Any progress is progress! Have you considered using vinyl tape on the plain window, to simulate grids? It may not be exact, but would probably stand up to a casual glance. Much less trouble than replacing another accidentally broken gridded window. ;)

good to hear from you mama g! I'm not really hung up on the grid vs ungrid in the windows. would be nice if they matched - I'd rather no grids. I thought they were ordering another gridded one just so they would match tho. I like looking out of them w/o the grids. I was grateful to find that the grids were between the panes of glass tho - sure wouldn't want to be cleaning each little section. A big section will be lucky to get cleaned here - lol!

I won't change it out unless for some reason it would get broken. I'm sure I won't even notice it once curtains are up and I don't really care what anyone else (seeing it from the outside) would think. The guy doing it I'm sure just remembered that I'd said I didn't like the grids and forgot that one of them was 1 of 2 in a room.

I'm just grateful to have windows w/o broken glass. windows that close. Very few windows where i STILL am even close and I've lived with that for 13 yrs now. If it's caused me mental stress, no one would even notice - lol!

It's progress and sounds like it will improve your comfort level as well. I'm like you, after a short bit, I wouldn't even notice.

I hope this guy does a good job for you so you'll have someone you can call to do things in the future too. I need to find someone like that. I've decided that the next time dh is gone, I'm going to start removing the tile in the kitchen. I think.

The window guy didn't do good on the shower handles... there's 1/8 inch gap between the back of the handle and the shower wall. I can look behind it and see inside of the wall.
not good at all. Will be calling him to ask when he will be back to finish up...it's been 2 wks. IF that's how he does plumbing I won't be asking him to hook up the dw!

and then there's light fixtures. I've got a few pics of locations that need changed out and a few pics of options I'm looking at - want to see what you all think.

the kitchen window over the sink (a new one now) - there isn't much space here. just to the right of the upper cab on the right is the fridge and just to the left of the cab on the left (about half of it is shown in the pic) is the corner area - and just past the 'turn' of it is the stove.

and this light fixture - I'm planning to angle the globes a bit to the outer sides of the sink and spread light to the counter on either side. The globes are movable/aimable. The fixture is 14" long.

This is the bathroom ceiling light and I'm thinking to put the same fixture as above here. The shower is to the right and the tub to the left so I'll be able to aim a bulb in each direction.

The over the sink fixture is this - it'll take up to 100W bulbs.

The pantry / hall between kitchen and laundry/utility room -

with light that is there now on -

I'm looking at a pendant like the one below for this area- it'll take up to a 100W bulb and hang down about 2'. the bottom of the globe will be above the doorway opening - my BIL is very grateful I thought of that - lol! I had him stand in to measure how low it could be. The light there now seems to give enough light really to see the main 3 or so shelves. I have no plans to be cleaning out the pantry at night. During the day I should have enough daylight coming in - the skylight is only a few feet away. I've also thought about getting a small battery light to put in the pantry if I find I do need more light in there.

and this is the west hallway. At the end of it are 2 doorways to the left and 1 to the right. There's also another doorway on the right a bit closer - that's the bathroom. That wall you see will be a doorway into the room behind it. When that doorway is knocked thru one of the doors down the hall on the left will be locked and have a bookcase in front of it.

If you look to the right of that wall and up to the ceiling you'll see another light that needs replaced. Haven't decided what to put there yet. It has to be easy to change the bulb in whatever it is.

This is another fixture I've looked at - it's about 25.00 more tho, so I've put it at the end of the 'use' list.

I've picked fixtures that have the bulbs open (not covered by the globe) and that can use a regular bulb or a florescent one.

and here's another one - it comes in 2 or 3 bulb options - each with use up to a 60W bulb.

let me know what you think of the light fixtures.

There's the DR light to be replaced too but i haven't even thought much about it - no need for it yet.

and this is my Bird of Paradise bush in bloom. before the rabbits ate the blooms...

and I'm going to post on 'conversations' with a surprise. The photos are on photobucket already so I should get to it tonight yet.

I love that light fixture in the 2nd photo. Where is it? Are your ceilings 8'? They look taller but I like the pendant there either way.

My mil used to have bird of paradise bushes across the end of her house. The blooms really are pretty. Sorry the rabbits got to enjoy them. Rotten rabbits.

I like your lights, especially the double one you can point in different directions. Very practical.

Your bird of paradise is beautiful. Marti's right...rotten rabbits.

I saw your 'surprise' on conversations...what a cutie! :)

Steph, I just got back from Lowe's and there are lights similar to picture #2 in their clearance section, only they are bigger, look like folding track lights. Maybe your Lowe's has them and more.

marti - the light on the curved bar? I really like that one also! probably why I picked it for 2 places. besides it can be 'aimed' and is only about 50.00. and takes regular bulbs.

the ceilings are at least 8' - then then angle up in the center. I've also had to be sure they are fixtures that will work on the angle of the ceiling!

the fixture is nickel and I'm hoping for a SS faucet (I think it'll be easier to clean and the finish will be better) but i don't think that will matter.

those rotten rabbits sure are cute tho - I saw one running away from the bush the other night when i went out to water it.

LL - thx. the BOP is probably my favorite bush/bloom.
that little cutie is a real nutcase. Heard her yipping like a crazoid earlier and looked out - yep, a paper was flapping it's way past her...she also makes attack motions - hunching down, jumping at the fence in it's direction... bet that paper was just terrified -lol!

marti - I'll take a look online. I'm hoping to go there later in the wk. it won't be under 110 til after wednesday so until then I'm not going anywhere. I first saw that type of fixture (with curved bar) at Lowe's and it was rather cheap then - maybe 30.00? the bulbs were some weird type - r20? something like that. when I went back I didn't see it tho. i found the one pic'd at lightingdirect or lightinguniverse. The bathroom fixtures I want are at Lowe's and I've wanted to get there and buy them before they disappear.

I really like the curved bar light fixture too. Maybe you could go with it in many places. Even over the bathroom sink would be nice and match the ceiling one.

well now shades - that is a very interesting idea! it does come with 3 globes also. will have to see how long that one is. I'd want it to cover across the top of the mirror area.

those 'globes' aren't as big as others on a bathroom fixture are (check globes on the one I posted for over the sink) - I wonder how much that would matter?

it did already cross my mind for that old fixture in the west hallway. I plan to put a bookcase in front of the blocked off door back there and would want light I could also have on it plus the hall.

Steph, impressive. Those pictures of your ceilings and overheads, my goodness, it is like a whole second HOUSE up there. I just realized I seldom look UP that much when inside.

I'm no good with fixtures. Too many options, so little time.
And I think they are all pretty. But the S-curve with several aimable lights is pretty. I don't go for the spot light look, it generates a lot of heat, and that can age the screw in part of the fixture. I worry about electrical fires.

Gotta go check on your surprise.

Well I am the last person to ask about fixtures really. I have a tangled up mish mash of lights just because I have ones I have been moving from house to house for years. Nothing really matches other then the ceiling fans we bought kind of match the hall and dinning room and the one bathroom light. The glass part of the shades all match. BUT over kitchen sink and in the studio and sewing room I have totally different lights and I love them and do not care that they do not match. AND they give good light.

"I just realized I seldom look UP that much when inside. "

me either! it's way above my head...

i don't care much for flood / track lighting myself. the 2 I posted were about it for me. and they serve a purpose as each will cast light in a different direction which is better than 2 fixtures - and paying an electrician to wire for the extra fixture!

shades - I'm not much for picking out fixtures either. It's been a pain. so many options... so little $'s. And many I tried to get that would take up to a 100 w bulb - even if I didn't need to use a 100 w bulb... just in case.

I don't really care if they match either. I'd really like to have some really old fixtures - much more my style. I don't have the time or money to look for those tho. I did a bit but they were all so expensive. I got one that wasn't expensive for the entry area but had to return it because it looked stupid on the sloped ceiling. It didn't slope with the ceiling. Those ceiling do make a difference.

btw, the kitchen also has 2 of those rectangular florescent fixtures in it. I'm not going to do anything about them for now - just clean 'em up. I might never change them. I'm just doing those that need one (bare bulb there now) and putting in some that will be easy to change the bulbs when needed.

I never look up either, which is why I just repainted the ceiling lights in my bathrooms. But if a light fixture is fairly visible, I'd like it to look nice WHILE it functions best. I have been looking around for light fixtures for the kitchen and I just don't know what to do. I have fluorescents now and while they provide good light, the hum drives me nuts, and every time dh changes a bulb, he breaks off another corner of the cover.

marti - I thought they had bulbs now that didn't hum?

you can buy new - updated replacements for the actual fixture. i've eyeballed 'em in Lowe's. it's not a priority for me right now tho. maybe next yr if i find I hate them enough.

I spent HOURS on a few lighting sites searching for fixtures. I was limited by cost so when it got to a certain price I stopped and searched for another type or on another site.

the one thing my DH did for me in the design of this hoiuse was to insist on the two florescent fixtures in the kitchen to be added. I MUST have them and had forgotten. I do not care if they are ugly I can not see with out them. Function over beauty. Mine are flush to the ceiling.

Steph if your covers are yellowed or just greasy you can buy new ones for cheep and they will cut them for you or they really are easy to cut yourself.. I think I paid $4.50 for a piece to do both lights after cutting in half. For me better then taking the time to try to clean a yellowed one.

wow shades - i thought I could buy new plastic but had no idea it was that cheap! yea! I'll price it at Lowe's next trip there - and will measure my lights when I go over today. I don't remember them looking yellowish but if there's even a glimmer of yellow I'll just get new put on.

I have enough stuff over there still to clean I don't want to waste my time and energy on those things. I probably should go over after dark, turn them on and see how much light i'll have at night. I don't think the light over the sink will be enough after dark if I'm making something or cleaning up in the kitchen after dark.

After dark will be about the only time I'll need them tho. with the window and the skylight there's a lot of light during the daytime hours!

I thought you had already moved over there. Are you still in the old place?

Steph I do not know if you do Ebay at all. I did a search for vintage ceiling lights and there are lots of them listed.I got my studio chandelier from Ebay for 28 dollars and maybe 15 to ship but it is fairly large and I loved it. Goes with NOTHING in our house. I still love it and the light it gives is wonderful in my studio.

I found the lights with chains are easier to deal with on our vaulted ceilings. Or like some have a smaller mount at the ceiling and then chains so the light hangs level.

Also Craigs list in your area might have some I know it is probably WAY too hot for any one to be having yard sales or going to them. That is where I got most of my lights. And the one over my kitchen sink came from the dump. I LOVE it because it shins a light directly down on my sink and then the upper light is soft so it does not blind Joe when he is watching TV across the room.

I really need lots of light at my work spaces.

shades - I keep checking CL but not much around here. I won't go more than about 25 miles anyway. most are like the one in my DR that I'm gonna get rid of. some are huge with like 5 lights on them - way too big for my place.

I'll have to check ebay tho. I looked there a few months ago but searched under 'globes' - those were very expensive and i gave up. I love old fixtures.

marti - no. thought I would be by now tho. the guy who was to fix the shower handles - didn't. the flooring isn't down. dbf said he'd bring out area rugs, but hasn't. I had to build a barrier for girl on one side of the 'bed' (mattress and bx spring) so she wouldn't fall off. And now she's having more trouble getting up the steps - and I'd have to be carrying her up and down - about every 1-2 hrs for potty time... sigh... I've been looking for new steps to put up to one of the doors - or a ramp.

Then this heat wave hit - like 114 today. barometric pressure is down and we haven't had our monsoons to give us any relief - so I haven't been out and about trying to make up a ramp - or driving over to AJ to the step place. (no a/c in my car).

so, I decided we should just stay here for another wk or so until at least I have a safe way to get her in and out of there.

our temps aren't supposed to let up until mid next week.

shades - I saw a great fixture 'glass' on ebay. it doesn't have the electrical guts tho. i'd have to figure that out.

but it has no attached obvious way to connect to workings either. there are 3 holes in the glass and I think something gets hooked into those and attaches to 'workings' that connect to the electrical in the ceiling.

what do you think? anyone else too...

Here is a link that might be useful: light glass on ebay

Steph that is just a glass shade. Takes a special fixture to hold the electrical part. The glass part hangs from three bead chains with bigger balls on the end and they hook into the special fixture. That one is way too expensive. I gave a stack of them away last year.

It is pretty though.

it sure is pretty! where would one find the 'guts' for it?

I really don't think I have anywhere to put a regular fixture like that tho - don't think it'd look right on an angled ceiling.

and the center ceiling light in most all of the rooms (except kit, baths, laundry) are ceiling fan lights - and I want those fans! I need them here.

I think the DR would be the only place i could put a pretty fixture - and it's still an angled ceiling!

I'm putting a glass shade one in the laundry room - the cheapie one from lowe's/HD. about 10.00. a 2 bulb one with some etching on the glass so the light shows thru. It's only set up for 1 60W bulb now - that's not enough light for me if I wanna see. or find anything (no window in it). so I'm replacing it but only with the cheapie one. very much like what I have in my bdrm here and it's been fine in here (except it hasn't worked in yrs and that bothers me - on the wiring part).

Steph this one is pretty. Hate it they are asking so much for shipping.

Here is a link that might be useful: This one would work but shipping is a bit high.

shades - that too is a beautiful shade! i looove that glass tube that goes up the chain.

how do you think it'd look if the tube thingy was snug up to the ceiling plate? I wonder if I could get another top 'plate' part that would angle with the ceiling... in the DR it couldn't hang down - that tubey part would probably be the most it could drop down.

even that back hall has an angled ceiling! darn, there'd be more room there for it to hang down a bit.

how would it look if that plate part (and the knobby thing) were pewterish? antique brassish?

if it couldn't be adjusted for the angled ceiling it'd hang crooked tho.

Steph it has to hang from the chain at least one or two loops. That flat round thing at the end of the chain has to attach to the ceiling. It is what holds the light up.It screws to the electric box in the ceiling, Also the one or two loops will let the light hang properly on your curved ceiling. We shortened the chains on the light over our sink and the light in our dinning room. Our ceilings are also vaulted. Works fine.

Was just showing you this one as example. I honestly think it is too expensive for what it is as the shipping is way too high. The people are gouging on shipping.

I'd measure for it if I knew how long that tube part on the chain is - I don't see a place to email the seller on the site tho. It doesn't look to be but maybe 7-8".

Any fixture i bought new would probably cost at least that and I wouldn't like it as much. I would have to have help from my electrician to rewire it - those wires and sockets would have to go!

Looking at the wires it for sure needs new ones. If I were you I would keep looking for something better. Mostly I showed you this link to show you a lamp style. Not really to buy this lamp. I still think it is too expensive for what it is. I know you can find them for much less.

You can probable find someplace cheaper but they do sell NEW mounting fixtures for the 3 chain lights.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-chain-LIGHT-FIXTURE-vtg-30S-ART-DECO-SHADE-NEW-/290600398032?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D15%26pmod%3D150597653887%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D2382087961308494892

forboystoo, That is good to know you can still buy new mounting fixtures for the chain lights. Will mark this. Thanks.

yes, that is good to know. i think with the cost of that, the shade w/shipping it'd much more than I can buy a new fixture locally. the local one won't be as pretty tho...

I do think there wouldn't be the easy access to the bulb for changing it either - which is my goal with replacement fixtures.

I'm a light freak.
Changing the bulb is easy just release one chain.
The main problem is they are bug catchers.

Keep that in mind with any light that hangs in such a way.

"Changing the bulb is easy just release one chain."

just 1? is that easy to do? i have problem hands/fingers.

"The main problem is they are bug catchers."

thought of that one - so far, only 1 fixture has an 'up' shade/globe. That one I can handle - the one in my bdrm now is the same.

I'm hoping my eyeballs don't have a problem with the light from 'down' bulbs that aren't covered!