How to Decorate
How to Decorate
Ballard Designs
Ep. 449: Trials and Triumphs
45 minutes Posted Jan 20, 2026 at 11:00 am.
Welcome back to Trials & Triumphs
Liz’s Paint Trial: Why "Ancient Marble" didn't work in spring
Liz’s Triumph: The new dining room color ("Retreat")
Discussing "Malted Milk" (pink) paint for Liz’s kitchen
Caroline’s Triumph: Cleaning out the basement after 5 years
Caroline’s Trial: A lightning strike and an expensive tree removal
Update on Caroline’s needlepoint stockings
The custom bed that wasn't ready for Christmas (and why that was lucky)
Caroline’s Trial: The sewer line backup disaster
Liz’s amusing update on her neighbor's strict Airbnb rules
Taryn’s Triumph: Finishing the living room drapes and chairs
Tip: How to handle drapes over air vents
Taryn’s Triumph: Solving the dark guest room problem with automation
Taryn’s Trial: The pool heater fail on a warm Christmas
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Show notes
We are back with a classic "Trials & Triumphs" episode! After a hiatus from sharing their own home updates since August, Caroline, Taryn, and Liz sit down to catch up on what has really been happening behind their own front doors.
The ladies discuss the highs and lows of homeownership, from Liz’s dining room paint regret (and redemption) to Caroline’s nightmare scenario involving a toilet overflow the day after Christmas. Taryn shares a genius lighting hack for guest rooms that lack hardwiring, and Caroline reveals how she finally tackled the basement clutter that had been weighing on her for five years.
Quick Decorating Takeaways:
Test Paint in Different Seasons: Liz shares a cautionary tale about painting her dining room "Ancient Marble" in the winter, only to realize that when spring foliage arrived, the green light bouncing in washed the color out completely. She eventually repainted it "Retreat" by Sherwin Williams for a much richer look.
The "Smart Plug" Guest Room Hack: If you have a room with no overhead lighting or hardwired sconces, Taryn recommends putting floor and table lamps on smart plugs or timers. This ensures guests never have to walk into a pitch-black room and fumble for a switch.
Don't Let the "Big" Projects Scare You: Caroline put off organizing her basement storage for five years because it felt like a massive undertaking. Once she finally started, she and her husband finished the entire project in just two afternoons.
What You’ll Hear on This Episode:
Also Mentioned:
Paint Color: Sherwin Williams "Ancient Marble" (Liz's Trial) 
Paint Color: Sherwin Williams "Retreat" (Liz's Triumph) 
Paint Color: Sherwin Williams "Malted Milk" (Liz's Potential Kitchen) 
Husky Industrial Shelves (for basement storage) 
Fabric: "Keir Capri" (Caroline's daughter's bed) 
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Happy Decorating!
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