's always hope for Spring. It will arrive any minute, say my little baby tomatoes. Spring, and salad, coming soon!

Clothing room update -- another great reuse centre

The clothing room at the Distribution Centre for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (the small chapel on the corner of 108th Avenue and 109th Street, just outside St. Joe's High School) has gone through a major upgrade since I was last there in February. Over the last 8 months my mom kept me up to date on my favourite folks who come to the Centre, and on the SSVP's reno plans and progress. Yesterday, for the first time since Shadow-puppy joined our family, I went to volunteer (after taking him for a long walk) and to see the "new" place.

Here's a view of the tiny bit of floor space where clothing for men, women and children used to be displayed:

(You can't see the second crowded aisle on the other side of the housecoats...)

And below, the cramped room where volunteers unpacked donated clothing.

Over the last several months, furniture and large items were moved to another building to facilitate the reorganization and renos, and some generous people donated a hefty sum that was used to brighten the entire space, rearrange the different "departments" somewhat, and enlarge the clothing area. Old walls were removed and new walls added, different sections were moved around (I'm not sure where the repair workstation went -- forgot to ask) and the whole place received a fresh coat of paint and new lighting.

The renovations are a vast improvement.The new and improved Terry Mahon Clothing Room (named for the son/brother of our generous donors) feels four times the size of the old space, which has now been transformed -- the small space where shoppers had to climb over each other to get clothing items for men, women and children is only one of three larger "shopping" areas. The old space is now just the women's section...

Look at those nice wide aisles!

A well-lit, full-sized men's section fills the space where 

walls and shelving units once were (back then, the men's "department" 

-- though you could hardly call two shelves and two racks a department -- 

had been squished against one wall and into a dark corner of the old space):

I love the bright new area where kids and babies clothing, books 

and toys are displayed... there's even a live plant! 

The ceiling is high, making the air circulation much better 

than it used to be... and the lighting is vastly improved!

We also have room to move as volunteers, 

with a long high table for unpacking donations 

and lots of shelving with bins for storing extra items 

so that we don't run short of things so often.

The City of Edmonton has an excellent Reuse Centre, but this non-city-affiliated one is my hands-down favourite, mainly because of all the people with "hearts for the poor" who work here, and all our homeless friends who visit. Saving stuff from the landfill isn't as important to us as helping people in need, but I'm sure the City's Waste Management Services would be impressed with our efforts to reuse, recycle, and reduce the stuff that goes to the landfill! 

Thanks to the Mahon family for their generosity, and congratulations to Daryl D. and all the volunteers who renovated and reorganized this place to better serve our brothers and sisters in need, especially Louise and my mom, who put things in their proper places. 

"Well done, good and faithful servants!"