It feels like ages since you last saw the front of the duplex (winter will do that), but today it’s getting some long-overdue attention. And let me tell you—THINGS HAVE TURNED A CORNER! There’s no finished landscaping yet, the grass is still patchy, and Sean the contractor’s giant sign is holding its ground… …but wow … Read more

Deck plans finished? Check. Permit in hand? Check. Materials arriving this week? Check. One thing still stood between us and getting started: the old, rotting balcony. We began with a plan. I laid out tools (crowbar, sledgehammer, power drill), set up a ladder for access, put on some music (note the ceramic pig on the … Read more

We’ve been a little sneaky—not living a double life, just quietly slipping away for a secret vacation. John and I spent the past week on a small chain of islands off Florida’s west coast, swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, eating plenty of seafood, blogging from the beach, and working on our tans (or, in … Read more

If you listened to this week’s podcast, you heard John and me say we’ve finally moved past the very long phase of daydreaming and indecision about our master bathroom. After more than six years of renovating most of our house, the beach house, and our duplex, we’re at the point where we know what we … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see who won below!*** First off – THANK YOU for all the fantastic poems this week. Sherry and I got such a kick out of your creative spins on the classic “Roses are red” lines. Random.org has selected the Teleflora gift card winner: Cristina S (who wrote: … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see the winners below!*** Random.org spun its wheel of randomness and selected our two winners as… Amy @ Larryspearslive.com and Amanda Deerr. Congrats to both winners! Who wants a $50 Lowe’s gift card? If that idea sparks a dozen project plans in your head, you’re not alone. … Read more

Even though we already made four puffy painted pumpkins (one for each family member), we didn’t want Clara’s first Halloween to pass without a bit of traditional pumpkin carving. A recent trip to the pumpkin patch put us in the mood. Here’s our little queen throwing her arms out like she’s declaring, “I’m the queen … Read more

Curious about the most universally loved white paints? We reviewed more than a dozen “best white” lists and compared over 100 white paint colors to find the consensus picks. After compiling data and comparing recommendations from interior designers, architects, builders, and top bloggers, a clear group of favorites emerged. Below are the 12 white paint … Read more

We’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about rugs: where we find them, which materials and patterns we prefer, how we clean and care for them, and how much we typically spend. Rugs can feel complicated—and expensive—and they’re one of those décor elements that’s surprisingly easy to get wrong. A bad rug choice can … Read more

As our laundry room project moves forward (priming, painting, and tile prep are all underway), I thought it would be fun to share some virtual window-treatment options we experimented with in the office. We’ve done this before—testing wall ideas in Clara’s bedroom and trying looks for Teddy’s nursery—and I’ve even photoshopped curtains and rugs into … Read more