little home improvements

We have been doing a few minor things around the house lately, and it's amazing what a little something can do to spruce up the place.  We aren't the type to get into large home improvement projects, partially because we aren't super handy, partially because I don't have the motivation, and partially because thankfully the inside of our house is in pretty good shape.  I do jump on my own spring cleaning bandwagon every year and have yet to complete that, but hey, home-ownership is a constant work in progress right?

 

One thing that I did want to replace was the carpeting on our stairs.  Since we live in a raised ranch we have seven steps going up when you first walk in the door and five going down.  The carpet was probably original to when the house was built 16 years ago and was worn and dirty in the central track area.  It also had some pretty nasty nails that were sticking up and it didn't take too many times of accidentally stepping on those for Col to jump on replacing it.  Thankfully, his uncle and aunt own a carpet store, we found a remnant that we loved, and his other uncle came over one day to install it.  Col surprised me by not telling me when it was getting put in, and so I came home to this!  It's so soft, cushy, clean, and no nails!  I love it! [warning: now when anyone comes over or we walk in the door, we are crazy about taking off shoes whereas before we were pretty 50/50 about it ;)]

 

 

We have also been searching for a while now for the right height stools to put under the shorter side of our island.  Everything we came across came in two sizes which were both too high.  Col always looked whenever and wherever we went shopping, so while at Target one night he found these.  After I sat on each and every one in the store to find the perfect two that weren't wobbly and the right amount of cushy-ness, we snatched them up.  They are the perfect height for us and kids someday to enjoy and they're quite comfortable!  Col has already tested them out by doing some of his lesson planning and job paperwork there.