Hi. I’m Ashley.
I’ve been restoring my 1915 Craftsman bungalow in San Diego for over a decade using original materials where possible, sustainable choices throughout, and aiming to add more color than most people would want. All with no interest in shortcuts. ASAP, As SLOWLY As Possible. My blog, The Gold Hive, has been the home to where shared the big renovations and DIY projects. But with that chapter coming to a close, I’m shifting focus to making my home less of a restoration project and more of a wonderful place for kids to grow up.
The house I’m most proud of isn’t the restored one. It’s this version: the one with two little girls running laps through the circular floor plan, finger paint on the table, and a four-year-old with better taste in wallpaper than I do. Somewhere in the process of making this house work for an actual family, it became the backdrop to my daughters’ childhoods. I want it to feel like the homes in their picture books.
I have a degree in studio art and spent over a decade in art museum education. I’m a chronic researcher. I won’t commit to a single decision without reading everything, cross-referencing it, and sitting with it until it’s right. That applies equally to wallpaper, non-toxic cleaning products, and which TV show to watch next.
What I write about here: the house, the projects, the color, the kids, the systems that make life run with less friction, and the ongoing, unglamorous, genuinely satisfying work of making a very old house wonderful for a family.
I moved to Substack because I wanted a place where the writing could breathe a little. A little more short form than a blog post, a little more “me” than a DIY tutorial. But also much of what you’ll find on the blog. If you’ve been around The Gold Hive for a while, welcome back. If you’re new, I’m glad you’re here.
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