Thankfully I am done searching for Ryan’s presents this year which is a relief since in some cases he’s the hardest individual for me to buy, regardless of the reality that he’s not excessively particular and does not have lofty high expectations. I simply put pressure on myself to make his Christmas unique every year since I enjoy providing him presents that make him smile, particularly when it’s something he may not believe to get himself.
Which’s where the present concept I’m sharing today can be found in! You understand those house enhancement tasks or basic house updates you’ve had on your family job to do list for several years? What if you provided your spouse/roommate/friend/ partner a dive start in finishing among your tasks? That was among my present concepts for Ryan this year!
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Throughout the almost 15 years we have actually been together, we have actually focused on experiences over product presents in our relationship and now that we’re moms and dads and house owners, our gift-giving choices have actually moved once again. Experiences constantly rule supreme however house improvement-related presents rank quite high up there for the 2 people. We’ll frequently present each other something for our house– my Cyber Monday purchase of the Nest Knowing Thermostat for our home was really among my early Christmas presents to Ryan– and discover that house enhancement tasks or house decoration updates wind up making us better in the long run than a few of the more random fashionable presents out there.
I was just recently approached by Lowe’s House Enhancement about vacation gifting and I might not have actually responded to their e-mail quicker if I attempted. (For the sake of openness, Ryan works for Lowe’s so we’re undoubtedly a Lowe’s- caring household, however I was really approached for this collaboration by Lowe’s uninformed of our household’s association to the business.) I was so ecstatic to get their e-mail since a present concept I currently had actually prepared for Ryan was the ideal fit: Upgrading our fireplace and all of the doorknobs in our home to eliminate the ’90 s brass that’s troubled us sine we moved into our house. I at first prepared to provide Ryan a brushed chrome doorknob for Christmas with the pledge of upgrading the other knobs around our home and intended to amaze him with a revamped fireplace. Essentially, I wished to provide him 2 basic family updates that have actually been on our house enhancement to do list permanently however, for one factor or another, simply never ever appeared to get done.
When I talked with Lowe’s about my concept, they were on board and our call just triggered me to start on our house enhancement tasks a little faster and finish them prior to the vacations instead of after Christmas.
I wound up making a journey to Lowe’s with Ryder while Chase was at preschool a number of weeks back and got whatever I required to upgrade our household fireplace and alter the brass detailing to a more modern matte black. I had Ryan unwrap the present– high-heat ma tte black spray paint, a plasti c painting drop cloth and painter’s tape– and consisted of in the past and after photos of a fireplace I discovered online that went through a comparable upgrade. After he opened my present, I informed him I viewed a lot of YouTube videos and was going to take on the fireplace upgrade for him as an early Christmas present and he was pumped! When I state we have actually disliked our fireplace given that the first day, I suggest it! We both believed it was simply the most significant eyesore so this upgrade was much-needed and wound up sensation like a substantial present to both people. I simply want we would’ve done it faster!
Here’s the BEFORE:.
And here’s the AFTER:.
I utilized the early morning of the very first snowy day of the year in Charlotte when it was sleeting outdoors to take apart our fireplace (it was shockingly simple the entire frame simply popped off in 2 pieces) and put down the plastic ground cloth in our garage and got to work.
It took just 3 coats of the high-heat spray paint to cover the brass (I waited about 30 minutes in between coats simply to be safe) and by that very same afternoon we had actually a revamped fireplace we lastly ENJOY!
The fireplace upgrade became part of our larger strategy to upgrade our living-room and I wished to share some before/after photos of that with you people also. (Note: This is not part of my Lowe’s cooperation– simply something we have actually been dealing with!).
PRIOR TO:.
AFTER:.
PRIOR TO:.
AFTER:.
It’s definitely still an operate in development however that’s the upgrade up until now! We had the space painted Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams, switched out our beige sofa and loveseat for a white one and 2 chairs (thanks to your IKEA suggestions!) and purchased a brand-new carpet for the area over Black Friday weekend. Hooray for a much-needed refresh!
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PRIOR TO:.
AFTER:.
These 2 basic house enhancement tasks have actually been on our to do list permanently and I’m so delighted they’re lastly total. We definitely enjoy the method they search in our house and they genuinely seem like the sort of present that keeps providing since we’ll enjoy them every day in our home. Up next: Finding out what we wish to hang above the mantel now that we are all right with individuals taking a look at our fireplace once again!
