jm1fd Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I am leaning very hard toward installing stainless steel on the backsplash to match the fridge. What do y'all think?I think not. You've GOT to do subway tile. You're SO close to having a look that's perfectly suited to the house, but if you go stainless, you'll wreck it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 16, 2007 Author Share Posted January 16, 2007 Subway tile in a light color (say, almond) is my other choice. Keep those cards and letters coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stolitx Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Subway tile in a light color (say, almond) is my other choice. Keep those cards and letters coming!I love stainless, but I think subway tile would be perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flipper Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 It really looks great. Regarding backsplash: I agree that the stainless backsplash would NOT look good in this scenario. I'm liking the idea of the almond subway tile. Maybe even a glass mosaic that will pull out some of the colors in the granite. Or how about a 3x6 travertine in honed, not tumbled finish?Just out of curiosity, how come you didn't do the drawer fronts in the same style as the cabinet doors?flipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Looks awesome!(My vote is Tile, not Stainless Steel.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Very nice ,i say yes on the stainless steel backsplash. Your Fired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmainguy Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 (edited) I'd go for SS with the reflection we'd have gotten off the xenon. We went with Carrara marble which gives a duller reflection but now I wish we had gone with brushed SS...it just seems to tie the modern SS appliances together with the period cabinets...sort of like "hello 19th century, meet the 21st! But subway tile is a safe alternative. Edited January 16, 2007 by nmainguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Subway tile in a light color (say, almond) is my other choice. Keep those cards and letters coming!Yeah...I was thinking off white. A glass tile with just the very faintest hint of blue to it could do quite well with those counters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 16, 2007 Author Share Posted January 16, 2007 Interesting comments. I was a little surprised that some of the strongest feelings are about the backsplash. However, I recognize that a bad backsplash can ruin everything else. I am still debating things. I agree with nmainguy that the subway tile is safe versus stainless being a cool tie-in between old and new. The question is whether I want the bold look or warm comfortable one. I'm still thinking about that. BTW, here is the island pendant light I am considering. Does this change any minds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 17, 2007 Author Share Posted January 17, 2007 The granite was finished today. The only things left are to hook up the sink, add drawer pulls and refinish the floor. The floor will take a week if I do the whole house at once, 2 weeks if I do it half at a time. I think I'll move out and do it in one week, probably in February. Today marks 6 weeks and 1 day since I started the demolition. Not too bad, I'd say. Here's the finished product, plus some before shots for comparison. Before After Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 WOW! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flipper Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Looks awesome. From my experience, get some really heavy paper and cover the cabinets from top to bottom when they do the floor. It's amazing where that stain can end up. The edging machine will beat up your cabinets too.flipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpbro Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 One of my favorite touches is the stained paneling on the ceiling. For a minute there I thought it was original shiplap. Did you drop your ceilings? I couldn't find the ceiling in previous pics. That's one attention to detail that we just don't see anymore--interesting ceiling material! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted January 18, 2007 Author Share Posted January 18, 2007 One of my favorite touches is the stained paneling on the ceiling. For a minute there I thought it was original shiplap. Did you drop your ceilings? I couldn't find the ceiling in previous pics. That's one attention to detail that we just don't see anymore--interesting ceiling material! The new ceiling is nailed to the original shiplap. I had to reinforce the rafters a bit to make sure it would handle the extra load. The ceiling was a suggestion from my cabinet guy, who has put little details throughout the cabinetry. It is really impressive watching him work. flipper, the floor guy said he would cover everything, so I plan to hold him to it. Because it is quicker to do it all at once, I need to find a week that I can move out. Since the furniture is going into the garage, hopefully it will be better weather than this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAK Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 i hate my kitchen!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Well...what's the status? Backsplash in? Gonna post the budget? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 (edited) the same they who said you needed a louvered door per code told her she need to raise the water heater. I will say that the code enforcement isn't uniform in Houston. It's amazing what a simple meal or bottle of wine to the inspector will do for you.It all depends if it is a City or a County inspector. Red, the only thing I see that I would change is put a butress under that island overhang, Granite is tough, but it is better to be safe than sorry. You seem to do great work btw. I like everything I see. Edited January 24, 2007 by TJones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share Posted February 2, 2007 Well...what's the status? Backsplash in? Gonna post the budget? Sorry that I fell behind on updates. Since the major work is done, new pictures are not as dramatic. Also, after 2 months of this, I am tired. There has been some progress, either in installing trim items, or making decisions on how to finish up. Here is a shot of the pendant light over the island. Here is a view of the bar and island. Gotta love those barstools from Target! This pic shows the drawer hardware I installed. Here is the first meal grilled on my new Jenn-Air. Burgers and Brats...and Beer...can't beat it. Finally, here is the latest project. I pulled up the plywood and linoleum, only to find more linoleum. When I scraped THAT up, it left the glue on the original wood floor. I had no idea how to get it up until my dog spilled her water bowl on it. When I went to clean up the water, the glue came up with it. A little internet research later and, Voila! Pour boiling water on the floor, let sit, then wipe and scrape up the glue and backing. Things left to do: Put in antique bronze wire mesh in the bar cabinet openings to match the island light Backsplash - after much agonizing, I am going with brushed stainless steel to match the appliances. Subway tile would look good too, but I like the look of the stainless. As for ruining the period look, the granite counters and modern appliances already show a modern touch, and I like the mix of old and new. Floor - Not sure when I will do this. Having upset my life for 2 months, I am enjoying not having dust and paint smell everywhere. Since I am going to refinish the whole house at once, I will need to move out. I think I will wait until the bathroom remodel is done, so I won't scratch the new floors. That could be awhile. In the meantime, scraping up the glue will have to suffice. As for cost, I missed my goal of $20K by a few thousand. Not too bad. Putting in the wood ceiling accounted for most of that. Plus, a "friend" who was going to help on some work disappeared, forcing me to hire a real contractor to do his portion. That added another thousand. By acting as my own general contractor, and doing much of the grunt work myself, I estimate I saved $10K to 15K over hiring a remodeler. All in all, I am very pleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Looks great! I have a question. I see you installed the counter receptacles under the cabinet vs. in the wall. How do you like that so far? I saw it somewhere else recently and was wondering how they liked em in that location. Also does the box remain under the cabinet? I'd ask for a pic if at all possible cause you're giving me ideas for something else. I also noticed where you placed the light switches under the overhead glass cabinet. i like that too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share Posted February 2, 2007 musicman, I love the receptacles under the cabinet. It keeps them out of the way, plus when I finally get a backsplash, it won't be uglied up with outlets and switchplates. The light switches under the cabinet are great as well. Keeps walls and backsplashes clean. The only issue is remembering which switch goes to which light...there are 9 switches in various places. As time goes on, I am memorizing them. Plus, I tried to place them in a logical order. The overhead lights are the first switch by the back door. Next to it is the outside spotlight. On the left side of the sink is my sink light switch. On the right side of the sink is my disposall switch. The cabinet guy suggested hiding the switches and outlets. There is a 3 inch space under the cabinet that holds shallow electrical boxes. The boxes are mounted in a piece of plywood that runs under the cabinet. He then added a side piece to hide the wiring and form a chase under the cabinet. It worked out well. Here's a couple of shots of the under cabinet area. Since the dimmers get hot, we left some vent holes in the side piece. My only gripe is that the under cabinet lights reflect off of the edge of the white switch plates. I am considering painting the front edge of the plates so that it is not as noticeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 My only gripe is that the under cabinet lights reflect off of the edge of the white switch plates. I am considering painting the front edge of the plates so that it is not as noticeable.red you read my mind! thanks for the pics.So for your overhead light, is there another light switch as you enter the adjoining room that turns it off under the bar cabinet?looks like trading out the faceplates on the switches to the ones like your plugs may buy you a little thickness since they are lower profile. the curved edge would probably reflect less light. But i was thinking if at all fails, paint em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 musicman, Since the dimmers get hot, we left some vent holes in the side piece. My only gripe is that the under cabinet lights reflect off of the edge of the white switch plates. I am considering painting the front edge of the plates so that it is not as noticeable. Umm, how many switches you got going on that "homerun" ? May be why the dimmers are getting hot ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Umm, how many switches you got going on that "homerun" ? May be why the dimmers are getting hot ?dimmers become warm when in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 resistance = heat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumbles Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Well I am a green freak, I love the color of money. I would have to vote for green.I hate those granite tiles used on countertops. The first time I saw some I thought someone had put cheap stick on floor tile on the counter. I would rather have plain old cheap laminate than those granite tiles. YUCK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Well I am a green freak, I love the color of money. I would have to vote for green.You're a little late there, killer. He's already got the countertops in, and appears to have gone with the violetta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flipper Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 UPDATE!!!flipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 21, 2007 Author Share Posted March 21, 2007 (edited) Here comes an update! I just got back in the house after a week in exile. I had the floors sanded and resealed in the entire house, except for the bathrooms, which I will tile later. The refinisher replaced the termite damaged boards in the kitchen with some replacement boards bought at Historic Houston's warehouse on W. Clay ($4 a foot). He also reinforced a couple of spots where the flooring did not end on a joist, so everything is solid now, no springs. After ripping up the linoleum in the front bedroom/office, we found a little more termite damage, which added another $200 to my cost for repair. Repairs started last Monday. We moved furniture (and me) out on Tuesday, and sanding commenced. Wednesday, the additional repair and sanding was done. Thursday, sanding was finished. Friday, they applied sealant, and Saturday, they applied polyurethane, let dry, sanded, installed baseboards (quarter round) and applied second coat of poly. Sunday and Monday, I let it cure. Yesterday, I moved back in. Some pics. This is the repaired floor with putty slathered on to fill gaps. It gets sanded along with the floor, leaving it smooth and gap-free. Finished sanding, prior to sealing. Kitchen walkway after refinishing. This area had linoleum glue removed, damaged boards replaced, uneven floor leveled, sanded and sealed. Finished living room. I used a satin finish for the final coat. I wanted the floors to still look like they are 90 years old, not the sheet of ice look on some new floors. Though smooth, you can still see the grain, and there are imperfections, such as some black spots where nails came in contact with water in the kitchen, and a darker shade at the bathroom entrance from wet feet over the years. Overall, it looks better than I expected, especially the repaired sections, as the "new" planks from Historic Houston match the original perfectly. BTW, the horror stories about dust in every crevice are true! The kitchen is done now, with the exception of the backsplash. Finding stainless steel at a price I am willing to pay has been a chore. Patience is a virtue. Hopefully, my latest lead pans out. On to the bathrooms! Edited March 21, 2007 by RedScare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 I used a satin finish for the final coat. I wanted the floors to still look like they are 90 years old, not the sheet of ice look on some new floors. Though smooth, you can still see the grain, and there are imperfections, such as some black spots where nails came in contact with water in the kitchen, and a darker shade at the bathroom entrance from wet feet over the years. Overall, it looks better than I expected, especially the repaired sections, as the "new" planks from Historic Houston match the original perfectly. BTW, the horror stories about dust in every crevice are true!The kitchen is done now, with the exception of the backsplash. Finding stainless steel at a price I am willing to pay has been a chore. Patience is a virtue. Hopefully, my latest lead pans out.On to the bathrooms!they look great!! i love wood floors!so any stain? surprising that the color changed that much.the imperfections just give it a little more charm in my book. i have a few black spots too but the floors still look great!did you actually rewire the house? i noticed in your living room one plug on the two walls shown in that 2nd pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted March 21, 2007 Author Share Posted March 21, 2007 No stain at all. The sealant gave it the wet look that darkened it. And, I love the imperfections, too. It let's everyone know that these floors have been around for 90 years.The house has been rewired in parts. In the 70s, they added outlets and took them off of the knob and tube system. In 1999, some more outlets were added, as well as a washer and dryer outlet and a 240 volt circuit for a big window unit. I moved several outlets around when I redid the kitchen, as well as adding light fixtures that are not on knob and tube. There is only one knob and tube outlet in the hallway, which I do not use, and the overhead lights are still knob and tube. Over time, I plan to rewire those.I am so glad that all of the major dust producing projects are done. I can now watch the Aggies in the Sweet 16 in front of my own TV! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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