The Project That Started in the Kitchen and Ended in the Backyard
I only meant to repaint the kitchen. Then the new cabinet color made the floor look wrong, so the floor came up. The new floor made me notice the scuffed baseboards, then the wall, then the sliding door with curtains two inches too short. By the time I stopped, I had worked my way out the back door and was staring at a bare patio wondering if it could match. That is the honest story of Elodie Home Styling, and it is why the site’s tagline is “where home decor starts in the kitchen and spills outside.”
My name is Scarlett Woods, I write every post here, and the categories follow that same path through a house: the kitchen, the stuff you have to put somewhere, the walls and floors that tie it together, and finally the yard.
It starts in the kitchen
The kitchen is where most of my projects begin, so it is the largest category. It is a mix of looks and decisions: cabinet colors like Swiss coffee and curved or floating designs, island pendant lighting, brushed gold faucets, wood countertops, and the bigger choices underfoot, like dark wood floors, kitchen floor tiles and which flooring trends actually hold up. If a room sets the tone for the rest of the house, I think it is this one.
Then you have to put everything somewhere
Home Storage & Organization is my smallest and newest category, and right now it is honest about that, with a handful of posts that all grew out of the kitchen: hiding appliances in a garage cabinet, organizing under the sink and on the counter, and movable or floating cabinets for small spaces. It is the category I am building out next.
The walls and floors hold it together
Walls & Flooring is where the how-tos live, and it is the most practical part of the site. It covers the jobs I actually had to do: removing paint from a floor, scraping it off a wall, getting black mold and stains out of carpet, cleaning polypropylene carpet, finishing a garage floor, and the questions you ask before you commit, like how long wood flooring lasts, how to measure curtains for a sliding door, and how tall a standard sofa really is.
And it spills outside
Outdoor is where the project finally leaves the house. It covers horizontal wood fences, pergolas attached to a house without wrecking the siding, privacy walls that block a neighbor’s view, solo fire pits for small patios, front yard fountains that run without a buried water line, and front porch columns that add character without a full rebuild. I am drawn to the outdoor projects that do not require tearing anything down.
Who is doing the work
I am not a contractor, an interior designer, an electrician or a flooring installer. I am someone who cannot leave a room half-finished, which is both the reason this site exists and the reason my own house is a permanent work in progress. Everything here I have either done myself or researched carefully before writing, and when a job needs a licensed professional, I say so instead of pretending it is a weekend project.
If a fact or a measurement in one of my posts is wrong, please write to me. I will check it and fix the post.
A few things off the paint chip
I have a drawer of paint swatches for colors I will probably never use, and I cannot throw a single one away. I measure a room three times and still double-check before I order anything, because the one time I did not, the curtains were two inches short, and I am clearly still not over it.
Before you strip, cut or build
Everything on this site is general information from my own experience. It is not professional advice, and I am not a builder, electrician, plumber or structural engineer. Please treat these points as the minimum.
- Paint, stripping and older homes: removing paint from walls and floors creates dust and fumes, so ventilate, wear a respirator and gloves, and follow the product instructions. In a home built before 1978, assume paint may contain lead until a test says otherwise, and old vinyl or tile and their adhesives may contain asbestos. Have them tested before you sand, scrape, cut or pull them up.
- Mold: black mold on carpet or walls can be a health risk and often signals a moisture problem underneath. Small surface spots can be cleaned with care and ventilation, but a large area, or anything that keeps returning, should be assessed by a professional, and badly affected carpet is usually safer to replace.
- Garage and concrete floors: floor coatings and epoxies give off strong fumes, so ventilate well, wear protection and follow cure times exactly.
- Electrical and plumbing: pendant lights, faucets and any new wiring or water line should be installed by a licensed professional and meet local code. Turn off the breaker or water first.
- Pergolas, fences and outdoor structures: check permits, setbacks, drainage and homeowner association rules first. Anchoring, wind load and attaching anything to your house’s siding or roof affect the structure, so ask a licensed installer or engineer, and call 811 before you dig for posts or footings.
- Fire pits and fountains: keep a fire pit well clear of the house, the deck, siding and anything flammable, follow local fire rules, and never leave it unattended. Use outdoor-rated pumps and GFCI-protected outlets for fountains.
- Measuring and sizing: standard sizes vary by brand and home, so measure your own space before ordering curtains, furniture or flooring, and check the return policy.
- Window cords: blind and curtain cords are a strangulation risk for young children. Keep them out of reach and follow current child safety guidance.
Affiliate disclosure. Elodie Home Styling is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through one of my links I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what I write or what I tell you to skip.
About Scarlett Woods:
- Full name: Scarlett Woods
- Role: Founder and writer, Elodie Home Styling
- Email: [email protected]
- Pinterest: pinterest.com/elodiestyling
- Contact page: elodiestyling.com/contact
- Based in: Raleigh, North Carolina
- Background: A homeowner who cannot leave a room half-finished, writing from her own ongoing projects. No formal design or trade credentials.
- Focus: Kitchens, home storage, walls and flooring how-tos, and outdoor projects
- Writing since: 2026
The kitchen is finished now. The backyard is not. I have made my peace with the fact that it never quite ends.
