Have you ever taken an eyesore in your home (the garage, basement, pantry) and cleaned it up, organized it, and optimized its utility? Chances are, you couldn’t stop visiting the space afterward because it looked so good, and provided a glimpse into the promise of what the rest of the house could look like, if only…

Bet you can guess what happened to our conviction not to redo the kitchen right away. Yep, right out the window!  The new dining area turned out so beautifully that the kitchen, in contrast, looked worse than ever (who thought that was possible?).

Greg set the wheels in motion by suggesting that MAYBE a total kitchen remodel wouldn’t cost THAT much. (Hurray! He started this process, not me.) So I gleefully (ahem, generously) offered to contact the custom cabinetmaker in Ellijay for a quote.

Note: For months, I had been researching cabinet companies. I found a line of cabinets that I loved from Greenfield Cabinets. Their Baldwin series is so beautiful, with the clean but traditional lines I envisioned in my space.

However, my vision for a new kitchen layout incorporates features that would be impossible for a stock cabinet company to supply. Also, based on the design choices that were made in the dining room, and frankly, based on the style of our house, these sleek, white wonders would not work. Custom cabinets would be the only way to get the look and functionality I had my heart set on.

So I placed a call, and Mike, the owner Ellijay Custom Cabinets, met with us and and asked what I wanted. He nodded his head, never once said “we can’t do that”, and came up with a price that was jaw-droppingly affordable. Greg ran for his checkbook, and wrote a deposit, to secure our place in the construction queue.  (Note:  this transaction was a real leap of faith.  We had no idea about the company or the quality of their products. Never talked to a customer of his for a recommendation.  Just had a really had a good feeling about Mike!)

The “lower” cabinets were installed last Friday.  I stayed downstairs during most of that process. Truthfully? I had no idea what they were going to look like, and was terrified that I was going to HATE them.  However, they are gorgeous, & exactly what I asked for, down to the tiny bead detail on the doors.  Mike captured my vision, but also added some stunning furniture-like features that I had not even thought to ask for. The “uppers” are due to go in at the end of this week.

Pics of the new space will be forthcoming, as well as pictures that leave nothing to the imagination, regarding what it’s like to live through 5 solid months of construction. (Hint: it is hell!)