A Deep Dive Into Claire McCardell: Until last month, I didn’t know who Claire McCardell was. I stumbled on an interesting bathing suit on Pinterest, which took me down an hours-long rabbit hole to read everything I could about the designer. Claire McCardell is an American women’s fashion designer that was prominent in the 1930s-1950s. She was notable because she established the “American” look and emphasized function, wearability, and comfort. Her clothes were well made, comfortable, and stylish. Claire studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York and was well versed in couture construction, fashion, and structure. However, her clothing was designed for the everyday American woman using durable, common fabrics. Her clothes were considered “simple” as they didn’t include a lot of fanciful decoration, but the lines and cut of the garments were sophisticated and interesting. One article even credits Claire with designing the precursor to the ubiquitous hoodie and ballet flat shoes. I find Claire’s designs flattering, interesting and relevant. Her story is equally as fascinating. If you want to learn more, check out these articles: Article 1, Article 2, Article 3 (watch video), Article 4 (Claire’s Time Magazine Article), Article 5, Article 6 (nice pictures). I’m also impatiently waiting for a book about her. It’s out of print but seems widely available at libraries (particularly colleges).

The Time Tax: Why is so much American bureaucracy left to average citizens? This article highlight all the hurdles that citizens must clear to get access to government programs and benefits. It states that government makes the process difficult and time-consuming (hence time tax), so fewer people use the services. It’s interesting and worth a read. However, it makes me think of another article I read years ago. It focused on how companies have essentially put a greater burden on the consumer to do more work (another time tax), so the companies can profit more (this article is a good overview of the concept but focuses on employment). Employers argue this change is “giving customers the power.” But, most times, it gives the customer a headache. This is one of those concepts I started seeing everywhere once I was aware of it.

Three Birds Renovations: Facade & Floorplans (episode 2): Three Birds Renovations is an Australian-based interior design company that produces a YouTube series (I list their YouTube channel as one of my favorites). Each season follows the renovation (or construction) of one client’s home. This season is different. They are working with a home builder to design a “Three Birds Home.” Basically, they are collaborating to create a spec home that anyone can build. So far, it’s been an interesting look behind the curtain. It’s a totally different process than how I would have imagined, but that’s another conversation for another day. Today, I want to talk about a company highlighted in this episode, Lifesize Plans. If you watch the episode, you’ll see the designers go to what looks like a warehouse that projects their floor plan to scale on the ground. It allows them to walk through and make sure the details are right (i.e., hallways aren’t too wide or narrow, kitchen spacing feels adequate). It seems like such a cool service! Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be available in the US (yet).

I usually post home updates on Thursday but I took last week off after completing the one-room challenge. So I’ll have a new post next Thursday. Please enjoy the monthly link-up.

Chip and Joanna Gaines on Walking Away From “Fixer Upper”: I really enjoyed this article from the Hollywood Reporter. I have a ton of admiration for the Gaines and think they have a lot more to offer than just the farmhouse aesthetic. I’m also glad that they discussed diversity and inclusion in the interview. Unfortunately, the discussion was brief, but I hope they talk more about it in the future.

Britney’s Declaration on Her Conservatorship: I was a huge fan of Britney Spears when I was a kid. Of course, I hadn’t given her much thought until last summer when my husband told me about the “Free Britney” movement (a fan movement that declared Britney should no longer be in her conservatorship). I read a couple of articles and watched Britney’s Instagram videos. I was casually following it when I heard that she spoke out about her conservatorship. My husband and I listened to her statement. Parts of it disturbed me, and I think Britney made several good points. I wish someone could have helped her polish the statement, but I am glad she said what she felt. I think it’s worth a listen.

Never Have I Ever, Season 2 Trailer: I am so pumped for the second season of Never Have I Ever, a Netflix comedy that follows Devi, an Indian-American, as she tries to navigate friendships, family life, and dating. I have watched the first season three times (whenever I don’t know what to watch, I just turn it on!). Mindy Kaling writes it, and I think it’s perfect. The release date is July 15th.

Living Room & Dining Room

Can you believe that we started updating our floors almost 6 months ago!? While we finished the floors in early January, sadly, the living room sat empty without any baseboards until last weekend. Here is what the room looked like right after we finished installing the floors.

The floors looked greeaat (imagine Tony the Tiger saying that) and, in my mind, the rooms were basically done. I knew we had a couple of weeks of work left. But the seriously cold winters of the Midwest really slowed things down. We planned on installing new trim, so my husband needed to cut each piece in the garage. As you can imagine, that didn’t sound like a very appealing job in the middle of winter. As any responsible couple would do, we ignored the project until the weather improved. (To be fair, we had a few warm weekends between when we finished and last weekend, but it didn’t seem like a priority.)

After just a couple of hours of work, the living room baseboards were installed on Sunday. Installing baseboards is pretty easy, but it takes time and patience to get it right. I learned a ton about different types of joints – butt joints, scarf joints and coping corner joints. I’m not an expert, but I found this, this and this helpful when learning about installing trim. Now that they are installed, its tempting to move everything back into the room, but the finishing work (filling holes multiple times, sanding, caulking and painting) needs patience. My plan is to work on this a little bit every day for the next week and finally re-install the living room furniture next weekend (hopefully!!!!)

That also means that I need to finalize the updates I was planning for this room, which are minor. I plan on replacing the pillow covers (already ordered!), updating the blinds to a natural fiber and possibly changing up the console table.

The dining room is, uh, going a little slower. I am hoping that next weekend we’ll start installing the board and batten (again weather really delayed us). Fingers crossed this happens soon, because I am already…..

Planning for the Next Project

You know when there is a lull in another project, so to keep yourself busy you start planning the next one? Well, beyond the living room, dining room and bedroom, I have started planning ANOTHER room. I don’t want to go into too many details, but we’ve started getting wallpaper samples and I am VERY excited. Want to guess what room I planning?

We’re going to complete this secret room during the One Room Challenge (starts May 6th). The project is going to include NEW FLOORS! WALLPAPER! CABINETS! I am slightly worried about getting all the supplies in time, so I am trying to finalize the design decisions within the next couple of weeks and order the big stuff by April 1st.

Better get back to work. 🙂

My bedroom re-do has stalled. While talking to my husband about purchasing a new bed, he requested, you know like a normal human, to see the new bed. The minute he saw it, he scrunched up his nose and said no.

I really thought he was joking, but after a couple of minutes I realized how series he was. I had a few alternative beds in mind and showed him those. He liked a couple of them better. Yet, there was a problem. I didn’t measure any of the other beds to make sure they would fit or ensure the mattress would be the appropriate height. Alright…let’s break out the measuring tape.

Not long after the bed discussion, I received the rug sample. The rug is beautiful. The colors and pattern are perfect, but the texture is not right for the bedroom. It feels too rough for the space. Both my husband and son said they would not want to get out of bed and step on it. Point taken.

I started playing around with the design board and I came up with some alternatives. But none of the rugs really spoke to me or felt “right.” The bedroom has carpet and we eventually plan to replace it with…more carpet, so I don’t think a rug is necessary. I’ve decided to eliminate the rug for the time being. After the room is put together, it may become clear that a rug is needed…but I’m not going to force it. I’ll know when I find the right one. I removed the rug from the new design boards and everything still feels cohesive.

Jer and I then narrowed down the design to three beds and, surprise, the original bed is still a contender. I really struggled to make a decision and Jer felt bad for me and said I should just get it if that’s really what I want. I haven’t ordered the bed though because I want Jeremy to be happy and I started second guessing myself.

Option 1 is the original design and I still like it very much. My only concern is that the wood on the bed will read too gray and feel out of place in the room.

Option 2 is Jer’s favorite. This bed is a warm wood, so the room will be pretty well balanced. I like this bed, but the headboard’s height is shorter than Option 1. For most mattress it may not matter, but since ours is super tall I’m afraid the headboard will look dinky.

Ah, option number 3. The one my husband never asked for and surely doesn’t want. I really like the bed and like that it’s metal and upholstered versus wood. It will compliment the oil rubbed bronze light fixtures and hardware that’s in the room. I like it, clearly, but my husband worries that the bed isn’t very sturdy.

I’m still waiting on a few of the other things to be restocked (nightstands, wicker table, chair). It seems that everyday I wait to make a decision, the more likely it is to be sold out and not available. I better make up my mind soon.

It’s officially spring and I am feeling renewed and hopeful.

Magnolia Network: I couldn’t help myself and I signed up for the Discovery + app, so I would get access to all things Magnolia Network. My review is simple – it’s good. The programming is heart warming and sweet. Programs that did not initially appeal to me totally pulled me in. Want to cry? Watch Courage to Run. Want to hear how interior designers design spaces? Watch Point of View. Want a cute cooking show that feels so relatable? Check out Magnolia Table. I have enjoyed everything that I’ve watched. The Gaines have my number (and I’m sure a large portion of America) and they know how to tell a story. Bravo. I can’t wait for the full launch.

The Best Towels: I am in love with these Quick Dri Towels from JCPenney. They are so good and dry lightening fast. But I am crying because JCP discontinued them. WHY????

English Cottages Meets California Cool: Wow! This home tour is beautiful. It feels put together, intention, lived-in, comfortable and effortless. #Goals.

Remember when I told you I purchased a new mattress? Well, it came and it is wonderful. I’m sleeping great and look forward to lounging in bed every night. However, there is one big problem. The mattress with the foundation is way too tall for our current bed frame. Whomp,Whomp. I didn’t take a picture of how ridiculous it looked, but here is my cartoon illustration of it.

So, right now the bed is basically sitting on the floor, you know, like, a college student’s bedroom. Jer and I brainstormed ways to modify our current bed frame to make it work. We thought about cuttings down the legs or lowering the level of the bed supports from the top to the bottom. We may still do one of those things, but I am seriously leaning towards purchasing a new bed. Then it turned into, as it usually does, a complete redesign with all new furniture. We planned on replacing most of the furniture anyway and I have looked on/off for a couple of years for a dresser and new nightstands. I hadn’t pulled the trigger because the bedroom functioned great. It looks okay and I thought I would purchase it when I found the thing that I love. Turns out, I have found things that I love. Here is the design board for the room.

I’ve already purchased the dresser and the night stands are sold out. I’m on the notification list though and will order them as soon as they are back in stock. I’m still investigating the bed. I’m feeling pretty confident that it will work. I’m going to do a quick mock up in our bedroom and make sure the height is right before pulling the trigger.

I am also obsessed with this green jute rug by Dash & Albert. When I saw it on their website, I was intrigued but when I pasted into my mood board I had an immediate reaction. I knew that it was what the room needed- some warmth and interest. I ordered a swatch to make sure the on-screen colors are true to life and will excitedly wait for it to arrive.

I’ve also ordered the lights. I already have the mirror, tray and curtains. I need to nail down exactly what I’m going to use the fabric for (mostly pillows) and order the supplies. I am going to attempt to sew them myself. The fabric is pretty expensive, so I’m going to do a trial run with some cheaper stuff that I already have.

That just leaves the chair, side table and bamboo blinds. I have to double check the measurements of each item and then I’ll be ready to order them.

Maybe in a two months I’ll have the bedroom fully pulled together? Fingers crossed!

It’s mid February and I am ready for spring. Living in the Midwest, winter feels like it never ends and spring is usually a sloppy, wet mess. But I love the four seasons and it gives my life a natural, comfortable rhythm. Here are 3 outfits I would like to wear soon(ish).

Outfit 1

Outfit 2

Outfit 3

Okay, saying the “b” word can get people anxious, but it’s a necessary part of planning any project. I think some of the anxiety comes from three things. First, I don’t think many know what is a reasonable budget (I sure didn’t). Second, it means we have to take a break from the fun part of design and put some real life restrictions on things. That can totally feel like a Debbie Downer moment. Lastly, I think the numbers are shocking at first glance. After noodling around with this for years, I think I’ve come to understand what real budgets generally look like. (Remember this is only the budget for furniture and décor. Other expenses like paint, flooring etc. are not included here).

The Cost of Furnishing and Decorating a Bedroom

The easiest way to think about the budget is by using an example. I’ll walk through my super simple way of estimating the budgeting by using the example of decorating and furnishing a bedroom. In this scenario, a person wants a 100% fresh start. They have absolutely no items (i.e. mattress, sheets, curtains, etc.). I think about budgets in three main levels: Budget, Mid and Luxury. Take a look below to see an estimated budget for each one.

$3k – 7k –Budget Level : This means you’re shopping at places like Target, Overstock, Wayfair and occasionally buying something from mid level stores.

$8k – 16K -Mid Level: You’re shopping at places like Pottery Barn, CB2, West Elm, and can afford some pieces from Ethan Allen and/or Arhaus-type furniture stores.

$17K – 35K+ -Luxury Level: You’re generally purchasing things from high end stores and from designers. Please note the + symbol. As this number will often be much larger than this.

To help illustrate how the budgets would be broken down, I’ve created a general list of items that you may purchase if completely refurnishing and doing some basic decorating of a room. I’ve assigned an estimated price for each item at all three levels.

	Budget	Mid	Luxury
Bed (Queen)	600	1500	5000
Night Stand	200	600	1000
Night Stand	200	600	1000
Dresser	800	1800	2500
Rug	300	800	3500
Mattress/Foundation	1000	1000	1000
Curtains	150	300	1500
Rods	50	200	200
Bedding	150	300	500
Chair	250	700	1500
Lamp 1	100	300	500
Lamp 2	100	300	500
Vase	20	150	300
Bed Pillows	100	100	200
Sheets	30	50	150
Mirror	150	400	1000
Art	100	400	1000
Picture Frame	50	50	100
Tray	30	70	150
Overhead Light	150	350	750
Dec Pillows	40	100	200
Box	25	100	200
Side Table	100	250	300
Throw	50	200	400
	$4745	$10620	$23450

I then went and designed three bedrooms based on these parameters, so I could really show you that these numbers typically work out. Here is where I ended up:

	Budget	Budget- Actual	Mid	Mid-Actual	Luxury	Luxury-Actual
Bed	600	428.49	1500	1499	5000	2698
Night Stand	200	128.99	600	698	1000	1519
Night Stand	200	128.99	600	(price is for two)	1000	1519
Dresser	800	600	1800	1599	2500	1749
Rug	300	278	800	1080	3500	700
Mattress/Foundation	1000	812.59	1000	812.59	1000	1000
Curtains	150	151	300	260	1500	1321
Rods	50	40	200	70	200	70
Bedding	150	125	300	540	500	700
Chair	250	278	700	549	1500	3099
Lamp 1	100	70.58	300	149	500	399
Lamp 2	100	70.58	300	149	500	399
Vase	20	29	150	40	300	178
Bed Pillows	100	89	100	78	200	200
Sheets	30	26	50	100	150	251
Mirror	150	80	400	359	1000	564
Art	100	114	400	398	1000	978
Picture Frame	50	10	50	100	100	110
Tray	30	30	70	100	150	520
Overhead Light	150	148	350	449	750	700
Dec Pillows	40	30	100	105	200	140
Box	25	25	100	46	200	150
Side Table	100	100	250	249	300	500
Throw	50	50	200	130	400	149
	$4745	3843.22	$10620	9559.59	$23450	19613
Add 20% (shipping, taxes)		768.644		1911.918		3922.6
Total		$4,611.86		$11,471.50		$23,535.60

As you can see, the budgets aligned pretty well with the actual costs of purchasing things from those level of stores. In every “group” I could have spent less or more on each item. So, it could adjust with your exact budget. In addition, most people have things that they are willing to splurge on and will save on other items to make that purchase possible. So, while this is not perfect this is pretty realistic.

Cost of Only Purchasing Bedroom Basics?

What if you don’t need everything above? You want the “core things” to change the feel of the room? Well, I created the bedroom basics list using the same estimations from above. I removed most decorative items, but I kept a few because they are the things that can pull a room together.

	Budget	Mid	Luxury
Bed (Queen)	600	1500	5000
Night Stand	200	600	1000
Night Stand	200	600	1000
Dresser	800	1800	2500
Rug	300	800	3500
Curtains	150	300	1500
Rods	50	200	200
Bedding	150	300	500
Chair	250	700	1500
Lamp 1	100	300	500
Lamp 2	100	300	500
Mirror	150	400	1000
Tray	30	70	150
Overhead Light	150	350	750
Dec Pillows	40	100	200
Side Table	100	250	300
	$3,370	$8,570	$20,100

So, if you think you only need the bedroom basics then here are my suggested budgets:

$2K – 6K – Budget Basics

$6.5K – 14K – Mid Basics

$14K – 30K+ – Luxury Basics

How Much do the “Decorations Cost”?

What if you have all the big stuff and just need help with the decorating part? Well, that is a challenging question depending on how you define decorations. For example, let’s say you have all your furniture but don’t have a rug, lamps, curtains or any accessories (mirror, picture frames, wall art). That budget will need to look different from someone who is just looking for some basic accessories. The range for each group feels pretty large, but it’s to account for a wide variety of needs.

$350 – $3,500 – Budget Decor Only

$1600 – $6,000 – Mid Level Decor Only

$2500 – $10,000+ – Luxury Level Decor Only

What if I’m somewhere in between these options?

Honestly, many people will fall in this category. They have some good furniture but need to update the room by replacing a few large things and decorating. You can look at the chart in this post and just add up the things you think you’ll need and then you’ll have a starting point for your budget.

A Couple of Notes on Budgets

Now, I want to say the prices listed here are considered the low end of luxury. The prices can (and will!) just keep going up the more you customize which is often one of the perks of being able to afford this level of service. However, I think some customization is possible in the budget and mid-level price points. As with anything, you’ll have to determine where you want to save, so you can splurge.

Keep in mind if you have a HUGE room to furnish, you’ll need more furniture and, of course, spend more money.

Thrifting can be a wonderful way to save some money and add character to any room. The problem (or maybe the joy?) is that it’s pretty random. At least when I go thrifting, I rarely find the item I’m looking for. It takes patience and some luck to find the exact item you need. The good news is sometimes you find something so much better than what you imagined. Thrifting probably deserves it’s own post.

If you have DIY or sewing skills, you’ll open up your budget significantly since you can add your “sweat equity” to the project’s bottom line. If you’ve never DIYed before, be patient with yourself and the project. The project is going to take three times longer than you think and try to enjoy the process. (P.S. it’s also okay to throw a project away if you hate it).

Recomendo: I recently joined this mailing list ran by Kevin Kelly, the founder of Wire magazine, and it’s sooo good. I love the random suggestions and I always find something interesting. It arrives early Sunday morning, so it’s a nice and easy read while lounging in bed. You can also review all the previous newsletters on their website. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Random Thought: I’m tired of reading a variation of the same news article three hundred times. I subscribe to two large national publications and the same three topics are in frequent rotation with very little new information added. My Google news feed is similarly filled with what feels like the same article over and over again. For this reason, I started to read my local newspaper. Not only do I feel more informed about my community but I’m reading about more than Trump, Biden and the pandemic. Randomly, this article about struggling local newspapers came across my feed. Consider supporting your local newspaper if you can. Oh, I’m also curious what everyone else is reading. Any publications that surprise and delight you?

Have I ever talked about John Warner? He was a writing instructor for twenty years and writes a blog on Inside Higher Education. I’ve been reading the blog for years and appreciate his voice/thoughts on all things related to higher education. He has recently left academia for a private sector job and published a couple of books. I haven’t read any, but I hope to. Anyway, if you are interested in education, check out his blog. His writing is crisp and clear….just take this snippet from one of his latest articles:

“For example, when sociologist Jessica Calarco remarked to Anne Helen Petersen that “Other countries have social safety nets. The U.S. has women,” the lightbulb goes off with the intensity of a klieg light. Women are being burdened with a greater share of the increased childcare and homeschooling, even as they are more likely to be losing their jobs and income. Rather than building a social safety net, we’ve created a culture where women are expected to “do it all,” and then some. When crisis hits, they are the first shock absorber. ” – Source: https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/americas-education-story-pandemic-anecdote