When Meghan Carter came to interview us, we wanted our home to look its very best. We stocked the kitchen clam-shell fruit bowl with a neat assortment of apples and laid out fresh towels in each bathroom. We even used a bit of fabric refresher for a light, welcoming scent. Instead of filling the rooms … Read more

Doorless bathrooms, toilets behind glass, showers and tubs left open to the bedroom — these open-concept bathroom ideas keep showing up in design photos. For some people they’re bold and modern; for others they feel like an invasion of privacy. In this episode we explore what’s driving the trend, where we land on the privacy … Read more

Some parents tell us it’s a challenge to find inspiring bedrooms for boys, so we’re always thrilled when a standout room lands in our inbox. Dacia and Jordan’s nursery felt genuinely “out of this world”—pun intended. Below is Dacia’s note describing how they created this special space. Hi John & Sherry! I wanted to share … Read more

When Jennae sent photos of her bedroom before and after, we had to share her DIY headboard project. Here’s her note: My husband and I live in a rental, we’re on a budget, and we love all things green (as shown on my blog) — so decorating the bedroom wasn’t easy. Our biggest challenge was … Read more

When we upgraded to our new organic mattress this week, we were left with a spare queen mattress we no longer needed. We weighed a few options — selling it locally, donating it, or listing it — and decided this was a perfect opportunity to try Freecycle. Freecycle is a network of locally run message … Read more

Kate’s playroom makeover is nothing short of a miracle! Here’s her letter: You two are the best, and I read your blog every day. I just redid the bonus room in our house and wanted to pass it along. Thanks for being such an inspiration! -Grateful, Kate Here’s the chaotic and cluttered before: And the … Read more

While talking about office plans last week, several of your comments about the blue trim gave us the push we needed. We’d been convincing ourselves we could paint all the trim by hand—baseboards, crown molding, and five windows with 66 individual panes—but it was getting ridiculous. So we decided to break out the paint sprayer, … Read more

We recently went on a quest for a new sectional. Picture it like a documentary—minus the Australian voiceover and dramatic nature shots—because we searched far and wide for the perfect piece. We even drove up to Washington, DC to visit the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams store and a sprawling Room & Board showroom. The … Read more

We’d been thinking about adding a bookcase to the office/guest room/playroom for a while — they’re great for storage, display, and adding architectural height. After measuring the wall to the left of the off-center window, we headed to Ikea with a scrap of paper in my purse. A few hours later we were back assembling … Read more

I’ve always loved fabric, and when I realized I’d never tried making a roman shade— even a fixed, purely decorative one—I decided it was time. Here’s how I created a faux roman shade that looks finished without functioning hardware. The kitchen window felt bare and begged for fabric. Because it opens into a sunroom and … Read more