Thursday, January 16, 2014

Counters and Storage



Having to decide what one wants to do with their life at the age of 16 is
one of life's cruelest jokes.  If it weren't for earning a scholarship to attend
nursing school, I might have taken a much different path.

If I'd known I could build forms with balsa wood, cut things with
X-acto knives, use a hot glue gun, smell magic markers,
and see the inside of a million different houses, surely I would
have wanted to become a counter templater.


I've never seen this done before and I thought for sure they
would have arrived with laser instruments to ensure a perfect
fit right down to the micron.  But, no, it's still a very old-school
process.  Simple square of wood are made to outline each section of
counter. Smaller squares of balsa wood are lined up tightly against
the wall to follow any small curves in the wall.


And each template is marked with instructions such
as the size of the radius cuts in the inside and outside curves
of the sink and notes where the counter is to be placed.


This is the template that shows a tricky portion
of the counter next to the fridge.  The "No BS" means
no backsplash as well as the one place in the kitchen
where I needed to have a seam in the counter.

This area will end up a built-in for a small microwave,
a small TV, some cookbooks, and other doo-dads. 

Just under the counter, you'll see a gap next to the fridge.
There was a little four-inch gap there so instead of filling
it with a panel...



...the little bit of mahogany countertop that could be reclaimed
from the store counter got cut up to become little shelves
for a wine rack.  With a little sanding and about seven coats
of tung oil, they're almost too beautiful to hide.




My desire to have no upper cabinets in the kitchen
required a solution for adding some good storage.
That proved to more difficult than I expected.

This beautiful piece from Darby Road was too wide
as were many I found over the past several months.


This one was too tall as were most that I liked.  Also
from the Darby Road warehouse. 


I've also been on the lookout for some cool old doors
or window to do a custom built-in piece between the 
dining room and kitchen, but, after a year, nothing. 


I finally found a piece over the weekend that seems
just right to hold many of my dishes and serving pieces at
European Country Antiques right here in Cambridge.
(Sorry for the blurry iPhone photo.)  It's a great place to
check out if you're in the Huron Village neighborhood.
It's just packed with rustic European pieces.

It's nice and deep with really sturdy shelves to hold the
weight of dishes.  I was hoping for something with a little
hidden storage but I could put baskets in the bottom to
hide some of the less pretty stuff.  


I look forward to the day I can have it delivered and
start putting things on their forever shelves.

53 comments:

  1. Wow, those pieces look so beautiful stained. Isn't it fun to find out the way they do that w/out all the gadgets and tech stuff. I found that very interesting. Great cabinet find too.

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  2. Seems as though everything is humming right along....I already told you this...but I love your new cabinet! It's perfect!

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  3. Whatever floats your boat, Template boy. It is fun to watch. You are getting oh so close! Nursing school??Really! Don't think I ever knew that...

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    1. Yup. I can take your blood pressure, give you an injection, deliver your baby, do CPR, whatever you need. Just don't throw up; I can't take that.

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    2. Wow, I did not know you were a nurse, Steve. I am retired after 35+ years of being an R.N.

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    3. Don't know why, Steve, but always thought of you as either an attorney or a journalist... Love the choices you've made on your kitchen. And your home's exterior is perfection.

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  4. Think I'll swing by Darby Rd and ECA on a future trip up north. I'll tell them you sent me!

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  5. Hey if you're still interested in doing the door thing, I have some old ones you can have if you think they'll work - let me know. Seems you have a great plan in place though!!! :)

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  6. Love the updates. The reveal will be worth waiting for I'm sure.

    I am on the hunt for a piece of storage furniture as well-in the world's smallest kitchen, I can't fit all my baking supplies/etc-and there is NO pantry or storage of any kind other than cabinets ( which were built in the 50s; no adjustable shelving, uppers too tall for me to reach, lol). I am NOT complaining at all, however; we're in the 80s temp wise, roses are in bloom(!) the sun is golden and the skies are way too blue :)

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    1. 80s? That sounds really hot. After a few days in the single digits, I thought 19 felt good. I guess it's all relative.

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  7. It gets better every day. And, i am with you on the templating ... wouldn't that be interesting to do.

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  8. Your kitchen is turning out beautifully. The details are amazing, as expected. I cannot wait to see the cabinet in its forever place.

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  9. Hi, Steve - The templates for the countertops are interesting to see. Who would have guessed it's done this way, but — given how crooked walls can be — I'll bet it's still the most efficient way to go. Is your new cabinet getting a new color? It fits into your color scheme, doesn't it?

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    Replies
    1. No painting needed, Mark. I think the black will be perfect.

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  10. When I redid my kitchen in my last house I too was surprised when the templater (?) showed up with a bunch of strips of wood and a glue gun. And I thought, I was in trouble. Where’s the laser that I’ve seen on This Old House? I had a corner sink and I must have asked ten times “do you have that right?”

    My worry was all for naught. The counter top was perfect. I’ll bet yours will be too. And that cabinet looks great.

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  11. I must confess I would have never guessed that's how a template is done! I have had "the guy" to do the template for client bathrooms, etc, but I've never actually watched it being done. Fascintaing! Who knew? Thanks for sharing that. I'm loving the cabinet choice, it feels natural for the space.

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  12. Oooh your kitchen is going to be so pretty! I love that you are (of course you are) using reclaimed bits and pieces instead of trying to cram the Home Depot version into your lovely house.
    A nurse, huh?

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  13. Hi Steve
    My template guy used a liquid nails kind of stuff and a white Styrofoam type of board...very interesting to watch...I expected a more dramatic type of measuring...it was all good in the end though...always nice to watch someone that knows what they're doing :)

    love the cabinet...great use of space with the little shelves...always nice to have some wine storage.

    am

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  14. The Hebrew hypochondriac just found her new best friend.

    But in all seriousness, I love that little bonnet on your new cabinet.

    For our kitchen reno, I'm nixing the uppers, too. For storage, I'm going with Crate & Barrel's Beckett Shelf for the stuff I don't mind looking at every day. I'm also having a custom pantry made to look like a something like your old doors idea, but with opaque glass to hide the cereal boxes.

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  15. Hmm. How tall is that cabinet?
    It looks rather short or maybe it's just because the previous photos showed Tall ones.
    Or maybe you want space above it to stack stuff?
    My head is kinda blurry today.
    But I know that you know what you are doing and it will be perfect.
    It's getting close now isn't it! Exciting!!!

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    1. The armoire is just shy of 7 feet high in the center, 6 feet and change. The other ones were closer to 8 feet high. No stacking of stuff on top.

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  16. I too had no idea that this is how it was done! Fascinating. (I'm quietly filing the idea away for future use -- it's has to come in handy for some other application, right?) As your glass front cabinet, she's a beauty, Steve. Absolutely LOVE the black finish with the white interior. And baskets look so beautiful in a kitchen, but will look especially amazing inside the piece. I'm glad you'll be able to use that texture in there.

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    1. Every room needs something black, right? I'm thinking my big square fishing baskets will be perfect. I hope they fit.

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  17. With the gorgeous painted armoire providing painted contrast and seeing the tung oil on the wood I am back on the "don't paint" the cabinets bandwagon......
    You are truly creating my dream kitchen - now I just need to get you to come down to NJ this summer and do it with me again ;-)))

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    1. The armoire will sit in the corner opposite the cabinets so nowhere close to them at all. But I know what you're saying. The center table will offer the contrast. Rustic wood or maybe metal.

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  18. So if my friend Susan can't make it down from the Cape for my surgery i can give you a shout?
    Perfect, the cats will love that.
    Also perfect is your cabinet. this is gonna be one swelleglant kitchen.

    xo J

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  19. I can imagine a certain satisfaction coming from the precision of template work--as well as how interesting seeing a new house a day would be. The wood from the countertops that you are making shelves with is beautiful! Are you using the mahogany elsewhere? The way you have it pictured I can imagine a few simple strips mounted on the wall as art.

    The cabinet is a great find--shape and colors are perfect.

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    1. This was all the mahogany that could be salvaged from that piece unfortunately. It was really glued down tightly and was ruined when the piece was dismantled.

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  20. The guy who templated my fireplace did it with foam core! Your kitchen is going to be so fabulous no one will ever throw up in it.

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  21. I did my own kitchen counter templates and they were so much fun! Hot glue, a sharpie and my anal retentive personality made it an ideal task.

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    1. No kidding! And then a fabricator cut them for you?

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  22. You could have knocked me over with a feather - a nurse!!! Wow!!! I thought for sure you were in the art/decorating/building field!!! You simply amaze me!

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    1. Mary,
      I never practiced but because I got the scholarship, it got me a college education I wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. So I've never thought it went to waste.

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    2. You are correct, education is never a waste! I did a similar thing to get started. My associates was free and in Fashion Retailing. LOL, I never used it, but it gave me a love of textiles and taught me to look at fashion as art.

      I love your new cabinet too. Will you be painting it?

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    3. So while folks were thinking you were an interior decorator, you threw them a curve ball with the Nursing School comment. Then they thought you were a nurse for your day job and an interior decorator on the side. Now another curve ball...

      Ha ha. Good way to keep us all guessing. Truth is, we all admire your work.

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  23. You will love your cabinet with the baskets to store odds and ends. After a while you forget what's in them and digging through becomes like Christmas. Can't wait to see the finished project.

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  24. You went to nursing school? What a shocking reveal.

    The kitchen process is fascinating. I love when things are old school.

    I think the hardest thing about trying to make our houses nice is finding that one thing we wanted. I've had the same experience countless times, and living in a traditional-design-vacuum of a town doesn't help in my case. I've had the same problem with finding a wedding dress. I finally found it for $8000 in Australia. I won't be getting it...! Not enough time to have it made and too much good sense to do it.

    So glad your kitchen is coming along. I like the cabinet you found. xo T.

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  25. Steve,

    I am so in love with the direction your kitchen is heading. Everything is so complementary of each other and is so you (at least, from what we see). Can't wait to see what's next!

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  26. What a feeling of satisfaction...and shopping well done! I'll drink to that! franki

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  27. You know I've sometimes thought that had it not have been for growing up in the late 70's, I would have gone into some aspect of the construction field. If only I were in my 20's now! Of course, back then it was completely unheard of for a girl back then...

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  28. You clearly missed your calling. I never would have thought nurse either. That's a beautiful cabinet you finally found, great color. I feel that when it comes to buying furniture patience is quite a virtue, take as long as needed to find the right piece. Never settle, you'll wind up regretting it. Seems as if you feel the same way.

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  29. I didn't know counters were fitted that way at all! Love your cabinet and can't wait to see the afters.

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  30. I go away for a few weeks and viola, massive progress!

    By the way, when I was 16 I wanted to be a Pygmy buffalo groomer

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  31. Handsome cabinet! Great pieces at that shop. Looking forward to your next update!

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  32. Thanks for featuring Darby Road once again in your amazing blog!

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  33. It's never too late to pursue your passion. I admire every Nurse that I have ever come in contact with. Your cabinet/ armoire is lovely.
    It's going to be fantastic.
    pve

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  34. can't wait to see it when it's all complete!

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  35. I too wanted no wall cabinets but our kitchen is tiny so a few open shelves, display glasses and bowls etc. I really love the cabinet you have found and the colour wish I had space for something like that, I am also surprised at the old school way of the counter tops ! interesting to see it being done, looking forward to the final photo's.
    Annie

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  36. This kitchen is going to be something.....I would throw my grandmother off a train to renovate my kitchen....

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  37. Its going to look great! I'm with Sherry...I would love to redo my kitchen!

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