Installing Ikea cabinets in all three of our beach house kitchens naturally raises the question: why didn’t we use them in our Richmond kitchen? This week we dig into that decision—what gave us pause at the time, how Ikea might have changed the final result, and which cabinet option we’d pick today if we were choosing again. We also share how a small outdoor task at the duplex turned into a major plumbing headache (yes, the water curse strikes again) and why an emergency call to an electrician was needed one evening—because renovation life needs balance.
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What’s New
- I sent Sherry that exact text when I realized one of the water shut-off valves at the duplex had been buried. You can see the exposed valve in the foreground; the other one should have been about four feet ahead of it. I dug around for a while and came up empty.
- We always knew this valve sat a little deeper than the other one, but during the pathway installation it ended up roughly four inches below the finished ground level. It was so close to the path that plastic edging actually prevented the cover from being removed easily.
- I didn’t photograph the digging because I didn’t expect anything dramatic—but then the water line broke. The photo below shows some of the aftermath. You can see the utility box (aka “margarine tub”) removed from the hole; its lid sits off to the right.
- Here’s a detail of the break (at the bottom of the picture). It’s a small crack, but it released a surprising amount of water very quickly. The pipe didn’t reappear until the water drained, leaving a mud-filled mess.
- The plumber has since repaired it and raised the connection so the valve now sits level with the ground and farther from the path. That should prevent it from getting buried again and keep it accessible for future use.
- If you missed our prior water dramas in Cape Charles, here are a few past episodes where water issues played a starring role:
- Episode #59: When we discovered our beach house didn’t have a water line and were quoted an enormous cost to add one.
- Episode #81: …And Then Our Pipes Froze—aka The Duplex Waterfall of 2018.
- Episode #97: When our duplex water meter was broken and leaking during a gut renovation.
- Episode #110: Discovering a hidden bathroom leak during a remodel that led to flooding.
That’s Embarrassing
- We’re making great progress in the beach house backyard and can’t wait to photograph and share the full project, but here’s a sneak peek at the lights on the sheds that caused us so much trouble.
- We used the smaller 11″ fixtures on the shed sides and the back of the house, and larger 15″ fixtures near the peak for better scale. The dusk-to-dawn sensor is subtle in photos but is visible as a small nub on the backside of the shade when you inspect the product closely.
Ikea Kitchens
- If you want a deeper look at our Richmond kitchen remodel, see our posts covering before-and-afters, the renovation process, a new kitchen layout, and five mistakes we made during the reno. Those posts include cabinet details, measurements, and planning notes.
- Here are the projects where we used Ikea cabinetry, in chronological order:
- Our Richmond laundry room—an early Ikea cabinet install where we used filler pieces to create a built-in look and hid under-cabinet lighting.
- Our bonus room built-ins in Richmond, also using the same cabinet fronts; this came together quickly and was shared on the blog before the kitchen remodel.
- Our beach house kitchen in Cape Charles—our first full Ikea kitchen installation, which we planned and installed ourselves and documented in detail.
- Both kitchens in the duplex—completed more recently with Ikea cabinetry, where we developed preferences for specific door styles and shared tips for installing Ikea kitchens yourself.
- Across these projects we used a variety of Ikea door styles and finishes to suit each space—from classic slab and shaker-inspired fronts to painted and wood-tone options. In some cases our installers combined stock doors and filler pieces to create custom-feeling features like an “appliance garage,” which gives us hidden storage for frequently used appliances while remaining open when we need them.
- We’ve documented tools, tricks, and techniques for installing Ikea kitchens, from planning and measuring to using filler pieces and creating seamless built-ins—resources we’ve relied on and now share to help others get the results they want.
- One more kitchen detail: when Sherry mentioned our appliance garage, she meant a section our installers built from stock doors and filler pieces to look like a cabinet without a back. We store breakfast foods and bulky appliances there—open while in use, closed to hide them the rest of the time.
We’re Digging
- For our unofficial Creepy Murder Book Club, I read two books over spring break: Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown and The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware.
- If you liked Sherry’s recommendation of the Court of Thorns and Roses series, she’s now deep into Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series, starting with book one and working forward.
If you’re trying to find something we discussed in a past episode but don’t remember which show notes to open, we keep a master list of everything we’ve been digging in past episodes, as well as a page with every Book Club recommendation.
Finally, thanks to Annie Selke for sponsoring this episode. Check out their latest collaboration with artist Laura Park and use code YHL15 for 15% off your order.
Thanks for listening, everyone!
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