Torrens Family Blog

Home Improvement

2009-08-09T18:08:00.001-07:00

Here are some before and after shots of changes we've made to our house over the past four months. I should definitely add that we hired the best contractor in all of San Jose, Paul Arnold
and is son-in-law designer Charlie Andrews, made this experience as quick and as painless as possible.

Paul Arnold, general contractor and Charlie Andrews, designer

Picture 1: Our pre-school room that served as a kitchen during the last month of the project. Picture 2: Tthe same Pre-School room after a coat of new paint.

Picture 1: Old Dining Room Before. Notice that there is no longer a door on the left side and the 70's mirror tiles are gone. Picture 2: Old Dining Room with paint that will be our new "stage" and hold the drumset and piano.

Picture 1: Island cabinets with island wall. Notice the old kitchen is still in use while new one is being built. Picture 2: Completed island.

Picutre 1: One of the quirky features of the old kitchen was a double oven turned microwave and oven. Picture 2: The old oven waiting to go to the recycler.

Picture 1: New and improved microwave location. Picture 2: New and improved oven/stove in the newkitchen.

Picture 1: This was one of our last dinners in our old dining area. The wall behind Matt and Deb is the exact wall where the new kitchen was built. Sydney is sitting where the island now stands. The map in this picture is now the blue wall in the picture 2. Picture 2: Kitchen--After

Picture 1: Old family room--Before. Picture 2: Old family room is now the new dining room (notice it's the same window, without the built-in cabinets. In a few weeks it will have an adult-
sized table.

We owe a lot of thanks to all of our friends and family who have helped us during this four month experience. I won't mention names in case I leave someone out, but you know who you are. We've had help with plumbing, tile-setting, painting, shopping, covering shelves with contact paper, truck borrowing, babysitting and even housing while we had to go away during the wood floor re-furbishing.

Looking forward to many get-togethers in our new digs!!

Kitchen Switchin'

2009-05-11T22:35:00.000-07:00

Our amazing designer, Charlie of Arnold construction, came up with a plan to radically change the flow of our great room. He proposed switching the kitchen from it's current spot, on the right, to the space on the left that we had intended to use as a family room. So, how do you go about making the switch?

First, cut a hole in the hall wall.

Next, remove the pocket door, add a support beam/footer in the floor and a huge beam over head (not shown).

Now you have an angled entry to the new "great room". Through the opening you can see the wall of what will be a "long island" where the dishwasher, sink and an eat-at counter will sit.

Here's a closer look at the wall for the island.

It's late! I'll send more pics. soon!

Deb

Dust Everywhere!

2009-05-11T21:46:00.000-07:00

Dust, clutter and kids are everywhere. Our kitchen is overtaken by contractors at 7:30 a.m.on school days and our three year old naps to the sound of jack hammers, nail guns and electric saws. And yet, we couldn't be happier with what is taking place. Six years after purchasing my parents home, we are taking advantage of low interest rates and remodeling the two main living areas in our house (plus a few extras like the entry way). Here's a picture of the entry before remodel:

Here's the entry with the ceiling gone. It's now re-built a foot higher.