The window company installed the kitchen windows and patio door this week.

Before (click on the image for a larger version).

The single window above the sink was adequate, but didn't provide much of a view, or much light. The fridge used to be right next to it, between the window and the door, which further blocked the light in the kitchen. The old french doors, while nice in concept, were really in the way of the table and traffic. The door opened to the right which, in the new plan, would require walking around to the far side of the table to get out the door. They were also rusting, falling apart, and seriously cold and drafty due to the single-pane glass and poor fit of the sagging hinges and broken jamb. Finally, they were an odd size. You couldn't replace them with anything off the shelf; you had to either reframe, or go with a custom built door (which is what we did in our basement, which uses the same size door, but is set in the concrete wall)

After (click on the image for a larger version).

Now you get a really good view out through our deck, which has become debris storage in between runs to the dump. The new sliding glass doors are several inches wider than the old door (these are a standard 6' door), and open to the left instead of to the right.. The additional windows and glass door help to lighten the kitchen up, and play on this house's best asset: the view out the back.

Here is the relevant portion of my kitchen cabinet plan:

The electrical inspector came by on Friday as well. He's the same person that has been by here for my shed project, and is a very good guy to work with. The rough inspection passed without any problems.

Finally, we also selected and picked up the sink and faucet. We went with a single-bowl Blanco sink and a Hansgrohe Interaktiv faucet. The style is Metro and the color is steel, not chrome. Both were purchased off-the-shelf from Expo Design Center in Columbia.

We're still waiting for the two bow windows and the basement patio door. Both were supposed to arrive today (11/25) but did not. Hopefully they arrive on Monday.