Top January Highlights and Notable Moments

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January felt like one of those blink-and-it’s-over months for us — it flew by. Before our behind-the-scenes book work erases the details, we like to pause and recap what we accomplished, gather links in one place, and share a few unseen moments. This month was a whirlwind, with a big focus on the kitchen, a … Read more

Curved Kitchen Armchair for Comfortable Dining and Counter Seating

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Chairs are one of those decor items where we mix high and low finds. On the budget side we have our $30 thrift store egg chair… …our $32 stools from a school-supply site… …and our $35 secondhand office chairs, just to name a few. On the higher end (though still reasonable to many) we’ve invested … Read more

First Guests at Our Duplex: What Happened During Their Stay

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After more than a year and a half of renovations, the duplex finally hosted its first overnight guests. It was an emotional, exciting, and eye-opening test of all the work we’ve done, so we’re sharing what we learned and what we’re changing before it hosts again. We also talk about a house we considered buying … Read more

How to Test Your Home Water: Accurate Steps and Tips

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Right around the time we announced our pregnancy, several friends and family members shared that they were expecting too. People joked that there must be something in the water. After that joke repeated itself, I started wondering: what actually is in our tap water? I happened to catch the end of a Dr. Oz segment … Read more

Refinish an Old China Cabinet: Step-by-Step Painting Guide

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Giving an old thrifted piece of furniture a fresh update is one of our favorite kinds of makeovers. Tanis’s china cabinet project is a perfect example—elegant, thoughtful, and beautifully executed. Here’s a look at the transformation she and her husband completed: A friend introduced me to this blog and I’ve been hooked ever since. My … Read more

How to Remove Tile, Mortar, and Metal Mesh from Bathroom Walls

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When we say we’re “tackling a room,” it’s often figurative—but this time it was almost literal: a big bathroom demolition weekend. Before we could welcome anything new, the old bathroom had to come out. After clearing baskets, the shower curtain, mirror, rugs and other small items, we were ready to remove the fixtures and start … Read more

Build a Planked Wood Desk: Step-by-Step DIY Guide

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Our built-in wall-to-wall desk made great progress this week after we painted and raised the cabinets, but one thing remained missing: the countertop. We needed roughly thirteen feet of surface, which ruled out many standard kitchen countertops because suppliers typically won’t deliver pieces longer than twelve feet without a seam. At first we considered buying … Read more

Window Shopping at The Art of Simple in Seaside, FL

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I’m currently finishing and photographing the canopy I made for Clara’s bed (it just might be cute!), so I’ll share those photos and the full how-to with you tomorrow. I considered writing about September 11th today — I lived in NYC then and it was one of the most life-changing days I’ve experienced. Twelve years … Read more

DIY Easter Egg Bowling Set: Step-by-Step Craft for Kids

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The other day I was talking with Clara and, just for fun, asked her a few questions. She offers up some serious opinions for a little kid. When I asked, “What do you think the Easter Bunny’s favorite colors are?” she answered without hesitation: “green and blue.” It was delivered as plain fact. Then I … Read more