Now that we’ve cleared out our backyard’s weed and liriope jungle, it’s time to turn attention to another neglected area: the basement. Let’s just talk about the basement for now. You may remember it as a shameful, debris-strewn space… …which became a bit more presentable after we rented a Bagster a few weeks ago and … Read more

Ah—push it. Push it real good. I hope that Salt-N-Pepa reference landed. Now on to a quick update from our guest bedroom: we recently gave it a mini makeover featuring LaDiff’s Wallflowers in crisp white. These 3D floral wall accents add subtle depth and a playful texture to the room without overwhelming the existing patterns … Read more

***This giveaway is now closed – see who won below!*** This giveaway reached its 10,000-entry cap a few hours before the scheduled close, so random.org had a big job picking a winner. They selected… Kelsey (who says “an Eames chair is the foundation to a good collection”). Congratulations on your new foundation piece! Who wants … Read more

We don’t always agree on home purchases, so this week we’re sharing practical strategies we’ve developed for bringing each other around—whether one of us is eager to buy something or the other is trying to hold back. We also picked up a surprising online-shopping trick that’s already saved us more than $1,500 on items for … Read more

Q: Now that you’re in your third house, I’m sure there are things you’ve learned about budgeting, decorating, house hunting, etc. having been through the process a few times now. Would you ever consider writing a post about what your first and second house taught you? -Alison A: Absolutely — here it is. Every home … Read more

Excuse my excitement, but yesterday at exactly 5:41 p.m. I conquered our clogged bathtub drain. I did it solo while John was at work—girl power—and without spending a dime, calling a plumber, or using chemical drain cleaners. Victory! Below I’ll share what we tried, what failed, and the exact steps that finally worked. We received … Read more

*** This giveaway is now closed. See who won below!*** Sorry for the late notice (travel disrupted my winner-picking mojo!), but the random winner of this stencil prize is… Jen (who once “made a chevron painting with instructions I found on Pinterest and it turned out great”). Congrats Jen! Their love of stencils began with … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries*** Brighten your day—this week we’re giving away paint! Three lucky winners will each receive a room’s worth of paint from Olympic: two gallons of Olympic Premium Interior Paint plus one gallon of primer. We chose Olympic because their paints are 100% VOC-free no matter which color you select, … Read more

This handmade Peruvian poncho was a thoughtful gift from my sister-in-law a few years ago (thanks, Ali!). I waited until Clara was big enough to wear it, and she enjoyed it for years—so much so that it even appeared on the cover of a local magazine for a holiday feature. But kids grow fast, and … Read more

Remember when we removed Ed the Bed’s top rails and mentioned that we still needed finials to finish the look? Time for a finial fashion show. I ran to Home Depot and Lowe’s and brought back four contenders to try on Ed’s posts. Here’s the lineup: The long wooden pieces in the top right were … Read more