This weekend’s project was a reclaimed lumber decorative bench, made from 2 x 6’s that were previously serving as a garden bed in our backyard. After 2 years of harsh weathering, I decided it was time to retire the decaying lumber. Since our front porch is always bare throughout the year, I thought adding this bench would bring some life and balance to the otherwise empty porch.
And so begins one project that has been on my “to-do” list for the last 3 years; our kitchen renovation. The first thing is trying to update the cabinetry and give our kitchen an old country/farmhouse feel. The double bay stainless steel sink is staying (the old faucet is not) and our appliances (with the exception of our broken microwave) will remain in place in this first part of the renovation.
Where do we start? Well, let’s start from the top down – Crown molding replaced the dust collecting trim that was there before, making the cabinets appear much taller. All of the trim and cabinet joints were sealed with general purpose caulk, to provide a seamless appearance. A fresh coat of Olive Green paint was applied to the upper cabinet carcasses, and a gentle rub-down with Minwax “Early American” stain was added to create a nice patina. All the upper cabinet doors have been rebuilt, painted, stained, and sealed. Once the dust settled, a single layer of Minwax poly was added for durability – this will be followed-up with an additional coat of matte-finish poly for a nice hardened shell. Continue reading
Pennsylvania-Made 
