Sweet Savannah (House Tour)

Georgia weather has been in a crazy up-and-down pattern as of late, and as I sit here cozied up in a blanket, I can’t help but remember that less than two weeks ago, the weather was far more perfect, and I was in a much more relaxed atmosphere…

The story started out a little complicated at first. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine told me she was accepting a new job and moving from Athens, GA (where I attended college, and only an hour from where I live) down to Florida… seven-plus hours away. I knew I’d miss her terribly, but we made plans for me to come see her the following weekend before she left town, and I was excited for our mini reunion. And since I was already making the drive, I invited this cute guy to join me as well (he’d never been to my alma mater before, so who better to show him around?). But, as we all made some last minute-changes to our work schedules, my friend ran into an issue and needed to postpone the visit for one more week. With a nearly three-day weekend without plans and a forecast of gorgeous weather to boot, we got to thinking… what else is within a few hours’ driving distance from Atlanta that could be fun to visit?

I’d never tried Airbnb before, but after making a few suggestions, Savannah seemed like the perfect location to play tour guide for a weekend. For those of you who aren’t yet familiar, Airbnb is an app that allows local hosts to book their offerings (homeowners with extra rooms, entire houses, or unique accommodations like igloos and yurts). And the fares are usually pretty great on the wallet, too. For surprisingly little, we found ourselves less than a week later at HOLY CRAP THIS PLACE IS AMAZING.

As with most changes of scenery, there were tons of little features in this house that were very different from home, so I thought I’d give you guys a little house tour for some inspiration and ideas. We also took an afternoon walk down River Street, so if you’ve never been to Savannah before, a fair warning: this place has a LOT of candy.

Most of these pictures you’ll see below were taken the next morning after our arrival on Friday, and I got a chance to finally look around (we did do the ghost tour thing after we got into town, though!). Off of the upstairs room where we stayed (this was a shared house with other guests), there was an upper porch area, complete with a plush daybed and comfy pillows. The blue window trim and planked ceiling are now filed away in my brain under “things to do to that beach house I’ll buy someday”.

Even the cat knew that relaxation was the theme of this house.

When you come in from the front porch, you are immediately greeted by a formal living room. Love the mixed metals, the light blue color blocking under the crown, and the mix-match vibe of the furniture to keep things feeling less stuffy.

The kitchen was probably my favorite spot of this house. Fresh coffee, old-school stove, breakfast fixin’s, fresh flowers, and a suuuuuper casual spot to make yourself at home.

I love the utilization of extra storage space above the glass cabinet doors (older homes seem to have this a lot, where the cabinets go up to the ceiling… great use of space!). And my favorite little detail…

There was an inlaid glass tile stripe along the floor that matched the island countertop and a few other spots in the house (there were similar glass tiles used in one of the bathrooms as well). I haven’t actually seen this done before, but the color screams coastal to me.

Off of the kitchen was a laundry room (split by a glass-paneled door) and a small bath with gorgeous shower tile (the inlaid pattern used a mix of mirrored and glass tiles).

Off in the dining room, bright white walls bounced around light like crazy and featured a map with pushpins from traveling guests who had previously stayed at the house. Cute idea!

Atlanta was clearly already covered, so we didn’t get to participate in the ceremony of marking where we came from, but I really enjoyed checking out some of the distant cities where fellow travelers originated.

Quick: picture a swing hanging from a tree in your head. Did it wind up looking like this? Yeah, mine too.

Saturday was mostly a self-guided walking tour around River Street and through the historic area. Since there are no open container laws like there are in Atlanta, we could grab a to-go beer from one of the pubs along our cobblestone route and meander between stores (those that allow drinks inside, that is). Of course, a visit to River Street Sweets was a must!

I should probably also add here that I gave up sugar for Lent. So, I didn’t really get to do anything except smell the amazingness that I was missing (caramel apples… ugh). Still, I grabbed a few pralines for Dad and some salt water taffy for Mom (to thank them for watching Charlie while I was gone).

Yeah… temptation everywhere. I thought giving up alcohol last year was hard, but this? It’s shocking the amount of things that you don’t realize have sugar in them (no ketchup on my burger! no salad dressing!). I’ve been constantly looking at packages and realizing that even my peanut butter is off-limits. I’m trying to stay away from artificial sweetener as a normal part of my diet to begin with, so even the sugar-free candies were out for me. And I also learned that withdrawal headaches are a real thing. Ick.

Technically, I suppose I could have gorged myself on the natural honey offered at Savannah Bee Company, but I was too busy looking over all of their products. Cute shop if you ever want to just discover how many things you really can make from something that comes out of a bee’s “special stomachs” (Kit, I know you’d probably correct me if I said it was “bee vomit”… and no, I did not try the mead.).

The next morning, we enjoyed an indulgent brunch before heading out of town (a Bloody Mary was something I couldn’t partake in because most mixes contain sugar, but I was definitely impressed by the presentation!).

It was a short weekend, but the weather was absolutely perfect, and I can’t wait to go back. What was your favorite part of the house? Thanks, Savannah!

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Hot Water Heater Tips That Can Save You Money

Most of the time on this blog, home improvement tips seem to follow a recent learning experience stemming from fixing something that’s broken — such as troubleshooting the furnace, plumbing tips from Dad after getting a leak in the bathroom sink, or evicting a family of a**hole squirrels from my attic. But, every now and then, I find myself looking up information about preventing the next big home repair expense. Because maybe — just a little bit — I should probably start seeing what this “ounce of prevention” adage is all about and leave the rainy day funds for a different, less-foreseeable rainy day.

I dunno… maybe this whole being an adult thing is starting to actually happen.

Anyway, I found myself looking up a bunch of info on hot water heaters lately, and I found a number of tips that you might find useful as well, so I thought I’d pass them along. There’s also the handful of info I knew already but hadn’t yet put into a post together, and I realized that as a home improvement blogger, that’s kind of inefficient and I should probably get around to doing something about it. Oh, the irony. Let’s talk about energy efficiency though, right?

As a bit of a numbers geek, I nabbed a few stats that I thought were particularly interesting (either from government websites like the U.S. Department of Energy or other helpful tip sites). I also wanted to address some of the more popular tips I’ve read online as to their practicality… because some of this “common” advice seems downright weird to me. And last but not least, I partnered up with the Propane Education & Research Council, who has a lot more expertise on the matter than I do and asked them to share a few helpful tips as well on when to consider a water heater replacement (note, however, all opinions expressed here are my own). Don’t fret too much if you can’t get to everything on this list right away — they’re meant to serve as a series of things you can do to help cut costs or increase energy use, but even just one or two of these is a step in the right direction!

The Basics

Know where to locate the water shutoff valve.

[clears throat] Um, yeah. This seems obvious, but if you’re reading this and you can’t immediately think of the location of where you would go to shut off the water supply to your house, stop reading this right now and go look for it (if you’re reading this at work though, wait until you get home; knowing how to fix your office’s water issues is likely not in your job description). Even if you live with someone else and you rely on them to know these things, just learn where it is anyway. In the event of an emergency, knowing where to turn off the water and power supply (such as the gas line) can prevent a whole heaping mess of property damage and health hazards.

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you might recall a time when I actually didn’t know where the shutoff valve to the hot water was in this house, and I had to learn in a panicked state as hot, scalding water was shooting out from a valve that popped off in the master bath. At 6AM, just after a holiday. Not a good time. So, learn from me being an idiot and just grab your label maker and sleep a little more soundly knowing you can shut off the water supply from your house without having to call the fire department.

Know what kind of water heater you have.

Is it tankless or does it have a storage tank? Is it powered by natural gas, propane, or electric? Where is the serial number? If it has a tank, what is the gallon capacity? Most of this can be found directly on the tank on a label, but it’s helpful to at least know where to find it in case you need to call a plumber (they’ll often ask for this info).

Periodically flush your water heater and perform regular inspections.

Draining water from your water tank removes sediment that impedes heat transfer, so removing this helps efficiency. I’m probably not going out on a limb here to say that there are likely some varying steps depending on the water heater you have (such as with a storage tank or tankless), so the best way to know how to drain or flush your water heater (and how often to do it) is likely found on the label of the water heater itself (much like how my furnace has instructions on its label… nice how these companies assume we’ll toss or lose an instruction manual, so they just put it in a place where it’s less likely to be lost and literally glue helpful info to the side, right?). From the websites I’ve read, annual maintenance is a common rule of thumb.

While you’re at it, you should also do a visual inspection. Look for corrosion, rust, residue, soot, etc. If you find any of these things, it’s a good idea to phone a professional and have them come service the unit. Smelling gas is another big red flag — turn the gas off and contact a pro right away.

Energy Saving Tips

Upgrade your old appliances.

We all knew this tip would be on the list, but it’s one of the better (albeit one of the pricier) ways to start getting some energy savings. I upgraded my kitchen appliances, including my dishwasher, to Energy Star models right after moving into the house, took advantage of a huge tax rebate to help offset the costs, and later upgraded the washer and dryer in the laundry room just a couple of years ago. It varies by state, but shopping on tax-free holidays can save quite a bit on bigger ticket items like these, so a good plan is to note when your area might have some good sales and start saving up (I don’t know if this site is accurate or not, but here’s a list for 2016). According to one website, new hot water heaters, washers, or dishwashers can cut water consumption by up to half of the number of gallons the older models use. It’s not a savings you’ll notice right away, but that’s mainly because you’ll be too distracted that your washer now plays a melody every time a load is done (sure, you can turn this feature off, but I like it).

Wash clothes in cold water.

I don’t really do this when it comes to clothes that need to be cleaned after a mud/obstacle race, but for the most part, I wash all my clothes in cold or warm water. Now that I have a new washer and dryer set, I don’t really even notice since the unit is pre-set to colder water by default. They make detergents for washing clothes in cold water and it saves energy; what’s not to like?

Take showers, not baths.

This is the “dumb” tip I referenced earlier, so I’m only mentioning it because I find it funny that it’s still on these lists; most people I know over the age of ten regularly take showers and not baths, so this tip seems kind of moot. I guess knowing that you’re making a water-sensible choice on a regular basis, without really trying, is good? Of course, people don’t often mention that this is in relation to short showers… standing in the shower and belting out the Adele album does not save more water than taking a bath, even though I can totally relate to you wanting to finish the song before getting out. To make it easier to turn the water off, keep the bathroom door closed (especially in winter) to trap the heat and avoid those stubble-inducing cold drafts. You can also install low-flow showerheads and faucets for some added water savings (apparently, new showerheads can save 25-60% more than pre-1992 models).

Consider a water heater upgrade.

It’s hard to upgrade on things that haven’t actually broken yet, but if you’re knowingly wasting hundreds of dollars every year on an inefficient system, waiting to upgrade until your current water heater fails can cost you money. If you’re close to the 7 to 10-year mark, it might be time to start looking into your options; this quiz on KnowYourWaterHeater.com, can help calculate when you should pull the plug.

If you do decide to replace (and uh, hire a pro for this!), it’s important to note that as of 2015, new federal standards went into effect, which basically increased the minimum energy efficiency requirements for hot water heater models in homes in the U.S. This may mean that some newer models for specific types of tanks (such as standard efficiency tanks for electric storage water heaters) will no longer fit into the same spaces (they can be taller/wider/heavier) as they once did.

In other words, not only should you look at the annual cost and savings of making the switch from a long-term value perspective, but you might also need to consider eliminating the need for a tank altogether. From what I’ve read, propane or natural gas-powered “on-demand” and tankless models can deliver lower annual ownership costs up to 30% than tank models using electric/heating oil in many parts of the country, so space and savings are two very important factors to look into. The fuel type you already have in the home will largely impact what type of new hot water heater you shop for, but in terms of saving floor space, getting better efficiency (which also impacts annual heating costs), and still getting abundant hot water, propane-powered water heaters often perform better over their electric counterparts. Tankless models can cost more than the standard ones, but they can also last 5-10 years longer.

You won’t find me often talking about carbon footprints on the blog, but I did spy some info on that as well: standard electric storage tank water heaters (all of these water heater types are a mouthful, but I’m trying to make sure I have the phrases correct) can produce up to two times greater emissions than tankless units, such as the ones running on propane. So… if that’s a factor for you as well, there you go!

Add insulation.

If your older water heater tank doesn’t have an R-value of at least 24, adding a water heater insulation blanket around your tank can reduce heat loss by 24-25% (and should pay for itself in savings of water heating costs in about a year). It looks like a pretty straightforward DIY project, but some utilities may also provide these to you at no cost or even install them for you, so check your local area. Note: this isn’t for newer tanks; they are likely to be already insulated. And while this seems like an easy and inexpensive improvement (from what I read, it’s like $30), you should still check your water heater’s warranty prior to installing to make sure it doesn’t void your coverage.

Stop the leaks and drips.

Leaky faucets waste a huge amount of water, not to mention cause all sorts of damage that you have to repair later if they drip behind walls — or in my case, directly onto my ripped out bathroom floor!

Check the thermostat.

Take a look at the temperature gauge on your water heater; if it’s higher than 120°F, lower it down for reduced heating costs while still providing a comfortable level of hot water for most uses. For every 10ºF reduction, you save about 3-5% per year on water heating costs.

There you have it. Lots and lots of tips, but hopefully you learned something new (I did!).

The post Hot Water Heater Tips That Can Save You Money appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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DIY Glass Pendant Light Fixture (Knockoff)

When I last updated you guys about my breakfast nook in my remodeled kitchen, I had a plan in mind for what I wanted it to look like. But as design projects sometimes go, the things we once loved for the space no longer suit the room. That was the case with this light fixture:

After all the trouble to get it installed, I hated the way it looked. I didn’t like the light it gave off, and I instantly regretted the time I wasted struggling to make it hang correctly (spoiler: it was never gonna happen). So, like any disappointed DIYer, I began searching for new options. I covered them back in my breakfast nook update, but it was almost as if I had too many choices rather than too few. And since I’d already gotten it wrong once before, I was hesitant to pull the trigger until I was sure it was the one.

THE ONE.

Have you ever heard angels singing when you see the perfect thing? It’s happened only occasionally when I go shopping for this house (lots of trial and error), but when it came to this light fixture, I instantly swooned. The silvery finish wasn’t exactly the right choice for the kitchen with all of the black accents it has, but that was pretty much the only thing about it I didn’t think would gel with the room. In short, it was gorgeous. I was totally convinced that this was what I wanted and had my credit card at the ready. There was just one little problem… the light was sold OUT!

I waited a few months to see if it would come back on sale (with online shops, there is sometimes an option to sign up for alerts if something comes available again), but nope. If I wanted this light, I’d have to figure out a way to make it myself.

Aaaand that’s when the stars aligned and Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl decided to do a #DIYLightingChallenge. I was originally planning on posting it Monday with everyone else, but as usual, I had to run all over town to find the items I needed only to wind up lucking out in the 11th hour. It was too late to get things up in time for the blog hop, but in the end, I still got my new light fixture out of the deal. And? Saved myself some cash! Worth it!

As often happens on this blog, there’s pretty much a story with every project (if you just want to skip to the actual tutorial, scroll down until you see the dashed line like the one directly below). Let’s start with the hardest part to track down…

——————————————–

The Glass Bowl

Finding a glass bowl that would suit this light should be easy, right? That’s what I thought. I tried to think of what types of objects where I might find clear or seeded glass, the right size and shape, etc. I came up with three possible options:

• a glass mixing bowl (or fruit bowl)


• a fish bowl (granted, a modernish style rather than the usual round one)


• converting a “boob light” (those hideous boob-like ceiling light fixtures that have nipples finials on the bottom… after reading one blogger call them a boob light ages ago, I can’t not see them that way!)

In theory, the boob light option would be easiest if I could find one. They are usually really cheap, already have a hole in them for the finial (which I could use as the spot I’d put the light kit through for hanging), and already made to work as a light. But the problem there is that nearly all of them are textured or frosted, and I wanted clear. I searched a few places, but no success.

The fishbowl idea didn’t pan out either, and so I was left searching for a glass mixing bowl, salad bowl, serving bowl, etc. The main issue I ran into here was just that most mixing bowls have a lip on the edge to make them easier to handle (like this one). I wanted something with a clean edge. I found a few modern salad bowl options at World Market, but they weren’t the rounded shape I wanted. Still, the price was right and I thought I could still make them work. I bought both and brought them home as possible choices to try out in the space.

But, I got lucky: after expressing my frustration to a couple of friends, I received a text message with a photo of exactly what I was looking for… “with bananas for size reference.” Ha!

Bananas: nature’s most delicious unit of measurement.

As it turns out, he picked this one up from Ikea (my BFF) for $10 a few months ago. So as to not simply steal his fruit bowl, I let him choose between the two I’d purchased as replacement (I’ve actually thought of a different use for the remaining one). But now you know where to look first and save yourself a hassle!

——————————————–

DIY Glass Pendant Light Fixture

To make this light yourself, you’ll need (some links contain affiliates):

• pendant light cord kit or “fitter” (this one is the exact one used… you can find them at hardware stores usually, but ordering online is often cheaper)


• BLANDA glass bowl (story about how I found mine above!)


• decorative wooden bun foot (I got one at a hardware store, but fancier ones and more options are online)


• stain of your choosing (I used Minwax Pickled Oak) and poly


• self-adjusting grip pliers


• 1/2″ glass drill bit


• 1/2″ spade drill bit or Forstner bit


• sandpaper

I last spoke about my new Forstner bits back when I made my magnetic bottle openers for the fridge, and I was sure I’d need them for this project to drill a hole through the bun foot, but it turned out that the spade bit worked much faster for drilling through. I still used the Forstner bit to begin the hole because it gave me a cleaner end result, but I’ll get to that.

Step One: Take apart the pendant light kit.

The best plan begins with whichever actual lighting kit you have. The thickness of the wire will determine the width you need to drill through everything, and mine had a few extra pieces used for tightening the fixture that I then used to help secure the shade.

Step Two: Drill through the glass bowl.

Once I measured 1/2″ for getting the wiring through the bowl, I went out and purchased a diamond drill bit that could drill through glass. The actual process takes some patience (which I was screwing up at first, hence the scratches you see), so do yourself a favor and watch this video from Mandi at Vintage Revivals for tips. A few notes:

• Work outside. I got my jeans soaked through during this, but better to do this outside where there’s less mess in your house.


• Use a towel on the ground to keep the edge of the bowl from chipping (mine actually already had a tiny chip in it to begin with, but it was a used bowl… protect yours!).


• Start the bit at an angle to create a groove in the glass, then sloooooowly work it upward to 90 degrees so that the bit doesn’t slip and slide all around.


• It’s actually not as hard as you make it at first! :)

Step Three: Remove the screw from the bun foot.

Wooden bun feet were the perfect option for the carved wood top I was trying to duplicate for this light. They come with a screw on one end though, so I had to first remove this before drilling a hole through the middle. To do this, I used self-adjusting pliers to get a firm grip on the screw and rotate it out of the foot.

Step Four: Drill through the bun foot.

As I mentioned above, I started with a 1/2-inch Forstner bit to start the hole on each end of the bun foot. With the screw removed, it was really easy on one end, but use caution because it can slip (the pre-existing hole provides no friction for the middle tip of the bit to sink into). But once each end had the beginning started, I switched to a 1/2-inch spade bit because the drilling went a lot faster.*

Step Five: Sand, stain, and poly the wood piece.

I wanted to make sure I didn’t screw up drilling through the piece before staining, but you can just as easily do this step before drilling through. I wanted to keep the wood somewhat natural-looking the way it did with the inspiration piece, but I was afraid that just adding poly would be too yellowing once finished. So, I did a quick coat of Minwax stain in Pickled Oak to keep the tone more neutral. The stain itself looks very milky white, but if you do only one coat and quickly wipe it off, it won’t get too light!

Because I tested out a few different stains on the bottom of the bun foot before staining the whole thing, I covered this up with a quick coat of paint during assembly (looking up at the light, you’d be able to see the test spots, so I did a quick cover-up before assembling… but if you just go with the stain I recommended, you won’t need to paint the bottom).

Step Six: Assemble

It took a little trial and error to determine the order, but I secured the bowl to the light fixture first using one of the wire caps on the end (they are meant to secure the light socket along the wire, etc.).

Realizing that this meant I also needed to thread the wooden piece over this little black cap, I went back outside and drilled the bottom end with a 5/8″ Forstner bit to widen the area just a little, which allowed the cap to fit inside snugly. You can also just sand it with some rough sandpaper if you don’t have the bit until it fits; it will just take a little longer.

Step Seven: Hang

A buddy of mine gave me a Hammerhead cordless screwdriver for Christmas, and this was my first opportunity to use it. It is AWESOME! It has a wire stripper and circuit sensor built in, not to mention powered and cordless, making installation with one hand and driving screws a lot easier than last time. I plan on writing a full, separate review about some of its features and might even do a demo video for Youtube, just because I really like it when tools work really well and make solo jobs 1000% easier to complete. Especially since my procrastination peaks when I think the project is going to be a hassle!

And here is the end result!

At first, I tried out a smaller bulb. But I think I like the larger version better!

And here it is with the light on:

The cost of the inspiration light fixture was $150 ($130 if I had been able to get the discount, but was sold out anyway), but the total cost of this knockoff project was only $54! ($10 for the bowl if I’d purchased it, $9 for the wooden bun foot, $15 for the pendant light kit, and $20 for glass bit, which I’ll likely find excuses to use again).

If you enjoyed this project, you’re in luck… there are still a lot of ideas for the #DIYLightingChallenge yet left to check out below (and you can link yours as well, or use the hashtag on social media). And I’ve got two more lighting projects coming to the blog soon. Stay tuned for an awesome giveaway next! It’s been a while since the last one, so it seems like it’s about time for another. Check back tomorrow!



*How many “that’s what she said” jokes did you find in this post? A lot, right? I bet a lot.

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