kitchen: fun in soffits

First of all, can I just say that I LOVE YOU GUYS! Your comments on yesterday's post remind me that one of the reasons I blog is to feel normal. You guys get it because you're doing the exact same thing in every corner of this country (and heck! all around the world!). And that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

So thanks. Thanks for taking a moment to leave a comment and make me feel like a) we're not completely insane and b) if you guys can survive then so can we.

Now. Let's talk about soffits, shall we?

(Smooth transition. I know.)

The first question we get is "what exactly is a soffit?" Basically, it's something that gets in the way conceals stuff you don't want out in the open. I mean, not normally, but in our case, totally. Typically, soffit refers to the underside of the eaves, (think: exterior) but it can also describe the "bump outs" (really technical term, there) we have in our kitchen.

We actually had two distinct soffits. The cabinets are directly attached to one of the soffits (as seen in the photo above and below). That soffit covers up one pipe. Did we really need to create an enormous soffit just for that??

The other soffit was created to cover the header that holds up a quarter of our house. I don't have a picture of the soffit in its drywalled state, but here it is after the drywall was stripped off. The large beam you see front and center is what holds up about a fourth of our house.

Meaning, it's kind of important. Unfortunately, the previous renovators of our kitchen didn't think it was all that terribly important and did their best to compromise the structural integrity of our house. We've been working with an architect to make sure we have the second story of our houses properly supported.

So here's the tip of the day: sometimes you need to call in an expert. We're all about tackling projects on our own. And we're not afraid to try something we've never tried before. BUT. You guys there's a line when it comes to major structural projects. If you have absolutely no idea what you're doing call someone. Don't just go around hacking off two feet of a header. Hypothetically. 


Anyway. We're not planning on rebuilding either of the two soffits. We're still working on creating a way to make the beam look architectural (ideas welcome). The soffit that the cabinets were attached to is going to be totally blown away. We're hoping to create a much more open and airy look, and wiping out those two soffits will add two feet of height to the room.

Now if I can just convince Nick we should create a wall of windows we'll really be in "open and airy" territory. (Feel free to vote for me)