True Home Restorations

08/17/2026

02/12/2026

Our hallway bathroom is officially done and it’s gloriously GREEN! The color leans very 1970s (and our house is 1959) but it works for me.

4x4 tiles are the most period-appropriate for an MCM bath, and my personal favorite. We also used them on the floor & above the shower, but turned 45° to give them a slightly different look.

Many details stayed the same from our 2012/2013 renovation including: tub & toilet, all faucets, vanity lights, wall-to-wall mirror, wood vanity & linen closet, and TP & towel hooks.

What we changed: tile; countertop & sinks; swapped all pulls for vintage; added curtain rod; art from other areas of the house: new towels, curtain & rug; soap, toothbrush holder, toilet brush & wastebasket. We also swapped our old vent fans for new ones that look like a recessed light instead of an ugly fan.

We started this project September 1st, so wasn’t quick, but it was 100% worth it after a dozen years loathing all the wrong tile choices I made in 2012.

Yes, I added that plant to the vanity for the photos. 😜

02/09/2026

We recently swapped our kitchen tile backsplash and the new earthy pink is giving me LIFE after a dozen years of gray glass.

12/17/2025

Okay, we are not quite to the “after” of our bathroom re-do, but after 12 years of boring white subway tile and lame gray floors, we finally brought the MidMod back into our bathrooms!

A huge, huge regret of mine was not selecting colorful 4x4 tile for my own bathrooms in 2012. To be fair to myself, I just didn’t know enough. But if I would have learned more before diving into my own renovation, I would have done it correctly.

The house had a major renovation in the 1990s from the previous owner, so at least I didn’t rip out a time capsule?!

We kept a lot here - vanity & linen closet, all plumbing fixtures, wall-mounted mirrors, lights, and heated floors. 🔥 We replaced floor & wall tile, sinks, countertops, ceiling vents, and all the linens — rugs, towels, shower curtain.

All the boring tile was removed and we went wild with green to the ceilings on every single wall. I’ve also sourced Orla Kiely towels, a Marimekko shower curtain, and some mod accessories (soap pump, etc) that should suit the space for a very long time!

11/17/2025

I promised I’d share more photos of my current project — my own house. We kicked off week 12 of the refresh over here, and I’m loving all our furniture coming back in.

I replaced wallpaper, paint & textiles (drapes, rugs, pillows, sofa upholstery, bed linens) but not furniture, lighting, or cabinetry. The bathroom tile is getting the biggest overhaul and it’s nearly done and ready to reinstall all the faucets and shower heads.

Our little dining area rarely gets used for eating, and is usually home to a daily Scrabble game with my spouse.

11/09/2025

Y’all, we are nearing the finish line at our own project, and I’m here to show you an after —> before of the living room. We still need drapes, an end table, and some baseboards & trim, but everything is *really* coming together.

Obviously sanding the maple floors down to bare wood were the main part of this change. And then we decided to paint the ceilings to match the exterior color scheme. We kept our sofa, but had it reupholstered in this deep w**e velvet I bought for $100 from my friend .

I splurged on the rug, and the fresh wallpaper, but there are secondhand pillows, throws, and everything else is the same (lights, plants, other furniture…)

I’m keeping my eyes peeled for another secondhand drape situation for this window wall, but I’m not as optimistic about finding the size I need (190” wide x 90” tall) so I did order some drape fabric samples.

I hauled in all my houseplants from the patio, because we woke up to a light dusting of SNOW, and it’s feeling more pulled together, indeed.

I am looking forward to showing you more before and afters, but this is the most pulled together space so far!

Thanks for following along — this project is giving me LIFE. 🌈

10/12/2025

Working on this time capsule house in East Lansing was an absolute delight! We worked in terrazzo tile floors, a retro orange backsplash, and cabinets from Centennial Woodworking that looked so close to the original ones. Enjoy these retro details in this fabulous home.

08/19/2025

When a house I’ve worked on pops up for sale, it’s bittersweet for me. This was a gem of a project with delightful clients. I can easily assume they’ve outgrown this space as their family has grown, but dang, it’s still so so good!!

In case you’re in the market for a move-in-ready retro ranch. 🙂

$700,000 — https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/860-Allen-Dr-Holland-MI-49423/74197104_zpid/

06/06/2025

I don’t sell midcentury homes, but I do share mostly Michigan MCM homes for sale over at Mid Mod Mich.

Last night I was invited to my first broker open house, which I accepted the invite and met my friend Anna there.

Thanks for the invite, the house tour, and very yummy food & drinks, Elizabeth Oakley Real Estate!

Are you in the market for a Michigan MCM house?? If so, you’ll love my other page too!!

06/04/2025

I swapped out my own porch rug this week and I’m loving the change. The more colorful one is the new one, and the former one went to another cool MCM house right here in Grand Haven!