Every home comes with a few baffling design challenges, and ours is no different. Since we promised a behind-the-scenes look for our blogiversary week, here’s an honest tour of the quirks we inherited and the practical fixes we used to make each space feel more intentional and livable.
House Quirk #1: The bedroom window above our bed was far from centered — more than a foot off to the right. Instead of rebuilding the wall, we solved it visually: wide, neutral curtains hung well beyond the window edges. By extending the drapery beyond the actual window opening, the whole built-in wall reads as balanced and calm. A smart, inexpensive fabric solution beat a major structural change, and a $25 curtain set gave the room instant harmony.
House Quirk #2: A large steel fuse box dominated the corner of our den. It was one of those features you notice every time you walk into the room. Our solution was low-tech but effective: we created a functional mudroom-style entry in that area. A fresh coat of paint, a row of practical hooks, and a bit of staging concealed the fuse box while adding storage for coats and bags. Opening up sightlines by widening the doorway to the sunroom, improving the passage into the kitchen, and laying continuous hardwood through the adjoining rooms helped the whole area feel bright, purposeful, and unified.
Paint is often underrated as a design tool: it hides inconsistencies, lightens surfaces, and visually ties unrelated elements together. In our case, it erased the hardware-heavy vibe of that corner and made the mudroom feel like it belonged to the house originally.
House Quirk #3: The living room greeted us with a dated wooden divider with a stained glass panel and a patch of faux-stone linoleum in the entry. The divider felt like a barrier to the space, so out it went. After a few confident swings of the hammer, the divider was gone and the room immediately felt more open.
We initially planned to disguise the linoleum with an oversized natural-fiber rug, but the size and shape proved awkward. Then we discovered something even better: the linoleum had been laid directly over the original hardwood. After carefully prying it up, a beautiful, intact wood floor revealed itself underneath. It was a payoff we hadn’t dared to hope for — no heavy refinishing, no patchwork, just real wood waiting to be enjoyed. A modest welcome mat now takes care of dirt at the door, but there’s no need to hide the floor any longer.
House Quirk #4: Our den had clearly been an addition. When the 1970s extension was built, a former exterior window was simply bricked over. The patchwork brick was dusty and mismatched, creating a visual sore spot against darker beams and paneling. Rather than hiding the wall, we unified the finishes. A coat of paint brightened the brick, the beams, and the paneling, turning an awkward patch into an intentional surface. The room felt cohesive almost immediately and the previous “afterthought” look disappeared.
House Quirk #5: When we moved in, neither bathroom had an electrical outlet — yes, really. That left me drying my hair in the chilly sunroom during winter because it was the only space with a nearby plug and a mirror. The practical and correct fix was simple: we hired a licensed electrician to install a double outlet by the bathroom mirror. For a modest fee, the bathroom became functional in the way you’d expect, and everyday routines became more comfortable and efficient.
Small, practical investments — like thoughtful paint choices, a few well-placed hooks, uncovering existing materials, or adding an outlet — often make the biggest difference. The fixes don’t have to be dramatic to create more usable, attractive rooms. We tackled each problem with a mix of creativity, basic tools, and a willingness to try low-cost solutions before committing to bigger renovations.
What about your home? Do you have a persistent design flaw you can’t shake, or a clever solution you’re proud of? We’ve shared ours—now we’d love to hear about your wins and workarounds.
Update — Curious about particular items or paint colors we used in our house? We put together a visual guide of many of the things you see here for easy reference.
