There 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 MoreI’ve made it to the garden installation story, after many other posts all about prepping and planning - here we are! While I'm here to share the installation of the plantings and irrigation, this isn’t going to be a DIY tutorial post as much as a story of what happened and a bunch of photos of the process.
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago I shared how I refreshed a tired fence, and now I’m back to tell you how I covered up the refinished fence with vines and flowers. I love foliage and will happily plant a tree or bush or shrub or vine anywhere and everywhere outside. So, while I covered up my freshly stained fence, I’m v pleased with my wall of leaves and flowers.
Read MoreIf you follow me on Instagram, you know that we had a thrilling week with the addition of a new roof and the removal of FIVE layers of roofing material. This project was a long time coming and has been the topic of many discussions in our household. So, I’m here to give you all the details from picking a color, finding a contractor, and the cost. Hold on to your seats - roofing is very exciting.
Read MoreIf you recall what our front yard looked like when we bought it, you know that the majority of my complaints were with all the excess stuff I didn't like in the yard. So, the first step to getting the yard of our dreams was getting rid of everything else. We were quoted over $2,000 to clear out the yard of plants and send them all to the landfill. Since neither of those things are cool in my book, I devised a plan. Here's how we saved thousands of dollars to prepare for a new landscape
Read MoreOver the years, our house gained a few additions in the technology department. It has always had electricity, but then it got a phone line, and then a cable line, then another phone line, then satellite, then another cable line to route to another room, and so on. By her 100th birthday, our house had wires, conduit, and cables on every side of her. Naturally, I wanted all of this visual clutter gone. Here’s what I did!
Read MoreOur house needed a lot of work to update the curb appeal. This is the first post in a series of big improvements and minor fixes to get our bungalow looking its best.
Read MoreI love finding creative ways to recycle and I especially like using waste byproducts. When I learned that I could tap into my air conditioner to gain recycled water it was an easy and cheap no-brainer for free water that we use in the garden. Here’s how!
Read MoreWelcome to a new series: Report Card. I'm going through (nearly) everything in a space and telling you how it's actually held up. The backyard's first up, and spoiler, I did not ace this one.
The plants finally filled in, the veggie beds are in the wrong spot, and I've learned that the yard you design and the yard your kids actually use are two very different things.
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.
My 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.
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.
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.
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On data loss, real loss, and stretching further distances.