As I mentioned last week, we planned on painting the kitchen cabinets, but unfortunately, not much was completed because we did go on vacation to visit my in-laws. Thankfully, our tiles were delivered right before our travels and I am so happy because they are absolutely beautiful.
Tile Selection
We decided to go with the Jeffrey Court Taffeta White 3 in x 12 in Subway Gloss Textured Ceramic Wall Tile and I am so happy we did because it is such a subtle, classic and elegant tile to use for a kitchen backsplash. These tiles have variation, which makes it look handmade. The neutral white will coordinate with any decor style making this the perfect tile for kitchens and bathrooms.
We did start removing some hardware from the cabinets and removed the upper cabinets. My husband took on this task and I lended a helping hand when able, as our daughter ran rapid around the house. Here is a reminder of what the kitchen looked like with the upper cabinets.
BEFORE PHOTO
My issue with the cabinetry in our kitchen is that gap between the ceiling and top of upper cabinets. It was so large that I feel like it could have fit an extra set of cabinets in that space.
Some people say, removing the cabinets may effect the resale value of our home, but my concern is creating a space that works for US and not any future owners. We do plan on storing the cabinets in the attic, just in case, us or the new owners want to reinstall them.
Another option was to extend the cabinets to the ceiling, but I felt like that would look awkward giving the amount of space that needed to be covered.
Cabinet Removal
In the picture below, you can see there were cutouts in the drywall and the cabinets were attached directly onto these 1×2 pieces that were also attached to the studs. Luckily, we were able to mark on the ceiling where each stud was on the wall and had a little peak at what it looked like behind the drywall (creepy). We had to remove them because they weren’t flush with the wall and in order for the tile to lay properly, we wanted to make sure to have a smooth/flat surface. My husband had to go in and fill those cutouts with drywall to give the wall a smooth surface for tiling. Since we both have sedans, we were unable to fit a full sheet of drywall and we didn’t need an entire 8 foot piece, so we decided to pick up (2) 2×2 (1/2 inch) drywall pieces and my husband cut them out in sections.
After all the cutouts were covered with drywall, we filled in the cracks with joint compound and sanded everything down smooth.
Now, we are ready for to build the vent hood cover! This is a task that my husband was not in full agreement with because we have no idea what we are doing, but my father-in-law explained in basic detail what we needed to do, so I think we got this!
I am beyond excited to dive into this kitchen project now that vacation time is over. As many already know, we are expecting another little bundle of joy in February 2022, so I am tackling this project while being 20+ weeks pregnant. Thankfully, I have had SO much energy and motivation to get this project completed. Stay tuned as we continue to update everyone on a weekly basis.