Here’s a quick project for anyone with empty wall space and a little time. It’s simple and rewarding, so I’ve written the instructions recipe-style — an easy, satisfying fix for boring walls. INGREDIENTS An even number of identical frames (I used ten white 8×10 frames) The same number of black-and-white prints (standard 4×6 prints work … Read more

Q: Hey guys! What’s your opinion on mixing metal finishes in a room? Thanks! – Shelly A: Absolutely do it. Matching every single metal in a space can feel overly calculated. When mixed thoughtfully, different metal finishes create depth and a collected, sophisticated look rather than a haphazard, mismatched one. So how do you make … Read more

The kitchen tour is back, this time offering a clear look behind the cabinet doors and drawers to show where everything lives. Where’s the trash? Where are the knives? Where’s the blender for morning smoothies? Where did all the food go? All of that is about to be revealed. We even made a short video … Read more

We can’t believe we’re already halfway through February (January flew by). To pause and appreciate what we actually accomplished — which helps keep momentum and quiets that nagging feeling of “we didn’t get anything done” — here’s a yearbook-style roundup of January. If you want to go further back, we’ve summarized every month from the … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries*** We’re comfortable installing toilets and refinishing cabinets, but when it comes to cooking we welcome expert help. So we were excited when our giveaway sponsor, America’s Test Kitchen, sent us a review copy of their new cookbook Cooking for Two and offered multiple prizes for readers. When our … Read more

We made a sweet little mini-makeover today. John stayed home feeling under the weather, and while he napped on the couch I quietly rearranged the third bedroom to create a useful, attractive spot for writing cards and wrapping gifts. We loved the wall of frames in that room and wanted a reason to use the … Read more

This bathroom came together so quickly it’s almost hard to believe — though we watched every step. After our long-running bathroom renovation that began back in October, this upstairs hall bathroom transformed in less than a week from a dated, paint-only refresh to a bright, updated space. (A full reveal and budget breakdown for that … Read more

For more than a decade we’ve embraced the renovating mantra “the middle makes no sense.” In short: don’t stress when your home is mid-reno, unfinished, or in a holding pattern. Try things, live with them, see what you use and love, and adjust as you go. Forget the expectation of an instant, perfect finished home … Read more

It started when I was searching old posts for a link and stumbled across a long-forgotten mood board I made about a month before we moved into our second house in 2010. The board included the note, “we have no idea what our future living room will actually look like, but today this is what … Read more

Holy cow — we sold our house. (Pause while Sherry reacts — that sentence is always a trigger.) Now that the inspection and appraisal are complete and the closing date is on the calendar, we finally feel safe announcing it to the internet. We waited until this point before sharing the “we sold our house” … Read more