Perkins Place

In a small house like Perkins Place, you learn quickly that small touches can make a big impact—mostly because there’s nowhere to hide your mistakes. If you hang a crooked picture, the whole house knows. If you buy an ugly rug, it becomes a personality trait. But every now and then, a tiny upgrade lands squarely in the category of “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” Enter: my solar bistro lights. Yes, friends, I have joined the ranks of people who casually refer to their patio as

Every house has its quirks. Some people deal with squeaky floorboards, others with leaky faucets. Me? My nemesis comes in the form of tiny reptiles with sticky toes and a knack for leaving behind… evidence. Yes, I’m talking about lizards. At Perkins Place, they sneak in like miniature ninjas through the tiniest cracks—around doors, air conditioners, and especially through the garage. Once inside, they don’t pay rent, they don’t help with chores, and they certainly don’t respe

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted any updates. Life has been, well let’s just say a bit unsettled. But things are better now so I’m off to the races again. The big remodeling projects on Perkins Place are on hold until the budget recovers from the previous upgrades. For the time being, it’s all about little (as in affordable) improvements. One of the simplest but best upgrades I’ve made is this fantastic cordless stick vacuum. Now I know stick vacuums are nothing new, b

My little Florida place is just full of issues, but I love solving little problems like that. I had two little things that were bothering...

It's been a while since I've posted because I spent most of 2023 taking care of my son, Nik, who sadly lost his battle with brain cancer...

This is a long post because there’s so much to share. I’ve just completed the biggest, most expensive, most rewarding project to date at...

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted an update because I haven’t been doing all that much on the house. Things are definitely picking...

Due to the way the road curves in front of our house, the very first thing you see when you arrive at Perkins Place is the mailbox. Ours...

If you watch HGTV, you have likely seen that many people who take on renovating and redecorating projects make a lot of mistakes. I am...

It all started with a spoon and a spatula. I was in Disney World many moons ago and saw the Mickey Mouse© utensil set in a shop in the...

Perkins Place was built in 1949 and, as with many houses of that age, it has its quirks. It was originally built as a fishing cabin and...

I have long said that the first thing I would do to Perkins Place is to rip out and remodel the shower. Alas, the budget gods are saying...

Of the few things that I’ve updated at Perkins Place, I am most pleased with the new breakfast bar. For as long as I can remember, the kitchen has been graced by a built-in table that was custom-made just for that spot. It was okay but not particularly handy to use or comfortable to sit at. The best solution was to remove the table and put in a small kitchen island with stools that could tuck underneath when not in use. I searched several sites and found quite a few that I li

I have loved this simple cottage for nearly 50 years. My grandparents bought it when I was a kid and it has been passed down from generation to generation since then. This year, it was passed to me. Everyone in our family loves what my mother affectionately calls the shack on the lake. For the past few years, it has served solely as a vacation home. Our visits to the house are usually whirlwind and based around days spent in Disney World, which is less than 20 miles away. W