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The Refining Home

The

Refining HOme


  • Jess and Joleen dressed up for Easter services.
  • Family picture at the beach in Grand Cayman Island.
  • Jess and Joleen on pier in Grand Cayman. Ocean water in the background.
  • Installing artificial grass as the flooring for our pergola build.
  • Our mini golden doodle with a bow tie posing for a photo.
About Us
  • Girls bedroom makeover. Board and batten walls painted white with art work and shiplap wood headboard, farmhouse style twin beds
Instagram
  • Simple table centerpiece using a wood bowl, white candle and white pitcher filled with magnolia flowers.
Blog

“HOME SHOULD BE AN ANCHOR, A PORT IN A STORM, A REFUGE, A HAPPY PLACE IN WHICH TO DWELL, A PLACE WHERE WE ARE LOVED AND WHERE WE CAN LOVE.” –Marvin J. Ashton

Where to find us!

The Refining Home on Social Media!

We love hanging out on Social Media and we hope to see you on one, or all, of the platforms we post on. Currently we post on: Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and occasionally Facebook.

Instagram has been our favorite platform; where we post reels, stories and still photos. When we feature a product we love, discount codes and links will be in our linktree in the bio as well as our posts, reels and stories. And of course we will make sure we are giving you details here on the blog as well. Don’t forget to stop by and say hi in the comments. We absolutely love hearing from our readers!

See all the features
  • Summer Cottagecore tablescape with frilly white placemats, blue pottery dishware and fresh peaches in the doughbowl for the centerpiece.
    Decorating | Tablescapes

    Simple Summer Cottagecore Tablescape

    Summertime is my favorite time to set a styled table. I love light and airy as well as simple and easy. This tablescape to date has been one of my favorites. It may be the fresh peaches or the blue colors mixed with white, but I love how this one came together. What Is Cottagecore?…

    Read More Simple Summer Cottagecore TablescapeContinue

  • Farmhouse white board and batten entryway wall and hallway.
    DIY's | Renovating

    Small Entryway DIY Makeover

    Does your entryway need an update? Is it inviting and welcoming? Entryways are often the first thing guests see when visiting and entering your home. Making your entryway inviting, welcoming and adding personal touches make this space feel like an extension of your home. When we moved into our fixer upper we knew that the…

    Read More Small Entryway DIY MakeoverContinue

  • 4th of July backyard party under pergola
    DIY's | Renovating

    DIY Backyard Pergola Build

    Do you like to spend time outdoors in your yard? Do you wish you had a space to relax and enjoy the seasons changing from spring to summer and then fall? Is your house the gathering house for your family and friends? Then you may want a backyard pergola. Come along with us as we…

    Read More DIY Backyard Pergola BuildContinue

Hi! We are Jess and Joleen!

 

Hey, hey Friends! We are a husband and wife team taking on life and renovations one day, one project at a time.

We are so glad you are here.  The Refining Home is more than just renovating and decorating.  It’s about family and connections, faith and laughter, refinishing and refining, and looking for the silver lining.  Come along as we refine our house into our home.

 

 

Scroll over 👉 to see how this corner started. We Scroll over 👉 to see how this corner started.  We are gearing up for Christmas with @kingofchristmas over here.  They have the best flocked Christmas trees with the easiest set up ever and stay tuned cause next week- we’ll show you how many different lighting patterns these beautiful trees are equipped with. 
The kitchen is still in process mode and hopefully will be finished in time for us to enjoy the holidays…but for now this little corner of our basement is our retreat for a little bit of relaxing by the tree. 
Who else put up a tree this week? 
Have you tried a King of Christmas tree yet? 
#kingofchristmas #kingofchristmaspartner #flockedtree
We teamed up with @topnotchironworks to bring you We teamed up with @topnotchironworks to bring you the best, most beautiful and chic address signs. 
If you’ve been here long enough- you know our struggles with our driveway- with Top Notch Iron Works- there no longer is any doubt what address our driveway belongs to.  It stands out, is large enough to be seen and at night- it lights up! Our street and driveway are fairly dark with limited lighting- this is a huge win for us. 
It’s weather proof with the powder coating.  Perfect for all seasons! It has stakes to secure into the ground and I don’t have to worry about it blowing over in the wind.  Plus- it looks good in any front yard. 
Get this…they have lots of options for you as well.  Choose your house numbers or street name.  Choose how many sides you want the address to appear on. (We went with 3 sides.) Choose warm or cool or switch between the two and choose your brightness.  You can also set a time for the light to come on or just let it automatically turn on at dusk.  They also have a mail box option with light up address on the post. 
This has been one of our favorite things to add to our yard.  Total “glow-up”! 😘
#yarddecor #yardsigns #addressnumbers #topnotchironworks
The past two months have been filled with kitchen The past two months have been filled with kitchen renovations, fall yard clean up, our grand little in town for a few weeks, and enjoying the last few blooms and goodness from the garden. Taking down another tree (it was diseased 😥) and  tearing out part of the garden.  It’s been a busy but oh so enjoyable 6 weeks! 
Yes our dog rides on the 4 wheeler with Jess. Pawquets (our pup) loves loud noises, everything from cars revving their engines to fireworks, 4wheelers and grand littles !!! 
Are you getting your yard ready for winter?
@tearunners has the most flavorful and delicious t @tearunners has the most flavorful and delicious teas.  Their monthly subscription box brings you 4 new teas each month to try out.  I have the herbal tea subscription and let me tell you- you are going to want it with cold and flu season just around the corner.  This month their mystic mint is one we save up for days when migraines hit or we have unsettled stomachs.  It combines well with other teas too and o use it when making my medicine ball tea. 
Go check them out, sign up- we have a link in our bio (in our linktree) and keep following along as we show you all our favorite tea tips! If you have a favorite tip- go spill the tea in the comments- we’d love to know!!! 💕💕
#tearunners #herbalteas
We’ve been on a mission to find a new pillow for M We’ve been on a mission to find a new pillow for Mr. Refining Home.  His pillow is old and ready to turn to dust. 
@mellow.sleep has the most amazing pillows.  The Cloud Align Pillow is perfect for anyone with neck or arm pain.  It comes in 2 different sizes and weights plus 9 different colors. 
Best night’s sleep with targets neck lift, pressure relief and full body alignment. It stays cool all night, is hypoallergenic and doesn’t hold smells or bacteria. 
So…what does Mr. Refining Home say about it?  He likes it a lot and is considering giving up the old pillow for the Mellow cloud align pillow.  Our kids love the pillow too.  I think we need to order  a few more of them for our house. 
If you’d like a mellow pillow check out link in our bio! 
#mellowpillow #mellowsleep #bestnightsleep
The garden season is still in full swing at our ho The garden season is still in full swing at our house.  We doubled our garden size this year and we even bought chicken coupe to add chickens next year…and…you guessed it- more garden space.  Whew!  It’s been a busy summer. 
How was your summer? 
#cottagegardenstyle
At first glance we thought the irrigation possibly At first glance we thought the irrigation possibly had more issues.  Through the course of the day, upon further inspection and with a set of professional eyes on the problem turns out- the bolt- {allegedly} appears to have been intentionally damaged. {allegedly} all the signs point to intentional and not wear and tear. 
So Mr. Refining Home took 1/2 a day off work and spent the afternoon and evening fixing the irrigation.  Here’s the weird part- the irrigation boxes for our property are actually on the next door neighbors side of the property line- so unless you are part of our neighborhood irrigation system- you wouldn’t know that those boxes are ours and go to our home.  So was it a neighbor who was angry at us or someone upset at our neighbors or a random opportunist out for an evening or early morning jog?  We’ll never know for sure because our cameras don’t see outside our fence- but guess what??? They will soon! 
For now- we’ve upgraded the irrigation system, we’ve ordered new cameras and we are just grateful to have water back for our grass and gardens. 
{Allegedly… we love a good story or theory… no matter how far fetched they may seem- drop yours in the comments of what you think happened… } 😍
Bathroom update! The countertops are in! What do Bathroom update! 
The countertops are in! What do you think? 
Shiplap installed.
Walls & shiplap painted! 
New Lighting.
Mirrors hung.
Faucets installed. 
And now tile is almost complete in the shower! 
DIY is a slow process for us.  Mr. Refining Home works a full time job (not on social media, SM). And even though I am a SAHM, some jobs on the project have to wait to be completed until other jobs have been done first.  And I still have daily things that need yo be done around the house. 
The only thing we hired out is the countertops. 
So while DIY on SM sometimes looks like it only takes a weekend…don’t be discouraged if yours takes time. Especially if you are doing everything yourself.  Be proud of the work you do and the time you put into it and know that real life- it takes time!! 
Refining takes time! 
Bathroom remodel | farmhouse bathroom | diy home renovation | home improvement
DIY deck curtains. This was a project that was qu DIY deck curtains.  This was a project that was quick and relatively painless. The back of our house faces west and takes a brutal beating in the summer sunshine and heat.  The deck runs the length of the house so purchasing sunshades was going to be expensive- like break the bank expensive. So we opted for a DIY version that is serving us well this summer. 
What you need:
*EMT Conduit 3/4” (we bought ours in 10ft sections) 
*black three socket tee’s - 3/4”
*structural black flange- 3/4” 
*90° structural black elbow- 3/4”
*9’x6’ canvas drop clothes 
*curtain rings 
*black spray paint 
The spray paint is for the conduit.  We measured and cut the conduit that would act as the rods, then painted it.  Once it was dry we put up all the fittings, added the rods and curtain rings then hung the canvas drop clothes.  For tie backs we used black Velcro and clips.  Seriously one of the most easy DIY’s we’ve ever done.  The cost will depend on how much area you are covering. Our smallest section was 64” and we had 8 sections. The 5 conduits ran us about $10 ish each so about $52 and some change. We bought the drop clothes at Harbor Freight on sale for $8 each. And then the fittings and spray paint. We used a primer plus paint. We spent less on the DIY options that we would have for one shade (and we would need 10 shades). So I’m a happy girl. 
What DIY projects are you working on in your home, yard or garden this summer? Tell us in the comments! 
Home and garden| outdoor living | diy hone projects| summer projects
Follow on Instagram

Search

Browse by Category

  • Decorating
  • DIY Decor
  • DIY's
  • Faith & Family
  • Family Life
  • Refinished Furniture
  • Renovating
  • Tablescapes
  • Travel

Hi! We are Jess and Joleen!

 

Hey, hey Friends! We are a husband and wife team taking on life and renovations one day, one project at a time.

We are so glad you are here.  The Refining Home is more than just renovating and decorating.  It’s about family and connections, faith and laughter, refinishing and refining, and looking for the silver lining.  Come along as we refine our house into our home.

 

 

Scroll over 👉 to see how this corner started. We Scroll over 👉 to see how this corner started.  We are gearing up for Christmas with @kingofchristmas over here.  They have the best flocked Christmas trees with the easiest set up ever and stay tuned cause next week- we’ll show you how many different lighting patterns these beautiful trees are equipped with. 
The kitchen is still in process mode and hopefully will be finished in time for us to enjoy the holidays…but for now this little corner of our basement is our retreat for a little bit of relaxing by the tree. 
Who else put up a tree this week? 
Have you tried a King of Christmas tree yet? 
#kingofchristmas #kingofchristmaspartner #flockedtree
We teamed up with @topnotchironworks to bring you We teamed up with @topnotchironworks to bring you the best, most beautiful and chic address signs. 
If you’ve been here long enough- you know our struggles with our driveway- with Top Notch Iron Works- there no longer is any doubt what address our driveway belongs to.  It stands out, is large enough to be seen and at night- it lights up! Our street and driveway are fairly dark with limited lighting- this is a huge win for us. 
It’s weather proof with the powder coating.  Perfect for all seasons! It has stakes to secure into the ground and I don’t have to worry about it blowing over in the wind.  Plus- it looks good in any front yard. 
Get this…they have lots of options for you as well.  Choose your house numbers or street name.  Choose how many sides you want the address to appear on. (We went with 3 sides.) Choose warm or cool or switch between the two and choose your brightness.  You can also set a time for the light to come on or just let it automatically turn on at dusk.  They also have a mail box option with light up address on the post. 
This has been one of our favorite things to add to our yard.  Total “glow-up”! 😘
#yarddecor #yardsigns #addressnumbers #topnotchironworks
The past two months have been filled with kitchen The past two months have been filled with kitchen renovations, fall yard clean up, our grand little in town for a few weeks, and enjoying the last few blooms and goodness from the garden. Taking down another tree (it was diseased 😥) and  tearing out part of the garden.  It’s been a busy but oh so enjoyable 6 weeks! 
Yes our dog rides on the 4 wheeler with Jess. Pawquets (our pup) loves loud noises, everything from cars revving their engines to fireworks, 4wheelers and grand littles !!! 
Are you getting your yard ready for winter?
@tearunners has the most flavorful and delicious t @tearunners has the most flavorful and delicious teas.  Their monthly subscription box brings you 4 new teas each month to try out.  I have the herbal tea subscription and let me tell you- you are going to want it with cold and flu season just around the corner.  This month their mystic mint is one we save up for days when migraines hit or we have unsettled stomachs.  It combines well with other teas too and o use it when making my medicine ball tea. 
Go check them out, sign up- we have a link in our bio (in our linktree) and keep following along as we show you all our favorite tea tips! If you have a favorite tip- go spill the tea in the comments- we’d love to know!!! 💕💕
#tearunners #herbalteas
We’ve been on a mission to find a new pillow for M We’ve been on a mission to find a new pillow for Mr. Refining Home.  His pillow is old and ready to turn to dust. 
@mellow.sleep has the most amazing pillows.  The Cloud Align Pillow is perfect for anyone with neck or arm pain.  It comes in 2 different sizes and weights plus 9 different colors. 
Best night’s sleep with targets neck lift, pressure relief and full body alignment. It stays cool all night, is hypoallergenic and doesn’t hold smells or bacteria. 
So…what does Mr. Refining Home say about it?  He likes it a lot and is considering giving up the old pillow for the Mellow cloud align pillow.  Our kids love the pillow too.  I think we need to order  a few more of them for our house. 
If you’d like a mellow pillow check out link in our bio! 
#mellowpillow #mellowsleep #bestnightsleep
The garden season is still in full swing at our ho The garden season is still in full swing at our house.  We doubled our garden size this year and we even bought chicken coupe to add chickens next year…and…you guessed it- more garden space.  Whew!  It’s been a busy summer. 
How was your summer? 
#cottagegardenstyle
At first glance we thought the irrigation possibly At first glance we thought the irrigation possibly had more issues.  Through the course of the day, upon further inspection and with a set of professional eyes on the problem turns out- the bolt- {allegedly} appears to have been intentionally damaged. {allegedly} all the signs point to intentional and not wear and tear. 
So Mr. Refining Home took 1/2 a day off work and spent the afternoon and evening fixing the irrigation.  Here’s the weird part- the irrigation boxes for our property are actually on the next door neighbors side of the property line- so unless you are part of our neighborhood irrigation system- you wouldn’t know that those boxes are ours and go to our home.  So was it a neighbor who was angry at us or someone upset at our neighbors or a random opportunist out for an evening or early morning jog?  We’ll never know for sure because our cameras don’t see outside our fence- but guess what??? They will soon! 
For now- we’ve upgraded the irrigation system, we’ve ordered new cameras and we are just grateful to have water back for our grass and gardens. 
{Allegedly… we love a good story or theory… no matter how far fetched they may seem- drop yours in the comments of what you think happened… } 😍
Bathroom update! The countertops are in! What do Bathroom update! 
The countertops are in! What do you think? 
Shiplap installed.
Walls & shiplap painted! 
New Lighting.
Mirrors hung.
Faucets installed. 
And now tile is almost complete in the shower! 
DIY is a slow process for us.  Mr. Refining Home works a full time job (not on social media, SM). And even though I am a SAHM, some jobs on the project have to wait to be completed until other jobs have been done first.  And I still have daily things that need yo be done around the house. 
The only thing we hired out is the countertops. 
So while DIY on SM sometimes looks like it only takes a weekend…don’t be discouraged if yours takes time. Especially if you are doing everything yourself.  Be proud of the work you do and the time you put into it and know that real life- it takes time!! 
Refining takes time! 
Bathroom remodel | farmhouse bathroom | diy home renovation | home improvement
DIY deck curtains. This was a project that was qu DIY deck curtains.  This was a project that was quick and relatively painless. The back of our house faces west and takes a brutal beating in the summer sunshine and heat.  The deck runs the length of the house so purchasing sunshades was going to be expensive- like break the bank expensive. So we opted for a DIY version that is serving us well this summer. 
What you need:
*EMT Conduit 3/4” (we bought ours in 10ft sections) 
*black three socket tee’s - 3/4”
*structural black flange- 3/4” 
*90° structural black elbow- 3/4”
*9’x6’ canvas drop clothes 
*curtain rings 
*black spray paint 
The spray paint is for the conduit.  We measured and cut the conduit that would act as the rods, then painted it.  Once it was dry we put up all the fittings, added the rods and curtain rings then hung the canvas drop clothes.  For tie backs we used black Velcro and clips.  Seriously one of the most easy DIY’s we’ve ever done.  The cost will depend on how much area you are covering. Our smallest section was 64” and we had 8 sections. The 5 conduits ran us about $10 ish each so about $52 and some change. We bought the drop clothes at Harbor Freight on sale for $8 each. And then the fittings and spray paint. We used a primer plus paint. We spent less on the DIY options that we would have for one shade (and we would need 10 shades). So I’m a happy girl. 
What DIY projects are you working on in your home, yard or garden this summer? Tell us in the comments! 
Home and garden| outdoor living | diy hone projects| summer projects
Follow on Instagram

Search

Browse by Category

  • Decorating
  • DIY Decor
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  • Renovating
  • Tablescapes
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Scroll over 👉 to see how this corner started. We Scroll over 👉 to see how this corner started.  We are gearing up for Christmas with @kingofchristmas over here.  They have the best flocked Christmas trees with the easiest set up ever and stay tuned cause next week- we’ll show you how many different lighting patterns these beautiful trees are equipped with. 
The kitchen is still in process mode and hopefully will be finished in time for us to enjoy the holidays…but for now this little corner of our basement is our retreat for a little bit of relaxing by the tree. 
Who else put up a tree this week? 
Have you tried a King of Christmas tree yet? 
#kingofchristmas #kingofchristmaspartner #flockedtree
We teamed up with @topnotchironworks to bring you We teamed up with @topnotchironworks to bring you the best, most beautiful and chic address signs. 
If you’ve been here long enough- you know our struggles with our driveway- with Top Notch Iron Works- there no longer is any doubt what address our driveway belongs to.  It stands out, is large enough to be seen and at night- it lights up! Our street and driveway are fairly dark with limited lighting- this is a huge win for us. 
It’s weather proof with the powder coating.  Perfect for all seasons! It has stakes to secure into the ground and I don’t have to worry about it blowing over in the wind.  Plus- it looks good in any front yard. 
Get this…they have lots of options for you as well.  Choose your house numbers or street name.  Choose how many sides you want the address to appear on. (We went with 3 sides.) Choose warm or cool or switch between the two and choose your brightness.  You can also set a time for the light to come on or just let it automatically turn on at dusk.  They also have a mail box option with light up address on the post. 
This has been one of our favorite things to add to our yard.  Total “glow-up”! 😘
#yarddecor #yardsigns #addressnumbers #topnotchironworks
The past two months have been filled with kitchen The past two months have been filled with kitchen renovations, fall yard clean up, our grand little in town for a few weeks, and enjoying the last few blooms and goodness from the garden. Taking down another tree (it was diseased 😥) and  tearing out part of the garden.  It’s been a busy but oh so enjoyable 6 weeks! 
Yes our dog rides on the 4 wheeler with Jess. Pawquets (our pup) loves loud noises, everything from cars revving their engines to fireworks, 4wheelers and grand littles !!! 
Are you getting your yard ready for winter?
@tearunners has the most flavorful and delicious t @tearunners has the most flavorful and delicious teas.  Their monthly subscription box brings you 4 new teas each month to try out.  I have the herbal tea subscription and let me tell you- you are going to want it with cold and flu season just around the corner.  This month their mystic mint is one we save up for days when migraines hit or we have unsettled stomachs.  It combines well with other teas too and o use it when making my medicine ball tea. 
Go check them out, sign up- we have a link in our bio (in our linktree) and keep following along as we show you all our favorite tea tips! If you have a favorite tip- go spill the tea in the comments- we’d love to know!!! 💕💕
#tearunners #herbalteas
We’ve been on a mission to find a new pillow for M We’ve been on a mission to find a new pillow for Mr. Refining Home.  His pillow is old and ready to turn to dust. 
@mellow.sleep has the most amazing pillows.  The Cloud Align Pillow is perfect for anyone with neck or arm pain.  It comes in 2 different sizes and weights plus 9 different colors. 
Best night’s sleep with targets neck lift, pressure relief and full body alignment. It stays cool all night, is hypoallergenic and doesn’t hold smells or bacteria. 
So…what does Mr. Refining Home say about it?  He likes it a lot and is considering giving up the old pillow for the Mellow cloud align pillow.  Our kids love the pillow too.  I think we need to order  a few more of them for our house. 
If you’d like a mellow pillow check out link in our bio! 
#mellowpillow #mellowsleep #bestnightsleep
The garden season is still in full swing at our ho The garden season is still in full swing at our house.  We doubled our garden size this year and we even bought chicken coupe to add chickens next year…and…you guessed it- more garden space.  Whew!  It’s been a busy summer. 
How was your summer? 
#cottagegardenstyle
At first glance we thought the irrigation possibly At first glance we thought the irrigation possibly had more issues.  Through the course of the day, upon further inspection and with a set of professional eyes on the problem turns out- the bolt- {allegedly} appears to have been intentionally damaged. {allegedly} all the signs point to intentional and not wear and tear. 
So Mr. Refining Home took 1/2 a day off work and spent the afternoon and evening fixing the irrigation.  Here’s the weird part- the irrigation boxes for our property are actually on the next door neighbors side of the property line- so unless you are part of our neighborhood irrigation system- you wouldn’t know that those boxes are ours and go to our home.  So was it a neighbor who was angry at us or someone upset at our neighbors or a random opportunist out for an evening or early morning jog?  We’ll never know for sure because our cameras don’t see outside our fence- but guess what??? They will soon! 
For now- we’ve upgraded the irrigation system, we’ve ordered new cameras and we are just grateful to have water back for our grass and gardens. 
{Allegedly… we love a good story or theory… no matter how far fetched they may seem- drop yours in the comments of what you think happened… } 😍
Bathroom update! The countertops are in! What do Bathroom update! 
The countertops are in! What do you think? 
Shiplap installed.
Walls & shiplap painted! 
New Lighting.
Mirrors hung.
Faucets installed. 
And now tile is almost complete in the shower! 
DIY is a slow process for us.  Mr. Refining Home works a full time job (not on social media, SM). And even though I am a SAHM, some jobs on the project have to wait to be completed until other jobs have been done first.  And I still have daily things that need yo be done around the house. 
The only thing we hired out is the countertops. 
So while DIY on SM sometimes looks like it only takes a weekend…don’t be discouraged if yours takes time. Especially if you are doing everything yourself.  Be proud of the work you do and the time you put into it and know that real life- it takes time!! 
Refining takes time! 
Bathroom remodel | farmhouse bathroom | diy home renovation | home improvement

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