We recently passed the one‑year anniversary of moving furniture into our beach house, so this week we’re reflecting on how we kept our sanity while decorating an entire home all at once. Tackling many rooms at once exposed some weaknesses in our usual method of taking things slow and finishing one room at a time, and it gave us a few ideas that might help if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your own decorating project. We’re also recapping our trip to Chicago for the Domino Magazine Awards, defending a few controversial opinions (navy cabinets and smart locks, I’m looking at you), and confessing that Sherry bought something especially ugly for the house.
You can download the episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, or Spotify — or listen to it through whichever podcast app you prefer. Use this page to check out the photos and notes we referenced. Note: if you’re reading in a feed reader, you may have to click through to the post to see the audio player on the original page.
What’s New
- We were honored to be named Best Renovation Blog in the Domino Magazine 2018 Design Blog Awards. We’re truly flattered, humbled, and grateful to be recognized among so many talented bloggers and designers.
- Much of our event photography ended up as short Boomerang clips rather than stills, so if you want a better feel for the night, check our Instagram post where Sherry shared a bunch of those quick clips.
- Proof that Sherry was right about “flowers in trash cans” being a real and delightful thing: we spotted several creative arrangements that evening, which was a fun visual reminder that inspiration can come from unexpected places.
Updates
- That photo of the duplex mudroom sparked questions about whether we installed a smart lock. We did not — the lock is a keypad-style model without Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth. The “SmartKey” term in some listings simply refers to a rekeyable mechanism, not internet connectivity. It’s a bit larger than typical door hardware but matches our oil‑rubbed bronze finish, and equivalent finishes are available in nickel or brass if you prefer.
- If you’re curious about the gray tile we used in the mudroom, we’ve shared details elsewhere with photos and sourcing information so you can see the texture and scale up close.
- About our cabinet color: I once called it “navy,” but it’s actually a muted, grayed teal that sits between navy and peacock blue. Trends have been moving toward richer peacock and peacock‑adjacent hues, but our cabinets lean more toward a softened teal than a pure green or classic navy.
- For those following our crawlspace saga, we discussed solving a persistent mildew and odor problem with a crawlspace dehumidifier in Episode #103 — an update that helped improve our whole-house air quality.
Decorating a Whole House
It’s been just over a year since we first moved furniture into the beach house, so it’s fun to look back at the process and how rooms evolved. Some pieces stayed exactly where they were unloaded, while other items shuffled between rooms until everything felt right. For example, a neighbor’s coffee table base stayed put and later received a DIY concrete top, while art that started in the living room now hangs in the front bedroom.
- The main bedroom looked very different on move‑in day than it does now. Bedding and nightstands moved between rooms until sightlines, scale, and circulation felt more comfortable. We also swapped rugs between rooms when the pieces arrived and one fit better in a different spot.
- When you decorate an entire house at once, you learn to live with things for a little while, test layouts, and then make adjustments. That flexibility helped us avoid rushed choices and led to a more intentional final result.
We’re working on a full before‑and‑after post for the beach house, but until that’s ready you can view the majority of the finished rooms and the sourcing details on our Shop Our Beach House page. That page collects the products and materials we used so you can see what worked in each space.
We’re Digging
Small finds and practical purchases have been lifesavers lately. For example, Sherry uses a mirror that perfectly reflects the TV so she can watch her favorite shows while she moves around the room. We also added a NordicTrack treadmill to the bonus room for rainy or cold days; it’s been a great backup to outdoor walks and a surprisingly good motivator. Assembly took a couple of hours and works best with two people, so if an expert setup option is available, take it — it’ll save a lot of effort.
- On the style front, I’ve been wearing a couple of pairs of slim straight twill pants that feel like a good, affordable wardrobe staple. Sherry’s outfits for the awards event were classic and comfortable, too — the kind of pieces that travel well and look great in photos.
- If you’re looking for past recommendations from our show, we keep a master list of everything we’ve been digging, plus a Book Club page with the reading picks we’ve discussed over the years.
Finally, thanks to Grove Collaborative for sponsoring the episode. They offered a starter kit of cleaning essentials to new members — a helpful package if you’re stocking up for a new home or a seasonal deep clean.
Thanks for listening and reading — we appreciate your support as we continue to finish, tweak, and enjoy the beach house.
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