Adding electric to the piano kitchen island: drilling through the leg! *video*
Our kitchen island is an antique square grand piano.
It has been gutted.
Then customized with drawers.
It will be topped with marble slabs we rescued— formerly shower walls in an antique bath.
Now we need electric– we are drilling THROUGH the piano legs to add wiring.
What you are looking at above, is Paul’s setup to drill.
He used a laser to figure out dead center— the legs have a swoop to them, so if you don’t hit DEAD center, whoops no do-overs.
Then he built a brace/thing/jig that to keep the drill bit straight.
Obviously, this was not going to work… but I did not say that out loud… because I am the one who insisted this could be done.
I imagined the bit going in smoothly, straightly, merrily, along the jig… and then veering off and shooting right through the front fancy, splintering the finish and making an unfixable mess.
Instead, it went fine.
It took two seconds.
Self smugged.
Behold.
The electric is not just for outlets- we are also going to put an induction cooktop in the island.
If you missed: here is our kitchen layout/plan.
Being introduced to induction cooking is one of the things that drastically changed our design— skipping a stove-looking-stove, allowed us to skip an entire wall.
Also, we will NOT have a range hood because I loathe them.
Now that we are doing an induction cooktop, we will be doing a built-in oven… which are mostly super-modern-looking… so I have been looking at euro versions— visually, I FAR prefer them!!! Hertz is maybe an issue, if we do a matching microwave… I have spent too much of my life thinking about this and cannot summon will to type it all out.
There is ONE vintage-looking built-in oven that is incredibly cheap and actually I LOVE the design… BUT it only comes in black and we are now considering the effort to put the oven next to the refrigerator… which would eliminate black as a good option.
Of course.
October 16, 2018 @ 10:21 am
Oh, I think you could pull the black oven off. Fridge will be stainless? That oven is so beautiful …
October 16, 2018 @ 10:24 am
There has got to be some sort of Steampunk looking built-in oven somewhere in NYC, or at the very least ,some Steampunker you could sweet-talk into giving you tips on how to faff about with things to make one. bundles of
Also, I am thisclose to driving halfway across the country to take those wee bundles of perfection off your hands. I wonder how they’d do on a very long ride in the car?
October 16, 2018 @ 11:38 am
To clarify my comment, I know you are not doing Steampunk, but perhaps you could some person(s) who is/are, and get pointers on how to modify the built-in.
October 16, 2018 @ 10:29 am
Will you need some kind ventilation system for the stove top?
October 16, 2018 @ 10:34 am
So glad the kitties were able to help Paul with the laser thingie. I’m sure he couldn’t have done it without them.
October 16, 2018 @ 10:46 am
That oven is fabulous!
October 16, 2018 @ 10:56 am
Does the electric then get drilled through the floor (from the basement?) up through the leg? We DEF need that drill bit!
October 16, 2018 @ 11:13 am
When you first mentioned your ventless design I thought you were…well…”touched” as they say. But I have been living without a vent hood for at least six months and its not THAT bad. So for what it is worth, in my humble opinion, you will be fine. (Maybe consider some sort of a wall exhaust fan.)
October 16, 2018 @ 12:35 pm
I agree — I do a lot of cooking — I have a working ha attic fan but I do have a vent fan — but it is a newer design not cut through the ceiling or wall —
October 16, 2018 @ 11:16 am
surprise kittens yay!
October 16, 2018 @ 11:35 am
and a bonus kitten wilt 🙂 love it
October 16, 2018 @ 11:42 am
My husband paints cars for our local Cadillac dealership and has been painting cars for going on 30 years. Your oven can be painted whatever color you want. You could do it yourself (I don’t recommend that) or find someone local that’s talented. It wouldn’t be too expensive either. Good luck!
October 16, 2018 @ 11:59 am
Check out: https://www.elmirastoveworks.com/antique/wall-ovens/
or
https://bigchill.com/30-electric-wall-oven.html?pt_source=googleads&pt_medium=cpc&pt_campaign=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2onM5qiL3gIVxVmGCh15yQpoEAQYASABEgLf0_D_BwE
Paul is a wonder! Wish you could clone him and hire out! And, oh my cat — I loved the kittens at the end of the video!
October 16, 2018 @ 12:32 pm
Ha,,,I loath upper cabinets so remodeling and bam no uppers — makes no sense to me all they are used for is crap we forget we have if we can reach them — thinking outside the box is making things into something bigger — whoever said it can not be done hmmm I challenge that thought process.. Good job btw
October 16, 2018 @ 12:52 pm
You can get your range painted, that’s easy!
October 16, 2018 @ 12:56 pm
I’m sure you realize that oven is only 24″. Trust me, that’s too small. I’m no great cook, but I’d need to be able to fit a turkey in there in case I’m ever cornered into hosting Thanksgiving dinner.
October 16, 2018 @ 1:21 pm
That is a remarkably attractive oven. Black is a color. If the oven is your only black appliance, that’s how it will read. Plus, the piano is black, isn’t it? And the chrome or stainless steel knobs and handle will relate to your stainless steel refrigerator. IMHO, it will work.
As for the 24” oven, I’ve been living with 19” ovens for six years, since my French stove was installed, and I manage with very few issues. I can even cook a turkey in them—although not a 24-pounder—and you don’t even cook turkeys. You’ll be fine
October 16, 2018 @ 9:07 pm
IMHO, any turkey bigger than 12 lbs. is not tasty anyway. Just make two if you need that much. And I spatchcock mine – cuts the time way down! And all of it is browned. YUM.
October 16, 2018 @ 10:20 pm
You get that Victoria is vegan, right?
October 16, 2018 @ 2:07 pm
I agree with Katherine…that oven could be painted any color by a professional. I also saw on a blog where someone had a vinyl wrap made to fit her oven. Quick google: https://abeautifulmess.com/2016/09/how-i-recolored-my-kitchen-appliances.html.
October 16, 2018 @ 3:00 pm
That oven is so inexpensive! I wonder if you can have an auto body place paint it?
October 16, 2018 @ 3:39 pm
I’M SO JEALOUS YOU HAVE A PAUL AND I DON’T WAAAHHHHH
October 16, 2018 @ 4:27 pm
You have an amazing knack for finding the most unique and attractive things. It must be a sort of GFT stunning appliances radar- and a husband who has to be unique in all the world,maybe the solar system. I have not forgotten spectacular ear bobs and that diaphanous blue skirt. Can’t wait for the reveal but I’m afraid we will have to harass you about next super duper effort house wise.
October 16, 2018 @ 4:34 pm
Take the oven to an auto body shop and have it painted any color you want. I vote for Aubergine. (ps this is the kind of post I come here for! Thanks)