Home Decor

I wanted to wait until I was completely finished with the kitchen, but I know what a lazybones I am, so I'll do it in pieces:

Before Backsplash:
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After Backsplash:
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You can also see the new blinds installed over the sink.

Next up, new single-tub stainless steel sink, then fresh paint. I'll also be replacing those generic outlet and switch covers with something a little more ornate.

I'd love to paint those outdated cabinets, but after watching several videos...I ain't doin' that! :laugh:
Nice backslash tiles/slabs! In my opinion, there's nothing wrong in cabinets representing the era in which they were made. In addition, the framework of outdated cabinets is often more durable than that of modern assembly line cardboard boxes. I love my mom's 70's kitchen with crooked teak veneer doors and plain equipment. Outdated is for sissies. Replace it with vintage. If you'd like a sleek modern look, one option is to thrust the cabinet doors (if they're hardwood or have a solid enough base plate) through a plane (to remove the slightly dated embossing/baseboards without handiwork). There's nothing wrong with wooden doors or base plates looking like they'd gone through Chernobyl if they don't crack and keep intact. Then you can have the doors/base plates spray painted with a glossy lacquer paint or a matt finish laminate coating. That would surely cost less than a motherload of new doors with probably a different hinge system which often makes the mounting cost more than the "affordable" doors.
 
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Couldn't you get a professional to paint them? I wouldn't have thought that would cost a lot.
I think it would cost quite a lot, but the real issue is finding a painter. Handy work like that seems to fall into one of two extremes here - local hobo who's cheap but has no skill or knowledge and will botch it halfway through, then stop showing up at all or well-trained professional who'll do a wonderful job, but you'll need a second mortgage to pay them.
 
I got my first power bill for one entire month yesterday and it was for only $24.19 USD. That's totally unexpected and I thought it would be more. Keeping my average power consumption under 6 kWh, without really trying, is a positive for sure.

I was paying on average $88.00 USD for power in the 10' x 10' room where my former land lady was stinging me to pay half her power bill. And she was charging her g-damned electric car and having me pay for that too. I tried to find peace in that place, but never was happy with the cr_p shoveled in my face. When she told me that I could no longer cook in the house, because it increased her damned power bill, that was the last straw.

So, yes, I like having people around, but people are so damn painful, sometimes - it's hard to trust them. Now I am a total lone hermit and for just about $200 USD more, I have an additional 658 sq feet of space, my own kitchen and a photo studio that doesn't cover my bed as an improvised pinch.

:okay:
 
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And yes, my internet speed is noticeably faster too.

And the levels of dust I was seeing accumulate in that old place was incredible. I dusted stuff off as I moved out, but that's one of the last things I have to do, here in the new apartment, go through everything and wet wipe off the dust with pinesol. I bought a bottle of that stuff for just that purpose.

I have no idea what H was doing to generate all that dust. It was a nice modern house, but man! It even made it hard to breathe.
 
Got my under-cabinet lights today:
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Technology is great. Had I done this when we moved here 17 years ago, my options would have been to hire an electrician to run wired lights ($$$$$) or maybe some clunky D-sized battery things that would have weighed a ton and been a real PITA to take down and change batteries every month.

These, though, are very small. No wiring, just stick a little metal plate to the cabinet bottom with some double-sided tape, and the lights are magnetic and stick to that, and they're motion-sensor equipped and USB rechargeable, and since they're magnetic, I can just reach under there and pop one off if I need a handy flashlight. $60 for all six lights.
 
Got my under-cabinet lights today:
View attachment 62717
Technology is great. Had I done this when we moved here 17 years ago, my options would have been to hire an electrician to run wired lights ($$$$$) or maybe some clunky D-sized battery things that would have weighed a ton and been a real PITA to take down and change batteries every month.

These, though, are very small. No wiring, just stick a little metal plate to the cabinet bottom with some double-sided tape, and the lights are magnetic and stick to that, and they're motion-sensor equipped and USB rechargeable, and since they're magnetic, I can just reach under there and pop one off if I need a handy flashlight. $60 for all six lights.

Kitchens looking good TastyReuben. What's it owe you do far?

Russ
 
Kitchens looking good TastyReuben. What's it owe you do far?

Russ
A lot cheaper than I expected. That's why I'm kicking myself for waiting so long.

The backsplash, the blind over the sink, and these two blinds on the door/windows to go out to the deck:

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All of that, installed, $1,370US, so about $1,900NZ.

New sink is next, about $350 plus whatever the installation cost is.

BTW, that "zum Biergarten" sign is a hand-painted Tasty original! 😆
 
A lot cheaper than I expected. That's why I'm kicking myself for waiting so long.

The backsplash, the blind over the sink, and these two blinds on the door/windows to go out to the deck:

View attachment 62720

All of that, installed, $1,370US, so about $1,900NZ.

New sink is next, about $350 plus whatever the installation cost is.

BTW, that "zum Biergarten" sign is a hand-painted Tasty original! 😆

I did two years German and French at high school. :)

Russ
 
Got my under-cabinet lights today:
View attachment 62717
Technology is great. Had I done this when we moved here 17 years ago, my options would have been to hire an electrician to run wired lights ($$$$$) or maybe some clunky D-sized battery things that would have weighed a ton and been a real PITA to take down and change batteries every month.

These, though, are very small. No wiring, just stick a little metal plate to the cabinet bottom with some double-sided tape, and the lights are magnetic and stick to that, and they're motion-sensor equipped and USB rechargeable, and since they're magnetic, I can just reach under there and pop one off if I need a handy flashlight. $60 for all six lights.
Looking cool!!
 
Got my under-cabinet lights today:
View attachment 62717
Technology is great. Had I done this when we moved here 17 years ago, my options would have been to hire an electrician to run wired lights ($$$$$) or maybe some clunky D-sized battery things that would have weighed a ton and been a real PITA to take down and change batteries every month.

These, though, are very small. No wiring, just stick a little metal plate to the cabinet bottom with some double-sided tape, and the lights are magnetic and stick to that, and they're motion-sensor equipped and USB rechargeable, and since they're magnetic, I can just reach under there and pop one off if I need a handy flashlight. $60 for all six lights.

Looks good. How often do they need recharging?
 
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