We get asked a lot whether we ever argue—especially since we tackle so many house projects together. Short answer: yes. The little disagreements that popped up while installing the kitchen at our beach house are a great example of what can set us off. In this post we’ll walk through what we disagreed about, how we resolved it, and who turned out to be right. We’ll also share another big change we’re making in the beach house kitchen (hint: it involves the island), clear up a common “real estate deal killer” myth that might not be as costly or scary as it sounds, and reveal our go-to trick for getting holiday cards out faster.
You can download the episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn Radio, or listen to the player on the original post. Use this page to find any links, notes, or photos we mention. If you’re reading in a feed reader you may need to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- Above is a photo of our temporary fridge setup—yes, ignore the patch that still needs filling and the missing cabinet drawer. Our full-size pantry fridge is arriving tomorrow, which we’re excited about.
- We decided to convert the breakfast nook into a pantry. If you want background on that choice and to see our cardboard mock-up and final appliance picks, check our detailed breakdown on the blog.
- Our new island won’t be installed for another week or two. For the countertop we chose Silestone quartz in the Pearl Jasmine finish. In the podcast we explain how we saved money on the quartz—if you’re shopping for a similar surface, those tips might help your budget.
- If you look closely at the photo you can spot one of Jeremy’s wooden bowls in the corner. We love how handmade pieces add warmth.
- If you missed our talk at the Bristol event—a summary of ten years of decorating and business lessons—listen to Episode #73 for the full conversation.
Quiz
- The photo above shows our so-called “Pajama Lounge.” Read more about how this cozy bonus room came together on the project page where we finished the bonus room.
- We also loved the snapshot House Beautiful shared—extra points for using the delightful word “newfangled.”
Can We Just Talk About
- Earlier this year we had to remove a large section of the beach house and rebuild from the foundation up. The post about that progress explains the scope of work and shows the floor plan changes.
- While the foundation failure was a major problem, the house also suffered from unrelated, severe issues—rotten siding you could push your arm through, a partially collapsed roof, and more—which made rebuilding the practical choice.
- The rebuilt section now contains all three bathrooms, the mudroom, the pantry, and the upstairs bunk room, which has simplified traffic flow and made the house much more functional.
We’re Digging
- We’re loving several Minted holiday card designs this season. We ordered one of these for our family card and were pleasantly surprised that our order arrived within 48 hours—no rush fee. Minted’s complimentary address printing is a nice time-saver.
- To speed up addressing, we use a self-inking address stamper that makes sending cards significantly faster. It’s one of those small tools that pays for itself during the holidays.
- Another item we keep recommending is a personalized page-a-day calendar from Social Print Studio. It’s about $40 and makes a thoughtful, photo-filled gift; we’re already collecting images for 2018 calendars for the extended family.
- One of our favorite little traditions: the kids tape their favorite “Polaroid” calendar pages to the inside of their mudroom doors. Watching those pages accumulate over the year is fun, and in January we remove them to start fresh—saving the old pages in memory boxes.
If you want to revisit items we’ve recommended on past episodes but don’t remember which show notes to open, there’s a master list of everything we’ve been digging from previous episodes on the blog.
Finally, thanks to Cardboard Safari for sponsoring this episode. They make imaginative, reusable cardboard playsets that are great for kids. We appreciate their support.
Thanks for listening and for following along with our projects—we’re grateful for you.
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