As mentioned in my last post, we'd hoped to be done with our home remodel this week. As it turns out, we're not. We received the wrong hearthstone and may have to wait another few weeks for delivery of the right one, delaying completion of our living room fireplace. The kitchen's electrical panel also didn't pass muster with the city inspector so changes will have to be made there. My husband is still cleaning up glue left on the surface of our new wood floors and we haven't hung all our pictures yet. Nonetheless, with the arrival at last of cooler temperatures and our first rain of the season, it's time to shift my focus back to the garden. However, as I've made many references to our home remodel over the past 5+ months, I'm not going to leave you hanging without photos of our new space.
First, let me take you back to the beginning. My husband and I formally kicked off our project in July of 2018 when we approached the city for approval to push out our exterior kitchen wall by 5 feet. The city required that we get a formal geological survey done first.
![]() |
| Our area is currently designated as an "open spaces hazard zone" (signifying a landslide risk) although the city publicly announced its intention to move that boundary line well beyond our property line in 2012. As that still hasn't happened, we had to prove that shifting our kitchen wall wasn't going to jeopardize us or anyone else. |
By Christmas last year, we finally had the city's approval to move forward. We worked with an architect on the plan while we waited for our general contractor to clear his schedule to start our project. In April of this year, my husband started building a temporary kitchen for our use during the remodel.
![]() |
| He tacked the temporary kitchen on to the north side of our house adjacent to our master bedroom |
In mid-June, a paving contractor dug the required 5-foot deep foundation for the kitchen extension and, on July 1st, our existing kitchen was demolished.
![]() |
| Everything went! |
![]() |
| I subsequently caved and agreed to my husband's desire to remove the funky indoor barbecue unit linked to the living room fireplace to create a more open view between the kitchen and the living room. This photo shows it halfway through demolition. |
![]() |
| The back of the house remained fully open from July through August, which was creepy |
![]() |
| The new kitchen with its taller new roof was finally framed in August |
In September, things moved into higher gear as the new kitchen was finally fully enclosed and cabinetry went in. Kitchen counters were installed in early October and we got an entirely new roof and a new HVAC system. The house interior and exterior also got a new coat of paint.
![]() |
| The roof work was particularly hard on the garden |
New wood flooring was installed in half the house in November (in 2 installments) and the fireplace was covered in a coat of plaster. That brings us to where things stand today. Here's a look at the renovated spaces.
![]() |
| The front door foyer hasn't changed much except for the flooring. Unfortunately, the new HVAC vent there meant we had to find another place for our grandfather clock. Pictures still need to be hung here, among other places. |
![]() |
| Ta-dah, the new kitchen! (Oops, I neglected to clear away the washed dishes before taking this photo.) |
![]() |
| We previously had a peninsula and upper shelves dividing the kitchen from the dining area. Now they're more clearly linked. |
![]() |
| This is the new dining area, minus the stone barbecue unit attached to the fireplace. My husband refers to the new rug here as my "Alice in Wonderland rug." |
![]() |
| The living room was always a light space but the removal of the indoor barbecue structure made it feel even more so |
![]() |
| The new wood flooring extends from the living room through the dining room and kitchen and down the hallway beyond. The fireplace will be finished with a stone surround after the hearthstone is delivered and my husband plans to build a wood mantle for it. |
![]() |
| As you can see, my husband mostly got the open concept he wanted. I admit I do like how light and airy the whole space feels now. |
So that's it. Not exactly a final wrap but it'll have to do. I need to get focused on cleaning up the collateral damage to the garden. Best wishes for a pleasant weekend!
All material © 2012-2019 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
