The downstairs bathroom / washroom has come a long way since the resurrection of Better Farm. Clutter has been removed, broken washers and dryers have been disposed of, and new eye-catching knick-knacks have been dispersed throughout the room. After all that work it, seemed such a shame that we didn't have the proper lighting to take it all in. Single CFL bulbs jutting out from an uncovered fixture in the ceiling and next to the medicine cabinet just don't provide the warmth and clarity our beloved washroom deserves. It was time to get enlightened.

Replacing the ceiling fixture was no big deal. The local 'bulk store' (not Walmart) provided a fixture that diffuses CFL light well and meshes with the existent aesthetic. Technically this fixture was meant to attach to the bottom a pre-existing ceiling fan, but I did a little tinkering with the mount design and now our washroom is not only beautifully decorated but wonderfully lit as well.

But I couldn't stop there...

For as long as I can remember the bathroom sink has been flanked by two less-than-elegant wall mounted fixtures. Also for as long as I can remember only one of these fixtures has been complete and working. Can we all agree that two lights are better than one? Good. Can we all agree that a fixture without a cover looks disastrous. Fantastic.

We've already blown our lighting budget on one fixture. Time to get creative.

I was happy to discover that an empty jam jar that had been kicking around the kitchen for days was a perfect fit for our ailing light. The screw-top jar would make a perfect light cover and allow for easy access when it comes time to replace the bulb.

Ideally. one would use a rotary tool to cut a hole through the jar's lid. I was unable to track one down but a power drill was able to get the job done nearly as well. After compromising the integrity of the jam jar's lid with a circular pattern of holes and some tin-snips I was able to remove just enough of the lid to allow the CFL bulb to fit while maintaining the screw-top functionality. A strong adhesive (PVC pipe glue, superglue would probably work just as well) was then used to affix the lid to the base of the light fixture. After the adhesive was given time to set the jam jar was placed over the CFL and screwed into the lid. Voila! Our fixture was transformed from an eyesore to a DIY beauty.

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: