My new kitchen took the best of me. During the renovation process I started 10 new blogs but my heart and creativity went into the kitchen sink-16GA, 10 inches deep. The decision making process was painful and invigorating at the same time. Deep in my heart I always dreamed of becoming an interior designer and this was my ultimate test.
It all started with our 50-year-old kitchen sink threatening to fall on the floor and take a wall along with it. “ Let’s buy a new sink” sad Robert innocently believing that this will be it… “Hmm, If we are going to create a mess why not to get rid of a couple of walls”… thought I in return. Two months and many thousand of dollars later, we are missing two walls and have a brand new slick stainless steel kitchen with new granite countertops, new appliances and a new window, framing our picturesque view of Texas hill country and Yes, I forgot to mention a NEW KITCHEN SINK!
During this process I learned a lot about the construction process, kitchen appliances, cabinets, the layout, granite and tile. But most of all I learned a lot about me. To my dismay I found that I do not deal well with change and suffer from severe fear of commitment. Who would think? I always thought I was creative, flexible, spontaneous and brave. No Way! Every time we would make a drastic change like taking down a wall or opening a new window, I had symptoms similar to a mild heart attack.
Our very dear Russian crew often found me in the morning, in my pajamas, moving cabinets from one side to another. The agony of making the FINAL decision! After an enormous effort to choose the backsplash for the kitchen I wasn’t to commit to stonewall and left it bare. The magnitude of this decision for me could only be compared to premarital jitters… Commitment for life! After this renovation I developed all new respect for Robert. How did he talk me into a second marriage!
How do you bring the space to life? One thing is for everything to function properly but how do you make it cozy and welcoming, simple and sophisticated? In other words, how do you phrase it? When we started to see the light at the end of the construction tunnel and kitchen took its final shape I felt that something was missing. I exhausted my arsenal of designer knowledge by balancing warm and cold elements but my new kitchen looked at me with the cold intimidating glare of a professional restaurant prep area.
And I found the answer! Mademoiselle Chandelier! I found her at an auction. She was from an old estate in France and I proudly brought her home to my very resilient Russian friends and construction team, who became my personal shrinks during this stressful two months that changed us all forever. “Anya, it needs to be rewired” was the verdict. And they did so, and SHE brought that final touch of class, glamour and sophistication that I was longing for. Now my kitchen, eclectic and beautiful, resembles a modern Parisian apartment and I love it!
My long distance degree in Interior Decorating along with countless hours with the famous designers of the HGTV home improvement channel finally paid off and I came out of the closet as an Interior Designer. Now I am full of plans for future renovations and new creative endeavors. One of which is a new Musical Bridges International cooking video show. Just like on a big stage, my guests will come from all over the world to share their cultural roots through their culinary creations. This time the center stage will be my new kitchen and the artistic medium – food. Bon Appetit!