Happy Sunday and Happy New Year! We can’t believe it’s here but that doesn’t make it any less true, ha. We thought the calm minimalism of the mountain house living room was a perfect way to start this year visually. So while work starts for us tomorrow, and we’re excited to hit the ground running, we are also taking in every last peaceful moment until then. We hope you are too and will enjoy these links as a part of that:)
This week’s house tour is a farmhouse that was built in 1764 if you can believe it! Not only was it brought back to life by a mother-daughter design team but they kept most of the original charm…like the type beams all of us dream of having one day. Check out this warm, elegant, and oh-so-charming home.
From Emily: A TV tragedy has occurred – the full-on murder of a good show. You see, My Lady Jane on Amazon is as of right now not coming back for a second season. It’s a fresh fantasy/period drama/comedy (think Bridgerton meets ACOTAR) and ended on a cliffhanger (painful). It was so well done (the production design, the costumes, the acting, the writing, the directing, the cinematography – the entire WORLD was so perfectly appointed), not to MENTION the chemistry between the two leads. The good news is that there is a petition to bring it back and I’m making it a personal cause (using my platform and whatnot, lol). I think that they didn’t market it enough, likely because there might be too many men at the top who didn’t really see the potential, and those who watched it LOVED IT, but it must not have hit the right numbers. So I ask you to A. watch it (It’s EXTREMELY ENJOYABLE TO WATCH) and B. Sign this petition. It’s not cheap Hallmark smut (which I also like). It’s actually full of so much talent and creativity. We NEED a second season.
From Caitlin: So, uh, you remember how we revealed Kaitlin’s living room? Remember how, at the end, Kaitlin said that these were the best jeans of all time? Well, SHE GOT ME. I have been influenced. She was right!!! Kaitlin has top-notch cool girl style IRL – she’s always pulled together, but it always looks effortless – so I put a lot of stock in her recommendations. I grabbed my own pair (my first-ever foray into Everlane denim!) and they are, in fact, the best jeans of all time. So cinched at the waist! So cute on the legs! How did they do it?!?! I’ll take a pair in every color, please. (PS. I usually buy a 31 in Madewell and Anthro, and bought a 31 here. No complaints!)
From Arlyn: Look, I’m not trying to be a “new year, new body, new me” person. In full transparency, I’m writing this recommendation in early December, knowing it won’t be published until January. BUT, I found a YouTube fitness channel that I LOVE called Grow With Jo. Jo is a fitness trainer who also is a mom and understands both post-baby bodies as well as the mom time crunch. Not only that, but she’s adorable and so immensely likable that honestly, it kind of feels like we’re friends (that’s not weird, right?). I especially like that in a lot of her videos, she has a graphic off to the side that shows you what muscle group you’re working with each move. If you’re looking for at-home workouts you can do with limited time, check out her channel.
From Mallory: I’m becoming a Pilates princess slowly but surely (my mom also added a fold-up reformer to my old bedroom at their house so I thought why not get into this more) – so I grabbed some Pilates socks I’m super stoked about. I went to Alo to grab some and was honestly so confused that 1 pair of socks was $30, so these dupes are way more reasonable at $18 for a 3 pack. I also love the blue, black, and white color
From Jess: While I have plenty of resolutions/goals on my list this year, one that I started a couple of weeks ago was updating almost all of my light switches to the ever-beautiful push-button style. I started with one that I installed early last year and then this last month I added three more. I live in a one-bedroom apartment with a total of six switches so it’s obviously less of a financial burden than if I lived in a home or even a two-bedroom. I also know how to install them myself (thanks, Dad!) so I don’t need to hire out for that either. Point being, it’s been just a really nice little upgrade that has made me so happy. Grabbing all the joy I can get this year. I went with the classic Rejuvenation Lewis switchplates and then got the switches here. 10/10 would recommend if you’ve been wanting to do the same:)
From Gretchen: Whew! We made it! 2025 and feeling ALIVE! I am just getting back from the happiest place on Earth (yes, Disneyland) after spending the last little bit of break with my two life-long besties, reliving our childhoods. We’ve all been friends since we were seven years old, which is the age most of us had last been there, so it only made sense to make the trip together now that we’re all pushing 30. Ha! We spent three days eating straight up sugar, spent too much money on dumb t-shirts and novelty hats, and clocked an insane amount of steps. That’s why I was so glad I had my HOKA Bondi 8’s to walk around in. They are truly like stepping on a CLOUD. I might be mistaken, but I think Mal has linked these up before too, and for good reason. They’re just so comfy, great for walking and more! I snagged these mostly for my New Year’s resolution: forcing myself to dip my toe back into running–GULP! So far I’ve only done a few easy runs (a mile or two) but I’m loving how these are feeling on my feet with all that added cushion.
Happy New Year again and see you all tomorrow. xx
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House Reveal: Our Light-Filled Neutral & Textural Living Room
Agree that Lady Jane was one of the BEST shows last year! Perfect cast and so clever. It kills me when we get 2,375 marvel movies but lose out on well written original stories.
So agree that My Lady Jane deserves a second season! It’s so sharply written that a lot of the witticism went over my head the first time. I caught so much more in the second viewing. And the clothes, chemistry, acting, and sets are gorgeous!
Just a small request: When you post something from AD can you give a heads-up that that’s where the link is taking us? If you don’t have a subscription, like me, it only allows 2 (?) free articles a month and I like to pick and choose what I click on.
The. consoles we were all asking about in the last post! Thank you for re-linking the reveal post here. Quick question: what color wood are the ones in Kaitlin’s living room? They don’t seem to match either of the options available online right now, so I’m curious.
Definitely the white oak. You can also see more IRL photos in the reviews section.
Thank you so much!
I LOVED My Lady Jane! Agree, so clever and well written with amazing chemistry. So glad you are using your platform to advertise it. Everyone should watch if you haven’t- maybe we can give it a second life!
My ‘bestie’ home online work out gal is Lindsey from Nourish Move Love; so many options, can be searched by length of work out, and a ‘you can do it’ personality!
The cast was chef’s kiss.
It’s not the same thing, but if you adored My Lady Jane (me too!) I cannot recommend The Great enough. It has a few similar vibes I think you’ll adore. (I signed the thing, though!)
Agreed about The Great!
Also Outlander which has 7 seasons and counting. Will be 8 seasons total. So good!
Just wanted to add a recommendation for MommaStrong for any women searching for workout options—like Grow with Jo, it’s founded by a mom but I highly recommend to anyone not just moms. I’ve learned SO MUCH from this about how my body works that I wish I’d learned in school. She has a physical therapist on staff who you can ask questions of, and in addition to daily 15-min workouts for prenatal, postpartum, everyday, and midlife (with homemade weights), there are “fix-me” videos for everything: plantar fasciitis, low back pain, knee issues, incontinence… and on top of that she has a tiered payment system where you pay the level you can afford, starting at $5/month! She’s also very real, working out at home with cats/dogs/kids around and climbing on her, and there’s a community where she and the PT post regularly. It’s seriously life changing!