Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

Ye Olde USB Outlet

This post is in collaboration with Legrand.

When we decided to gut the kitchen and do a full remodel, naturally, we were excited about the fresh start. What a luxury to have new cabinets, appliances, and lighting! While those updates were the obvious benefit, the hidden delight was the electrical upgrade. We no longer tripped the breakers, there were outlets in all the useful places, and we could turn on the lights with a flip of a switch. Old house owners: You know what I’m talking about.

I had no idea just how much I took modern electricity for granted until I moved to BHH. If you are lucky enough to have post-mid-century power in your current home, go over to the nearest wall switch right now and flip it on and off just for fun.

You’ll appreciate this exercise more in a pitch-black room. In that scenario, people who own really old houses like BHH are swinging their hands wildly in the air, trying to locate the pull-chain for the overhead lighting.

You lucky ducks. 

An Update for our Update

After a year and a half with our new kitchen, we started to wish for just one small improvement.

Andy and I use the iPad or phone apps for the bulk of our recipes. The kitchen island is our central prep space, and we often found that we needed to use both of the island outlets for small appliances while keeping the electronic devices we were using plugged in. Sure, we could plug them into another outlet, but that created two efficiency issues:

  1. We had to swivel back and forth between the island and the counter behind us to follow a recipe, and
  2. My close-up eyesight is so poor that every time I did that, I lost my place in the recipe and I had to spend a few seconds getting back on track.

We solved this problem by installing a USB outlet from the radiant collection by Legrand. (ye olde USB outlet?)

When the rep from Legrand reached out to me, she promised that the Legrand products were DIY-friendly. All we needed was a screwdriver and some basic knowledge about how to cut the power before swapping out the outlet.

I had the tools, but until now, I always left the basic electrical knowledge to Andy. To be honest, I had been scared of electricity since the safety videos we watched in elementary school. During my primary years, I retained just a fraction of what I was taught. However, after only one filmstrip, (Ha! Remember filmstrips?) I managed to cling to a nonsensical fear of electrical appliances near water, unplugging something by yanking on the cord, or riding over a downed, live electrical line with my bike. One false move with electricity and it’s lights out for you. Lights out!

My fears were borderline irrational, and this year, it is no coincidence that I changed my Instagram profile to read:


STACY | Blake Hill House

old houses | fearless DIY | restoration & preservation | small-town Western New York |  Modern Living and DIY in our 1880s fixer-upper.


Note the bolded part. Yes, I am putting my money where my mouth is. So, under Andy’s guidance, I switched out this outlet almost all by myself. (Why don’t humans have three hands?) I still think Andy is a genius, but between you and me, this whole thing was kind of stupid easy. I had worked myself into a frenzy over nothing. Installing the USB outlet did take me longer than Andy or a pro, but that’s because I fumbled around with the process due to inexperience.

Please note: We are not electricians, so I’m going to do my due diligence and encourage you to educate yourself about the basics of electricity or hire this job out to a qualified professional. This is not a tutorial post. The short of it is that I cut the power, attached the wires to the new outlet, and fired up the power again. The task was so simple that I only had to put about $1.25 in the swear jar. (Again, three hands would have been helpful.)

Mission accomplished.

What’s So Special About the radiant collection from Legrand?

The basics of installation are the same, but there are a few differences.

  • The radiant collection is low profile and unfussy. If you appreciate a clean and simple look as I do, this collection is for you. (Around here, we save the fancy for doorknobs, windows, hardware, and light fixtures.)
  • The wall plates are screwless, and they feature a unique snap-on design. (No more scratched up screws or the need for a flat-head screwdriver)
  • The units are a little larger (front-to-back and side-to-side) than a basic outlet or switch from the hardware store. They require an up-to-code modern electrical box.

This little USB outlet is just the tip of the iceberg. Legrand carries switches and outlets in every configuration you can imagine as well as many on-trend colors and metallics. If you want an AFCI/GFI or nightlight outlet, they’ve got it. If you are looking for dimmer,  three-way, home automation or wireless switches, they have those too.

We could have chosen any of those options, but hold on now. Let’s not get crazy. This 1880s house is easing into the 21st century one room at a time.  The upstairs bathroom is next on the list, and we will be using outlets from the radiant collection there too.

Legrand products are available directly from their website, but there is also a store-finder if you like to buy locally. I plugged in our zip code and discovered that we can buy them at one of our nearby big box hardware stores. I plan to drive over there to see what’s available.

If you have any questions, please ask away, and If you are keeping track at home, this collaboration with Legrand contributes to our ongoing pledge to volunteer for Habitat For Humanity.  Many thanks to Legrand for providing us with these products and to you for considering the companies that support our goals to love old houses and give back to our community.

P.S. You can read all about our commitment to BHH and Habitat For Humanity here: The Post About Collaborations and Sponsorships

 

20 Comments

  • Chad
    Posted February 2, 2018 at 10:11 am

    Are things spaced out enough to use the USB ports and outlets at once? I’ve had the lamp on one of my nightstands unplugged for 2 months because I used an extension cord for extra outlets and then took it for Christmas decorations. Next to the bed might be the place for something like this in my house.

    And I wanna know how to get paid offers on my blog. This is a big thing to confess but once while the renovation bills were stressing me out a lot I got a paid offer on a dating site and I seriously considered accepting it before coming to my senses and hitting the block button.

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:28 pm

      To answer your question, yes! If you have one of those obnoxiously oversized plugs for a laptop or something, it will have to go on the bottom, and only one that large will fit if you are using the USB ports. When we upgrade the electricity in our master bedroom, I am installing one for sure.

      A paid offer on a dating site? I’m intrigued. LOL This company and I did not exchange a date or sex for these products or this review. 😀 Honestly, I am just starting out working with companies. Having a self-hosted website can help, writing regularly, and Instagram is really helpful for exposure.

      • Chad
        Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:45 pm

        It was just run-of-the-mill creepiness that I don’t miss at all. The request was “Will you control me for money” so I had ideas inspired by Tom Sawyer’s fence painting that never would have actually worked out.

        And I thought about switching to a self-hosted blog but don’t know if I have the ambition to put a lot of work into transferring over everything I already wrote. Although I’m annoyed that some of the links to pages at the top of my blog don’t work and I don’t get any customer service to fix it.

  • Brianne
    Posted February 2, 2018 at 10:26 am

    When we update our 90s-fabulous home, these outlets will be a line item on the list! Love your kitchen.

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:03 pm

      Thank you, Brianne! 🙂 USB outlets are so convenient.

  • Melissa
    Posted February 2, 2018 at 1:29 pm

    Argh! We tried this in our kitchen a year or two ago, and it wouldn’t work because it kept tripping the GFI. We’re comfortable juuuuuust enough to change outlets and switches in our house, but not more than that. Someday we’ll figure out what we’re doing and give it another go! I hate the little hot boxes USB’s plug into.

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:09 pm

      How frustrating! I wish I could offer you some good advice, but alas, you and I share similar knowledge about electricity. If I do find out why your USB outlet tripped the GFI, I’ll be sure to shoot you an e-mail. We are upgrading around here a little at a time, and we are always learning something new.

  • JC
    Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:09 pm

    I’m still one of those rare luddites w/o a cell phone (or tablet, or laptop), so I have no use for one of these YET, but I was curious about something else.

    WHAT IS THAT GORGEOUS ISLAND TOP WOOD? Is it mahogany? Walnut? Sapele?

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:15 pm

      For years, I did not have a cell phone. I never even wanted one. Someday, I hope to live without one again. 🙂

      It thrills me that you asked about the island. It IS Sapele. Good call! A local woodworker made it for the house when we remodeled the kitchen. It was surprisingly affordable. Most people are not into the red color, but we love it. It is sealed with Waterlox–no stain. You didn’t ask, but I cannot stop talking about it.

    • JC
      Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:15 pm

      Nevermind! I followed a few links and found the post about it. Yeah Sapele is pretty nice. It’s kind of a “poor man’s mahogany” but only because the real mahogany from Cuba is incredibly hard to get. They use this sapele on fine furniture, for signs, and even instruments. I’m surprised the colour is so rich with only the Waterlox on it. I had thought there might be a light mahogany stain on it. Either way, very nice choice! Worth every penny!

      • Post Author
        Stacy
        Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:17 pm

        I just answered you, but you found the answer on your own! 🙂

        • JC
          Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:20 pm

          You were too quick, haha. Glad you love the countertop. Sapele is gorgeous and very affordable. I think a lot of people just assume that custom wood countertops will be too expensive, when the reality is that a lot of woodworking companies (even places that do mainly custom kitchens and bathrooms (like my old workplace) can easily throw one of these together in a few hours at a pretty good price (it’s just a flat slab of glue). You’re mainly just limited by the base cost of the wood.

          • JC
            Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:22 pm

            ….a flat slab of glue. Woops. Proofreading next time.

          • Post Author
            Stacy
            Posted February 2, 2018 at 2:23 pm

            Yes, I was in shock over the price. I figured there was no way we could afford such a thing. Our contractor recommended the woodworker. He whipped that counter top out in less than week!

  • nancy
    Posted February 5, 2018 at 4:16 pm

    SnapPower also makes an outlet with a usb port and no skill involved to switch it out with a plain outlet cover.

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted February 5, 2018 at 4:28 pm

      Thanks for the tip! I’ll take a look.

  • Tabata
    Posted May 9, 2018 at 8:37 pm

    Probably a really stupid question but what are those tools called that you have there?? Are these necessary for installing the outlets? Or is just a screwdriver needed like the support staff at Legrand suggested?

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted May 10, 2018 at 6:09 am

      Your question is not stupid. The tool on the left is a circuit tester. We turned off the power at the breaker, but we used the circuit tester to make sure that the power was cut for sure. Here is an excellent link that describes how to use that handy tool: How To Use Cheap Electrical Circuit Testers It is not a necessary tool, but using it is an extra safety measure. For years, Andy and I simply tested by plugging a lamp into an outlet or turning on a light and flipping the breakers. When the lights went out, we knew we had chosen the right breaker, and we were probably safe. Now, we use a tester because BHH is so old, and the electricity can be confusing. I want to make sure that when we think the power is cut, that is really the case.

      The tool on the right is a ratcheting screwdriver with interchangeable bits. A regular flat or Phillip’s head will work just as well–no special purchase required.

      Hopefully, that answered your question. As Legrand suggests, a screwdriver really is all that you need to swap out an outlet.

  • Tabata
    Posted May 10, 2018 at 6:35 pm

    Thanks so much! Really helpful!

    • Post Author
      Stacy
      Posted May 10, 2018 at 6:52 pm

      You’re welcome!

Leave a comment

0.0/5