She wouldn’t be my daughter if she weren’t undergoing a major home remodel in her third trimester of pregnancy. But here we were. I still remember being pregnant with her and standing in my torn-up kitchen in the California home I was remodeling — surrounded by hammers pounding, drills grinding and no working appliances — when my water broke.
History repeats. Now a very pregnant Paige was calling me daily with construction updates. The cabinets were in, but they still needed counters and appliances.
When Paige and her husband, Adam, bought their first home together in the Denver area two years ago, the kitchen and primary bathroom needed work. The bathroom shower was gross, and the 15-year-old kitchen felt cramped and dated. The backsplash was busy.
Old appliances were not energy efficient. Temperature markers had worn off the stove dials. The refrigerator stuck out too far.
Cabinets were unremarkable. And the builder-grade fixtures were ho-hum. Because they both love to cook and entertain, Paige wanted an eat-in kitchen with room at the island for a couple of counter stools.
Adam wanted a gas (rather than electric) stovetop. But the more they studied the space, the less they thought this would be possible, let alone affordable. They lived with what was and pondered their options, which included the unappealing prospect of maybe eventually moving.
Then Paige learned she was pregnant, and the nesting instinct kicked in with the force of a Dodge Charger Hellcat. Suddenl.