Mixing color and pattern at home is one of the trickiest design skills to master. Done well, it’s bold and exciting; done without direction, it can look either chaotic or flat. We asked Cassie from Hi Sugarplum for her best tips. She explains how she balances a vibrant aesthetic to create a striking home and … Read more

Burger had his first dentist appointment today. We left him at the clinic for the day because the procedure required anesthesia. It’s definitely easier to clean a dog’s teeth when they’re not snapping every few seconds. Burger, who usually turns into a nervous wreck at the vet, whined at the door as we waited for … Read more

Happy May — and happy Opening Day of Homearama! Our showhouse opened to the public today, along with six other homes in the tour. Deep breaths. It’s been a whirlwind getting everything ready, but it finally feels great to share the finished spaces. Since our last update — when we showed the office, butler’s pantry, … Read more

We’re back with the after photos of our freshly painted built-ins. For this project we chose an inky blue with green undertones called Dragonfly from Benjamin Moore’s Affinity line, color-matched to a No‑VOC Olympic paint from Lowe’s for the small amount we needed. A single quart was enough, and because we used items we already … Read more

In honor of Halloween, we’re sharing a strange event that happened at our beach house — something we genuinely couldn’t explain for months. Even I, usually the skeptic, found myself asking, “How did that just happen?!” We also talk with author Miranda Anderson about the year her whole family undertook a shopping ban and how … Read more

Blue calcite is a rarer, visually striking variety of a very common mineral. Calcite itself appears worldwide and is a principal component of limestone, marble, and other building stones. Blue calcite, by contrast, is prized for its soft blue tones and is often collected for its calming aesthetic. Its gentle hues evoke a tranquil sky … Read more

We did it. After this morning’s post we made one more trip to the tile store and finally picked our tile. We ordered just over 50 square feet to cover the entire wall above the stove, where we’ll add open shelves and a vent hood as mentioned in an earlier post. We spent time visiting … Read more

We were surprised by how many of you wanted to know about our house’s original owners — we started getting emails and comments asking if we’d ever heard from them. We were curious too. Did they know their old home was online for the world to see? How much had changed during their decades there … Read more

We learned with our first kitchen that building in your fridge makes a kitchen look instantly more finished. Until recently, our refrigerator stuck out like a sore thumb—so we set out to give it a built-in look. We started with a bargain cabinet from Habitat for Humanity ReStore (mentioned yesterday). It was only $19 and … Read more

Several readers have asked about my “maternity style,” which makes me laugh because I don’t consider myself a stylish pregnant woman. My priorities are simple: affordable, durable, and comfortable. I’m one of those moms who constantly has dog hair on my shirt and the occasional sandwich remnant on my leg, whether I’m pregnant or not. … Read more