I scraped the popcorn ceiling about a year ago, and have been looking at the splotchy gray and white ever since. So... why not make it an annual thing? I spent my Christmas stay-cation determined to finish what I had started.
Behr Oslo Blue
(PPU13-13)
It's the little things, I suppose.
The entrance lights were mis-matched and falling off the wall. Out they went.
This light was loosely attached, and too wide for the narrow space between the door frame and the corner. I also found that the junction box was placed on the outside of the house, and the Romex for the driveway light was tucked under the siding. That’s a project for another day.
The carport light is a nice dual-bright fixture, but it was wobbly and didn’t match the other fixture.
I picked up a matched set of sharp black wall motion-sensor sconces with seeded glass. They’re not dual-bright (i.e., the light is dimly on all night long, and then brightens up when it senses motion), but they’ll do.
Portfolio 11.5-in H Black Motion Activated Outdoor Wall Light
The junction box tacked onto the outside of the house will be a project for a different day. The hanging wire gets hidden behind the batten and then drapes loosely underneath the front door before disappearing into the dirt to power the driveway light. (Ten guesses why this circuit has a habit of tripping when it rains heavily. Related: Solar Driveway Light)
[Prior Post: Hall Light (Part 1)] After searching around for a while, I decided that I needed a light that would stretch down the length of the hallway a little better than a single pendant, but still only require one electrical mounting point. I tried a few different models, including an ill-fated attempt at track lighting. This one seems to do the trick, although I’m not so in love with it that I won’t keep my eyes out for something else.
First there was the small birch just behind the shed that leaned at a 45-degree angle right through where I was installing my fence.
Then there was the dead tree that had been strangled by wire.
Then there was the tree that fell on my fence during the Thanksgiving 2014 snow storm. It became one of the 18 trees I had removed earlier this year... I thought I was done.
Nope.
This fir was one of three in a small stand, so of course when it toppled in a wind storm (core rot), I didn't like the bare look of the two remaining, which probably also had core rot.
The advantage is that I now see a lot more sky when I sit on my deck and look at the stars. And my vegetable garden will get more sun.
Miss Sadie, Protector of the Realm, Defender of the Bird Feeder, and Chaser of Squirrels
A quickie makeover with fresh paint and peel-and-stick tile flooring.
Read MoreA big steaming load for my new flower garden.
Read MoreInstalling shelving just inside the basement means that everything is close at hand for outdoor entertaining.
Adorning my front garden with the lovely and fragrant wisteria.
Read MoreInstalling drip irrigation in the garden was like playing with Legos for grown-ups.
Read MoreAfter a suitable amount of procrastination, I got help with the drywall and tile. It's nice to no longer look at studs and a hole in the floor.
Using smart bulb technology to overcome bad wiring configurations.
Read MoreI added a special dirt-box to my yard so the girls have a place to get their digg on.
Read MoreMore sun, fewer acorns, and less scraggly dead junk.
Read MorePerfect indoor project for a cold spring day... rewiring light switches! The old switches worked just fine, but I had to get out of bed (*groan*) to operate them.
These new switches are connected via wifi to a hub that I can operate from my phone... anywhere in the world. I know if future generations read this, they'll roll their eyes and wonder how humanity survived with such medieval technology. But for now, I think it's pretty cool.
Just a few updates... the bathroom previously had a bare bulb suspended in a rusting metal box. The new light and fan combo isn't sexy, but does the trick. The components are wired together, so I added a timer switch to turn the fan off after a short while.
For some reason, no one (including myself) can ever remember how to work the guest shower. (In fact, during the home buying inspection, the inspector, the agents, and everyone in the house failed at this... we had to call the seller.)
Simple solution: computer graphics and laminating plastic.
