When Jenny was pregnant with her first daughter, she was a middle school science teacher looking for a fun hobby. She and her husband took a "Weekend Woodworker" beginner tutorial course. From there, they built a few things together, which helped Jenny learn how to use various power tools. Things took off, and she became enamored with woodworking and home DIY.
When everything shut down in early 2020, they moved into a new house, and Jenny stopped teaching to stay home with her daughter. She started her Palo Woodcraft Instagram page to keep track of projects and learn from others. The page combines everything she tries, including home remodeling, furniture building, and even spoon carving.
Jenny is slowly going through the 1990s builder-grade home, customizing one room at a time. She is proud to say that she has only had to hire out for a few projects (kitchen counters and backsplash) and has since learned tiling, simple electrical work, and plumbing during the process.
When asked her opinion on the Ageless Iron products after installing them, Jenny said she loves the look and feel of it all. She noted, "The hardware is so solid compared to the flimsy knobs that came with our house. The Ageless Iron knobs have the feel of solid vintage hardware with the style of a modern home. They are definitely worth the price point."
As far as the installation process, Jenny was able to remove all the old hardware, touch up the paint on the doors, and install seven new knob sets over the course of two days' worth of nap times. She told us, "They were straightforward to install." Because she has a few more knobs to replace, and this style looks timeless, she plans on installing more throughout her home.
We asked Jenny to describe her design style, and she stated, "My style changes as I discover what I like or dislike about certain trends. It is currently a French vintage, cottage style." She finds inspiration from many different Instagram pages, Pinterest images, magazines, and thrift stores, stays away from anything too trendy, and sticks with simplicity. She uses a small leather-bound notebook her mother gave her to sketch ideas and brainstorm materials lists and costs. She said, "It's fun to look back, see my ideas from their infancy, and look at them in real life today."
Figuring out which parts of significant remodeling projects you can do yourself is an important tip Jenny recommends to our readers! She has learned everything she knows about home renovations from watching YouTube videos and tutorials on Instagram or just trying it herself and learning from her mistakes. She pointed out, "As they say at Cal Poly SLO, Learn by Doing!"
If you have a limited budget, there are plenty of ways to get a high-end look for a low budget. Getting creative with materials and colors and discovering what works for you and your space is something Jenny suggests. She said, "There's no time like the present! No one will do it for you (unless you hire someone, but you still have to make that happen), so go for it!"
Up next is another of Jenny's most challenging and rewarding projects, baby Palo #3, due in the spring. She and her husband also plan to enclose their loft to create an office since the current office will become the nursery.
Jenny closed our interview by sharing her love for DIYing and being home with her kiddos. She told us, "I have the best of both worlds, and I'm incredibly grateful to have the time and energy to learn as I go and bring the family along for the ride!"
Thanks for letting us join in, too!
Featured Product
