The bathroom makeover Gemma shared with us stands out for many reasons—the bold dark mirror, the thoughtful use of shower tile over the sink, and especially the custom-built vanity. The finished room feels fresh, modern, and carefully considered. Here’s her note about the project: Hey John & Sherry! My husband and I recently overhauled our … Read more

As our sixth blogiversary winds down (and we pack away the t-shirt launchers and airhorns until next year), we want to say thank you for being part of the ride. Last year we wrapped up with a graphic-packed recap of reader poll results, and this year nearly 30,000 of you completed the survey from Wednesday’s … Read more

After many readers asked what was hanging to the left of our living room fireplace, we decided our inexpensive teardrop vases deserved their own post. We already had 15 framed pieces of art across the living and dining areas (yes, we counted), and we didn’t want to clutter the space with more rigid rectangles. For … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries*** We’ve been on the lookout for eye-catching nursery art, and this week we’re excited to feature a giveaway from Grace Hester Designs. Grace’s shop offers a thoughtful mix of typographic and silhouette prints that work beautifully for nurseries, weddings, family galleries, or anyone who appreciates clean, modern illustrated … Read more

After many requests, here’s a detailed guide on how we use Craigslist to find affordable secondhand treasures and sell items we no longer need. Sherry touched on this topic in an earlier post, but here we focus on practical advice for communicating with sellers and buyers and crafting effective listings. Craigslist can feel intimidating at … Read more

Ok, this post won’t need many words because the videos below do most of the talking. Click play to watch the final “after” tour of our Richmond home as it looked right before showings in early March. If you’re curious about how the showings went, we discuss it in detail on a podcast episode linked … Read more

Tired of fussing with hoses, sprinklers, and timers or watching your lawn brown in the heat? You can install an automated in-ground irrigation system yourself. It takes planning, patience, and physical work, but with careful preparation you can save a lot compared to hiring a pro. Below is a clear, practical account of how we … Read more

Here it is — the post we promised about cutting the cable cord and exactly how much we’re saving. As self-proclaimed TV fans, we’ve often collapsed on the couch after a long day of painting, organizing, or spackling and watched TV to unwind. For that reason, and because many of the channels Sherry prefers (yes, … Read more

Alternate title: Breaking Out John’s Painting Belt It felt like old times. For anyone unfamiliar with the painting belt reference, there’s more background elsewhere. As we mentioned yesterday, we painted Clara’s nursery. Rather than recreate the exact look from our previous home, we used the move as a chance to update the wall color. Since … Read more

We were a little deflated by how unfinished our “new,” tile-ready walls looked. Mostly it was the mismatched, unpainted paneling and the ugly, stained, exposed sections of ceiling that showed up after we removed the upper cabinets. The obvious fix: painting. The paneling took two coats of primer and two coats of paint for good … Read more