Blog Updates

Today, I went live with some new features here at Zoo View Home.  Take a look at the header under the title.

I have updated some pictures on the House Tour tab.  If you are a frequent visitor to ZVH, then you have seen the photos already.  

I have added an About Us section and an AFI Top 100 section.  Take a look and explore these new features.

PS. AFI Top 100 Update: We watched #93 The French Connection, and #4 Raging Bull.  20 down, 80 to go.  We will have to get going if we want to get through all of them before the end of next year.

Simple Bathroom Fix

A couple weeks ago Nick was vacuuming the bathroom (vacuuming works great at getting all of my hair off the floor) he knocked off the faux drawer front panel from the vanity.  One problem, no clamps.  Nick had seen a great deal once, but was waiting until we needed them. 

Home Depot

Yes, this is an 8 piece set for less than $30.  We kept looking for them in the stores around the area, but never found them.  We think they are an online only deal.  Clamp sets in the store were smaller (4 pieces or 6 pieces), but they we charging more ($50-$70).  We decided to try Home Depot's free ship to store option.  A week later, we picked them up.  If you need clamps, get this deal!

Back to our problem, the fallen panel.  Enter wood glue and our new gotta-good-deal clamps.

 Before

During

 After

Back to normal.  I'm hoping to get to this bathroom a year after the kitchen, which seems to be forever away.  

Anyone else finish a simple project lately?

Pinning and Pining: June 2013

It's been a slow month for me in terms of pinning and pining.  Not too many pins, and haven't been pining for anything lately.  My husband is pretty lucky! hehe

Pinning:

pinterest

I love this room.  I love that the height is accentuated by the vertical planks of wood.  I love that it continues on the ceiling.  I love the wall of windows.  I love the furniture.  I would love to see what this room looks like at night.

Pinterest

I have a set of nesting star cookie cutters that I use at Christmas to a 3 dimensional Christmas tree.  I love this idea as another option for the cookie cutters.

Pining:

 

NotAScratch

Now this is an iPhone case!  I love the zebra wood because it reminds me the most of latitude lines.  I also like the color of the sapele wood.

Fab

I sense a theme here.  Another map.  Nick and I both like these, but we don't really have a space for them.  The walls are pretty full right now.

Paint Sample Art

I have found that when I get free paint samples, I never use it for testing on the wall.  I hoard them, thinking I'll come up with a project for them someday.  That someday finally happened. 
I have been looking for art for a corner in the bathroom, tall and very narrow art to be exact.  I never found anything quite right though.  I was going through some old pre-pinterest pictures I saved.  I found this:

(saved so long ago, I don't know who to credit.  If you know, let me know)

Take a look at the 4 piece on the left.  I thought I could make a small scale version of that for the corner.  I could even use those free paint samples I have laying around. 

Simple directions for this: 

1. Buy wood, size is your choice

2. Sand it smooth, if necessary

3. Tape off areas

4. Paint 

5. Remove tape

6. Repeat steps 3-5, when paint is dry

7. Attach hangers of your choice

Here's how mine look:

So I used 4 paint samples I got for free on this.  It was a great solution to my problem, and it was only $10 for the wood and hangers. Gotta love cheap projects, and in my case finished projects.

PS.  I'm trying out some photo footers, and logo options.  What do you think?

New Plantings

I have been working on lots of projects in the past couple of days.  Hopefully, I can finish them in a reasonable amount of time.  This weekend, I was able to finish up one project though.  I added some new plantings to the front yard.  I have found after a year with these plants, that we needed some changes.

I added a dwarf penta to the hibiscus pot.  If they grow nicely, I may add them elsewhere in the front landscaping. 

I removed the trailing lantana and replace it with another purple heart plant.  I found that the trailing lantana didn't quite grow as I had expected from research.

I added some canna lilies in place of the bougainvilleas.  I love the color the leaves bring to the yard.  That wasn't the right spot for the bougainvilleas anyway.  It was getting far less light than it needs, and was being eaten by some insects. 

I will be working on other projects which I hope to complete and show you soon.

Kitchen Reno: Lighting Plan

This weekend we went looking for flooring to match our current living room.  Sadly, we found out that the manufacturer that likely makes our current flooring changed their product lines.  So I cannot talk about flooring, like I had planned, until I figure out what I want to do now. 
A couple weeks ago, I showed the potential design for the kitchen.  What you don't see is the lighting.  We currently have two flush mount lights (aka boob lights).  They are a little dim, and leave areas that are a little darker than I would like.

My plan is to make it brighter, since we have very little natural light coming in, and are planning on dark cabinets.  In a perfect world, we would hire an electrician, remove the current lights, and add about a dozen recessed lights, and three pendant lights.  We are not in a perfect world, and our options are limited.  So I have decided that track lighting might be best.  I think we will use a silver flexible track lighting system.  Track lighting can be ugly, but I'm hoping this won't be.  Some of my inspiration:

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

 

 

 

The last one is most similar to what I have planned. I was thinking of having 2 half squares with rounded corners, one set of lights for small spot lights, and another set for pendants lights. 

The advantage for us right now, is that we can install them at anytime.  We don't have to wait until the renovation to do it.  I am considering doing this sometime in the near future.

AFI Top 100 Update:  On Memorial Day we watched #26, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, and #76 Forrest Gump.  18 down, 82 to go.