REVEALING THE BEACH COTTAGE KITCHEN.

Hello! Here were are, revealing the next stage of renovations at our little beach cottage at Port Fairy (the first renovation reveal is here and the extension reveal here). This 1850s cottage is being transformed from the inside out, and we hope that we do its original whaler's beauty the justice it deserves.

This room was originally a small dark room with a low ceiling, crooked floors you could roll down (a great joy for the lads!), and a space that wasn't big enough to do anything with. It was an enclosed room, and cut off from the rest of the house. The original lean-to kitchen... well, you will have to scroll down for that!

The original kitchen was leaning off the bluestone cottage. It had a rotten floor, mould on every inch of the walls and ceiling, no cupboards (except for that darling cabinet which we've kept), and water damaged bench tops. There was no saving this kitchen and was demolished during the second stage of renovations (which is where the extension goes, pictured) which was two weeks' ago.

If you're interested in the details, here is how the kitchen was done:

1. The fireplace was totally rebuilt (for details about the fireplace, see this post here).
2. A window/servery was created by cutting out the kitchen wall (you're glad you sucked your tummy in for that photo, Rog!). There was a door in the same space which was plastered over.
3. A shelf was made to sit on the servery, and architraves placed around it.
4. The floors were sanded before the kitchen benches were installed.
5. Cabinets and benchtops were installed by a local Warnnambool cabinet maker (Trendset Kitchens). We used painted shaker profiles in Antique White USA, and a marble looking laminate, appropriately called Sandstone. We chose shell shaped handles and antique round knobs in cast iron.
6. The sparky removed the old light, and installed down lights and new power points.
7. The window, ceiling and walls were re-plastered. The architraves were glued back on.
8. Subway tiles in Alabaster (did you know how many off white colours there are?) were glued and grouted.
9. The support strips were placed under both sides of the exposed timber shelf. The skirtings were fitted and glued.
10. The sink was installed, and plumbing piped in. The oven was moved from the old kitchen into the new one.
11. The support strips, architraves and skirtings were undercoated (using a 3 in 1 undercoat, then British Paints H20 Enamel in Dulux Antique White USA). The walls were also painted in the same colour (but in a low sheen).
12. The exposed timber of the shelf was sealed with gloss Estapol, and the ceiling was re-painted using ceiling white.

We had originally allowed for the kitchen to take two weeks, and the jobs above took about this long (around other jobs). To plumb the water into the kitchen, install the sink, took just a day (can I say right now how good it is to have a husband who is a registered plumber?).

While this space is not large, surprisingly, it appears bigger now that the kitchen has been installed. There are plenty of shelves and drawers to live very comfortably. For the size of the kitchen, the bench space is amazing, and everything is very accessible. It's a beautiful kitchen, and we are really pleased with how it looks and functions.

This is the second post of the finished renovations (the first reveal was here). Thanks for stopping by. I hope you've enjoyed the second part in this series. Next week, we reveal another room.

What are some of the things you love about your kitchen?