Cool Things About My New Kitchen

After all my griping about the hazards of remodeling I'm peppy and cheerful this week with a list of good things about my new "How Did I Ever Live Without It?" Kitchen--and let me tell you I'm getting pretty close to some good old-fashioned idolatry here. I love it.

1. My drawers work. This may seem odd but my old ones were so rank, so battered, so bereft of everything a good drawer should be that I'm ecstatic over the new ones. The tracks had come loose so many times and I'd put them back on so many times that there was nothing left of the particle board to anchor the wheels on.

2. And not only do they work but I now have Super Glide-Stop Action. You can slam these babies and still they softly come to a halt just before they close and then quietly and oh-so-silently shut. Ha! It feels so luxurious that I just stand there, closing the drawers over and over in exhilaration. You must see the video:

3. No hot chocolate stains on my cabinets. Yes I do love hot chocolate and what's a kitchen without hot chocolate drips speckling the wood work? *Sniff* I'll get over it somehow.

4. I got to pick the color myself. And I actually chose something that wasn't a neutral. I'm a color whimp but this time I wanted BOLD! DARING! DRAMA! And I got it. It's called "Sundried Tomato." Beautiful isn't it? Grace says she can smell tomatoes every time she walks in the room. (That's a good thing).

5. Sleek handle pulls. If a handle pull can be sexy, this one's it. Soft, slightly curved, just beautiful! I can't help but caress it each time I pull a drawer out. Ooooh! The thrill!

6. An unstained counter top. Once again, I'm going to miss those little guys. The black marks on my butcher block top were like my own little personal Rorshach test to keep me company while I cooked. *Sniff.* Somehow I'll get by.

7. My Star Trek chandelier. It was here when we moved in and it so didn't fit anything else in the 1970s interior. Let's see . . . rock fireplace . . . vintage cabinets . . . vinyl flooring . . . whacked out sci-fi lighting fixture. But now that the rest of my kitchen looks sleek and modern this oddball decorating detail might actually work. For now at least. It's still rather odd and can shock visitors when lit.

8. My ceiling beam. Before it was just a plain old ugly white beam blocking the view to my ugly florescent light. But now it's an "Architectural Detail" and is beautiful. Hope I didn't go too crazy with my new-found color craze.

9. A sprayer that works. Old one didn't. This one could put out a fire at twenty feet or fill a bathtub in under twenty seconds (at least I bet it could, I'll have to put it to the test). "Holy Water Pressure, Batman!"

10. There aren't mouse holes. I know every home owner wants to be kind our little rodent friends but I've closed the hotel and they can't come in.

11. New insulation. Warmer and toastier for me and my toes. In Alaska that means something.

12. My new pans, knives, mixing bowls and cutting boards. Getting a new kitchen was a good excuse to get new equipment. After 15 years of use the tools were getting a little worn but now I'm back in business.

13. My new induction cook top. Worthy of a whole post. It just doesn't get any cooler than this. Or hotter for that matter. You'll probably be hearing more about this later, I don't think I'll be able to keep quiet about it.

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The south Anchorage Lowe's managed the project, with Schuler cabinets (Capistsrano natural maple) and Corian countertops (Platinum). Matt Stotts was the contractor who removed and installed the cabinetry, Alaska Countertops installed the countertops and sink. Best Plumbing hooked up the sink, dishwasher and garbage disposal and last--but by far the coolest--the induction cooktop is by Diva de Provence (model DDP40) and ordered through Allen and Petersen.

Despite a few of my facetious gripes last week (because everyone knows remodeling is a nasty business) overall I've been pleased with all of the contractors and the work that has been done and would recommend these businesses to anyone interested in their own remodel.

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Only a few days left for entering May's Write-Away Contest. The topic is travel and there haven't been as many entries as in past months. This means your odds are even better of taking home some Alaskan chocolate so what are you waiting for? The deadline is May 14th.

Technorati tags: Thursday Thirteen, kitchens, remodels, appliances, induction