Warning: what you’re about to read may cost you $59.99, but it will likely leave you 59.99% giddier. The capiz chandelier in our bedroom attracts plenty of compliments and the inevitable “Where did you get that?!” We first noticed this beautiful fixture after Domino magazine praised it for both its look and its value — … Read more

Blogging can feel like a perpetual hamster wheel: we build, buy, install, or try something, write about it, then move on to the next project. That means we don’t always circle back to older topics, so readers often ask for updates on things from the archives. Here’s a long-awaited round of follow-ups—this is the second … Read more

Come on in and let’s take a stroll through the foyer. It’s not a jungle safari—just a quick tour to highlight updates we haven’t properly introduced yet. Over the past year this space has evolved into a brighter, more layered entry thanks to swapping out a heavy table and a dark slate floor, and adding … Read more

In Monday’s appliance post we mentioned a few swaps (wall oven out, range in), but that was just the start. Yesterday we floated the idea of moving the fridge, and now it’s official: we’re relocating it — and we couldn’t be more excited. First, though, a bit more about the demo process. This past weekend … Read more

We all grumble about mushrooms online, but sudden fungal clusters in the yard are just as unwelcome. Case in point: On our evening walk yesterday I thought rain had flattened a pile of leaves, but when we got closer it was a dense mass of mushrooms that had appeared in under 24 hours. Not exactly … Read more

Thank goodness we learned from our first-home experience and decided to pay for professional radon testing this time. During our new home inspection we hired a local radon testing company to run a multi-day test to verify there were no dangerous radon levels. We chose a company that only performs testing, not remediation, to avoid … Read more

We did it — we finally cut the cable cord. Thanks to many of your suggestions, the transition went smoothly, and we’re sharing exactly how it unfolded and how much we expect to save this year. Don’t worry: Sherry still has her beloved Bravo shows. We also uncovered some surprising tidbits about a few well-known … Read more

We love looking back at the empty photos of our first house because, while they’re bittersweet, they’re a joyful reminder of how a house becomes a home. It’s the moments shared with family (and our chihuahuas) that matter most. So we immediately took empty photos of our second house too. I assumed the rooms would … Read more

It was fun to open up a little of our personal “stuff” last Tuesday for this post about the real $herdog (yes, I’m still waiting for that nickname to catch on) and John’s J-Boom version. A funny thing happened after sharing those: not only did they attract over 1,200 thoughtful and encouraging comments (note to … Read more

We’ve had a blast planning kids’ birthday parties with offbeat themes like worms and dragons (yes, there was even a fire-breathing kid photo). After our last party post in 2014 — remember the Pink & Gold Everything Party? — we took a break from the blog for a year. During that time we wondered if … Read more