Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Overdue Update with Pictures: Backsplash + Outlets + Lighting - UPDATED

I am soooo behind on updating you all!  How was your Thanksgiving holiday?  I hope it was full of great memories with family and friends!!!  We were super swamped with getting our home together for our first official hosting!  There were so many items we had on our to-do list before guests arrived in town.  With a lot of work, we were able to complete (almost) everything and our holiday feasting turned out absolutely amazing!  

Here are the items we wanted to have done before the holiday:
  • Replace builder pendants over kitchen island 
  • Replace builder chandelier in dining room
  • Get house re-painted from our one-year drywall fixes
  • Install the path lighting for stairwell (didn't want anyone to fall up or down the stairs at night)
  • Replace kitchen outlets and faces 
  • Install kitchen backsplash 
  • Extend our home automation lighting to outside
  • Have fence installed
  • Finish my DIY barista bar
Everything was completed except the installation of the fence.  There was an error with the manufacturer, and they were unable to order the fence materials in time.  We now have the items ordered and the fence should be in very very soon!

For the most part, the kitchen can finally be considered DONE!  Counter decor could change with the seasons, events, etc., but here are a few pictures of the updates!  I will do another post in the near future on the barista bar.  Here are some recent pictures of the updates we completed right before the holiday!

Outlets/Plates:
Installed by my husband and I!
Above: kitchen wall outlet before

Above: kitchen wall outlet and plate after

Above: kitchen wall outlet and plate after

Above: island outlets after (pop outs)

Above: island outlets after (pop outs)

Kitchen Island Pendants:
I actually helped my husband install these! Very easy and we loved the mixing of the metals in the finished look!

Above: kitchen pendants before

Above: kitchen pendants after

Backsplash:
My husband assisted one our buddies install the backsplash.  Picking out the actual material took forever (we started looking in February), but we love our final selection!


Above: backsplash and outlet/plates before

Above: kitchen backsplash and outlet/plates after

Dining Room Lighting
We tag teamed this one ourselves.  We finished just before our drywall certificate so we had the guys re-patch and paint the ceiling for us!

Above: dining room light before

Above: removing the builder light

Above: what our ceiling looked like after removal of builder light

Above: after installing new light, this is what we were left with

Above: new dining light after

Updated 29Dec15
I was asked about the kitchen backsplash specifics, so I wanted to share more details on those products.  Let me know if you have any other questions!

Backsplash
If possible, ask if you can borrow displays from your selected store.  It really helps to bring home a sample to see how well it flows with your other kitchen details.  Over time, we had roughly six (6) displays we 'played' with before deciding on the winner!  For us, our counter tops are kind of busy so we did not want a backsplash that introduced too much flare.  The options are endless, so have fun and don't feel rushed!  If you are near a Mosaic Tile, they are really good about having samples on deck for you to take with you! 

  • Tiles: 3x6 Brushed Copper Alloy Subway
  • Tiles:At the time of purchase, it was priced at $29.11/sq. ft.
  • Wall grout in color Earth
  • Non-sanded caulk in color Earth
  • All materials purchased at Mosaic Tile

Display of tile borrowed from Mosaic Tile
Displays from Mosaic Tile


xoxo