Back when we shared that post of playful charts and graphs based on our 2012 reader survey, we discovered how much readers enjoy infographics. With that in mind, we compiled and illustrated a collection of memorable facts and figures from our recent book tour. Think of it as a concise info-scrapbook that captures that hectic … Read more

Allow me to give you a hint: y-e-l-l-o-w-d-o-o-r. That’s right — I’m painting our front door the happiest shade: rain-boot yellow. That’s not the official paint name, but it perfectly describes the glossy, sunny yellow we picked. I had hoped to share after photos already, but real life intervened and the prep work took longer … Read more

The disappointing state of the economy hit home for us a few weeks ago when my company announced pay cuts for all employees to avoid more drastic cost-saving measures later. It wasn’t news I wanted to hear, but I was grateful it wasn’t worse. When I told Sherry, we went through disbelief, anger, and worry. … Read more

Every so often we have the chance to share something that can genuinely help the planet — even if only one in ten readers adopts the advice (like switching to reusable shopping bags or collecting rainwater). This is one of those moments. Please share this information with friends and family. We owe this helpful insight … Read more

When we left off on Monday, our open shelves had been primed and were ready to be hung. While the primer was out, we also primed the hood cover. We used a 2″ angled brush to work paint into the cracks and a small foam roller to smooth the surfaces. The primer immediately reduced the … Read more

Q: I love your blog and often check in twice a day. Thank you for your great work! But I have one question: what do you do at the kitchen sink with the few things you regularly use for washing up and cleaning the table (like a sponge, dish cloth, brush, dishwashing detergent, maybe gloves)? … Read more

We’ve been using this fire pit hangout for months, and it finally made it onto the blog. This space is a great example of how a simple fence can transform an overlooked corner into a defined outdoor room. Once the fence was in place, we added four Adirondack chairs and a fire pit, and the … Read more

When we last worked on our little media cabinet we’d scrubbed away the grime (with a Magic Eraser of all things) and removed the stale odor from the drawers with vinegar. We still needed to hide the cable box in a drawer and seal the wood to preserve its color and sheen. We finally finished … Read more

What kind of party? The decking party, of course. If you’ve never attended a gathering where the main event is laying deck boards, you’re missing out. (Full disclosure: our “party” had no guests, so maybe my definition of party needs work.) Anyhow, let’s get into the deck progress I teased last week: We decided to … Read more

Some people choosing a patterned daybed prefer neutral, simple window treatments like airy white curtains. Others match the bedding by selecting one of its colors for the drapery—bold red cotton panels, taupe-gray velvet, and so on. Since this room is Clara’s, and we love kids’ spaces with layered patterns and color, we headed to our … Read more