I realized I never really continued writing about the biggest home renovation project we went through. I started off by writing about how we came up with the design, taking into account some key elements, then I wrote about all the changes we had to meet to get there. But then, some bigger things got in the way and they seemed more important to document so it just went to the back of my mind.
Today while browsing through the backed up photos on my computer, the ones we took while the installation happened all came back to me.
It’s hard to believe that what is now the beating heart of our home and the source of endless hours of fun and experimentation was once just tiles and one massive window. It’s also hard to believe that this time last year, we were anxious and worried things wouldn’t turn out as we planned or the installation would be delayed, but it all came together within the time-frame we were given.
It didn’t all come together overnight. In fact, it was installed in three parts during the month of January. And every single installation came with its own concerns.
The first time, they put in the darker, lower cabinets (that now serve as storage for food, cutlery, pans and pots and other assortments). Unfortunately, I had to be at work while they were working and could only get feedback through Whatsapp Images. I couldn’t even see it until a few days after they were in place.
The second stage was the white glossy cabinets (where everything related to serving now goes), the counter-top (including our breakfast bar) and the sink. This is where I got really pissed off: the workers decided that my largest balcony would be the greatest place to install their heavy machinery and cut off the pieces of the granite, transforming the floor to one black mess. I was not at my happiest.
And finally, on the same day our couches and dining room were delivered, all our large appliances came home. We went for stainless steel to go with the gray and white glossy cabinets. At this point, it was severely lacking in color, but I was just ecstatic that we were going to have an oven and freezer!
Work on the kitchen did not end there, of course. While we were completing the rest of the house, we kept adding touches here and there. We got the lighting, including under the cabinet ones (from IKEA of course), we got the bar stools (from Ouzai, what a life and budget saver), we got appliances and accessories every single time we went out.
And it wasn’t until August that I realized, oh we need curtains to cover up the massive windows. We looked and looked and looked, but all the traditional kitchen options seemed so dark and seemed to overshadow all the hard work we had done. The last thing I wanted to do was put in thick material or roller blinds and ruin everything. In the end, we found something a bit more abstract, a lot more colorful, and fabric that was not hard to deal with even though it is not associated with kitchens.
Once those went up, our kitchen came alive. Everything found its place after months of planning and hard work.
And it became my most favorite part of the house. It still is.
Beyond Beirut 