House Update: Cabinets, Flooring, and Tile

We are making progress folks! Our new house is transforming everyday and this week I have updates on our tile, cabinets, and flooring…

I have found that the secret to managing a remodel is to check in on the project EVERY.SINGLE. DAY! If no one sees you at the project be sure to send a photo and a question to your contractor.  Trust me,when he/she hears from you daily they will want to wrap up your project that much sooner!

I was working on a project in Mexico this week, Monday through Wednesday…so I didn’t have the opportunity to check in. But I made sure to make an appearance on Thursday morning.  It killed me to violate my rule but I had no choice!

Our cabinets went in on Monday and the space has really taken shape.  I walked through and checked on all of the decision I’ve made over the last 2 months. It’s starting to look like a home and I’ve started to pinch myself with excitement. I truly can’t believe I’ve managed to project manage this project and make all of the decisions and purchases in a timeline that would meet our goal of being in the house by the end of the year.

The cabinets really frame the space and having the built in banquet really helps with the uniformity and efficiency of the space.  I had custom cushions built for the benches (same fabric that will be on the sectional pillows) and I’m still on the hunt for the perfect 3×5 foot table to fit into the nook.

The floors were installed last week. But now that the cabinets are in place, they really show their true colors. When the cabinets were first installed I was worried that they were too blue. Now that all the cabinets are in, they look “just right.” A little bit of oak, a little bit of honey, and a lot of dark gray, love it! We really wanted to repurpose the original oak flooring. Unfortunately with the termite damage it just wasn’t an option.  The floors we chose are engineered hardwoods so they have the look and feel of real wood with a fraction of the maintenance.

Our kitchen appliances won’t be installed for another week or so but until then we can imagine how it will function.  Tonight we went through the cabinet layout to remind ourselves of the layout for pots and pans, small appliances, utensils and flatware, etc.  It’s going to be a tight kitchen because I’ve prioritized having a wine fridge (happy hour!) and a pull out trash and recycle bin. Who can blame me!

I was worried about the kitchen sink because I originally had my heart set on a farm house sink.  With the layout of the kitchen with the sink next to an exterior door we decided to install an under mount stainless sink from Kraus. It’s a 16 gauge sink that’s extra deep and I totally LOVE IT! The faucet isn’t installed yet but you can get the idea in the below photo. It’s totally gorgeous and practical! 

Oh, and if you noticed the countertops are installed! I picked a simple quartz countertop that is easy to maintain but looks like marble.  Again, I totally love it! Our rental has had tile countertops so I definitely won’t miss all of that grout!

And don’t get me started on our pantry…

It is amazing! Totally gorgeous and amazing! We opted to move the hot water heater and the HVAC to the attic to maximize the space and it paid off big time! This will be the major hub for food, kitchen appliances, cleaning products, etc.  It’s my favorite addition for sure!

This next cabinet is in our entry way.  It’s our hall closet and I’ll be sharing a close up once the house is complete.  I shared a video on Instastory but I’m realizing now that I don’t have photos of the inside compartments for today’s post.  So…picture it…upper cabinets for storage, middle cabinets for jackets with a built in rod, bottom drawers for his and hers shoes.  It’s fantastic!

If you look closely at the next photo you’ll recognize the mantle matches the floor.  I’m sure I paid extra for that but it all shakes out right!
The herringbone tile makes up for any overages.  It makes me so happy! 

The tile hasn’t been grouted yet so it will soften up but until then I’m must pinching myself that this will be the focal point of our new house! It really looks gorgeous and the marble will tie into the back splash and the bathroom tile so it will being a uniform cohesive look to the space which will help make it look and feel larger.

Speaking of tile, the bathroom is really taking shape.  We currently have three bathrooms in our rental so downsizing into this little space will be an adjustment but the beautiful finishes should make it easier.  We opted to install the subway tile vertically and we are using the marble tile from the kitchen and fireplace for the floor and niche.  The grout still need to be installed but we will need to wait for the new windows and doors to be installed for that to happen…

The tile I chose for the shower comes in a matte finish and a polished finish and instead of choosing one I opted to mix the two.  I woke up few nights thinking about it but now that it’s up I am so happy with the choice…
Everything is work in progress but you can see the walls, the floors, and the shower floor tile…

And this penny tile is in the niche.  You know how I mentioned that you should make an appearance daily on your remodel? Well, I’m glad I stopped by when this was being installed because it wasn’t being installed properly.  The tile installer wanted to make 4 cuts instead of 48 so I had to remind them that I paid for 48.

The bathroom cabinets will be minimal so Chris and I will have to pair down but it’s manageable.  The medicine cabinet still needs a mirror (installed in two weeks) but it will fit most of our day to day items (teeth, makeup, hair, etc.)…

Well, it’s still in progress but you can get an idea of where we are headed! Next up are windows, doors, backsplash, and closets. We only have two weeks left until it’s ready to move in so it’s likely that my next update will be of finished spaces.  This tiny Silicon Valley house will be an adjustment but we couldn’t be more excited to move in an call it home, all 935 square feet!