Guess whose mugs appeared in the new Home & Garden section of Richmond’s local paper this morning? We were just as surprised as you are. Last week, out of the blue, the Richmond Times-Dispatch contacted us about helping to relaunch their expanded Home & Garden section. They asked to feature our DIY table project in … Read more

It had been far too long since our last window-shopping adventure. For those who don’t know, these outings aren’t sponsored or part of any partnership—we simply walk through a store with a camera and photograph whatever sparks ideas. This particular visit happened a few months ago, and only now have I uploaded the photos and … Read more

Hoop, there it is. This is probably the oddest “Dude, Get On That Already” project I’ve done so far, but like many small updates around here, it involved something that had been nagging me for months and a trusty can of spray paint. This time it wasn’t an animal—surprising, I know. John actually laughed when … Read more

We’re back with an update on the fireplace makeover mentioned in yesterday’s post about removing our old, not-baby-safe wood stove. This next step is just the beginning of a longer renovation—think step two of maybe fifteen. We tackle projects in stages, so for now we focused on an inexpensive, short-term refresh that would make the … Read more

Update: We have a much newer cabinet-painting post with more photos, details, and even a video for you here. If you can paint a wall—or even if you haven’t done much painting before—you can refresh your kitchen by painting the cabinets. Painting kitchen cabinets is a high-impact, budget-friendly way to update your space. Follow the … Read more

It’s been a full year in the making, and our pool is finally done*. Picture a tiny fanfare from the five members of our household (yes, including Burger holding a pom-pom). This post covers the whole process: planning, selections, timeline, budget, landscaping, safety, and the finished space. We’ll also answer common questions we received during … Read more

Roeshel’s small powder room underwent a stunning transformation, evolving from a plain, dated space into an elegant, thoughtfully designed retreat. With a clear eye for layered color, texture, and a few well-chosen accents, she and her husband Russ turned an ordinary half bath into a charming, polished space that feels intentional and welcoming. I’m a … Read more

How’s that for a title? We’re roughly a fifth of the way through updating this bathroom, and these photos are a snapshot of that work-in-progress reality in our new house. A fresh coat of paint will do a lot—we’re deciding between a soft gray and a warm mocha—to help the room feel cohesive and to … Read more

UPDATE: Entry for this contest is now closed. Thanks to everyone who’s entered… all 500-some of you. The winner will be announced on December 18th. Calling all handymen and handywomen: we have a giveaway for the brand-new TrackSaw from DeWalt, a professional-grade tool that retails for about $500. This compact, precision-focused saw brings the portability … Read more

We made serious progress at the beach house this weekend. We arrived with a long to-do list and, while we didn’t finish everything, we completed a big chunk of the kitchen over four productive days (thankfully the kids had Monday and Tuesday off). Leaving with the door locked felt great because so many visible improvements … Read more