Kitchen Installation Update: Progress, Delays, and Big Cabinets

Installation moved at a leisurely pace — slower than we hoped, but steady. Day one of the kitchen installation didn’t go exactly as planned. Still, in home renovation that is more common than not. We expected some surprises, and yesterday delivered one of those classic setbacks.

The whole experience felt a bit like being a kid on Christmas Eve, barely able to sleep because you’re excited for the big reveal the next morning. My partner and I stayed up late talking about the installation and woke early, buzzing with anticipation. You have to picture where we were: for nearly two months our kitchen has been completely stripped—no cabinets, no countertops, no sink—so the idea of finally seeing boxes turned into fitted cabinets was thrilling.

The morning began positively and the crew worked efficiently at first. About an hour into the process, though, we received some disappointing news: one of the two corner base cabinets had been fabricated in the wrong orientation. In other words, we were sent two right-handed corner bases instead of a matching right and left pair. The manufacturer has acknowledged the error and is expediting a replacement, but we were told the corrected cabinet will still take roughly two weeks to arrive. That delay pushes our finish date well past the original target of the 19th, and it’s likely the kitchen won’t be fully complete until early January.

We joked that the Grinch had stolen our Christmas kitchen, but in truth this kind of hiccup is par for the course with big projects. It’s frustrating in the moment, but also a reminder that timelines can shift and that patience is part of renovating a home.

Rather than stop entirely, the installer chose to proceed with all the other cabinetry. Progress is visible and encouraging, even with the missing corner piece. Below are photos showing how the space evolved between Sunday and Monday evenings. The first photo captures the early stages of cabinet placement on Sunday night:

The following image shows Monday night’s progress with more cabinets installed and the kitchen beginning to take shape:

One of the most exciting features so far is the extra-tall 42-inch upper cabinets. The additional vertical storage has transformed our perception of the space—what felt tight before now promises a surprising amount of useful room. Even our dog Burger, decked out in a festive sweater for the occasion, seemed to appreciate the cozy new scale of the cabinet openings. Here’s a snapshot of Burger “inspecting” the tall upper storage:

Overall, the setback with the corner base cabinet is annoying, but it hasn’t stopped forward motion. The installer is completing everything that can be finished, and when the replacement arrives we’ll be ready to finish the final details. This delay is a reminder that remodeling projects often involve unexpected waits, but they also reward patience. When the kitchen is complete, the inconvenience of a few extra weeks will be worth it. We’ll have a practical, spacious kitchen to enjoy for years to come, and that perspective makes the temporary disruption easier to accept.

For now, we’ll keep documenting progress and sharing updates. The major milestones are in place, and despite the timing hiccup our vision for the kitchen remains intact. The upcoming weeks will be about installation of the missing corner cabinet, final adjustments, and putting the finishing touches in place. Once everything is done, the wait and the small frustrations will fade and the new kitchen will be something we can truly celebrate.