Yet another day of waiting for the bank. <sigh> In the meantime, I’d like to share some pretty — and some not-so-pretty — things with you. There are tons of pictures I could have selected for this post, but I narrowed it down to three. Continue reading “Things I’d like to have, and things I’m glad I don’t”
The hunt for the perfect chrome cabinet pull
In one of my earlier posts, I detailed our current (ugly) cabinet hardware, and how disappointed I was to find out it was original to the house. It would have been easier to discard that cabinet hardware if it had been an 80s addition or the like. Continue reading “The hunt for the perfect chrome cabinet pull”
Fun with ads from the 50s
I love perusing through 50s magazines, but there’s one detail that has started to disturb me. I understand that the ads of the day wanted to portray a feeling of happiness. After all, a new dishwasher = happiness, does it not? Continue reading “Fun with ads from the 50s”
A holding pattern
Last Monday, I got a call from my contractor that said he could start as soon as we could give him a check for materials so Menards could deliver sometime this week. One problem: we’re waiting on the bank. Actually, we were waiting on one final estimate. In fact, we waited for that estimate all week! Finally I just wrote down a number that was at least twice as much as the job would actually cost (shower install) and gave the numbers to the bank. Now, we wait.
Oh, it’s going to be a good day when that money comes through. I’m going to be ordering that cracked ice chrome table faster than a wino hits the jug. Continue reading “A holding pattern”
A breath of fresh air
I really hate having the A/C on 24/7, but I do so for my husband’s sleeping comfort and for the kids. Oh, all right, I guess I don’t exactly want to be sleeping in a room clogged with 80% humidity, either. But it makes me feel like such a wuss. It’s almost as I can hear one of my Swedish ancestors while he shakes his head, muttering “WE didn’t have air conditioning when we lived in the log cabin, and we survived just fine.”
Then I realize that my Swedish ancestors probably would have sawed off their right arms in order to enjoy A/C in the middle of a Midwestern August, and it makes me feel better.
(Now, if I can only get my ancestors to quit talking to me, I can shake this guilt complex once and for all.)
Show me the light
When I’m not agonizing over flooring, I’m agonizing over lighting. Realistically, lighting shouldn’t be such a big deal, because lighting is undoubtedly more easily changed out than flooring. But still … my greatest fear is that I get all these cool lights installed and then I look around and think, “Whoa … what was I thinking?” Worse yet, I fear that I have someone over to visit after the remodel and they do that stone-faced look while saying, “Uh, it’s …. different.” Not that I have any friends who would do that, but still, the fear is there. Continue reading “Show me the light”
Pink Panic, Part II
The other day I documented all the evidence that the former owners of this house had PINK on the brain. Continue reading “Pink Panic, Part II”
Remodeling for the rest of us
I hate looking at design idea books. Oh sure, they’re nice for oooohing and aaaaahing over, or mentally collecting names of products you’d like to use (but can’t afford), but they’re just impractical for someone like me. Y’know, someone who has cabinetry from Sears with early American hardware. It’s Continue reading “Remodeling for the rest of us”
One man’s style is another man’s ugly
When we first moved into this house, the plan was easy: fix it all up in 6 months and transform it into a house we love.
And eight years later, here we are! Just beginning the major improvements to this place.
Oh, there have been other things, of course. The basement was tiled so we no longer had any more water problems, the roof was reshingled, the bedroom was recarpeted to remove the PINK carpet that plagued this home, and numerous other minor details. Now we’re ready for the big stuff, and I’m kind of scared. Continue reading “One man’s style is another man’s ugly”
A completely schizophrenic bathroom
I expected something different. After prying up the existing vinyl flooring, I have discovered that my horribly decorated bathroom has burgundy tile, black trim, and, underneath the current floor, this: Continue reading “A completely schizophrenic bathroom”