I'm proud to report that we are now fully in rebuilding mode in the kitchen. For awhile, we had been dilly-dallying on demo-ing the sink cabinet, because why remove the old sink until you're ready to put the new one in? Living without a kitchen sink is not for me. But we found a sink, and my handy dad offered to come over and help take things to the next level.
Here's the sad sink cabinet. Its friends abandoned it weeks ago. Fairly well built, but covered 1980s gold-flecked laminate and a fair amount of filth. Also obstructing something that would emanate mildew smells and still on top of the 4-5 layers of flooring that we removed everywhere else a couple of years ago. In general, it was the source of much disgustingness. Dishwasher purchased for $100 at a yard sale in Vermont and worth every penny.
We yanked that thing right out of there and made all sorts of interesting discoveries. Here's two kinds of super-rad early 1900s linoleum. Note how it was applied directly to that beautiful board that was the backsplash. We scraped off what was visible after we moved in (it was also covered by the same laminate that was on the counters). We discovered that what was not visible was fairly rotten, the source of the aforementioned mildew smell. Gross. You can also see the outline of the original cabinet that would have held the sink.
For several generations they wrapped new flooring around the old cabinet. We have reached a point of no return on that.
An outline of the original sink cabinet. Note the flared front. The paint would have been the floor of the cabinets there. The paint outlined symmetrical cabinets on either side of the sink, which is just what we have planned. Lots of mystery holes - who knows what else was here. Radiator? An old dishwasher? We may never know.
We found another of Fred's signatures on the side of the window frame...too bad we didn't see it until after the spray foam went in. Sorry, Fred!
We also found where Fred had marked where the sink should go. Silly me, I'm the one who smudged it!
I'll fast forward through removing all the rest of the plaster and lath and insulating, and I will spare you pictures of the half-rotten backsplash and the baseboard that had been eaten by....something. Dad and I put up plywood on the walls. We did this in place of drywall so we can hang cabinets and shelves wherever we want without worrying about framing. It was a long a crazy day. Darkness fell. We persevered. Now, I introduce to you our new/old sink....
Ain't she a beaut? After lots of searching, including a long and fruitless drive to a New Hampshire architectural salvage place, we found this about 10 miles away from our house at a "junque" shop in Gilead. We had been looking for a double basin sink, but they're quite hard to find, especially in the rather petite (for a drainboard sink) size we were looking for. It turned out that this one was the exact size of our previous sink cabinet, which means we can have the apron front without intruding on the space we need for a dishwasher. Also, the backsplash is the exact height needed (8") between counter height and the existing windowsill. We didn't even do any serious measurements before we bought it, so we consider ourselves extremely lucky on those fronts. This basin is big enough to wash an entire cookie sheet in, and we realized that because we plan to have another small sink in the pantry, one basin would be ok. We just love that detailed apron front, and the drainboard has a fan pattern, a design I've never seen before. Can't find a brand name, but numbers on the back may or may not indicate it was made in 1936. It still needs some cleaning and has a few chips, but we just love it!
On Sunday, I also managed to do a first round of mud and tape for the drywall. It was a very productive and exhausting weekend. Next we need to pull the trigger on a faucet, vent, and a stove, and keep mudding, and keep taping...stay tuned, Corner Lot readers, stay tuned.
Congratulations on the terrific progress! that sink is fabulous.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving!
That sink is what dreams are made of Jessie. You know I'm going to swoon over it a little bit when I see it in person.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the plans for the floor? Do we sense a sander in the futre? It looks rough right now... but the attention to detail (lathe to even out woodwork later... safe wiring... keeping the big windows for the natural lighting... will all pay off! My respect to all DIY homeowners! Congratsulations! One other question: How big did the gigantic hosta get by this fall?
ReplyDeleteEinsel House Aunt
Hi everyone!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sink compliments...I realize that I really buried the lead on that one. I'll get some good pics in the daylight soon. As for the floor, we had quite a vigorous debate as to whether what we uncovered was originally exposed or if that was in fact a sub-floor for linoleum...we think we found a finish that proves that the wood was exposed, but my dad contends that substance may have been some kind of adhesive for linoleum because no one would have had exposed slightly knotty floors back then. Since none of us ever paid a visit to this house in the 1920s, we'll have to call the argument a draw. It is pretty grubby and there appears to be water damage in front of the sink, so we'll try sanding there first and if we can get it to look good enough we'll just refinish and call it good. The powder room has the same floor (we think it used to be a pantry) and it looks good now, so there's hope!
My California bungalow, built in the 1920s had that same little rectangles linoleum in the bathroom floor. Under it was finished Doug Fir. I just about had a fit when the linoleum came off and I saw the fir, visions of exposed Doug fir flooring in the bathroom danced in my head, but too much of it had been ruined by water damage from the toilet.
ReplyDeleteThe adjacent bedrooms had Doug fir in the same finish.
Hi Karen Anne,
ReplyDeleteWe are hoping that we can refinish the floor, which we think is southern pine. There seems to be some water damage in front of the sink, though, so keep your fingers crossed for us.
Hi Guys -
ReplyDeleteStumbled across your blog, and noticed you're installing a sink nearly identical to ours and wanted to ask how you did it. Is it mounted to the wall, or is it resting on the lower cabinet. My fingers are crossed that it's just resting there and has held up fine so far! The kitchen looks wonderful.
Hi there, Mayfair Mistress! We opted to simply secure it with silicone adhesive directly to the top of the cabinet. It's holding up so far and I can't see how it won't continue to do so. We're having countertops installed around it in the next couple of days. You could also rest the whole thing on one counter/tabletop a la our bathroom sink (you could say I have thing for old sinks). Check that one out here: http://53masonstreet.blogspot.com/2010/03/shopping-in-attic-for-powder-room.html
ReplyDeleteI would LOOOOOVE to see pics of your sink if you have some! Good luck!
Hey, house bloggers ARE real people, amazing! Thanks for the response, it's just what I wanted to hear. Now I just need time to work on the kitchen . . .
ReplyDelete~Megan
Megan, I assure you that at least this particular house blogger is very real, and equally starved for time! (I still wanna see your sink!)
ReplyDelete:-)