We seem to have a sore spot when it comes to tubs, and the duplex renovation has been no exception. Today we’re sharing how a strategic, money-saving decision trimmed about 30% off a major renovation cost — and sent us on an unexpected tub-induced stress spiral. We also have updates on painting our brick house white, a somewhat gross backyard experiment to keep deer from eating our plants, and whether Sherry is still called “Laura” in Cape Charles. Plus: the pros and cons of laundry-room locations, and guidance on when to choose varied wall colors versus a single whole-house color that ties everything together.
If you prefer to listen, this episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify. Check the episode notes below for links, photos, and more.
What’s New
- That photo shows one of our tubs in place. Despite the stress and planning, the tub and the rest of the plumbing were installed relatively smoothly.
- Another photo below shows Sherry spotting and rescuing our second tub from the very top shelf at Home Depot. I’m still impressed she found it up there.
- We chose the Delta Classic 400 tub because it has a fairly straight, timeless front and offered good value for the price.
- Victory photo of having both tubs in hand. I love that Sherry had Sean take this celebratory shot.
Updates
- If you missed our earlier conversation about painting our brick house white, see Episode #101 for the full discussion. Below are some renderings that helped sway the Instagram polls.
- We plan to use Rombio BioDomus II mineral paint for the brick. The warranty and the mineral paint’s properties make it appealing; we’ll share more details as the project progresses.
- If you missed our backyard experiment to deter deer, that story is in Episode #99. We’ve been using Liquid Fence for three weeks with no signs of deer damage. The manufacturer recommends weekly applications for the first two weeks, then monthly maintenance; we’ve applied weekly for the first three weeks and still have plenty of product left.
- The original story of Sherry being called Laura is in Episode #59 — a favorite anecdote of ours.
Listener Questions
- The photo above shows our upstairs laundry room in Richmond; below is our downstairs laundry area at the beach house. We were asked about preferred laundry locations and ran a poll to get listener feedback.
- The poll asked which laundry setup people prefer — upstairs, downstairs, garage, basement, or mudroom — and invited listeners to consider how their lifestyle affects that choice (for example, sandy feet at the beach house changes things).
(POLL HAS ENDED)
- Sherry also ran a version of the question specifically for beach homes to highlight how location and family habits (towels, sandy feet) influence the preferred laundry spot.
(POLL HAS ENDED)
- Lauren asked about our approach to color: our beach house is painted one continuous color (Sherwin Williams White Heron), while our Richmond house uses a variety of neutrals. Practical reasons influenced that choice: we painted our Richmond house ourselves over time and used multiple colors, while the beach house was painted all at once by hired painters. If starting over, we might use fewer colors in Richmond, but we don’t regret discovering favorites through that process.
- We often use Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray in sunlit rooms like the bedroom, office, dining room, and foyer. Lighter, cooler neutrals such as Behr’s Irish Mist work well in lower-light back rooms like our bonus room and kitchen.
- Other one-off colors include Benjamin Moore’s Going to the Chapel in our son’s room and laundry, Simply White in the living room, Revere Pewter in a closet, and Sparrow as a dark accent in a guest bedroom.
We’re Digging
- For Father’s Day I got an inflatable stand-up paddleboard that we’ve used a lot this summer. Our favorite moments are small family escapes to the bay at sunset — the water is shallow and calm, which makes it great for family paddling.
- We chose the 11-foot board (there’s also a 10.5-foot version). The 11-footer has been dependable for our outings, and because the bay is calm, we can sometimes carry extra passengers.
- I highly recommend the electric pump — it plugs into a 12V car outlet and automatically shuts off at the desired PSI. It makes inflating and deflating fast and easy.
- On a different note: Sherry discovered a new mascara she loves, and she’s pictured wearing it (and her Invisalign) in the selfie below.
If you want to revisit products and topics we’ve covered in past episodes, see our master list of items we’ve been digging from previous shows.
Thanks to Grove Collaborative for sponsoring this episode. They offered a special welcome set and a VIP membership incentive for listeners who sign up and make an initial purchase.
Thanks for listening!
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