Neutral Living Room Ideas: Leather Sofa and Dark Wood Furniture

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Tiffany made our Labor Day by sending stunning after photos of her family room, which she redesigned using the globe-trotting moodboard we created for her a few months ago. Before we show the full reveal, here’s a quick look at the family room before the makeover: Tiffany asked us to help her create a cohesive … Read more

Introducing Your Dog to a New Baby: Safe Steps for Families

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Several people asked on Instagram how we introduced Burger to Clara and how we managed the transition from living with just a dog to living with both a dog and a newborn. We did some research and spoke with our vet to make the change as easy as possible for Burger and for us. Here’s … Read more

Listy VonListerson: Updated Guide and New Features

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These posts started because readers asked how we keep track of our long to-do list. We explained that we keep one ongoing document that we update as projects progress. When we first shared this list back in May, nothing had been crossed off yet. A few months later people asked for an update, and I … Read more

How to Prune Overgrown Azaleas for Healthy Shape and Blooms

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As you saw a few weeks ago, we removed our old screen door and painted the door behind it a bright lipstick red. We also took down the scalloped header and shared the results. But Project Pimp My Porch isn’t finished. We still need to redo the front walkway because the existing path looks worn … Read more

How to Seal Cinderblocks with Drylok for a Waterproof Basement

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So the basement has made it clear it won’t go quietly. Current score: Basement 3, John and Sherry 1. Thankfully we love a challenge. Here’s an update on our underground overhaul and where things stand. Many readers asked for more of the nitty-gritty: not just a shopping list or budget breakdown, but the actual thought … Read more

Guest Bedroom Makeover: Before, Progress, and Final Reveal

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Update: We brought in a few of the items on our to-do list below and it changed everything! Well, not everything, but a few pieces came out (the brown blanket is history, at least in this room) and a few things moved around. Gotta love those last-minute tweaks. Check out the whole reveal here. Here’s … Read more

18 Practical Ways to Work Smarter and Boost Productivity

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I’ve had a lot of requests for an update on how we’re doing with the elusive work/life balance we publicly promised to improve this year. We never intended to work nights, weekends, and even on vacation, and we’ve realized only we are responsible for changing that. We figured this was a good topic to discuss … Read more

Where to Find Discount Kitchen Sinks for Your Renovation

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We updated the kitchen and replaced our old farmhouse sink with a sleeker undermount stainless steel model. We loved the old sink for its generous 9″ depth, which easily hid stacks of dirty dishes, but this new double-bowl undermount stainless sink, also 9″ deep, complements the new granite countertops and the great faucet I won … Read more

Family Weekend Guide to Palm Springs With Kids

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Palm Springs, California might not immediately come to mind as a classic family destination, but our recent trip there with our 9- and 13-year-old was one of our best family vacations. Below is a clear, family-friendly guide to what we loved, where we stayed, what we ate, and a few things we’ll try next time. … Read more