post by leslie

Something has changed this summer in our house, and it's the sound of real, live records being played.We've been undergoing a bit of a living room remodel (more about it later), but it involved rebuilding shelves surrounding the fireplace to a) look more original to the house and b) to create a cabinet on one side that housed the television (which meant getting electrical and cable/sattelite outlets over there). Once we had the TV next to the fireplace, our lives and direction changed. This meant that the fireplace side of the room was now dedicated to fireplace gazing, games of cards and Netflix.The other end (where the TV had once resided) was now a home to the piano, and we wanted to showcase our vinyl there as well -- creating a sort of music corner.We began looking for furniture that would match our mid-century modern piano and that would house a turntable, a bunch of albums and a speaker system. We couldn't find the exact right fit... so I reached out to my buddy Braden. Remember that guy? He made Ezra's incredible bed.He came over, made sketches, and built us the *most amazing* cabinet. It does everything we need, and we couldn't be happier.Another thing we invested in was SONOS (no, they are not paying me, but I wish they would). They now have a receiver that works with your record player -- so we can put on an album and then hear it in every room of the house. You guys, we are in heaven. And now Ezra knows how to operate it. So far, The Sound of Music is getting the most play from him, but that will evolve soon enough (like when he finds Purple Rain in the drawer).Below are some images of Braden's beautiful work (again). Also, please note that the piano bench is not original and we hate it and Braden's next project is to make one that looks right with the piano and the cabinet. I'm keeping him busy! But his work is so top notch that I can't resist. For your internet shares of the day:+ The author of one of my favorite parenting books has a post on time management, and it's fantastic.+ I'll be eating this all summer long.+ Good career advice. I had a similar conversation once, and it changed me forever (thanks London!).