Years ago, someone advised me, "It's easier to work in an empty house." Boy, is that good advice hitting home! Since I brought my belongings (those that I figured may be of use) down from Connecticut, renovations here have been made awkward and, as a result, slowed way down.
I still don't have a completed kitchen because of the storage pantry, so I've chosen, once and for all, to focus on that.
Here's a view from below, looking up at the ceiling. (When I am done, I'll post a conventional view.) The walls were peeling badly, the combination of lead paint and food-related items a decidedly bad idea, so I covered the walls in standard white subway tile, which, I believe, is period-correct, albeit somewhat extravagant for a simple house such as this. (The tile looks like 4x4 in this distorted wide-angle view, but it is indeed regular 3x6 subway.) Here you can see a strip of cove molding (unpainted) where the shelves meet their supports at the wall. I thought it looked neater to cover that joint and may even strengthen the shelves a bit, since I used Liquid Nail in addition to conventional finishing nails to install it. All that's left to do is molding where the tile meets the ceiling, shoe molding on the baseboards, and paint. Stocking this pantry (labeled "Stores" on the architect's drawing) will be a big step forward in organization and reclaiming space.
I've put in a small ornamental garden at the end of the driveway, but the walkway was quite dark at night, so a lamppost was called for. I looked for a post to harmonize, but there was always something wrong: too short, flimsy, overpriced, etc. My solution was to use 2.5" PVC conduit (3" OD), wrap it in ribbed upholstery fabric, and seal it with epoxy.
With a coat of paint, it does a fair imitation of a fluted cast-iron pole, minus the rusting concerns. The fixture isn't vintage either, but I hope its styling blends with its surroundings.
With only a 25 watt equivalent LED bulb, it throws a mellow light sufficient to illuminate the walk to the driveway.
As I mentioned, I've been dragging my feet getting work done. THD has always helped to keep me motivated, so I'm hoping that my participation and seeing the good work of others will have that effect!