We wanted an updated kitchen with modern amenities, but I honestly did not want an 1800s kitchen. The compromise was that we kept original windows and doors (of course!), but everything else that we put in can be removed or changed without damaging the kitchen if someone else wants an 1800s kitchen someday. We aimed to keep it classic.
One disappointment is that we now have drywall walls instead of plaster in the kitchen. We opted to do that since the electrical needed to be added to and upgraded. Honestly, that was the hardest part for me about the demo. At some point, the ceiling had already been replaced with drywall. That stayed intact. The flip side to that is that I care very little if I poke holes in it to hang things.
Special thanks to those of you who answered questions about how to properly refinish the near-perfect, original wood floors that we found under layers of linoleum and vinyl.
The floor was covered with a thick layer of grey paint, but now it looks terrific. I couldn't have done it without this site. Old Kitchen:
After:
The floors!
There are more pictures on the blog if you are interested. The link is in my signature. There are also links to the whole process along the way. The project was a collaboration between DIY and Lowe's.
