DIY, old houses & very big ideas.A journal by Melissa Powers

Shop the house / The sourcebook

Very strong opinions.
Useful places to look.

The starting points for paint, hardware, lighting, and the details that make a room. Buy for the project, not just the picture.

A note on these links. This opening sourcebook contains retailer research links, not a record of products already installed in the house. Affiliate tracking is not active, and the images are concept studies, not product listings.

How shopping works here

5 sources

Garden & making material concept, not a product photo
AI material study. Not project photography.

Garden & making

Wonderjune library kit

Purchased for Project 01: the Wonderjune Outdoor Library Box Kit with Planter Stand. Delivered; testing and a personal-use review are not yet documented. View the kit on Amazon

Before you order

Purchase is not a performance recommendation. Check the current listing, actual assembly instructions, finish requirements, and placement before ordering. Melissa’s kit was delivered August 24, 2026.

Paint & finish material concept, not a product photo
AI material study. Not project photography.

Paint & finish

Farrow & Ball

Paint samples for comparing color before committing to the whole room. Explore paint samples

Before you order

Compare the actual sample in your own space. The color on a screen is not the decision.

Hardware material concept, not a product photo
AI material study. Not project photography.

Hardware

Rejuvenation

Cabinet hardware to explore for the details you touch every day. Explore cabinet hardware

Before you order

Record hole spacing, thickness, clearance, and finish before ordering. A lovely handle still has to fit.

Hardware material concept, not a product photo
AI material study. Not project photography.

Hardware

House of Antique Hardware

Antique-style and restoration hardware to explore alongside what is already in the house. Explore restoration hardware

Before you order

Identify the original hardware and its condition before replacing it. Ask about compatibility rather than buying by appearance alone.

Lighting material concept, not a product photo
AI material study. Not project photography.

Lighting

Schoolhouse

A starting point for exploring lamps and light fixtures. Explore lighting

Before you order

Consider scale, placement, and how you use the room. Fixed electrical installation belongs with an appropriately qualified professional.

The buying rule

Love it.
Measure it.
Then consider buying it.

A beautiful object still has to work in the room. Record the dimensions, compatibility, delivery, returns, and the unglamorous details before committing.

Start with a project brief

Beautiful, eventually.

The learning stays in.

The decisions, the things worth keeping, and what the beautiful version actually takes.

Read the field notes