Kitchen Countertop Update

Hooooooooo boy, I'm terrible at updating this ol' blog, but I'm excited to say that tomorrow we get countertops in our kitchen! We've been without them for roughly 5 months. Yep, 5. Yikes.

 All prepped and ready

Back in November we were POSITIVE we wanted to go with concrete countertops (diy). But after ripping off our old granite tile countertops and buying the concrete supplies (Ardex feather finish), we stumbled on a blog that caused us to hit the brakes. That blog was 412 Reasons to Love, and her post about her diy concrete countertops had me questioning just how wonderful the Ardex feather finish was.

I've seen several bloggers post about their diy concrete countertops using that material, so I decided to email some of them and ask how it has held up for them. I heard back from Audrey of Oh So Lovely, who did an absolutely amazing kitchen remodel and used the concrete on some of her countertops. She mentioned they had a few small chips/scratches over time that were easily fixed, but otherwise the countertops have held up fine. I was relieved to hear there was still hope, but after Neal and I had a long chat about the overhang we wanted to add and how any flexing might cause cracks etc, and how we would eventually like to rent out the condo and not have to deal with countertop issues and renters, we decided to go with countertops that were ultra low maintenance, a.k.a. Caesarstone. I *think* it will be the right move. Only time will tell!

Updates

I'm way overdue for giving you guys an update on the condo, so today I'm sharing three big ones: flooring, a new couch and the start of our dining table.

Here are some before and after shots. First up is flooring (the rooms are far from being finished!)

Ta da! We used bamboo hardwoods from Lumber Liquidators and we did the installation ourselves (a huge thanks to my parents for lending a hand!) I love how the floors have warmed up the look of the condo.

I had a makeshift art gallery wall up in the hallway before. I took it down when we were working, but now I'm not sure if I want it back up. I'm thinking something more simple, like two large modern frames, would suit the space better. I'm on the lookout for a new farmhouse/industrial  style hallway light too.

Notice the ultra-chic fish rug over the entrance to the bathroom door? It was saving our feet from stepping on carpet tacks:

I can't tell you how many times I forgot they were there and ended up dancing around in pain.

Here is a glimpse of the new dining table base (the cardboard top was there to give me an idea for spacing). Since the "dining room" is on the small side, I really wanted a table with a rounded top to make getting in and out of the space easier (no running into table corners!) I found this Simon X Table Base table base at Pier 1 Imports, and it was only $120, on sale for $99.

Pier 1 also carries a table top, but it is made of glass, which is something I am not very fond of for tables, so we're now on the hunt! I have some vintage dining chairs that I'll be fixing up and re-upholstering. I'm excited to see this room finally come together! 

Now for the sofa. I'll take some better shots in the future, I promise, but it's the Davis Sectional from Crate & Barrel. This was a major splurge for us, and I still feel a bit insane for spending so much on a single piece of furniture, so this sofa had better hold up! So far, I like it and spend more time than I care to admit cozied up in the corner playing video games or looking at things on Pinterest. I do think it looks a bit out of place in the room right now, but the room is far from being done.

For future living room changes, we plan on switching out the coffee table for something with more storage, and we'd like to get some new fun pillows for the sofa (goodbye gold!) As for the paint swatches, I'm making it a goal to decide on a color in a month's time. Those swatches have been on the wall for like 8 months. Shhhh.....

My not-so-little-anymore rescue kitty, Tobermory, love the new sofa. He barely ever leaves it (I wish we could trade lives sometimes!)

Well there you have it! Still have a lot of work cut out for us, but I love being able to experience creative freedom with this place and learn new things about home remodeling along the way. Have a good weekend friends!