Our Florida renovation is rolling forward nicely. Want to see the progress? We’re just as eager — especially since we haven’t stepped foot in the house yet. All photos in this post were taken by our contractor over the past two months, so please forgive any that are slightly blurry or taken from different angles … Read more

Here we are—after more than a year of planning, reworking ideas, last-minute decisions, and stuffing our car with vases and accent chairs, the Homearama Showhouse tour is complete. To celebrate finishing this whole-house marathon, we’re kicking off with a room-by-room video tour. Nothing fancy—just me walking through the house and sharing the highlights. There are … Read more

We’ve seen terrarium tutorials everywhere, from lifestyle magazines to home-improvement sites, so we wanted to try a simple glass terrarium of our own. Traditional terrariums often involve multiple layers—pebbles for drainage, activated charcoal for freshness, moss and soil—but we opted for a much simpler approach that’s been thriving for over a month. We waited a … Read more

There are a number of projects and inexpensive purchases we’ve made — some DIY, some hired — that stood out as especially worthwhile. Each cost around $100 or less (some much less, some a bit more) and delivered big improvements in both function and style. Here are the top ten updates that made the biggest … Read more

You’ve heard of rolling out the red carpet, but what about the pink one? Pink is Clara’s favorite color and brings a warm, cheerful contrast to the cool blues, greens, and grays that dominate much of the house. The playful dots on the rug pair wonderfully with Clara’s bold big-girl bedding, creating a lively, joyful … Read more

Ever since a DIY styling session refreshed our home, I’ve been excited to rearrange pieces that used to sit hidden in cabinets and give every shelf, side table, and bookcase a new look. Why stop there? I decided to experiment with place settings. With leftover flowers and produce from the shoot, I put together several … Read more

Some people say gallery walls are being replaced by larger-scale artwork. Maybe that’s true for some trends, but a collection of framed pieces grouped together still feels timeless. Think of classic homes in movies — they often have framed art lining stairways and entryways. One spot I especially like for a gallery wall now is … Read more

One of the perks of being pregnant is that I’ve been politely banished from the bathroom during the messier parts of the renovation. I miss swinging a sledgehammer now and then, but the boys — John and his tile-savvy dad — took over the heavy lifting. They even sealed themselves behind a big plastic tarp … Read more

On this week’s podcast we talk with Dana and Steve Miller of the blog House*Tweaking about what it’s really like to downsize. They made the move to a smaller home even as their family grew, and they share how the change helped them reach financial and family goals — while also being honest about the … Read more

I thought it would be fun to test a few old pregnancy myths and predictors — the kind that say “craving sweets means a girl” or “a heartbeat over 140 means a girl” — and see which, if any, held true for me. So far, most haven’t matched my experience, but a few came close. … Read more