The Home Ownership Thread

[dfagdfsh]

does anyone have some good recommendations for bulbs i can use to replace incandescence bulbs in dimmable 70's track lighting? looking for 45 or 60w

 

[Ataturk]

Need to know what form factor the bulbs are in, what socket, whether they're exposed, enclosed, etc.

 

[dfagdfsh]

they're exposed - it's just a bunch of lamps mounted on a rail, basically. a standard socket? I've been using regular 60w bulbs.

 

[Ataturk]

If you've got to look at the bulbs your best bet is the "halogen in a bulb" replacements. They look mostly like real incandescents--just a little whiter light and a little dimmer.

http://www.amazon.com/GE-Lighting-78796-Energy-Efficient-replacement/dp/B004YPKQL0/ref=sr_1_11

 

[E TF]



I am redoing my french doors -- got the blinds between the glass, fancy handlesets, etc. Paint, bondo, new seals and bottoms.

Formerly I had levers and they're kind of crummy, especially since the "dummy" versions don't actually match the operating ones. Imagine my surprise.

The dummy handleset is supposed to be poor, too, so I thought I'd just drill a hole in the non-operating door and put a regular operating handleset in it (without the latch, obviously). But someone recently told me, quite adamantly, that the fashionable thing to do these days is just have one handle on french doors.

Is that true?

I did a little research into this recently when restoring our 18th-century house, which has three sets of double doors (solid, not glass). In that period in England, one handle was traditional, so that's what we went for. Looks good, and avoids the confusion of reaching for a handle and finding that it doesn't do anything.

eta: that with knobs rather than levers, I should add.

 

[Medwed]

I need ideas for kitchen back splash. I've entertained antique mirror-tiles, but they look a bit too creepy and busy. Looked at glass tiles but have not seen anything in the color I like (where is metallic tiles of large size?). Entertained an idea of wallpaper covered by thick solid glass, but after trying a few samples had to dismiss it as none looked very finished, and more like a temp. solution. At this point I am thinking just to put some marble as kitchen back-splash and be done with it. The counters are pearl granite (white with red spots) what would go with that, I am out of ideas?
I'd appreciate any input even very non-traditional solutions.
I have to mention that I do not like anything very standard-ordinary, such as regular kitchen tiles found in modern showrooms.

 

[RedLantern]

What about marble tile in a herringbone pattern?

 

[JohnGalt]

moving slightly from the usual topics of this thread - anyone have experience with children's playsets? we're thinking of buying one of the gorilla playsets from costco.

 

[RedLantern]



I need ideas for kitchen back splash. I've entertained antique mirror-tiles, but they look a bit too creepy and busy. Looked at glass tiles but have not seen anything in the color I like (where is metallic tiles of large size?). Entertained an idea of wallpaper covered by thick solid glass, but after trying a few samples had to dismiss it as none looked very finished, and more like a temp. solution. At this point I am thinking just to put some marble as kitchen back-splash and be done with it. The counters are pearl granite (white with red spots) what would go with that, I am out of ideas?
I'd appreciate any input even very non-traditional solutions.
I have to mention that I do not like anything very standard-ordinary, such as regular kitchen tiles found in modern showrooms.

Have you considered tin ceiling panels?

 

[SkinnyGoomba]



I need ideas for kitchen back splash. I've entertained antique mirror-tiles, but they look a bit too creepy and busy. Looked at glass tiles but have not seen anything in the color I like (where is metallic tiles of large size?). Entertained an idea of wallpaper covered by thick solid glass, but after trying a few samples had to dismiss it as none looked very finished, and more like a temp. solution. At this point I am thinking just to put some marble as kitchen back-splash and be done with it. The counters are pearl granite (white with red spots) what would go with that, I am out of ideas?
I'd appreciate any input even very non-traditional solutions.
I have to mention that I do not like anything very standard-ordinary, such as regular kitchen tiles found in modern showrooms.

If you are not having upper cabinets;

Bookmatched Onxy (must be sealed)

Bookmatched granite.

 

[Medwed]

Thank you for your input. That last granite slab is gorgeous. That would be my "I give up " solution
Tin sealing tiles are nice I have to look at them in RL , they could be pain to clean though ,don't you think?

 

[E TF]



I need ideas for kitchen back splash. I've entertained antique mirror-tiles, but they look a bit too creepy and busy. Looked at glass tiles but have not seen anything in the color I like (where is metallic tiles of large size?). Entertained an idea of wallpaper covered by thick solid glass, but after trying a few samples had to dismiss it as none looked very finished, and more like a temp. solution. At this point I am thinking just to put some marble as kitchen back-splash and be done with it. The counters are pearl granite (white with red spots) what would go with that, I am out of ideas?
I'd appreciate any input even very non-traditional solutions.
I have to mention that I do not like anything very standard-ordinary, such as regular kitchen tiles found in modern showrooms.

At the suggestion of a conservation architect, we did oil-based gloss paint straight onto the walls up to shoulder height in the kitchen (emulsion above, in the same colour) . It's an old-fashioned look, but practical.

 

[RedLantern]



Thank you for your input. That last granite slab is gorgeous. That would be my "I give up " solution
Tin sealing tiles are nice I have to look at them in RL , they could be pain to clean though ,don't you think?

Yeah, might be a pain to clean depending on the pattern, but for me at least, I don't really dirty my back splash other than behind the range/cooktop.

 

[RedLantern]

Our lot was "new" when we bought our house in September - it was sub-plotted from a larger lot owned by a church. Because the lot was new the bank had to make an estimate about what our property tax would be for our impound loan. It turns out that their estimate was not a very good one, as our property tax this year will be about half of what they figured. Kind of annoyed that we have over payed, but glad that we will get the money back and have a lower payment going forward!

 

[upthewazzu]

Our lot was "new" when we bought our house in September - it was sub-plotted from a larger lot owned by a church. Because the lot was new the bank had to make an estimate about what our property tax would be for our impound loan. It turns out that their estimate was not a very good one, as our property tax this year will be about half of what they figured. Kind of annoyed that we have over payed, but glad that we will get the money back and have a lower payment going forward!

That happened when we bought new in 2009. Was a really nice surprise to get a ~$900 check in the mail the following year. Unfortunately, our property taxes have only gone up since then due to multiple county tax levies and a reassessment last year.