We’ve hit another tub-related snag during our duplex renovation — a project that has been both rewarding and stressful. Today we’re sharing how a deliberate budget decision saved us roughly 30% on a major line item, but also launched us into an unexpected tub-induced stress spiral. We’ll also update you on our plan to paint the brick house white, our somewhat gross backyard experiment to keep deer away from new plants, and whether Sherry still gets called “Laura” in Cape Charles. Plus we discuss the pros and cons of laundry room placement and explain when to use a variety of wall colors versus one consistent whole-house color.
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What’s New
- That photo shows one of our tubs installed. Despite the pre-planning and stress, the tub and the rest of the plumbing were fitted fairly smoothly.
- Below is a snapshot Sherry took when our second tub had to be retrieved from the top shelf at Home Depot — a proud, slightly chaotic moment. She’s got a good eye.
- We chose the Delta Classic 400 tub because of its relatively straight front profile and reasonable price point.
- And yes — victory! We managed to secure both tubs. Sherry had Sean take that celebratory photo, which makes the moment even better.
Updates
- If you missed our original conversation about painting the brick house white, listen to Episode #101. Below are a few design renderings that influenced our Instagram poll results.
- We plan to use RomaBio BioDomus II Mineral Paint for the brick job. The warranty and its mineral-based performance make it appealing; we’ll share more details once painting progresses.
- For an update on our unpleasant backyard experiment to protect landscaping from deer, check out Episode #99. We’re three weeks into using Liquid Fence and haven’t noticed any new deer damage. The product recommends weekly sprays for the first two weeks, then monthly applications; we’ve sprayed weekly for three weeks so far and still have a lot left in the jug.
- And for anyone wondering about the name mix-up story — Sherry being called “Laura” — that original tale is in Episode #59.
Listener Questions
- The photo above shows our upstairs laundry room in Richmond and the downstairs laundry area in the beach house mudroom.
- We ran a poll about preferred laundry locations to answer Debbie’s question. While results differ by household, the poll made it clear that function matters: a mudroom or downstairs laundry is often preferred for sandy feet and towels, while upstairs laundry can be convenient for quick bedroom-to-washer transfers. (The poll has ended.)
(POLL HAS ENDED)
- Lauren asked about using one uniform color versus a palette of neutrals. At the beach house we painted the entire exterior one color (Sherwin-Williams White Heron), which provides a clean, cohesive look. Our Richmond home features a variety of neutrals because we painted different rooms over time and experimented until we found favorites.
- Rooms with strong natural light often get Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray, such as our bedroom, office, dining room, and foyer.
- Cooler, lighter neutrals like Behr Irish Mist work better in lower-light rooms at the back of the house, such as the bonus room and kitchen.
- Other one-off colors we’ve used include Benjamin Moore Going to the Chapel in our son’s room and laundry, Simply White in our living room, Revere Pewter in our closet, and Sparrow as a dark accent in a guest room.
We’re Digging
- I received an inflatable stand-up paddleboard (SUP) for Father’s Day that we’ve used a lot this summer. We love taking it to the bay around sunset and snapping those perfectly clichéd golden-hour photos.
- Our SUP is the 11-foot model; a 10.5-foot version is available too. Because we tried the 11-footer first and found it stable — and the bay is usually shallow and calm — it’s been our go-to, especially when extras hop on with me.
- I highly recommend the electric pump for inflating the SUP. It plugs into a car’s 12V outlet and auto-shuts off at your set PSI. It’s a real time-saver.
- Also worth a mention: Sherry found a new favorite mascara at Target — she wears it in the selfie below along with her Invisalign.
If you want to revisit topics we’ve discussed in earlier episodes, here’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from past shows.
Special thanks to Grove Collaborative for sponsoring this episode. New members who join at Grove.co/YHL and spend $20 on their first order receive a free Mrs. Meyer’s cleaning set and a 2-month VIP membership.
Thanks for listening!
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