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Post by nana on Sept 12, 2017 19:47:01 GMT -5
One of the coolest things about this kitchen is how Chambers folks from all over the country are part of it. It's not going to be one of those magazine kitchens but it's still going to be pretty darned special. It'll be better than a magazine kitchen because it will be yours, and you will actually be living in it and cooking great things to eat in it!
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Post by Chuckie on Sept 12, 2017 20:37:10 GMT -5
Quick note here before the pain meds kick in lol. Thank for the well wishes! All went well. Basal cell cancer on my ear, so like I say, pretty minor. The doc took one look at me and said "fair skin, blue eyes, and Pacific Northwest native; just a matter of time". The tumor was pretty deep so she got in some extra carving practice. I told her she's ready for carving her Thanksgiving turkey and she says "I'm a Texas farm girl and we know how to carve most anything, so don't go making any sounds that might confuse me". She had to do a graft to rebuild the area and says it'll likely not even be noticeable once it's all healed up. There I was, all ready with a bunch of not-so-original stuff like "you should see the other guy", and it sounds like I won't need it. I'm okay with that. LOL, my Da & his friend "Poo" were QUITE the grizzled old bastards--for lack of a better description!!! Looked like a coupla APPLE HEAD dolls!!! They were BOTH heavy smokers & ALWAYS out in the sun (we'll leave their ALCOHOL consumption OUTTA it!! ) Looked like the old Remington prints of ANCIENT Indian Chiefs, their faces did! Anyhow, when they went to the local VA Med Center, the young, CUTE female surgeon told them @ different times that she was gonna have to "whittle away on them" to cut out skin cancer. She went on to tell them BOTH (individually/separately) "you are SUCH a HANDSOME gent, I will do my BEST to have you looking BETTER than BEFORE I cut!!!" They both loved the $hit outta that, and enjoyed telling the tale around their respective taverns--until they found out she told them BOTH that!!!! LOL At any rate, I suspect you'll do BETTER than them, mach12. As an aside, they lived QUITE a few years longer than the carving(s), and died of COPD/heart disease,w/ NO repercussion from said surgeries. And they were indeed HANDSOMER than BEFORE the Doc whittled on them, IMHO!!! (or @ least that's the way that I remember it! ) Methinks you'll be FINE---as your lovely bride keeps you in fine fettle---and won't allow LESS!!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by pooka on Sept 13, 2017 8:19:44 GMT -5
mach12, it's good to hear you'll be fit as a fiddle since your most recent refurbishment via expert carving by your Texas farm girl surgeon.
That link above was only for ideas. I wasn't suggesting blowing any big bucks with them. You'll probably be able to find the field tile you'll be happy with at a discount place, but for the line & or any feature tiles, that's where you can spend some mad money for real impact. I later thought, your in the Pacific Northwest where there's lots of craft people working. I'll bet there's a local pottery place making some interesting tiles there locally. I'd check with them to see what they have to offer. It'd make it a bit more special & local to you.
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Post by mach12 on Sept 13, 2017 15:04:11 GMT -5
Thanks Pooka. I've really been stressed over this whole thing (long story) and it has been going on since Dwayner was here so it's a major relief to get past it.
That link is a great one and that's exactly the kind of stuff that's so helpful. I think I posted before about place near me that does porcelain signs, tiles and so on (Winsor Fireform - winsorfireform.com/) and they'll do my whole backsplash any way I want it and with any design I want - for a price. A lot of what they do is very affordable, like house number signs, but I'm afraid to ask what an entire backsplash would cost. I still enjoy looking at their website, getting ideas and thinking about the possibilities.
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Post by evangeline on Sept 19, 2017 7:57:50 GMT -5
Hi Mach12! I looked back at your pics and wow, I see what you mean. . . With the verticals of the cabinets and the long lines in the butcher block and the grid on the floor. . . That's a heaping helping of geometry. Probably in real life it wouldn't be so much because your eye only sees a bit at a time when you're in the space. ? Is that true? Anyway, have you considered a back-painted glass backsplash? Mostly they are chosen for very modern kitchens but your take on 'cottage' is really kind of modern (simplified, elegant) and the clean shine of the glass might really make the butcher block sing. And the unbroken field of glass might also really showcase Pepper. www.apartmenttherapy.com/glass-backsplash-ideas-for-the-kitchen-239998Alternatively: penny tile. Traditional but not linear. www.thekitchn.com/penny-tile-in-the-kitchen-8-pretty-round-backsplashes-and-floors-164988
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Post by nana on Sept 19, 2017 13:55:30 GMT -5
Two things:
While looking at the glass blacksplash link I accidentally clicked on a little thing right next to it called "Pittsburgh Potties". If you want a nice little chuckle, I recommend it!
-and-
If you had a copper stove, would using actual pennies as penny tile be too much of a good thing?
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Post by mach12 on Sept 19, 2017 17:42:07 GMT -5
We're pretty flexible so aren't stuck on anything particularly vintage looking or anything. My belief is that a Chambers fits any kitchen, vintage or modern, and ours will be in a working kitchen that we want to be convenient and efficient. I've never designed a residential kitchen before so we're learning as we go and living with what we get. Probably the thing I'll catch the most flack over is the decision to put a convection micro-hood over Pepper but I have always like having one and find it so darned convenient that I didn't want to lose that. Even my 4'11" wife prefers it there. I suspect Pepper will draw peoples attention to where they won't even notice the micro-hood, plus it's stainless, so shouldn't clash too much with Pepper's chrome. Anyway, that's kind of our approach with the tile, too.
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Post by evangeline on Mar 19, 2018 19:25:51 GMT -5
Oh, wow, everybody. Can’t believe I was noodling around with the kitchen way back in 2015. After all this time, the new kitchen is being installed. Right. Now! After we priced laminate countertops and got the shock of our lives, things just spiraled (as they do. . .) and here we are. One year of looking at Pinterest until our eyes bled. Then drawing up the design. Six months of schlepping from big box to specialty stores for cabinet quotes. Several weeks reviving my husband after receiving the quotes. Then my lovely contractor recommended an Amish gentleman in Northern Pa. His quote was phenomenally low. And so we signed a contract. (Of course he doesn’t use a phone or a computer so when there were questions about my drawings I hiked up there on twisty little roads, a two hour drive, but very beautiful, and worth it).
We also saved $$ by using a china cabinet that’s original to the house instead of upper cabinets. Half of my friends are thrilled w/the concept, the other half think I’ve lost my mind. Will post pics when all is finished and you can tell me what YOU think. Chambers folk having very good taste. AND, based on recommmendations here, we sprung for soapstone. I am sort of out of my mind about soapstone, it is so beautiful. But it won’t be installed until mid-April. Boo.
Dugbug came and moved the Chambers; this week the floor will be finished and the cabinets installed; next week he’ll come to move it back. The tile won’t be in until the countertops are installed, and we had to wait to send specs for a small cabinet that will be built into a pantry nook. All told I guess the final faceplate will go on around the end of April.
I’m not handy. My contribution has been the design, drawings, and procurement. And I will paint the walls at the end. It’s been a long string of chores. Can’t imagine how Mach12 did everything. Superman!
Will report back. And thanks again for all the help!
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Post by nana on Mar 20, 2018 5:15:22 GMT -5
The Beatles song The Long and Winding Road seems very apropos...especially the driving part! I can't wait to see pictures. The people who think you've lost your mind about the cabinet: what do they think about your stove? For Heaven's sake, haven't they figured it out yet?
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Post by pooka on Mar 20, 2018 15:08:07 GMT -5
The other half of your friends that think you’ve lost your mind will probably never get it, but then again, perhaps when they see the finished product, at least some may. It takes vision & perseverance to pursue a dream in your minds eye. For too many, they just want it done if it was their kitchen. Some want that picture perfect room, but don't have the stomach or the patients to slog through what it takes to get it. I won't fault them for it. We all have our own unique temperaments & talents. For those less gifted, they'll suffice with what ever the big box stores can supply assembled into the vision that a professional designer can create.
William Morris said "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." This sentiment is lost on many. It sounds like you're on your way to fulfill this idea for yourself. Excuse the old saying, but it sounds like the Amish gentleman was heaven sent. That long & winding road was part of the price of admittance to fulfilling your dream. I'm glad you were able to spring for the soapstone counter tops. I don't think you'll ever regret it. I'd like to think that your Chambers was the wellspring that elicited or inspired this journey to create your own personal heavenly kitchen to surround it.
Often, it's the trials & tribulations of the journey that make an adventure worth the trip, especially if the resulting destination will be an environment that you'll enjoy for a lifetime.
I can't wait to see the unveiling.
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Post by nana on Mar 20, 2018 16:42:18 GMT -5
William Morris said "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." This sentiment is lost on many. It's not so much that the sentiment is lost on me, as it is that I think far too many things are potentially useful, and my threshold for beauty is pretty much in the same boat!
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Post by evangeline on Mar 20, 2018 17:20:05 GMT -5
Pooka, it WAS the Chambers who started all of this. We got her in there, and she looked around, and said, ‘What’s WRONG with you people.” ;-)
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Post by mach12 on Mar 22, 2018 20:48:40 GMT -5
My goodness Evangeline, you're right in the middle of it and it sounds like it's going well. Can't wait to see the pictures! I'm just getting back on my feet after being pretty sick so am finally working on the finishing touches. I've lost track of how long we've been working on our kitchen but most of the delays have been conscious choices. Like, "should we stay home and work on the kitchen or spend a week on the coast going through antique shops and thrift stores?". The kitchen tends to lose. And I'm sure no Superman! I just really like doing this stuff and have an incredibly supportive wife. Plus, being retired, I have more time than money so probably "super cheap" is more accurate. It does feel good to be back at it.
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Post by nana on Mar 23, 2018 20:22:44 GMT -5
I'm glad you're back in the swing of things, Mach12! it does seem like as we get older we don't bounce back as quickly as we used to. At least I know that's true for me. This was a doozy of a winter, and it's not even quite over yet. Between the weather and the germs, I don't know which was worse!
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Post by mach12 on Mar 24, 2018 12:42:48 GMT -5
I'm glad you're back in the swing of things, Mach12! it does seem like as we get older we don't bounce back as quickly as we used to. At least I know that's true for me. This was a doozy of a winter, and it's not even quite over yet. Between the weather and the germs, I don't know which was worse! Thanks Nana. I've never been one to get sick but this year has been a crazy one. I retired with so much sick leave on the books that I could have gotten sick and taken over a year off. The years of abusing my body are just catching up with me I guess. What really bothers me is the wasted time! I did finally get the zinc top on the possum belly bakers table that we're using as a kitchen island of sorts and we love it. I made a frame that the inside dimensions just sat down over the original top, glued a piece of 1/4 inch plywood to that, formed the zinc sheet around the sides, and then glued the sheet to the plywood. I set it zinc side down on a painters cloth and weighted it with concrete blocks for a couple of days while the glue cured and then formed the zinc sheet the rest of the way so that it tucked under, tacked it to keep the ends in place, and soldered the corners. I put a piece of felt on the original top, cut so the ends and sides of the original top would also be protected and then set the zinc top on. It'll protect the top but isn't an alteration to the possum belly. I couldn't be more pleased with how it turned out. We're still loving the butcher block countertops too. We're only waxing them monthly now and probably don't need to do them that much except next to the sink. I'm always splattering water on the counter to the right of the sink, so the counter there gets wiped with a dishcloth at least 20 times a day. I just watch and when the water doesn't bead anymore I make sure it's dry and then grab the jar of wax and rub some on that area, let it dry, and then buff it. Maybe every-other week? We were at a thrift store and they had those glass candle jars that have a metal lid and a silicone seal so bought one for the beeswax/mineral oil mix for the countertops and just keep that under the sink with the piece of cloth for spreading it in the jar. That really keeps it handy. That mix is really great for the wood drawers on the possum belly and the Hoosier, too. I used to use paraffin wax or candle pieces but this stuff not only lubes the runners but revives the wood. The only downside so far is that my Cocker Spaniels really like the taste of it and I have to keep pushing them out of the way as I'm spreading it. Probably the beeswax.
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Post by evangeline on Mar 24, 2018 18:13:04 GMT -5
Ack, zinc! Mach12 photos please!
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Post by mach12 on Mar 25, 2018 13:37:10 GMT -5
Ack, zinc! Mach12 photos please! I'll get a picture posted ASAP. We're sorting through a bunch of stuff to donate and there's too much mess at the moment. Not gonna make that mistake again!
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Post by nana on Mar 25, 2018 17:42:24 GMT -5
Please save me the search and tell me again the proportions for the beeswax and mineral oil stuff for butcher block!
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Post by mach12 on Mar 26, 2018 0:27:30 GMT -5
Please save me the search and tell me again the proportions for the beeswax and mineral oil stuff for butcher block! I'm not sure whether there's any difference in beeswax that would impact the ratio but we bought ours in the candle making section at Hobby Lobby and we got the beads instead of the solid block that we'd have to grate. The "recipe" I started with was 1.25 oz of wax to 3/4 cup mineral oil. I weighed out the beeswax and then put the 1.25 oz in a measuring cup and it was close to 1/3 cup so topped it off to 1/3 cup of wax beads. I took an aluminum camping pot almost identical to the double boiler one that fits the lid of the big Thermowell pot, dumped the wax in it, added the 3/4 cup of mineral oil, and set that on a rack in a pot of water. Kind of a double-boiler arrangement. When the wax melted I stirred it real well and let it cool and because I had added some wax it was too thick to spread very well so I reheated it and added 1/4 cup of mineral oil and when it cooled it was perfect. Because I was experimenting with the ratio I had to heat it again so I could pour it in the candle jar but you could just do that once it's stirred well and maybe cooled just a bit so you're sure the glass won't break. So, 1.25 oz beeswax to 3/4 cup if you're weighing it, or 1/3 cup beeswax to 1 cup of mineral oil if you're measuring it.
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Post by nana on Mar 26, 2018 5:27:31 GMT -5
Thanks! What is the consistency when it's done?
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Post by mach12 on Mar 26, 2018 12:29:12 GMT -5
Thanks! What is the consistency when it's done? It's a lot like Johnson's Paste Wax. Maybe a tad softer.
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Post by mach12 on Mar 26, 2018 12:39:41 GMT -5
This is an old picture that I took just after installing the butcher block countertops and before I did the tile backsplash. I kept reading about people using stains but I couldn't find anything showing a before & after with no stain. Since I didn't use any stain I took this photo to compare the nekked wood to what the wood looks like with just the beeswax/mineral oil treatment.
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Post by nana on Mar 26, 2018 17:00:05 GMT -5
Wow, that really is beautiful! Who needs stain?
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Post by karitx on Apr 7, 2018 15:34:08 GMT -5
Oooh, that's beautiful, mach12!
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Post by mach12 on Apr 8, 2018 13:08:49 GMT -5
We couldn't be more pleased with the way the countertops turned out and now that they've been in use awhile that's even more the case. It's a great option.
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Post by evangeline on Jul 23, 2018 18:29:22 GMT -5
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Post by evangeline on Jul 23, 2018 18:33:09 GMT -5
Thanks to all for steering me to soapstone. I love it! Waxed several times the first week, have not had to wax again. It is very lovely.
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Post by Chuckie on Jul 23, 2018 19:50:24 GMT -5
Ok, am off the Fainting Couch: the kitchen is done! (er, all except for some painting. . .which I will get to as soon as it COOLS OFF.) MAH-velous!!! Simply MAH-VELOUS!!! BRAVO, KUDOS, etc., et al for a job V-E-R-Y well DONE, and well worth the WAIT it appears!!! CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by chipperhiker on Jul 24, 2018 1:08:19 GMT -5
Oh my!! That is beautiful, evangeline! I LOVE the greenish color of the soapstone. I didn't know it came in anything other than the black/gray family. wow.
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Post by nana on Jul 24, 2018 6:14:01 GMT -5
Beautiful! I love that you went and made it truly your own. It looks stunning and unique. I love the china cabinet idea--don't be surprised if the look catches on and you start the latest trend! The whole effect reminds me of pictures I've seen of some 19th century mansion kitchens, with the dark wood and the tiled walls, but with better layout and storage. It was worth the wait!
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