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If you give a mouse a cooktop....
Apr. 24th, 2015 09:56 pmMany will recognise that reference- to this beloved book from Emily's childhood:
So it goes with our kitchen.... and beyond.
We decided a few weeks ago that it was time to replace the built-in stovetop that's original to the home, circa 1960. It's down to two of four electric burners and is likely irreparable as to the two dead ones and the two hanging-on-by-literally-thread ones. So, replacement. The choices were "similar, though updated"- like this:
or "Starbase 12," like this:
We both leaned toward the upper concept at first, because those models were slightly cheaper, but also because they would be more likely to match the still-original '59 Buick of an oven that we're keeping. But once we got into measurements and other logistics, the lower one became the leading contender. It will require less cutting and pasting to get into the current space, but it is also requiring major work around it- so we're also looking at laminate for around, and tile for behind. Eleanor will be contributing all the know-how and labour to get these actually installed, so I have every reason to defer to her expertise.
Similarly, both involve colour combinations that do not register on my personal palate, so I'll shut up, other than to note that blue is involved.
I like blue.
----
Replacing the cooktop and re-tiling and laminating the counters around it will also require the temporary removal of the kitchen sink. But moving to the left is the next obvious Thing: the refrigerator.
Movable appliances, like fridges, are generally not included in the purchase price of homes in these parts. When we moved here, we had to pay extra to keep the one that Kevin and Karen left for us; the buyer of our Rochester home paid nothing for the one we left behind (and was rather pissed we'd left it for him to have to haul to the curb). Still, the one we bought here has served us for 20-plus years, but it's inefficient and bursting at the seams with content. So I piped up first and suggested we replace it, also, before either refinishing the cabinets above it (too small, too high) or making assumptions about counters or tiles based on Old rather than New.
Since talking about this, we've looked at a bunch of fridgedators, too- finding that bottom-level freezers are now The Thing, rather than topside ones (which we now have, and which causes cold things to tumble a lot), or side-by-siders (too 70s for me). If we go with one of those, we'll name it Donnie- after the similar freezer unit that Alison and her husband used to store Dr. Leekie until the final resting place was ready.
----
But our mouse isn't done.
Hours apart, we both noticed that our current microwave is decrepit, dirty and would look like crap next to All the (New) Things in there.
And sometime in the past 48 hours, the kitchen tile samples migrated to the bathroom.
Anyone else want a cookie?
So it goes with our kitchen.... and beyond.
We decided a few weeks ago that it was time to replace the built-in stovetop that's original to the home, circa 1960. It's down to two of four electric burners and is likely irreparable as to the two dead ones and the two hanging-on-by-literally-thread ones. So, replacement. The choices were "similar, though updated"- like this:
or "Starbase 12," like this:
We both leaned toward the upper concept at first, because those models were slightly cheaper, but also because they would be more likely to match the still-original '59 Buick of an oven that we're keeping. But once we got into measurements and other logistics, the lower one became the leading contender. It will require less cutting and pasting to get into the current space, but it is also requiring major work around it- so we're also looking at laminate for around, and tile for behind. Eleanor will be contributing all the know-how and labour to get these actually installed, so I have every reason to defer to her expertise.
Similarly, both involve colour combinations that do not register on my personal palate, so I'll shut up, other than to note that blue is involved.
I like blue.
----
Replacing the cooktop and re-tiling and laminating the counters around it will also require the temporary removal of the kitchen sink. But moving to the left is the next obvious Thing: the refrigerator.
Movable appliances, like fridges, are generally not included in the purchase price of homes in these parts. When we moved here, we had to pay extra to keep the one that Kevin and Karen left for us; the buyer of our Rochester home paid nothing for the one we left behind (and was rather pissed we'd left it for him to have to haul to the curb). Still, the one we bought here has served us for 20-plus years, but it's inefficient and bursting at the seams with content. So I piped up first and suggested we replace it, also, before either refinishing the cabinets above it (too small, too high) or making assumptions about counters or tiles based on Old rather than New.
Since talking about this, we've looked at a bunch of fridgedators, too- finding that bottom-level freezers are now The Thing, rather than topside ones (which we now have, and which causes cold things to tumble a lot), or side-by-siders (too 70s for me). If we go with one of those, we'll name it Donnie- after the similar freezer unit that Alison and her husband used to store Dr. Leekie until the final resting place was ready.
----
But our mouse isn't done.
Hours apart, we both noticed that our current microwave is decrepit, dirty and would look like crap next to All the (New) Things in there.
And sometime in the past 48 hours, the kitchen tile samples migrated to the bathroom.
Anyone else want a cookie?