Although installing a range hood microwave is a simple matter, venting it outdoors is not, especially if you have a fear of ladders. Being that person with the ladder fear, I couldn’t do it myself. I contacted numerous contractors, but everyone was too busy to take on such a small job. It was the very last thing that needed to be done to complete the kitchen renovation.
I hadn’t used the service up to this point but out of desperation I subscribed to Angie’s List . I typed in the work that needed to be done and hit search. Two items came up. I read through the reviews, and the credentials, and chose Squared-Away Handyman Service. I gave them a call and set up an appointment to have them look at the job. They came September 5th, and scheduled installation for today September 19th. In the meantime, I finished all the backsplash tiling, grouting, sealing, and even the paint touch-ups.
Squared- Away arrived at 8 AM this morning and got right to work, took measurements, left to get supplies, returned to install, and finished around noon.
I can now say, with full authority as the person who planned and executed this renovation, that this project is done.
Inspiration can have many sources. My inspiration for the kitchen colors came from the little painting my sister gave, so many years ago.
I had an idea in mind of what the kitchen would eventually look like when I ordered the very first light fixtures in the fall of 2006: the blue pendants and the brushed steel fan and dining room light. I followed that with the beautiful blue clay wall, setting the color palette.
The rusty colored floor tile was a newer addition to the palette, but I always knew it would be darker than the ugly original beige.
I couldn’t be happier with the way the kitchen turned out. It’s extraordinarily gratifying to have an image in your mind and make it a reality.
Having used it for a while now, I’ve found the flow of the kitchen is greatly improved just by shaving off six inches from the peninsula. The garbage pail in a pull out drawer is just awesome. I’ve never had a dog that got into garbage cans, but I’ve solved the problem before it can happen.
Switching the fridge and stove around was a simple thing but really changed the dynamics of the kitchen. No more carrying pots of boiling water across the room.
Now I need to really think about what I have stored everywhere and decide what will go where. Some of it is set, but I still have a lot of kitchen items stored in the utility room closets and mudroom cabinets. I also need to sell all the old appliances, and move the old microwave out of the mudroom, so I can get my clothes sorting counter back.
There’s always more work to be done.