Denise and Phil Washko became do-it-yourselfers the day they moved into their 60 -year-old, single-family home. After practicing their home improvement skills on various projects around the house, the couple now wants to try a major overhaul of their kitchen. Phil and Denise are unhappy with the narrow feel the kitchen has; also, they 'd like to update the cabinets, countertops and floors. With the help of Phil's father Phil Sr. and mother-in-law Pat, the plan is to knock out two walls and open the kitchen up to the adjacent living room. Then, the Washkos will build an island where the walls were and give the rest of the kitchen a facelift.
The project starts with Phil and Phil Sr. demolishing the walls as Denise and Pat prep the cabinets for paint. By the end of the first day, the old drywall has been completely removed, along with the old linoleum on the kitchen floor. As day two starts, the plan for the remaining wall studs has changed: Phil has decided to leave part of the studs in place and use them to anchor the island. Phil and Phil Sr. cut some studs to size and remove the rest. Then Denise and Pat install new backerboard on the countertops and backsplash.
The plan for day three is to build the island itself. The Washkos begin by placing a new pantry that marks one end of the island, followed by a new stove. Then they add two new lower cabinet units, setting them roughly in place. Once the team has figured out exactly where the cabinets should go, Phil and Phil Sr. lay down furring strips on the floor and finish installing the cabinets. By the end of the day, the island has taken its basic shape. After taking some time off to finish up the rest of the kitchen, Phil and Denise resume work on the island by adding wainscoting.
Denise and Phil finish up the island by placing a sheet of plywood on top, followed by backerboard. After tiling the island countertop, the kitchen is finally done and the room looks completely transformed. The Washkos have achieved exactly what they wanted; they now have an updated, fresh-looking kitchen, with a warm, open feel.
