Over the weekend Matthew and went room to room and wrote down a punch list for phase 1 jobs.  Nothing that you would file under renovation, just putting up switch plate covers, replacing the shoe trim from natural wood to white, things like that.  One big change on my to-do list was to hide the wires leftover from the old built-in microwave.

 He fitted a piece of wood and nailed it in place, then used dap to fill in the nail holes and around the edges where the new trim piece meets the cabinets.  Finally, he painted it white to match the cabinets.


This was such a simple project with a really big visual impact.  It's a really good short-term solution until we make a decision about our oven/stove/vent placement.

Next up, I need to finish painting the back splash.  Because we are planning a larger kitchen renovation in a few years, it seems really wasteful to throw up a true back splash now.  I think once it's painted white it will work just fine.

You also may notice that amazing new lantern hanging now.  I found that in the outdoor section of Lowe's online and picked it up in the store.  It was crazy cheap and looks super nice.  I'm amazed at how many of the outdoor lanterns are cheaper and better looking than what they showcase for interiors.  Have you ever used outdoor lighting inside?