Your mention of maidenhairs crisping up is too real. My friend Sarah was sure she had a black thumb after her fern died twice in a row. She had it in a bathroom with good light, relying on shower steam for humidity, but the exhaust fan created a mini drought after every use. Moving it to a sheltered spot with steady ambient moisture was a game changer, and now it's finally growing new fronds. It really shows how ferns can handle less light if the air isn't constantly robbing them of water. She still jokes that the plant is judging her for past mistakes, though.