Would you believe me if I said I checked off THREE more projects from my to-do list?!
Well, guess what? I did. For realz. I have now checked Projects 17, 18, and 22 off my list.
What? Oh, you want to know what those projects are?! Okay, sure I’ll elaborate. I have finished:
Project 17: Replace light fixture in foyer.
Project 18: Finish painting foyer.
Project 22: Replace light bulb on front porch.
Project 22 is a no-brainer so I don’t have any “after” pictures for you. But Projects 17 & 18 were quite the ordeal, so I’ve got loads of photos of the process to share with ya!
One of my favorite friends has a two-story living room. She and I have been talking for months about renting scaffolding, sharing it, and splitting the cost. She called me a few weekends ago and was all, “we rented the scaffolding and are done with it! Wanna come get it?!”
The difference between Wendy and me is that she actually puts her money where her mouth is, while I’m generally all talk. I was shocked that she had actually gone out and rented the scaffolding! I talked about renting it, but had never actually put another second of thought into it. Thank goodness for people like Wendy in my life who give me the kick in the rear that I need.
So of course we dropped everything and raced over to her house to pick up the scaffolding. Then they came back to our house with us and helped us put it all together. (They live less than a mile from us.)
I had approximately 2.5 days to finish everything that needed to be completed in the foyer. It was a lot of hard work and I had to kick it into serious over-drive to get the projects completed. Good thing God created Energy Drinks.
That’s me up there getting ready to paint.
First order of business? Finish the paint that I started waaaaay too long ago.
I had to put a ladder on top of the scaffolding to reach the edge so I could cut out. My legs were trembling. I’m totally terrified of heights. But the painting got done. 🙂
Next on my super-speed-DIY tour was the light fixture. This piddly little thang is what came with the house. It’s just too small for the space and the three puny bulbs don’t give off much light.
I wanted to swap it out with the chandy I recently pulled out of the dining room.
Here’s a waaaaay-before of the chandelier when we first moved in; purple and gold faux walls and all:
The fixture wasn’t bad at all, it has a nice shape and I like the glass bulb covers. I just am not a fan of that copper-ish color. At. All. No biggie though, I just strung it up in a tree, removed the bulb covers, covered the bulb area with painters tape, and gave it a few coats of spray paint.
I started with two coats of Rustoleum Flat Black.
Then I came back and gave it a really good coating of my favorite spray paint ever, Oil Rubbed Bronze, or “ORB” for short.
This color is the perfect color, in my very humble opinion. It’s black-ish but has a sparkle sheen on it. It’s like an orgasm in a can it’s so awesome.
Just look at that color! It makes my heart race and my palms sweat just looking at it. 😉
Okay, so why did I do Flat Black first? This is my personal opinion, BUT! ORB is expensive. Like, almost-$8-a-can expensive. I paint with basic black first so that I don’t have to use as much ORB on my final coat. It saves me money and ORB.
Here’s where things get a little tricky, so stay with me, mmmm-kay?! The chain and wiring on the big chandelier (the one I just painted) was too short for the foyer. The small fixture I was removing was the perfect length (because it was already installed in the foyer).
I had to re-wire both fixtures.
I unwired the small fixture and the large chandelier, and swapped wiring and chains.
Here’s the small fixture about to get de-wired…
And the big chandelier mid re-wiring.
I was going to give a play-by-play tutorial on how to do this, but once I started I quickly realized that unless you know what you are doing, this is really a job for a pro. There were lots of little steps and it was going to be very confusing to explain the process. Plus, I don’t want to be responsible for any of you burning your home down due to improper wire swapping.
If you want to re-wire fixtures, here’s my simple advice. Put the wires back the same exact way you take them apart. If you are not totally confident that you can re-wire fixtures, I suggest you call someone who knows how.
After I removed the long chain and wiring from the small fixture, I took it out back and gave it a few good coats of flat black and ORB as well. When it was all dry, I re-wired the large fixture and hung it all back up. Afterward I grabbed a bulb, screwed it in, and had Ben flip the switch as I cringed and leaned back praying that it didn’t blow up. And it worked perfectly. Whew.
While we had the scaffolding, I knew I better do every project I could think of because this was pretty much my one shot. So even though I was dying and was T-I-R-E-D, I sucked it up to take care of that boring window.
I gave that sucker some moulding! Woot!!
I pretty much “fake” my windows in my house. I put trim around them, and then I paint the inside of the window area and the new moulding both with the high-gloss door and trim paint (Sherwin Williams Trim & Door paint in Alabaster). This gives the allusion that the inside of the window is also trimmed out with wood and moulding.
And now, here are all the “after” pictures of the painted foyer (project #18), the new light fixture (Project #17), and my bonus project, moulding around the window.
Before and After chandelier:
Foyer Before & After:
Look! All the walls are painted! (after)
(before)
I’m so glad I swapped out the chandelier. This one puts out so much light! During the day you couldn’t even tell when the small one was turned on, but this new one lights up everything. It’s awesome.
I think I like this fixture so much because a) it’s now ORB, b) it’s so bright, and c) it makes my favorite shape: a star!
There you have it. Four completed projects, three of which can now be checked off the list.
I’m now down to 19 more projects to go. Slow and steady. These slacker-projects are getting de-slacker-ified.
Have you tackled any big projects lately? Do tell!
** edited to add: the scaffolding was rented from our local hardware store. A week-long rental was about $100, so since Wendy and I split it, I paid only $50.
Holy crap, Allison…this is so awesome. I LOVE the light swap – really smart, and it looks perfect. I can’t get over how high that scaffolding is. You are so brave!! Next time I see you I will give you a standing ovation…right in the middle of Chick-fil-A. 😉
I’m compiling a list of unfinished projects…mostly crafts that are taking up insane amounts of real estate because they’re in pieces. I’m a little afraid. Lol Your chandy looks fab!
wow! it really looks incredible! you did an amazing job!
i would be too afraid to tackle something like that, just looking at those pictures was making my heart pitter patter.
I love checking things of my “To do list”, but then I get bored and have to create another to do list. 😉 Your foyer looks great, I bet your new porch light does too. 🙂 I LOVE the “Parenting at it’s Best” photo, classic HOH. I actually dropped in about 30 minutes ago and didn’t see any new posts. Then I got on FB and it said there was a new HOH post, I RAN over to check it out.
Thanks!
Michelle
http://www.thrifty101.blogspot.com
Your so funny Allison. And I’m so proud of you, like you care. It feels really good to know you checked off some biggies doesn’t it. It the 12 million little things that drive me crazy. They all seem to look like small little jobs, a piece of wood here a little paint there, change this, etc. Boy those are the ones that add up. Great job on working things off your list.
Hugs…Tracy 🙂
I stepped onto a small stepladder, on top of scaffolding, in our great room that has a cathedral ceiling. (shhh, don’t tell anyone.)
great job tackling your list!
Orgasm in a can… you are KILLING ME!!! lmao!
I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how to fix those hideous windows we have… now I know I just need to “fake it”! Thanks!
You’ve been busy! I love the exposed wires and children standing nearby. 🙂 You were teaching them about electricity…
What an accomplishment! It looks great & it is great for kids to see the Mom doing stuff like that.
One question though. Are you going to need scaffolding to change the lightbulbs in the chandelier?
Allison everything looks AMAZING!!!
Very nice!!!! As someone who lives in an area where trim is freaking everywhere, it would never occur to me to fake trim a window, but hey – that is brilliant!!!
I love the shot of the exposed wires and you and your kids on the scaffolding. Heh. Looks like a scene from our casa. Except we have 1920’s wiring and we all stand around with our fingers crossed in hopes that there is no pop/explosion or even worse, a fire later down the road. lol.
Hey Allison
I LOVE the ORB paint wow wit is perfect I have a need for that stuff on my outside porch light fixtures ! Thanks for the post very good info !
Be careful on those ladders I once fell of a ladder and broke a rib OUCHY
– KAT –
The foyer looks great! So many projects done is such a short amount of time. I’m impressed!
I had no idea you could rent scaffolding.
love the pictures and captions!
take care!
gail
WooHooo!! Look at you go Allison!!! Way to go getting all of that done!!!
WOWZA!!!! Great job! You would never get me up on scaffolding! At the speed you are working you’ll be done with your list in no time!
Everything looks great. I need to rent a scaffold to change our foyer light. I didn’t know it was that cheap.
Love it! It all looks so good…but now I really feel like a slacker!
The foyer looks great! You are inspiring me to make my master list of projects I need to finish – It feels so good to mark those suckers off!
Rockstar!!!! Your to do list is now cringing of fear. You may be done in no time!
It looks great. good job!
I have been ill and in bed for most of this year and my house is falling down around me – sooooo much to be doing!
but your blog helps keep me going with ideas that ONE day I will be able to tackle this place 🙂
keep it up, love the blog!
Great post, Allison. I’m so glad we’re done painting that entry way – whew! It looks so good now 😀 The chandelier especially looks good all painted up with ORBasm in a can.
WOW, I need to rent one of those for my two story foyer!!
Thanks for the post!
I also LIKED Dremmel and said you sent me!!
Glad you finally got this done! And I finally got a grasp for how hideous your Barney room was before. I never could see the purple, but that picture with the chandy. Ugh! I finally get it!
PS- I passed the Ikea near Austin the other day. I begged my boyfriend to go in. I secretly was just hoping to see you there. Is that creepy?
You crack me up! Too funny! My foyer is the same and my chandy has been sitting on the foyer floor for 2 yrs just waiting to be installed! We just need to hunker down and rent some scaffolding! You’re foyer looks great now and you’ve totally motivated me to get in done!!! Thanks!
Glad I found your site! I want to put crown molding up and scrap the popcorn ceiling. Need to see some one like me on a scaffold. LOL!! Quick question, did you friend have to rent two scaffold and did she rent it from a Home Depot or Lowes?