29-nov-2014 - Hello everyone, I hope you've had a fab week! Well, here it is - my big kitchen reveal. Before I go any further, I will of course point out that that this is still very much a work in progress! As with any DIY project, it takes time to get the details in place, and if you look closely you can see tiles missing! Let's just take a look at what I was faced with as soon as I got the keys to the house on January 6th this year - See that floor? It was dreadful, greasy lino tiles stuck on more horrible lino. There was a door to the left which I knew as soon as I looked round the house that I needed to replace with a window, to make more usable worktop space. The boiler in the corner was on it's last legs, there was strip lighting and the shelving was filthy. I had my work cut out! The only thing I wanted to keep were the subway tiles, and there was no guarantee I was going to be able to save them. Cue the building work, to install a window and dig up the concrete floor to put down a traditional wood floor. I think I may have mentioned that it was a lengthy and financially draining project... However it was so very worth it, as I love my new floor and the kitchen flows beautifully into the dining room. The next stage was installing the worktops, for which my dad came up and worked his DIY magic. I found my beautiful beech work top here, at the bargaintastic price of £210 for 6 meters of prime beech worktop, which my dad cut with a jigsaw to fit my butler sink in. My sink is a second hand reproduction one which I got for £50 from a dear friend - we actually salvaged it from her garden! Until I get cupboard doors made from old pallets, I'm making under counter curtains from an old French linen sheet - I will share pics with you as soon as I have made them! The electrician took my tiles off very cleanly to put my plug sockets in, so after a good soak in a bucket of water, I was able to clean the glue off the back, so I can put them back up. I even reused the shelving, after taking the nasty metal wall brackets down and replacing with cheap and cheerful wooden brackets from B&Q. The freestanding sideboard and wall cupboard were from an auction, my beloved Smeg cooker came with me from the old house and my dad got the brass taps from a car boot fair. I love that fact that the kitchen has been made on a budget, and using as many second hand and reclaimed items as possible - it gives it a warmth and patina which is much harder to achieve with brand new fitted kitchens. I will share more detailed snaps with you over the coming weeks, including my upcycled chandelier which my electrician is hanging for me this week! Have a wonderful weekend! Tamsyn x
