Home Improvements - The Little Ones

For some reason, when it comes to home improvements, I tend to go for the gusto and ignore the little stuff.  Paint the house - sure!  Install a patio - let's do it! 

Yet, I remember having to fix a small drain issue in the master bathroom shower as part of the contractual agreement when selling our first house.  It turned out to be a cheap and easy fix, but one that Drew & I never took the time to pursue - until selling the house required it.  We even commented, as we enjoyed the properly functioning drain for one whole week, that it was a shame we hadn't done that years earlier.

I guess in the hustle and bustle that is daily life, the little things are easy to overlook.  Get used to.  Live with.

We've been in our current house 4 1/2 years now (man, that doesn't seem possible) and I've finally taken the time to do some of those little things.

Like take down the ugly, dusty, cobweb-filled sheer curtain that used to cover the window above our front door.

 I always hated it, but hesitated to take it down because I was afraid it would allow too much direct sun exposure into the living room which would in turn fade the furniture.  That, and I couldn't reach it.

Now that it's down, the difference is amazing.  It looks (and is) much cleaner, of course, but it also lets in some fantastic natural light, opens up the room, and doesn't threaten the furniture at all. 

Jokes on me for waiting 4 1/2 years to discover that!

Which leads us to the door. 

Pardon the poor photo quality, but see how the door is just plain ole white?  It's actually primer.  We installed the new door back in 2008 when we repainted the exterior of the house and never got around to painting the interior side.  Can you say lazy?

Well, it's done now.  Finally painted to match the living room walls inside.

To keep up the momentum, we (and by we I mean Drew) also pulled down a brass light fixture that screamed 1990's and replaced it with something a bit more our style.

It's like a whole new entry!

And then there are these strange finials/loops/curtain holder things that have been mounted above the living room windows since we moved in. 

Again, I never liked them and never intended on using them.  I have no real reason for leaving them up for 4 1/2 years, but I did.  Until now.

With the exception of the light fixture, none of these projects took much time or money, but the subtle changes sure do make a big impact.  Talk about a win-win!

Here's to taking the time to tackle the little things.  And please tell me I'm not the only person who waited 4 1/2 years to take down a curtain!