15 Minute Fixes

I'm so glad I'm already back home from the holiday swirl, and not traveling or fighting the traffic on this gray, blustery New Year's Sunday. I have a pile of magazines to get through, The New York Times has been delivered and though they're tempting me, I have a few things to get done before settling in to read.

I took a spin through Home Depot yesterday to get the stuff I need for some minor projects.

Among other things, I picked up a matchstick bamboo shade to smarten up the den window. The curtains have faded from the sun, they're outdated and they were way too long from the start. I got them on sale when Waverly was closing up shop. I was bunching the left panel up so it wouldn't block the radiator. So wrong.

It was too bright outside to open the curtains in the daytime and I had to keep them closed at night for privacy--and the den was like a dungeon. It's been bugging me for awhile.

I chose a Mirada Natural Bamboo Roman Shade, for $21.00 and it took less than 15 minutes to install. (It comes with a retro-fit kit if you want to convert it to a cordless shade---this is very important for safety if you have children, pets or some kind of restraining order.)

Tools Needed:
Screw starter (it's an awl with a threaded tip)
Philips head screw driver for the cord cleat
Pliers to turn the eyehooks (it's hard toward the end with bare hands!)

I also took the opportunity to fill in some minor separations in the molding with caulk (that's the white stuff you see on the window frame below the eye hook.) Like your skin in winter, wood dries out. It can crack, split or leave a space. Zip, zip with some caulk and touch up paint, and the window frame will look neat and clean.

Screw in the two eyehooks, and hang the shade. DONE!!

Since my basement level is finished liveable space rather than storage-only, I've done what I can to mask the valves and pipes that run through the den. Industrial chic! The circuit breaker is behind the wooden cabinet. Thankfully the club chair hides the water meter and the Verizon FiOS 'command center.'

I picked up sage green "blackout/energy saving" curtain panels at Bed Bath & Beyond. Less than $50 for the pair, with their weekly 20% off coupon. Gave them a quick once over with the iron, and re-used the curtain rod.

I slapped some paint on that silver outlet under the circuit breaker, and now it blends into the wall.

Feet up, faux fire going, Food Network on the flat screen. A cup of tea and the NY Times.