Tiling was one of the most intimidating items on our duplex to-do list this year—four bathrooms, two mudrooms, and still two backsplashes to go—so it’s a huge relief to say that nearly all of the floors, showers, and tub surrounds are finished (about 95% done). Below we show how everything turned out, share lessons learned, … Read more

The last few weeks have been delightfully random and extremely productive for us. I kind of love bouncing from one room to another like this — at least until we start a major renovation that requires our full attention. This week we painted raindrops and a pink door in Clara’s room, helped brainstorm Shannon’s design … Read more

Over the past 17 years we’ve decorated many homes for the holidays and developed go-to methods and favorite items for decking the halls. Finding the best Christmas tree lights can feel like a quest, but after trying countless decorations this post brings together photos, ideas, and our tried-and-true picks—everything from faux Christmas trees we love … Read more

Uh oh — it looks like this post reached capacity with over 10,000 comments! But the giveaway is closed anyway, so that’s okay. We’re big fans of West Elm — we own two daybeds, a desk, and a few other pieces from their collection — so we’re excited to offer a $500 gift card to … Read more

First a little Facebook note: some readers have mentioned they no longer see our posts or Instagram photos in their Facebook feeds since Facebook changed its settings. If you’d like to see our posts again, please do this: Visit our Facebook page Hover over the button that says “Liked” Make sure the box next to … Read more

When Erica sent her impressive home office makeover our way, we had to share the before-and-after images. Here’s the note she sent: I love your blog and the creative, budget-friendly ideas you showcase. I recently revamped my home office on a very tight budget. You can read more on my blog, but the L-shaped desk … Read more

We’ve all noticed it: renovations on TV and online keep getting bigger and more dramatic. Where did the budget decorating shows and “use-what-you-have” makeovers go? Once a blog post could be simply “I ordered some new art.” Now it’s often an exhaustive before-and-after kitchen gut job. Our own projects have escalated over the years too, … Read more

I did it — I finally finished Clara’s closet stamping project (the one I started here)! And yes, as the title reveals, I made a potato stamp. It was actually really fun and nearly free. The entire project cost me just $0.99 for one tube of FolkArt metallic paint in Champagne, plus two potatoes I … Read more

If your current tool collection is sparse, get ready — Ryobi is rolling out a big drop of power tools this week, totaling over $600 in value. The lineup includes a 10″ sliding compound miter saw, a cordless brad nailer, and a Ryobi ONE+ Ultimate Combo Kit that contains six tools (including three additional saws) … Read more

Spray paint. Again. Who’s surprised? I’m nothing if not predictable when it comes to fixing things with spray paint. I’d been meaning to ORB (that’s oil-rubbed-bronze) the legs of an old chair in our living room for a while. In person the legs were a clashy, orange-red tone that didn’t coordinate with the rest of … Read more