Our master bedroom has come a long way in just a few days. It went from feeling like a big empty room with a bed to a warm, personal space—thanks mainly to curtains and, mostly, frames. Lots of frames. Before we started putting holes in the wall, the room looked much like it had since … Read more

It’s hard to believe it’s been seven months since our last house tour video — far too long. So here it is: eight engaging minutes of me wandering through the house, talking about changes and plans while the Flip cam captures all the slightly shaky, Blair-Witch-style footage. We chose to film now because the kitchen … Read more

So with the Cottage In the Woods off our list, we turned our attention to another property we toured: a charming Cape Cod near local shops. We were initially cautious since it’s in a completely new neighborhood for us, but its small hints of city living — walkable streets and nearby conveniences — appealed to … Read more

Building Clara a sandbox turned into a project that took nearly a year to finish. If you need proof, check the post about her first birthday party from last May — our girl is almost two now. We kept putting it off because we couldn’t decide where to put it. At one point we considered … Read more

Curious readers wanted to know what John and I exchanged for Valentine’s Day, so here’s the story. I found a charming vintage metal card catalog at a local thrift shop for $5 (it was marked $6, but I’m a notorious negotiator) and immediately fell for the gray-green finish and sturdy steel drawer pulls. Since John … Read more

When we received a letter from Jacky describing her mantle makeover, we were excited to share the before-and-after photos. Here’s her note: I’m a big fan of your site and wanted to share my living room transformation. We had an oddly shaped concrete mantle and left it alone for more than two years. After reading … Read more

As much as we admire a crisp white kitchen, there are many other appealing options—like my sister’s wood cabinets paired with white appliances and the popular “tuxedo” kitchens that mix dark and light cabinetry. When Rita sent in photos of her renovation, we were impressed by how much the space improved, especially her striking two-tone … Read more

We’re back with the final tutorial from our recent R. Home column on reinventing thrift-store finds: painting terra cotta pots. You may have seen this makeover in the magazine, but below is a clear, step-by-step guide for anyone who wants an easy, affordable update for plain clay pots. Supplies Terra cotta pots (an inexpensive mix … Read more

Our neighbor recently asked for help installing a drip irrigation system for their new garden. My previous experience with a full DIY irrigation install was intense, so I approached this cautiously. It turned out to be the opposite—simple, affordable, and quick. The whole system cost roughly $75 and took only a few hours to set … Read more

Last Halloween we found ourselves in a familiar last-minute scramble: hours before trick-or-treaters arrived, our porch still looked bare and the grocery-store pumpkins were soggy and unusable. A quick run to Michael’s saved the night — we bought two inexpensive faux pumpkins on sale and set them out with the candy. This year I didn’t … Read more