I love duck tape

One of the spotlights over the bar burned out several weeks ago and I've been attempting to get it out ever since. The problem was it was wedged in so tightly there was nowhere to put your my fat fingers and get a grip on it to turn it. Steven tried and pronounced it "impossible".
Last night I was sitting in the den with a glass of Cabernet when I had an "aha" moment. What if I stuck something to the bulb and used that to turn it? What better than duck tape?


The lightbulb was no match for my ingenuity and the tape. Of course I didn't have a new lightbulb of the correct size, but I did have this eco-bulb.


It may not be a look that'll catch on but the long thin shape made it much easier to screw into the socket.


And it will be using a lot less power.

From blue to green

Fern shade
Originally uploaded by modernemama

We got the last shade up today. A much easier job than the rust shade in Steven's office. To determine the exact height for the cord in that room we had to utilise a very precise measuring device. Steven needed to be able to walk under the lamp without hitting his head. As he is 6' 2', the shade is 14" long and the ceiling 8' high we knew we didn't have much room for error. Rather than use a rule, which we didn't have in the room at the time, we improvised. It appears that I am a screwdriver length shorter than he is. So he held the shade in the approximate position and I held the screwdriver on my head and walked under the shade until we got it right. And we did, with millimeters to spare.
This time it was just easy, cut the cord, trim, attach. Perfect. This the spare bedroom with the new Eden pendant shade form CB2, nifty, no? White, sand and green, very soothing.
A little look back at the way things were:
This is the room with the dingy lucite and plastic shade. Everything else is new: windows, floors and paint. We call it the fern bedroom after the pattern on the curtains.



This is the bedroom as it was when we moved in three years ago, we originally called it the blue room after the shag carpet. The windowless wall was covered in faux paneling, and the awning window was fogged, making it very dark. It's much lighter now.

Crowning glory

Rust pendant shade
Originally uploaded by modernemama

As long as Steven doesn't choose to tiptoe through his office in stiletto heels and a tiara he'll clear this new pendant shade by a hair's breadth.
He's always wanted a touch of red in this room, although this is on the rust side it goes well. Now I have to cover his office chair in a toning color. Any suggestions?

More lamps

Continuing the search to update the pendant lights in the bedrroms, I found this modern Eden lamp in fern green from CB2, which will appropriately enough, go in the fern bedroom.
And to appease Steven I also got a rust pendant light for his office to replace the Ikea light in there that he hates, on sale even, for $29.95. I only hope it isn't too large for the space.
Now all the bedrooms have pendant lights and we can move on to choosing some table lamps for the bedside cabinets...

Mibo Lulworth lampshade

Mibo Lulworth lampshade
Originally uploaded by modernemama

All it took was a simple dish of garlic fried in hot anchovy oil, added to Tagliatelle with the contents of the jar of anchovies in chili oil, served with a green salad. A really easy supper and Steven was more than happy to put up the Mibo pendant light in Verity's room.
And he didn't even mention the cost!

It's a different part of the budget, dear

A stream of delivery men have come and gone today leaving me cool and necessary items. Nothing renovation related, mind you, that part of the budget is closed for the remainder of the year. No, these are decorative items and decoration, as everyone knows, has absolutely nothing to do with construction or demolition.
Creative economics or semantics this may be, but it's how I will be accounting for it when Steven comes home and though wowed by the new pendant light in the bedroom, asks me where the money came from!
I'll need to be a little conciliatory because I want him to help me install the shade tonight before our gusts arrive tomorrow. I've been looking for nice shades since I bought this one at the Conran Shop a while ago. It was a really reasonable $49 and not surprisingly they sold out quickly and never restocked. That meant two bedrooms had their original plastic lights, which I like, but no amount of cleaning will change their dingy grey colour so it was definitely time for a change.
Then I saw this gorgeous Lulworth lamp from Mibo at Design Public that will go perfectly in Verity's room.
We also needed a new duvet cover and I got a cool grey one from CB2, which is now sold out, so no picture until I make up the bed.
The last delivery and the most important, was three cases of espresso coffee pods from our local supplier. Like everything else these pods have been going up in price, but it's my habit and I need my daily fix. Now, if I make Steven a nice espresso before I show him my new purchases do you think he'll be in a more receptive mood?

Sometimes I wish I lived in Europe

Not often, but when Heal's send me their newsletter and it contains gems like the Twigs Bronze Shade for a very reasonable 16 GBP, which is approx $33 today, and that including tax, I get a little homesick. At least for classic, modern design.