Big news — we finished the makeover at the Children’s Hospital and can’t wait to share the photos (hopefully Monday). In the meantime, we put together one big, practical gift guide since so many of you requested it. Last year we split our picks across several posts for lads, ladies, and kiddos; this year everything’s … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see who won below!*** Someone’s about to get more comfortable because random.org helped us pick a winner. That lucky person is… Kristen B (she says a walk on the beach helps everything). Congrats, Kristen! The giveaway title might sound like a line from a fabric softener commercial, … Read more

With our fireplace refacing plan finalized and supplies at the ready, we dove into step one: tile. Below is a clear recap of the entire process — from prep and cutting to installation and grouting — in case you want to try this yourself. I highlighted the areas in the photo that we planned to … Read more

Yes, I spray painted upholstered chairs. I’ll admit it sounds odd, and it’s not the move for most people. But when you’re a determined person with a risky plan and a stack of slipcovers ready to hide any missteps, strange things happen. These are the Craigslist chairs we found last March—hotel castoffs with faded and … Read more

Thanks to a bit of time-lapse photography (and remembering to snap occasional photos of our backyard), here’s a concise look at how our patio planting progressed over the past few months. In February the space was essentially a blank canvas. The year before we filled it with annuals for a backyard wedding, but this time … Read more

When we featured Lindsay’s kitchen makeover as a Reader Redesign back in October, we never imagined that Kitchen Makeovers (a special interest publication from Better Homes & Gardens) would reach out to her. They saw her before-and-after photos on our blog and wanted to feature her kitchen. We were thrilled, and Lindsay — who welcomed … Read more

Just in time for John’s 27th birthday, Burger created an original paw painting as a heartfelt gift for his doting dad. He’s quite the little artist — a regular Jackson Pawlock. The project was a simple, fun activity that Burger and I enjoyed together. I used an 8.5×11 piece of white cardstock as the canvas … Read more

When I was recently flipping through old photo albums with a friend—college reminiscing, you know—I was honestly shocked and a little grossed out by my grade school, dorm and first-apartment decor (not to mention my clothing choices). I’m pretty sure you’ll react the same. Most people assume I’m the type who folds underwear neatly (newsflash: … Read more

***This giveaway is now closed – see who won below!*** Thanks to random.org, the person who’s about to experience $750 worth of bliss is… Eryka (who also finds bliss in clean sheets and sleeping in!). Congrats! Who doesn’t appreciate a little home indulgence, especially when it’s free? This giveaway was sponsored by Bliss Home & … Read more

Our house. Right now a crew of ten is here shooting a glossy magazine feature about our home. This time the team includes a hair and makeup artist and a wardrobe stylist — which makes us feel equal parts excited and self-conscious (fingers crossed we don’t look like giant nerds on camera!). The rest of … Read more