We hit a few frustrating delays with our beach duplex renovation, but a small technicality finally let us move forward with demolition. Gotta love a loophole. In this update we share the workaround that got us started, what surprising things we uncovered during demo, and how our approach to buying home items online has changed. We also offer practical tips for minimizing risk when purchasing unseen items (including how to find more reviews and which items we still won’t buy sight unseen). Plus: a case for rethinking your shower curtain choice and whether a weighted blanket has actually helped Sherry sleep better.
What’s New
- If you missed the full background on what’s kept us from going full speed on the duplex, see our detailed blog post about the hurdles we’ve faced.
- That brown pile on the left side of the porch roof in the photo is part of a squirrel nest that had been pulled out of the HVAC system during demo.
- We got a wild peek at both staircases when demo opened up the center wall that normally divides the units. It was thrilling to see that volume, even though we plan to re-install the dividing wall and keep the property a duplex. Demo also revealed a few concerning conditions that we’re documenting in a full follow-up post, along with updated floor plans.
- We’re taking advantage of a local tax incentive program in Cape Charles that helped make the timing of this project possible. We covered the program in a previous podcast episode where we go into more detail.
Updates
- The photo above shows our 2017 “Family Yearbook” made with Blurb. I’m planning a blog post that walks through the process, shows interior spreads, and compares the experience to our old MyPublisher books. Pro tip: Blurb does offer a trim area guide, but you need to enable it manually under the View menu—something I missed until after recording.
- We also revisited our experience with a weighted blanket I got Sherry for Christmas. We first discussed it in an earlier podcast episode; in short, it’s been promising but not a miracle cure.
Listener Question
- Above is the glass shower pane we ordered online for the en-suite bathroom—a bold online purchase, but it arrived and installed nicely. The decorative basket pictured was bought in store, and the marble-and-wood side table we referenced is shown nearby.
- Another item we ordered online beyond our usual comfort zone was a compact Haier refrigerator for the beach house pantry. It fit perfectly and performed well, which increased our confidence for other larger online purchases.
- We’ve written about buying mattresses online and our mixed experience with ordering couches after past disappointments — those posts might help if you’re debating big furniture purchases over the internet.
- One challenge with shopping online is inconsistent product photography. For example, two listing photos of the same nightstand showed noticeably different undertones in the wood—one orange, one peach. Seeing the piece installed in a blogger’s bedroom helped confirm the true color and convinced us to buy. Below is a photo we took to represent the nightstand’s real-life medium wood tone.
We’re Digging
- The downstairs bathroom has 9-foot ceilings, so we chose an extra-long 8-foot shower curtain (96″ x 72″) and a matching long liner. They’ve worked perfectly and visually balance the room’s height.
- The upstairs hall bath has standard 8-foot ceilings, so we used 7-foot curtains and liners there. Replacing standard 6-foot curtains with a taller option makes the room feel noticeably taller and more polished. Wash new curtains before hanging to account for any shrinkage.
- For curtain hardware we used a lightweight tension rod upstairs and a heavier-duty tension rod downstairs where the opening was wider. Both have held up well—no falls, even with lots of steam and movement.
- The sink vanity in the downstairs bathroom has a smooth tiled marble top with ample counter space and two practical drawers. The accent tile in the shower looks high-end and photographs beautifully in person.
- On a lighter note, for runners I’ve been enjoying guided workouts from the Nike Run Club app—”Deuces” and “Rhythm And Roll” are two favorites. And we’ve been enjoying Chocolate Hazelnut Oreos. Enough said.
If you’re searching for something we’ve featured in a past episode but can’t remember where, we keep a master list of all the things we’ve been digging in past shows.
Finally, thank you to HANDy Paint Products for sponsoring this episode. We love the HANDy Paint Cup with the brush magnet and the HANDy Paint Tray for rolling—it makes moving a roller across the room much easier. You can find HANDy Paint Products wherever you buy paint.
Thanks for following along.
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