Enjoy your birthday, Carrie!

Avatarwalt- lol at your comment:D

cpartist - when are you gonna send me a link to your art website???

Happy Birthday! Kitchen is looking REALLY good!

Carrie, I just messaged you. :)

cpartist - got it, thank you!

The table is here! Yay! It's beyond my expectations. Made by David Fortino, a local woodworker in Philadelphia. I'm so thrilled. The chairs are from my childhood "kids' table." They're comfortable, though theycould really use refinishing. I don't even wanna tell you what they were like before I brought them up from the basement...

I still need to adjust the pendants so that they're at pleasingly random-ish heights.

Oh I love that table top!! It is beautiful! Can't wait for the paper to come off the floors!

Oh, and ps: there was a discussion once about how far I'd be able to push chairs in to a 30" round table. Here they are, pushed in:

Even so, I may move the couch back against the front window & wall. And/or I may trade it in for a smaller couch (this one is 82") or even a loveseat.

Oh wow - that table top is stunning.

All made from recycled/repurposed wood. The lighter wood that makes up the bulk of the table was from a plank he pulled out of a dumpster. How totally cool & awesome is that?

that is TOTALLY cool and awesome, and yes, a stunning table top. Do you think he could refinish your chairs, and stain them in one of those two stains?

Just wondering whether, back in its original days, did the family in residence just have a table by the fireplace to gather around? Maybe just a settee?

I know what you are doing the rest of the day. Remember the day you just turned lights on and off? Tonight you'll be caressing the tabletop.

Now that's a piece of art! Good job Carrie, and happy b'day!

Lucky you. It's a beautiful table and your chairs fit totally under the table, when needed.

What a great birthday present! Happy Birthday Carrie.

Happy Birthday, Carrie! The table is a TOTALLY AWESOME birthday present to yourself!!!

Happy Birthday, Carrie!

Love your table ;) It all looks so nice.

Neat table. Happy Birthday to you. I was looking for one of the cats in the table pictures, since pets always photo bomb...and spied a tail in the first pic. Lol.

Can't wait for the floor reveal. When are you able to finally uncover them?

Happy Birthday Carrie! LOVE the table!!!

That table is fantastic. What a fabulous present to yourself. BTW: Where did you go for dinner tonight?

My choice would have been Zama's.

Happy Birthday! The table looks great and the size is good.

bpathome - I know that lots of people had kitchens in the basement back then - don't know if that was the deal here. Woodworker doesn't do refinishing, but something to think about for the future. I actually got myself out to see the Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret. Now, I really need to go to bed!

Anitamo - soon on the floors! Steps are going in tomorrow. Backsplash next week. Don't know if it's better to keep the floors covered for that stuff or not.

cpartist - I'm not familiar with Zama's... perhaps I should check it out! Went to see the Martha Graham Cracker Cabaret at L'etage, over Beau Monde. Delicious crepes and fabulous entertainment!

Happy Birthday Carrie!

Zama's is on 19th just north of Walnut. Fabulous sushi and Japanese. My newest favorite though is Jose Garces place on 20th, Tinto. OMG what fabulous food.

I was working yesterday so I'm late on the birthday wishes! The table is amazing! Glad you had a great day. Sorry about the dishwasher. :(

Very cool table and how awesome it was re-purposed wood and totally unique. Happy Birthday!

Had to chime in and say that table is fabulous and your kitchen is looking beautiful. You must be so pleased. Enjoy!

Oh, that table is fantastic and your kitchen looks huge!! Enjoy your party this weekend.

That table it beautiful. I want one too (but square :)

Happy birthday present!

Beautiful table. Have you been caressing it as you walk by? I did that to my new table ;) everything is coming together so nicely. Enjoy!

Cpartist - Garces restaurants are awesome! I met his personal assistant on a yoga retreat a bunch of years back, and she loved working for him. Anyone who is a good boss - especially a celebrity chef (chefs are not known to be good bosses... and, well, most of us know about celebrity status..) gets major kudos in my book.

I do love the new table, and I ate THREE meals at it today! So enjoying it!

I thought that electrician was coming today to hook up the phone, but that didn't happen. Builder came & started the steps, and will be back Tuesday, and hopefully will finish steps & stucco work. I've got this party tomorrow and am SO NOT READY. Luckily, my friends have low standards when it comes to me. ;-)

You will ace the party tomorrow with that fantastic kitchen. Carrie next year, I'm coming to see your kitchen and then we can go eat at Tintos. LOL

Cpartist - let's seriously do it. I mean, for real, in real life.

GC left a message last night w/ schedule for next week: He & another are coming Monday to start backsplash/shower tiling. They'll be at my place all day Tuesday, and Wednesday to finish up. Builder is coming Wednesday to finish exterior work. I have a list of questions/issues for GC. Most are pretty minor finishing up things.

I left a message back for GC asking about electrician, and mentioning that sink window needs adjusting - I can't latch it shut.

When I talked to Frigidaire Thursday evening about DW not latching shut, they told me their tech would be out Monday, and would call me Friday to give me a time window, they gave me the # for the appliance company. When I didn't hear from them, I called yesterday evening. Guy answered the phone "hello." Me: "is this Wallace Appliance?" Him: "yes". I told him he was supposed to come Monday, and I wanted a time window to arrange my work schedule. He said he'd have to check his computer & get back to me. I have not yet heard from him. So annoying. I have to work Monday. Party tonight with no DW. Of course, I haven't had a DW in 30 years.... but I want one now that I have one!

I adjusted the pendant lights this morning. One of the five (the one closest to the wall) I can't get to go any longer, but it's shorter than some of the others. I think it was probably an installation issue. I'll mention it to GC/electrician. Of course, electrician will blame the manufacturer, since he won't want to uninstall the whole thing... it does look better, now.

So, what can I do about my stinky, non-functioning dishwasher? I took everything out of it & have been hand washing & using it as a dish drain, but because I had dirty dishes in it, and some sauce (or whatever) was on those dishes, the DW stinks. What's OK to use to wash the DW?

Lots of dishwasher cleaners around, they get run thru in a pot and pan cycle, unfortunately you need a functioning dishwasher for them. I use them in my dishwashers roughly every 6 weeks. I use the Affresh brand, they also make one for washing machines

Hmmm. So maybe I shouldn't be putting my newly washed dishes in my stinky DW.

But since you can't run the dishwasher yet, you need to clean it by hand. Read the owners manual for things you CAN'T use, but you should be able to wipe it with a vinegar-water solution, then rinse with a wet cloth and dry it. Then try placing a bowl of vinegar on the bottom, or a box of baking soda, those kinds of things. Then when the DW is fixed, try the Affresh. I just started using it in my front-load washer and it works pretty well, may take a few tries.

once you're up and running, if you don't wash a load every day, at least run a short rinse every day, then crack the door open.

Thanks, deebert & bpathome. I figure I'll run the machine 2-3 times a week or so, depending on company, etc. It's the small 18", DW, but, with it being just me.... It is stinky!

Cpartist - let's seriously do it. I mean, for real, in real life.

Absolutely! I am planning on doing the fall Rittenhouse show next year. I am normally in booth #114 which is directly across from Parc Restaurant. :) I'm going to pass on the spring show for a few reasons. 1. I do much better in the fall show and 2. We will probably be very much into our build of our house in FL.

If we get down to Philly before then, I'll message you. I happen to love Philly and DH is from NE Philly originally. My daughter went to Temple. :)

Happy belated birthday, Carrie!

LOVE your table! That is some serious eye candy.

Cpartist - it's a date, whenever it happens!

Party update: Lots of fun, awesome friends, they love my kitchen!

I had maybe a dozen or so people here, most were seeing my kitchen for the first time since the remodel began, and none had seen it in the past several weeks. They were appropriately congratulatory. :)

One friend, who I'd mentioned the "indispensable, inexpensive kitchen gadget" post to, and told her about my Amazon wish list, got me a couple of those items at Bed Bath & Beyond. Yay!

Oh, and I did an informal survey at the party about the bump out color: LR yellow, door gold, brick red, some other color. The majority said the red, and that's what I've been leaning towards, so am leaning that way, even more.

One friend, suggested that I build curved shelves going from that end of the cabinet & curving in to the bump out, which I think is a good idea. I'm not going to do it right away, I don't think, but I'll mention the possibility to my GC when he's here next week. It could be a nice place to display some of my pottery & maybe a few books:

Oh, and I made this asparagus dish. It was yummy!

And I managed to damage my quartz countertop during party prep. :-(

It's not too bad, and no one will ever notice but me... but... I had a bunch of ironstone platters nested in an upper shelf (why did I do that???.) I reached up to grab one, not seeing that there were smaller ones on top of it, and they came tumbling down. The two smaller platters shattered on the counter top and put small gouges/scratches in the counter. I tried to mute the scratches with a Sharpie, but now I have little black gouges on my brown/grey counter instead of white gouges. They do make Sharpies in other colors, right? Perhaps I need to add a brown & a grey Sharpie to my Amazon wish list.

Yeah on the red wall! :)

Sorry about the counter. I would leave it.

" I had a bunch of ironstone platters nested in an upper shelf (why did I do that???.) "

oh yes, that is a no-no. Most usually have such an experience before they stop doing that. Can you find a place to put platters in a lower cab? and use a divider for them?

I put very little that I use above the 2nd shelf and I don't stack things anymore. I did have an extra shelf put in so the distance between them is only a few inches. That way I have no need (or want) to stack things.

Glad the party was a success and all had fun. how nice that your friend brought you a few gifts from your list! Because of your thread my list has grown with things I didn't know I needed.

Oh, crap, about the scratches. The first scratch on anything is the worst. Dang it anyway. Well, at least you got it over with, right?

I knew your party would be a hit. I figured you could serve bowls of chips and store-bought dip and it wouldn't matter because, well.....the kitchen! They could drool over that instead of food. But your asparagus dish looks awesome for someone who says they don't cook.

cpartist - soon, that little wall will be red!

desertstep - ah, yes, we only learn the hard way, eh? My list keeps growing, too!

***

I wanted to let y'all know that I just posted about my living room on the Home Decorating forum. Follow my next little project here!

Shelves in that corner sound like a really good idea. I like the red - yea!

Before mucking around with the gouges in your counter anymore - ask your GC if the counter people can suggest or have a filler for these kinds of accidents.

I'm so glad that your friends liked your kitchen and that you're using it!

Aw, mobuddy, thank you! I feel pretty happy these days, my life has never been better. I've got my share of neurotic anxiety, but far less of the latter than in years past. I do love my little house, I always have, and now it's sooooo much better than it ever was before!

blfenton - good idea. Thank you. I just put a gray and a brown Sharpie on my Amazon wish list. They were really small scratches, but still. When my counter arrived, I noticed a very small scratch/chip near the sink. The install guy used a Sharpie on it, and the flaw pretty much disappeared. Let me know if you have Living Room advice over on Home Decorating.

Yay for the red! Boo for the chip! It's nice to see you so excited about your new space. :)

Sorry about the counter. Anything new today? Can you take my mind off of pantry and carpet moths?

Funkycamper - I got the email notification today, about your post from last night. Weird, eh?

Aliceinjersey (are you in Philly-NJ or in NY-NJ?) - I'll start a new post tomorrow about this week. Today was an odds & ends kinda day! I've been avoiding the moth post with the utmost of dedication!

Carrie I'm in central NJ near Flemington but grew up near philly in Audubon Nj. So I love a philly row home!

Alice - I grew up in western Morris County - Long Valley. I pass through Flemington on my way home from Philly. Off to post this week's thread!