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Thursday, February 28, 2013

The (Future) Wet Bar Project

There's always, ALWAYS another project, or three, on my list of stuff I want to do to my home.  Are some people satisfied to live with their homes even when things are 25 years out of date?  I wonder.  I'm not one of those people.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  The answer probably depends on who you ask.

So with my long list of stuff that still needs updated around my house (IMHO) I look around (continually) and try to decide what is the highest priority.  I think the wet bar area might be my next DIY project.  Except some of it would not be DIY. 

The wet bar is in our "not so formal" living room.  Most of my neighbors have an actual walk in wet bar, I guess that was popular in the 80s in this area.  Some of them are just beautiful and I really like the walk in style, but we have this nook style with folding doors.  I love the extra cabinets, you would be be surprised how much stuff I can store in here.

When the doors are open they are IN THE WAY and since this area is 1986 original we usually keep the doors closed.  Then we have the faux marble, glass shelves and mirrors and I have to say, I am just not feeling it.

We've made two improvements to this area since we bought our house.  We added the bronze faucet and installed a new light fixture.  The light fixtures is only visible when you are standing right at the bar, but it does make it nice and bright.



The first step is to take out all the stuff

Then remove the doors

Remove the shelves and mirrors

Install a new counter and sink

Install new shelves or cabinets

Tile and/or paint the interior walls

Paint the lower cabinets

Put all the stuff back

Why does the list always LOOK short, but the project rarely is?



Suggestions?  Has anybody renovated a space like this?  I know the counter is going to the the pricey part, but will also have a big impact on the overall appeal.  I've been searching the world wide web for inspiration pictures....and none of them have folding doors.

I've found a few inspiration picture.  I'm dreaming of something more like these.



I already have the cat who will be happy to pose for a picture.



Much love and laughter,

Laura


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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Painting Outlet and Switch Covers

As we worked on the flooring project in the master bedroom and family room, I got that usual desire to fix things just right in both those rooms and I think it's paying off.

Do you have things around your house that bug you, but for the longest time you just don't do anything about it?  Things like this


(Note: This pic was taken after the base trim was removed, I couldn't have lived without the trim for 6 years.)  What bugged me was the paint on the outlet.  It was like that when we moved in and it stayed that way for SIX YEARS.  On an outlet that was in plain site on an open wall and I did NOTHING about it - until NOW!

We repainted the bedroom, but the family room walls were already just lovely so we left the Mayan Red. After painting the walls in the bedroom a greyish blue, the switch covers looked bad worse against the blue paint.  When I paint a room, I like to paint the cover plates to match the wall, so this was just temporary.

Before - bleh!


Lucky for me I married an electrician.  Because I got new switches to go with the new switch cover. 

AFTER!!

I love these textured paintable plate covers, they cost about $2-$3 each in my area.  It only take a few minutes to paint them and they give your fresh paint job a nice clean "finished" look.  The InvisiPlate brand that I bought comes in a few different textures to match your wall almost perfectly.

After they are dry and installed use a cotton swab to paint the screws.  Wearing painters gloves is a good idea when handling these. Notice I placed the plastic packaged under them to keep them from sticking to the paper.



I'll be perfectly honest, I only painted the outlet covers that show.  With all the furniture against the bedroom walls I think there were 5 or 6 outlets hidden behind furniture and the layout of the room does not lend itself to rearrangement.  The only option would be to put the bed in front of the windows and I doubt we will ever do that.


So just in case you are wondering how the red cover plates turned out.  They practically disappeared.  Which to me is a good thing.  

But it made me wonder how people felt when they first got electricity in their homes many decades ago.  Maybe they proudly displayed their modern convenience! They were probably excited to have electrical outlets and wouldn't have considered trying to make them blend in with the wall.


I promise I don't put this cat in my pictures.  He's a camera hog.

Much Love & Laughter,

Laura


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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Projects, Pie and Springtime

Don't you just hate it when you feel like you've been very busy but you can't figure out what, if anything, you've accomplished?  That's where I've been lately. One thing I haven't been doing much of is blogging, but I promise I have been doing some things. 

I noticed three daffodils blooming when I went out to get the mail on Monday. Don't tell me - I realized when I got there that it was a federal holiday - no mail delivery. How am I supposed to remember that after I just spent 8 hours at work?  I always remember when I get there. 

I didn't get a picture of the flowers a cold wind had started to blow. But they are out there in the cold wind - the first flowers of spring.  I'm inside where it's warm enjoying these Valentine's Day flowers, so I took a picture of them.

These flowers are my VERY VERY FAVORITE. They are so beautiful and have a light sweet scent.  I try to grow them - it doesn't work for me. 




I think we're kind of burned out exhausted and sore from weeks of working on the wood flooring project.  I'm dragging my feet about getting the stuff back on the walls because I don't know what I want where. Once that is done and I paint the lingerie chest I'll do a reveal of the master bedroom.

After I get the stuff on the walls so that the guest room isn't a mess, this is my next project.  First step - remove CURIOUS cat from drawer.


As I was browsing through Pinterest after dinner I found this coconut pie recipe.  I love coconut - it's like candy from nature. 

Coconut always makes me think about George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life) saying, "You don't like coconuts? Say, brainless, don't you know where coconuts come from? Lookit here. From Tahiti, the Fiji islands, the Coral Sea."

I'm sure I've seen this recipe before but I've never made the pie even though I love coconut.  It sounded yummy and most especially fast and easy (hey, it was Monday night) so I ran in the kitchen, whipped one up and popped it in the oven. My SuperDave had asked for a pie, or a cake, or any kind of homemade dessert soon, so I started with this one.  It was so easy I almost feel like it didn't count.

I just made enough of the homemade Bisquick for the pie recipe.



Then I stirred in the other ingredients and poured it in my buttered pie plate.



An hour later - we were eating a golden toasted coconut custard pie!



Impossible Coconut Pie

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bisquick (homemade Bisquick)
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups milk
1/2 t vanilla
1 cup shredded coconut


In a medium bowl, blend all the ingredients together by hand or on low speed for 30 seconds. Pour into a 10-inch pie plate that has been buttered or sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake at 350F. for 50 minutes, or until golden and set.

I can hardly wait for another serving today!

Laura


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