It's all in the details...

This post may strike some as trivial, but to me, a house doesn't really become a home until you've really ironed out the details and all of your belongings have also found a home.  Up until last week we were getting by with our paper towels just sitting on the counter.  Like this. 

But we really have limited counter space (at least until the island arrives) and I wanted to get them up and out of the way.  I hate those wooden paper towel stands and I couldn't do a hanging under-counter paper towel holder. So I found this one on amazon (right after signing up for my amazon prime account - hello! Free shipping!).

I mounted it to the windowsill next to the microwave so that it's practically out of view unless you walk all the way into the kitchen and turn to face the sink. I think it works well and is unobtrusive. I'd considered spray painting it to a brass finish to match the hardware but I think the oil rubbed bronze is more low key and doesn't draw attention to itself which I like.

On the other side of the kitchen, we were having another issue.  We'd moved the cat food and litter to the basement to keep it out of the way of wandering toddlers.  However, that presented the problem of how to let the cat go down to the basement without letting said toddler tumble down with her.  We'd considered a cat door in our basement door but didn't want to cut a hole in the original door.  Enter an extra large vintage styled gate hook.

It's super sturdy and I mounted it such that when the hook is latched there is about 4" for the cat to squeeze through and go down the stairs but Bryan can't follow her.  It works well, is simple and looks nice.  Now that to do to make my utilitarian basement staircase with it's cleaning supply wall look a little more fab.