Counters and Storage

Having to decide what one wants to do with their life at the age of 16 is

one of life's cruelest jokes.  If it weren't for earning a scholarship to attend

nursing school, I might have taken a much different path.

If I'd known I could build forms with balsa wood, cut things with

X-acto knives, use a hot glue gun, smell magic markers,

and see the inside of a million different houses, surely I would

have wanted to become a counter templater.

I've never seen this done before and I thought for sure they

would have arrived with laser instruments to ensure a perfect

fit right down to the micron.  But, no, it's still a very old-school

process.  Simple square of wood are made to outline each section of

counter. Smaller squares of balsa wood are lined up tightly against

the wall to follow any small curves in the wall.

And each template is marked with instructions such

as the size of the radius cuts in the inside and outside curves

of the sink and notes where the counter is to be placed.

This is the template that shows a tricky portion

of the counter next to the fridge.  The "No BS" means

no backsplash as well as the one place in the kitchen

where I needed to have a seam in the counter.

This area will end up a built-in for a small microwave,

a small TV, some cookbooks, and other doo-dads. 

Just under the counter, you'll see a gap next to the fridge.

There was a little four-inch gap there so instead of filling

it with a panel...

...the little bit of mahogany countertop that could be reclaimed

from the store counter got cut up to become little shelves

for a wine rack.  With a little sanding and about seven coats

of tung oil, they're almost too beautiful to hide.

My desire to have no upper cabinets in the kitchen

required a solution for adding some good storage.

That proved to more difficult than I expected.

This beautiful piece from Darby Road was too wide

as were many I found over the past several months.

This one was too tall as were most that I liked.  Also

from the Darby Road warehouse. 

I've also been on the lookout for some cool old doors

or window to do a custom built-in piece between the 

dining room and kitchen, but, after a year, nothing. 

I finally found a piece over the weekend that seems

just right to hold many of my dishes and serving pieces at

European Country Antiques right here in Cambridge.

(Sorry for the blurry iPhone photo.)  It's a great place to

check out if you're in the Huron Village neighborhood.

It's just packed with rustic European pieces.

It's nice and deep with really sturdy shelves to hold the

weight of dishes.  I was hoping for something with a little

hidden storage but I could put baskets in the bottom to

hide some of the less pretty stuff.  

I look forward to the day I can have it delivered and

start putting things on their forever shelves.