The Hole in my Kitchen

Several years ago, I strongly "hinted" (ok, begged & pleaded) that the old wall oven in the kitchen just wasn't a valued member of the household anymore.  It was small, heated very unevenly, wasn't dependable, and it was time for a divorce.  I couldn't even get a standard size baking sheet into it without bending up the edges and just forget using the largest pyrex lasagna pan.

Greg & Mom took the "hint" and between the 2 of them ~ a new range, complete with convection & a flat top cook surface joined our household.  To say I was thrilled is understating the excitement.  The oven is huge and we can cook many pans of cookies or muffins at one time, I can fit all 4 bread pans on 1 shelf easily on baking day, and 2 large lasagna pans can bake side by side with extra shelf space on the top or bottom for bread.

But the oven blessing left me with a problem...what to do with the old, worn out, tired wall oven.  It stayed in its hole for a while and became the shelving unit for my pyrex and corning ware.  After a while, we pulled the oven out, sent it to dump heaven, and then I had the hole.

For a long time, the hole held my bread machine, wheat grinder, blender, kitchen scale, and toaster.  The coffee pot may have done a stint in there too.  Our original plan was to make a cabinet door to fit and just have a deep, tall cabinet.  Then inspiration hit...

I decided I wanted the inside painted white ~ the same glossy white thats on my kitchen cabinets.  Then I asked for 2 wire shelves at the top of the opening for my cast iron frying pans.  I've started cooking with my cast iron more & James gave me 2 new pans for Christmas this year.  Since they are so heavy to lift and stack in a lower cabinet they were left sitting on the counter.

Greg fulfilled my wish with great help from Will & Amy. He bought all the supplies and Amy painted the Hole.  Then, he had Will sand the chipped spots on the cabinets and Amy painted all them.  Here is the "fruit of their labor" and my new "hole in the kitchen".

Amy had to use 2 coats of paint to cover the inside

new Cast Iron Pan home

Everything fits great!  The "hole" looks finished & complete now!

Thanks guys for all your hard work!

Now onto the next project.................................