House Updates

I've been off my DIY game for a while, but this last week I have managed to get a few little things done before the craziness of Christmas. The first thing is actually something Jason did, not myself. We had some MAJOR issues with our kitchen sink (totally stopped up, snaked several times, plunged, acid poured in with no change) and ended up having to call a plumber. But not before Jason made a valiant effort to fix it himself. He spent many hours doing what he could to fix it and it turns out it needed to be snaked from the vent on top of the house. Anywho, while he was working on it he decided to swap out our faucet and sprayer (the sprayer hasn't worked since we moved in). Here is the old:

And now the new:

Please excuse all of the dirty dishes waiting to be washed. It is amazing the difference having a sprayer makes! So much easier to clean the sink now. So thanks, honey! I appreciate your huge effort in trying to fix the drain, plus giving me a little bonus of a new sprayer that works. 

Next up is the mancave bathroom. When we moved in I took before pics of the house, but somehow managed to forget the entire downstairs. I didn't think to do it before painting any of it either, so you will just have to visualize the before. Basically, it was the same hint-of-blue paint as the rest of the house's before pics. This bathroom is the largest although it doesn't have a tub or shower. We are hoping to install one eventually since there is already space to do it. The downstairs is Jason's domain, since I have a whole room dedicated to my piano upstairs. He is going for a masculine, library-ish vibe. Since we have a great pop of color in the mancave with the orange-red walls, he decided on brown as a neutralizing color for the bathroom. Here is the finished product (sorry the pics are kinda hard to see, it is a hard room to photograph):

(we still have plans to frame out the mirror and paint/replace the cabinet)

(I totally ORBed the towel rack and toilet paper holder, you know I can't stand gold!)

I am SO glad to have this done before our company comes! New paint/decor combined with the fact that the toilet actually works now (woot woot!) is enough to tickle my bones. As a side note, the plumber we hired was absolutely wonderful. He got in and out as quick as he could (since they charge by the hour), gave me tips on what to do if we ever have the same problems again, was courteous and friendly and quiet so my kids didn't wake up from their naps, and fixed two things that make a difference in our everyday lives (the kitchen sink and toilet downstairs), all for a measly $85. Sometimes, it is totally worth calling the professionals. If you are local and have any plumbing needs, please check out Bodenheimer Plumbing! 

The last little tweak we made was another that rocks my socks off. The last goldtastic light fixture in the house was replaced! Remember this guy?

Well, he's been upgraded:

I just love my little flying orb of a planet! It lends the perfect modern touch coming into the house, leading into the music room. We have actually had the fixture for a while (from IKEA, of course), but didn't have the funds to have it installed. We would have done it ourselves, but didn't have a ladder that would work in the awkward entryway/stairwell. A friend of ours from church installed it for us and I surprised Jason with it last week. Another simple swap that makes all the difference in my mind. 

I didn't finish my to-do list for before Christmas, but I am happy with where we are especially since I have had so much back trouble the last 6 months. But come the new year - I'm gonna be tackling all the trim and doors in the house. Then maybe, just maybe, I can retire my paint brush for a while. :)