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    our new windows!

    by Kaylah Stroup September 29, 2021

    This post is sponsored by Universal Windows Direct.

    Patio door off kitchen before + in progress.

    We just celebrated one full year of living in Stroup Mansion. In these last twelve months, I’ve accomplished SO much. I’ve refinished original hardwood floors, hung new drywall, gone through gallons of paint but honestly, one of the most exciting things we’ve done for the house is get her new windows and a functioning patio door!

    I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work with Universal Windows Direct the last few months and wanted to write a little bit about my experience and how easy it was to update our windows (and doors)!

    The laundry room before + after.

    We had a total of six windows replaced by Universal Windows Direct. Three in the attic (you can see those in this video!), two in the hallway (above in the photo with Klaus), and one in the laundry room. The laundry room window is one of my favorite improvements. It was one of the worst windows in the house. It hadn’t been replaced by the previous owner despite the fact it was cracked. I knew it needed to be replaced just based on that but I truly wasn’t expecting how much better a new window would look! I swear, it’s like the room has a whole new view of the yard now simply because you can actually see out of the window now.

    The whole process was a breeze. Universal Windows Direct offers free estimates. They’ll come out to your home, show off product samples and talk everything over with you. They even do a neat little demonstration with a torch to show how their windows keep extreme temps from coming into your home. After you’ve picked out what you want, the next step is a measure tech visiting. This literally took no time at all. He came in, measured everything up, and then the order was sent to production.

    Installation day is what you have to look forward to next. Can I just start by saying that when you’ve been DIY-ing everything it is SO nice to watch someone else work on your house. The install team was courteous, friendly, and super efficient!

    Patio door off kitchen before and after.

    Universal Windows Direct not only does windows but doors as well! Off our kitchen, we have a little concrete platform, absolutely perfect for plants and coffee breaks, but when we moved in it wasn’t accessible from the inside. The opening had been filled with two large windows that were held together and in place by boards. They were clearly placed like this with the intention they wouldn’t be opened.

    Before this collaboration, I was a bit at a loss with what to do about this opening. I absolutely wanted it to be a door but quickly discovered it was a weird size. I would never be able to just find a door waiting for me at the store. The good news is that Universal Windows Direct makes everything custom. My goofy-sized door opening? Not a problem!

    I don’t want to admit it but winter is well on its way here in Ohio. I’m not excited to have to turn our heat back on but at least I know our bill will be lower now that we have new windows that will keep the cold out!

    Now is the perfect time to get new windows! Universal Windows Direct is offering buy one get one free on all windows (with no limit! Literally you could buy ten and get ten free which is pretty amazing!) Their windows have a lifetime warranty and if you sell your home that warranty is transferable to the next homeowner for 30 years! Can’t forget that they are also offering 24 months no payments, no interest!

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  • all the posts!plants + gardening

    lunch – a photo series

    by Kaylah Stroup September 23, 2021
    September 23, 2021

    Taking full advantage of the end of summer, I headed to Lowe’s to check out their clearance perennials. I scored a handful of plants that don’t look so great today but will be beautiful again come spring. I also found a small pal to bring home, a praying mantis! I placed him in my garden…

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  • all the posts!some of my favorite postsstroup mansion

    plant room 2021

    by Kaylah Stroup August 14, 2021
    August 14, 2021

    Throughout the history of this blog, I have always loved documenting and sharing the spaces I call home. Now that I actually own and am learning to renovate a house of my own, I feel even more inclined to do so. We’ve been here just shy of a year now and already SO much has…

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  • all the posts!explore everywheresome of my favorite posts

    exploring Ashtabula Harbor

    by Kaylah Stroup August 10, 2021
    August 10, 2021

    Special thanks to the Lift Bridge Community Association + Ohio. Find It Here. for inviting us out & sponsoring this post! Recently Jeff and I were invited to explore the historic Ashtabula Harbor area. I couldn’t hop on the opportunity quickly enough! We’ve been in full-on house renovation mode for nearly a year now so…

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  • all the posts!stroup mansion

    floor transition mini update

    by Kaylah Stroup August 9, 2021
    August 9, 2021

    There are tons of tiny details around this giant old house that I want to change. For example, the floor in the living room needs a lot of love. Until I’m a bit further down my jumbo to-do list, it’s something I’m totally fine with putting off for a while. Listen, I’m already knee-deep in…

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    blue heron

    by Kaylah Stroup July 17, 2021
    July 17, 2021

    Does it blow your mind that giant birds just… exist? Because it certainly blows mine. Growing up, there were frequently blue herons around the pond. I’ve seen them many, many times but somehow the excitement still hasn’t gone away. They’re just an incredible site to see. When we first toured the house, we got to…

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  • all the posts!plants + gardening

    Mom’s daylilies

    by Kaylah Stroup July 14, 2021
    July 14, 2021

    Some of the very first additions to the beautiful garden I started this year were plants dug up from my late mother’s garden. There was nothing I was wildly excited about at the time. The things I brought home to my garden, I grabbed simply because they had belonged to my mom. I knew no…

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About Me

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I'm Kaylah! Renovating a 150-year-old home in Northeast Ohio. Likely found in my garden.

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my favorite four books I’ve read so far this yea my favorite four books I’ve read so far this year! ✨ have you read any of these? any great reads in 2023 yet?! 📚🖤

(As always, I’ve got them in my stories if you want a screenshot. If you see this after the first 24hrs, they’re in my saved stories under ‘books!’ along with a bunch of others. 🖤)
Combining my old interests (cemeteries!) with my n Combining my old interests (cemeteries!) with my new interests (this old house!) 👻🏚️ Can’t tell you how excited I was to find that the original owner of our home is buried a short drive away. Had to go say hey and let him know about the heavily tattooed, green haired gal working on the house now. 😜
🐢!!! Okay, now to make stands for everything el 🐢!!! Okay, now to make stands for everything else that isn’t easy to display because this turned out so cute!!
the spare room throughout the years! ✨✨✨ 1. the spare room throughout the years! ✨✨✨
1. Today. 🖤
2. 2022 - Refinished the floor, handmade custom trim, fresh walls I spent 99 years mudding and sanding to smooth out and repair.
3. 2021. Peace out carpet squares. See you NEVER!
4. 2020. The room on the day we moved in. 
5. The room in 2013 while the house was abandoned.
just a nice little photodump ✨✨✨ cats, the h just a nice little photodump ✨✨✨ cats, the house, rainbows, lake erie 🖤
now vs when we bought ✨ plus some bonus plant ph now vs when we bought ✨ plus some bonus plant photos because yesterday was plant maintenance day and everything is looking 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻!
slowly but surely! 🖤✨ slowly but surely! 🖤✨
If you never hear from me again, it’s because I’m embossing all my books! 💁🏼‍♀️📚📚📚✨ For real, I’m obsessed! I’ll share a link in my stories as well as a better shot of what mine looks like.
So nice I thrifted it twice! 🎉 Seriously though So nice I thrifted it twice! 🎉 Seriously though, what are the chances?! I’m so excited to have found this comforter again. It might be *a little* much with the wallpaper mural in this room but I’m living my best maximalist life! 💁🏼‍♀️✨✨
heard this audio and instantly knew a kitchen floo heard this audio and instantly knew a kitchen floor video needed to be made… because woweee did it take forever to get this far. That doesn’t matter though because it’s DONE! The kitchen floor is laid, grouted and daaaang, it looks fly! 😍😍😍
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THE DAINTY SQUID
  • blog
    • all the posts!
    • stroup mansion
    • some of my favorite posts
    • plants + gardening
    • beauty, fashion + hair
    • reviews
    • window shopping
    • explore everywhere
  • about me
  • contact