As I’ve said before, I bought in advance all new appliances, including the stove, for the kitchen renovation.

We stored the appliances in the garage while waiting for demolition to begin.

They have been on site since the end of last year.

The stove is in place but not yet hooked up.

When the gas range was finally in place we contacted our propane provider to come and hook it up.

The gas tank would eventually be installed to the left of the antenna tower on the far right.

Even though we have propane other places in the house we opted to have a dedicated tank just outside the kitchen on the exterior of the house that is only used for the cook stove.

Some gas ranges come with a conversion kit but not ours.

We had called the gas company 2 weeks in advance to give them the heads up that we would be needing an installer soon.  At no time did they tell us about the conversion kit nor the extra employee that would have to come out at least a day in advance to survey the property and placement of the stove and new tank.  So naturally everything was last minute.

Without the conversion kit gas flames would reach to the ceiling.

We were disappointed that we had to come up with a natural gas-to-propane conversion kit.  I was not sure why a gas company would not have access to such an accessory.  We called the company that made the stove and they shipped one out the next day.

The gas in the tank on the kitchen side of the house should last for at least a year.

When the installer finally came out he brought a tank, copper tubing, and the fixtures to connect.  He used the conversion kit to change the orifices (small, threaded brass fittings with precisely drilled holes. Since propane operates at a higher pressure, liquid propane [LP] orifices have smaller holes than natural gas [NG] orifices.)

There is enough flexible tubing so the stove can be fully pulled out from its niche.

This installer did not bring with him the correct screwdriver bits and caulk for the hole in the house.  We provided both.

Charlie did not like the kink on the exterior wall.

Everything went well until he left.  Charlie had not been inspecting the job as the installer went along and saw that the copper pipe on the outside of the house was crimped.  He called immediately to report the issue.

The new line looks clean. Charlie will caulk the hole this time.

Unfortunately the installer could not return until a week later. That was not a big deal for us.  However he seemed to have an attitude when he returned to make the repair as well as dragging tar from his shoes all through the downstairs.

The stove works great and is a pleasure to use after 2 years of vintage electric.

We cleaned up the tar and are happy using the new gas stove.

• Landing Kitchen Reno — Day 13 Plumbing, Caulk, Shelves
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 12 Countertop
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 11 More Grout, Appliances, Plumbing, Trim
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 10 Tile, Grout
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 9 More Tile
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 8 Tile
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 7 Paint, Countertops, Electric
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 6 Trim, Paint, Sink
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 5 Cabinets, Hardware
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 4 Cabinets
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 3 More  Electric, Plumbing, Drywall
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 2 Electric, Plumbing, Drywall
• Landing Kitchen Reno – Day 1 Demolition
• Kitchen Countertop Choices
• New Kitchen Appliances
• Plans for the Kitchen
• New light in the Kitchen

Jo

I’ve been planning on a new kitchen since last fall.

The new layout of the kitchen.

I’m taking a different direction on my kitchen countertops than I thought I might.

The stainless steel coffee bar in my former kitchen was one of my favorite features.

Originally I was thinking of having the sink counter stainless steel like the coffee bar in our former kitchen.

I found 3 samples that would go with all the elements — tile, cabinets, backsplash.

Instead I decided to use one counter throughout the kitchen — quartz.  Quartz countertops are engineered stone surfaces composed primarily of crushed quartz, one of the hardest minerals on Earth.  It’s expensive but hardy.

The finishes are pale blue (Upward), cream (Sandhill Crane), and a nameless deeper blue with accents of champagne bronze.

I carried my cabinet, floor, and backsplash color samples to 3 different stores to try and get a good match and a reasonable deal.

I wanted a subtle, clean quartz — nothing too dark or that looked like crumbs.

The first 2 stores had similar samples but none had exactly the same.  I found something I liked in each store but the sample in first store I visited was about $1,500 less expensive.

Calacatta Safyra

Finally I went to look at the samples where I bought the cabinets. The countertop I ultimately chose, Calacatta Safyra, was even $1200 less so I put down a deposit. The price for countertops includes the company sending their own employee to measure up, make a template, provide the countertop, and install it.

A bird’s eye view of the new layout.

The kitchen cabinets and appliances need to be in place before the measuring begins.  I eager to get started.

• New light in the Kitchen
• Plans for the Kitchen
• New Kitchen Appliances

Jo

Some of the first decisions I have to make for the newly designed kitchen  are the appliances.  The exact model selection is necessary before ordering the cabinets so everything fits together.

A bird’s eye view of the new layout.

We’ve been storing the appliances while waiting for the demolition to begin.

    Item #6841589 |Model #WRSF6536RZ

I like a side-by-side due to the ice maker, water on the door, and freezer placement.

Our dishwasher will be in approximately this placement except in blue cabinetry.

Sink  Kraus Turino Farmhouse apron front 33-in x 18.25-in  Fireclay Single bowl Kitchen Sink  Item #3625572 Model #KFR1-33GWH

The new sink is deep and wide.

Faucet  Kraus Oletto Spot Free Antique Champagne Bronze Single Handle Deck-mount Pull-down Kitchen Faucet with Sprayer   Item #1245682 Model #KPF-2820SFACB

I’m sticking with a champagne bronze finish for the fixtures like others in the house.

What an improvement this will be!

Our new range hood will vent outside the wall instead of under the floor.

At the end of September I met with a kitchen designer — the same one that designed our previous kitchen at The Glade.

The kitchen at The Landing is fully open to the downstairs area.

She took measurements and we talked about design options, color, and lay out.

The finishes are pale blue (Upward), cream (Sandhill Crane), and a nameless deeper blue with accents of champagne bronze.

Here’s what we came up with:

Before — These pantries will be totally removed to increase the size of the kitchen.

After — The new pantry wall will house the refrigerator and deep floor to ceiling cabinets.

The pantries are being dismantled and replaced by a side-by-side refrigerator and pantry cupboards.

Before — The sink wall is behind the stove island.

After — The island will be totally removed in the new scheme.

The sink countertop is now much longer with an integrated trash cabinet.

Before — The cabinets on the microwave wall will come out and be replaced by new cabinets, a stove, and range hood.

After — The new stove will be gas, not electric.

The future stove wall will vent outside through the wall leaving the current island obsolete so it will disappear.

Before — The island (which will be removed) looks directly into the dining room.

After — The kitchen will still be open to the dining room, just not as much and we’ll gain cabinet storage.

Currently there is no division between the kitchen and dining room.  Once the island has been removed it will be replaced with a 4-foot tall knee wall and counter.

Before — No division between kitchen and dining room.

After — The inevitable clutter in the kitchen will be hidden by a 4-foot tall wall.

The purpose of the knee wall is to hide the goings-on in the kitchen while enjoying a nice meal or sitting in the living room.

A view from the refrigerator wall.

And that is as far as we have progressed in the kitchen design.  Although I have chosen some appliances I will need to decide on all of them before the cabinets can be ordered.

A bird’s eye view of the new layout.

The cabinets take 6-10 weeks to fabricate.  I still must select a countertop and there are lots of options.

Whew!  Whose idea was this anyway?

Jo