We’ve now been in our new house for a month, and settling in has been a mix of pleasantly surprising wins and a few unexpected bumps. Some projects—like arranging furniture—came together faster than we imagined. Other parts of the process took turns we didn’t foresee. In this update we share what has been easy, what proved trickier, the true origins of a few long-running design trends (yes, subway tile and fiddle‑leaf figs have deeper histories than you might think), a curtain-rod trick Sherry quietly tested for a year, and a funny moment when voice commands got hilariously misunderstood.
What’s New
One of the biggest surprises has been how quickly furniture has felt at home here. A lot of pieces we brought with us settled into new roles right away, and the downstairs kitchen area came together in a way that felt almost immediate—if you missed our detailed kitchen post from last week, it walks through how that space evolved in the first weeks. We’re planning a follow-up showing how the upstairs living room has shaped up, with photos and notes about what worked and what didn’t.
Updates
- We re-shared a map in Episode #175 to clarify one detail we still get asked about weekly: our house is in the Central Time Zone. People often assume the entire state of Florida is Eastern Time, but the panhandle stretches into Central. We’re definitely in Central.
- There was a recent pop-culture moment where a game show debated a question about Florida’s geography—if you’re curious, there’s a clip from the episode that highlights how confusing state geography can be for viewers and contestants alike.
The Story Behind Some Popular Design Trends
We spent time tracing the history of a handful of persistent design trends—items and looks that seem to reappear across interiors: subway tile, fiddle‑leaf figs, and woven rattan, to name a few. We referenced a thoughtful article that inspired our conversation about why certain trends endure, and we also dug into additional write-ups for more context on specific elements like the fiddle‑leaf fig’s horticultural background and the early uses of subway tile. Rather than treating these trends as fleeting fads, it’s interesting to see how practical origins, cultural shifts, and a few influential personalities or publications all play roles in what becomes “timeless.”
We also revisited an episode from last year with a guest who turned one of us into a serious plant person. That conversation changed how we care for houseplants and inspired a lot of new plant choices throughout the new house—both for the look and for the calming atmosphere they bring.
We’re Digging
A small styling tweak we’ve been loving: removing the finials from our curtain rods. In photos the change is subtle, but in person taking the ball finials off made the rods read more modern and minimal—an inexpensive, reversible update that alters the feel of a room without replacing hardware. For comparison, we also photographed the rods with the ball finials attached before the move so you can see the difference in scale and silhouette.
If you’re hunting for new curtain rods with low-profile or minimalist finials, we listed the ones we bought for this house and a few other options that share the same clean look. These choices come in multiple finishes so you can match them to your hardware and decor.
Another small discovery: we ordered a novelty item—a candy-filled miniature piñata sent through the mail as a gift. It arrived exactly as expected and was a fun, tactile surprise for family members who received it. Little things like that have been delightful during this hectic month of moving.
If you can’t remember which episode featured an item we mentioned or a book we recommended, we keep a master list of everything we’ve been digging from past shows, plus a dedicated Book Club page with all the books we’ve suggested. Those resources are handy if you want to track down a specific recommendation.
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