We don’t always agree on home purchases, so this week we’re sharing practical strategies we’ve developed for bringing each other around—whether one of us is eager to buy something or the other is trying to hold back. We also picked up a surprising online-shopping trick that’s already saved us more than $1,500 on items for our beach house. Plus: how we’re keeping our promise to spend more time outside, why cutting the cable cord led to a new kid-friendly TV option, and why you should never craft and talk on the phone at the same time (it can lead to embarrassing mistakes).
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio—or listen to it below. Use this page to follow any links, notes, or photos we mentioned. If you’re reading in a feed reader, you might need to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- We decided to source the beach house kitchen cabinetry and counters from IKEA. Our goal is a casual, unfussy kitchen that feels a bit worn-in from the start—cozy and relaxed rather than too polished. Here’s a quick mood board of the selections we’ve made:
- Pink vintage stove we found at a thrift shop
- Faucet for the island sink
- Stainless steel hood to complement the chrome on the stove
- Wall sconces
- Pendants over the island
- We ordered an IKEA butcher block countertop and are leaning toward a simple white backsplash so the pink stove remains the focal point.
- White flat-front cabinet doors for a clean, timeless look.
- A modestly sized fridge so white appliances blend into the background and the pink stove pops.
- Below is a helpful rendering from the IKEA kitchen planner so you can see how everything will fit. Not every detail is represented exactly—we’ll be adding some upper storage ourselves and finishing the island sides—so don’t scrutinize it too closely.
- And in case you forgot, here’s the room the kitchen will go into.
- Sherry mentioned the blog during the episode—check for new posts each week or subscribe to have them delivered to your inbox.
That’s Embarrassing
- Above is the final version of the globe Sherry painted a few years ago. It’s a simple, charming piece—not as ornate as some professional hand-lettered globes, but it fits our vibe.
- Below you can see the mislabeling incident that happened while she was chatting on the phone. A little paint fixed it, but it was a funny reminder: avoid multitasking when you’re labeling things. Sorry, South America!
What’s Not
- Homes.com put together a useful infographic on 13 essential things to look for when viewing a home—great for first-time buyers or anyone brushing up on house-hunting basics.
Main Segment
- Sherry’s Serena & Lily mirror obsession is sadly no longer available, but we tracked down a few similar inlay-style mirrors for anyone chasing that look—options in various sizes and shapes make it easy to find a comparable alternative.
We’re Digging
- We added a traditional fabric hammock to the backyard for the summer. It comfortably fits two adults (though it has no built-in protection from little brothers with inflatable balls).
- We also have a double camping hammock that’s easy to set up between two trees and store when not in use—perfect for temporary lounging.
- Plus, we picked up another outdoor item we’re excited to add to the yard setup.
- We’ve been watching classic OK Go videos with the kids—creative, fun, and endlessly entertaining. Our favorite recently is their gravity-free plane performance, and we also enjoy their drone, forced perspective, and Rube Goldberg videos, plus the original treadmill video.
- We’ve also been enjoying Pentatonix, Walk Off The Earth, and Rosanna Pansino’s Nerdy Nummies—great music and family-friendly cooking content to watch together.
If you want to revisit items we’ve recommended in past episodes but can’t remember where they were featured, we keep a master list of everything we’ve been digging from all our episodes.
Finally, a big thanks to The Annie Selke Companies for sponsoring this episode. They have a wide selection of bedding, furniture, rugs (including indoor/outdoor styles), and more. Use the code YHL15 for 15% off your order.
Thanks for listening!
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