Downstairs Carpet Coming Out

The carpet from the downstairs is now listed on Craigslist. I've started taking it out, but not sure how much I can do by myself. Really hoping the two contractors who keep telling me they want to work will actually pick a day--and show up.

PROJECT: Paint Fireplace White and Install New Fireplace Doors

Overview

The old fireplace doors are on their way out and will be replaced with new black (with black trim) modern fireplace doors. The original brick will be painted white to update the look.

Plan

• Paint masonry with white semi-gloss paint.
• Remove old fireplace doors.
• Order new fireplace doors.
• Finish painting fireplace once doors are off and carpet is removed.
• Install new fireplace doors.

Products

White semi-gloss paint.

Fireplace doors:

Progress

This is the old masonry fireplace before painting:

And here it is painted white, but not yet finished. The fireplace screen and doors will be listed for sale on Craigslist, and new fireplace doors installed.

Old Fireplace Doors

Old Fireplace Screen

PROJECT: Hardware, Paint, and TLC for Front Door

Overview

The front door was installed really quickly after the old one went bye-bye. Long story. It's a pre-hung hollow core steel door. The guy who painted it on the exterior did a really awful job. It's bumpy and full of brush marks. I did a quick job on the inside just slapping some paint on and not taking the hardware off, knowing that the door would have to be removed and properly painted at some point. As the brass hardware will be replaced by satin nickel, it'll be a good project to do everything that needs to be done for the entry door in on fell swoop.

Plan

• Remove door and hardware, lightly sand, and paint. The exterior will be a gloss black and the interior will be...well, I don't yet know.
• Replace weather strip on the bottom of the door.
• Replace weather stripping on sides and top of door frame.
• Replace hardware (hinges, entry lockset, peephole, strike plate) with satin nickel hardware.
• Pop the door back in with its new, updated look (and much improved protection from drafts and bugs!).
• Use silicone caulking to seal around the exterior of the door frame and interior window and door caulking to seal around the interior.

Products

This is the new lockset for the entry door, which arrived on August 12.

Progress

August 12: Most products (except paint) selected, with many purchased and ready to go. Plan to purchase some paint August 16-19 when Sherwin-Williams has a sale for 35% off.

PROJECT: New Blinds for Windows

Way back, I had ordered and installed three sets of Bali 2" faux wood blinds. Excellent quality stuff. So, now it's time to get to the remaining windows as well as the sliding glass door blinds.

The Plan

• Order Bali faux wood blinds and install in guest room, kids' room, and office. And maybe the upstairs hallways as well, as the sun comes right through there are really heats stuff up in the afternoon. Each of these windows needs to have the white trim paint finished before installing the blinds. The trim paint is almost done in the hallway, but not the other three rooms. 
• Finish painting the window trim in the master bedroom and install the Bali blinds there that were already purchased and are ready to go. 
• Find some replacement vanes for the family room sliding glass door verticals and pop them in. Embarrassingly, when I ordered the Bali verticals for the sliding glass door some time back, I made a mistake on the order form and the vanes were way too short. Oops!

The Product

Bali 2" Faux Wood Blinds

CHALLENGES: Brand New Ductless Heat Pump Not Working

Spent $7,000 for a two-head Daikin ductless heat pump system, and it's not working. It's 93 degrees outside. I am not happy. At all.

Called the company and got the answering service. No response yet.

PROJECT: Upgrading to Rocker Light Switches

The whole house has the standard "old-style" light switches, along with a variety of wall plates (mostly the white ones, but many "decorator" style). Since the whole place will be updated with white trim and moldings throughout, it's time to update the light switches as well. I'll be having all the old switches replaced by these rocker switches:

And, to go along with the rocker switches, there will have to be wall plates that fit the rocker switches:

That's a fairly inexpensive upgrade that will add some value and an updated look to the house.

Trying On Virtual Color

Thinking ahead to the fun stuff, I'm trying out various virtual color schemes using Sherwin-Williams' color simulator online. These are their rooms, though you can also upload your own photos. The trim will all be white and the laminate floors will probably be about the color shown.

Black Bean and Swing Brown

PROJECT: Stain Fence, Returns, and Gate

I hired a local guy named Justin to put in two fence returns and a gate earlier this season. Didn't pay him to stain them, so my husband got to work this weekend on staining the exterior portion of the return and gate. It's all done now, and all that's left is the inside of the returns and gate. Oh, yes, and then the rest of the fence in the back. But that's not as high a priority.

Left Fence Return

Right Fence Return and Gate

Dusty Vacuum Cleaner Has Been Replaced

PROJECT: Light Fixtures for Three Bedrooms

Here's what I'm looking at for new light fixtures for three of the bedrooms (office, guest room, and kids' room). Again, the satin nickel finish as with the other fixtures. These rooms still have the original el-cheapo square glass fixtures. The old fixtures probably won't go up for sale. These are just right for Goodwill.

The Plan:

Remove the old fixtures and replace with these (or other fixtures) in the guest room, office, and kids' room.

Product Info:

A gorgeous white glass shade is connected with curved, brushed nickel finish accents in this semi-flushmount ceiling light. Elegant and subtle, this fixture will give you the light you need and the style you want. A brushed nickel canopy serves as a central focal point as the lights sprout out from the center.

• Brushed nickel finish.
• White glass.
• Semi-flushmount design.
• Takes two maximum 100 watt or equivalent bulbs (not included).
• 17" wide.
• 12 1/4" high.

PROJECT: Light Fixtures for Kitchen, Family Room, and Master Bedroom

Here's what I'm looking at for a light fixture for the kitchen, family room, and master bedroom. Satin nickel will be replacing all of the shiny brass, black iron, and rubbed bronze metal finishes in the house.

The Plan:

Remove ceiling fans in family room and master bedroom and light fixture in kitchen and replace with new 3-light semi-flush fixtures with satin nickel finish.

What's Being Replaced:

Kitchen Light

Family Room Ceiling Fan

Master Bedroom Ceiling Fan

Product Info:

This ceiling light fixture features a soft brushed nickel finish with a desirable marbleized white glass bowl. The transitional design has both straight and curved elements that result in an intriguing design. A crossed design frame is structured around the bowl and seems to be cradling it in place.

• Brushed nickel finish.
• Marbleized white glass.
• Takes three 60 watt medium base bulbs (not included).
• 18 1/2" wide.
• 17" high.

Hunter Ceiling Fan with Light is Going Away

The Ceiling Fan

This Hunter ceiling fan (which cost quite a bit) is going and will be listed on Craigslist. It measures about 48" wide and packs a real wallop on high speed! It's a 3-speed fan with cherry wood veneer/wood grain on one side of the blades and natural wood on the other side, so you can change your look really quickly and easily. The metal finish is a deep, rich oil-rubbed bronze color, and the glass is a really nice textured and mottled glass. The light fixture takes 2 lights--the regular "medium-base bulb" kind. It works really well with plain low-wattage CFL bulbs (they don't seem to burn out from the vibration and they give a good amount of light with a very low energy consumption). The fan and light can be operated separately and each have pull chains as well as wiring for hard-wiring into a double light switch.

The Plan

The ceiling fan here (in the family room) and the one in the master bedroom will be sold and replaced with 18" diameter semi-flush-mount light fixtures with satin nickel trim.

Out With The Phone--In With The Wall

I removed the old phone jack near the kitchen. Who uses regular phones through the phone company anymore? The wires are all VLF, so all that's needed here is a drywall patch and some spray-on wall texture to turn this into a modern wall.

Kitchen Phone Jack Removed

PROJECT: Removing The Cadet Electric Wall Heaters

The Heaters

Three of the Cadet electric wall heaters have to go. They're on Craigslist now as well. They're not that old, as I bought them from Cadet to replace older units, but there's a ductless heat pump in the house now. The units are not needed as a result, and I had the electrician take these units offline and use the newly-vacant spots on the electrical panel for the two Daikin heat pump heads. Made a lot more sense than upgrading the current panel.

The Plan

Once the wall heaters and faceplates are gone, the plan is to get a small rectangular piece of drywall for each and drywall over the holes in the wall. Might require a small bit of wood bracing for each for drywall stability, and will need some mud and drywall tape, along with texturing. Once it looks like "plain wall," the painting for each area can wait, as all of these areas will be repainted eventually. As I'm not a rocker (at least the right kind), this drywall work will require a handyman who can do some minor drywall work.

Family Room

Kitchen (right next to Family Room)

Master Bedroom

Selling the Antique Piano

The beautiful old antique piano has to go, along with lots of other things. If you're wanting to see what's for sale, go to Craigslist Portland and search for KHP in the title search.