Thanks guys, for all the positive feedback on our newly painted walls! While painting the half bathroom, we took the opportunity to make a couple minor updates and fixes, one of which involved the light fixture above the mirror...
I had uninstalled the entire fixture from the wall during the painting process so we wouldn't have to worry about taping it up and painting around it — this gave us the opportunity to really take all the components apart and clean the entire thing off.
Note: always make sure to cut the power breaker off for any rooms you are handling electrical equipment in.
The brushed nickel component base of the fixture cleaned right up and we set it aside to re-install once the paint dried. The glass shades were a different story...
As I began rinsing and scrubbing them in the sink, I realized that more than just a little heavy dust was washing off of them — it turns out there was an entire layer of paint that rubbed right off these shades. Mary and I guessed that maybe the previous owners sprayed some sort of thin layer of paint on them to make them more opaque or alter the bathroom brightness in some way.
I ended up washing the paint film off the remainder of the shades and set them aside with the fixture while we waited for the walls to dry. In the meantime, I'd picked up 3 LED bulbs to replace the bulbs in this fixture (the middle one had been burned out since we moved in) that I was excited to install.
Not only were we excited to just have all three bulbs functioning, but having the LED lights will help conserve energy, put out less heat and just be much longer lasting overall.
We're enjoying walking by this bathroom much more these days — and we actually like the level of brightness the new bulbs and clearer shades provide. It's the small things I tell you.
Mary has another smaller update we made in this room while working on the paint that she'll be back to share a little later today.
Hint: if you look hard, you can see it in the last picture above.
I know exactly what you mean about the little things. We have one of those monstrous 5 giant white bulb fixtures in our bathroom. When they finally came out with the new energy saver bulbs that look like thos large white bulbs we got some excitedly. We soon found out 40 or 60 watt bulbs made it too dark, 100 watt bulbs made it too bright. We ended up mixing and matching, with two 100 watt equivalent bulbs and three 40 watt equivalent bulbs and it made it just the right level of bright. It's those little tweaks that make things work.
ReplyDeleteNicoletta — love how you got creative with mixing the different watts together. Not sure we would have thought to do that and just think it's so clever!
DeleteLooks wonderful! I love the dark frame on that mirror, gives the room a nice little contrast. :) Is that one of those cartoon maps of Richmond in the reflection?
ReplyDeleteThanks Lauren! YES, that is one of those Richmond Maps — good eye!
DeleteI so have bathroom envy! It looks lovely. The airy curtains are a nice touch. You guys have such good taste you could do my house ANYTIME. I know, dream on.
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen! We'll come over anytime, haha!
DeleteI would like to start buying LED lightbulbs but I don't like the oh so cold light they put out, at least that has been my experience with nitelights...Have they come out with warm light LED's do you know?
ReplyDeleteHow did you refinish the shades after the paint rubbed off?
ReplyDelete