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The Forge House, Harrisburg, PA (2025)

07/19/2025

We made some bold choices, tried new things, and no two spaces look the same. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a full recap of each one:
→ What we picked
→ Why we picked it
→ And what I might change next time 😉

Swipe through to see all five, then head to the poll and vote: 💬 Which bathroom should we start with? I could only add 4 so if your vote is powder room comment!

Styling isn’t 100% done yet (we still need art, shelving, and a few details), but we’re diving in anyway!

07/14/2025

🏡 Another before & after but this one’s extra special.

We’ve shared our kitchen renovation before, but I thought it’d be fun to compare it with an original photo I found from the early 1900s, back when the house was used as a Bed and Breakfast (not quite the original 1830s kitchen, but still such a cool piece of its history).

Some of the details are surprisingly familiar like the cabinets, which now live in our barn apartment, and the original window above the door, which we never replaced. That wall on the left? Gone. The pine floors? They were beautiful back then but completely gone by the time we bought the house replaced with plywood and patchwork.

We totally gutted the space: new plumbing, electrical, insulation, reinforced beams, drywall, lighting, appliances all of it.

Our goal was to make it feel open, welcoming, and still true to the home’s character.
💙 Island: Benjamin Moore Bruce Bruce
🕊️ Cabinetry: White Dove
🪵 Floors: Heartwood Pine, reinstalled to match the original
🍂 Mixed in copper and oil-rubbed bronze finishes
🖼️ We even used pine flooring to picture-frame the upper cabinets to warm up the white.

We kept the exposed stone walls, leaned into natural tones, and designed everything to feel like it belonged here.

The real kitchen table is still out for repair (makeshift one in its place for now), but the heart of the space is here.

So tell me do you love the original kitchen from the Bed and Breakfast days… or our version better? 👀 Swipe to compare!

06/30/2025

Ever wonder how a 100+ year-old stone house stays standing? 👀
It’s not just the stones it’s the mortar between them holding everything together. Over time, that old mortar breaks down, and if you don’t replace it the right way, the whole wall can start to shift, crack, or even crumble.

We’re in the middle of a process called repointing, which means carefully removing the deteriorated mortar joints and replacing them with new mortar. We’re using a traditional lime and sand mix just like the original builders would’ve used.

A lot of people ask, “Why not just use cement?” And the answer is: cement is too hard and brittle for old stonework. It doesn’t allow the walls to breathe and it traps moisture inside, which can damage the stone over time. 😬

Lime mortar, on the other hand, is softer and breathable. It allows the wall to move slightly with changes in temperature and moisture, helps release trapped water, and supports the overall health of the structure.

And no, the wall doesn’t fall down while we’re doing it 😅. We remove and replace the mortar one small section at a time, and thanks to the way these walls are built stacked stone carrying the weight it stays stable throughout the process.

It’s slow, dusty, and seriously satisfying work and exactly what an old stone building with crumbling mortar needs to stay standing for another century. 💪

👉 Swipe to the end to see something amazing one of the stones on our house has visible shell fossils embedded in it. Just another reminder of how much history these old homes hold. 🐚🪨

Got questions about the repointing process? Drop them below! We’re going to share everything we’ve learned along the way, but we’d love to hear what you’re curious about so we can make sure to cover it all. 👇

06/26/2025

On the left wing of our house, we have two guest bedrooms and this one has come a long way. Swipe to see the before when it was a B&B, after of this space’s transformation and the end shows what it looked like when we bought it ✨

The first photo shows the room back in its bed-and-breakfast days. A lot of people say the house was at its best then, and honestly… I get it. That daybed? The wallpaper? The deep windowsills? So charming. I’m seriously considering adding wallpaper to all my deep windowsills throughout the house. And those little wall sconces are too cute to ignore.

When we bought the place, the room had been painted bright yellow trim and all with pegboard hooks lining the walls. It wasn’t in terrible shape, but it needed some love.

We kept it simple with a fresh coat of paint and layered in some mixed furniture to make it feel cozy, calm, and welcoming for guests. 🛏️ We also kept the original hardware on the door (because why mess with a good thing?) and added some vintage thrifted porcelain k***s to the windowsills for a subtle touch of character.

Would you wallpaper all the windowsills, or leave them simple? Let me know what you’d do!

***s

06/18/2025

Let’s take a look at some of the stone we have exposed in our house and why we think it’s worth it at The Forge Cottage.

One of the things we love most about our house is how much exposed stone we have. It adds depth, texture, and a sense of grounded history that you just can’t replicate with modern materials.

But here’s the truth: while it looks beautiful now, these walls took a LOT of work. When you peel back the old lath and plaster, you’re often left with dry-stacked stone sometimes with just a whisper of mortar holding it all together. (Scroll to the end to see a uncovered stone with no mortar) To make these walls stable and showcase their beauty, they had to be repointed, which means adding fresh mortar between every single stone by hand. It’s a labor of love, and it’s slow but so worth it.

From there, the mortar is shaped using a trowel either smoothed or recessed, depending on the design style you want. Personally, I love the slightly rustic, imperfect finish that lets the stones really shine.

Stone walls don’t just bring character they’re functional too. They hold onto heat in the winter, stay cool in the summer, and quietly remind you that you’re standing inside something that was built to last.

It’s humbling to live within these 200-year-old walls crafted with real materials, real tools, and a lot of sweat (and probably a few tears). The charm doesn’t come easy, but it’s always worth it. 🖤

06/12/2025

Swipe to step back in time 🕰️
Here’s another peek at the exterior of our home back when it was a bed-and-breakfast. While many details have changed over the years, so much of its original charm remains. ✨

Some updates you’ll notice:
— The porch railing on the roof was removed before we purchased the house due to rot 😞
— A decorative piece was added to the third-floor peak
— White shutters are now green
— Brick pathway swapped for stone
— White plank siding replaced with cedar shake on the third floor
— Gutters went from white to copper 🧡

But the true showstopper? The original porch railings and spindles—still going strong after 200 years! We even have photos from nearly the original owners that show this exact spindle design. And those green shutters? Still the originals, just with a few paint jobs over the decades. Even the concrete from 1930 is still holding up today! 💪🏼

06/10/2025

We made a BIG announcement yesterday… Tyler’s parents bought the stone house right next door! 🏡💫 We are beyond excited to welcome them to the neighborhood — and to have a new renovation project to share with you!

A little backstory on this beauty: the home was built around the same time as ours (1830s) but we do not know the exact date and was originally part of the same property. Like our house, it was part of the Swatara Furnace community — these homes were typically reserved for “higher ups” in the furnace operations.

Originally constructed as a double house in 1932, it later suffered a devastating stove fire that left only the four stone walls standing. Mr. Boyer rebuilt it shortly after as a single-family home.

The house sat vacant for nearly five years before Tyler’s parents purchased it, and now it’s ready for some serious love — water-damaged windows, full exterior stone repointing, new kitchen, bathroom, flooring… the list is long, but the potential is huge.

I wanted to share a few photos of what it looks like now. It has some really special features: a three-sided fireplace, beautiful exposed beams (you can see the second floor floors from below!), copper-plated door plates, and one of the most unique things — the second story opens right out to the backyard, ground level. The home actually backs up to the mountainside, making it feel incredibly tucked-in and cozy. 🌲🏠

We’ll be sharing their renovation journey right here, and we can’t wait to bring you along!

06/06/2025

Let's s step back in time 🕰️

I found this old photo of our stairs, and it gives such a cool glimpse into what the original layout looked like. Let’s walk through it together—starting from the left:

👀 That door under the stairwell? It used to be an exterior door that led straight to the backyard.
🪞Above it, where we now have the mirror on the landing, there was once a window that brought in beautiful light—but we had to remove it due to water damage when we enclosed the deck to make our closet.
🚪At the very top of the stairs, you’ll notice there is no door. That’s because this photo was taken before the addition was built—what is now our primary bedroom (and the den below).
🧱And on the far right, see that wall? It once separated the stairwell and entry from the living room and kitchen. Everything has been opened up, but fun fact: the current pony wall sits exactly where that original dividing wall was.

A few details I’m obsessed with: the carpet runner (so classic) and those brass stair rods 😍—wish they were still here when we bought the house!

Now tell me… should I bring in striped wallpaper? Because I’m very tempted 👀

05/28/2025

Sharing a few photos of what our pool currently looks like… It’s been covered for nearly 3 years because it’s not functioning, and the inside is completely worn out. Everything would need to be replaced — and in the meantime, it’s become a magnet for water, frogs, snakes 😳, and a major hazard for kids.

After lots of thought, we’ve made the tough decision not to restore or replace it right now. It’s just not in the cards — but we do have big plans to reimagine this space into something safer, more functional, and better suited to the season of life we’re in.

Also found this gem from 1976 of someone enjoying a floaty in the pool — had to share it before we begin the next chapter in this renovation. What's your guess on what we are going to do?

05/21/2025

“This is our last scribe”… famous last words. 😅
If you’ve ever renovated or lived in a stone home, you know scribing is part of the deal. Every time drywall, flooring, molding, or beams meet the stone, you’re back at it—tracing that uneven pattern with a washer like you’re sketching a topographical map.

It’s time-consuming, tedious, and absolutely worth it. The fit has to be close, or it just looks off. The hardest scribe in our home? The countertops. But thanks to an amazing fabrication team, they nailed it. The stone-to-countertop transition is chef’s kiss—it legit looks like the stone grew out of the wall.

So if you’re thinking about installing stone or buying an old stone home, know this: scribing will test your patience, but the final look? Unreal. 🔨🪨

05/13/2025

Let’s take a closer look at our 60” ILVE Range — a centerpiece we carefully chose during our kitchen renovation. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment purchase; it was an investment we saved and planned for. We researched every detail to find something that would suit our family’s needs and style.

This dual fuel (gas + electric) range heats evenly and quickly — perfect for my daily sourdough bakes and home-cooked meals. It’s available in a range of colors and metal finishes, but the dusty blue instantly stole my heart. We even matched our island to it — for those asking, the island color is Benjamin Moore Blue Spruce, and it’s just as dreamy in person.

We also added a bronze pot filler above the range — and if you’re renovating, I highly recommend including one. I promise you’ll use it more than you think!

And that copper range hood? It’s custom-made, and it really pulls the whole space together.

This kitchen is more than just beautiful — it’s functional, lived-in, and very loved.

Range Hood:
Range:
Pot Filler:

05/06/2025

When making design choices in our home, we knew we wanted to explore different countertop materials—there are just so many great options out there! Each space in our home has its own feel, and we chose materials that reflected that.

In our library loft and laundry room, we used a product called PaperStone. It’s made from recycled paper and a non-petroleum resin—super DIY-friendly and can be worked with using regular wood tools. It’s dense, durable, and if it gets scratched, you can actually sand and refinish it!

In two of our bathrooms, we went with concrete countertops. We worked with an amazing company that customized them to fit our style and space perfectly.

For the kitchen and pantry, we chose sintered stone. It’s incredibly durable—scratch, stain, and heat resistant—and what I love most is that the veining runs all the way through the slab, unlike quartz.

In our primary bathroom, we did use quartz. It’s a lower-traffic area, and we loved the soft base color with subtle copper-toned veins—it brought just the right amount of warmth.

We also incorporated live edge wood in several spots throughout the house (like the half wall!), which I’ll share more about in another post. Which product sticks out to you the most?

Companies We Worked With:
Paper Stone:
Concrete Countertops:
Sintered Stone:
Quartz: (they also installed the Sintered Stone)

The Forge House

07/19/2025

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