Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

How to build up an Appetite

IMG_5705 8:00 am
The Kitchen stripped bare.
Everything that was in the kitchen is now stacked in the living room.

The oven/stove is being unhooked and moved.

IMG_5709

8:15 am

Oven/Stove is moved out of the way. The gas is disconnected.

The table and chairs are moved to the side as well.

IMG_5710 

8:18 am

The only cupboard space in my kitchen stares back at me.

Under the sink space, the angle space, and the space under the chopping block that use to hold the gas bottle.

Note: No shelves. Made for creative stacking.

IMG_5718 

9:30 am

Chopped, sliced, diced and dust. Cement chucks wait to be hauled out.

Chimney hood no longer around to bump our heads on.

IMG_5719 

10:45 a.m. more or less,

Stone wall exposed cement chunks hauled out.

IMG_5720 

Around noonish,

This man has worked up an appetite!

Only the stone walls remain of what use to be our kitchen.

Comments

29 responses to “How to build up an Appetite”

  1. marlis

    OMG, that was a fast demolish. I can hardly wait to see the progress and the transformation. Is the floor going to???

    Reply
  2. pam

    How many men did it take to do so much so quickly? Love the exposed stone walls. Can’t wait to see what is next.
    ___________________________
    Hi Pam
    Two men moved the stove. And then another to do the plumbing, but mostly one guy does all the work. His name is Remy.
    C

    Reply
  3. Alina

    Those guys are hauling a**! How long will the whole process take?

    Reply
  4. Beverly

    Wow! These men are working fast!
    I’ll be excited to see how the kitchen unfolds!

    Reply
  5. Annie

    Corey,
    At The Bunny Bungalow, it’s Tall Husband who wants to remodel the kitchen. Now that I see your photos, my courage is fading. Perhaps your “after” photos will perk me up. Good luck. Hope the kitchen turns out as wonderful as your bathroom!

    Reply
  6. pauline

    can’t wait to see where all this is headed!

    Reply
  7. martina

    At this rate the remodeling will be complete in three days!

    Reply
  8. Andrea

    Oh, the suspense!!! I can’t wait to see how things have progressed when I wake tomorrow.

    Reply
  9. Vicki’s Bit-o-Earth

    I love your stone walls. Do you know when your house was built?
    Your workers are a bit faster than Peter Mayle describes in his delightful book “A Year in Provence.” LOL
    °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
    Hi Vicki
    Remy, the man who has worked and is working in our home is the best. He is fast, and has a good eye for detail.
    C

    Reply
  10. Barbara Sydney Australia

    oh Corey,
    I have just completed my kitchen, bathroom and laundry renovations. Looking at yours I still get that knot in my tummy. It is such a stressful and nervewracking project, hoping that your expectations and vision will be understood and created by the tradesmen. Mine turned out fantastic (thankfully) and I hope yours will too, good luck.

    Reply
  11. Mahala

    Wowzer!

    Reply
  12. shannon in oregon

    that wall is gorgeous!
    °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
    Hi Shannon
    It is in the photo, but in real life it needs far too much work. And I do not have the patience to restore it.
    C

    Reply
  13. Judy D

    I hope you aren’t replacing your stove/oven. I have the exact same one in Australia and it is THE BEST stove/oven I have ever used. I am looking forward to your new kitchen though – every girl needs new toys!
    _________________________
    Hi Judy
    Yes, we are keeping out stove, fridge and the floor.
    C

    Reply
  14. ~Kim

    I’m looking forward to watching the transformation of your kitchen unfold! Thanks for sharing it with us! 🙂

    Reply
  15. Jend’isère

    Those stone walls were worth the removal of 2 rows of superficial tiles. Now your kitchen can attain its full potential. As French say “courage”. PS. Still hope you saved one tile to either reapply on a corner of the wall or to place on the table under hot dishes.
    _________________
    Hi Jend’isere
    Unfortunately we are covering the stone wall. The bottom part is lovely, but the top has been covered with plaster, and would take time, money and a truckloads of dust to clean up…. I know it is a pity to cover it up.
    C

    Reply
  16. Gina Baynham

    Wow! Exciting day! I can’t wait to see more. Our house is still looking trashed. Painters due back tomorrow, cant wait to be rid of tradesmen.

    Reply
  17. Cindy Thompson

    Bon Courage! I’ve been thru 4 years of different projects that English Husband did in 3 different countries…Hate to say this, France demolition is the very dustiest because of the stone walls.
    But…remember it always gets better, even if you hit a funny little hiccup. And at the end it is really beautiful.
    Cindy from Marseille

    Reply
  18. Su

    It’s a shame Remy can’t be packaged.
    We’re moving the kitchen(from front to back of house) we when move, and will have to find a person who “does”.
    Will be greedily watching your new kitchen unfold.

    Reply
  19. Irina

    Corey, you are lucky to have Remy! We’re in a process of buying a house in the States which needs a complete renovation. As much as I’m excited there are lots of worries about a big project like that. I wished I could find a Remy in that town!
    Irina,
    Hong Kong

    Reply
  20. Karin

    Wow. That’s an amazing amount of work done in such a short time. You must be so excited!!

    Reply
  21. becky up the hill

    Love a good ‘before and after’ Corey. Was there a window in the old stone wall..between you sink and stove? Its kinda low..so not sure..it’s been walled over.

    Reply
  22. jani

    brilliant corey..feels so spacious, light and bright…!
    perhaps a colour off the exposed stone wall with a smidge of green…terrribly exciting…love, love…..jani

    Reply
  23. angela

    I love the stone wall Corey, can’t wait to see what you do with the room. After a year and half I still can’t decide what color I want our kitchen to be, Remy would have quit on me by now!

    Reply
  24. Rosemary

    Very fun! Messy Fun!
    Stone walls are so cool!
    Rosemary

    Reply
  25. annie

    I really like those stone walls. I hope you incorporate them into your new kitchen.

    Reply
  26. Salama

    OMG Corey, it’s almost painful to see that beautiful kitchen go away! But knowing your taste, I’m positive it’ll be replaced with a stunning one x

    Reply
  27. Laura

    Love it! You are B-R-A-V-E! I can’t wait to see the end product!

    Reply
  28. Mimi

    From a purely outside view, that stone wall is to die for! I know you can’t keep it exposed, but I would probably be begging for a way to make it happen. Thus, it is probably better that I am not renovating a kitchen in France…
    Can’t wait to see your next photos!
    xo

    Reply
  29. Courtney

    so quick to rip out… sl sloooooooooooow to rebuild… Ive never understood that!

    Reply

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