Off Topic discussion...Upholstery

So in the last few months, we sold our kitchen set and painted our old Farm table black. In the meantime we have been sitting in close to a hundred chairs searching for the perfect sit in case we would linger at the table, post feast.  We needed two upholstered chairs and 4 wooden ones. The search has been long and hard but finally we found the upholstered chairs at Marshall's by chance. They were not the right color but the price was right and they were comfortable.

Note the carpet limits fabric choices.

I convinced my lovely bride that recovering would not be an issue but was prepared to eat those words as I took the first chair apart. (I took the chance that if I only wasted one by my ineptness we would only be out $100.

Finding the perfect fabric was a bit of a challenge as we had differing ideas on color and style. I wanted a bolder colorful fabric, forgetting that we had a patterned rug under the chair that clashed with all my ideas. My wife was more conservative and we finally agreed on the fabric shown below. The problem, when we left the store to ruminate, someone bought the bolt. I found it in Kansas and had it shipped to our JoAnn's fabric store. when it arrived last week, the game was afoot. It took pretty much all evening to remove the current covering without damage to use a pattern and then paint the legs black to match the table.

I finally brought the painted frame in and started the laborious process of recovering. I learned a lot about construction and tricks used to shape the fabric to the frame from taking the old chair apart. While not exactly 100%, it does not look half bad. Slipcovers would have been so nice but the shape of the chairs prohibited a tight fit. This resulted in a nice tight fit and shaping by sewing tabs to seam between the seat and back portion and pulling them tight through the frame. Next is the application of the backing with tacks.

Added the furniture nail trim

Fresh and clean

Open For Business!

Finally, we had painted the last drop, touched up the last scrape and nailed the last baseboard in place. The kitchen is cleaned up and ready for business. I say, let's have a party and celebrate this hard work.

After

Before

Its all in the details

A Cool Nebraska Football day....

We worked like fools today generally cleaning up and I tiled the back splash in the kitchen. Today was a day for Beef Bourguignon. I made it early because it has to cook for so long in the oven and we served it over a bed of mashed turnips. Yum. I used Ina Garten's recipe and added pearl onions and quartered crimini mushrooms. The final thickening with a bit of buerre blanc. I dressed the turnips with some parmesean, a splash of cream and knob of butter.

Before the long cook and oinions and mushrooms are added.

Used a split faced travertine 1 x 2 inch stack tiles on a mesh. They cut really nice with a tile saw and did a bit of puzzle work to make them all fit nice and neat. I had to use a hammer to smack a few into place. Very tight fit.

Cooking again....kinda

Making pizza again as it has been so long since we have had a nice homemade pizza.  I used a whole pound of seasoned ground beef on one 13 inch pie. The crust was my usual recipe, pre baked and then topped and set directly on the stone. Oven at 400.  Wow, that was one crisp crust. The other pizza was sliced chicken with Alfredo Sauce. ( I used a pouch mix from Knorr, gasp) just being lazy but it was great especially with a few halved grape tomatoes and fresh shredded basil.  I have been putting the cheese on top of the sauce and then the toppings lately. I just like the way things crsip up. I did not try my new cast iron pizza baker yet. This would have been a good opportunity.

Last night, since the weather is turning oddly colder, I harvested a bunch of basil and made pesto. I had to check with Mackenzie first to see if I could add walnuts (allergies) but she said go for it. Some things she is doing better with lately.  So the Pesto is in the fridge but it made only one pint jar and that was a lot of basil. I use it sparingly though. we don't eat pasta so I add it to soups and pizza toppings.

Kitchen confidential, I still have the tiling of the backsplash to go. We also found out that in order to get the carpet finished at the threshold we will need to call the carpet layer. That's a bit of a surprise. I would have guessed for that much money the job would have been finished. Period.  So far, it's been a couple of bucks at every turn, escalating out of control.

The "new" kitchen table is in the garage getting the treatment before a coat of black paint. Recycle and reuse but I still need to buy 6 chairs unless I can find those out there somewhere. We found a great carpet to place the table on also.


How cool is that? My lovely bride collects Bee's in case you don't know.

The wine station/ sideboard

Fortina dropped by today to install the back splash. If you are looking for granite and quality work, these are your guys!

Kitchen is coming along

Floor guys put the 3rd and 4th coat on today and you can walk on it already! How cool is that? Just some finish work with the trim and we can start moving back into the kitchen. A little clean up and touch up and then on to the Master Suite *sigh*.  I need a vacation.

Kitchen updates

We painted cabinet doors all weekend and yesterday. Got a few hung before clearing out everything in the kitchen in anticpation of the floor refinishers coming today but they cancelled. The floors will be out for a week or so. Everything we own to make it through is now in a very crowded family room.  We have to reschedule again but this time at my convenience, not theirs.  Meanwhile we have to decide if we want to put the kitchen back together or live in limbo. At least the doors will be finished and installed by then.

Kitchen update...walls are painted

The walls are "Apple 4" now. All the interior kitchen painting is done. I expect the electrician on Wednesday to move and outlet and set up the under counter lighting.  Have to finish the door to the powder room and then start all those cabinet doors.

Spent a bunch on organization for things. My lovely bride has been busy putting stuff back in the kitchen. All things are in tubs and sealed. My last big effort will be spices. I have been researching tons of stuff and could spend a lot but nothing seems to hit me yet. i am trialing a few things from Bed Bath and Beyond. I'll let you know how it all works out.

Longest kitchen project.....ever!

Finally, the cabinet is built and installed!

All we have left is the painting, electrical (again), floor finishing (*sigh*), granite guy for the backsplash . About another month before we are open for business (having friends for dinner). I have to admit, the pull out drawers in the existing cupboard below the island was almost worth the wait.

Change is a way of life......open sesame

Going...going...gone

Getting ready for some major kitchen improvement. First, remove those pesky cupboards.