This is my new island. It’s a bloody big one. If you stand at one end you need semaphore to ask someone at the other end to pass the salt. Husband is having depraved thoughts which seem to involve me sliding my derriere across the induction hob. Best move the knives first.
We seem to be getting there. Week 5 has consisted of the floor tiler and the decorator dancing round each other. Today, however, I have had men flocking round me. The carpenter came to finish the plinths, the electrician turned up to do the remaining sockets but they have had to work round the decorator who has covered all the surfaces with dust covers. I think the tiler has been shoved in the pantry to get out of everyone’s way. It’s happy chaos.
As I type, the big kick-ass American style fridge-freezer has arrived. There are five men huffing and puffing as they try to lift it up the steps and through the French doors. To me…to you…to me…to you. I can’t look. This is the item Rory has been waiting to see for over a month. I reckon there will be much slush-puppy-making going on with the crushed-ice machine. My worry is that this is a huge wodge of stainless steel which is going to show up every finger mark. And I’ll have to find somewhere else for our collected fridge magnets to go – if the family think they are getting put back on this beautiful beast, they’ve another think coming!
When will it be finished? I’m hoping middle of next week as my mum is coming down from Newcastle on Thursday to visit for a few days. It may turn out to be rather like ’60 Minute Makeover’ with my mother cutting the ribbon as she comes through the front door just as the kitchen fitters quickly shuffle out the back.
We should probably open a bottle of champagne to celebrate – if only I could find the glasses. I know I put them somewhere…

Oh it is beautiful, I love kitchen porn
Lovely. I am very jealous, and may not be able to talk to you ever again. :-p
@The Mad House – Kitchen porn: may have to use that as the title for the final post when I plan to do a before and after video!
@Vegemitevix – I'll let you come and have a slide on it?
Gorgeous! And all that delicious light streaming in…if husband gets frisky, I recommend staying away from the hob (that's 'cooktop' in 'merican, right?)…ours can stay hot for quite a while after you turn it off – don't want any unpleasant surprises….
@Ms Caroline – Good advice – I'll make sure we stay up the other end!!
Here's an idea for a future post for you: kitchen island discs… your hubbie can include a seduction number if he wishes.
Oh wow it's enormous! Did you have an extension? (sounds a bit like you and the mister on the island..)that kitchen is fabulous. I'm not jealous…not at all….no….gggrrrrr.
I'm interested that you have got drawers below the hob. It must be very thin. *tootles off to look at own whilst whistling Islands in the stream*
@Steve – what a brilliant idea! I'll start thinking of suitable tunes and get the man to seek suitable inspiration.
@Libby – the design of the house is such that the end of the kitchen juts out a bit like a conservatory, but with a roof. It's what sold the house to us in 1994 – such a fab space.
@Kelloggsville – it's ridiculously thin. I've got lots of utensils in that top drawer and can't work out where the heat comes from to reach the pans…but somehow it does!
Oh my gosh this is stunning. The cabinetry is gorgeous, you made a great choice. There is something very elegant but very beachy and fresh about it – Love it! I am going to have a glass of champers (or two) in your kitchen's honour tonight. Also might start a game of salt shaker shuffle in your honour!
It's gorgeous and once again I am sulking at the ridiculously small, crappy kitchen I have.
s'not fair.
Wow Trish that looks big and lovely. I wont dare to spill anything next week!! Looking forward to a BIG Gin an tonic with the new ice maker very posh I will enjoy doing the honours !!!.xxxMum
@About last weekend – I like that – elegant and beachy: I do feel it's very fresh and light. Cheers!
@Very Bored – I'm sorry, Wendy, I'm bragging. I should pre-warn you if I put any more photos on the blog then you can look away. Maybe my kitchen will be cold and draughty in the winter: that should bring you some comfort ;-))
@Eileen – Hi Mum! Can't wait to see you next week, I'll have the G&T lined up for you. Ice and a slice too xxx
Bet you can rustle up some goodies on that baby!
It looks fantastic – I am also wondering whether to get an island in my kitchen – size wise it would be more like a rock in comparison to yours 🙂
Enjoy!
I'm thinking plenty of cowboy bar antics. How could you resist not shoving yer drinks up and down that as fast as you can? As for your other sliding suggestions….. just shows you're a bit more grown-up than me. (Not difficult.) Would have to experiment with best slidey fabrics. (Would HAVE to.)
oh wow, what a gorgeous kitchen. I'm not surprised he's having dirty thoughts, it is a very sexy island…
@Suzanne – the kitchen has always had an island of sorts but not quite as long as this one. We faffed about for ages deciding how to shape it. The hob is fab to cook on as long as you don't bend over too much and clonk your head on the cooker hood.
@Madame SG – I am getting rather Calamity Jane about it: one sasperilli coming up! As to the naughty stuff, I'll wait until the workmen are out of the way first before I start experimenting…
@Heather – I can't quite get up on it without a very unsexy scramble. May need steps or possibly to be thrown up there.
What a lovely huge beautiful kitchen. Perfect for cooking yummy meals in style and even getting your son to help to train him up…
It's looking pretty damn good! Emma 🙂
As in the Madonna song, it truly is "La Isla Bonita". Makes my island look sick by comparison.
Happy New Kitchen.
Marion
PS This virtual world is great, I will be emailing you some limes fresh from my garden for your mom's G&T (or does she prefer a lemon twist?? What the heck, I'll email both)
Wow, looking forward to seeing the final result! No regret about these lime green or white cupboards, then? ;o) As for the island… I am TOTALLY with your husband!! ;o)
@Sarah – my son has declared that he doesn't like the brushed chrome handles on the oven; they make his teeth grate apparently. Seems to have overcome this problem with the fridge as he can access it without complaint!
@Emma – thank you! We're so so close now. No idea what to do with the windows at the end. The old curtains look ridiculous so need blinds but what colour??
@Marion – La Isla Bonita: perfect!I think she's a lemon girl, but yes, email me some limes too. I suspect she'll notice if I use virtual gin so I'd best have a word with Gordon.
@Funky – No regrets about the white/lime green combo. Now I have a neutral canvas I need a splash of colour though so a smidgen of green may pop up.
If you're with my husband on the island shenanigans, shall I give you a leg up??? 😉
Looks great but you'd better warn your mother that you have a kick-ass fridge-freezer. Something like that could catch the elderly unaware.
… your mother has cut the inaugural ribbon, you've popped the cork on the bottle of champagne, glasses are raised to La Isla Bonita — I think a most appropriate toast would be "Bottoms Up".
Marion
Troy – You're quite right. She likes her G&T to have a bit of a kick but that would be a tad literal for her. Having said that, if you knew my mother, you'd know she'd be more than capable of holding her own!
Marion – Haha! I do love your ideas. Have already christened the island La Isla Bonita thanks to you and now have 'Bottoms up' as the best toast. Will wait until mother's gone home, though, just in case husband gets too frisky.
Love your renovation! {And I am guilty of having one of those big stainless steel fridges–fingerprints are nothing that a microfiber wipe + squirt of stainless steel cleaner can't take care of–so worth it!}
xo mary jo
@Mary Jo – great advice. I have a microfibre wipe so now just need the stainless steel cleaner. I'm sure I had some when we first had a stainless steel oven 14 years ago, but haven't used it for 13 years…I must not become slovenly this time!