B4

Finally, as promised, here are the "before" pictures. I'd include some with the cabinet doors open but I'm afraid the images would cause some small children to have nightmares.

(click on the pictures to expand)

Now don't get me wrong, it was an adequate kitchen.

Most of our stuff fit in it, though just barely, except for all the crap we had to shove under the staircase. And there was also all the stuff we had to keep in the garage, though shopping for food as Costco usually means having buy more than you want to keep in your cabinets. OK, maybe our stuff didn't fit. And yes, we have a lot of soda right now. It's been on sale lately so I've stocked up. There's actually another five 12-packs in the garage right now.

Miraculously the railing between the kitchen and the back room never did break off, no matter how many times the kids and houseguests would lean on it and play with it. No cabinet doors ever broke off though you'll notice few of the doors remained closed on their own, preferring to hang open a bit. The only problems we had with the plumbing were when we tried to shove too many things, particularly eggshells, down the antiquated garbage disposal. That's one reason why with the remodel we're going for the Cadillac of garbage disposals. Seriously people, do not skimp on garbage disposals. One service call on a crappy disposal will negate any up-front savings.

Notice also the rack above the sink holding the pots and pans. It worked for us because I'm only 5'8' and wife is 5'5", so as long as we positioned the smaller items at the front of the rack we'd rarely hit our heads. As for guests, well, most of them learned either to duck or just stay the hell away from the sink.

Wife has already decreed that there will be no magnets on the new stainless steel fridge. But she has not said where all of this crap is going to go.