Those who know me, know it's uncommon for me to change my mind once it's made up...however, that's exactly what happened when it comes to Columbus, OH. We visited one time around 3 years ago, and  I thought it felt like Grand Rapids (so I definitely liked it) but didn't really think it warranted a 5-6 hour road trip to experience something so similar to what was in my own backyard. Well, let me assure you, thanks to some high-quality recommendations, my perspective has changed. GO SEE COLUMBUS!

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I find a lot of inspiration reading other blogs. On of my favorite "types" of blog posts to read are the miscellaneous, weekly post about random things said blogger is loving....a favorite candle, an interesting podcast, a killer Costco find. So, welcome to our "weekly recap" where we basically share random things that have improved the quality of our lives one way or another. 

We are about to enter "Renovation Phase 2," where I plan to add some finishing touches to the house. In this bathroom, we replaced the shower, floor, toilet, vanity, lighting, and faucets. I designed this space as a "blank slate," knowing that later, I would add the finishing details. We wanted to get the bulk of the renovating done ASAP so we could live without the dusty chaos. Now that the major items are complete, it's time to add the fun touches like board and batten, wallpaper, and hardware. I've come up with two designs, both transforming this bathroom from incomplete to warm and cozy.

Crater Lake National Park provides stunning views of the richest, deepest, blue water one can set their eyes on. It is no small feat to arrive at CLNP. It's remote location and distance from other populous areas makes traversing this area of the country especially challenging.  We stayed in Eugene, Oregon (2.5 hours northwest) the night prior to our adventure. Due to the many wild fires in the region, large sections of the park and surrounding area were impassable, which made for quite an adventure!

Like many of you, I was TOTALLY skeptical of Ikea cabinets. When Ty and I got married and moved into our first home, we did the whole "furnish the entire home with IKEA" thing. We were newlyweds with student debt and an empty house. 1,307,682 pieces of wood, screws, bolts, and hours of building later, and our home was furnished. Our angst for IKEA grew months later when our furniture began to fall apart. We needed a long break from IKEA. (Insert : Taylor Swift "We-e-e are never - ever - ever getting back together...")

This is the room that sold me on the house. I pictured us living here as soon as I saw that brick fireplace that scaled two levels. Coming from a small condo, we had been longing for a space with abundant natural light. If you follow us on instagram, you may remember the whole "should we paint the fireplace black?" debate. I was for it, Ty was not so sure; he wanted to bring the existing brick back to life. A lot of you were rather passionate one way or another. My DM's were filled with emotion, and friends and family were texting me their opinions. What a hoot. While I prefer to keep things original when possible, the brick had too many peach undertones, so black paint it was. The black brick has become both Ty and I's FAVORITE part of the home. It's unexpected, bringing depth to all white space.