I am so sorry to hear this, but like you said, everyone is safe. Things can be replaced; people cannot. Best of luck with the restoration.

Are you thinking of plugmold?

Did you lose your entire house, entire kitchen or a portion of it all? I am so glad no one got hurt, but feel for you that you have to go through this. Are you planning on redoing it the exact same way or doing some of it differently?
If it isn't too damaged and you replace it as it was, it should be easy to reorder and re-install.
If your whole kitchen is gone, will you be changing the layout?

The same thing happened to my sister last year! She had just remodeled the kitchen and had a toaster oven cause a fire. She ended up gutting the house due to smoke damage, but she's back home in an essentially new house. Good luck to you, and thank goodness nobody was hurt!

That is terrible, but thankfully as everyone has already said everyone is ok and that is all that really matters. I am sure that your new kitchen will be even more fantastic than the last because you will have the wisdom of knowing things you wish you would have done differently. Heck, I'm not even finished yet and I already have things I wish I could do over (but wouldn't want to be forced to in the way that you were) ((Hugs))

Good luck and welcome back!

~Kinsey

How traumatic for you! I'm very sorry you are going through this, but I admire your attitude.

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry. I am very glad to hear that everyone is okay. I hope the project goes smoothly.

Oh my! What started it? Hopefully not a GC issue!

Best of luck. Now you have a chance for the shoulda/coulda/woulda's you came up with post remodel :)

Glad to hear no one is hurt!

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm still in shock, but most decisions should be easy because we loved what we had.
Plugmold! Yay! That is one change and the other is to make the lip on my counters maybe another 1/2 inch out.
I also must finally choose my backsplash.
We had just redone the whole downstairs so I hope it ends up as nice as before. Its a 1920's colonial, so I hope her bones are in tact. We have owned it since 1998 and lovingly brought her back. Weird to not be living there this time. We've never relocated during the various remodels and it feels weird. In any event we are very very lucky.

I'm so sorry to hear that! Thank goodness everything is okay!

I wish you lots and lots of luck!

Teaforwendy,

A fire! Oh, gosh! I had a very small kitchen fire once (a combination of a moron and a frying pan full of oil) and there was a level of shock to it that was pretty intense.

A major fire would be an entirely a different ball game too I imagine! I hope this can be that opportunity to tweak things after you had a "working model" for a few months! What other things can you think about changing?

You are so right that this would be a great chance!

so glad to hear everyone is ok! sorry that you lost your new kitchen tho... hopefully, it won't be as stressful this time around and will go together at a faster pace.

SO sorry. Glad no one was injured or worse. So sad to see all your work gone, I'm sure. Here's to back to normal, but better!

I am so sorry for you and know how you feel as I am only part of this forum because I am doing a kitchen remodel ude to a fire a few months ago. I hope your insurance claims go as smoothly as mine have. My demolition starts tomorrow morning. In this case, the fire was a bit of a blessing because now I get to have a dream kitchen.

So what caused the fire? Robyn

Glad everyone is okay. Hope the structural parts of the house are too. At least not having much you'd change means you should mean that the rebuild will go much easier than the first time you had to make all those decisions. Few people are so well prepared for all that.

I am so sorry you have to go through this. We lost our entire home to a wildfire three years ago and are just now getting back in. It's really a blessing that you had just remodeled - it will be easier to get all the insurance money you are entitled to - at least that was our experience. I hope your project goes quickly and smoothly.

We were hit by lightning in our last house. 7 months later we moved back in and it was way nicer than ever before! Hopefully you will have a similar outcome. Good Luck!

Oh, my goodness, how scary! I'm sorry this happened to you (and to the rest of you who've suffered similar catastrophes) but I'm glad everyone escaped unharmed. Things can be replaced, people can't.

WOW, thank heavens you are all alive and well.

Lisa-a saidis perfectly

"Things can be replaced, people can't."

Wendy, you have sn optimistic and positive attitude.
This new reno is going to be beautiful and we will cheer
you on as you go.
Thinking of you and thankful you are safe.
~boxer

Wow - so sorry about your fire. How scary and traumatic. I'm glad you are all ok - were you home when the fire started?

Good luck as you proceed with fixing the damage. I hope the structure is intact and I'm sure it will come out beautiful.
Rachel

That is such a tragedy. I am sorry that you have to start over.

I can't imagine what you must be feeling. As everyone else has already said, thank goodness your family is safe and sound. I wish you nothing but good things ahead and hope that your rebuild is speedy without frustrations and that it is everyting you hope it to be. I admire your attitude. Good Luck and Best Wishes

Best of luck in this remodel, and what a great attitude you have! We lost our remodel in a house fire several years ago too. We were also lucky to not have any injuries. I hope this gives you an opportunity to get several "bonuses" which you didn't previously know about! Best wishes!

I'm so sorry Wendy. I'm relieved to hear you're ok. In the end the kitchen is just a room of "stuff" that can be replaced, lives can't.

As for Bianco Antico, check out beekeeperswife's kitchen. She did BA with a GORGEOUS arabesque tile. Here's a photo:

As stated above, you have a great attitude! I'm glad you're not dwelling on what was lost but looking forward to what will be. Good luck and although it feels weird right now, it will be nice not to be living amongst the chaos of the remodel.

Our village requires in-home sprinkler systems for all new homes over 3500 sq ft (and no one is building smaller than that.) This requirement passed several years ago and was controversial (due to cost) but has stopped a few fires from becoming disasters. (It's tricky - have to make sure those pipes are well insulated on outside walls.) Our addition was started before the requirement was made for additions (not just new builds), so we don't have one. But our friends who do consider it an extra level of protection.

Keep your chin up and be proud of your great attitude! Good luck!

oh Teaforwendy, I am so sorry to hear about your fire. This is so sad, but I am very happy to hear that the family is ok. It's good to hear you are approaching this with such a positive attitude. We all will want to see and help you as you go through this again.

And really? The Bianco Antico? It's gone? This must have been a very hot fire. I don't know remember where you live, but if it helps someone sent me a link to this blog because my kitchen is on it (and no, they didn't install my counters)...but the BA is on sale. Just thought I'd share.

Best of luck to you and your real family and remember that "the friends you haven't met" are all pulling for you too..

Here is a link that might be useful: granite blog

They still don't know the cause, but have narrowed it to either a malfunction of the range (GE cafe dual fuel which we looooved) or a crimped wire that caused a spark...it's greek to me, but since it's clearly accidental we haven't had any insurance issues so far. I just hope they understand that I want it back perfectly. That is why we had full replacement coverage, and because it was contained we won't get anywhere close to our policy limits.

Bee, on the granite it was very discolored and they didn't know if it would clean, then the construction crew dropped a cabinet on it and it shattered, so the heat must have caused fissures. All that gorgeous quartz I guess. I know you love BA like I do. Thanks for the link - don't know if they will ship from Utah to MO, but I have DH on it.

GE cafe, if it was the stove, I think it was a fluke and I'd get this stove again. I hate the dishwasher, but I think it's salvageable. The fridge we think is just OK, also salvageable. We preferred the layout in our whirlpool gold. I whined on here at the time, but we went with all GE Cafe b/c our kitchen area is pretty small. I wouldn't get that DW again. It's awful.

Integrated alarm, smoke detectors. We don't have sprinklers and I doubt they'd become code anytime soon in our little city, but we did have integrated smoke detectors and these saved our house and 90% of our belongings! We weren't home (10:30 am on a Saturday), but I'm convinced these would have also saved us if it happened in the middle of the night. So...I'm a big fan and encourage everyone to look into this!

Backsplash...I'm leaning toward Sonoma tiles (a) Tantrum in a sparkly taupey in either a rhomboid or subway or (b) the shimmery Viharas in the small squares - but what would/could I do in the niche? My cabinets are medium cherry (would do white, but a DH no). If I did the tantrum in subway, would the rhomboids look OK in the niche? Or maybe add some color there? Argh.

So glad for the 90%!

Good luck with putting the pieces back together. Very happy you guys were not home!

hi teafor...

I am so sorry to hear this! Way back in September I posted a thread for you wondering about your kitchen. And just yesterday, I thought "What the heck happened to her?" I was SO amazed to see your post today..I nearly fell off my chair!

Well, I'm really glad everyone is okay...that's the important thing. I'm sure that you will be able to find another slab of BA that will be just as beautiful. And with all the help that's available on the GW forum, you will find that perfect backsplash too.

Please keep us posted on the progress!!

KA:)

Here is a link that might be useful: calling teaforwendy

You Go Tea4!!!

... I am guessing just posting this here, in such a slightly offhand-sounding way, is part of your "healing process", if you can stand the language. Actually, you kind of fooled me earlier thinking you were so cool and calm and collected and hardly even needed support and encouragement. But that *can't* be right! This has to be incredibly traumatic for you and all of yours! My reaction must just have been some response to your own defenses and my not knowing your language. I'm new here and didn't hear about your trials the first time around, but I am just shocked by the horror of what you must have been feeling of late. And really, really impressed with the fortitude of your attitude. Good for you for reaching out and letting all these people who knew what you worked through earlier, know of your change of fortunes. Dusting off and getting back to business must be hard, but a giant, helpful step. Thank goodness that you are all alright.

If you think an appliance or similar may be to blame - don't throw it away until everything has been resolved. Could wind up being evidence. Robyn

teaforwendy, I'm so sorry. Like many others have said, you sure seem to be handling things well. Please remember to take care of yourself in terms of sleep, eating right, and whatever you need; often that gets lost in the whole ruckus of putting things back together and taking care of the rest of the family. (I used to be a trauma counselor.)

I'm so glad none of you were hurt, and I look forward to seeing your wonderful results after you do get back on your feet in your new kitchen. And maybe that dishwasher you hate isn't salvageable???

KA, I feel terrible I didn't see the thread. When summer hit, things got super crazy with work and weekend trips and my project kind of stalled at the "I need to choose a backsplash" stage and I didn't want to post photos until it was finished. Plus, I'm vain enough that I wanted my buddy who takes amazing photos to do them before my big GW reveal! Well, in October I decided we were all worn out from back to back remodels and I booked an 11 night Christmas Cruise, so that was my obsession until we returned home early January, then the fire on Jan 8. I had just purchased a new kitchen table and chair that I LOVE and it looks so good in the space. I think it's fine, if they can get the smoke smell out.

Anyway, it's a long (guilty) explanation for why I was missing, but it's wonderful to be back!

Thanks everyone for the encouragement.

hi teafor...

No need to feel badly about missing my thread. It's just great to see you back on the forum...despite the reason.

A Christmas cruise sounds wonderful! I've taken a few, but the longest was 5 nights. I hope you all had a relaxing, memorable trip.

KA:)

alright let's talk about something good--that cruise! where did you go and what ship? We did an 11 or 12 night one at Christmas one year. It was fabulous. My dh & I did an empty nest cruise to the Med this past Sept/October.

Do share.

I'm so sorry to hear that you had a fire. We had lost our house a couple of years ago in a wild fire (the night that DH was grouting the kitchen) so I know your pain.

Hoping the re-build and insurance goes smooth;y. Don't take any of their crap. You are entitled to be in the same state you were in before the fire - make sure they do that.

Did I re-build?? Nope we left Calif and moved north to Oregon. Planning another kitchen and it's so much easier once you know what you like lol.

OH NO! I am so glad that you are all OK! How scary! Your attitude is inspiring!

I look forward to your new kitchen progress!

We did the Disney Magic 11 night southern Caribbean cruise. It went to St. Maarten, Guadeloupe, Barbados, Martinique, St. Thomas and Disney's private island in the Bahamas.

I hung out on the DIS Boards meet thread after we booked so we had friends upon boarding and did a 68 cabin secret Santa deal. The ship is a bit run down, IMO,since the last time we were on board, in 2005, but what a fantastic time we had! 90 degrees on Christmas day watching my DD9 dance with Disney characters was a once in a lifetime deal!

I could get used to spending Christmas in paradise! :)

The islands we visited we great and interesting too!

Well, I for one, am glad you had that R&R and once in a lifetime deal before having to face the fire. Imagine how much harder it would be if you were still all worn out. The secret Santa thing sounds like a lot of fun and memories too. Enjoy those memories when you need to hit the refresh button in the months to come.

Too bad about your BA. You would think that it would be one of the last things to be damaged, but it sounds like you've got the explanation. I'm sure you'll find some new slabs of something wonderful.

In the meantime, I'm a bit envious of your Christmas vacation -- but my holiday fantasy is to be in the southwest. Maybe a white Christmas another year. ;-)