After all the drywall went up, Dakota started to install the cabinet cases. After he designed the cases, he them cut by one of his subcontractors, who has a CNC machine. The wood is pre-finished birch, FSC certified and formaldehyde free. FSC certification guarantees that the wood you're using is from a sustainably-managed forest, and not clearcut from a rainforest. It's a must for a green remodel. (You can read more about forest certification here.) The wood looks very pretty, although Dakota has had a few issues with minor warping.
Here he is installing a large storage cabinet that will go over the refrigerator.
Happily, I was able to help Dakota out a little by priming the walls a couple of weeks ago. Since we're using eco-friendly Milk Paint on the walls and cabinets, we figured we should get some eco-friendly primer as well. The product we chose is Dunn-Edwards Eco-Shield. It's low-VOC, and you can really tell. It didn't smell at all. Plus, the primer went on easily and seemed to coat the walls well.
As the cabinet boxes go in, I'm getting more and more excited about the design of the final kitchen. Dakota has really planned things out beautifully, with lots of cool little details that will make our kitchen unlike any other. I feel very lucky to have such a talented carpenter and designer doing my kitchen remodel. I clearly married the right guy.
Wow, your kitchen is really coming along. It looks great. I look forward to seeing the details. I'm impressed that despite all the work, you're still able to use the kitchen. I think that might be the coolest aspect (any there are many) of the project.
Excellent update!