This week at Robins Hollow, we tackled a big old house design dilemma: keep or remove the not-quite-original built-in corner cabinet in our Victorian dining room? Here's how we made the call—and what we found behind the trim

If you’ve been following along for a while, you know that when we commit to an 8-week project… it sometimes turns into a 24-week project. So the fact that Week 2 of the One Room Challenge is already teetering on the edge of full-blown scope creep? Not a great sign.

To be fair, the dining room isn’t the only thing demanding our attention this week.

We also took delivery of 110 five-foot skip laurels that we’re planting ourselves to create a privacy hedge along the property line (because what’s a relaxing spring project without a few hundred feet of shovel work?). And—because no old house project is complete without a dash of chaos—our well stopped working completely, leaving us without water. As in: no showers, no cooking, no flushing toilets. We’re currently weighing whether to dig a new well point or finally hook up to town water… while also trying to pick light fixtures.

So yes, things are a little hectic.

Join us for the One Room Challenge as we transform our Victorian dining room at Robins Hollow. Follow along week by week as we share our renovation process, design inspiration, and all the charming chaos of restoring an old house.

Tired of cheap, ill-fitting doors in your old home? Learn how we built custom doors for our 200-year-old Victorian house—plus tips on materials, hardware, cost, and DIY design. Discover why building your own door is worth the effort.