John and I often ask ourselves the same question: how did a casual blog about our upcoming kitchen remodel—originally meant to keep friends and family updated—grow into a full-time interior design and home-improvement site read by thousands every day? That question has come up more in our inbox and even in a recent reader survey, so we decided to share how it happened for anyone curious or hoping to follow a similar path.
In short: our blog’s growth came from a mix of persistent hard work and a few fortunate breaks. We never set out to build a business. We wanted an easy way for loved ones to check in on our kitchen renovation without filling their inboxes. A blog felt perfect. Because we dove in with enthusiasm, we documented the process thoroughly—sharing tips, tutorials and candid progress updates even while we were still learning. Over time our audience expanded from family and friends to friends of friends, and then to strangers who stumbled across our posts. Each encouraging comment, thoughtful email or kind mention on another blog nudged us forward, even when those boosts were rare.
Our first major break came in December 2007 when John entered us in a home-improvement blogging contest on a whim. We hoped to gain a few new readers and make friends in the blog community—so when we got a call saying we’d won the grand prize ($5,000), it was a revealing moment. We realized maybe there was something to this blogging thing and that it could possibly become more than a hobby. That recognition was both flattering and motivating (yes, we even celebrated with a bit of playful Photoshop for fun).
Blogging as a couple helped immensely. John is one of the few husbands active in the home-blog world, and partnering on the blog let us share the workload and support each other. Early on we alternated writing posts and continuously cheered one another on when projects stalled. Because both of us were involved, blogging became something we did together rather than a one-sided pursuit that might have strained our relationship.
After completing our first major project, the kitchen renovation, in January 2008, readership began to grow steadily. We kept writing and broadened our topics—design dilemmas, reader makeovers, house-crashing visits—and our name started appearing in unexpected places. Media outlets like The Washington Post featured us, major blogs such as Real Simple and Apartment Therapy mentioned us, and magazines began inviting us to contribute columns. We even appeared on the cover of a national magazine. None of those mentions were bought; they came from readers, other bloggers and word of mouth. Learning that people enjoyed our voice and projects was thrilling and humbling.
Why did writers and readers respond to us? We don’t have a single answer. We never mapped out a business plan or hunted for a trendy niche—we simply write about what we love: our home, our relationship and, yes, our eight-pound chihuahua. When you’re passionate about your subject, it shows. We put significant effort into keeping the blog engaging—brainstorming ideas constantly, testing projects, and sharing honest, practical solutions. That authenticity seems to resonate with readers.
Our writing voice plays a role as well. Both of us have a writing background, so narrating our everyday projects and misadventures is natural and enjoyable. Because writing is part of the fun, we can produce a lot of content—often more than ten posts a week. We also focus on creative, budget-friendly projects that readers can replicate, like repurposing Ikea tables into headboards or turning wardrobes into bedside built-ins. Those do-it-yourself, low-cost ideas align well with the current interest in thrifty, stylish solutions.
We also prioritized organization and usability. Great content and photos matter, but if readers can’t find what they want, it limits impact. We created navigation tools like a How To tab with tutorials and a House Tour page so visitors can quickly see our home’s transformation. We regularly tidy our archives and look for ways to make the site user-friendly so favorite posts don’t get lost.
On the technical side, we learned as we went. John designed our site from scratch—teaching himself what he needed to know through research and trial and error. He also created our logo, handles video editing and manages the many technical tasks that keep the site running smoothly. Having a self-taught tech partner makes a huge difference.
We won’t sugarcoat it: this is the hardest job we’ve had. People often assume blogging is part-time, but this takes all our waking hours. We publish dozens of posts a month, shoot and edit photos, run an online shop, offer design services, coordinate giveaways, respond to hundreds of messages daily, and produce videos—on top of doing the projects we document. We work nights, weekends and vacations because the internet never sleeps. The commitment even meant taking a pay cut compared to previous jobs. It’s exhausting sometimes, but deeply rewarding.
We couldn’t be happier. Doing what we love every day—and doing it together—is a dream. Turning a hobby into a career has been a privilege, and we’re grateful for the support our readers provide.
Our advice to anyone hoping to grow a blog or make it a career: work hard, do it for the love of it, and be patient. Success rarely happens overnight. You may publish for months with little feedback, but if you remain consistent and passionate about your topic, an audience will gradually find you and spread the word. For us, meaningful growth arrived after about a year of steady effort.
We must also thank our readers—you are the reason the blog has grown. Your encouragement, recommendations and kind messages have kept us going from day one. Thank you for visiting, sharing, and making our efforts worthwhile. We look forward to many more years of sharing the ups and downs of our home with you.
Update: Big announcement! See how our blog grew even more nearly a year later here.