Our video shoot is done. Multiple weeks of prep getting everything dialed in—backyard, lawn, beds, baths, every single detail perfect. Our house has been 90% done for a long time, but that last 10% is where it goes from good to great, and that is the secret sauce.

Our home tour films this week, and life outside of that does not stop. I've been scrambling like a maniac to get everything right. We're so close to the finish line.

We have less than two weeks until our house goes on camera—the first time we'll publicly show it in its entirety. Stuccoing walls outside, aging brass faucets, and still finalizing a bunch of decisions at Arrington Woods.

We're getting our house ready for a video feature coming up in a few weeks.

It's going to be a short one; we are so busy with projects. Here are some things I've worked on and seen this week.

I keep hoping for life to slow down. Someday.

But on Monday, we returned from California, and I jumped right back into the mix with a special focus on our Arrington Woods development.

I spent the last couple of days in the desert. We were lucky enough to spend a night at the Reset hotel in Twentynine Palms, created by Ben Uyeda. It's a 65-key boutique hotel built from shipping containers with beautiful natural landscaping, set right against the mountains at the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park.

In SoCal for a couple of days. Whenever I am here, I love to go on walks; I can't really get enough. I'm pretty convinced that gardening is on easy mode in this part of the world.

This past week, I was in Vegas. I am not a casino guy; they are actually one of my least favorite things in the world.

The Sagrada Família completed its final height in Barcelona yesterday. The upper arm of the cross atop the central tower was lifted into place, bringing its total height to 566 feet, the tallest structure in Barcelona.

Most of this past week I was on a ski trip with my daughter in Jackson Hole. I had never been but have long wanted to go.

I recently watched Die Hard for the first time in a while, as one does. I love old movies - the way they feel, the sets. There's much to appreciate design-wise from the late 80's.

Last week, I opened this newsletter with "the snow is coming down hard and fast." Every year, we usually get one good snow. The kids can go sledding, there's some ice on the roads, the city kind of shuts down for a couple of days, and it's a nice little at-home winter vacation.

The first snow of the year is coming down hard and fast. Coating everything with a big, billowy blanket. The kids are pumped. They want to go outside and experience a different world.

I read an interesting article by Louis Perrine this week. I recently discovered him, a really thoughtful thinker on aesthetics and architecture.

I was recently blurbed in the Wall Street Journal. I found out in a group text with a bunch of friends: someone had sent it, and everyone was really excited, congratulating me as if I had finally "made it."

Every time I write about trends, there's a part of me that feels like a bully - telling people what they have and don't have and how it will be in or out of style.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays, I hope it was terrific. We had a dreamy, unseasonal 70-degree Christmas, and the kids loved it.

A fella I spoke to years back about design & career just sent me this. He has partnered with Vanish Designs, a company that makes anti-glare pop-up screen consoles and cabinets.

A good buddy of mine invited me to play bass with him at a Christmas show. Not a big thing, just two songs.

I used to be totally obsessed with performing and writing music; it was all I could think about during high school, college, and for years after.

I would get lost for hours writing and practicing songs.