Easter isn’t usually a time when I decorate every surface of the house. I own one white ceramic bunny that stays outside year-round for a little whimsy (and because I’m lazy about moving it). But last year I made my first Easter tree, and I’ve been excited to set it up again ever since. If … Read more

art | frame for art | rug | ottoman |chairs | crystal fireplace logs | storage cabinets | curtains | rods | large light blue vase Moving from a 3,200 square foot home to a 1,400 square foot house made storage a top priority. A few weeks ago we added two major storage upgrades that … Read more

After yesterday’s first house vs. current house comparison, a comment from Jess made us think: “It’s unfair to compare eight months of work at the current place with four-plus years at the old one. You should compare how your old house looked eight months after you moved in.” Fair point — although we’ve learned a … Read more

“How’s it hanging?” That was the big question last week — not the casual greeting, but the much more literal: how were we going to hang this $60 range hood we found on Craigslist? We’d planned to encase the hood in a DIY wood cover, inspired by images we’d pinned earlier, and we were thrilled … Read more

Hood, there it is. Well, for the past few weeks it’s felt more like “hood… there it isn’t” in our kitchen as we worked through a quick Phase 1 update. We removed our over-the-range microwave before painting the kitchen and decided a 30-inch gas cooktop would be a better fit. The microwave was the only … Read more

We’re back with our weekly basement update — here’s where we left off — and this week we gave the built-in cabinet a fresh coat of paint, added artwork, obscured the semi-sheer armoire doors, and brought in a bunch of bins to organize current items (and make room for future finds). The space already feels … Read more

A bunch of readers asked for a deck mood board so they can picture the finished space. We’re excited too, but since funds are limited and we haven’t even finished furnishing the patio we built last year, this deck won’t come together overnight. That means some items on the board might sell out before we … Read more

Continuing a recent trend in our house, Clara is the latest family member to get a ceiling fixture in her room. I even half expect Sia to break out in song about it (“from the chan-de-li-eeeer!”). If this chandelier looks familiar, it’s because it previously hung in our dining room. The finish never quite suited … Read more

Even though we declared our kitchen project finished a month ago, a few small tasks have lingered — some literally hanging from the ceiling. See that bare, shadeless pendant above the fireplace area? That pendant had been broken for ages (even after a previous repair), leaving half the room noticeably darker compared with the rest … Read more

When John’s younger sister Carrie asked us to refresh her new Philadelphia apartment on a tight budget, we were excited to help. A little furniture rearrangement and thoughtful accessorizing can do wonders for a large, blank room. Here’s how we completed a fast and fabulous four-hour makeover for $200. Carrie’s large white room functions as … Read more