Half A Kitchen!

Half of our kitchen is in! I'd like to say we have fewer boxes, but as soon as the install crew emptied them, Jacob was running boxes to his room with plans for a fort running through his mind. He didn't get much school work done.

Conrad and I are so impressed with the Lowe's installation crew! They were very careful and thorough. They worked hard for an entire day, and are coming back Wed. to install the other half, then the granite people can measure and template the countertop. I am dreading living without a kitchen sink for clean up. The undermount sink is coming with the new counter. I am second guessing our counter choice--both color and material--but I'm trying to put my doubts out of my mind. We really agonized over this decision.

Lowe's has been so supportive of giving us the kitchen that we expected. I love the cabinets and we can't stop staring at the formerly empty hole now cozy and full. But we are not impressed with the company, Diamond. The color discrepancy between the sample and actual cabinets was so disappointing. The night we ordered, our Lowe's kitchen rep called Diamond, and they assured her that the cabinets would be "exactly like the sample." We were also told our re-order of black cabinet was a rush order, but that smaller order took longer than our initial order! Another issue is Diamond's use of particle board instead of plywood. It's true, the cabinets are "all wood" boxes stapled together, but everything else is particle board covered in thin colored paper. We picked out knobs and matching drawer pulls, but there aren't any drawer pulls; lots of knobs though! And the screws Diamond sent with the knobs are too long, so the crew drilled holes for knobs, but we don't actually have any knobs on the cabinets. For months we had a big empty hole where our kitchen was supposed to be, boxes crowding our house and all our kitchen supplies spread throughout the house. Mess everywhere, impossible to clean. Three months without a kitchen because of Diamond. It's been stressful. Looking at the kitchen and seeing cabinets, being able to put things away and clear away the disorder in our home has been a wonderful relief.

I expected our kitchen would be done before school started, but my new goal is that it will be done in time for Conrad's birthday (Sept. 22)and the holidays so we can have parties!