Let there be light
I've decided that this year's project is to get the games room organized and generally sorted out. I made a bit of a start last year by Freecycling a power sander I never used, and a huge suitcase acquired from my parents but I want to overhaul it thoroughly this year.
The games room is my office, sewing room, collection display space, cat room and box room. It got a lot more usable when the landlord had a skylight installed when the house was reroofed some four or five years ago. Previously, the only natural light was from the large sash window which looks onto the alley between this house and next door.
I've made a start courtesy of good old, cheapo Wilkinsons, which has a website. I've now got two large 50l clear plastic containers, with lids, which cost £5 each. Assorted stuff currently housed in battered and decaying cardboard boxes will be transferred into the plastic boxs, which will be neater. While I was ordering the plastic boxes, I also saw a lampshade I liked:
Now I wanted to replace the old 'coolie' shade, which was dull, and filthy, so I got this one while I was at it. Pretty neat for a tenner.
Postage seems to be the same for any order, so I had the two big boxes and shade delivered for all of £2.25 :)
Iain B came over this afternoon to help me install it, as I couldn't get the lower part of the lampholder unscrewed. Iain has larger and stronger hands than I do, and he's a foot taller, so he doesn't have to climb quite so high up the stepladder to reach things. This being a Victorian house, the ceilings are about 10' high. The shade was a swine to install. First you put the metal collar in the lampholder hanging from the ceiling. Then you insert the bulb, then attach the metal collar to the shade. For this, you undo the nuts fastened to the top of the vertical rods, which hold them in place. The rods promptly obey the law of gravity and slip down and your whole glass lampshade starts to unravel. You need three hands for the job: one to support it from underneath, while the other two fasten the metal collar to the shade with the nuts. I eventually applied masking tape to the problem, stopping the rods from sliding down while Iain wrestled with the fixing and I braced the stepladder as Iain bravely wrestled with the shade, his hair almost brushing the ceiling.
We got the job done, and I rewarded Iain with a cup of tea. It was worthwhile, as the combination of new shade and new bulb have made this room a lot brighter.
Well, it's a good start on the new and improved games room.
The games room is my office, sewing room, collection display space, cat room and box room. It got a lot more usable when the landlord had a skylight installed when the house was reroofed some four or five years ago. Previously, the only natural light was from the large sash window which looks onto the alley between this house and next door.
I've made a start courtesy of good old, cheapo Wilkinsons, which has a website. I've now got two large 50l clear plastic containers, with lids, which cost £5 each. Assorted stuff currently housed in battered and decaying cardboard boxes will be transferred into the plastic boxs, which will be neater. While I was ordering the plastic boxes, I also saw a lampshade I liked:
Now I wanted to replace the old 'coolie' shade, which was dull, and filthy, so I got this one while I was at it. Pretty neat for a tenner.
Postage seems to be the same for any order, so I had the two big boxes and shade delivered for all of £2.25 :)
Iain B came over this afternoon to help me install it, as I couldn't get the lower part of the lampholder unscrewed. Iain has larger and stronger hands than I do, and he's a foot taller, so he doesn't have to climb quite so high up the stepladder to reach things. This being a Victorian house, the ceilings are about 10' high. The shade was a swine to install. First you put the metal collar in the lampholder hanging from the ceiling. Then you insert the bulb, then attach the metal collar to the shade. For this, you undo the nuts fastened to the top of the vertical rods, which hold them in place. The rods promptly obey the law of gravity and slip down and your whole glass lampshade starts to unravel. You need three hands for the job: one to support it from underneath, while the other two fasten the metal collar to the shade with the nuts. I eventually applied masking tape to the problem, stopping the rods from sliding down while Iain wrestled with the fixing and I braced the stepladder as Iain bravely wrestled with the shade, his hair almost brushing the ceiling.
We got the job done, and I rewarded Iain with a cup of tea. It was worthwhile, as the combination of new shade and new bulb have made this room a lot brighter.
Well, it's a good start on the new and improved games room.