Guess what!?! Ross found us some archival footage that I completely forgot we had from before we ever moved in! After I published last week’s 2020 house tour video I was wishing we had a recording of what the house looked like five years ago before we moved in. And we do!
Read MoreThe inspiration and happenings this week including special visitors you’ll recognize, a podcast on the simple thing to change the world, thoughts on going grey, a gothic church turned home, non-cheesy Valentine’s Day cards and art, antique light fixtures, home tours, a favorite show, a $10 tool I recommended to two blogger buds and now you, an illustration that’s perfectly me, and more!
Read MoreI created an organization and declutter challenge for the month of January in an effort to kick off the new decade with clarity at home. How did you do? How did I do?
Read MoreThe house is super tidy, so I filmed the annual house tour! I love these little videos to give you a lay of the land and to look back on year after year to see the changes. I did a deep clean and organization because blogger superstars Julia and Chris of chrislovesjulia.com came over to my little abode! Get to know my house in this 4-minute video!
Read MoreThe things on my mind this week including the prettiest kitchen I’ve ever set foot in, lovely stools that I wish were antique and cheaper, the cake and muffins I baked this week, my latest kitchen purchase, a bathroom makeover, a decision matrix, a new artist to crush on, and how to stop freaking out about the climate crisis.
Read MoreI’m a big fan of my light switches - just those simple dimple little things we use every day. And I get asked about them a lot, so I want to share a little about those brass, black, and pearl things you see on all of my walls. I’m here to tell you about my period-appropriate light switches!
Read MoreThere are very few things I love more than mature trees. Like, maybe only sleep, eating, and TV watching rank higher. My husband probably ranks below mature trees, and I’m sure he’s okay with that. Trees are the best and I love them and want everyone to plant at least 5 trees per person, right now. But - I cut one down. I’m sad about the loss, but glad about the future. I’m a bag of mixed emotions.
Read MoreWe did some rearranging of our closet the other day. It was so easy thanks to the particular system we have - which is on sale! I’m also sharing how we store our clothes, give you insight into our layout, update you on our slow renovation status, and simply let you snoop at our clothes. Let’s jump in, shall we?
Read MoreThis week on my mind is this dreamy farmstead kitchen, a podcast episode about bees, ways to help Australia, stacking mugs I have my eye on, a movie about love of a friend, a house, and a city that really got to me, a pink living room, an artist I’m digging, a “full-use” cookbook, and an organization check-in.
Read MoreThe wildfires in Australia are devastating. There’s luckily a lot of publicity about the fires now, but there are a bunch of small organizations that aren’t getting as much attention. These volunteer-run non-profits are working tirelessly to find injured animals, distribute food to starving creatures, and providing medical care to the injured and orphaned wildlife. I’ve spent hours looking for the small organizations that are struggling to get funds to support their work. So, I want to share the resources I found and encourage you to help the rescue and rehabilitation efforts with a monetary donation.
Read MoreI’m a music fan, and I like sharing the new tracks I discover. You may have noticed listening to my Instagram Story videos that I like some sweet tunes and funky jams. My style is pretty eclectic ranging from Sam Cooke to Childish Gambino and Fleetwood Mac to Sylvan Esso. I’m all across the board but I like a good melody, a nice head-bopping rhythm, and some strong vocals. All this to say, if you like some of the music I share, you just might like the other songs. So, you can listen to the tunes I’m digging on Spotify!
Read MoreLots of inspiration from the past two weeks including several movies and books I loved, two bland to charming makeovers, a cotton tree, how to keep our resolutions, 60 Zero Waste swaps for 2020, the gigantic NYC yard sale, an invitation to join my book club, how to declutter responsibly, how to have closer friendships, and more!
Read MoreMy friend Martha had a vision for this garage conversion: to turn her unfinished catch-all garage into a beautiful, hard-working space that could function as a living room, media room, playroom, laundry room, home office, and storage zone. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t entirely convinced all of that could fit. But somehow(?!), it absolutely does and it turned out even better than I imagined.
Margot is getting an upgraded room to make space for baby sister in the nursery.
What 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.
Ashley’s restoring her historic home at a snail’s pace in California. She shares home improvement DIYs, tips for sustainable living, and renovation stories - all while aiming to add more color and present real, lived-in, family friendly spaces.
I'm Ashley, a deeply systematic homebody restoring my 1915 Craftsman bungalow in California, slowly and on purpose. I don't make a single decision without first opening 100 tabs. Renovation, DIY, color, and what it actually looks like to live in an old house with two young kids.
© 2026 The Gold Hive. All Rights Reserved.
This site contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission on purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.
Sponsored content and gifted products are disclosed as such. All opinions are my own.
All images are copyright The Gold Hive. Reproduction or use without credit is not permitted. · Photo Licensing Policy
Hi. It's been a while. I've missed this. I took a longer break than I planned. Life has gotten full. I've been developing film and knitting at soccer practice, attempting to garden with the girls and fussing around with furniture layouts. I’ve also been scheduling summer camps, refilling the watercolors multiple times a day, and trying to keep the toys tidied. Around the house, I’m adding color wherever it fits and making some changes to the overall function and feel.