If you thought we’d already exhausted the dollhouse topic on the podcast, think again — this episode takes it to a whole new level. The universe recently put Sherry’s dollhouse obsession to the test, and whether she passed or failed depends on whom you ask. We also talk about an odd Ikea discovery that was being sold in bulk only in the U.S. (the reveal made us laugh out loud), and we share listener stories about how changing a room can influence behavior in surprising ways. Plus, someone tried dressing in just one color for a while and learned some interesting lessons, and we dive into the always emotional subject of textured walls. Strap in.

You can find this episode on your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, and Spotify.

What’s New

• Below is a “before” photo of a dollhouse a friend recently passed on to us, even though we already had our fair share of tiny houses that showed up over the holidays. If you missed it, we’ve talked about earlier dollhouse projects in previous episodes, and how a small “Sweet Shop” almost counts as another mini-dwelling.

• Does it remind you of our house? Especially now that our brick has been painted white.

• Sherry and our daughter have already had a blast fixing the new dollhouse up. Expect a follow-up with photos and a rundown of all its tiny treasures soon. In the meantime, we’ve shared a full play-by-play of a previous dollhouse makeover on the blog.

Updates

• We originally mentioned the Wheel of Goon / Goon of Fortune idea in an earlier episode where we discussed design traditions from around the world. If you want to see it in action, videos are easy to find online.
• Listener Jo shared some great articles about how Ikea adapts product lines for different countries and how some catalog images are computer generated. Those pieces provide interesting context on why certain items appear or behave differently depending on the market.
• We also discussed the book Joyful and Sherry’s minimalist, mostly-black wardrobe in past episodes and posts. If you’re curious about her skin and hair routine, we’ve written about that too.

• We’ve experimented with personal rules and limits — like a “No Spend Month” and creating boundaries around TV time — and those exercises produced useful, surprising lessons about how parameters help shape habits.
• We also revisited the perennial shoes-off-or-on debate. After polling our audience, the results show a clear cultural split: a much higher percentage of non-Americans follow a strict no-shoes rule compared to Americans, while many Americans report they don’t really care either way.

Can We Just Talk About Textured Walls?

• The photo above, taken in our bonus room, illustrates the smooth walls we’ve chosen in every home we’ve owned. We’ve literally never had textured walls or ceilings.
• By contrast, textured walls and ceilings are common in certain regions and in homes built during particular eras. It’s interesting how much local building traditions influence interior finishes.
• We invited listeners to weigh in on texture in a poll, and the responses highlighted just how personal and emotional this topic can be.

We’re Digging

• One book we can’t stop recommending is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It surprised us with how compelling and enlightening it was.
• We’ve been playing Ticket to Ride with the family — the classic U.S. version — and we enjoy several other game variations and family-friendly board games that work well with kids ages 4 and 8.

• Other family favorites we’ve been playing include Happy Salmon, Clue Jr., The Game of Life Jr., and Tenzi — quick, engaging games that keep everyone involved.

If you want a quick way to find past recommendations from our show, we keep a master list of everything we’ve dug into across episodes, plus a dedicated page for all the books we’ve suggested in our Book Club section.

A quick note of thanks to Rothy’s for sponsoring this episode. They offered a special promotion for listeners, and we appreciate their support in helping us keep the podcast going.

Thanks for listening — and for all the thoughtful emails and stories you keep sending our way. We love hearing how small changes in a room or routine can ripple out into daily life.

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