We set a goal to enjoy our new deck by Labor Day and just squeaked in with a few days to spare. In case you can’t tell, I’m thrilled. John pointed the camera at me and I struck a goofy pose straight out of a Kids Incorporated moment. We probably would have settled for a … Read more

Today we’re sharing a small space challenge at the duplex and would love to hear which rental option your family would choose. We’ll also tell the story of an unexpected Christmas request from our daughter that sent us on a search for a house-related gift, and how we discovered a handy 4-in-1 tool that’s perfect … Read more

We’ve been promising a fill-in-the-blank project for a while, and this time we finally painted the bedroom finials to match Ed the Bed. In the photo below you can see they were a bit too white before. It wasn’t complicated, but we wanted to share a simple, reliable way to match paint to an existing … Read more

A few years ago, our cousins introduced us to a charming home shop in Old Town Alexandria, VA: Red Barn Mercantile. The shop blends rustic, weathered pieces with modern, often playful accessories and gifts. Its carefully curated mix gives the store a warm, collected feeling that makes browsing a pleasure. We were especially taken with … Read more

This is old news if you’ve already picked up the latest issue of Do It Yourself magazine, but our first column is now live and we couldn’t be more excited. DIY invited us to write a regular column that answers decorating questions from both partners, so we launched with a reader’s dilemma. Nicole was trying … Read more

We loved Stacy’s kitchen makeover—not just because it looks beautiful (a huge improvement over the original), but because it’s a great example of thoughtful balance. Stacy identified where to save money, took her time deciding what she could tackle herself, and knew when to hire help. Her new kitchen even appraised for enough to cover … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see who won below!*** After a week of boy-band nostalgia from NSYNC to NKOTB, random.org helped us pick a winner. Congratulations to Megan G, who says her favorite boy band of all time is the original—The Beatles. Well deserved—congrats, Megan! In the spirit of spring cleaning and … Read more

We received many requests for a tutorial on Clara’s pull-string piñata, so here it is. If you’re not interested in making one, you could always turn this into a post-party drinking game—take a sip every time you see the word “piñata.” Fair warning: you might not be fit to drive afterwards. I hadn’t encountered a … Read more

I’m thrilled with our new living room couch. It’s the perfect mix of casual and elegant, and completely dog-proof. The linen-look twill slipcover gives the sofa a refined, durable appearance, while the clean lines and plush pillows strike a comfortable balance between style and function. Naturally, it makes the pricier couch in the den—one we … Read more

Remodeling a kitchen involves countless decisions, measurements, and plans — and often changes to those plans. It’s unrealistic to expect a renovation to go perfectly without a few hiccups, and our remodel was no exception. You may have already heard about our huge tile miscalculation on our podcast, but here are five other mistakes we … Read more