We made great progress on the deck this weekend — despite an unexpected water main break right in front of our house that sent gallons of water rushing down the street. We called it in, and a crew of five worked roughly seven hours (with our street’s water turned off) to repair the break after … Read more

Some readers have asked how Burger is settling into the new house. In short: very well. In a slightly more playful tone: simply splendid. It only took him a day or two to learn where his food bowl now lives and which door to wait at when he wants to go out. Beyond that, he’s … Read more

We don’t yet know exactly what our future living room will look like, but right now these are the elements I’m loving: Soft gray walls—think Benjamin Moore Light Pewter—paired with crisp, glossy white trim for a clean, modern backdrop. A large, comfortable sectional with washable covers in a warm gray-brown tone. Practical, cozy, and surprisingly … Read more

When we bought our house, the deck was in rough shape. Before we could refresh it with a new coat of stain, we had to strip away the old finish first. It took time and effort—our deck is nearly 700 sq. ft.—but it was a totally doable weekend project even for a first-timer. That photo … Read more

Ever wonder what goes into writing one of our posts? Even if you don’t, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at our process. We take post-writing pretty seriously (our mortgage depends on it), so this is how we do it — not the only way, but the way that works for us. Most of our project posts … Read more

We promised a full post about the book-deal process back in March when we first announced our upcoming book. It’s taken a while to write because we’ve been deep in the trenches actually writing the 260+ page book, juggling the bambino, keeping the blog updated, and managing all the projects that go with those things. … Read more

Our month-long shopping hiatus ended last week, and today we’re sharing what happened. What was the hardest part? How did it change our habits? What did we rush to buy first? And — most importantly — how did it affect our bank account? We cover all of that here, plus alternatives if a full shopping … Read more

Looking to add a touch of shine to your backsplash or some subtle sparkle to your bathroom? Castalina offers an elegant option: hand-poured, 100% lead-free pewter accent tiles that bring a refined, contemporary look to any room. Castalina’s pewter tiles are high-end, artisan pieces designed to elevate tile projects in kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces. … Read more

As soon as we saw these striking before-and-after photos, we had to share this fantastic fireplace makeover. The transformation is dramatic. Here’s a note from Megan: I’m a big fan of your website and I live in Richmond — what a great city. I enjoy reading about other people’s DIY projects, so I wanted to … Read more

We finished painting the cabinet doors a few days ago (imagine our exhausted happy dance) and now we’re in the “waiting game” while the paint fully cures. We couldn’t wait to share photos from during the process and of the finished, glossy results, so here they are: We used Benjamin Moore Advance in Cloud Cover … Read more