2018 Project Preview

2017 was a record year for launching the blog, doing two One Room Challenges, and sharing the renovation progress of the bathroom and kitchen. But, 2018 is going to be the year of major remodels! Here's to hoping we can tackle each of the projects outlined below.

If you missed my 2017 recap, be sure to look through it to see how far we've come already.

1. The Kitchen

This will definitely be the biggest project of the year because it’s an entire gut job for a pretty big footprint - plus, it's a kitchen. I’m still in the planning stages but I’m getting oh-so-anxious about a more efficient layout and cabinets that aren’t falling apart. Our current kitchen takes up a roughly 18’x17’ space (including the two mudrooms) which we'll demo, then reconfigure to fit a bathroom and closet for the nearby master bedroom. Which brings me to item number two.

2. The Master Bath

Have I mentioned we have one bathroom? We want to add an ensuite off the master bedroom. It will use some of the footprint of the existing kitchen and we’ll build it all from scratch with new plumbing and everything. We’ll do a nice sized shower, a window to the backyard, and a vanity with oodles of storage. I can’t wait!

3. The Master Closet

Along with the kitchen and bathroom configuration, we’ll carve out some room for the master closet. Our current closet is quite petite. It works for our needs because we aren’t big clothes people, but considering we store suitcases and linens in another closet, and accessing 1/3 of our clothes is a struggle, we could definitely use room to spread out and get more appropriately arranged storage. We hope to create a 5’x7’ walk-in closet that will also house drawers so we can do away with the dresser in the bedroom.

4. The Master Bedroom

Since we’re messing with the master closet and master bathroom, we might as well do the master bedroom, too, right?? The current room has mismatched Craigslist furniture that I bought when we lived in our apartment five years ago. If you recall from Instagram, we moved our bed as a test for the new layout and we ended up having weird dreams for a couple of weeks. That better not be a permanent.

5. The Backyard

When the kitchen configuration changes, the door to the backyard will move. This one small change to the layout has been the primary reason we haven’t tackled the backyard. We wouldn’t know where the kitchen door would lead, and we still don’t know if we’ll add backyard access from the master. So, we haven’t relandscaped in fear of putting a door directly in front of a shrub. Once the kitchen layout is 100% finalized, I’m going to be ready to rip off the temporary deck, haul away (or cut into pieces) the 8-person jacuzzi that we never use, and add some fresh plantings.

6. The One Room Challenge

I’m so honored to have won the One Room Challenge along with my friend Natasha. House Beautiful magazine selected us as the top two room transformations, so we have automatically been added to the list of featured designers in the spring 2018 event! I still don’t entirely know what room I’m going to do or what my plans will be, so stay tuned!

7. Share The Front Yard Landscape

Last year, we upgraded the front elevation of the house with some cosmetic exterior changes and a garden in the front yard. We’ve enjoyed this exterior space for awhile now but I haven’t shared it on the blog, so stay tuned for posts on how I repaired the stucco on the house and designed a low-water garden.

8. Share The Laundry Move

Did you notice that the laundry used to live in the kitchen? Last year, we hid it in a secret spot. Maybe I'll tell you where we put it.

Blog Preview

I have a few goals for the blog itself, too!

Open an online shop: I have some cool vintage finds that I'd love to give to a new home, and I'd be happy to put my art school degree to work by selling some of my own pieces. Perhaps art prints of the mural I hand-painted?

Create videos: I published my first-ever video last year and want to keep experimenting with the medium in 2018. Click that red subscribe button to follow my YouTube channel.

Post more: This year I've posted 2-3 posts a week, and I hope to maintain that schedule if not increase to 4+ times a week.

Share the messy stuff: I plan to show more behind-the-scenes, the struggles of fixing up an old house, and the minutia of maintaining a home.

Support artists: I want to buy more original art for my home and promote the creators that inspire me.

FOLLOW ALONG!

Don't miss out on what I have coming up in the new year!

• Subscribe to emails (get an email each time I post, or once a week)

• Read on Bloglovin' (get all the posts, but in the app)

• Admire on Instagram (see photos that never make it to the blog and watch my Stories)

• Follow on Facebook (pretty much the same as Instagram and blog posts, but no Stories)

• Subscribe on YouTube (I hope to do more than one video in 2018!)

• Pin with me on Pinterest (see what inspires me before I implement the design in my home)

To see before and afters of each room, click here and to shop the house, click here. Fingers crossed I can accomplish everything I hope to tackle in the new year!

2017 - A Year In Review

We're a week into the new year, and I'm still reflecting on 2017. I started the blog early last year (it's still an infant!) so 2017 was a milestone. Want to walk down memory lane and revisit the blog post highlights from the past year? Let's go backward in time, shall we?

1. The Office and A Mural - One Room Challenge, Fall Edition

I nearly didn't participate in the latest ORC and decided to do it only a couple of days before I wrote the week one post - but boy, am I glad I took the risk! I painted a mural and reconfigured the whole room with a dining table for a desk, and a hacked IKEA unit for custom office storage. After all that, I'm honored to have been selected by the Editor in Chief of House Beautiful Magazine as one of the top two winning guest participants out of over 200! Here are each of those posts:

2. The Bathroom

We updated the bathroom before moving in, because it's the only one in the house. So, we technically didn't do this space in 2017, but I recapped it and shared it with you last year, then continued to make updates up until a few months ago. The bathroom was gutted and rebuilt to have a classic look to match the style of our 1915 home. Now, I'm smitten with it.

3. The Den - One Room Challenge, Spring Edition

I've always taken a slow decorating approach, letting a room evolve as I find individual pieces over time. So, being challenged to transform a room from start to finish in 6 weeks was totally new to me. During my first One Room Challenge experience, I gave our second bedroom a bold wall color, added picture rail molding and new art, and reupholstered a chair. Now it's the perfect room for viewing all of my favorite shows.

4. The Kitchen

I updated the kitchen with new paint, hardware, and concrete countertops before moving in. Then, in early 2017 I installed new flooring (and made my first ever video!) just in time to plan demolishing all of it in 2018. Stay tuned for what's to come during phase 2!

5. The Living Room

The living room isn't done but it's slowly getting better. We added new chairs and I refinished the bookcases in 2017 - small changes but they make such a big difference.

5. The House

We bought the house in early 2015, but since the blog didn't exist at the time, I revisited it in 2017. I reflected on the house buying process from our experience hunting to my recommendation to tour 100 houses. Then, I laid out each of the rooms of the house in the full before tour. I can't believe how far it's come! Before moving in, we refinished the floors, retextured the walls, and got rid of the stench. Now it's the perfect canvas to keep tweaking for years to come.

Follow Along!

Well, those were the majority of the projects from 2017. I have SO much more coming in the new year, so follow with any (or all) of the following ways:

• Subscribe to emails (get an email each time I post, once a week, or once a month)

• Read on Bloglovin' (get all the posts, but in the app)

• Admire on Instagram (see photos that never make it to the blog and watch my Stories)

• Follow on Facebook (pretty much the same as Instagram and blog posts, but no Stories)

• Subscribe on YouTube (I hope to do more than one video in 2018!)

• Pin with me on Pinterest (see what inspires me before I implement the design in my home)

To see before and afters of each room, click here and to shop the house, click here. Later this week I'll be sharing what I have planned for 2018. See ya then.

My Go-To Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Happy New Year! Everyone's new year's resolution was to eat more desserts, right? Well, for those of you aiming to up the pie intake, here's a recipe for you inspired by yesterday's lemon haul. The tree in our front yard was weighed down by lots of citrus, so I plucked most of them off and spent a few hours squeezing the lemons. Check out a video of the process I made in my Instagram Stories. I now have enough juice to last us through 2018 - and probably into 2019!

This is my go-to lemon meringue pie recipe that I adapted from three different recipes and then tweaked throughout the years. Ross' grandmother reminds me each time I serve it, that she normally hates anything with lemon, but she loves this pie.

Ingredients

Crust:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
¾ cup ice water

Filling:

4 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ cup boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Meringue:

4 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
6 tablespoons sugar

Prepare the crust

Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender (or, a cheese grater - thanks, Joy the Baker!) incorporate the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse meal. You want large bits of butter! Drizzle in the ice water and combine with your hands. Dump the mixture onto a floured work surface then knead into a ball. Cut the dough in half and shape into two 1-inch thick disks, wrap in plastic wrap (or a more sustainable wrap) then pop in the fridge for at least an hour.

Roll out one of the dough disks (freeze the other and use another time) on the floured work surface and roll (I like a french rolling pin) out to fit into a 9-inch pie pan. Put into your pie pan of choice (I like ceramic pans), poke the bottom with a fork a few times, then decorate the edges as you like. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the pie weights and cook longer until the crust is golden. Set aside and let cool.

Prepare the filling

In a large sauce pan, whisk the sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Whisk while gradually pouring in the boiling water. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture becomes thick and translucent. Turn off the heat, place a dollop of the mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, and mix together to temper the eggs. Mix the eggs into the mixture, turn on the heat to medium, and stir until you see large breaking bubbles. Remove from heat and mix in the lemon juice, zest, and butter. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the Meringue

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites, vanilla, and lemon juice until soft peaks form. Continue to beat while gradually adding the sugar until stiff peaks form.

Prepare the pie

Pour the meringue mixture into the crust. Dollop the meringue on top of the filling and use two spoons to create peaks with the meringue. Be sure to spread the meringue all the way to the edges touching the crust so it doesn't shrink. Put the pie in the oven under the broiler for a couple of minutes to toast the top of the meringue, or use a culinary torch if you're fancy.

That's it!

This is one of my favorite pie recipes that I enjoy all year long thanks to my wintertime efforts freezing all of the lemon juice. A few products that make the lemon harvesting so much better are the electric citrus juicer (mine is discontinued but that one has great reviews) the magical ice cube tray that you can store in the freezer sideways, the juice jars to store the juice waiting to be frozen - or freshly made lemonade, and you can't forget the strainer to remove pulp. You can see my whole process in my Instagram Stories!

Do you want more recipes from me? Or, would you rather me stick to home design and renovations? It's okay, you can be honest.

Here's to a year of citrus and pie! Happy 2018.

Last-Minute Amazon Prime Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide

Raise your hand if you still have gifts to get for friends and family. I have both of my hands up.

If you're like me and forgot (or spent too long deciding), here is a collection of items to pop in the stockings when nobody is looking. They all are under $25 and each is on Amazon Prime - so take advantage of that free two-day shipping!

Psst! If you don't have Prime, get it here to get that free expedited shipping, among other perks.

Chocolate: This is one of my favorite kinds of chocolate. It’s perfectly dark and the proceeds benefit endangered species habitat rehabilitation.

Tea towels: Fresh tea towels make such a difference! No matter how often they're cleaned, the old ones always get dingy, so give the gift of fresh 100% cotton ones.

Candle: Oakmoss and Amber is one of my favorite candle scents. You really can’t go wrong gifting a candle. It's the perfect gift for picky people (guilty!) because they won't feel obligated to keep it forever since it's meant to be used up.

Soap: For your friends that you’re trying to give a hygiene hint to, or the ones that like to put pretty hand soap in the guest bathroom.

Paint set: Perfect for kids or adults, there’s endless creative opportunity if you gift open-ended art supplies.

Scrabble: Give a gift that you can open at the end of the day for some family game time.

Portable charger: There’s always that one friend with the “sorry, my phone died” excuse. This battery backup is for them.

Scarf: Anything that keeps loved ones cozy is a no-brainer gift for the winter season. This one comes in more colors!

Planter: I don't know anyone that can't find a use for a little planter for indoor flora - especially a cool geometric one.

Agate bookends: Pretty bookends dress up any bookshelf. Great for the bookworm, or that person that needs some filler on their empty shelves.

Sunglasses: I’m shocked by how cheap and how highly reviewed these are. I have prescription sunnies, but if I didn't, I think I’d have an extensive sunglasses collection.

Copper mugs: The mule is a classic cocktail for these copper mugs, but any kind of bevvy could be enjoyed in these pretty vessels.

Cookie cutters: Have you seen how gingerbread cookie cutters can make reindeer cookies? I'm a fan of things that have two uses.

Measuring spoons: Who says utilitarian tools in the kitchen have to be boring? Spoons in a pretty copper finish make such a difference.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: With the gifting and nesting of the holiday season, I'm anxious to purge unnecessary things in my home. Here's to spring (nay, winter) cleaning!

Coasters: There are fancier ones out there, but I like a simple felt coaster. It works well, and isn't too flashy.

Check out all my gift guides (many of which are available on Amazon Prime):

Gift Guide for Anyone with a Coffee Table
Gift Guide for Makers
Gift Guide for Old House Lovers
Gift Guide for Those Going Zero Waste
Gift Guide of My Personal Wish List
Gift Guide for Organizers and Tidiers
Gift Guide for Cooks and Bakers
Gift guide for Homebodies
Gift Guide for Techies and Smart Homes

Gift Guide for Bookworms, or Anyone with a Coffee Table

I'll admit that I don't get as much reading done as I should, but I'm a lover of coffee table books! I've shared a few of my favorites in previous gift guide posts (linked at the bottom of this post) but here's an even bigger collection themed for many different interests your gift recipients may have. Enjoy!

Travel

Food

Architecture

Interior Design

Humor

Flora

Animals

Organization

Activism

Design

Science

Landscapes

People

Check out all of my gift guides:

Gift Guide for Anyone with a Coffee Table
Gift Guide for Makers
Gift Guide for Old House Lovers
Gift Guide for Those Going Zero Waste
Gift Guide of My Personal Wish List
Gift Guide for Organizers and Tidiers
Gift Guide for Cooks and Bakers
Gift guide for Homebodies
Gift Guide for Techies and Smart Homes

Gift Guide for Cooks and Bakers

'Tis the season for cooking family meals and baking for friends and co-workers (or for yourself!)

I've rounded up some of my favorite things in my kitchen that make great gifts for the pro chef or those just learning to boil water.

Spiralizer: There are spiffy electric spiralizers out there, but this simple one is super efficient and easy to use. We use it quite often to make zucchini into noodles so we can fool ourselves into eating healthier. I also like that it's dishwasher safe and BPA free. UPDATE: I like this spiralizer and slicer combo set!

Serving and Cutting Board: I feel like one can never have too many cutting boards or serving boards.

Vintage Crock Utensil Holder: Just because it's utilitarian doesn't mean it can't be pretty. Help your friend stow their utensils in a shiny copper container. If they are in need of spatulas and spoons, you could plop them all inside and use the holder as the gift bag!

No-Spill Ice Cube Tray: This may look like your average ice cube tray but it's so much better! It has a silicone cover that seals each of the cavities so you can store it sideways without anything spilling out. You can use it for water, but I use mine for freezing lemon juice. I then use the lemon cubes for cooking or for my lemon meringue pies. Plus, it's BPA free and dishwasher safe.

Clean Slate: For your friend that is trying to be healthy despite the temptations of holiday sweets.

Herb Scissors: Once you go herb scissors, you never go back. These things make chopping fine herbs so much easier!

Salt Set: Salt can go on anything - veggies, meats, chocolate, cocktails - so this is a perfect gift for any type of cook or baker in your life.

Pizza Camp: I don't know that I've met anyone that doesn't like pizza. Give the pizza lover in your life the gift of custom making their own pies.

Ice Cream Maker: Some may say winter is no time to enjoy ice cream, but I completely disagree! This easy-to-use maker has helped me whip up my favorite dessert and I will not stop just because it's cold out! My favorite recipe I've made so far is this one.

Infrared Thermometer: Just point the laser at whatever you're cooking and the thermometer instantly displays the temperature. It's also fun to walk around the house and take temperature measurements of everything. Just 'cuz.

Stoneware Set: You may not want to gift a whole set of tableware, but this brunch set is a nice collection of ethically sourced and handmade ceramics from North Africa. I just ordered these in matte black, but it comes in so many other pretty finishes.

Stainless Steel Baking Sheet: These baking sheets are 100% stainless steel (as in no Teflon nor aluminum), which I've found to be the most healthy way to bake. Non-toxic and dishwasher safe - win-win.

Feed the Resistance: For your activist that also likes cooking!

Apple Corer/Slicer/Peeler: This thing is amazing. It cores, slices, and peels each apple in seconds. It’s the secret to my famous apple pies.

Tea Kettle: I use this tea kettle with my french press coffee, for kombucha brewing, and for heating up small batches of water for cooking recipes. It has a thermometer on top and a removable loose leaf tea strainer.

Pasta Attachment: For the cook that already has everything, KitchenAid has oodles of attachments for stand mixers. I bet the person that has it all doesn't have each and every one of them.

For a bonus, I shared a few of my favorite pie-making tools in this post. I have one last gift guide scheduled for tomorrow, but if you're itching for any gift themes in particular, let me know - I just might do more!

Check out all of my

Gift Guide for Anyone with a Coffee Table
Gift Guide for Makers
Gift Guide for Old House Lovers
Gift Guide for Those Going Zero Waste
Gift Guide of My Personal Wish List
Gift Guide for Organizers and Tidiers
Gift Guide for Cooks and Bakers
Gift guide for Homebodies
Gift Guide for Techies and Smart Homes

Gift Guide for Makers

Today's collection of gifts are for the DIYer, crafter, tinkerer, and maker in your life!

I tend to go for practical gifts, so this is my collection of tools I genuinely like to use, and and a few art supplies that have a lot of versatility. All are great for all ages and interests! Well, supervise your creative toddler on the miter saw, please.

The Crafter's Box: Every month, the lovely folks at The Crafter's Box mail out a beautiful kit of supplies for creatives to make something inspired by some of our favorite makers/crafters/artists. Seriously, check out this incredible artist lineup! You can give a multi-month subscription, or just a single box.

Block Printing Kit: Printmaking is among my favorite art mediums! You can make stamps, greeting cards, or artwork. A kit like this one is the perfect introduction to the craft.

Good Clean Fun: You may know actor Nick Offerman from the show Parks and Recreation, but did you know he's also an accomplished woodworker? His book is filled with tutorials and tips for woodworks of varrying skill levels - and also chock full of comedy.

Compound Miter Saw: We used this saw when we installed the picture rail molding last spring and it made the job infinitely easier. Whether your friend is a crafter or renovator, this versatile saw will most definitely come in handy. It's nearly 50% off! 

Keychain Measuring Tape: I never leave the house without a tiny tape measure in my purse. It's so handy for measuring lumber, furniture, appliances, you name it! I particularly like it for measuring other people's houses to see how they laid out their kitchen. Hey - I'm planning my kitchen design and need inspiration!

Sander: Just like the miter saw, a sander comes in handy for the smallest or biggest projects.

Audible: When your maker is spending hours and hours and hours working on their craft, a good audiobook comes in handy! When I was painting the mural last year, I listened to several David Sedaris books that kept me über entertained!

Moleskin: Creators have so many ideas running through their heads. A pocket-sized moleskin notebook is a nice way for them to jot down ideas or sketch a plan.

Classic Frames Safety Glasses: I'm not sure who decided that safety glasses had to look so ugly, but luckily someone invented a much more attractive option for keeping eyeballs safe. These even come in a sunglasses version!

In the Company of Women: Everyone needs inspiration. This book is full of stories and experiences of female artists, makers, and entrepreneurs. Don't you dare go thinking this book is only for women - it isn't!

Apron: There's something about putting an apron on that makes you feel purposeful and committed to the project at hand. This one is a classic loose fit that works for folks of all genders and sizes.

Sculpey Polymer Clay: There are SO many uses for polymer clay. It's easily moldable, and when baked, it becomes a solid material that's long lasting. It's particularly great because it can easily be sculpted by hand, but becomes even more refined with traditional clay tools. I used this type of clay a lot in my art teaching days with a wire armature. Look at what my 10-year-old students made with Sculpey!

Kreg Jig: I'm not normally a fan of products that have only one very specific purpose but this one is amazing. New woodworkers or accomplished ones can benefit from this handy tool that helps join pieces of wood with pocket holes.

3D Pen: Full disclosure, I've never used this product. But $30 for a 3D printing pen?? It's the perfect stocking stuffer. 

Sugru: I don't know how to describe magic, but Sugru is it. It's a moldable glue that turns into a strong rubber when dried so you can fix and upgrade things around the house. Check out a bunch of examples of this magical product here.

Embroidery Kit: For the craftsy one in your life, an embroidery kit is a fun way to make something from start to finish without having to source each of the materials individually. Make it a custom gift by finding a pattern that aligns with your recipient's favorite things like, tea, witty sayings, dachshunds, anatomy, technology, houseplants, and home.

Keep coming back as I share more gift guides every day this week!

Check out all of my gift guides

Gift Guide for Anyone with a Coffee Table
Gift Guide for Makers
Gift Guide for Old House Lovers
Gift Guide for Those Going Zero Waste
Gift Guide of My Personal Wish List
Gift Guide for Organizers and Tidiers
Gift Guide for Cooks and Bakers
Gift guide for Homebodies
Gift Guide for Techies and Smart Homes

Gift Guide for Homebodies

I'm the ultimate homebody - so much so that there's worry among friends that I may become a recluse one day. But hey, I love being at home.

I own each and every one of these items and sing their praises frequently. Even if you're buying for someone that isn't a near-recluse, there's much to be enjoyed.

Old Home Love: Literally one of my favorite coffee table books!

Handmade Quilt: This Etsy seller custom-made our quilt that we use on our bed and could certainly design a cozy blanket for your special someone in their favorite colors.

Ceramic Feelings Art: Mitsy creates beautiful ceramic art objects as a part of the ‘99 feelings’  project. You can pick a feeling like pure, wise, love, sleepy, organized, and so many more. I have empty and it's one of my favorite little pieces in the house. View the whole collection here. Psst, she's going on hiatus on 12/1, so order today!

Planter: Homebody or not, houseplants are great for adding life and cleaning the air. A pretty handmade planter makes a great gift that you can even fill with soil and your favorite foliage. Or, use the pot in lieu of a gift bag and put smaller gifts inside.

Custom Framed Family Photo: Maybe you captured a sweet moment of your friend on your phone, but never shared the photo. Or, you got profesh photos taken of your family that you want to share with grandparents. Nothing dresses us a photo like a custom frame.

Sonos Play:1: We keep music and podcasts playing all day every day when we're home. Everyone loves tunes! When you gift multiples, the recipient gets surround sound throughout the house by putting one in each room.

Roomba: I can't imagine life without our Roomba, and I think many other homebodies would adore the cleaning ease. iRobot extended their holiday sales through the week, so you can get $100 off a robot vacuum!

Sheet Set: You can never have too many sheets. They are great for the gift recipient or the gift recipient's holiday guests. Tip: your local animal rescue center is always in need of sheets and towels, so there's never a reason not to get rid of worn bedding.

Block Print Pillow: This homebody likes comfort and style.

Soy Candle: This is among the best scents ever. I buy candles based on smell, but you could also gift one in a pretty vessel so the recipient can pot a plant inside when the candle is used up.

Electric Candle Lighter: No need for a bunch of matches, this candle lighter is rechargeable. Include it in the stocking of someone that got a box of candles from you.

French Press: Why leave the house for coffee when you can make it at home? This is my favorite press because it isn't plasticky, it's dishwasher safe, and it's the perfect size for single-serve pours.

Remodelista: The Organized Home: This book is hot off the press and most definitely on my holiday wish list.

Artwork: Homes are so much more personal when meaningful art adorns the walls. If you know the recipient super well, you could get them a print that has significance, or a gift card to Minted will let them pick what catches their eye! My favorite online art shops are all listed here.

Bath Tray: For the homebodies that like a nice bath, this bamboo tray is a simple and classy way to store bath needs.

Simplisafe Home Security: Homebodies do indeed leave the house, and when we do, it's nice to know that a security system is keeping an eye on things. This one is great for renters and owners alike because it doesn't get hardwired in. It's a win-win gift when it gives you peace of mind as the gift-giver. Learn more and check sales here.

Keep coming back as I share more gift guides every day this week!

Check out all of the gift guides

Gift Guide for Anyone with a Coffee Table
Gift Guide for Makers
Gift Guide for Old House Lovers
Gift Guide for Those Going Zero Waste
Gift Guide of My Personal Wish List
Gift Guide for Organizers and Tidiers
Gift Guide for Cooks and Bakers
Gift guide for Homebodies
Gift Guide for Techies and Smart Homes

Gift Guide for Techies and Smart Homes

This post comes to you, in part, from Ross, our home's Chief Technology Officer. He's been a tech nerd for nearly two decades and has helped me round up today's gift guide for those that like gadgets - but it's really for anyone living in the 21st century!

You also know I’m big on organizing our cables and techy gear, so this is also inspired by someone that loves form and function.

Ross likes his gadgets streamlined and not gimmicky, so if you're looking for a thumb drive in the shape of a human thumb, this isn't the gift guide for you. 

iPad Stand: I'm a sucker for wooden stands for our electronics. This sleek one is perfectly understated, yet a showstopper. Plus, it's handmade!

eero Home WiFi System: We've gone through several routers in the past couple of years. We did Apple's Airport Extreme as well as those hideous ones with the giant antennas. The eero has been the most reliable wifi, and it comes with boosters to sprinkle throughout the house, covering all of our rooms.

Sonos Playbase: We just ordered one of these for an early holiday gift to each other. This Sonos will amplify our TV for higher quality audio. Plus, when the TV isn't on, it pairs with our Sonos Play:1 speakers we have throughout the house so we can listen to music/podcasts in each room.

B&O Headphones: These are such dreamy headphones. They used to be Ross' but I took them earlier this year and now they are my go-tos. I wear them at work every day and I can't get on a plane without them.

Personalized Ergonomic Mousepad: I'm just getting settled into our new home office and wondering if I should get a mousepad. This pretty handmade one is a contender.

Velcro Cable Ties: These aren't the sexiest tech gadget, but they are life changers - and a great stocking stuffer. These velcro ties are the easiest and most streamlined way to keep cables organized. They work well for the cords behind the TV that you don't need to fuss with at all, and they are great for coiling the extension cord you get out of the garage every day/week.

Cable Management Grid: I installed one of these under our new desk (which isn't the intended use of it) and it works so swimmingly!

Camera Strap: This handmade strap is such an improvement from the stock straps that come with camera bodies. I actually prefer wrist straps over neck straps, so I have this one.

Apple TV Remote Holder: Losing the Apple TV remote is no good when all you want to do is sit down after dinner for some Stranger Things viewing. We have a holder that props the remote upright, but I actually like the lower profile of this one. Plus, it's handmade!

WD 1TB Portable External Hard Drive: Whether you're taking your digital files out of the house or not, a portable drive for backing up files is an absolute must for everyone - techie or not. 

Flash Drive: The perfect stocking stuffer. This is a nice portable flash drive that isn't plasticky or chunky.

Backblaze: For serious backup storage, we use Backblaze which ensures all of our photos, music, movies, files, etc. are safely stored in the event that our hard drives are damaged. Psst, that link gets you - I mean your gift recipient - a free trial!

Record Holder: Who said tech lovers need to adore only the new stuff? Get your vinyl record lover a sleek stand to keep their tunes. This pretty walnut holder is hand crafted.

Nest Dropcam Security Camera: This security camera provides piece of mind, and it's fun to check in on the house while you're away. 

Flat Plug Braided Extension Cord: We all have wires in our homes. I try my hardest to hide them (see my two other cable management gift ideas), but when you're going to see one, why not make it attractive?

ElevationDock 4: We were early adaptors and bought the first ElevationDock when it was on Kickstarter. It was the one and only charger at the time that stayed on the table when you picked up your phone. They've continued to refine it year after year, and this is their latest.

And there you have it! Do you have any techie items to recommend? I could use them, because Ross is so tough to gift shop for.

Check out all of my gift guides

Gift Guide for Anyone with a Coffee Table
Gift Guide for Makers
Gift Guide for Old House Lovers
Gift Guide for Those Going Zero Waste
Gift Guide of My Personal Wish List
Gift Guide for Organizers and Tidiers
Gift Guide for Cooks and Bakers
Gift guide for Homebodies
Gift Guide for Techies and Smart Homes