Our holiday break was full of family, laughter, and an unhealthy number of Ikea boxes filling the duplex. Over the break we tackled installing two kitchens — one on each side of the house — and today we’re sharing how the installation went, where it started slowly, and how we finally made steady progress. We also received an avalanche of helpful feedback from listeners about the small sleeping nook we discussed in our last episode, so we’ll explain the flexible sleeping solution we settled on and how it can work for different family setups. Plus, we tried a simple money-saving trick that paid off immediately and asked international listeners to share local home-design norms that might surprise us.
You can download the episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, or Spotify — or stream it via the embedded player below. If you’re reading in a feed reader you may need to open the post to see the audio player.
What’s New
- On Christmas morning the kids discovered the dollhouses we mentioned in Episode #124. We filled them with the furniture that came with one house and a surprise $35 box of accessories we found on Facebook Marketplace the evening before — a fun low-cost find that made the gift feel extra special.
- Sherry and the kids have already started customizing and repairing the miniature rooms. We’ll share more photos as they progress.
- Thanks to everyone who weighed in about the small sleeping nook on each side of the duplex. Your suggestions helped us land on a flexible solution using Ikea mattress platforms that can be arranged in multiple configurations to suit different families.
- Sherry made simple phone “renderings” showing three possible bed configurations we can achieve with the mattress bases we bought. They’re surprisingly helpful for visualizing the space and how the layouts flow.
- Many listeners recommended a pop-up trundle bed from Ikea, which was mentioned often. It’s a great option for people who want two twin mattresses on the same level to create a king, though it didn’t fit our chosen layout this time.
Pinterest 100 Game
- We referenced the Pinterest 100 list for inspiration this year and played our annual Pinterest 100 game on the podcast. It’s a fun way to see trends and test your intuition about what’s popular.
- Also, a reader makeover stood out: Angela painted her tiled bathroom floor using a stencil for under $75, transforming the space with minimal expense. It’s an easy, high-impact DIY if you want a budget-friendly change.
Design Norms Around the World
- After a UK listener suggested it, we asked listeners to tell us about home-design norms common in their countries or regions—especially where they differ from what we often discuss. Small differences, like typical laundry room placement or kitchen layouts, can be revealing.
- Please use the embedded Google Form below to share your region and any local design habits or rules of thumb you notice. We’ll compile responses and highlight trends in a future episode.
Duplex Kitchen Progress
- Those boxes represent roughly half of the cabinetry and parts delivered for both kitchens and laundry rooms — with a matching stack for the other side. It was a lot to unpack, and the first couple of days were slow as we sorted parts and planned layouts.
- Once we got a rhythm, installation sped up. We’ll publish a detailed post in a week or two with steps and tips that make installing an Ikea kitchen go more smoothly, based on this being our fourth time assembling one.
- One exterior wall was bowed and needed extensive shimming to keep the metal cabinet rail straight. It was time-consuming but well worth the effort for a level installation.
- By the end of the break we had the bulk of the cabinet frames in place. We still need toe kicks, hardware, countertops, appliances, and backsplash, but getting the cabinets set allowed us to template our counters and schedule appliance installation.
We’re Digging
- We recently used extra-long white waffle shower curtains in several bathrooms; they work well for 8-foot ceilings, and even longer versions are available for taller ceilings. We also use plastic liners matched to curtain length for durability.
- One simple tip: I bought discount coupons for a hardware store that saved over $50 on curtain rods and ring clips — small savings that really add up over multiple purchases.
- And on a lighter note, our family’s new favorite game is Headbanz — easy, silly, and fun for all ages.
If you want to find something we mentioned in a past episode but don’t remember which show notes to click into, we maintain a master list of everything we’ve highlighted on the podcast. There’s also a Book Club page listing every book we’ve recommended on the show.
This episode was sponsored by You Need A Budget (YNAB). They offered a free trial to listeners — thanks to YNAB for supporting the show.
Thanks for listening and for all the helpful feedback — we couldn’t do this without you!
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