Thursday, November 29, 2007

startling discoveries


With home improvements ramping up on the interior, we thought about taking down this fairly large light in the kitchen and putting up a regular light/fan. Ed called from Lowe's and asked what the ceiling condition was like under the wood. I uncovered interesting facts in the process.


#1: The plastic light covering is all one piece on the left side from top to bottom if you will and one piece from left to right (like the shape of an L). With this being found out, you can't change the light that's in the middle small square (very smart on their part!) and it makes it very, very difficult to change the long fluorescent lights when you can only get to 1/2 of the light (again, very smart light-covering-planning on the installers part). And you can't slide the larger pieces b/c of the ceiling fan box above the ceiling fan.

#2: When I found a small plastic covering piece, that I could actually slide back, low and behold, there was wall paper on the ceiling. All wallpaper was removed up to and around that point, leaving a beautiful square of blue floral wallpaper left. Right around the ceiling fan box. Why not just finish the job completely? Welcome to our house.

#3: A finding Ed made concerning the light, but in a different location. The light switch for this particular beast was lovingly CEMENTED into the tile. So if we wanted to change the switch, we'd have to regroute/cement the tile again and who knows what kind of a mess that is.

#4, speaking of the tile, after exploring the possibility of replacing the counter top, the unique and yet beautiful fruit tile back splash was installed over top of the counter and grouted to it.

So......the counter top is staying. The light fixture is staying. The blades on the fan, however will be removed and painted.

Now the dining room light/fan however is being completely replaced as it exploded Saturday night when Ed turned on the light. The fan blades even jammed up. It was quite exciting.

Are we surprised at any of this? Not one bit.

5 comments:

Hillary said...

Ooh! Looking forward to this one! :P

Jean said...

It's done now.. :)

Hillary said...

heehee! I must have JUST caught it! :P

Oh. My. Word. Jean, that's insane! Though I like your approach: "Forget it! I'm not dealing with this!" The light thing is perplexing. What are you supposed to do when the light, I dunno, BURNS OUT? I have a light in my bathroom like that. It's installed so that you have to take apart the moulding and part of the wall to change it. Is it any wonder they just installed a new fixture???

Er... happy discovering?

Unknown said...

Gotta love these old houses, huh? :)

Jean said...

Hopefully you won't have to get ready in the dark Hillary! Or else you'll figure out how to change the light really well. :)

Yup, you do Anne.. :)