John and I often ask ourselves the same question: how did a casual blog about our upcoming kitchen remodel—originally meant to keep friends and family updated—grow into a full-time interior design and home-improvement site read by thousands every day? That question has come up more in our inbox and even in a recent reader survey, … Read more

This spontaneous Friday post was inspired by a message from Kari on Instagram: “40% off capiz lamps at West Elm. Just saying!” I immediately dove into the sale and ended up buying a giant capiz chandelier I’m excited to hang over our bed. I also almost purchased a dozen other items (there were about 14 … Read more

There will always be a soft spot in my heart for a good Ikea hack. This one isn’t complicated — it’s delightfully simple and accessible to anyone. A few small tweaks to a basic $99 Malm dresser transformed it into a piece that reads like a custom built-in for our beach house. It now sits … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries*** You may remember our recent post raving about Envirosax — stylish, reusable fabric bags that won us over with their large capacity, compact foldable design (they collapse to roughly the size of a cell phone), comfortable handles, and fun patterns. They’re practical, portable, and look great whether you … Read more

Welcome to our 2025 Holiday Gift Guides — all in one place for easy browsing. These selections include gifts we’re actually buying for family and friends this year, from small businesses and Black-owned shops to larger retailers. Everything here is chosen because we genuinely like it: nothing was gifted to us and no items are … Read more

Did you know you can upgrade your existing toilet to a dual-flush model quickly and without plumbing experience? The conversion typically takes less than an hour and can give you the water-saving benefits of a new eco-friendly toilet without replacing the whole fixture. By reducing water per flush you can lower your household water use … Read more

Can’t we just paint some cabinets already? Our patience is wearing thin — and if you’re eager for painted cabinets, imagine how we feel. When we planned this kitchen update we assumed we’d retro-fit a few doors, slap on some paint, and call it done. Turns out there’s a lot of work between “retrofit” and … Read more

When Casey sent these almost unbelievable photos of his home’s exterior makeover, we were excited to share them. Here is his note: I’m a huge fan of your website and your remodeling. It’s simply awesome. I just bought my first house, and it was built in 1925. It’s in Dallas, Texas, and was completely remodeled … Read more

Who has two thumbs and scored a fun new crisscross pillow for $2.63? This girl. A recent trip to Bed Bath & Beyond turned into one of my best finds yet. I rummaged through the discount pillow bin and discovered this lovely lattice pillow that had been marked down 50% and then discounted again to … Read more

You may already be familiar with Ankasa’s couture home collection, known for hand-embroidered pillows that can sell for more than $300. What you might not know is that Ballard Designs has launched an exclusive Ankasa pillow line at under a third of that price. Even better, Ballard Designs has partnered with us to give one … Read more