The Mirror Myth: What a Mirror Actually Does to a Small Room
Someone told me once that a large mirror could make my 90 square foot bedroom feel twice its size, and I believed it long enough to spend money on one. It did…
Read the pieceEverything a room is made of.
I measure first. Then I decide.
I live in a rented flat in Portland with two rooms that get real light and one that never will. Everything here was tried in those rooms first.
I do not write about the version of a room that exists on a set. I write about the one with a radiator under the window and a door that swings the wrong way.
If something failed, it says so.
Details worth drawing twice
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How I Actually Plan a Gallery Wall
Paper templates on the wall, not frames on the floor, are what make a gallery wall look planned instead of accidental. Here is the…

Testing a Furniture Layout on Paper Before You Move Anything

How I Test a Paint Color Before I Commit

How to Furnish a Studio Apartment That Actually Works

Deciding What to Fix First in a Room That Feels Off

How Wide Should a Curtain Rod Be? The Math I Use

How Many Metal Finishes One Room Can Actually Hold
My kitchen has brass hinges I inherited, a brushed nickel faucet I installed myself, and black pulls I added last spring. For a while…
I once bought a couch based on a photo and a single number: eighty-four inches wide.
Every section, newest first
All sectionsDecorating Basics
Why I Decorate in Phases Instead of All at Once
Deciding What to Fix First in a Room That Feels Off
Windows & Curtains
How High to Hang Curtain Rods, Room by Room
How Wide Should a Curtain Rod Be? The Math I Use
Room Layouts
Testing a Furniture Layout on Paper Before You Move Anything
Giving a Room a Focal Point It Doesn’t Have
Furniture Choices
What to Do When the Couch Will Not Fit Through the Door
How to Measure a Room Before You Buy Any Furniture
Mixing Materials
Finding the Right Balance of Matte and Reflective Surfaces
How Many Metal Finishes One Room Can Actually Hold
One note when something is finished.
Not weekly. Not a digest. A short letter when a room is done and I know what worked.
No sponsors in the letter. Read the privacy policy.
