I am so excited for you! I'm glad you are in a place where you can enjoy the process so that you get exactly what you want.

Just wanted to post about a stain I've used a few times. This stain is different fro other stains as it's thicker and doesn't absorb "into" the wood. It sort of sits on the wood like a paint. It's good for difficult or not so perfect woods. I just went over the existing stain on my staircase to darken it up, it did a wonderful job. It was so easy to work with.

Here's a Pinterest board with some projects done with the stains....General Finishes.....


https://www.pinterest.com/generalfin...ava-gel-stain/

Really nice stain...looks so rich and warm and like it applies really evenly too.

Well this is kinda fun - a table base made of pipe! Would love this w/ a distressed / reclaimed wood table top....

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/211247038747658422/

LOL all I could think about is the bruises I'd get from knocking my knees against those pipes

We've been painting a lot. My family is coming here for 4th of July so we have lots to do to "show off" the house when they come. We're also doing the stairs. Took off the carpet and putting in laminate. Thanks to Toto the carpet on the stairs was his pee spot when we first moved in last year. Hopefully we can finish soon and then I'll post pics. We haven't done anything in the past few days bc I tweaked my neck bc I didn't want to bother Toto while he slept (pillow hog), so I guess I pinched a nerve and my neck/back/shoulders have been hurting for almost a week now! Thanks to this 5 lb dog! He bites when I disturb him while he sleeps. Real bites, not just nips. And since he's old I usually just let him have his way.

But anyway, if anyone is going to paint anytime soon, we got the Behr Marquee paint from Home Depot and it is THE BEST paint I have ever used. We've tried them all from HD and Lowe's. It's better than Valspar for sure. One coat and that is it. It's double the price of the cheapest paint they carry, but we tried that also (Glidden) and we had to do two to three coats with that paint. So in the end Marquee is cheaper and you save time too!

Also got a great find at the Habitat for Humanity store. A vintage bathroom set which consists of the light bar that goes over the mirror, three toilet paper holders and a towel bar all for $60. The metal is brass so I will paint or Rub n Buff it to make it look patina'd. I'll get before and after pics too--when I can work on it!

Maui Kitchen Update
 

Hey everybody, things are moving along. The new design is drawn and 3 designers are bidding on custom cabinets, I have picked out the granite and fabricator, and have a start on selecting appliances. Wow, so many meetings, and so many decisions that I hardly have time to spend on YT.

It takes 10-12 weeks to get cabinets made and delivered here, so we won't do demolition until late August or early Sept. and hopefully will be complete at the end of September.

I will attach a "before" photo of my now 22 yr old kitchen that has served me well, but now time to move on. It looks smaller in the photo (the long bar top is actually 12 1/2 feet, and kitchen extends wider than photo into pantry).

Wish me luck :) This is really exciting, and I am not as scared as I have been.

Can't wait to see the end result! I love the long bar. Also love the big window. But don't really love those glass ice blocks lol.

Great tip on the paint, I must say! Bc I just hate doing multiple coats on walls, ugh. I like one and done...so this is really helpful to know. Can't wait to see your finished projects!

For being a 22 yr old kitchen, it looks amazing! I can see why you loved it for a long time. I LOVE allllll that lush green I'm seeing outside your window, btw. Can't wait to see more of the kitchen reno project as it unfolds. Ya know what one thing I wish I had in my kitchen (amongst many, of course)? I wish my fridge appeared more like a built in. Are you going for the built-in look at all?

Thanks. Oh, and the green you see out the window, that extends the whole length of the lot, and my house is all glass on that side, so there's lots to see. Then the next wall is all glass, looking at the ocean.

My fridge will no longer be angled out, it will be flush against the wall. I am going with full size which is 28 cubic feet, rather than counter depth with is only 22 cubic feet. It is a the end of the kitchen layout so won't be weird with handles sticking out.

It is exciting, but takes so long to get the cabinets. But here is some really big news that is making it all extra fun. My sweet, handsome contractor is single, and we are dating and having the time of our lives. Wooo Hooo. Life is gooooood :D It's a really special bonus for both of us.

You found a man with the deal too?!?! Wonderful!! I am so happy for you!

I agree with Ann, beautiful kitchen. Looking forward to seeing the new edition.

I agree on the Behr paint. It's the best. I had paint colors from other brands like Ralph Lauren and had them mixed in Behr. :D

Your poor neck. I believe that my lower back strain that resulted in 5 weeks of pain came from sleeping in a weird position to accommodate Yorkies. :rolleyes::)

Looking forward to seeing photos of your work.

:eek: Whaaa? I was SO not expecting to read that at the end of your post! Yay! :thumbup: Good for you!

As for the counter depth vs full size, I totally agree. It's weird too that counter depth is smaller but costs more too! Our fridge is also at the end so it doesn't bother me. We need the extra space with all the pickled and fermented things I make, plus my bottles of kombucha and all the frozen stock I make (oh and all the bones and shells in the freezer too before I make the stock!).

Haven't worked on the bathroom set yet, but lots of painting. The guys at the paint counter know us by now. LOL. I really love the colors we chose. Lots of rich jewel tones. I'm not looking forward to doing the crown moulding. Not that it's hard to do. It's expensive to buy the materials! We did the first floor last year but it's a small space (entry way only). It was already over $200 for the crowns. Upstairs is much larger. So we'll have to go for a cheaper style.

Yep, even knowing it's not a good idea to mix business with pleasure..... we are having a blast, up front, before the real kitchen demolition starts (late Aug), so why not. Hey if the relationship doesn't work out, I can always get a contractor, and he has gotten me off to a good start. It's in the designers hands now, ordering and all. Anyway, it's lots of fun and we both feel like teenagers again. Happy heart, happy home :)