Small Bedroom Updates: Simple Ideas to Refresh Your Space

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We’d like to nominate our bedroom for the “Most Often Tweaked” award. Over time a few small additions and experiments spark new changes: we’ve removed the top bed rails, hung a ram over the bed, ditched the duvet, and shuffled around horse artwork. We believe in trial and error—who gets it right on the first … Read more

Create Art with Paint Swatches: Step-by-Step Ideas and Projects

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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

What Happened to Bathroom Privacy? Exploring the Loss of Personal Space

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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

Planet Mural Nursery Ideas: Create a Cosmic Room for Baby

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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

DIY Wall Panel Headboard Ideas: Stylish Bedroom Upgrade

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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

How to Recycle Old Household Items with Freecycle

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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

Bonus Room Makeover Featuring a Large Wall Map

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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

Painting Trim with a Sprayer: Step-by-Step Guide for Flawless Results

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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

Why We Chose an IKEA Sectional: Real-Life Review and Tips

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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

Turn an IKEA Bookcase Into a Seamless Built-In Look

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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