As much as we love simplifying and decluttering, we’re not aiming for that ultra-sleek, sometimes sterile minimalism. Instead, we’ve been experimenting with a step-by-step approach to create minimalist spaces that still feel warm, cozy, and inviting. Spoiler: Sherry is loving the easy formula and is excited to apply it throughout the house. We’re also starting to bring our duplex kitchen plans to life — and surprise: we’re avoiding white cabinetry. Below we explain why white doesn’t feel right for the duplex and how we’re getting a custom look without blowing the budget. Sherry also upgraded her underwear game while John solved a small, satisfying daily annoyance.
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What’s New
- We brought tile samples and paint swatches to Ikea while testing two different kitchen schemes for the duplex. One combo mimics our inspiration photo with a patterned tile and Ikea’s Askerstund-style cabinets in a wood tone. The other option pairs colorful glossy cabinets (Ikea’s Kallarp-like finish in a gray-turquoise) with a patterned tile in a different colorway.
- Because Ikea lighting makes tile detail hard to read, here’s a clearer shot of the first combination with wood-tone cabinets and our blue tile. We’ll pick hardware that better suits the look — not the metal pulls shown here.
- And here are the glossy blue-gray cabinets with the pink/gray patterned tile for the other kitchen in the duplex. Both kitchens will likely have light counters (granite or quartz) and a mix of open shelves and upper cabinets. We’re leaning toward white upper cabinets in both spaces to balance the color below.
- We also priced out Semihandmade door options. The unfinished styles were about $400–$500 more than comparable Ikea cabinets (which come factory finished), while the colorful beaded options were roughly $1,100 more. We’re holding off on those pricier choices for now and might try them on a future bathroom refresh.
- And for a small but satisfying before-and-after: I pared down my key ring and digitized rarely used loyalty cards with an app, then switched to a leather key organizer that holds up to six keys or a mix of keys and cards. For safety, I digitally altered the keys in these photos so they can’t be duplicated from the image.
Cozy Minimalism
- Sherry has started simplifying several areas of our home using a process inspired by Myquillyn Smith’s upcoming book Cozy Minimalist Home. The goal is not to erase personality but to remove excess so rooms feel lighter and more functional. You can preorder the book and follow Myquillyn for more ideas and freebies.
- Here’s a look back at our kitchen island from the original renovation reveal, and the same view today after clearing the counters. The photo with fewer props may read as less “styled,” but in day-to-day life the clear surfaces make the space more useful — for homework, baking, or just not feeling cluttered.
- From another angle you can see the room still feels layered and lived-in, not stark. Clearing the far side of the island also opens sightlines into the living room so we can keep an eye on the kids without objects blocking the view.
- We replaced decorative canisters we seldom used with practical jars that actually get daily use for snacks. That small swap freed counter space where groceries get unloaded and made the kitchen feel much more functional.
- In the living room, our built-in bookcases once held a dense mix of colorful books and objects. We enjoyed that look for years, but recently donated books and edited the display so the wall feels lighter and less heavy.
- We’ve discussed the debate around books as decor — including trends like turning spines inward — in a past episode. Photographs of minimal spaces don’t always look as visually interesting as styled images, but living in a less cluttered home has been a welcome change.
- For fun, we referenced an SNL sketch about minimalists that made us laugh during this process.
We’re Digging
- Sherry’s top recent picks include three ThirdLove bras she’s loved over the last two years: a classic plunge, a strapless, and a lacy option. Each comes in multiple colors, and she favored the darkest shades.
- We were also fascinated by a long-form article about a high-profile fraud case that inspired a film project. It’s one of those true-crime-to-Hollywood stories that’s hard to put down.
If you’re trying to track down something we’ve recommended in past episodes, there’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging in earlier shows, plus a page that compiles books we’ve recommended for our Book Club.
Finally, a big thank-you to Universal Furniture for sponsoring this episode. They’ve launched a Spaces collection designed for smaller homes.
Thanks for listening, everyone!
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