We recently put together an online version of our brief appearance on HGTV’s Rate My Space, which many of you watched live in mid-December. Hoping the full segment would appear on HGTV.com, we waited a few weeks, but when nothing showed up we decided to create a short YouTube clip ourselves. Below is a concise … Read more

*** This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see who won below! *** Random.org has done it again and crowned an oh-so-randomly selected winner. That lucky person is… Doris Johnson (who can’t contain her love for her puppy, Finn. She even included a link to his picture!). Congratulations to Doris and Finn! We love … Read more

We recently realized that storage baskets can both help and hinder our home organization efforts (yes, that hampering pun was intended). The duplex has also passed an important renovation milestone: the floors were refinished! We had a plan, but a last-minute curveball changed everything in the final hour. You’ll also hear a thoughtful counterpoint to … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see who won below!*** Random.org surprised us this week and selected a male winner for the first time in a long while. His name is… Thomas (he’s looking forward to some time off this holiday season). Congrats, Thomas! One of our favorite gifts to give is a … Read more

Last week we got the call: our cabinets are on the way. They’re scheduled to arrive on Monday the 26th, so we can finally set the installation in motion. That means we’re likely to have a functioning kitchen before the end of the year — a very welcome start to the new year. When we … Read more

Since sharing a photo of our finished floor over a month ago, several readers have asked for more details about how we installed the transition pieces around the kitchen cork floor and the fireplace surround. Eventually we plan to refinish the adjoining orange wood floors to better match the darker cork, so the finished look … Read more

Offices inevitably collect a tangle of wires and cables. Our workspace was no different — if you remember our post about building under-desk file storage, you know there was a cord jumble hiding back there. We wanted to make that chaos look neater and, more importantly, safer. With a baby on the way, keeping little … Read more

Ready for more details about our DIY backyard wedding? Here’s another installment from our wedding week, with practical ideas and personal touches you can adapt for your own celebration. Anyone who’s planned a wedding or a large event knows that small thoughtful touches make guests feel cared for. One simple idea we used was a … Read more

Having a fireplace in the kitchen is undeniably charming — it feels like the heart of the home. Even if it isn’t functional, it becomes a useful and cozy niche: a place to tuck a basket of Clara’s toys, stack books, or display seasonal pieces above the mantel. Honestly, I love turning mantel and shelf … Read more

This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see the winners below! Quick reminder: you can use code YHL15 for 15% off at WallQuotes.com. In addition, three readers each won a $100 WallQuotes credit (winners were chosen with random.org): Kaycie Christine (whose walls would recall TV moments from shows like American Idol and Real Housewives), … Read more