Later we went back into Home Depot with rough measurements in hand, and asked for an estimate. The guy there seemed like he didn't want to talk to us. Was it because we didn't have an appointment? We weren't ready to purchase at that moment, you see, and I'm guessing he asked himself "what's in it for me?" Not exactly the treatment we're used to from Home Depot, but whatev. We asked if we could get the cabinets we wanted for a certain amount of money, and he said discouragingly, "Oh, I doubt it. It's possible, but it would just be bare bones." And he dismissed us, if he didn't actually wave us away with his hand, I know he wanted to.
And we were left, disappointed that we may not be able to get the kitchen we wanted after all. We weren't comfortable asking ABEG for more money. It just seemed greedy. We're reasonable folks, after all, and greedy isn't us. We let it go. We decided that this wasn't to be our Dream Kitchen after all, and resigned ourselves to the fact that we might have to make some consessions. Maple instead of hickory. Basic door/drawer cabinets instead of smooth rolling, large drawers. You know, a "bare bones" kitchen.
Then, a couple weeks ago, Contractor handed us his Home Depot credit card and told us to go buy cabinets. I called Home Depot a week in advance to set up an appointment. The guy said we didn't need an appointment. Remembering what happened last year (no appointment = no service), I asked, "Are you sure?" And he said that there were three guys scheduled that day, and they hadn't been busy at all. No appointment necessary. (amazing what a bit o' recession will do to a company)
American Woodmark catalog in hand, we walked in to the Home Depot. We had our measurements (verified by Contractor three or four times per my requests). We had our budget. We had chosen the American Woodmark Annapolis line, in Natural Hickory. We love the rustic, yet polished look of the beaded board doors. It will be perfect on the ranch.
(here's a picture, but this is actually finished in Hickory Spice~our cabinets will be lighter and more natural)
Home Depot Brad started in one corner of the kitchen and worked out, asking what we'd like and how we'd like it configured. Number One took off with H-Bomb to look at gas ranges. Sawed Off was asleep in a Home Depot cart behind me.
In my mind, I was making a list of things I would be willing to conceed and let go if the cost went over our budget. Plastic shelves in the lazy suzans instead of wood shelves, etc. We really didn't want any upper cabinets, so we did have that going for us.
An hour or so in, I asked Brad how much everything we had so far would cost. He said he could do a running total. He pulled up a number...and with Home Depot's current promotion, it was Less Than 1/3 of our cabinet budget. I was shocked and amazed.
After several hours in the Home Depot, our perimeter kitchen cabinet design was complete, and we were still surprisingly well below budget. We decided that we would buy bead board on our own and finish the outside edge of the bar, because that custom hickory paneling adds up quickly! And with bead board being less than $10/package, it should be economical. Just a bit more work for us, but that's okay.
I had been planning to refinish the kitchen island to a distressed black, because ever since I went to Jenny's sister's house in Arizona, I have wanted a distressed black kitchen island. I asked Brad about the cheapest species and finish in the cabinet line we were looking at (I assumed it would be the white cabinets, but those are actually coated in PVC-gross!), and he said that actually hickory is the cheapest, even cheaper than maple. Wha??
Number One suggested we just go with a different cabinet line that already had a distressed black finish. Brilliant idea! We chose an island from Thomasville, the Plaza line in Heirloom Black. Perfect! (and I don't have to strip or distress or paint the island at all!)
We didn't get some of the embellishments on the island, which were too pricey to justify, but hey, we got the distressed black island of my dreams!
Not only did we get just about everything we wanted, we ended up Saving Money in our budget! We are ultimately trying to come in under budget, but this excess, which we can use in other areas, may allow us to get some other things that we weren't sure would fit in the budget at all. Like a nice counter top for the vanity in the bathroom, or some nicer pendants to go over the black island. We shall see...this is only our first purchase so far.
We still need to decide on handles and/or knobs and countertops and light fixtures and everything else. This weekend we need to pick out a bathtub! (and whatever else we can decide on)
A couple more weeks, and the cabinets will arrive! I can't wait to show you.
1 comment:
Cabinets are beautiful. Can't wait to see them.
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