2016 was a memorable year full of firsts: launching a podcast, buying a beach house, creating a coloring book, and tackling a range of projects both at home and beyond. Here’s a streamlined recap of the highlights.
One of the projects that stayed with us most was a fast space-themed bedroom update we completed for a local family after the sudden loss of their young son Mason. The room revamp — for the brother Hudson who needed a fresh start to feel comfortable sleeping there again — was emotional and meaningful, and we’ve stayed in touch with the family since.
A close second for memorable projects was a teacher’s lounge makeover finished right before school started. It brought some unusual design challenges (including working around a large Pepsi vending machine), but we loved creating a space that looked and functioned better for a local public elementary school.
We also spent time helping Sherry’s best friend of 16 years (and my cousin) settle into their new home after they moved down the street. One small project there was splitting a single duvet cover into two for their son’s room — a quick, budget-friendly update that made a difference.
At home, we completed several major renovations. We began 2016 by finishing our bonus room — installing hardwood floors, built-in cabinets and floating shelves, and creating a wire-free spot for the TV. What had been storage became a comfortable extension of our upstairs and a favorite spot for movie nights.
Next up was a full kitchen remodel. The new kitchen isn’t just prettier — a more efficient layout and thorough cabinet organization transformed day-to-day life, making meal prep and morning routines smoother. Along the way we shared lessons learned from mistakes we made so others can avoid them.
We also updated the living room with DIY built-in bookcases that felt like the final touch to our long renovation. Small changes added up elsewhere too — we repainted the bedroom and office in softer neutral tones, embracing beige in a way that feels calm and lived-in even if it’s less flashy online.
Our daughter’s room moved from a twin daybed to a full-sized bed this year, and we documented the many phases that room has gone through. It’s fun to look back on the evolution and imagine future transitions for other rooms in our house.
We filmed an Upstairs House Tour and a Downstairs House Tour to show the progress we’ve made. The videos capture the mostly finished second floor and the renovated first-floor spaces, including the kitchen and living room.
Outside the house, we added a backyard shed — a practical structure that’s still a work in progress. Podcast listeners have heard updates about it, and we plan to share photos of how it evolves (and yes, the scrap wood pile will be honest and unapologetic).
The biggest acquisition of the year was buying a beach house. Calling it “our beach house” still feels surreal since it needs substantial work before it’s livable, but we’ve started planning updates and sharing the before state and layout options.
In June we launched a podcast. Nearly 30 episodes later, we’re still excited about it — it’s flexible, experimental, and a place to be candid and creative. We have more guests and special episodes planned, and we’re grateful for the way the medium lets us connect with listeners.
Another fun project was producing an adult coloring book. Working with an illustrator to translate rooms into line drawings and seeing readers share their colored pages has been unexpectedly delightful — a creative way to see how others imagine our spaces.
We also experimented with launching an app, which didn’t take off as we’d hoped, but it was a fun learning experience.
Looking ahead to 2017, we’re excited about beach house renovations, new podcast episodes, more projects around our home (including replacing two bathrooms with seashell-shaped sinks), and additional makeovers for others. There’s plenty in the pipeline, and we can’t wait to share it.
If you missed other 2016 posts, you can catch up on topics like starting a blog with our free e-course, holiday decorating, and more by browsing the blog. We’ve also added pages to make shopping our house and seeing favorite finds easier for anyone planning their own updates.
We hope you had bright moments in 2016 and that 2017 brings even more. See you in January.