What Have I Gotten Myself Into? – Kitchen Edition

Great minds think alike. You want proof? For a wedding gift both Michael’s parents and my parents decided to buy us a new stove. Not together. Independently of one another, they purchased cards (my mom unwittingly bought a super cute lesbian wedding card) and wrote “Congratulations! For your wedding, we’d love for you to pick out a new stove.” We were obviously shocked and overwhelmed by the generosity of both sides (and super stoked because our electric stove was the worst).

Since our families are too generous (like really – we were flat out overwhelmed) and a tad stubborn, they refused to go in on the stove together. Instead they compromised. The Stocks would purchase a beautiful Frigidaire Gallery gas stove and my parents would help us out with a similarly-priced home upgrade of our choosing. (Which is way beyond anything we could ever expect or want or need, but we appreciate it nonetheless.)

It took me about two seconds to determine what needed some overhauling (and two more seconds for Michael to agree): the kitchen countertops. The tile counter is original to the house and has seen better days – which after 53 years of use is understandable.

I know that granite and quartz have become a bit standard for kitchens nowadays, but that’s not going to fly in this house. First off it’s incredibly expensive, but also sticking a slab of elegant stone in a 1962 ranch that looks like someone’s fishing cabin would be so silly. So I took a hint from the era in which the home was built and thought laminate. I know, I know – you’re thinking why not butcher block or solid surface or anything else but laminate – but I checked out the Formica website, and they’ve got it going on. I’m loving this Black Walnut Timber pattern and whatever Dolce Macchiato is from their 180fx line. Also they have a partnership with Johnathan Adler and I’m dying over all the linen patterns.

The thing is that once the tile top is gone, so is the tile backsplash. And once the backsplash is gone, there’s going to be a gap between the counter and the vintage wallpaper (which I love). And then you have a “if you give a mouse a cookie” situation where switching countertops means an even bigger kitchen project.

I won’t lie to you: I’m excited at the prospect of new counters, but I’m also a bit sad to be tearing up the kitchen. I suppose that’s part of the territory of moving into a loved one’s home. I’m hoping to preserve the vibe by using an extra roll of the same vintage wallpaper on the narrow wall.

And maybe once this is all said and done I can actually give a little tour of the cabin. This blog is all cabin this and cabin that and I have yet to really show you all around (other than these terrible before photos).

In the meantime, weigh in on those countertop swatches and let me know what you think! Inquiring minds need to know!