Totally understand! We wanted to replace the fake brick backsplash when we moved in, something like 10-11 years ago. We just finally got around to it.
And we had tile countertops. Like, WTF?
We’re considering, for the spring, trying to re-do the master bedroom closet. Replace the carpet with ergo similar to the kitchen, do paint, trim, and lights, install some sort of ‘closet system’ that isn’t a couple pipes and boards that are caked with 40 years of paint.
With our sanity level… That’s a spring project.
It sounds like you’re int he spot where the only sane option for your kitchen is the level of total rebuild we did, and that does get pricey quick.
My house is a definitely mix of 70s initial construction (the tile & brick; the ‘faux-tudor-ish’ bar in the basement) with the previous owner’s dubious aesthetics applied (Someone really liked bright colors and ceiling hooks for plants, of which we’ve only removed most). The kitchen remodel killed off some of the worst. We previously dealt with the total garbage like running a hose around the edge of the basement instead of replacing a silcock that was a cheap fix.
It has some very nice features I like though:
The back section of the basement has nice tall ceilings that don’t feel claustrophobic.
The two non-master bedrooms are both pretty nice size-wise, with a large-ish closet each.
Bathroom on every floor. The basement does have three sinks, which seems a bit decadent at times.
Dining room (and kitchen) has a very tall ceiling.
Still, no real issue selling it even after the kitchen work, if we had a reason like a job change. I told $Wife a couple months ago I had a weird dream one her bosses got a chance to open a practice in San Francisco and wanted to take $Wife with her, and even offered us a chance to live in the basement of the house they were borrowing while we got set up. (It was one of those dreams with Too Much Exposition. No it’s probably not likely to happen.)
Went to the store and bought all my goodies to finish the bathroom. Except for the half a dozen things I forgot to pick up. Hopefully I will have this project done tomorrow. How hard can it be to drop in a couple of sinks, really?
Well dropping them in is easy. But apparently no matter how you measure, the drains don’t match up. But it is done. Running for a new toilet seat and tp roller and storage bins to complete the project!
Well, I have some friends that are threatening to come over Sunday and whip most of it out in one day. Luckily it is again just painting and glazing and the like. Not moving or changing anything major. So it might not be so bad. Who knows though.
Glutton for punishment, so I started the kitchen. Friends all bailed but for good reasons. So far just tearing down blinds and the like, and scrubbing the walls and moving appliances to clean and paint behind them. Still probably going to take a couple weeks just because my schedule is kinda crazy the next couple of weeks. But Thanksgiving is late this year so I should be done by then I would think!
Looks nice! You have the advantage over us of not having a tiny townhouse kitchen as a base. Our options were limited. We did bake for the first time in the new kitchen today.
It’s just so dark in there. Another case of all these windows and no light in there…
Tore out the blinds, etc, fixed the fridge water line and put on the first coat of tile epoxy. Starting to paint here in a few so I can move the appliances back tomorrow morning before work for my precious heathens…
We did the IKEA under-cabinet lights and while our contractor installed them, I think we could have. Lightweight, screw into cabinets, and we had a switched outlet available to use. If you have an unstitched outlet there’s ‘controllers’ with remotes available.
It’s good task lighting to augment the light from the new light fixture.
Sadly, there’s already under cabinet lighting but it’s not really very attractive. Like, I wish I could rip it out without damaging the cabinets but I can’t so I just removed as much wiring as I can because either they are plugged in and on, or unplugged and off with the cord dangling down.
Done for the night. Painted the walls and tiles, and moved the appliances back into position. Now I can work on the little things as desired. You know, like rewiring outlets, cleaning light fixtures. Hanging a new fan. Replacing the sink. Scrubbing the cabinet doors and replacing all the hardware. Little things.
I hate wiring gfis. They never do what they are supposed to the first time. At least they are on a different circuit than the kitchen lights… When I did the bathroom it was all one and that sucked.
We have discovered an issue where’s one circuit is borderline overloaded. If the microwave (which was formerly a range hood) kicks on and the dining room lights are on, the circuit blows. I feel like there’s something else going on, because it seems like I never trigger it, but the only fix is probably recalling.
A knee-jerk reaction would be to put a higher-rated circuit breaker on that circuit, but that’s just asking for trouble.
Best practice is that the lights have their own circuit and the wall sockets have their own. So if some $thing trips the power (microwave, vacuum, vibrator etc) trips the CB, you’ll still have lights.
The issue is we just got the kitchen put back together.I’m thinking of getting a quote to have a new circuit put in for the lights and seeing how much damage will be involved. I need to pay some bills first, though.
Hopefully I will have this project done tomorrow. How hard can it be to drop in a couple of sinks, really? 
But it is done. Running for a new toilet seat and tp roller and storage bins to complete the project!
