REAL LIFE STORY / DIY & HOME

CHARLOTTE'S ROOM

This was supposed to be my office. Then I kicked through the wall.

CAN I KICK THROUGH THE WALL?

I saw the idea in a reel I couldn't find again, went to Home Depot anyway, and invented the rest.

THERE WAS NO PLAN

I cut down dowels, built my own wooden vertical blinds, put them on the left side, then changed everything when I realized we couldn't see the lake. Pro tip: not the way to go. And no, there was no fancy 360-degree hinge. We just turned the damn blinds.

SIX HOURS IN BROOKE TIME

The headboard promised it would install in minutes. Mine took six hours, included buttons courtesy of Susan, and finally went up at 3:11 a.m. Then came the stained and decorated secret door—mirror, shelves, flowers, and all.

Charlotte got her own room. We still need to decide how the dog door will fit into the middle section with her laundry bin on the left. Nailed it… pending dog-door approval.