Finally A Kitchen

Finally, after six months, the kitchen is IN!

We hadn't planned to rip the previous kitchen out but the damage from a dozen cats was way more than we had realised. I have spared you a lot of the graphic photos but a couple of before shots help to realise the "journey". Even every power point has had to be replaced as they were wet and yellow inside. We couldn't even save a hinge as they were all rusted. On the left, is the back of the built in oven and cooktop. In order to remediate we had no choice but to rip out what we could, and that included the plaster and architraves, skirtings....everything. The floors were scrubbed at least 15 times with a special solution to destroy the protein molecules. After thoroughly drying, the areas were coated with a special shellac based primer, Bin Zinser to further seal. The walls re-plastered. There are no short cuts and if you have a similar problem then do lots of research as mis-treatment could mean you actually set the protein rather than destroy it.

But lets look at some prettier pictures as we leave the past behind....

A lovely big set of shelves built in to my island bench. So handy for the cookbooks. The island has a bank of drawers either side for extra storage and is a great central working area, perfect for rolling out pizza doughs on Friday nights.

Overhead glass front cabinets reflect light and add lightness. If money had been no object I would have lit the cabinets but that would have been an extravagance and we can live without it. First world problems and all that....!

Again, like our previous home, I've chosen to keep to a classic palate of black and white which can be dressed in so many different ways as styles and tastes change. I'm adding warm copper and natural wood accents for our Georgian cottage.

For quick easy cleaning I have chosen knobs and pulls instead of the D/C-shaped handles. These are by Castella from the antique range and so much more robust and ergonomic than other ranges I looked at.

Just two handles short! But they'll be here on Thursday along with extra pantry shelves that I have ordered in order to maximise the storage space as there is very little in the cottage.

It looks a little white on white but I do love light, especially through our dark long winters. 

The kitchen has been built by Jason Phillips 

The walls are painted in "Hog-bristle" half strength, so not really white but a good light neutral background with warmth rather than cool blue tones.

The tiling is yet to be done, the architraves and skirtings fitted. The floor for now will be painted white until we can afford a timber floor...

But we are IN!

We have unpacked another swathe of boxes and I can again look at recipes and plan preserving. Just in the nick of time as the tomatoes will soon be ripening.

One last piece of advice;

many well meaning friends will tell you that once you "air the place out and paint" it will be fine. Not so. Unless you break the protein molecule you will never get rid of the smell. Air does not destroy it and paint does not cover it. Essential oils and perfumes also will not rid the smell, they merely compete with it. it is very hard yukky work but it can be done. I do think cement style products are the most challenging though and our battle continues at the front door step.

For cat pee remediation I suggest you start

here