coffeechaser.com

Re-Grouting Shower Tile

2010-10-29T11:48:00.000-05:00

Vintage Vaccum Coffee Maker

2010-08-09T07:38:00.004-05:00

Settled at 90 Fahrenheit 62 Celsius

2010-07-11T14:48:00.006-05:00

With great disappointment and immediate call to action I arrived home to a dysfunctional HVAC unit. The system was blowing but the house remained hot. I turned off the energy-star-programmable-thermostat as the house reached 90 degrees. I noted temperature outside was cooler and so raising my low-E windows. Boiling with sweat and frustration, I exited the steam box to visit Lowe’s, Home Depot, Sears and Craigslist with a plan for the summer. It was a single room plan involving a window A/C plus several portable fans. I could make it through the summer then replace the failing HVAC with an environmentally friendly unit in the winter.

As I shopped the plan seemed foolish. I had planned to save then pay cash but I needed comfort now! Using credit with suffering on a bean burrito budget for the summer made sense. I returned home without the window unit remaining hot and sticky as I browsed the net developing a new plan.

My existing unit was inefficient. It had a 10 seer 2.5 ton system with R22 refrigerant. The condenser outside was fairly new while evaporator coil inside was fairly old. The furnace and blower were in great shape. Therefore the evaporator needed a coil replacement. Great, I’ll make some calls and have it replaced! The cost for a replacement was 40% less than the cost of a complete 13 seer HVAC replacement. This was the crossroads. I could follow a 16 seer energy-star-trend thus eating bean burritos for six more months or replace with a less efficient system while adjusting my diet for an extended summer.

I decided to go with a complete replacement. I purchases a Payne 3.0 ton HVAC system with an ADP evaporator coil and Payne furnace. I spoke with an entourage of service men as well as the folks at Sears. Sears proposed a Carrier unit while the service folks recommended the Payne units. I chose licensed service men to install the units. They vacuumed the lines installed a drier on the high line. They also used ductboard for the flute. I was able to snap this pic during the install while they answered 100 questions.

The Payne units are simpler Carrier makes without the bells, whistles and cost. Everyone recommended quality install and service for sustained life span. My existing furnace was Payne so was confident in the brand.

The new unit professionally installed and working like a champ!

Latte Art

2010-04-20T21:00:00.004-05:00

Underway

2010-04-01T09:36:00.001-05:00

The roofing crew is here today to replace the roof. The house is being re-birthed as the work continues I'm surpassed with peace on this Easter weekend.

The roof has been replaced in less than a day. Imagine a team of ten working graceful in tune like a Singer sowing machine. They removed the old composite shingles and cedar within an hour. Next they hammered the old nails and decked the roof with OCB. While taking a break for lunch the remaining materials and second dumpster arrived. I sent an email when the felt paper was rolled out. When I returned the edging shingles were going down. I watched the work in progress as if I were Antonio from HGTV. Walking around giving orders I gabbed the phone to call my bro' and headed to the bank. I picked up some grub, returned with my life savings. The roof was done! The crew was picking up. The time just after 1 o'clock. I guess that's how it's goes on television. The cameras were on my plan was working and all that was left was the presentation.

Scheduled

2010-03-30T12:16:00.002-05:00

Almost by coffeechaser

An American House Warming Burger Bash
Time: 5:45 to 8PM Saturday, April 10th
Location: La Hacienda De Chihuahua

I’ve scheduled a grand house warming mixer and burger challenge to celebrate the kitchen remodel. I will paint and clear the dust until then. For those who have already visited it's a gourmet burger competition with The IT Guys. The guests will include people who inspire me and some strange co-workers I can't shake. ..see ya there!

Functional Kitchen

2010-03-29T06:48:00.014-05:00

Functional by coffeechaser

Finally running water in the kitchen! I've taken some extra steps to prevent the butcher block from moisture. I've oiled the counters deeply with mineral oil and sealed the tough spots with polyurethane. The sink base was and rim where protected with foil HVAC tape. I'm using plumbers putty to seal under the faucet and sink.

Sink Putty by coffeechaser

Sink Rim Wood Sealer by coffeechaser

Dishwasher Install

2010-03-28T21:27:00.036-05:00

If your place has a dishwasher currently the installation is simple. It's taken me two days to install my new Bosch. I needed to run electrical and install the sink & disposal. The electrical should install on a GFCI circuit within 4" of the base. The power and water lines can not touch so they run along left. I cut pass through holes with 2" of the back. The water & drain line should be higher then 20" to create a drip loop. In the event of the drip loop allows the line to hang so it's not resting in a puddle.

Applied some polyurethane to underside of the butcher block and some HAVC foil tape to protect from moisture. The foil strip should go above the door opening. I'm running the hot water line and drain throught the sink cabinet. The dishwasher electrical outlet is GFCI protected.

Installing the dishwasher electrical plug.

Installing the hot water line.

Installing the drain.

Level the dishwasher, connect the lines, power on (test for leaks) and attach to counter!

Some Day

2010-03-27T18:46:00.002-05:00

The Kenmore Refrigerator Model 5882 is one I've been penning for. The LG Model LSC27910 is the same unit re-branded also by Samsung. As you see the unit is well enough to cross three major brands. I my eyes this is the only side-by-side refrigerator to pull money from you pockets to purchase. I've followed it for months in search of a bargain. The striking integrated ice feature and french doors are marvel space savers.

Spits Balls!

2010-03-26T06:19:00.002-05:00

Not Good by coffeechaser

The leaky window you see here is actually a roof leak. What this means for the kitchen remodel is I'm taking the cash for the refrigerator to replace the roof. Sh# as they say in English.

Lightly Dusted

2010-03-23T08:49:00.000-05:00

Lightly Dusted by coffeechaser

Rehung the cabinet doors and installed the stove. The cabinets need a second coat of stain and some under cabinet lighting. The kick plates will be stained to match the floor and the counters get a deep soaking with mineral oil. I'll install the dishwasher, paint the ceiling, trim and paint before it's completely functional.

Early Morning by coffeechaser

Earn Your Beer Weekend

2010-03-21T22:34:00.001-05:00

Old Rasputin by coffeechaser

Running out of time for the kitchen remodel I've made a push to the counters in this weekend. I set the counters, trimmed the base and installed the backer. I spent most of the weekend gluing and filling since my craftsmanship leaves to be desired. The Lagan butcherblock surface wraps the counter but some bad cuts left me to fill 3/16ths of an inch at the corner. I added it smooth before then kicked back with a beer to watch the HGTV's Antonio Treatment.

Wrapped Counters by coffeechaser

Friday Night Chisel

2010-03-19T23:18:00.002-05:00

The kitchen project is all consuming at this point. I've spent more hours in the kitchen than I've with friends and family. The preoccupation is really an anxious effort to complete the project. Tonight I'll mortise the cabinet sides and sand the broken joint. The glue has set and the wood filler is dry. I'll sand in down to see how things look.

Not So Perfect Joint by coffeechaser

Talking Loud, Saying Nothing

2010-03-18T23:43:00.094-05:00

Skipped out on the kitchen remodel last night to have drinks & dinner with co-workers. The conversation was intensely technical as I'm charged up about networks, servers, backups and the mundane tasks of IT people. I did purchase a dishwasher for the remodel before damning the replacement of under utilized servers. In typical geek fashion I pull reviews and checked Consumer Reports when making purchases. The Bosch dishwashers were found to be the best performers. Having made a strong case for the Maytag dishwasher; I must recant to say I've purchased Bosch. The SGV43E43EU dishwasher is rated second to the Whirlpool 2300 series as best of the budget class. I got mine for a fair price also it's 6 decibels quieter than the Maytag. I'm losing some credibility with the IT consultants but the functions of my basic dishwasher will be fully utilized until it's replaced!

http://www.dishwasher-ratings.com/SHE43P06UC.html

SHE43P06UC Bottom-Line Ratings:

This Bosch dishwasher has very good overall performance. It earns high marks for cleaning, drying, loading, capacity, noise, style, efficiency, and there are no performance areas rated below average. The style is considered to be premium, and it's MSRP is about $30 higher than the price of an average dishwasher. The SHE43P06UC is a good value for your money. The suggested retail price is about what we would expect to pay for this level of performance and style.

Dishwasher Shopping

2010-03-18T07:29:00.002-05:00

2nd Interior Coat by coffeechaser

Applied the second coat of paint to the cabinet interiors and stopped by Sears last night. I wanted to check out some standard issue dishwashers priced $400-600. I'm looking for a great value for the money. The Maytag MDB7609AWW0 and Kenmore 13243 stainless steel units are the best buys in my opinion. They offer the basic functionality and stainless tub without the double the price kick in the head you get from the higher end models. In fact the nice units are only 3-6db quieter than these two models. I'll do a little more research for now I am thinking Maytag (Sears Item 17313).

http://www.dishwasher-ratings.com/13243.html

Kenmore 13243 Bottom-Line Ratings:

This Kenmore dishwasher has very good overall performance. It earns high marks for drying, capacity, noise, style, efficiency, and there are no performance areas rated below average. The style is considered to be premium, and it's MSRP is about $40 less than the price of an average dishwasher. The 13243 is a good value for your money. The suggested retail price is about what we would expect to pay for this level of performance and style.

http://www.dishwasher-ratings.com/MDB7609AWS.html

Maytag MDB7609AWS:

This Maytag dishwasher has very good overall performance. It earns high marks for cleaning, drying, loading, capacity, style, efficiency, and there are no performance areas rated below average. The style is considered to be premium, and it's MSRP is about $70 less than the price of an average dishwasher. The MDB7609AWS is a good value for your money. The suggested retail price is about what we would expect to pay for this level of performance and style.

Daily Progress

2010-03-17T01:14:00.001-05:00

The kitchen reveal and party is three weeks away. Last night I applied a coat of paint for the cabinet interiors. The to-do list is now a daily effort until complete. After work I'll be knock out the little things and wrapping up some big tasks. I'll install the appliances, cover the outlets, trim, paint and clean-up. The last week I'll organize and restock in preparation for visitors. I'm looking forward to having my kitchen back. Check back to see how things are progressing.

Final Cabinet Color!

2010-03-16T07:36:00.002-05:00

Decided to go with dark cabinetry for the kitchen. The dark color works in contrast to with the flooring and stainless steel appliances. This choice is against my hard push for off-white cabinetry. While polling I found the off-white color to be predictable. I stained the some sample boards to find the right color. The popular wood has a greenish hue with dark variation. The process for staining the wood is two stepped. The first pass to even out the color variation and the next as a final staining. I used a Golden Oak stain followed with an ebony stain. The results are a nice espresso brown hand rubbed to perfection.

Step 2 by coffeechaser

Tough Day

2010-03-15T22:35:00.002-05:00

Broken Lagan Countertop by coffeechaser

I was all set to install the counters and paint when the sink counter snapped. It happened while I was resting on the edge to reach a screw. My guess is the glue joint was weak since it was a clean split down the seam. I'm wondering why the joints are not tongue and groove but that's asking too much. Completely frustrated I reached for a pencil and pondered. The moment was obsessive as I returned from a compulsive notion to replace the tops with granite. The disorder caused me to ditch perfecting the corner joints to salvage what I could using glue.

Repaired Lagan Countertop by coffeechaser

Behind the Stove

2010-03-14T20:33:00.001-05:00

Gas Line by coffeechaser

Changed the gas line connection to an elbow with shut off valve. The new setup allows more clearance behind the stove. The old kitchen had a separate units (oven & cooktop) with the gas line hiding in the cabinetry.

Clearance Behind the Gas Range by coffeechaser

Pantry Shelving

2010-03-14T17:09:00.001-05:00

Favorite Pantry Shelf by coffeechaser

Installed some adjustable shelves in pantry. The bottom shelf is my favorite it holds great finds like my oversize coffee grider, $15 thrifty Kitchen Aid mixer and some vintage Bunt pans and pots from estate sales. I'm making slow process at the Kitchen Cure. This is the week to stock, organize, and beautify. As I restock the pantry I'll add some storage bins for bags flavorings and a nice spice rack. The bare shelves will do until they are painted.

Check, Check, Check

2010-03-10T19:54:00.001-06:00

Set the sink base, make sink cutouts, test fit the sink & faucet. Three things off the list but not quite installed. They are in place for looks or to give a sense of satisfaction after a late night.

Perfect Fit by coffeechaser

Hand Planer

2010-03-09T19:47:00.000-06:00

Hand Planer by coffeechaser

Power tools have their way in the new school but this classic hand planer set the bar long ago for craftsmanship. Since my sander bit the dust I'm relying on this old man to finish the job.

Busted Random Orbital Sander by coffeechaser

Kitchen Countertops

2010-03-07T21:59:00.001-06:00

Weekend project: Set the Counter-tops

Decided to forge ahead by installing the butcherblock counters. The rough cutting went well I literally burned through the first cuts (dull blade). I made the cuts slowly using C-Clamps and scrape flooring as a guide. I am most concerned with the corner joints. I wish for them to be seamless. I've setup and jig to pull the joints together. The 1/16th gap you see below will become invisible. The counters will be finished with natural oil when the project is complete. By this time next week I hope to have the counters installed.

First Cut by coffeechaser

Joint Clamp by coffeechaser

Joint Gap by coffeechaser

Kitchen Venting

2010-03-04T20:47:00.001-06:00

Microhood Electrical by coffeechaser

This is a tough spot for power tools. I should have cut thees holes before hanging the wall cabinet. Three jigsaw blades later the vent hole is cut and in a snap the electrical. The mircohood vents to the outside via a 10" x 3.25" straight boot, a connection ring, and some semi-ridge flexible ducting. It's running through the existing ceiling hole out the roof.

Range Hood Vent by coffeechaser

Kitchen Cabinets

2010-02-27T23:18:00.002-06:00

Cabinets Installed by coffeechaser

Mr. Fuller -badass with power tools- visited to install the kitchen cabinets. He is a friend who knows more than I about carpentry and so I played second fiddle most of the day keeping the beer cold! The process was simple yet time consuming. We started by marking the studs and finding the floor's high point. Working from there the cabinets were shimmed, squared, and leveled. We added some filler pieces to the corners for hardware clearance and moved on to the next cabinet. Each unit was secured to the wall and the adjoining cabinet. If your are installing cabinets make your own shims as we did. Set the saw to 1.5 degrees cut a 6" block with the grain, flip the board and cut again.

Final Layout by coffeechaser

Colossal Sink

2010-02-27T23:10:00.001-06:00

Tight Fit by coffeechaser

I have a love for vintage sinks especially the ceramic ones with their worn patina. I left behind a nice one at the duplex I was renting. This one I’m installing is waiting to tell a new story. The first wail of a tale is about installation. The sink base had to be sturdy to support its weight. I reclaimed some floor boards and built a skirt. There's little clearance the faucet but sink is pretty.

3" 1/2 Depth to Wall by coffeechaser

Painted Kitchen

2010-02-27T12:11:00.003-06:00

Within 12 hours my brother and I made a punctual effort to prepare the kitchen walls for cabinets. We sanded the walls, cleared the room and vacuumed the dust in record time. Before heading to bed the walls were textured and paint ready. I’m rising early after a four hour nap to begin painting. The color you see now is gray when the paint dries it will be Kwal Drew CL2992W a greenish gray with a blue hue.

Prep by coffeechaser

Textured Wall by coffeechaser

Kitchen Ceiling Texture

2010-02-25T21:00:00.003-06:00

Kitchen Ceiling Texture by coffeechaser

Popeye arms and patience are a must if you insist on DIY home repair. The next is a healthy dose of do-it-again. The flat area shown in this photo is my fifth attempt to plaster the soffit areas. The first passes were to resurface after soffit removal. The remaining to patch areas where the paper backing pealed while texturing. I've mixed a slurry of paint and joint compound (1:4) as roll-on ceiling texture. Applied lightly, I will repeat the process until satisfied.

Roll On Texture by coffeechaser

Ceiling Slurry by coffeechaser

The Shiner Family Fridge

2010-02-23T00:34:00.006-06:00

The Shiner Family Fridge by coffeechaser

When I cleared the kitchen for remodeling everything went into the adjoining rooms. The dishware, table, cookware went into the living room. The stove and refrigerator into the hallway. I focused on acquiring materials & tools needed to complete the job. The bedroom later became a cave to house the kitchen cabinets. The food perishables remained safe stored in the fridge until I found a great deal on flooring. I arrived home with 17 bundles of solid oak flooring at $1.35 per square foot and no remaining storage place. I had an hour to unload before returning to work. The car was loaded and so I scrambled. The entrance way items were pushed into the living room and hallway. At that moment I unplugged the refrigerator thinking I'll grab and extension cord and plug-in later. After getting the wood inside I locked the house and returned to work. Almost a week later -because I was broke and the refrigerator was damn near empty to begin with- I opened it up and trashed everything. I can't cook at the moment so I've restocked with liquids, eggs, and lunch meat. Cheers!

Liquids & Eggs by coffeechaser

Kitchen Pantry

2010-02-22T06:50:00.005-06:00

The pantry has been closed for months during the remodeling. I'm not surprised by the expired goods and plaster dust. Since committing to The Kitchen Cure at ApartmentTherapy.com I'm opening the door with a renewed focus. We are tasked with cleaning out the pantry and mine is shameful. I’ll throw out more items than I keep then reorganize what remains. The Cure has come with great timing I’m wrapping up the remodel and could us some fresh stock. Over the weeks ahead the goal is simplifying the kitchen. The challenge will be balancing cooking to match my life habits. I am a meat & steamed veggies cook. My Asian inspired kitchen pantry must transform to suit my style. I'll keep my favorite flat noodles and cast away the bean paste and fermented fish sauce. Life is about embracing the stages at the moment I’m focused on soul food and The Great American Hamburger. When the remodel is over I should have a fabulous kitchen with some cultural richness in the pantry.

Weekly To-Do List:
Clean Out Pantry
De-Clutter Equipment
Deep Clean & Beautify
Restock
Enjoy!

Dusty Shelf by coffeechaser

Dusty Top Shelf by coffeechaser

Floor Protection

2010-02-19T07:22:00.001-06:00

Floor Protection by coffeechaser

Covered the floor with rosin builder's paper to protect the polyurethane. This weekend I'll be revisiting the walls and ceiling. The think layer of fine plaster dust will return to cover whole house. Its amazing how the stuff settles in areas otherwise closed off.

4th Coat of Polyurethane

2010-02-18T07:50:00.003-06:00

4th Coat of Polyurethane by coffeechaser

I am learning to crawl again this week. I've taken each night after work to sand between coats, vacuum, tact cloth, and seal the floor. This is the fourth coat of polyurethane. I'm saving the final coat for last. Once the cabinets and lighting are in place the floor will glow. It's a kitchen with hardwood flooring so I've been over protective!

Floor Close Up by coffeechaser

Ikea Lagan Countertop

2010-02-14T15:38:00.002-06:00

It's Valentine's Day and I'm running around Ikea for countertops! I've spent weeks researching and schedule appointments for Granite, Corian or Concrete counters. All were well over budget the most outrageous was Sensa Granite from Sears at $7500. The most humbling would have been a Wilsonart laminate DIY effort. I already had plywood for the job but wanted to stay away from laminate. I then visited Ikea's website with a rumor they were discontinuing their stainless steel countertops. In fact they were for $20 per 6' foot sheet. When I arrived I found the stainless too thin and prone to scratches. Out of options on this day of love the walked out with the newly issued LAGAN solid beech butcher block counters. The NUMERAR product is a long-standing Ikea hit at $169, however the thinner cheaper $59 LAGAN is right for my budget. The kitchen is approaching 70's wood grain overkill but plans change as does life. I'm going retro!

Top Cabinets

2010-02-13T19:43:00.000-06:00

Top Cabinets Staging by coffeechaser

Original my plan was to do away with top cabinets completely and use open shelving. I had also planned to build the cabinets myself to save money. Boy was I wrong! After spending Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and Valentines without a kitchen I had to rethink the budget. My health and well being are more sacred than saving cash. Instead I bought the materials in stages while realizing the kitchen would be more functional with top cabinets along the cooking wall. The open shelving will accent the adjoining walls.

Hardwood Flooring Installation

2010-02-10T21:32:00.002-06:00

Subfloor Removal by coffeechaser

The walls have reached state of uniformity and are ready for texture. The ceiling was a royal pain as it's paper backing would pealed. I've sanded the old and applied new texture. Frustrated I've moved on to installing the hardwood flooring. I made it half way through removing the sub-flooring before deciding it would take thee nights a week and three weekends to finish the job alone. The next day I called floor installers. I was able to work out a cheaper rate having the materials on-site and and the kitchen cleared. For the day rates of two guys and additional $150 to foreman the flooring was installed and sanded the next day. I planned to stain and seal the floor myself. Once they arrived we worked together and finished within eight hours.

Hand Planed Transitions & Corners by coffeechaser

Hallway Transition by coffeechaser

Remodeled Kitchen Layout

2010-02-07T03:15:00.000-06:00

New Kitchen Layout by coffeechaser

The Ikea Kitchen Planner is a great spacial tool for planning a workable layout. I've modeled several versions in typical bi-polar-anal-retentive fashion. The file's Nina Simone's Ikea kitchen. After seeing the cost sheet I may demand my pay like she did!

Wall Color Staging

2010-02-03T03:06:00.000-06:00

Wall Color Staging by coffeechaser

I did my best to purchase wall paint once. Well, I purchase twice once green then blue. In dig the blue. It's fabulous without being over the top. The green works well my kitchen table. I'll more than likely keep this as an accent wall for the dining area.

Wall Color Staging by coffeechaser

Resurfacing The Walls

2010-01-28T23:52:00.003-06:00

Rolled On Resurfacing by coffeechaser

I've rubbed and sanded every inch, bump, and valley for the walls and ceiling by hand. These brute force tactics are primitive but effective. What you see now is an epiphany in which I used a texture roller to apply the plaster. The plaster is tinted with oops paint as a primer. Had to apply the coats lightly and smooth between coats. The plaster without paint would roll the paper backing otherwise. I'm reinventing the wheel but its my first time around this carousel.

Wall Color?

2010-01-06T21:39:00.002-06:00

I like bold saturated colors. Yet I'm choosing from the neutral palette something cold to work with wood and stainless steel. The four colors shown work well with my purchases. I have the stove, cabinets, and flooring. The flooring was a gift from my mother. I found a short run of deeply discounted closeout inventory. In pinch I transported the 270 square feet of solid oak hardwood flooring by car for additional savings. What fun!

Energy Efficient Windows

2009-12-16T23:24:00.000-06:00

Resurfacing The Walls by coffeechaser

The Energy Star Windows have been installed. They look great and the panes are double hung swing-ins for easy cleaning. The kitchen is covered with dust and I'm patching the holes. I've created a monster remodel well over my original intentions. If I had it to do again I'd refinish the cabinet paint and invest monies elsewhere!

Resurfacing The Walls by coffeechaser

Getting Started

2009-12-10T20:13:00.001-06:00

Back to the demolition. I've removed the dividing wall and started removing the wallpaper and old plaster texture. I salvaging the existing Sheetrock and installing Energy Star windows.

Kitchen Layout Planning

2009-12-03T22:04:00.001-06:00

Planning the kitchen layout with strings and boxes for a much better take on scale and flow. I'm back where it all started. U-shaped kitchen with sink under the window. I'm going to keep it open by removing the wall cabinets and using open shelving.

An Empty Kitchen

2009-11-28T23:42:00.002-06:00

What started as simple kitchen update has turned into an all out demolition. I have no kitchen and everything that was once here is scattered about the house. The plan has changed: buy what I can, when I can. I'll replace things in due time sourcing from Craigslist and sales.

Time For A Change

2009-11-16T23:00:00.001-06:00

I've decided it's time to update the kitchen by adding a dishwasher updating the flooring and painting the cabinets. Keep sliding the refrigerator around to see which location will work. The cabinetry was built in place and solid. I'll extend the counter and built the cabinets myself. The tough part was ripping up three layers of laminate flooring. The original vinyl remains as I ran out of steam.

LAMill Boutique

2009-10-06T08:28:00.012-05:00

LAMILL BOUTIQUE
1636 Silver Lake Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90026
P 323.663.4441
F 323.663.4462

Hours of Operation:
Sunday - Thursday
7AM - 10PM
Friday and Saturday
7AM - 11PM

I'm A Homeowner

2009-05-27T23:00:00.002-05:00

It's no surprise that moving is a big ordeal. It's been a month and things are still finding their place. The Bar is setup as is the coffee station. I have Espresso to keep me going and booze to clam my nerves. What I need is a stack of gift cards and a small party of friends. The kitchen here is slightly than the duplex. I'm lacking a dishwasher and the 24" oven is small and both have the dreaded tile counters. I'm home with a smile organizing my things; it's good to be a homeowner!

My New Kitchen

2009-04-07T23:07:00.000-05:00

Kitchen As Purchased by coffeechaser

There is a lot to love about moving into your first home. Mine is hardwood floors, gas appliances, and larger kitchen. The duplex had a small corner kitchen with limited counter space. Liked its charm and colorful playfulness. My first kitchen is boxed but open. The 12x20 space shares a dining area and flows well. I can't wait to move in. The refrigerator is the first to go. It's missed placed and stinks!