New year, big projects.

Last year was the year of getting the shorehouse infrastructure in place. Installing a central air conditioning system in a hundred-ish year-old home was our big project for 2009, and while I don't have any pretty pictures to show (there's not much pretty about duct work and air compressors), we couldn't be more pleased with our little HVAC that could.

Since the majority of the installation work was done in our half-finished attic, this has left us with a third floor in need of some love. Love in the form of major duct-hiding, laminate-floor lifting, bathroom-relocating, ceiling-lifting, good times. So to kick-off the New Year, we spent last weekend shopping everything from upscale showrooms (I never knew just how expensive a toilet could be), to local mom and pops, to the trifecta of home makeover big box stores -- IKEA, Lowe's and Home Depot.

Do you know what IKEA is like on a weekend? Bang your head against the wall really hard for ten minutes and you'll get a similar sensation. But I love their $90 vessel sink:

And I like these faucets:

Mike has placed me in charge of finding a small vintage piece to potentially rest a vessel sink on. I've accepted the challenge. The duo will (hopefully) go in a teeny tiny half bath on our first floor (another project)which currently looks like this:

It is as we inherited it. There is so much stuff in there it kind of looks like ten pounds of potatoes in a five pound sack. The goal is to re-do this room on a $500 budget. Since I love me a thrifty challenge, I'm embracing this one (and leaving the monstrous attic to the menfolk).

After looking at sheets and sheets of tile, we both keep coming back to the old school, black and white hexagonal ones. And the price is right, too.

Our inspiration is the old floors you can still sometimes find on the Lower East Side of Manhattan (an odd inspiration, I admit). We'll grout in a pewter-color to add a little something-something.

Today we're headed to the Jersey Shore Home Show, where we'll be able see everything from toilets to tile under one roof. Even Top Design's Eddie Ross will be in on the action.

If you're looking to get your house in tip-top shape for 2010, Reclaimed Home put together a fantastic list of "all those little jobs you've been putting off around the house." So embrace the New Year and the caulk gun, and get sealing!

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Ed note: I am overwhelmed by the kindness of everyone who's commented, linked to and bid on my tote bag to support the Haiti earthquake victims. My heart is filled with love and hope. The bidding has gone higher than I ever expected so I'll update the post tomorrow with more goodies to add to the bag.