We are back with a classic "Trials & Triumphs" episode! After a hiatus from sharing their own home updates since August, Caroline, Taryn, and Liz sit down to catch up on what has really been happening behind their own front doors.

The ladies discuss the highs and lows of homeownership, from Liz’s dining room paint regret (and redemption) to Caroline’s nightmare scenario involving a toilet overflow the day after Christmas. Taryn shares a genius lighting hack for guest rooms that lack hardwiring, and Caroline reveals how she finally tackled the basement clutter that had been weighing on her for five years.

Quick Decorating Takeaways:

Test Paint in Different Seasons: Liz shares a cautionary tale about painting her dining room "Ancient Marble" in the winter, only to realize that when spring foliage arrived, the green light bouncing in washed the color out completely. She eventually repainted it "Retreat" by Sherwin Williams for a much richer look.

The "Smart Plug" Guest Room Hack: If you have a room with no overhead lighting or hardwired sconces, Taryn recommends putting floor and table lamps on smart plugs or timers. This ensures guests never have to walk into a pitch-black room and fumble for a switch.

Don't Let the "Big" Projects Scare You: Caroline put off organizing her basement storage for five years because it felt like a massive undertaking. Once she finally started, she and her husband finished the entire project in just two afternoons.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

00:00 Welcome back to Trials & Triumphs

01:00 Liz’s Paint Trial: Why "Ancient Marble" didn't work in spring

02:00 Liz’s Triumph: The new dining room color ("Retreat")

06:00 Discussing "Malted Milk" (pink) paint for Liz’s kitchen

12:00 Caroline’s Triumph: Cleaning out the basement after 5 years

15:30 Caroline’s Trial: A lightning strike and an expensive tree removal

17:00 Update on Caroline’s needlepoint stockings

19:00 The custom bed that wasn't ready for Christmas (and why that was lucky)

20:45 Caroline’s Trial: The sewer line backup disaster

23:00 Liz’s amusing update on her neighbor's strict Airbnb rules

26:00 Taryn’s Triumph: Finishing the living room drapes and chairs

29:45 Tip: How to handle drapes over air vents

31:30 Taryn’s Triumph: Solving the dark guest room problem with automation

34:00 Taryn’s Trial: The pool heater fail on a warm Christmas

Also Mentioned:

Paint Color: Sherwin Williams "Ancient Marble" (Liz's Trial) 

Paint Color: Sherwin Williams "Retreat" (Liz's Triumph) 

Paint Color: Sherwin Williams "Malted Milk" (Liz's Potential Kitchen) 

Husky Industrial Shelves (for basement storage) 

Fabric: "Keir Capri" (Caroline's daughter's bed) 

Shop Ballard Designs

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Happy Decorating!

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