What I've been up to...
When I planned on getting a pond dug for my wildlife here I knew I would need to keep the water moving or it would be nothing less then a breeding ground for mosquitoes and no one wants that in their back yard! Mosquitoes require standing water to hatch their eggs which usually takes 24-48 hours from start to finish. So, as long as the water is moving, their eggs can’t hatch so, even before I got my pond ready for water, I had already ordered five solar fountains. Read More »
I’ve been wanting to make a smash burger ever since I saw dozens of recipe videos that went viral. My favorite idea (which oddly I haven’t even tried yet) is spreading your raw ground meat onto a tortilla then cooking it meat side down “smashed” on a flat top until its done. Then you fold it in half around all of your favorite toppings and eat it like a taco. Smash burgers are much simpler, basically just ground meat that’s cooked on a flat top and smashed as they cook generally on top of finely sliced onions. Read More »
Like several things over the last ten years this room divider I made out of a privacy fence panel did not last forever. I really liked it for the years it was there though! I thought it was super cute and solved my problem entirely. With it gone this eyesore is still an eyesore though my Virginia creeper vine has just about covered it up in the summers. I’m planning on recreating my privacy fence divider using lattice and creating a “wall” to the north here beside the door to provide a north wind break in the winter. It will also give my vine something to climb on and cover up. Read More »
In early August 2026 with my divorce finally completely over and totally official forever I took four days off from my day job. With a consecutive six days off in a row it was my first real vacation since 2018, the year I met my ex husband. Yes, I did go on a couple of “vacations” while we were together but I did nothing I wanted to do and they were both truly terrible experiences for me. Never allow an abuser to take you away from your safety net: your car, your home, your family. I don’t know if I’ll ever trust going anywhere with anyone again or, at least not without my own mode of transportation: I.E. the ability to escape. Read More »
Recently...
Navigating Complex Housing Regulations in Northern California
Managing a residential property in Northern California is a complex task that requires a thorough knowledge of local laws and tenant protections. Real estate investors often rely on a skilled property manager San Francisco to oversee daily operations, ensure legal compliance, and maintain positive tenant relations. An experienced management professional provides invaluable market insight, guiding property owners to safeguard their financial investments as they deal with one of the country’s most strictly regulated housing markets. Read More »
From Weekend Projects to a Finished Yard: How to Plan Landscaping Before You Build
Building a beautiful yard one weekend project at a time can be satisfying, but starting with the most exciting task before planning the whole property often creates expensive rework. A patio can end up in the wrong sun exposure, a path can cut through a future planting bed, or irrigation lines may need to be moved after hardscaping is finished. Read More »
New Sink, Old Pipes: What DIY Renovators Should Check Before Upgrading a Kitchen or Bath
Thinking about swapping out an old kitchen sink or installing a new bathroom vanity? Before focusing on fixtures and finishes, check the plumbing that will serve them. Existing supply, drain, and vent piping can affect whether a fixture works properly and whether a seemingly simple replacement turns into a larger repair. A careful inspection before demolition can reveal leaks, corrosion, pressure problems, drainage issues, or code concerns while the work is still easy to address. Read More »
Modern Comforts for an Old House: How to Deal With Musty Smells and Stuffy Rooms
There’s no equivalent to the appeal of an old-style house; the original hardwood floors, the detailed woodwork, and the special architectural features give it a character that modern buildings seldom achieve. However, together with this historic quality comes a number of less desirable qualities. The ones most frequently found are a rather strong musty smell and upstairs rooms that always manage to feel unpleasantly stuffy. Read More »
Budget-Friendly Ways to Protect Outdoor Equipment Over Winter
Every fall I do the same walk around my property, looking at everything sitting outside that I know is about to get buried in snow. The grill, the ATV, the porch furniture, the firewood rack that never quite got finished. None of it is expensive to replace one piece at a time, but replace enough of it every few years and you start to notice the money adding up. A little bit of prep in October saves a lot of frustration (and cash) come spring. Read More »
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #523)
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #523. Whew it cooled down a lot here at night right down into the 40s for the next few days. Hopefully we still get some warm weather before everything turns on us. My mom is doing better after her ordeal but is still super weak and recovering. Makes my heart hurt! But she’s OK thank goodness. Now, on to the party! Read More »
Why Some Large Rooms Feel Inviting While Others Just Feel Big
If you save house tours, you have probably noticed that square footage does not predict how a room feels. Two great rooms can be the same size on paper, and one of them is somewhere you want to sit, while the other one makes you want to stand near a wall. That difference is set on the floor plan, before a single finish is chosen. It comes down to proportion, lighting, and how the room makes you feel when you walk in. None of it is mysterious once you know what to look at, and all of it is visible in a plan drawing if you know where to look. Read More »
Handmade Gifts for the Person Who Insists They Don’t Need Anything
I’ve written before about tracking down customized gifts for the people on my list who already have full closets, full garages, and zero patience for more clutter. Custom pieces still work, but somewhere between ordering another engraved cutting board and standing in my craft room surrounded by fabric scraps, I realized the gifts that actually get used are almost always the ones I made myself. Not because they’re fancier. Because someone can tell you sat down and spent your own time on them. Read More »
Planning a Home Renovation: The Structural, Plumbing, and Design Essentials
A renovation looks exciting on a mood board but suddenly messy once the drywall comes down. Homeowners often start with paint colors and cabinet finishes, then discover partway through the project that the real work was buried behind the walls all along. Old framing settles, pipes corrode, and moisture finds its way into places nobody thought to check until a contractor pulls back the first section of drywall. Read More »
The Homeowner’s Guide to Upgrading Outdoor Living Spaces
For many homeowners in the past, a backyard used to be an afterthought, a patch of grass they mowed on Saturday and mostly ignored the rest of the week. That has changed. More and more people treat outdoor space as a real room in the house, complete with its own furniture, lighting, and budget. Nowadays, real estate listings usually call out “outdoor living space” as a selling point the same way they would mention a finished basement or a renovated kitchen. Read More »
...from The Blog
Throwing back to how I Covered up an Outdoor Eyesore
Like several things over the last ten years this room divider I made out of a privacy fence panel did not last forever. I really liked it for the years it was there though! I thought it was super cute and solved my problem entirely. With it gone this eyesore is still an eyesore though my Virginia creeper vine has just about covered it up in the summers. I’m planning on recreating my privacy fence divider using lattice and creating a “wall” to the north here beside the door to provide a north wind break in the winter. It will also give my vine something to climb on and cover up. Read More »
August 2026 Fresh dinners out of my Garden and Pickling!
In early August 2026 with my divorce finally completely over and totally official forever I took four days off from my day job. With a consecutive six days off in a row it was my first real vacation since 2018, the year I met my ex husband. Yes, I did go on a couple of “vacations” while we were together but I did nothing I wanted to do and they were both truly terrible experiences for me. Never allow an abuser to take you away from your safety net: your car, your home, your family. I don’t know if I’ll ever trust going anywhere with anyone again or, at least not without my own mode of transportation: I.E. the ability to escape. Read More »
July 2026 – Growing Wildflowers, Vegetables and Loving my Pond!
July 2026 many of you have been asking for pictures of my pond and I’m finally to a point where I can share without being too embarrassed lol It was kind of a disaster for weeks. If you were wondering: NO this L-shaped ditch is not the pond I had envisioned. I, unfortunately, was not here when it was dug and apparently this is what the guy translated when I said, “A kidney shaped pond behind and around my garden.” I was confident I had explained it clearly but obviously our ideas of “kidney shaped” were very different. Read More »
June 2026 – Summer Somehow Flying By
June 2026 the month here that always flies by and we’re all left wondering how its July already and how are we really half way through the year!? Our weather in June was super extreme this year. We did get some rain though it came in with MAJOR storms so I never did have to actually water an acre of baby trees (yet) but early in the month we also actively saw extreme heat as well. Daily I looked out at my temp gauge in the direct sun on my deck and it was over 110 degrees. Read More »
May 2026 – Starting out for me with TREES!
My May 2026 started out with an email on the 7th that I had been waiting on since February. It was time to pick up my 350 tree seedlings! I got the email on a Thursday night at 5:30 and immediately my heart plummeted. Their times for pickup were Mon-Fri 8:30-4:00 so unless I was going to skip out on my day job I would have to get them that very next morning or my little seedlings would be sitting in a box all weekend and I couldn’t let that happen! Not that my boss didn’t know this was coming and would have been totally understanding – I still made it to work on time. Read More »
April 2026 – Starting with over a Foot of Snow
I mean to be fair it was April fools day when the first storm hit and, also to be fair, it ALWAYS snows here in April. But I was getting quite comfortable with the snow being gone. We saw highs in the 50s many days in March and the majority of our lakes went out. I even (finally!) tackled the disaster that was my front door with new electrical, a new outdoor light, patching and fixing the sheet rock and getting nearly to completion on the outside. And then the temps dropped and it snowed and snowed and snowed lol. Read More »
...from Do It Yourself
Adding a Filter to Solar Fountains for my Pond
When I planned on getting a pond dug for my wildlife here I knew I would need to keep the water moving or it would be nothing less then a breeding ground for mosquitoes and no one wants that in their back yard! Mosquitoes require standing water to hatch their eggs which usually takes 24-48 hours from start to finish. So, as long as the water is moving, their eggs can’t hatch so, even before I got my pond ready for water, I had already ordered five solar fountains. Read More »
Planting 350 Tree Seedlings on my Back Acreage
On May 7th I got the news that I had been waiting for since February. It was time to pick up my 350 tree seedlings! I got the email on a Thursday night at 5:30 and immediately my heart plummeted. Their times for pickup were Mon-Fri 8:30-4:00 so I would have to get them early that very next morning or my little seedlings would be sitting in a box all weekend and I couldn’t let that happen! (Not that my awesome boss wouldn’t have let me leave work early I hate to do that because our Fridays are our crazy busy days.) Read More »
Throwing back to my Beachy Fire Pit that I made for my Yard
Aw you guys look at the barn still standing so beautiful in the background! If you have a low budget, this is a great firepit that you can DIY yourself. I loved this fire pit for years until Lodi moved in and he hated it… Not sure why, maybe it just wasn’t nice or fancy enough for him. He also hated my idea of a blooming no-mow lawn. He got rid of it right away and then, over the years, we spent a lot of money putting in a weedless lawn over top of where it was. Yeah I’m going to be working really hard in replacing all that grass I helped pay for lol. A couple of years ago I did at least build myself a replacement firepit that I also love. Read More »
Paint and Stain Makeover – Jewelry Box my Grandparents’ Made
This little jewelry box has been waiting for me for a long time. Like with so many things I have around here many of them I’ve been keeping for as long as I can remember. Whether using them, living with them or decorating with them because I love them. Or, in this case, because one day I wanted to finish them. My grandparents retired from owning a dairy farm and converted their barn into the wood workshop of their dreams. They were very talented wood workers. They built dressers, hutches, end tables, you name it. They were particular and careful and very good with molding and finishing. Read More »
Throwback: Turning my Grandparents’ Milk Can into an End Table
My Mom and aunt grew up here together with my grandparents’ helping them farm and take care of the cows on their dairy farm. This was one of the last milk cans left from those long ago days. My Mom was needing an end table at the time and I had always planned to do something with it as well as give her this milk can anyway. Now, years later, my mom is using it as a planter but its still with her and I’m sure it always will be. I think it came out really cute! Read More »
Thrift Store Lamps Makeover for my new Guest Bedroom
In my post about finishing my guest room closet you guys saw a mirror I picked up at the thrift store specifically for this room. In the same trip I spent only $30 (!!!) on two lamps to complete the space. Just like the mirror though at least one of the lamps was dying for a makeover so I decided to spray paint all three of them in a chrome by Ace hardware. I had it on hand and thought it would add a little bling to the space. Coincidentally the mirror and one of the lamps was already practically in that same shade. Read More »
...from Home Tour
My Completed Guest Bedroom – It only took ten years!
It may have taken ten years but the room I designed to be an office is finally my office and this room, the room that was always meant to be a guest bedroom, is finally my guest bedroom. For those who have been following along you know this all started back when I was trying to make a guest bedroom out of the other, much smaller, far less private, room on my main floor. I can be totally dense sometimes but I finally got there in the end! I am so excited with how this room turned out and to show you my finished office soon too! Read More »
Throwing back all the way to my very first Kitchen Reveal
The last post I wrote about my kitchen was back in 2024 when I was doing my “ten years then and now” blog posts but besides that I haven’t given you guys an update on my kitchen since 2019! So, my little kitchen might be in need of a makeover and I do have some new things here to share with you guys. I’ve always found that I like cooking in galley kitchens more than any other design so I was happy that this home was ideal for that as I love to cook. Read More »
I Have a New Tool Room!
This whole reclaiming my house thing has been pretty cool but this worked out better than I could have hoped for. This room was a back hall with an outside door and big closet when Lodi moved in. He needed a gun room to lock because of his arsenal he wanted to start purchasing. With his arrest he is finally gone for good which has left me with this quite unnecessary “room” totally empty. He talked me into swapping the outside door here with the window in the guest bedroom and adding a wall and door to create this space. I really wish I hadn’t done any of that… but it turns out I might be able to get some use of it! Read More »
Rearranging Rooms all the way Back to 2017
So last month I shared a lengthy blog post with you guys about making the room that shares the big stained glass window with my living room into my guest bedroom again. Lodi had emptied the room in anticipation of making it into his studio /den. So the room was empty and I still needed a guest bedroom. We’re going to rewind now all the way back to 2015 when I renovated this home and created that room by enclosing the last of the screened in porch. At the time I designed it specifically to be an office. Read More »
Throwing Back to my first Office from the screened in Porch
I forget that this room was a porch once! Writing these once a month throwback posts, my ten year update posts as well as our current blog posts all at the same time has been really cool for me. We’re currently in the middle of working on this little room yet again. This is where it began and from there its transformed a number of times over the years. I think the current transformation in this room becoming Lodi’s den is the one that’s going to stick though I was so proud of this reveal post. I loved how my office turned out all those years ago! Read More »
Whole House Update – the saga of things snowballing around here
Checks notes: Ok… at this point the snowball effect going on around here has pretty much impacted the whole house lol so I thought I should do a house update with photos and a bit of a recap. It all started with my deciding our television just had to move to a different wall in our living room. (I made the mistake of proclaiming that it just could not go anywhere else in that space and my silly brain took that as a challenge…) I can’t blame it all on that though as I’d been silently just DYING to ditch our guest bedroom and give Lodi a den instead. Read More »
...from Recipes
My Ground Pork and Turkey Smash Burgers
I’ve been wanting to make a smash burger ever since I saw dozens of recipe videos that went viral. My favorite idea (which oddly I haven’t even tried yet) is spreading your raw ground meat onto a tortilla then cooking it meat side down “smashed” on a flat top until its done. Then you fold it in half around all of your favorite toppings and eat it like a taco. Smash burgers are much simpler, basically just ground meat that’s cooked on a flat top and smashed as they cook generally on top of finely sliced onions. Read More »
My Homemade Stock – Bone Broth Made SO Easy with Boiling Bags
It was over five years ago when I came out with my first ever food recipe here on the blog which was how I make homemade stock. Well, in the years since, I’ve found some short cuts that have made it SO much easier I had to share them here. First, I keep a gallon size zip lock bag in my freezer to catch all of my vegetable scraps and egg shells. Of course you don’t have to make this with anything else besides chicken but I love that I’m not wasting even egg shells as they’re an awesome source of calcium! Read More »
My Smoked Gouda Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta
I make this wonderful shrimp dish whenever I think I deserve to be spoiled. I don’t consider myself a “fancy” cook by any means – I’m definitely more about simple comfort food. But I think this recipe comes across as fancy even though it is really quick and easy to make. The lightness from the spinach and fresh tomatoes really cuts through the richness even though its wonderfully buttery and cheesy all the way through. Read More »
Aunt Sharon’s Lasagna with my Twist
My aunt Sharon’s lasagna recipe is one of those full proof crowd favorites that I’ve reached for often for any potluck or dinner party. Like any lasagna recipe it is a bit labor intensive and this one also has you making the tomato sauce from scratch. It is VERY worth it though! My aunt’s base recipe uses ground beef and the only vegetable added was onion. My version includes more veggies and I never have ground beef on hand so… Read More »
My Fresh Egg Bake, a light and easy meal for any time
For me any time of the day is a good time for breakfast! My got-to is a cheese omelet, the eggs whipped up with salt, pepper and parsley and cooked around a slice of American cheese. My mom’s go-to while I was growing up was two scrambled eggs and a slice of buttered toast. I know a lot of people add milk or something to their eggs but we never have. (Actually that’s why a lot of omelets turn into scrambled eggs.) I got into making breakfast burritos and egg muffins to keep in the freezer for easy meals but my lazy side was too much for making muffins. So, I started making egg bakes! Read More »
My German Mashed Potatoes with Sauerkraut and Ham
You do NOT need to like sauerkraut to love these potatoes! In fact, if you’re not a fan of sauerkraut, these mashed potatoes might just make you a believer. Something like twenty years ago now I ate in a little German restaurant down in Oklahoma and they served what they called warm German potato salad. It was roughly mashed potatoes mixed with a lot of mustard and served warm, not hot, not cold, served deliberately just a smidge above room temperature. They were also mixed generously with cream, butter, green onions and sauerkraut. For me it seemed like the dish couldn’t decide if it wanted to be potato salad or mashed potatoes… Read More »
...from Before and Afters
Cutting Down and Painting a Stool to fit a small Desk
I’m not sure why or when I ordered this little stool off of Amazon but its been floating around my house for years. As stools go its pretty basic and I’m not real fond of the “natural” wood color its trying to pull off. Its never really had a home but when I put my desk in my new guest bedroom it needed a stool. Unfortunately though it was a few inches too high. Fortunately though I know how to cut things. Read More »
Throwback to a cute little desk I picked up for $5 and updated
Goodness this post takes me back. This was before I got rid of that horrible wood stove in the middle of my kitchen and replaced it with a pellet stove. Conveniently the very spot I was filling in with this little desk was perfect for my new stove. I liked having a surface here on the other side of the sink though and this desk did that just fine. She isn’t with me anymore but I got years out of her for only $5 from a garage sale! Read More »
Throwing back to when I scored a Rocking Chair at an Estate Sale
Not everything is built to last and I haven’t been totally surprised that I don’t always still have the pieces from these throw back posts. That’s not the case with this big old rocking chair though. I’ve really grown to love it over the years and its currently back upstairs in my master bedroom where it feels like it belongs. Its sturdy. It was absolutely built to last and I love how handsome it became with the coat of sleek black paint I gave it. Read More »
Throwback to free Wicker chairs I gave a bold red makeover
My throwback this month was my score of these adorable little wicker chairs. I enjoyed them for several years after this makeover but, unfortunately, they didn’t last forever. It was my fault at least a little for leaving them outside one winter – wicker in northern Minnesota just isn’t going to make it for very long. I loved them when I had them though! They were surprisingly comfortable and I think they turned out so cute! Read More »
Throwing back to When I Refinished my Grandma’s Step Stool
I guess it was bound to happen with my going back with these throwback posts… But this one really makes me feel all kinds of bummed out as I no longer have Grandma’s old Cosco stool. It eventually broke down on me after I don’t even know how many years of working in this kitchen. It was a crappy day to say the least. I held on to it fully broken for months before finally parting with it. I’ll be the first to say that I never save anything for good. I’ll use the fancy stuff, the important stuff, the sentimental stuff every single day because stashing it away and “safe” somewhere makes no sense to me. But I miss this old stool, she worked hard for me for many years and always made me think of my Grandma. Read More »
Throwback to my Refinishing two Sweet Country End Tables!
A couple of end tables that turned out far better than I ever could have hoped… As far as before and afters goes I think this might be my proudest moment. I’m not sure what these end tables screamed before I refinished them but it wasn’t great. Maybe 70s basement? All they were missing was the wood paneling element… Honestly I wasn’t sure what was going to be under that orange stain (and years upon years of living) but as soon as I started sanding I was blown away. The solid wood tops on these were just absolutely GORGEOUS. Read More »
...from Link Party
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #523)
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #523. Whew it cooled down a lot here at night right down into the 40s for the next few days. Hopefully we still get some warm weather before everything turns on us. My mom is doing better after her ordeal but is still super weak and recovering. Makes my heart hurt! But she’s OK thank goodness. Now, on to the party! Read More »
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #522)
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #522. After that scare last week we’ve given my mom marching orders to take it easy. She’s doing just fine now though but I’m still recovering lol Every time my phone rings I’m already running for my car before realizing that everything is OK now. I’ve made about 25 quarts of refrigerator pickles and my garden shows no signs of slowing down yet even though our weather has really cooled off. Now, on to the party! Read More »
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #521)
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #521. My poor mom was air lifted to a much bigger hospital last week. She had a kidney infection that went from 0 to sepsis in all of just a couple of hours. Her heart couldn’t take it but her pacemaker didn’t go off like it should have. So they had to shock her twice. She’s ok now though it was terrifyingly touch and go for a few days. Oof. I feel like I could sleep for a week. Thank god she’s ok. Now, on to the party! Read More »
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #520)
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #520. Its already cooling off here at night down into the 40s but the daily heat is still summer-like for us. Its been really beautiful actually but we are still so far short on rain its just tragic. I’m so excited to report that I have several Acorn and Butternut Squash growing in my garden! I’ve never grown squash before so I can’t wait to try them. Now, on to the party! Read More »
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #519)
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #519. I tweaked my refrigerator dill pickle recipe by adding sugar to the brine and was super worried I may have just made 11 quarts of inedible pickles. One thing about pickles is you can’t really try them right away so you just don’t know. The recipe I was using was very good but REALLY tangy so I wanted to tone it down a little bit. I tried the ones I made from three weeks ago and I’m so relieved that they’re actually pretty good. Phew! Now, on to the party! Read More »
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #518)
Welcome to the To Grandma’s House We Go Link Party #518. I took four days off last week from my day job officially giving me six days off in a row and its just absurd how fast that time went. I swear I blinked and I was already back at my desk lol I never left the house and rarely changed out of my jammies except to work in my yard and garden. It was glorious. This day job stuff is for the birds! Now, on to the party! Read More »
...from Inspiration Board
OMG Pumpkins everywhere! Hometalk Fall Decor Inspiration board
Hometalk Fall Decor Inspiration board! Summer is absolutely my favorite time of the year – you will NEVER hear me complaining about the heat lol But I honestly think that’s a fact simply because fall and spring are such short seasons here in northern MN. Fall for us could truly last all of three weeks like our spring did this year! And that’s just depressing lol because that means we’re settling into at least four months of some serious cold and snow. Read More »
Hometalk’s Outdoor Projects I Can’t Wait to Build! Do it Yourself!
Inspiration Board of the Outdoor projects on Hometalk that I’ve been drooling over! I received a comment on my outdoor bench saying, “You’re SO crafty, that’s amazing!” And I admittedly got a bit offended, eventually I just laughed about it but I’m not sure how I can build a wrap around bench for my deck and still be called “crafty”. I could’t help but think that if I was a guy she certainly wouldn’t have looked at that bench and called him crafty! I am a builder at heart and I spend most of my time building things in my head or drooling over outdoor projects like these: Read More »
Let’s build some swings! Pinterest Do It Yourself Inspiration Board!
Well now that spring has FINALLY arrived, my dreaming has turned to swings! Let’s build some! These are some of my favorites I’ve found on Pinterest and stashed away for a later time because, seriously, who doesn’t want to swing away a beautiful summer day? Contrary to popular belief, I do NOT feel that swings are for kids in any way. Many of these are very grown up swings for us “adults” lol Read More »
Nooks and Getaway Places: Pinterest Inspiration Board
Nooks, crannies, special getaway places, some of my favorite escapes via Pinterest Inspiration board. It has been a very difficult few weeks here at Grandma’s House, tailing the end of a very, very hard year. I will tell you guys why and what’s been going on when I’m able to get my feet back under me again. To say the least though I have found myself on Pinterest, looking longingly at getaway places and nooks that promise quiet and PEACE. Read More »
Inspiration Board: Six more Summer Projects I can’t wait to build!
Six more summer projects I can’t wait to build for us outside and out on our deck! Some DIYs and things just have to wait for some nice weather not only for us to enjoy them but for us to build them as well. Currently I’m sitting here in late October and we have a winter storm warning 🙁 So, hears to dreaming about next summer and all the things to look forward to building. I posted earlier this year a few summer projects I just can’t wait to build but I’ve seen so many build projects on Pinterest I had to share a few more that I can’t wait to build next summer! Read More »
Inspiration Board: Gorgeous Bedrooms to swoon over!
I spend a certain amount of time on Pinterest gazing with my mouth open at some of the gorgeous bedrooms people have. As far as Inspiration Boards go I’ve published quite a few over the years but I think this one might take the cake. I am absolutely in awe of a few of these. Considering how much time we spend in our bedrooms (albeit it is with our eyes closed) I am a firm believer that they are a VERY important part of our homes. From gorgeous colour palettes to hardwood bedroom furniture options, there’s always amazing bedrooms to look at when you are scrolling through Pinterest. In fact, the inspiration doesn’t stop coming the moment you type in beautiful bedrooms into Google! So, without further adieu here’s some gorgeous bedrooms via Pinterest!! Read More »
...from Contributed
Navigating Complex Housing Regulations in Northern California
Managing a residential property in Northern California is a complex task that requires a thorough knowledge of local laws and tenant protections. Real estate investors often rely on a skilled property manager San Francisco to oversee daily operations, ensure legal compliance, and maintain positive tenant relations. An experienced management professional provides invaluable market insight, guiding property owners to safeguard their financial investments as they deal with one of the country’s most strictly regulated housing markets. Read More »
From Weekend Projects to a Finished Yard: How to Plan Landscaping Before You Build
Building a beautiful yard one weekend project at a time can be satisfying, but starting with the most exciting task before planning the whole property often creates expensive rework. A patio can end up in the wrong sun exposure, a path can cut through a future planting bed, or irrigation lines may need to be moved after hardscaping is finished. Read More »
New Sink, Old Pipes: What DIY Renovators Should Check Before Upgrading a Kitchen or Bath
Thinking about swapping out an old kitchen sink or installing a new bathroom vanity? Before focusing on fixtures and finishes, check the plumbing that will serve them. Existing supply, drain, and vent piping can affect whether a fixture works properly and whether a seemingly simple replacement turns into a larger repair. A careful inspection before demolition can reveal leaks, corrosion, pressure problems, drainage issues, or code concerns while the work is still easy to address. Read More »
Modern Comforts for an Old House: How to Deal With Musty Smells and Stuffy Rooms
There’s no equivalent to the appeal of an old-style house; the original hardwood floors, the detailed woodwork, and the special architectural features give it a character that modern buildings seldom achieve. However, together with this historic quality comes a number of less desirable qualities. The ones most frequently found are a rather strong musty smell and upstairs rooms that always manage to feel unpleasantly stuffy. Read More »
Budget-Friendly Ways to Protect Outdoor Equipment Over Winter
Every fall I do the same walk around my property, looking at everything sitting outside that I know is about to get buried in snow. The grill, the ATV, the porch furniture, the firewood rack that never quite got finished. None of it is expensive to replace one piece at a time, but replace enough of it every few years and you start to notice the money adding up. A little bit of prep in October saves a lot of frustration (and cash) come spring. Read More »
Why Some Large Rooms Feel Inviting While Others Just Feel Big
If you save house tours, you have probably noticed that square footage does not predict how a room feels. Two great rooms can be the same size on paper, and one of them is somewhere you want to sit, while the other one makes you want to stand near a wall. That difference is set on the floor plan, before a single finish is chosen. It comes down to proportion, lighting, and how the room makes you feel when you walk in. None of it is mysterious once you know what to look at, and all of it is visible in a plan drawing if you know where to look. Read More »