It’s Wednesday the 2nd, which means it’s time for this season’s unofficial Pinterest Challenge — a little creative push dreamed up by Katie to turn inspiration into action. I decided to get a jump start on holiday decor and focused on ornaments. Even though Thanksgiving hasn’t arrived yet, making these felt surprisingly convenient and festive. … Read more

BEHOLD! The refreshed middle bedroom at the beach house is finished, and I’m still delighted by how the board & batten pairs with the peel-and-stick wallpaper, especially next to the original heart pine floors and doors. Those floors are about 115 years old, and while the wallpaper photographs brighter than it looks in person, it … Read more

Painting your cabinets is one of the most effective and affordable ways to refresh a dated kitchen without committing to a full renovation. With reasonable supplies and careful preparation, a DIY cabinet paint job can look professional and last for years. The method described here was used to update cabinets in several kitchens, so it’s … Read more

Go navy! Don’t worry — that’s not me picking a side in the long-standing Army vs. Navy rivalry. I’m neutral on the rivalry (my dad was in the Army), but I do love a good navy paint color. What I’m actually talking about here is the basement — and since I started this on a … Read more

Yes, this post is about running a dryer duct and rerouting HVAC vents. Before diving into the how-to, some context: when Monday’s post went up, David the framer was finishing the new laundry room by adding the fourth wall—the one that will include the door to the hallway. He also framed the wall that will … Read more

How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? I’m no woodchuck expert, but I can answer a similar, lesser-known question: how many pallet planks could a Petersik pry free if a Petersik could pry free pallet planks? Say that five times fast while I walk you through what happened. Our … Read more

While hanging bedroom curtains last week, I took some photos of a simple trick I use to keep drywall and plaster dust from making a huge mess when drilling holes for curtain rod anchors. Some people probably already do this, but for those who haven’t heard of it, it’s worth sharing. We only started using … Read more

I was lying in bed thinking about the random lessons we’ve learned during nearly seven years of homeownership and DIY projects, and I realized they might make a useful post. These are small, practical lessons—things we picked up the hard way or by experimenting—and while they’re not exhaustive, they may help someone else who’s learning … Read more

You read that correctly: our blog name is changing. While it wasn’t our choice (legal pressure pushed the issue), the change has turned into an unexpected opportunity and a fresh start for us. We’ve already turned lemons into lemonade. The content, voice, and community you’ve come to expect will remain the same, but we’ve adopted … Read more

Check out this problematic faucet in our half bathroom: It didn’t look offensive, but it leaked. With a single handle, I was also worried Clara might accidentally turn it to scalding hot while washing her hands. We stopped by our local Habitat ReStore hoping for an affordable replacement. Sherry got excited when she found a … Read more