Johanna Sprague Design

10/09/2026

My little pride and joy (swipe for the before).

Months of nonstop, daily work went into getting her up and running and ready to welcome guests. There’s still plenty of structural work ahead, but I’m learning to balance the long-term design vision with the more immediate realities of stewarding an old house — namely, making sure she’s ready for whatever El Niño has in store.
One thing at a time, one project at a time, one sandbag in either hand.

09/29/2026

Chasing the light as the season turns… learning the rhythms of this old house, recognizing my limits and finding my way into a new chapter. Slowly becoming its steward, forever a student.

Harvest moon | moonrise | full moon | California hills | chasing light | farmhouse | antique farmhouse

09/23/2026

Dining nook in the cabin: cozy, functional, and flooded with afternoon light. Built in the 1930’s, she’s got all the quirks and charm of an old barn turned garage turned cabin and we love it. Two months of working nonstop and she’s ready for guests!

09/19/2026

Decidedly NOT house projects: heatwave bliss. Summer may have mostly ghosted the Bay this year. Thankfully, my East Coast hardwiring remains deeply committed to warm nights, humidity, and weather that makes you question your clothing choices. Last week finally delivered, and it was glorious to spend it in this portal.

09/08/2026

09/01/2026

Living for these sunset runs when I can finally step away and reflect on the beauty in the chaos of this massive undertaking that has completely taken over my life.

The half-finished rooms. The misplaced orders. The damaged deliveries. The contractors randomly showing up on the wrong day. And then, every so often, the shocking transformation that appears when I step back and remember what this place looked like less than two months ago.

At the end of the day, the stress, uncertainty, and financial hemorrhaging somehow feel completely worth it because it’s mine. I’m choosing all of it. And that sense of ownership and agency changes your relationship to space, time, and money in ways I could never have anticipated—and honestly wasn’t sure I’d ever get to experience.

So for now, I’m soaking up the joy in these saturated evenings and celebrating the tiny victories.

Let’s check back in when the imminent foundation, sewer, and roof replacements are underway. 🫣

Send help. And referrals.

08/28/2026

Farmhouse kitchen update🌞
It’s been a minute since I’ve shared much progress here, mostly because there’s rarely a moment to pause between one project and the next.

But the walls are finally done, and this warm yellow is already shifting the room in a lovely way.

The kitchen catches the first light of day at sunrise, then a fleeting hour in the late afternoon before the sun disappears behind the trees that surround the house. The rest of the day, it’s a naturally dark and decidedly chilly room.

So rather than fight the lack of light, I leaned into warmth—a color with enough depth and golden undertones to create its own sense of glow, regardless of what’s happening outside.

It’s a little beyond my usual palette, but I’m enjoying the departure. And, apparently, so are the cats.

Swipe to the last slide for the before look: read “stark white”.

08/20/2026

The meteor shower coincided with a plumbing emergency last week, so I took advantage and stayed at a friend’s house for a night by the Russian River. A welcome 18 hour pause and dose of real summer amidst the nonstop work on the house. Currently covered in paint and dust again per usual, but wanted to share the serenity and the wild light of the Milky Way.

Russian River | sonoma county | w**e country

08/10/2026

A quiet Sunday moment: foraged flowers and the old WWII steam trunk I dragged down the block in the rain 25 years ago, up to my 4th floor walk up apt in Brooklyn. The people this house and that trunk have seen…