Just to break up the horror of this election cycle, here’s a quick house update. My project manager, aka dad, aka the older wiser John Cole, who, at 75, still works harder every day than I have any day in my life. He is over at the crack of dawn working on the house every single day. He just loves this stuff. Where I see chaos and burning piles of cash, he sees a blank canvas. Basically, he looks at projects like this the way I look at abused animals. I honestly don’t know what I would do without him leading this. At any rate, he has stripped down the bannister in the front staircase, and it is going to be beautiful:
We’re getting to the point where I am getting excited- before I would just walk in and have a mini panic attack thinking “I don’t even know where to start.”
The kitchen is now completely gutted:
I have spent a great deal of time thinking about what I want, and dad and I have come up with a great plan. We are shooting for a look like this:
I was at a flea market, and I found a box of amazing tiles that had been reclaimed from the servant’s quarters in a mansion in Pittsburgh, and they were selling them for a dollar each.
We’re going to use those as the basis for the color scheme and the backsplash for the gas stove and sink. The walls will be a lighter blue than the one in the tile, and everything else will be white (ceiling, cabinets, etc.). Throwing in a big old country sink, and cabinets like this:
That’s not the actual sink or cabinets, but you get the idea. I also have my heart set on this on ebay:
The flooring is starting to go in in a week (red oak 3/4″) or so on all three floors, and the plumber and electrician are starting in the next couple of days, so things will start moving very quickly soon.
Whatcha think?
Shana
It’ll look great. And I really like the idea of using the tiles as the jumping off place for color and design.
Vogon Poet
From the headline, I was thinking Bannister and Kitchen were candidates in a contested congressional district.
jeffreyw
Got a link to that butcherblock table? Asking for a friend.
WereBear
I think it will be gorgeous! I’m so happy your dad is having a good time, too.
Chat Noir
I like the color scheme! And I love those deep country sinks. Sounds like you’re on the right track, especially having someone like your dad project manage the renovation.
Short Bus Bully
That butcher block is one of the coolest kitchen items I have seen in a very long time.
RoonieRoo
This is going to be amazing. You are so lucky to have your wonderful dad. I’m really enjoying watching this all happen and it genuinely helps with the election chaos to have this to read about.
debit
Really lovely, John. I love the color scheme you’ve chosen.
Subpoenaduece
I really like that butcher block! It’s definitely the most unique one I’ve seen.
scav
I’ve seen some lovely light blue beach-glass sort of glass tiles used in both a kitchen and bathroom to great effect. And that is a great sink. What color are the countertops (yes, we have to go there. Thinking ahead.)
ETA: Oh, and saving that amazing wooden post?! Gives me as many warm fuzzies as Walter nearly, I’m with Dad — I love wood.
Bodacious
OMG!!! I love it! At first I was excited because you were doling out some House results……….as in Congress (I could use a little schadenfreude in the morning). But this looks awesome!
He had me at banister………………
Elizabelle
What can we bring, for the potluck once you’re done?
First, Walter back to health and happy in a northern clime.
Now, this beautiful house, coming back to splendor. Providing jobs for the community as work is completed. We do need some good news!
Poopyman
I’m confused. What does this have to do with Donald Trump, again?
Emma
It will be amazing!
Cain
Very good, Mr. Cole. :) It’s nice to follow something other than a train wreck and dumpster fire followed by naked old men holding hands singing and dancing around it.
MzRAD
Great work Grumpy Old Man! That bannister looks spectacular. So excited for you and your big project: congratulations!
Poopyman
So, that newel post.
Given that the top is made up of multiple pieces and the grain’s not coordinated, I’m assuming you’ll be using a finish similar to the original? My bet is that the original was buttonlac or garnet shellac, which does a good job of toning down the grain in pine/fir.
Iowa Old Lady
What a beautiful staircase. And the kitchen ideas are exciting.
Betty Cracker
What a find those tiles were! You’re so lucky to have your dad on the job, and it sounds like everything is coming together.
My hubby and I gutted our (much smaller!) kitchen a few years back and redid it, including the installation of cabinets, appliances and a farmhouse sink that weighed 900 lbs. (not really — just felt that way!). A project like that — even on a small scale like ours — is so maddening and draining and expensive while underway, but the sense of satisfaction when you complete it is priceless.
MrChaz
It’s a big project, but you’ve got a dynamic project manager and great plans (love that bumped out sink look). Keep the updates coming, they’re evidence steady progress in today’s fervid election cycle!
That being said, please keep them coming (progress is always encouraging) until you’re done, as I think you may not be done by the election, sorry.
Humdog
John, you are so very fortunate to have your father’s insight and help on this. Just think of the decades of memories you will treasure as you put your hand on that bannister and remember your dad even long after he is gone. I’ve never been a photo album keeper but this place will be like a giant memory book for you until you cannot make it up the stairs. Treasure every moment, even the frustrating ones. Those are the ones that become the best funny stories 15 years down the line.
Ruviana
I love the kitchen above–looks rather like mine, except for that awesome vintage stove which I’d love! It looks like everything’s taking shape nicely and with the addition of DIY home restoration you’ve become even more of a full-service blog!
Rich Webb
Plaster and lathe! It’s an older than I had thought. Keep them if you can. Drywall has its good points, being relatively cheap and easy — and dead simple to cut to add an outlet — but real plaster is solid and so much quieter.
Poopyman
@Rich Webb: Yeah, I forgot to send kudos for keeping the lath intact when knocking out the plaster. Plastering’s a bitch, especially overhead, but there are enough plastered houses around Pgh that you shouldn’t have a problem finding a good plasterer.
TaMara (HFG)
Ooooo, Aaaaaah! And don’t tell your mom (hi, mrs. Cole) but Imma crushin’ on your dad.
John from Minneapolis
Love it. I really enjoy these updates.
Josie
OMG, John Cole, I know I can’t marry you because I’m too old, but could I adopt you and cook in that kitchen at least once when it is done? I’m a pretty decent cook, and I also have a sizeable collection of cobalt blue glass that my mother bought in Mexico in the 1950’s. Perfect with your blue and white tiles.
sherparick
I keep thinking you will split your skull open on one of those pots hanging next to the stove/oven. My only objection is this ergonomic one.
Joel
You going to drywall onto the lath, or rip that out, too? Please don’t tell me you’re going to plaster old-style. If you want the plaster effect, you should just use blueboard.
Gin & Tonic
We installed cabinets very similar to the ones in the first kitchen picture when we remodeled about five years ago. I’m not sure I’d choose that style again – they are hard to keep clean, and tend to accumulate kitchen detritus in the seam between the door panel and the thicker part of the door at the bottom (I’m sure there are proper cabinetmaking terms that I don’t know.) Crud from there is hard to remove.
TaMara (HFG)
@Rich Webb: A friend was redoing an old house, it had been turned into apartments – he had to knock out a wall, so he used the wood from the plaster and lathe as paneling for an accent wall. It was stunning when done.
PIGL
The kitchen is going to be gorgeous, John. And functional. I am not much given to home envy….I have a 1.5 bedroom condo in a very nice location in Vancouver wth a mountain view, so more than I deserve right there, but I do envy you your sink, and your gas stove.
Betsy
Wow, tasty!
Keith G
Love your taste and the direction you are going with this….John Cole, marry me! (I am pretty accomplished at cleaning bathrooms without bloodshed.)
Gindy51
Absolutely love every bit of it and am a little in love with your dad too.
PGFan
There are huge hassles in house rehabs — but also huge satisfaction. Once you’re past the getting the fundamentals in good shape the fun starts!
bobbo
Endorse enthusiastically!
That stripping job is masterful. Dad knows his stuff!
MomSense
Love it, John. Have you checked out houzz.com ? I find lots of ideas there.
jake the antisoshul soshulist
I’m glad your dad talked you off the ledge since your last post.
This should be an HGTV or DIYNetwork reality show.
My problem with those shows is they enjoy demo day too much.
It hurts my heart when they tear everything down.
Tom Levenson
Great stuff. We bought our current house in large part because we fell in love with the newel post. Also — + a gazillion to butcher block tops in the kitchen. That’s a beautiful piece.
donnah
It’s those little things like the newel post that will inspire you and lift you up during the ugliest parts of the renovation. I’m glad your dad knows what he’s doing and can put so much time and heart into it. I imagine he’s enjoying it, too.
You have made great choices all along the way, and your kitchen plans will make a great space, both functional and beautiful.
Hang in there!
Sarah in Brooklyn
It’s fantastic. Dads are invaluable in this process. Mine is 90!!
JPL
Wow! The house is coming along and your father is amazing.
Shana
@Humdog: Yeah, I always tell brides in the midst of planning/panicking about their weddings that if everything goes perfectly you have no good stories to tell afterward.
SFBayAreaGal
I love that you are restoring the bannister. I love your butcher block island. I know this may be sacrilege, what about putting wheels/rollers on the butcher block island? That way you can move it where you need it. I agree with Gin & Tonic about the cabinets. Lots of gunk will build up in those pesky seams. I am looking forward to seeing the completed kitchen.
I’m jealous you have someone like your dad to help with your renovations. You are truly blessed to have him in your life.
retr2327
FWIW, I picked up some nice white kitchen cabinets with that country look from Ikea, along with a beautiful country sink just like the picture. at pretty reasonable prices. Of course, using them means assembling the cabinets (I had 77 boxes to work through!), but judging by the excellent work on the banister, your dad is more than capable of showing you the drill.
qwerty42
Beautiful, John. You will love it. And many thanks to your dad for acting as project manager.
beth
this makes me really want to get my forever house in/around asheville (i really wanted vermont, but i had to compromise with the husband) and start my own money pit restoration. that kitchen looks gorgeous!
kindness
3/4″ red oak flooring. Lumber Liquidators? They were the best/cheapest I found for our place for the 3/4″ oak.
aimai
Great, great, aesthetic choices. You definitely get the most pleasure out of your kitchen! I also have that sink and I ADORE it. I would never go back to the old style divided or shallow sink. Never.
Remember task lighting! Good lighting over the sink for when you are washing up, and good lighting at your prep area, are a must!
Can’t wait to see the finished kitchen!
randy khan
That newel post is wonderful.
craigie
Looks great. Like your dad, I love the idea of stripping it all back to the boards and starting over.
And now, let’s talk about me. When we redid our kitchen, our architect asked what kind of counter surface we wanted. “Something unusual”, we said.
“I’ve always wanted to put in a glass countertop”, said the architect, “but nobody would let me do it”
So that’s what we did. Looks amazing, and never fails to start a conversation.
NotMax
Might consider toning down the white for cabinets a tad. Stark hospital white will show every smudge and grease spot. Depending on the size of the kitchen, white cabinetry can be like bridge painting – once you have cleaned to one end of the room it’s already become necessary to start back at the other side.
Personal aside: multi-paned glass in cabinet doors may look retro and nifty but as someone who abhors cleaning windows, the thought of facing keeping all those little rectangles of glass clean sends shudders down the spine. YMMV.
Kitchen cabinet idea which saw once and filed away had cabinets on the wall a little shorter in height than usual, and an open shelf underneath each one for storing plates and bowls, said shelves having their own doors which swung up and slid in (like those on a lawyer bookcase).
debit
@craigie: Glass block or…. ? (that’s a hint for pics, btw.)
geg6
Those tiles are a real find, Cole. Of course, here in Pittsburgh, it’s not quite to so hard to find things like that, especially if you go to one of the places in the Strip or the Southside that have all the stuff torn out of the zillions of old homes around here. My ex and I completely gutted and restored/remodeled a 1905 Georgian and were able to find fireplace tiles that matched the originals from the house, a mantle for one of the fireplaces and a vintage late-40s/early-50s gas stove, similar to the one in that picture in the OP. We also were able to find a fan window in stained glass to replace ruined one in the window on the grand old staircase. All of it for amazing prices. We were luckier than you, though, in that almost none of the wood in the house had been painted, so there was little stripping we had to do.
You’re going to love that place when you are done. We loved ours. Hell, I still love it and am still pissed that he gets to live in it since it was my designs all over the house.
Jay C
Very impressive: usually whole-house projects drag on for months and months (just because they can!!), A good thing you have a competent project manager!
Just one suggestion: now that you have stripped the kitchen done to bare walls, you might want to think about using pre-cut beadboard with a molding for the lower part of the wall. It’s easy to install, and gives a room that “old-time” accent (I think you’re going for “old-time”??). Of course, if you’re going to be putting/installing stuff in front of it the design matters a lot less…
Mnemosyne
I’m so envious that you managed to score a Craftsman. That house in So Cal would have cost you $1 million, easy, even in its present condition.
And the furniture in that style is manly and yet really comfortable, so even Suzanne will approve. ?
zashvil
Have you considered hardwood countertops? We did a complete teardown kitchen remodel 4 years ago to our almost century-old home, and didn’t want to use the same granite/steel/composites that everyone else was using. Instead, we went with solid cherry and we love the look. It is remarkably inexpensive (cheaper than granite) and gives our kitchen such a warm feel. We used large, slate tile inserts near the stove/range to give us completely heat resistant surfaces to work with, also very inexpensive. Finally, we used cork flooring in our work spaces to complement the hardwood floors. The cork is so comfortable to stand on. Good luck with your project!
Lee
I agree that bannister is going to look incredible.
xjmueller
Reno sucks but it will be worth it sweeter because dad helped Don’t be stupid but don’t go cheap; you’ll regret that.
artem1s
love your progress. vintage stove is lovely to look at but consider getting a retrofit one with ignition pilots if you have gas burners; for safety. I have an older stove and hate that the pilots are lit all the time. also, a stove vent to keep down grease and other steamy stuff from cooking on the stove.
If you like the country kitchen look you might try bead board for the ceiling and/or a wainscotting. less plaster work that way.
RAM
I think just like I mentioned before, your house’s woodwork is long-leaf yellow pine, which is a truly beautiful wood. I’m looking at the yellow pine here in our house that’s been casting it’s golden glow since my great-grandparents finished the place in 1908. And I’ll bet your floors, except in the kitchen, are yellow pine too. It’s an extremely hard wood, especially after it’s seasoned for a century or so–it’s the kind they use for floors down in Williamsburg where they get hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. So hope you refinish the floors, too. You won’t be sorry.
Oh yeah, in our house when we removed three layers of vinyl and linoleum 20 years ago, I expected to find an ash floor, since they were popular at the time. But instead, we uncovered an absolutely stunning maple floor. Several of the boards are birdseye maple. We bought maple cabinets to go with the floor, and it turned out really nice.
Old houses are the absolute best!
Roger Moore
@Rich Webb:
If you really like plaster, you can do plaster over drywall; that appears to be the structure in my home. It gives you most of the advantages of plaster while being cheaper and more even than lath and plaster.
JR in WV
Wow, the stairway will be beautiful. We bought our last house in town because of the unpainted woodwork, crown moulding, stairway, fireplace mantel, etc. It was beautiful. Two story brick on tile construction, no insulation, 1912 gas furnace with gravity return. Impossible to heat, we sold it as soon as we found the farm we live on now, after one winter.
The whole house will be beautiful, and functional for living in as well. You Dad is a blessing for this project. Love what you’re planning. Don’t let the downside of things blow you away, focus on all the upsides.
Plus, Trump is doomed!! ;-)
Take care and enjoy watching your house get fixed up!
PS: Strongly recommend a walk-in/roll-in shower in each bathroom, good for disabled or ill folks, or washing dogs. Bathtubs were great back when water pressure was nil, but no longer appropriate unless a Jacuzzi style tub and jets.
Lynn Dee
@Gindy51:
Me too. I was just thinking: I love John’s dad.
Roger Moore
@Mnemosyne:
Most of that is for the lot, though. There are still people who buy old Craftsman homes and want to tear them out to put in something modern (or larger, or a multi-family residence). Here in Pasadena, the owner of a historic Craftsman has to offer the house for sale to somebody willing to move it to another lot before they’re allowed to demolish it. The price is traditionally $1, with the new owner paying all the costs associated with the move. I guess it’s slower than a straight demolition, but it winds up cheaper, and somebody who really wants one gets a classic Craftsman.
Svensker
Perfect. Love your kitchen plan. In fact, when it’s -30 in Canukistan, can I come stay in your house? You’ll hardly know I’m there…
opiejeanne
It all looks wonderful! Using the “found” tile for the color scheme is a great idea.
Can I caution you to not be seduced by the farm sink at IKEA? Yes, it looks just like the one in the photo, and it costs so much less, but they are not made with fire clay nor do they have cast iron under the pretty white finish. They are so delicate that a garbage disposal may rip out the drain hole to a new, larger size if mounted just the teeniest bit off-centered. Also, any heavy item such as a wine bottle will break the drain hole or the sink. We had one; it survived because after reading about MANY of these adventures we did not mount the garbage disposal nor did we let guests near it with wine bottles or anything heavy. It is now residing in my daughter’s basement, working as the laundry room sink.
It lasted nearly 4 years and was replaced by a Franke-Villeroy & Boch which cost more but was worth every penny. This sink is tough, and while I don’t recommend dropping wine bottles in any sink, sometimes house-sitters have parties in our absence and they are not always as careful with our stuff as we would hope. There are other good sinks out there.
In the photo of the sink, it’s an “undermount”, and I do recommend installing one of those rather than the drop-in style. Drop-in is cheaper but cleanup is a lot easier with the undermount sink.
opiejeanne
And YAY! for having a dad who is enjoying this and willing to do it.
opiejeanne
@Roger Moore: I remember the scandal when a Craftsman in either Pasadena or South Pas in incredible shape was sold off in bits, sold for the parts, and then the house was demolished. People all over the SG Valley were talking about it.
CZannehappy
@retr2327: seconding IKEA kitchens. Yes, the boxes are MDF. But the 100mm, frameless system is really superior for storage and ease of use, and IKEA keeps their kitchen stock around for about 25 years and warrantys it for that long, so if a frame gets damaged, you pop out the single box, replace it and you’re back in action — which really should be a consideration because kitchens are work-spaces. I’ve got photos around somewhere of the gut job I (5’2″ female in 30s) did on my grandmother’s 130+ year old farmhouse back in 2009. I did it alone, with the power tools I could get past TSA (plus a borrowed jig and compound miter), and it took me three weeks, from demo to restoration. I have not used the IKEA farmhouse sink, but I hear very positive things about it, and it’s 1/3-1/5 the cost of others on the market for excellent quality. And I swear to god and all the angels that their butcher block countertops are the best things ever, for any price.
opiejeanne
@srv: Europeans shop differently than Americans. They go to the baker and the green grocer and the butcher almost every day so they don’t need such a large fridge, but we are talking about John here who hosts large groups of young Frat men in his home fairly often.
We have rented apartments when we’ve visited Paris, twice, ten days each. They also tend to live in much smaller spaces than we do.
Around here old cabinetry is usually sold or donated to a salvage place like Re-Use or Habitat for Humanity, We have found nice things for our house at these places.
karen marie
Love the bannister, HATE the stove shoved into that odd space with not enough counter space to set anything once it’s full of salt, pepper, oil, etc. That should be rethought, imo.
opiejeanne
@CZannehappy: The thick butcher block counters from IKEA are the bomb, and the price was unbelievably low for such a nice item. The mounting rails for the upper cabinets is wonderful, a total boon to the do-it-yourselfer. We re-used the beaten-up 15 year old IKEA cabinets in this house and painted some of them. We kept them for about 4 years, when we remodeled we donated them to a young couple down the street who had just bought a fixer.
Old to new Ikea kitchen
karen marie
@karen marie: Given that you’re stealing space from the former formal dining room, why keep basically the same kitchen layout? At the least, I’d swap the sink and stove locations, just for more counter around the stove, but that still leaves really limited counterspace. Once you put out toaster, coffeemaker, microwave, there’s very little working space left.
opiejeanne
@karen marie: Yes, I don’t much like the stove in the nook, and I feel the need for counter space on both sides if I can have it.
Nancy Supler
You have excellent taste…it is period appropriate, charming and very attractive. Thanks for the pictures…keep on showing them.
opiejeanne
@Tom Levenson: This house and the previous one were purchased as much for the lot as for the house. Both houses had good bones, sensible layouts, but the yards were big and waiting for someone to love them.
Mom Called
Looks wonderful! So it will be a country kitchen, with lots of space for dining table, I guess. Seems like I never have enough counter space, that’s the thing I notice.
Roger Moore
@opiejeanne:
I haven’t heard of a case that exactly matches what you’re describing, but the case of the Robert R. Blacker House is probably what you’re thinking of. The house was considered a masterwork by renowned Pasadena architects Charles and Henry Green, who originated the American Craftsman style. Greene & Greene houses were famous for being built with all custom furniture and furnishings designed for specific places in the house. The people who bought the house from the Blackers didn’t appreciate what they had and sold off all the furniture in a giant yard sale(!), and a subsequent buyer who did realize what he had ripped out most of the remaining furnishings and sold them on the art market for more than the price of the house. The house was pretty much gutted, but it wasn’t demolished and was subsequently bought by a couple who appreciated its history and have paid to have it restored. The gutting of the house gave strength to the local historical preservation movement, which passed laws specifically protecting other Greene & Greene houses and historic Craftsman homes in general.
Joel
@CZannehappy: IKEA boxes are particleboard, not MDF. But that’s no matter, they’re still damn sturdy.
I know some pro woodworkers. The secret is that most of them use veneer over MDF for their fine pieces. Solid wood moves with moisture, and a plank of high-end wood like zebrawood, mahogany, or even black walnut, costs an absolute fortune (and is environmentally unsustainable to boot). The fronts are the aesthetic part of the cabinet. You can buy IKEA boxes and have a woodworker custom build whatever fronts you prefer. There are companies that are founded on this exact principle!
Lurker
That bannister is absolutely gorgeous. And I love your kitchen plans with that blue color scheme. Oh, and your Dad is a great manager. Think your parents would adopt me? I’m a good cook, super organized, and good company.
Juju
I know I’m late to this, but instead of a light blue wall color you might consider a light pastel yellow for your kitchen walls. Yellow, blue and white is a classic color combination. When you get your butcher block island please don’t use anything but a food grade mineral oil or even vegetable oil that has been left on the wood for a bit of time, then washed off. I agree with NotMax about the white cabinets. They can become a dirt magnet. Look around at other options that disguise dirt but are still white ish, such as pickled or glazed. Don’t forget you live in a state with glass blowing companies and talented glass blowing artists when it comes to picking out light fixtures for your kitchen. I have some made in West Virginia hand blown light fixtures hanging over my kitchen sink, and they are beautiful, and the thing that most people notice when they first see the kitchen. Cobalt glass would probably go nicely with those blue and white tiles.
I envy you doing a project like this. I wish I could be there to help your father.
glory b
@geg6: In Pittsburgh, Construction Junction, 241 South Lexington Street, 15208. It’s a nonprofit and they sell parts from dismantled houses and office buildings, as well as new leftovers from renovation/construction projects. I understand that the builders can get a charitable donation deduction by giving them their stuff.
It’s around the corner from my house. They have amazing stuff sometimes, garden statuary, bookcases and wood fronts from lawyers’ offices, bricks, tile, paint, all kinds of salvaged hardware, counter tops, doors, etc.
Worth a look for anyone in the area.
Lymie
Things are looking good!
A couple of notes: One would definitely want a hood over the stove; That wall right to the left of the stove would get in the way – you usually want some counter top; Those pots are hanging in a head banging location; Ditto what everyone is saying about white cabinets, particularly with dogs!
SIA
Love it all! I’m thrilled about the New Cole Pet Hostel!
Take advantage of the stripped kitchen and anywhere else to put boric acid and especially diatomaceous earth between the walls and floors. You’ll never have a roach again.
Way to go Mr Cole Sr!
ETA I love white cabinets, and they brighten the room.
orchid moon
Love the bannister, and your kitchen plans are fantastic. The butcher block will be a wonderful addition to your country kitchen.
John Revolta
@Jay C: Beadboard is a great look and it’s easy to work with. You can paint it before you put it up!
JustRuss
Love the kitchen sink. Tearing a house apart is probably a lot more fun when you don’t have a whole lot else going on. I was lucky enough to have my recently-retired father in law move in for a month or so when we bought our place, he worked his butt off and loved every minute of it. Glad your dad is all over this.
grumpy realist
@NotMax: Especially anything near the stove…
I have the opposite problem: a blanketly-blank pink-and-whatever granite countertop (was there when I moved in) that is just AMAZINGLY good at not showing things that get put down on it. I lost a screwdriver with a blue handle on it once. No joke.
Mai.naem.mobile
You need to post a house plan. I’ve been involved in a bunch of renos but it’s hard to tell the house plan from just the pics. I like the tile and the butcher block. I like the look of white cabinets but don’t like the thought of maintaining white cabinets. Make sure you seal the grout on the tiles.
stinger
The kitchen is going to be gorgeous, and I’m glad you’re going with an older look. The newel post is wonderful, and it’s great that you are re-purposing existing materials like those great tiles. It’s also great that you have John Cole Senior on hand — my dad played much the same role in my life when he was alive.
Miss Bianca
I love blue and white color schemes – my next kitchen is going to be all in shades of blue and white. I think I’m experiencing tile envy.
jl
All this fuss? Looks OK tome now. Clean it up and move int. All the new stuff, just more work to take care of.
That’s right, I am the champ slob of this here miserable lefty blog.
Good luck Cole. But after I see your grand plans, don’t come back whining about the money!
cosima
Love your reclaimed tile. And your beautiful bannister.
We’ve lived in our house for just over a year now, new build, chose everything in the kitchen. Here are my thoughts on yours —
Don’t put the stove against a wall (it’s been said many times here by other commenters, but cannot be said too many times).
I was going to suggest a butcher’s block/island from IKEA, and see that many others have already done that. If you can get your dream ebay one, go for it, much prettier, but if you can’t IKEA. Their worktops are easily changed out.
Your sink is dreamy, but not practical. We have a large Belfast that is quite similar, but split at about 60/40. It’s deep enough & large enough to wash anything in the large side, but the small side is where I do the usual washing up (yes I have a dishwasher, but am totally type A about my dishes).
Look for the inserts that slide in/out of cupboards. We bought some almost 10 years ago at Costco for a house we had then. Never got around to installing them before we had to sell it to move. Have carted those damn things all over the US, Canada & now the UK, where they are now installed and make life so much easier. No more searching for what is at the back of the bottom of a cupboard.
Never let anyone talk you into a stainless steel backsplash. While it’s handy to be able to put a recipe up with some magnets to read whilst cooking, it’s the WORST for keeping clean. I’m desperate for my husband to get motivated enough to replace it with some tile. Hate it.
Just Some Fuckhead
Moar dads. Think about the shit you could accomplish with a half dozen more.
opiejeanne
@Roger Moore: That’s the house. I forgot that it wasn’t torn down in the end, but I remember the desecration while it was going on. Who does that to a Greene & Greene? Ugh!
Steve D
Got a hood for that stove? Otherwise, looks gorgeous.
opiejeanne
@Mnemosyne: It’s a Craftsman (Arts & Crafts)? The photos of the front of the house suggested something other than, more like a 4-square or a farmhouse, but the photos of the inside had a 1900-1920s look so maybe it could be considered Craftsman.
We have owned two: a small cottage built in 1924 and a big gorgeous one built in 1913. The latter had, in the back hallway, some trim that wasn’t Arts & Crafts at all; stuff left over from the Victorian period.
mario
hey john,
I don’t post much, but have read you every day for years. You’re like the most human blogger out there. Your personal posts about pets and now the house are just a treasure.
Only the best of luck to a great guy.
sheldon vogt
Too bad your house isn’t in Kansas City, John. 95% of my work is in homes of this vintage, putting in kitchens and baths that look as though they’re original.
I have two recommendations for you:
–Use inset doors and drawer fronts, like the light blue cabinet picture. If you have a good cabinet maker, you might use tapered or arched legs to create a furniture-like appearance. Inset fronts are worth every penny.
–The Farmington farm sink in that picture is a BUGGER to install properly–read expensive. If you want to use a farm sink like that, try Kohler. They have one that installs simply and looks great
Your dad is doing great work
Have fun!
Sheldon
raven
Shit I missed this thread! Looks great and it’s great your dad can help. My FIL was a builder and, when we bought this place 17 years ago, he designed stuff and then came down from Virginia and kicked my ass telling me what to do. His expertise was a great gift but I always felt my dad really regretted that he couldn’t help. Treasure this.
raven
@sheldon vogt: We used Trespa for our counters and, after a year, we’r really happy with them
MDavis
As per the picture of your dream kitchen – I FOUND an butcher block like the one in the pic, on craigslist, for $200. Huge, heavy, antique … took several months, but I finally found what I was looking for. Check both ANTIQUES (there is a cool one listed in Southern WV on craigslist NOW for under $500) and HOUSEHOLD. The old ones are superior to the new ones.
jnfr
This is fantastic. All hail Dad!
jnfr
I love all this so much.
Comrade Mary
Looks awesome, John!
@zashvil: OMG, do you have any pics to share? I am very, very, very tempted to replace my sad laminate countertops with wood, but I am concerned about a few issues.
1) Potential water damage around the sink (I have considered tile or slate as a buffer around the sink, but can’t think of anything that wouldn’t look choppy. I’m also wondering about keeping the top-mounted sink edges clear of grunge without marring the wood when I clean.
2) Making the joins look good on the two corner areas. I know that mitering is “best” but I don’t know if I could get away with just butting the segments laterally.
bluefish
What I think is: gorgeous! Your Papa is a wonderful person. Must seem overwhelming, all this, but it’ll be just swell and so nice to have this experience with your father. Enjoy it. Beautiful banister. Always wanted one of those, just like that. Happy for the Coles.
Greg Ferguson
It’s gonna be great! Just seeing the ceiling open up in the kichen is a rush. My sis and her husband are in the midst of working up their current house (hopefully their last for that kind of thing), and,yes, it’s a slog but the rewards are immense. Bless your Dad in every way … ?.
Chelsea
It’s gonna be awesome ! http://qkcsf.com/quality-kitchen-gallery/