Pendant Lights and Low Ceilings: The Head Bump Test
I bought a pendant light for my dining nook that looked exactly right in the photo. Black metal, this big sculptural cage shape, hanging low over a little round table…
Outdoor String Lights in the Living Room
My mom walked into my living room in February, took one look at the ceiling, and said, “Are those the lights from the porch?” Not a question, really. More like…
Outdoor Floodlights Indoors
I was in the garage on a Tuesday night trying to fix the pull cord on the shop light, the cheap clamp one from the hardware store that’s been hanging…
City Backyard, Fire Pit: Squeezing One In
My mom stood in my backyard with a tape measure hanging out of her coat pocket, looked at the eight feet between my back door and the fence, then looked…
An Outdoor Rug Straight on Dirt
Everyone acts like “outdoor rug” is basically synonymous with “throw it wherever, it’s outdoor, it can take it.” That’s the whole marketing pitch, right there in the name. Outdoor. As…
Wardrobe Spotlight on Resale Apps: Worth a Try?
My mom looked at my phone over my shoulder while I was mid scroll and said, “Wait, you’re paying them to sell your own stuff?” She said it the way…
Patio Heaters Inside: The Reason They Live Outdoors
I nearly gassed myself on my own porch two Novembers ago, and I want to be upfront about that before I tell anyone else what to do with a patio…
A Futon on a Bed Frame: Will It Sit Right?
My mom walked into my apartment in October, took one look at the bed in the corner, and said, “Chloe. What is that.” Not even a question. Flat statement, the…
Wall Sconces in a Bathroom Without Regrets
My mom walked into my bathroom in Baltimore, flicked on the sconce beside the mirror, looked at herself for a solid four seconds, and said, “well, that’s rude.” I asked…
Nesting Tables: Sizing Them Around Your Sofa
I’ve measured the arm of my sofa eleven times since March. I know that because I started keeping a tally on a sticky note stuck to the fridge, next to…