Sherry has taken on a new side job that I’m politely avoiding, and — spoiler — it already gave her a perfect excuse to go shopping. We also missed our goal of spending a night at the beach house by the start of summer, thanks to an unexpected delay we couldn’t foresee. On top of that, we discuss which home design trends people are starting to tire of (shiplap? succulents? decorative poufs?), and I checked an annoying outdoor task off my list for Father’s Day. And yes, there was a deer sighting.
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What’s New
- Above is an after photo of the house Sherry “lightly staged.” She didn’t move in new large furniture — just pared things down, rearranged a few pieces, simplified the styling, and added pillows, artwork, and a few accessories. Removing the personal clutter made the room feel calmer and allowed potential buyers to focus on the architecture and flow of the space. Sherry also loves using a pitcher and a few vases filled with yard clippings for quick, free greenery. Little changes, big impact.
- The house received multiple offers within a day of being listed, which was very exciting. Sherry celebrated in classic dramatic fashion — imagine hands-on-cheeks and a cheerful shout of “Ssssold!”
- If you want to hear more about Sherry’s staging approach and some of the larger DIY projects involved in prepping a home for sale, listen to Episode #41 of the podcast where we walk through those efforts in more detail.
- We also visited the beach house recently to check progress. The exterior is starting to look much more finished than the interior, so there’s visible forward motion even though there’s still a lot to do inside.
- We didn’t get a photo of the fawn this time, so here’s one from a couple of years ago — still adorable and very hungry.
What Home Decor Trend Has To Go?
- We debated several design trends head-to-head in a reader poll and encouraged listeners to weigh in. Trends that often come up as divisive include shiplap, mass-produced succulents, oversized decorative poufs, and elaborate charcuterie and cheese board styling.
- Sherry has been seeing a lot of stylized cheese boards and grazing boards in her social feeds — one click leads to a stream of ads and suggestions. They’re visually tempting, but they’ve also become ubiquitous to the point where they can feel like a gimmick.
Can We Just Talk About…
- There’s been chatter online about reality TV shows staging or scripting certain scenes. Stories about shows doing guided or partially staged scenes have circulated for years, and similar revelations about property shows and home-improvement programming date back well over a decade.
- When these stories resurface we’re not always surprised: behind-the-scenes production practices for entertainment are common, and shows often craft moments for narrative clarity or pacing. That doesn’t mean every scene is fake, but it’s worth remembering that television producers shape stories to engage viewers.
- Some home-focused shows will present furnished “after” photos that don’t always reflect how the space looks months later, especially after homeowners move in and personalize or change staging furniture. That changeability is a normal part of real life — and of the home market — rather than a mystery.
- Game shows and competition formats have also seen scrutiny over how spontaneous certain moments appear. Again, the takeaway is that television balances authenticity with production needs.
We’re Digging
- We’re happy to see some popular furniture and home products available through multiple retailers for convenience, though price differences can make buying direct from the brand the better value when possible. If an item is hard to find in-person, online marketplaces can be a helpful option.
- I linked back to an old post about the first time we mulched this yard because it’s a funny reminder of how outdoor projects evolve over time. This year the delivery driver dumped the mulch about 15 feet short of the marked area and right on the lawn, which meant extra work to move it to the correct bed.
If you’re trying to find a topic we covered in a past episode but can’t remember which show notes to open, we keep a master list of everything we’ve discussed across episodes to help you track down the episode you want.
Finally, thanks to Delta for sponsoring the episode. We appreciated the chance to look at the inspiration and design behind their products, including the Cassidy line.
Thanks for listening, everyone!
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