Richmond experienced its first taste of winter yesterday with a light dusting of snow. It didn’t accumulate, so daily life continued largely as usual—no snow day for John—but the brief precipitation did change the pace inside the house.
Because the weather kept the installer indoors for the day instead of outside cutting crown molding and cabinet baseboards, progress on the kitchen job slowed a bit. On the upside, the team used the day to finish installing the remaining cabinets, slide the dishwasher into place, and hang almost all of the range hood. Only the stainless steel chimney piece remains to be attached; that final section will conceal the large duct that runs up through the ceiling once it’s in place.
These kinds of updates aren’t always the most glamorous visually—drawers, brackets, and protective films don’t make for dramatic photos—but they represent meaningful steps forward. The dishwasher and hood you see are still wrapped in their protective plastic; that film will come off at the very end, revealing the stainless steel finishes beneath. As is typical during a mid-installation snapshot, the installer’s tools and materials are scattered around the work area, making the space look messier than it will be once everything is completed.
We’re optimistic that today could be the last major workday, but with a few finishing tasks left—crown molding, baseboards, interior doors, cabinet hardware, and the microwave installation—it’s reasonable to expect the work might spill into Friday. In addition, there’s at least one more scheduled day of work in the near future when the reordered corner cabinet arrives. That corner cabinet is planned for the area currently above the stove; when it’s installed, the stove will be shifted slightly to the left to sit directly under the new hood.
Once the cabinetry is finalized and the stove is relocated, our countertop specialists will be able to come by and take precise measurements for the granite. That measurement appointment is a pivotal step before fabrication and final installation of the stone surfaces. It’s an encouraging milestone to be approaching the phase where finishes and final details are scheduled—what felt like a long journey at the start now seems like a series of small, steady wins.
It’s tempting to quantify the process—maybe we’re at step 426 of a 500-step plan—and while that’s an exaggeration, it captures the feeling of being deep into a multi-phase renovation where the end is near but not quite here. Renovations often involve this kind of push-and-pull rhythm: big visible steps followed by quieter, detail-oriented work. The last stretches require patience, coordination between trades, and a few more deliveries, but they also deliver the most satisfying transformations.
Until the final pieces are in place, we’ll keep documenting progress and keeping track of what remains: the stainless chimney for the hood, the final trim and molding, cabinet hardware, doors, microwave hookup, and the arrival of the reordered corner cabinet. After those items are resolved, measuring for the countertops will move us much closer to finishing. For now, the project continues to inch forward—less dramatic than a heavy snowfall, but steady and productive—and we’re excited to be moving into the home stretch.