So many people ask how we know we’re heading in the “right direction” in the middle of a project. We usually describe our approach as one big exercise in trial and error: course-correcting and tweaking along the way. But we haven’t talked much about how we create a general plan at the start of a project and then stick to it loosely as we go, because it gives us a path to follow. Why? Because, sing it with me: the middle makes no sense.
John and I say that phrase a lot while working, and we realized it might help you at home who are halfway through a project and pulling out your hair, worried something is “off track” or “will suck when it’s done”—worries we share during most of our room makeovers. The truth is, even with experience, a room can look crazy halfway through a makeover. That’s obvious during a kitchen renovation, which usually gets way uglier before it gets better…
… but it’s also true for less dramatic projects. Normal room makeovers that don’t involve tearing things down can still throw you off in the middle. We’ve learned to be confident that it’ll all work out because in the beginning we allow ourselves to tweak and change things a lot, and in the end we do too. The middle, though, rarely makes any sense.
We try not to rush to judgment when only some changes are in place, major components are missing, or half a color scheme is visible. The middle often lasts a long time and can be a period of silent (or not-so-silent) doubt. We stay calm and keep going because if we end up hating something, we can usually fix it later—repaint, sand and stain, rearrange, move it to another room, sell it, etc. Most home-related choices aren’t irreversible, which is comforting when you stop and think about it.
Interestingly, despite the chaos in the middle, we usually love the final result. That’s because we spend time up front thinking through choices so they’ll likely click at the end. The lesson: if you’re paralyzed by indecision you won’t get anywhere, but if you rush and constantly second-guess before a room comes together, it might never come together at all. That’s why we consider the end result early and then follow through enough to get past the weird middle into a stage where it’s easier to judge things. You don’t need a fully fleshed-out vision on day one—we rarely have one—but you should have a few guiding ideas: what color palette, what layout, what function, and what vibe you want from the space.
One example is the opening we added between the kitchen and dining room. A wall with a gaping hole seems odd at first, but this change was more about concept and shape than finishing. We worried a half-wall would be strange, so we drew floor plans and used Google SketchUp to visualize it. It felt like the best choice, so we committed wholeheartedly. In the middle it looked downright crazy and made us sweat…
… but we pushed forward, knowing our early thinking had led to the plan we liked best. Once we fixed drywall, added trim, and brought in cabinets, counters, lighting, and furniture, the space made sense again and the half wall turned out to be the right choice. If it hadn’t worked, we could have adjusted things later—drywalled above the counter to create a traditional doorway—but changing course in the middle would have prevented us from finding out if it worked.
The same idea applies to decorating without major demolition. Finished rooms rely on balance, variety of finishes, colors, textures, scale, and proportion—elements that often don’t come together until the end. A half-finished room can look nonsensical, even to the people who have the vision. We used to panic, but now we take it one step at a time and repeat the mantra: the middle makes no sense. Keep calm and DIY on.
For instance, we rescued chipped black office chairs from a thrift store for $35 each…
… and painted and reupholstered them in bright green patterned fabric. At first they looked shockingly bright compared to the room’s previous look.
Some people said the chairs competed with the stenciled wall and seemed unbalanced. We agreed they were loud, but we still had more to add. The middle makes no sense, so we stayed patient. We planned to bring in art and accessories to balance the chairs’ color and scale.
We kept assembling the room, adding cheerful art, a green planter to echo the chair color, and painted the area under the chair rail a darker gray to ground the space. Gradually everything started to look intentional and balanced—proof that committing to a bold choice and finishing the room can pay off.
What began as a jarring, unfinished space evolved into a personalized, cheerful spot where we spend most of our waking hours.
Another example is the mirror over the window in our bedroom. When we moved in the room had creaky bifold doors and a medicine cabinet that made shaving awkward. We removed the medicine cabinet and demoed the thick stone backsplash to create a countertop-like look, and we lived with the original black mirror for a while before deciding whether to repaint it.
A helpful rule: take your time in the middle. It’s not a stage to rush or make big impulsive changes. Live with things for a bit, see how they feel, form a plan, and then move forward. Once you commit to a considered plan, the only way to know if it works is to finish it. So onward and upwards—keep moving toward a more finished product, because that’s usually when everything finally gels.
In the end we painted the mirror white and the walls a moody gray-tan (Rockport Gray). That little sink nook evolved into one of the most charming corners of our partially unfinished bedroom.
We understand why readers ask questions about mid-progress photos. We ask the same things. Over time we’ve learned not to panic: be patient, have faith, and keep moving toward a more finished stage. Often it becomes obvious later what will fix a problem—repainting, changing layout, swapping chairs, or adding accessories. In the middle it’s nearly impossible to see the full picture, so we let things shake out until balance and order return and the whole space becomes clear rather than judging a half-baked makeover.
That’s my long Tuesday-afternoon brain dump. Do you have sayings that help you through the tough middle parts of a renovation or room overhaul? Share them—we’d love to hear.