I brought home another ceramic animal. Is there a support group for this? (Hi, I’m Sherry, and I collect porcelain mammals.) I get that they’re not everyone’s thing — far from it — but for some reason these objects are irresistible to me. I can’t stay away. Over time I’ve noticed I’m drawn to certain … Read more

We bought a Roomba nearly a decade ago because the idea sounded great. In practice, it was noisy, often got stuck, and barely covered any floor before the battery died. It required so much attention that our time was better spent vacuuming ourselves, and we eventually sold it. So you can imagine our surprise when … Read more

As usual, I’m a bit behind — but here’s the gift guide at last. We’ve gathered all of our favorite picks in one place: gifts for grown-ups, great options for kids, and a favorite round-up of items under $15. These are things we own, have tried, or are excited to give this year. Gifts For … Read more

Clara turned three on Tuesday — and we’ve spent the last few days marveling at this lively little girl and wondering where the time went. As with her previous birthdays, we marked another year by making a custom fabric backdrop for her photo project. This tradition began on her first birthday, when I used my … Read more

This house makes me smile, so of course I had to House Crash it and share Kelly Moore’s beautiful home with you. You may recognize Kelly from her popular photography blog or her line of camera bags. But to really get to know someone, you explore their home — so let’s take a tour. We’ll … Read more

We hope you’re enjoying your 4th of July! Yesterday we put together a quick edible centerpiece in about fifteen minutes and couldn’t wait to dig in (and share the photos): We were at John’s parents’ house when his mom found the idea in one of her favorite cookbooks (Pillsbury: The Best Of Classic Cookbooks) and … Read more

Exciting times — Operation Ditch The Blue Trim is underway. While we sweat through un-blue-ing the second floor (four bedrooms, a long hallway, and at least 10 doors), we wanted to share our master to-do list for the new house. If you’re here for trim-painting photos and tips, we’re working on it and hope to … Read more

We kicked off 2008 with a major home-improvement project that changed our master bedroom for the better. On New Year’s Day we were up at 8:20 a.m. and on the road to Ikea by 9. Why get out of bed so early? Simple: we wanted more closet space. Our master had only one small closet, … Read more

This week we’re taking a closer look at the two methods we used to find our Florida house. We explain how we balanced wants versus needs, sifted through hundreds of real estate listings, and leaned on technology to manage the search from 800 miles away. We also share how a tough phone call from our … Read more

We wish we could take credit for these dramatic before-and-after photos, but most readers already know our house is a one-story ranch—so that makeover wasn’t ours. Here’s what the stairway at my best friend’s Washington, D.C. townhouse looked like this morning: And here is the same stairway this afternoon: The transformation is gorgeous. Exposed wood … Read more