The BIG details of the kitchen

Although many decisions of our kitchen remodel were pretty efficient—our little Peanut’s birth came closer every day—we tried to make decisions with intention. There’s a story to most everything in the kitchen; here’s the details of some of the big decisions:

Choosing a countertop : We love the look of cement and slate countertops, so were impressed to find something similar with quartz from an Ohio-based company, Granex. Of all places, we found this countertop at Ikea Pittsburgh. To support local business, Ikea teamed with Granex up to fabricate two colors—a grey/green and a white—exclusively for the Ikea Pittsburgh. Although the standard cost is $70 per square foot, the special Ikea colors can be purchased through Ikea for a very competitive price ($50 per square with any edging and a sink cut included).

countertop instillation day

Thoughts on sustainability: Although we checked out some cool sustainable materials like recycled paper pulp from NW companies Paper Stone and Richlite, we decided it wouldn’t be sustainable if the next homeowner of our house just tore out our choice. We love the paper counters, but it just didn't seem to fit with with this particular house. People like stone counters, and they are durable too. Although the quartz was not mined in this region, it was shipped in pieces (rather than a block), mixed with resin, and fabricated in our neighboring state of Ohio. Because the countertops are made this way, the appearance is uniform; so, any leftover pieces from cuts made for our kitchen can be used in someone else’s. This seems more sustainable than what’s typically done with granite, wastefully cutting based on a favorite part of the slab. 

Choosing cabinets: Speed and economics contributed to our decision to go with Ikea for cabinets. You can theoretically get your cabinets in a single trip, verses waiting months for custom cabinetry. I’m not sure anyone can beat the price for the quality, and the soft-close hardware helps the doors close like butter. Although there’s limited choices in door style, you can use Ikea’s boxes and customize the fronts…perhaps on our next remodel… 

Thoughts on sustainability: Although some call them the International Walmart, Ikea has both social and environmental standards. We sought cabinets without formaldehyde, a known carcinogen that’s a binding material used in wood based materials and textiles. Aside from going completely custom, Ikea seemed a good choice with formaldehyde free surface coatings.

Our floor and butcher block countertop were from Freemer’s molding, a company based out of neighboring Brockway, Pennsylvania. Family-owned, the company manages the timber, cuts, and produces their product in-house. They’re flooring is economically competitive to big box stores, and their butcher block was less expensive (about $15 per square foot) than Ikea’s made-in-Romania oak block; the classic, regional, Boos butcherblocks average over $30 per square foot. Both are red oak, a classic Appalachian wood. 

They fabricated our butcher block island out of red oak to match the floor we chose to tie in with the rest of the house. (The rest of the house is red oak stained in Walnut, so we have a future sand and oil project…) We sealed both with pure Tung Oil, purchased from neighboring Pennsylvania business, the Real Milk Paint Company. The finish is natural and healthy; you can literally eat off it without fears of toxic ingestion of petroleum distillates or other additives.

Tung oilin' the island in the sunshine (sounds like a Jimmy Buffet song)

That gives you an overview of some of the big details of the kitchen remodel - smaller details to come…

Just like at the hairdresser

You know when you get a haircut, how the hairdresser turns you away from the mirror while they do their magic? After your cut, they dry and style your hair just right, making a few extra trims that you can only feel because your back is to the mirror. You know it’s cut; you know it’s styled. But you can’t see it. Then, you know the final touch is made because there’s a pause. And, l'artist spins you around toward the mirror as if unfolding a present. Voila! It’s so exciting for all that change to happen while your back is turned.

the old do

 We picked the color of our house a few days after Peanut was born. Chris from Rising Sun left us a few color swatches, which we held against the bright green construction wrap with one eye closed, trying to visualize our house saturated with each swatch. Although we narrowed the field with that method, it was the name that won us over. Earl Grey or Rocky River: which sounds more exciting to you?

Although the color of the siding was decided quickly, we spent a fair bit of time discussing the most sustainable and economical material choice. One option involved reusing our existing aluminum siding, but the process of removing it for the SIPs took its toll on the already warn material; we’d need to use toxic (and ugly!) vinyl to replace the pieces. We decided against reuse, opting to recycle (for some cash, too) instead. Another option was to repurpose barn wood, already “cured” to use as siding. With such a large supply of old barns in West Virginia and this region, we loved the idea of nurturing a budding green industry. In Colorado and other western states, craftsman are turning pine beetle damaged wood into high end items such as furniture, cabinets, and flooring. I know there is a vast market for aged Appalachian barn wood as a unique and green building material for flooring, cabinetry, or siding. Ultimately, we decided this option was not as easy or as economical as we needed for our project. Although there are likely more sustainable choices, we de opted to use Hardieboard, a super durable fiber cement siding (made of cement, sand, and fiber) that’s considered sustainable. 

It was Chris from Rising Sun’s idea to use soffit (thick pieces that usually are used under the eaves) for a more modern look. West Virginia-based Hartland Planing Mill had ordered the Hardieboard soffit and painted it for us.

You are great, Tyler (5th generation  - his great, great, great granddad founded the company in Clarksburg in 1912!)

As the days grew closer to the day we’d actually see the new siding, we wondered what color Rocky River actually was. I remembered a greenish hue, while Nico was telling folks we had chosen a dark blue. Needless to say, when the siding arrived, we were curious about the color Rocky River. It was all wrapped nicely, and we were busy packing for a vacation, so we just shrugged and remained skeptical of the other’s memory. 

 

While we were out of town on vacation, Rising Sun did their magic, installing unique siding with cedar details. Our neighbors and coworkers watched as we remained oblivious to the aesthetic. Just like at the hairdresser, our home got the last big touch of its makeover while we weren’t looking.

We arrived home in the early morning, after getting picked up from a friend because our car broke down three hours from home. Was that the color we chose? It wasn’t until the next day, sitting together on our porch at sunset, that we relaxed and truly laid eyes on our home's new look. The sun’s rays reflected off the aluminum details, creating a stunning unveiling of our new do. Ah, yes, that’s Rocky River.

Side entrance (the small addition) that gives us a small mudroom (center), pantry (right of door), and dining area (left of door)

Nice finishing touches on electric and window

Before: wrapping the house with SIPs and nailbase

After: repaired and beautified retaining wall, wrapped with SIPs and nailbase , new roof, new siding, windows and doors

Trained and ready (with SIPs)!

Walk to class? We barely had to do that...it was right out our front door in our driveway!

A primary goal of Our Peanut Project and the deep energy retrofit is to showcase SIPs and nail based panels and offer hands-on training to learn proper installation.

SIPSchool, in partnership with  Mid-Atlantic Foams  (provider of the panels) and Rising Sun (concept to construction) hosted two day-long workshops at our house July 20 and 21. After a solid week of extreme weather, the skies parted and we were able to get down and dirty, er...actually, up (on scaffolding) and dusty.  

Al describing a nail-based panel while Chris looks on.

Over the two days we had a diverse turnout of students: do-it yourself-ers, university students, a couple of builders, and a code enforcement officer with a keen green building vision for Morgantown. For those who were not with us, here's a recap of the days!

After introductions, Al Cobb with SIPSchool started with an overview of the different types of panels used, what they are made of, needed tools of the trade, safety and logistics.  




Following the overview, Al alongside Chris of  Rising Sun led a tour of the exterior of the house and discussed installation techniques, explained choices Chris made about incorporating panels into our design,and fielded questions from the class.  Learning in this environment is hugely effective and Al is a natural (and enthusiastic) communicator and educator!

Al discussing the importance of air flow between the exterior layers of the house.  Contrary to popular belief, air flow behind your siding is hugely important. Chris and Al discussed various ways to facilitate air exchange to keep moisture away from the house.

 

After the walk around, the class geared up for on-the-job training.   Chris and his Rising Sun crew had previously erected scaffolding on the far side of our house, the final side of house to receive panels from Mid-Atlantic Foams to finalize our retrofit project.

 

preparing to install nail-base

Nail-base panel right on top of house slats

up on the scaffolding

Nail base panel sealed with foam and 2x4 right atop of exiting house walls

Preparing the nail-base panel

Cut, then foam

Add 2x4

secure 2 x 4

Seal with foam

Nail-base panels installed part way up the house wall

By wrapping the entire house with SIPS, the house is the first deep energy retrofit of its kind in West Virginia.  In fact, now that it's complete, we believe this house to be the most energy efficient retrofit in all of West Virginia. We'll get another energy audit soon and compare the changes...stay posted!

Now for the siding...

To learn more about this part of the project, check out these previous posts:

For the good of peanut’s bare feet

A roof above our heads

Terra cotta touches

My favorite road in the world is a scenic byway to Moab, Utah from my hometown of Grand Junction, Colorado. Much of it parallels the Colorado River as it runs through Castle and Professor Valleys, a desert that lights up the color of tomato soup red at sunset. Driving, peddling, or paddling this corridor at sunset is one of the most sublime color experiences you’ll witness. All colors are variations of the warm, bold color of baked earth, or terra cotta. I am deeply rooted in the desert, therefore by this color. Thus, it’s only appropriate that terra cotta becomes a part of our home here in West Virginia.

Looking to the living room from the kitchen

So, I’ve neglected to make a blog post in a few weeks. Besides the fact that I am a new mother, I’ll blame it on the fact that my French father-in-law visited to meet his new grandchild and paint our living room. We unplugged the internet router for a few days to paint, and then basked in the bold color transition (Benjamin Moore Terra Cotta Tile 2090-30, Sherwin Williams Spicy Hue - SW6342). Since then, Rising Sun added an understated but elegant crown molding to the room. Not the southwest desert sunset, but every morning light rays beam in, painting the living room with a charged glow of baked earth.

Looking into the kitchen from the living room

Amid celebrations, Rising Sun started to install our terra cotta tile in the pantry and entryway of our kitchen.

Pantry and entryway - starting the tile install

Made in Texas by a locally-owned company, Rustico, the terra cotta is the real deal. The tiles are made from the dirt in Saltillo, Mexico. The tiles are thick and rich and natural. Standing on them with my eyes closed makes my heels feel like they’re growing roots like they do when I walk in the desert southwest. I spent hours searching for real terra cotta, only to find ceramic replicates. Not a walk in the desert, but every time we enter the house, we have a glimmer of the natural glow of baked earth.

Installed tiles in entryway to kitchen

SIPS training July 20 & 21!

Want to be a part of the most efficient deep energy retrofit in West Virginia? 

Want to learn more about SIPS? Sign up for the workshop!

  

Our Peanut Project retrofit is being used to showcase SIPs and retrofit panels as well as train contractors in the proper techniques of a deep energy retrofit.  And as a small West Virginia business, SIPschool is really excited to be showcasing this project in Morgantown, WV! See this project in the news here:

 

SIPSchool, in partnership with  Mid-Atlantic Foams and Rising Sun, is using our house for education and training purposes. By wrapping the entire house with SIPS, the house will be the first deep energy retrofit of its kind in West Virginia.

 

Two workshops—July 20 and 21—will offer hands-on training to learn the techniques used to fabricate, install, and seal a retrofit project using nail-base panels. 

  

Why attend? 

It’s local. For once, you don't have to travel out of state to get training on this cutting edge product! It's in our very own Morgantown, walkable from West Virginia University’s Evansdale campus, a few minute walk from the Towers PRT!

It’s a value. How often do you spend less than 100 bucks on training? Not only that, but if you're a WVU student or faculty in sustainable design and other similar fields, SIPSchool is offering some discounted or free attendance opportunities for WVU students or faculty.

There’s options. Observe or participate in construction (depending on your expertise). Or just walk by to see what the hub is about. 

 

For more information or to register, visit here (click this link) or 

contact annie@sipschool.org or 304-876-8494.

And, check out these previous posts:

For the good of peanut’s bare feet

A roof above our heads

Kitchen before and after

We’ve made a few changes to our kitchen. So Peanut can see what it was like while before she was born, we decided to organize a little before and after. Here’s a few of the major changes:

A tad more space. Before  Rising Sun, we had shown our kitchen to a few professionals. Each kitchen planner who drafted plans suffered the same challenge of improving such a small and awkward space. Then, Chris came in and said, "you just need to change the space," and proposed adding a mere 126 square feet. Suddenly, we had a plan that would totally improve our kitchen.

The outer walls of the kitchen were built on concrete piers with Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPS) provided by Mid-Atlantic Foams. SIPSchool, in partnership with  Mid-Atlantic Foams and Rising Sun, is using our house for education and training purposes. By wrapping the entire house with SIPS, the house will be the first Green Retrofit of its kind in West Virginia.

BEFORE - outside of house

Glad we decided to add on. Although it doesn’t sound like much, the new space made us a pantry, entry way, and a dining area. Now, the ceiling beams trace the old outline of the house, but it’s difficult to even remember how it looked before…

AFTER - outside of house / kitchen

BEFORE - wall and bumper pool doorway

Goodbye wall. A wall once separated the kitchen and the living room; a narrow doorway that I deemed the “bumper pool” walkway provided entry to the living room.

Although we’re both athletic figures, we still had to pay attention not to bump into the doorway each time we went though. One attempt to pass in the doorway left us stranded for days. Now, the door is a new wall, and the old wall is a wide opening between the kitchen and living rooms.

  

BEFORE - battling doors

The end of the battling doors. Our old kitchen entry was marked by battling doors; the former entry to the house aligned with the door to the basement. Oft heard in the Zegre household: “Love, [insert sound of smashing doors] ouch! I’m home!” If either caution or luck prevented you from slamming the doors into each other, there was one additional obstacle: the stove and sink were positioned so you had to carefully slide between them to avoid hitting either. The challenge was heightened when pots were boiling on the stove and/or knives were drying on the edge of the sink. Now, although there’s not much of a challenge in getting in the door, our entrance is more Peanut-proof.

BEFORE - ceiling cabinets

Trading ceiling cabinets for an island. Awkward cabinets once hung from the ceiling separating the cooking from the dining areas. While in the kitchen, the cook would have to hunch under the cabinets, turning an ear to the counters to be able to talk to talk to anyone in the dining area. The configuration made the cook feel like a slave, but offered the diners the “breast” view of the cook. 

AFTER - the island

Venting the smells of the kitchen. We love cooking. Blindfolded, I could identify our old kitchen by the lingering smell of eggs and curry – and maybe the spray painted cabinets. Kitchen smells would linger in the kitchen for hours, sometimes days. And, often our entire house would smell like the last few meals. The new kitchen has two sources of central air, as well as a dream kitchen component: a hood. Now, those wanting to smell last night’s dinner have to stand on the roof.

BEFORE - view of the entry way

AFTER - view towards entrance

BEFORE - "view" of the living room

AFTER - view towards living room