Problems just waiting for solutions…

May 13th, 2008

The unpacking never ends. Who knew we had so much crap? Oh yeah – I did.
I think a trip to Goodwill might be in order.

So there are a number of issues that are starting to come up as we finish more and more. I think we have decided to paint the outside of the Brick House. The bricks have been left unmolested throughout the last 50 years, but the house seems unfinished – and a little depressing.

I really liked this porch makeover featured on Martha Stewart’s site from the Blueprint article. I definitely want a yellow door, and love the idea of painting the house white with dark charcoal trim. Well the Boy and I will have to fight it out – he wants to paint the outside dark gray…which might work with white trim…aaaaaaahhhhhhh. Its so hard to decide.

People keep telling me to drive around and copy something I like – but I haven’t seen one stupid house in town that I approve of – people just don’t care about style out in the middle of nowhere.

We still need to get a new entry system for the front door. I hate everything I see – and I’m not sure how to cover this big hole on the inside. We still have the real estates office combination coded key holder attached to the outside handle – it blocks the hole…

And then the leftover wall heater holes.

I guess we need to patch them in – but I’m not sure where to get wainscotting to match. So I thought maybe we could build like a little inset bookshelf. Would that be weird – should I make the hole bigger?

Something like this…but nicer?

FILED UNDER: DIY

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Thrifty!

May 8th, 2008

I have a problem.

It is a really bad addiction to shopping at thrift stores that now has progressed to flea markets and vintage shops.

My boy is trying to intervene and say ENOUGH with the bad art and weird accessories. But I just can’t stop myself! We live in a retirement community and where theres old people – there is AWESOME vintage stuff for cheap!

I LOVE bad art – amateur paintings, needlepoint, paint by number, ect…the weirder the better! Its the thing I look for first and the thing I love the most. Heres SOME of the collection – waiting to be hung…



Here are a few of my recent finds…


GRRRRRR! This pair is from the Hospice thrift store – $2 each, and theres a third deer needlepoint as well.

This lovely lady is from Angel View Thrift – and at $12 I really paid more than I wanted – but damn shes hot and HUGE!

Summers coming and since I hate ceiling fans and I need to move the air around…new old fans!
$10 at the vintage store and $2 at the Hospice Thrift respectively. These babies pppuuuurrr – they are quiet but powerful and work like champs!

Salvation Army – 50% off sale – so $4 for the big vase and $6 for the set of dishware – I’m not sure what they are for – but I love the graphic!

A pair of Kruger Metal tulip chairs – bought from a weird old lady at a store that was either a vintage store or a dump? Splurged at $100 for the pair talked her down from $140.

Flea Market – Sculptra Donut Phone – $20, and this lovely secretary, which will be converted into a bar – $40.

This lovely lamp has a marble base and is in great shape. $7 at Angel View Thrift. I love the slenderness of it and its HEAVY.

The real big score was this:

Bullet Planter!

I’ve been hunting for one of these for a year! I never won one on Ebay and never could afford the vintage store prices. I found this beauty by accident at a antique store for $10. The lady couldn’t believe I wanted it. She had it sitting with a bunch of junk on her back porch.

Score.

These are just a few of the things I’ve picked up after the move. I love our new town!

FILED UNDER: thrifting

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A New Light

May 8th, 2008

My brother destroyed our ceiling fan when he tried to take it down in order to paint the ceiling. I was openly grateful as I tend to despise all ceiling fans and have been looking to replace the mishmash installed in the Brick House. There were 4 ceiling fans, none of which matched. One was arts and crafts, one looks like its from the future, and the others were cheapy white ones from the 1980’s that had been painted a rainbow of colors.

So it fell and smashed on the floor and we’ve had a hole in our ceiling for a month and a half. I really wanted to install some mid century inspired drop pendants throughout the house as they give a good even light and have a very streamlined feel. Ikea has a line called FADO that fit the bill and my price range. The smaller 10″ hardwire pendant down light – which I traveled to Ikea to buy – is $24.99 while the larger 12″ pendant hangs from a cord and costs $34.99.

I drove 2 hours and Ikea had no small Fado’s, no Ikea in ALL of California has small Fado’s…and they aren’t getting any more till mid-June. The friendly salesperson told me that they only have 12 ordered and that they sell out almost immediately. WTF.

I bought the larger pendant, even though I hated how the cord looked and I knew it would be way to long for the den. I hoped that I could rig it to be shorter…and after some trial and error…



SUCCESS!

I ended up pulling the whole thing apart and removing some of the cables and rods. Its a little hokey but its stable and works great. This was also the first time I’ve ever hardwired something, and it was frightening! So we have to caulk the medallion in place to cover the electrical box and then paint the medallion and the ceiling to match and it will be done! I really like how it turned out and its really great to have light in the den. I plan on rigging the larger Fado the same way in the bedrooms – and if I can get my hands on the smaller Fado – I might put it in the hall. Globe lights everywhere – I’m globe crazed.

My other new (old) hardwire light arrived that I bought on EBAY for $5. Its going to be installed over the desk in the den and I love it! It swivels and adjusts every which way and the spun aluminum looks great with the Fado hardware. I originally wanted a double cone light, but the deal was just to good and we can always move it if I happen to find that perfect vintage fiberglass double cone sconce. So more adventures in hardwiring and then maybe we can clean up this place.



FILED UNDER: den, DIY

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