Dear reader, we’re taking a break from the memoir-in-progress to assess the accomplishments of the past year. My husband and I closed on the 126-year-old Methodist church just shy of a year ago, and the changes have been immense. For the next week and half or so, I’m going to tell the story in before-and-after photos. Whenever possible I’ll try to use the same perspective in the “after” shot as I did long ago in the “before.” Yesterday, we walked into the former sanctuary to see a fireplace where the altar used to be. Now we turn to the left to take in the kitchen.
This is how what I called the “overflow area” looked when we purchased the church. The doorway on the left led to a hallway, and there was a open area and an office through the wide doorway. From day one, we envisioned the back of the kitchen in that overflow.Here is how that area looked after demolition. You can see all the way through to our future master suite; upstairs, you can see the former choir loft. The doorway on the right side would lead to the mudroom and back door.First, Tyler installed a header to shore up this wide doorway.Then he built a balcony.Tyler and You-Can-Call-Me-Al smoothed out the edges of the balcony floor.The drywallers put up Sheetrock. You can see the doorway upstairs that leads to the second floor guest room with holes for stained glass windows flanking the door.We had a railing installed on the balcony and kitchen cabinetry. All those boards in front of the kitchen are trim boards (that’s You-Can-Call-Me-Al sawing a piece of wood behind there).We installed the kitchen island and stained the great room floor.Here’s how the kitchen and balcony look now, complete with back splash, paint and furniture.
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Today’s headline is a quote from 20th century Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran.
Church Sweet Home 
[…] Tomorrow: The kitchen. See it here. […]
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Monica, I LOVE seeing the Before and Afters!!!!! You should have the church featured on Chip and Joanna’s new HGTV channel!!
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Before-and-afters are always popular. So glad we’re finally getting to some after shots!
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Wow! You guys are good! This is gorgeous! 🙂
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