A Couple More Projects

With the help of my handy sons I finished up a couple more projects this week:

Both my kitchen desk and my bedroom desk were looking a little worse for the wear, so since I had the clear coating Brian used on the dining room table, I did a light sanding and a couple of coats of the clear varnish and they both look so much better!

Next, a lighting update:

BEFORE:

The glass/brass light fixture was here from when this was the dining room. I had hooked it up so people wouldn't hit their heads on it. I really don't care for overhead lighting. I wanted to have lamp-light in this room, but there's no table for a lamp. So, Brian switched out the fixture for a hanging lamp from Ikea. I love the softer light.

AFTER:

View from the front door.

View from the kitchen

You can see how he wired the lamp into the ceiling so it turns on and off with the wall switch.

Next, Todd helped me fix this little ottoman in the sitting room. It's a storage ottoman from Ikea. Originally I bought the red corduroy cover and then when that was worn, I got the navy blue cover that matches the corner sofa. Inside I keep all the kids books and some puzzles and games for when the gkiddies are here. Unfortunately, the gkiddies had climbed in and stood on the bottom, which consequently broke. I called Ikea to see if they could sell a replacement for the bottom, but they didn't. Todd said it was no problem for him to cut a new piece of wood to fit in the bottom. So I bought a piece of wood (thicker than the first one) and he cut it to fit and now the ottoman is BETTER than new. I love having guys who know how to use power tools!