Kitchen Chronicles Part 3: Holes, Cold Weather, and Slow-but-Steady Progress
Kitchen renovation reality check, coming right up.
It didn’t feel right to write about our kitchen during Christmas week, so I stayed quiet and held off on sharing this post. Some of what you’re about to read happened a couple of weeks ago now, but we’re still chugging right along—and honestly, that pause felt needed.
Where We Left Off
The last time I shared an update, our kitchen was a full-blown disaster zone. This week? I’ll cautiously call it progress—even if that progress came with a surprise I absolutely was not prepared for.
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| This was cut for a can light, the hole is too big. Can lights did not exist in 1950 so we will not have those here. |
More holes in the walls.
Yes. More.
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| Our work light is the only light we have in this phase |
When we removed the soffit, we uncovered several holes that immediately sent me reaching for the phone to call an electrician. When he arrived, his reaction was… blunt. Apparently, this wasn’t the first time he’d seen workmanship like this. According to him, electricians in the past had a habit of cutting first and worrying later.
With that explanation, I thought that would be the end of additional holes in the kitchen. That assumption turned out to be wildly inaccurate.
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| Do you see the colonial wallpaper we uncovered? Above the stove, it will remain in place for the next person to find, but will be covered by a hood cover and cabinet. |
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| Do you see the discoloring on the pantry door? A DIY of mine gone bad, I will need to figure out something new for this door to fix that. |
The Day I Stopped Counting Holes
On the last day the electrician was here, I walked into the kitchen so we could review what still needed to be done before his final visit. I opened the door and just stood there.
The words that came out of my mouth were simple and honest:
I wasn’t prepared for all of this.
Once I hit 24 holes, I stopped counting.
At that point, it stopped feeling like a small fix and started feeling like another domino falling.
If I could have cried, I probably would have. And if you know me at all, you know why—because I am a perfectionist. More holes meant more drywall work. More drywall work meant more ceiling texture. And more texture meant something I already knew deep down:
Matching it perfectly wasn’t going to happen.
Why Ceiling Texture Is Impossible to Match
When the drywall professional came to take a look at what we had going on, he explained it to us in a way that finally made sense. Ceiling texture is a lot like fingerprints. Every person applies it differently. Years ago, professionals even made their own texture brushes by pulling and cutting bristles (think 1930's when this whole thing began), which made their work nearly impossible to duplicate.
Today, you can buy pre-made stomping brushes, which helps—but it still doesn’t guarantee a perfect match, especially when you’re blending new texture into something that’s decades old.
I knew hiring a professional would give us better results than anything I could attempt myself. I just didn’t expect so much of the ceiling to need attention.
It’s one of those old-house realities you don’t fully understand until you’re standing under it, staring at the ceiling.
Living Without Power (Mostly)
At one point, we were facing the reality of having no power to the entire kitchen until the ceiling would be completed. That was a hard no from me.
So instead, we limped along with:
One working outlet on the back wall
One working outlet on the front wall
Power to the garage
A back porch light that stayed on 24/7
You’d be amazed at what you can get used to when you have no choice. At this point, I’m laughing as I write this—but it was not funny in the moment.
Cleaning Up the Mess
Before we could even think about progress, we had to deal with the mess. Copper wire, drywall chunks, dust, insulation—everywhere. Cleaning it all up took about half a day, but it made the space feel usable again. And yes, I did forget to take photos of the mess. There are times when I just do not think about picture taking and just jump right in with the cleaning up.
Once things were cleaned up, we:
Put the range back in place
Placed the microwave and cabinet it sits on back in place
Moved our Marketplace find into position to test it as an island
Even though that piece looks so good in front of the window, we’ve officially committed to using it as the island.
Designing With Accessibility in Mind
We measured at least 36 inches all the way around the island to ensure ADA clearance. This is something I’m always thinking about.
Years ago, after breaking my ankle and needing surgery, I spent time in a wheelchair while learning to walk again. That experience stayed with me and completely changed how I think about spaces and movement.
It’s also one of the reasons we bought this house. A first-floor bedroom and bathroom weren’t negotiable for us.
Reusing What We Already Had
During demo, we removed beadboard from the back of the old peninsula and stored it in the garage along with other “maybe” pieces.
My husband originally wanted tongue-and-groove on the back of the island, but then we had a better idea: reuse the beadboard and save money now (let's face it, we already knew it would be used someway here). Using what we already had just made more sense than buying something new for the sake of it.
He sanded it down with the orbital sander and trimmed it so we could reuse two pieces for the back of the island.
I painted it using a high-gloss black paint I already had—the same paint as our front door. I applied it with a sponge brush, and somehow it looked like it had been brushed on.
Once I stepped back, I noticed the wood grain peeking through, and honestly? I loved it. It felt imperfect in the best way—exactly the vintage kitchen vibe I’ve been chasing for years.
The island isn’t finished yet, but for now, it feels like a win.
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| Before back of island, unfinished |
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| Old beadboard from peninsula leaning up against kitchen island |
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| Sanded beadboard |
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| Wiping down beadboard with damp microfiber towel to remove dust |
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| We have found all sorts of handwritten notes on our cabinets and pieces from the old kitchen |
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| Our furry supervisor getting into the action |
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| Making note of how much we will need to trim down beadboard |
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| My husband always uses his level to make markings on what we are cutting |
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| Clamp down wood to his Worx worktable |
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| Necessary tools to cut down beadboard |
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| Measure twice, cuss once |
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| He uses the level to keep his cuts straight using the Worx circular saw |
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| Nailing down beadboard to back of kitchen island |
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| Although I liked the look of the beadboard once I cleaned it, it looked a bit odd from a sideview of the island |
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| Painting back of kitchen island black high gloss paint with a sponge brush |
Cold Weather Slowing Everything Down
Our plan is to bring in the trades we need help with now, then finish the rest of the kitchen at our own pace.
That plan hit a wall when freakishly cold weather rolled into Ohio—way earlier than expected. We usually work outside well into January, sometimes early February, but when it’s 4 degrees, even we draw the line.
We were finding ourselves getting behind further than we wanted to, so we had to bring some things into the kitchen to work on rather than the back porch.
Insulation, Drywall, and the Sink Cabinet
We did refinish the sink cabinet, but drywall still needs to go up where the sink will be installed.
In the meantime, we added denim insulation along the exterior walls where holes were left behind. I packed it in tightly, especially around the drain pipes, hoping to prevent freezing during these brutal temperatures. It also adds a bit of soundproofing, which is a nice bonus.
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| Insulation is packed in tight |
Flooring Decisions (and Conflicting Opinions)
Flooring has been its own saga.
The first flooring contractor suggested we could get a 1950s kitchen look using commercial flooring—but he wasn’t confident about how the plumbing holes in the floor would be repaired.
The more I researched, the less comfortable I felt. Contractors online mentioned cracking issues, especially on uneven floors. Since leveling wasn’t offered, it felt like a risk.
A second flooring company had a completely different opinion. He said the holes could be patched exactly how I’d imagined and actually recommended residential flooring over commercial.
Here’s the catch: residential tile only comes in 18x18 square tiles.
From past experience, I know smaller tiles make a space feel larger—and with floor movement, they’re less likely to crack. I had my heart set on 12x12.
So now we wait for tile samples to arrive. What should have been a 24-hour turnaround has stretched into over a week thanks to weather and the time of year. I'm okay with it, but the flooring company is wanting to know where the samples are.
Delays, Deliveries, and Vintage Details
Is it just us, or are deliveries painfully delayed right now? Between Christmas packages and kitchen lighting, everything is behind. One set of lights we ordered in November may not arrive until February.
The good news? My husband can wire them once they show up.
We did manage to install our faux stained glass window film. It’s not real stained glass—it’s vinyl—but unless you’re up close, you’d never know. My husband carefully matched the patterns, and while this window isn’t perfect, I love it. We have plans to add trim around the window to finish the look. These are the kinds of small, character-filled choices that make this kitchen feel like ours, even while it’s still unfinished.
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| We did take down the curtain rod, we want more light with privacy so our faux stained glass will do the trick |
That window is original to our home—the only one we didn’t replace. We plan to enclose the patio someday, so replacing it now would be wasted money.
Vintage Lighting Workarounds
We wanted lighting above the window but were originally told it wasn’t possible due to the exterior wall and header.
This time around, we found a workaround using galvanized conduit to run the wiring—just like the vintage kitchens I adore. The conduit will be exposed, intentional, and functional.
Once the electrician returns, those lights will finally go up—and that feels like the finish line creeping closer.
Wrapping Up This Week
That’s where things stand for now—slow progress, lots of decisions, and a few moments where I had to take a deep breath and reset.
I’ll keep sharing updates as we move forward, and hopefully Mother Nature gives us a break so we can tackle the outdoor projects waiting on the patio.
On to the next chapter of Kitchen Chronicles.
You can catch Kitchen Chronicles I, Kitchen Chronicles II, How to Refinish a Vintage Buffet by clicking the links.
Ciao,
Cara
