A Creative Side Quest.

At the start of 2026, Katie and I made a goal of finishing all the rooms on our first floor. We’ve made good progress: the dining room, kitchen, and powder room are nearly done. The living room still needs the most work. Five years ago we decided it needed a built-in library, and this year we’re finally building it — see our last blog post for the project.

After finishing the first part of the library, I almost started the next, but an Instagram post about brush making caught my eye. I fell into a rabbit hole and realized I already had the tools to make brushes— I just needed bristles. Instead of copying a design, I made my own and built two prototypes from white oak and ebony scrap.

The hardest part was the bristles: they took forever, the dye stained my hands, and we still find loose hairs around the house. Despite that, the results exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed it so much I tried other woods: black walnut, leopard wood, African mahogany, yellow heart, and black limba. Soon I had a small collection.

I don’t call myself an artist, but the wood grain gives them an artistic feel. They’re fully functional, but I love displaying them like sculptures. Katie and I kept the yellow heart brush and added it to our gallery wall. The white oak and ebony pieces are already hanging in two homes. The rest will be for sale later this week.