Face Plate Update

After painting the living room, I got busy putting the switch plates back on. You know, the face plate cover things on the light switches. And I put our old cover back on and realized we had a problem: our fresh new paint job was set back about 30 years...

So I pulled the cover off thinking about replacing the cover. Then I realized for a few more dollars I could replace the entire switch so that both the switch AND the cover could be bright white and fresh. It was actually pretty easy.

I would give you a step by step, but I just did it the simplest way I could. I went to Lowe's and bought new switches and covers. You don't buy a 'double switch' if the hole has two switches, you just buy two single switches and one 'double' switch cover. Does that make sense? I should have taken more pictures.

Key part is making sure you know what you are doing with the electricity and wiring. Always turn the breaker off to the area of the house you are working in. And make sure to buy the correct switch: there are 'single pole' switches for when one switch controls one light, and there are 'three way' switches for when two different switches control one light. 

I found this handy video from Home Depot to show you guys the entire 'how-to.' But really I want to show you the difference it made in the looks of the house. Fancy and new right??

Here's the switch on the other side of the room. Check it out. Old dated house that simply got new paint...

Here's a close up...

...to Wow this is like a brand new living room right? (Just ignore the shiny gold door knob).

But really though I was impressed. We had to purchase one single cover, one double cover, one single pole switch and two three way switches and it ended up costing less than $15. Took less than half an hour to install. 

So the living room is looking fancy now... unless you open the door to the 'hello wood paneling and blue linoleum floor' kitchen :) I like it either way...

Happy Monday.