Pandemic Life, and a Marble Makeover

Hey everyone! I am so excited to talk with you all about this kitchen we did a while back, but I'd also like to talk to you about what's going on in our lives. I think if everyone shared their stories, we'd have a lot more understanding for each other. In a world of finger pointing and name calling, understanding is what we need right now.

I saw this post floating around the internet this morning that really resonated with me. It said, "We are not all in the same boat, just the same storm." Then it went on to list different scenarios. It talked about people who were completely alone, people who were worrying about their next meal, people who were overworked and underappreciated. It talked about people who were really scared, and people who thought this whole thing was ridiculous. We're living through the same event, but we're all experiencing it differently. Our feelings are real, and they matter, whether or not anyone else understands them.

We're on day 175 million of 'stay at home' and I think we're all starting to feel it. We have five kids at home every day, and we are homeschooling/ entertaining them while trying to run a business. We're truly overwhelmed. They are all in different grades, their teachers are all using different platforms, and we don't have enough laptops to go around. When I run errands for work, I have to bring the three younger children with me. People stare at me. Chris leaves for work well before the sun comes up, and he comes home from work usually when I'm finishing feeding the kids. Normally I am right there working with him, but I've been having to take projects home with me so I can be home with the kids. Most of the work I do has to be done outside, and so I can't start it until everyone is done with school and I can set the smaller kids up next to me with an activity. I'm spending most of my morning on the phone troubleshooting Covid related issues from home, while Chris is troubleshooting Covid related issues in the field.

Every project we signed or started right before Covid-19 has seen crazy delays. There are mandated precautions we have to take, precautions we've been asked to take by homeowners or workers, and precautions other businesses are taking that have affected us. Essential jobs, like homes that are unlivable, have had to take precedence over cosmetic jobs. Projects like this usually have crews in and out quickly but we've only been able to have a couple workers at a time on site. Materials that are usually quickly available to us are taking a long time to come in. Stores that we can usually shop in locally for materials are closed or are only offering curbside pickup with no returns. They are overwhelmed, we are overwhelmed, our clients are frustrated. And none of this is even close to as bad as what others are facing.

We have a fridge that has food in it. Our kids are exhausted and bored, but they are happy. We are able to work. I haven't slept a wink in weeks, and neither has Chris, because we feel like despite our best efforts we are failing people; but we are healthy. Our kids are healthy. There aren't enough hours in the day right now, but one day we'll find ourselves with extra time. That will be the day when we can reflect on all of the good that came out of this: the lessons we learned, the extra time we had with our kids, etc. The storm has affected us all differently, but no matter the boat we'll find a way to weather it. I encourage you to share your stories. We have this wonderful opportunity to reach each other instantly via the internet, so let's do it in a positive way. Let's encourage, pray for, and empathize with each other. The ones you disagree with the most probably most need your compassion.

*Special prayers for our friends/clients who are living in a hotel during a pandemic while we renovate their home after a flood destroyed it. Their lives suck the most.

I promise I won't be in my feelings for the rest of this post, and instead I will provide you with some click bate...

This is a project we were finishing as all of this Covid-craziness began. We had to bring Vale with us the last day and our clients were so incredibly understanding and gracious. People like them remind us why we love our jobs so much!

Their wants:

1. Painted cabinets

2. New countertops

3. A backsplash

4. New hardware

5. New sink and faucet

6. Character added to their island

7. New french doors, or character trim around their existing sliders (I LOVED this idea as it was a creative, and economic solution to a problem, and those are my favorite kind of solutions).

8. New LVT flooring in kitchen, foyer, and powder room

9. 1/4 round

10. Character shiplap installed behind toilet in powder room.

11. New lighting installed in kitchen and dining room.

My design plan:

Light and bright, luxury materials, sophisticated shine.

What we did:

1. Painted upper cabinets in Basal Powder, by Sherwin Williams, and their lower cabinets in Lapland Ice, by Sherwin Williams.

2. Replaced their granite countertops with ivory quartz that has pure white veining.

3. Added a honed marble backsplash in a really interested pattern with a matching ivory grout.

4. Replaced polished nickel hardware with chrome hardware.

5. Replaced double basin sink with single basin quartz sink, and brushed nickel faucet with chrome faucet.

6. Added trim to their island in an X pattern to beef it up for larger countertop.

7. Added craftsmen style trim to slider door surround.

8. Installed Luxury Vinyl over existing tile.

9. Added 1/4 round trim to existing trim to create finished look over LVT floors.

10. Installed and faux-finished shiplap for a rustic look.

11. Installed new pendant lights and chandeliers in kitchen and dining room.

Before and After Pics

What do you think of the before and after pictures? Our clients pretty much stuck to my original design. They only went rogue (haha) on the knobs, sink, and pendant lights. I was super worried about the darkness of the sink, but it fits our clients' personalities perfectly, and offers a really cool contrast to the lighter palette. Crow eaten. They fell in love with the pendant lights you see in the above picture, and some knobs they found locally. One of the best parts of my job is to collaborate with clients and to enjoy the evolution of the materials selection process. Knowing what you want and not compromising is the BEST way to work with a designer/ decorator to ensure you always get the space of your dreams. They love their kitchen, it turned out great, and I am (sometimes) woman enough to admit when I'm wrong.

Make sure you comment about this kitchen renovation, and share some of your Covid stories so we can share our support! We're all in this together (even if we're actually-completely-physically isolated from one another).

xoxo

Alyssa