I tried winning millions with an instant Asteroids lottery ticket for the house. It didn’t work…

Nothing says “you’re a grown-up now” quite like a large purchase, such as a cushy sectional. Nick and I picked this out a few weeks and yesterday it made it’s arrival to our house. Bought at Art Van, this bad boy now lives in theater room, just waiting for a movie night.

We had the couch delivered because, well, moving such a beast of a piece of furniture is no fun task. Unlike the repairman, I tipped each of the delivery guys $20 – this thing is big.

If you’re in the mood for a movie, come on over. Just don’t get any crumbs on the cushions – it still has that “new couch” smell.

Some background on me – I am an advertising professional in the media industry by day and a Do-It-Yourselfer by night.  My days are always packed and sleep is what seems to suffer. 

I’ve been a home owner for just under a year now and am about to continue the adventure with my girlfriend Lish.  Together we are shaping a 1920s house into a home.  I look to use it as a giant experiment in home automation, security and technology.  Plans are far reaching and I am always looking for new systems and gadgets to integrate. 

Feel free to send comments and thoughts to either one of us.  We looking forward to everyone’s thoughts and feedback on our updates and remodels.  Should be a fun ride. 

Nick

How nice – I sent a thank-you tweet to @GE_Appliances today for the great service we received with our oven repair and they send a shout-out back. Aww, shucks. We’ll have to make you some cupcakes.

Apartment Therapy recently wrote about green being THE color for 2011. They referenced a line from Ecopan. Nick is a big fan of the tried and true kitchen names. I have to wonder – are “green” pans any good?

After doing a bit of research, I came to the conclusion that most service technicians are not tipped. As Good Housekeeping posted (they should know, right?), you usually don’t tip this type of work as their pay is baked in to their overall job pay, unlike, say, a hair stylist who relies on tips as part of their salary.

Our oven is all fixed thanks to a new set of hinges and some great work from our GE repairman. Now, time to make some cupcakes.

1. A member of our family
2. A friend of ours
3. Interested in home renovation
4. Bored

Assuming you’re not totally bored, welcome! My name is Lish and I’m a renter about to become a quasi-homeowner. I know renting, and the limitations it brings in terms of home upgrading, well. I was a renter in college and I’ve been a renter most of my adult life. My boyfriend, Nick, is a newbie homeowner here in the Mitten. I’m moving in with him this spring, so we decided to document the work we’re doing on the house.

A little background – by day I’m a member of the grown-up work force, but by night I’m a crafter. I’m part of Handmade Detroit and a very proud contributor to Craft. I love to make things, give old object new life, etc., but I’ll be honest – painting ranks right up there with visiting the dentist for me. I hated it. As a renter I’ve never had any choice about painting until last year. I painted my entire rental house when I moved in and it tested the limits of family love. (My family and I didn’t speak for a few days after.) When I thought about updating another house, with A LOT of painting needed, the task seemed daunting.

I’m a fan of modern design. I love Herman Miller and had the pleasure of visiting corporate headquarters last summer. Nick is a fan of more traditional design, so you’ll soon see how we mesh the two together.

If you’re still reading this, dear family and friends, thank you. You may come over any time for a cupcake or adult beverage. Until then, it’s time to get this blog into shape.

Love, Lish