Am I crazy or do I see that the old cooktop is halfway under a window? And I thought my layout was bad. I am so glad things are going well. I am having trouble getting the courage to just do it! Best of luck. Keep posting your progress pics.

Odiegirl, You're not crazy!! This house came with no vent (a long time later I found that the cold drafts were coming from a grille underneath the cooktop which I assume was in a space meant for a downdraft, but it didn't have one). Instead, there was a gas cooktop half underneath a window! At least it's an underpowered cooktop. I added the red hood above just to be able to cook. (Now, I have to find a good home for the red hood but haven't yet...)

More photos of the work so far are in my online diary at www.jcskitchen.net. I got sick in the middle of this (a cold, I think) so the text is less detailed in weeks 3 and 4, but the pictures are there.

Re courage, one day I just decided all my distractions (parental surgery, etc.) had resolved themselves, and I told myself it was time to just do it. That threw me out of research mode and into action. I made necessary compromises and started spending money. Once you buy your appliances getting the rest done becomes downhill movement, i.e., easy. :)

I am so glad that this is going so seemlessly for you. You are right that you deserved a new kitchen !! It IS nice to hear that you are having a positive experience. c

Thanks, Caroline!! There are a few bumps, like this morning when I found they'd painted the laundry room the wrong color, but the attitude is, okay, we'll fix it, so I can't complain.

wow, you sound fabulously calm. Must be bec you have a good plan. I just freaked out about my yard design (bec I didn't have my plan yet), and it is way less important that a good kitchen!

Can you post your story board again please?

Yay--you're on your way!!!!!!

Chloe's Mom,

Yeah, calm now. I've been stressed out though. Especially in the first couple of weeks when I wasn't sleeping enough. I'd sleep for about 3 hours and just wake up full awake. Sorry about your garden stress!! My contractor actually trained as a landscape designer, so when the kitchen is done, if I have any money left, I might let him have a shot at mine... What's making you freak out about your yard?

By "storyboard" did you mean the finish samples? I'll add that below in case that's it.

First I have today's treat: PAINT!! (Cat Mom, what do you think of the ceiling?)

Here are the sample floor tiles, door (bamboo), counter tile (green with cream vines--not the same shape, but main color), bullnose (will be a different green but this green will probably be somewhere), knobs, dark green soapstone for island, and paint chip. I'm working on getting some more real pictures together for the blog right now, but they're not there yet.

Here's a new shot of some of the tile samples for the counter and backsplash. Way cool. The flower shapes are for the outdoor serving counter and the "gumdrops", the other big shape, might go in the garden window. The counter top will be greens and the backsplash maybe the yellows into red--I'm still working on that one. The tiles are from Architerra Northwest.

Oh my gosh I LOVE those tiles! Cant wait to see more progress :)