I now have a basic kitchen. The backsplash will come later, when I can afford Motawi tile.
Many chemically sensitive people choose metal cabinets for their kitchens because they react to wood stains, preservatives, and paints. But I had solid wood painted cabinets in California, and now that zero-VOC paint is available I decided I wanted painted wooden cabinets in my new kitchen. I had planned to order cabinets made by Crystal Cabinets and sold through Green Building Supply in Iowa, which has experience working with chemically sensitive people, but the contractor found a local woodworking company that was willing to use the same materials, so I went with them instead. As it turns out, both Crystal Cabinets and the local company use a paint and varnish mix that is low-VOC instead of zero-VOC because the mixture is more durable than just paint. The cabinets were made about a month ago but it will take another week or so for them to offgas.
The appliance inspection will happen with the certificate of occupancy inspection, which is coming up next!
