Occasionally, I do write more than 2,200 characters (thanks for the limit, Instagram), and when I do, you will find those words here. I also love participating in Calling It Home’s One Room Challenge, which happens every spring and fall. You can find past rooms I’ve worked on here. Want some help with your own One Room Challenge? Let me know so that we can get planning for the next round!
It’s Week 6 of the One Room Challenge, and as promised in last week’s post, we are not *quite* ready for the final reveal. I am excited to spend some time looking through the completed project posts of my fellow participants, but before I do that, a quick update on our beach A-frame project status:
Read MoreThank you for your patience as I’ve certainly fallen off the blogging radar over the last little bit. Yes, that “last little bit” would be 10 weeks, but who’s counting? (Hi, Dad.) I’ve started drafting updates on our house several times, only to find myself wondering how to possibly tell the story of the last couple of months. What you want, I suspect, is a finished product. We are conditioned to look for enormous change, to see the train wreck that was the space before a remodel and compare it to the beautifully styled, perfectly lit photo of the new and improved space. This is not that story. This is the story of a real family who remodeled a real house in real time and who is not anywhere near the internet’s idea of “done”. There will be before and after photos, don’t worry. It just might be awhile.
I’ve mentioned all along that this process has been slower than I could ever have imagined. Remember that story I told you months ago about overhearing the couple on the street commenting on how fast a new house had gone up and wondering what could possibly be taking so long for the house to actually be finished? Those people have never remodeled. And they probably shouldn’t. They sure as hell shouldn’t hire the painters that worked on my house.
Read MoreI’m going to be honest (when am I not?): when it comes to window treatments, the amount I know could fit in a thimble. It’s possible that I know just a tiny little bit more than the average bear, but that’s where it stops. I can identify your basic types of pleats in drapes, and if pressed, could probably explain the difference between a few types of valances. I know that silk isn’t a great option for windows because it disintegrates with sun exposure (this is why you will always see silk drapes with solid liners) and I know that UV film is an excellent idea for windows that get a lot of sun because they protect your furniture without changing the view. After that, I’m pretty much out. My lack of knowledge in this area is mostly because I love an open window and I hate fussy so it doesn’t even occur to me to add window treatments. This statement is full sacrilege in decorator world. Window treatments, like hardware, finish the room. Everyone knows that.
Read MoreI’ve been spending a lot of time on Instagram lately. I mean A LOT. Not mindlessly scrolling, mind you, or even posting. I've been researching for a class I’m currently taking by the incredible Dominique of All That Is She. Without giving away Dominique’s secrets (and if you are looking for a fantastic class on Instagram, sign up for this one as soon as she opens again), this class has really got me thinking about personal style, and as a result, decorating style. What is personal style? And who has it? In a world where we see so much visual input, much of it copied or repeated, Every. Single. Day., what makes us stop and stare at that one frame? What makes your house look like your home and not some cookie cutter trend of the moment spot that you might not recognize as different from your neighbors if you had one too many cocktails and opened the wrong front door? Not that you would ever have one too many cocktails or open the wrong front door. I’m just saying “if”.
Read MoreI had every intention of sharing our progress on picking paint colors last week. I even spent much longer than I’d like to admit drafting a post that I scrapped because it was totally not worth posting. I realized after letting go of the need to stay on an arbitrary posting schedule that I was using the writing process to try to break thru our color scheme for the house. Words are good for many things. Picking paint colors is not one of them.
Read MoreNo, you didn’t miss week 25. It turns out that we’ve actually been at this for 26 weeks already, possibly 27, and I just miscounted when I started telling you all about it. Quick reminder of where we came from...
Read MoreWe shop for just about everything online these days. Books, groceries, clothes. If it doesn’t come from Amazon, odds are, we aren’t buying it. But what about furniture? Online shopping can be convenient and provides a wider variety of options for many people. On the other hand, it can be time consuming, confusing, and overwhelming. And what if you buy the wrong thing?
There are countless advantages to shopping locally, and if you can, I would definitely recommend it. There is nothing like sitting on a sofa to make sure it is just right. That said, many of us no longer have time to the search for the perfect piece. (Ahem. If this is your problem, I know where you can find someone to help you. Just saying.) One of the biggest benefits to online shopping is the ability to compare your options quickly. There are all sorts of online tools that are available to help you really think through all aspects of how your room will look. There are three major things to be aware of when shopping online: size, color, and quality. Let’s look at all three.
Read More
