The dining room sold me on the house with the built-in buffet, the plate rail, the picture rail, the swinging door, and the room dividers. Swoon! But, I ended up just putting random tchotchkes behind the leaded glass, and filled the drawers with junk. It was nothing to write home about and I feel bad for neglecting it for so long. So, I gave it a quick weekend refresh!
Read MoreIt’s almost time to start demo on my kitchen to make way for the new space, so this is my last chance to share whatever can be shared about the current iteration of the kitchen!
As you probably recall, the kitchen was just a phase 1 makeover to hold us over until our full remodel. I thought it would only be like this for 6 months, but it’s been over 4 years. Oops. Because I didn’t want to dump a bunch of money or time into the makeover, I did some quick cosmetic fixes. They weren’t designed to hold up for a long time, but some of them have. Here’s a full report.
Read MoreI shared a photo of me wearing my favorite overalls on Instagram Stories and got a flood of questions about them. So, here I am to tell you about what I like to wear when doing messy projects.
Read MoreOnce we removed the existing plantings and regraded our dirt pile, it became obvious that there was some stucco repair to be done. I’m here to share what I did, how I did it, and give you some satisfying before and afters to enjoy.
Read MoreIt’s spring which is a great time for outdoor projects big and small. A quick, effective, and high-impact upgrade is a refreshed fence and some florals, so I’ve got both for you.
Read MoreToday, I have a gift guide for the old house lover in your life. Whether they are restoring an old house or they simply like admiring old houses, this list ought to help you check off a few items from your shopping list.
Read MoreToday's collection of gifts are for the DIYer, crafter, tinkerer, and maker in your life!
Read MoreIT'S DONE!! I've officially completed my THIRD One Room Challenge and what a journey! The ORC has been such a big part of my home and blog - HALF of my house has been transformed through the design challenge. I'm so proud and grateful to participate! I mean, look at this new bedroom I get to sleep in, now!
Read MoreOMG it's week five of the One Room Challenge! The moment we've all been waiting for - the new exterior door was installed, and boy is it a beaut. We also built a deck this week (so I didn't fall to my death out the new door) and painted the room in the prettiest hues.
Read MoreGuess what! I've decided to do a One and a Half Room Challenge with outdoor seating! The new back door will give access to the outdoors, which is such a great way to expand the size of our master. The problem is, our backyard isn't so great.
Read MoreIt's week three of the One Room Challenge! I spent this past weekend on adding a board & batten style wall treatment, so I'm here to give you the DIY tutorial of adding the simple detail to your walls!
Read MoreThe kitchen has seen a wild transformation! So far, I've shared the plans, the concrete counter DIY, and three tutorials for adding more work space - check out those posts here. But the floors! The new flooring made the kitchen into a wonderfully different space - a big improvement from the sad termite-filled fir. I couldn't have been more excited to get started on the quick/cheap/transformative project of giving my kitchen floors a fresh buffalo check pattern. This DIY kitchen transformation using vinyl floor tiles is among my favorites yet - and it costs about as much as it does to paint a room!
Read MoreWhat I’ve been up to - from gardening, to film photography, and the books and shows we’re enjoying. Plus a house tour that requires a closer look, grass seed to always have on hand, cedar shake excitement, historic window screens, and the privilege I’m reminded of daily.
Hammocks, cookbooks, gardening, sewing, and the other things I’ve been up to on my impromptu break, and more.
Where I’ve been, shooting on film, my dream house, retro costume inspiration, energy rebates, a magic cake, textiles I don’t need but want, a lampshade DIY, my best defense against mosquitos, a new podcast, what’s killing home remodelers, best decision-making advice, overheard parenting, Little Women on acid home tour, best marble etch remover, and more.
If you like florals and color, this bathroom is for you. If you don’t, well, maybe scroll through and you’ll be converted? Or not? Either way, here’s the reveal of a bathroom addition that’s finally here - after a whole three years of construction.
My baby is two! Time’s flying… we wish we could slow down these years… I can’t believe she’s two… and all those other cliché things to say. We celebrated her second trip around the sun in our backyard with a small gathering of friends.
What I’m binge watching, the things I ordered for summertime fun, an incredible legacy, ranking films, a dozen things to say to your kids daily, design decisions, sibling bonds, and more.
I have such love for my historic house, but I’ve shamefully been neglecting the exterior paint. The tired finish was peeling and the faded colors did no justice to the architectural beauty of my 1915 craftsman bungalow. It was time for a change - a transformation that would honor the home's history while infusing it with fresh energy.
Ashley has been restoring her craftsman bungalow since early 2015. The Gold Hive chronicles the journey of DIYs, restorations, renovations, and stories.
I'm Ashley, a type-A homebody fixing up my historic home at a snail’s pace in California. I share home improvement DIYs, tips for sustainable living, and renovation stories - all while aiming to add more color and present real, lived-in spaces.
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Margot is getting an upgraded room to make space for baby sister in the nursery.
With an additional family member, we want to shuffle the rooms of our 3-bedroom house around. The one off the living room was being used as my home office, so now it’s time to convert it into an actual bedroom. The initial thought was to give this room to baby sister and keep Margot in her room. But we ultimately decided to put the baby in the room designed to be a nursery, then convert the home office into a space designed for a bigger kid. Plus, the office has more windows, and is right off the living room (Margot’s playroom) so it’s better suited for all the daytime play, whereas the single-window nursery is cozier for lots of daytime naps.