Our New Kitchen Is Complete

Our new kitchen is now complete.  When we first moved into our new house, the kitchen was a dream come true even though the stove was cracked, and we had no fridge.  We definitely saw the potential and were able to work with Laura Redd to make it happen.

We were able to find a new stove top online from www.partstore.com (a fantastic place to find parts for new or old appliances).  It took us about 30 minutes to take the old top off and replace it.  In the end, 30 minutes of work and a few hundred dollars saved us about $1,000 over buying a brand new stove.

We spent a good bit of time looking at refrigerators online.  During this period we learned that the US government was offering a 15% rebate on all Energy Star refrigerators (and other appliances as well).  Our kitchen already had stainless steel appliances with black trim so we made a decision to buy a GE GFSL6KEXLS in Clean Steel refrigerator from a local appliance center.  We were able to save a total of 22% off the price of the fridge counting energy star incentives and price matching, and we kept our money in the local economy by buying from a small local appliance store, Hart Appliance Center.

With the appliances out of the way, we picked the final paint colors for the kitchen – Autumnal.  This was a great match for the counters which contain a number of different colors for matching.  The paint is a warm orange color which is perfect for kitchens (orange promotes a healthy appetite so what better color to pick for a kitchen!). 

Underneath the overhanging bar counter, we installed 4 corner braces to provide support for all the use we foresee the bar getting over the years.  We found some nice Celtic braid styled braces at Home Depot to add a nice decorative touch.  We tried using two bar chairs from another matching table set we owned underneath the counter, but it didn’t look quite right.  Laura suggested some saddleback bar stools that would look great and keep the walkway clear into the dining room. 

Within a few weeks and with a minimal investment outside the need to buy a refrigerator, we turned an already great kitchen into a beautiful and personalized haven for us to cook and entertain our friends and family for years to come.

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