Better Renovations: Kitchen lighting fixture

Lighting changes everything. And at Better Farm, there's been an ongoing issue with really ugly lighting fixtures; from exposed bulbs in the front hallway and bathroom to the hideous "chandelier" that's been hanging in the kitchen for who-knows-how-long (see above photo). The aesthetic nastiness of that chandelier was incentive enough for us to start shopping around for something more lovely.

Then, I discovered that the government is offering tax credits for up to 30 percent of the cost of energy-efficient home appliances, insulation, doors, roofs, and windows. Hot damn.

So, off we went to Home Depot to check out the selection. Key factors we sought: reversible directions, various speeds, farmhouse chic, and Energy Star certified. After much browsing, we settled on Hampton Bay's 52-inch ceiling fan. Here's Fred doing the installation:



The whole process was started and finished within an hour. Now we're enjoying late summer breezes in style.