It may seem counterintuitive — don’t most people want to add a deck? — but our deck just isn’t pulling its weight anymore. In this episode we explain why we think removing it is the best move, and what we plan to put in its place. We also sit down with Manhattan Nest’s Daniel Kanter to talk about design trends that are getting tired and why newer homes deserve a different approach than older ones. Plus I get sentimental about my favorite saw, Sherry daydreams about a dream trip, and we both can’t stop laughing about a talking fish.
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What’s New
- That photo above is about three years old — roughly when our back deck was at its peak. We had stripped and re-stained it the previous summer and had just finished the sunroom area.
- You can see how the railings really “jail” you in from the yard. From the kitchen windows we can barely see any grass.
- We’re a bit behind getting everything ready for summer, so these shots show the deck’s gradual decline and why we’re considering a change.
Quick Tip
- Shown above (alongside Burger and Bearger) are the sheets we bought twice because they fit our thick mattress and stayed tucked in. Our pattern is “Beachcomber,” subtle and versatile, and they come in many other prints.
- If you prefer a traditional box-spring cover, there are several good options at major retailers. A bedskirt pin set is also handy to keep skirts in place.
What’s Not
- Sherry got drawn into an infographic about decorating fads through the years — the kinds of trends that come and go.
- We were early adopters of Nest thermostats and wrote about how we installed them. We still love ours and appreciate being able to control the temperature from bed.
- And, in case you’d forgotten what a Big Mouth Billy Bass looks like, we revisit that classic talking fish below.
Manhattan Nest
- Follow Daniel’s renovations on Manhattan Nest and his social channels to see thoughtful city and suburban updates and ongoing project photos.
- Pictured in his gallery are the kitchen from his current Kingston, NY house and the living room from his old Brooklyn apartment. He recently revealed a den makeover with clear before-and-after transformations.
- Daniel was also quoted in a New York Times piece about how the fiddle-leaf fig became the design world’s “it” plant.
We’re Digging
- My love of wet saws continues. A recent backsplash project reignited my enthusiasm, so here are a few saws worth considering for tile work:
- Ridgid 7″ Wet Saw with Stand — reliable sliding tray, stand, and laser guide.
- Skil 7″ Wet Saw — an affordable starter option that gets basic jobs done.
- DeWalt 4 3/8″ Masonry Saw — compact and portable, good for larger tile pieces if you have steady control.
- Kobalt 10″ Wet Saw with Stand — a higher-end choice with a larger blade, bigger work surface, and added features.
- Tsh Oxenreider’s travel memoir At Home in the World has given us the travel bug. Her blog and podcast are good resources if you’re bitten by the wanderlust too.
- Please take a couple of minutes to fill out our podcast listener survey — it helps us understand who you are and what you enjoy so we can deliver more of that in year two.
If you’re trying to find something we’ve featured in a past episode but can’t remember which show notes to open, we maintain a master list of everything we’ve been digging from past episodes.
Finally, thanks to Modsy for sponsoring this episode. Their renderings helped us reimagine a space and see furniture and scale clearly. We appreciate their support of the show.
Thanks for listening, everyone!
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