![\"DSC05648\"](\"http:\/\/flowersforthepeopleaustin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/DSC05648.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHere are some before and after shots….in all their\u00a0 glory.<\/p>\n
The kitchen looked just like this when we bought the house.\u00a0 Eventually I painted everything white, but those tile countertops were hard to keep clean…constantly fighting moldy grout.<\/p>\n When the time came to remodel\u00a0the kitchen,\u00a0we decided not to\u00a0change the footprint. Messing with plumbing and gas lines in an old house IS\u00a0a can of worms. \u00a0 And we left\u00a0the upper shelves to keep some original character in the house.<\/p>\n Wa-lah!\u00a0 Used Ikea cabinets on the bottom, a farm sink, white subway tile and soapstone countertops.\u00a0 We also installed french doors where there once was a window.<\/p>\n This was the old back door that lead out to the car port. \u00a0Horrific, isn’t it! And yep…that’s how it looked when we bought it.\u00a0 Looking back, I think we were clueless….or crazy. We put a small window in the pantry so we could still see outside, and I could grow herbs and things in the windowsill.<\/p>\n Check out the built in spice rack. Love that.<\/p>\n Here is another before shot.\u00a0 The “cooking” area.\u00a0 Eek! Former owner (who did the tile work) told me that the red tile was modeled after a butterfly. Hum?<\/p>\n But here she is today.\u00a0 New bottom cabinets.\u00a0 New stove. New backsplash. Soapstone countertops.\u00a0 Classic.<\/p>\n Looking into the kitchen from dining nook.\u00a0 We put in french doors where there once was a window, and then the pantry is where there once was that back hall\/door. This photo was taken in the winter so you can see the house next door through the french doors (which we LOVE having wide open on nice days). \u00a0In the summer, the crepe myrtle tree is in full bloom and buffers the houses nicely.\u00a0 I recently installed a lattice and some jasmine on that fence…so in a few years we will have a wall of jasmine to look at.\u00a0 My hubby installed a small pond out there too…so it’s quite delightful. \u00a0You can read about the side yard transformation here.<\/a><\/p>\n So while this whole remodel is going on, we were condensed down into the dining nook to work. Here is the stove set-up.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBut things have come a long way…and it actually looks pretty good out there now (but that’s for another post).\u00a0 And we turned this little hallway into a walk-in pantry.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWe made a rolling island so we can change the configuration of the kitchen when needed.\u00a0 Built trash and compost into the island also….which works out great when prepping on it.
\nI really wanted a more industrial base to the island.\u00a0 Something like an old singer sewing machine base, so we could have a place to store a few bar stools…and we could sit around the island at times.\u00a0 But I went with the rolling island for now.\u00a0 If I ever find that perfect base, I will remove the soapstone top off of this one and install it on the industrial base.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n