The Holbrook House

So one of the most important rooms for us moving in was the kitchen. Its no wonder the original listing of the house did not show this room. Its was one of those things where what appeared to be white before or in memory, clearly was not after a little Clorox bleach. The cabinets once very modern in the 40’s – 50’s (still trying to determine the date it was renovated) where metal. They were metal and they were rusted, stained, and were NOT ready for our baby food storage.

It was an anxious feeling really to know you wanted a new kitchen but so far from a plan, you needed a working kitchen, and a clean working kitchen. Moving in was critical and the kitchen the house deserves after ~70 years will need some very careful planning and execution. The linoleum floors were trashed and peeling and the fridge would have been out the door if the door frames were not in the way so it held my beer for now.

I also had so much stuff – furniture in the way from the move. Well no more excuses it was time to get after it and boy I wish it was demo day for a real reno! Instead this 50’s kitchen was going to get refurbished and as the project proceeded I realized it really is a lovely kitchen.

I cleared the space and thwarted a massive attack. First the I scrubbed the floors on my hands and knees for an hour, then two and then an entire evening. Kept thinking no way, they are brown and my daughter will end up crawling on this. I wanted to rip them up at first but realized the mess below the linoleum was worse and I was not buying flooring to rip it out later. I would give Comet a big thumbs up here, as I could distinctly see the before and after line and my arms were burning. In the end they got clean enough I mean any bacteria had to be dead and I cut the peeling parts off.

The Cabinets had tack cloth which I had to scrape out. Lots of sticky things were found. Some cabinets were really far gone especially around the sink itself which got the elbow grease of a lifetime. I used an angle grinder and wire wheel and stripped the worst cabinets.

Tyler Fur suggested I spray them and my Graco sprayer which was set up with enamel primer and paint. The prep job to mask the room took another solid evening. The handles all came off and got cleaned with vinegar and baking soda with allot of help from my mom. The 1960-70’s dishwasher I wanted U&%*#*&%($^*^@ kill!!

The thing had not seen a dish in decades had copper piping all over, a hard piped drain, and knob and tube wiring. It was a KitchenAid fitted into this GE metal enclosure. I assume a replacement for what must have been the first dishwasher downtown Sherborn (I have no idea just sayin’ this downtown is small so maybe true). Well it was jammed in there! I had crow bars, sledge hammers, I even beat the door off with a shovel cause I was mad and the shovel was there. It felt good. It finally came free after working the fused drain straight pipe leading out the bottom into the floor which I had to cut out from the basement.

I did not like being in the basement in the dark, electricity off, at 10pm, alone in this big old house honestly but I did what I had to do. When done I ran to the exit didn’t look back. The truth!

My Aunt Elaine had a fridge in the basement and Uncle Bobby helped me out so that we did not have to buy one (Thank you!). The stove was in good shape though often wont stay lit but doable and it got cleaned. The counters took a scrubbing and they came out pretty good.

The cabinets got a coat of primer and then enamel gloss white. I came home two days in a row with a a face and hair painted white and I did not care for that much nor the smell.

The drawers I brought the the basement and sanded them, primed and painted.

Once reassembled  my mom added a apron under the sink where the dishwasher was and a new window curtain to match. The little 50’s kitchen was in fact looking pretty darn good!

Gorette and my mom got old second hand wallpaper and lined them. Not because they were dirty but to keep them brand new! We set up my grandmothers old kitchen table, stocked the cabinets, and my wife and I felt just that much closer to a home here.

Once we got it set up I went to the adjoining laundry room to try the washing machine and dryer. Dryer vents of course were clogged easy fix. The washer which was modern surprisingly turned right on. 10 minutes later I was standing in water, of course I was! I bought and old house and the newest appliance was off course broken. Just my luck. Thats said a $60.00 part and some DIY videos and none worse for the wear…

While this kitchen is meeting the needs of yet another family its time after 70 years to prepare for a kitchen worthy of the house. The kitchen was not original and the needs of my family will determine a new kitchen for us. I will use timeless finishes and these wonderful cabinets will become part of the work shop in the barn.