After our major kitchen renovation we ended up with a polished, attractive space—but it still felt bare and lacked warmth and personality. We weren’t sure where to begin, so we slowly collected a few budget-friendly items that gave the room character, function, and a welcoming vibe. Below are simple, affordable ways to elevate your kitchen … Read more

Why spend money or toss things away when a little creativity can give them new life? We love repurposing everyday items, and a reader named Kenn sent in a photo that inspired this roundup of simple, useful ideas. Take those empty food cans: a coat of paint transforms a mismatched collection into coordinated pencil cups, … Read more

Put a fork in them—these floors are finished. Well, not literally: please, no sharp or abrasive tools near the new hardwood. After two full days of installation, the new wood floors are in and they transform the space entirely. The change is dramatic. Along with widening the doorways, replacing the old floors has opened up … Read more

Ack! We’ve been home from Atlanta for over two weeks and I just realized we never shared our other animal-filled adventure there. This one leaned toward the aquatic side, and it deserves its own retelling. The Bowers took us to the Georgia Aquarium, and it was simply amazing. I haven’t visited many aquariums, so maybe … Read more

I’ve been feeling a little tempted to hop on The Voice bandwagon. Not because I expect Adam Levine to turn his chair for me — though I’d probably stare him down and say, “Hands off my woman, Levine,” just to be clear — but because I love the idea of the spin-offs: The Choice (dating), … Read more

It’s been a little while since we shared a proper gardening update—over a month, actually—but that doesn’t mean nothing’s been happening. We’ve been quietly working outside and waiting for things to fill in before snapping photos. If you remember, we recently transplanted some shrubs to freshen up the area behind the patio (see that project). … Read more

Edible Garden Update: A Seasonal Success We’re back with an update on our edible garden just a few months after we planted it in mid-May. The good news is that our little experiment—herbs, fruit, and vegetables—was a success. Everything not only survived but thrived with surprisingly little effort. We were fortunate to have steady rain … Read more

A few readers asked me to write about my maternity style, which makes me laugh because I don’t consider myself particularly fashionable while pregnant. For me, maternity clothes need to be affordable, durable, and, above all, comfortable. I’m the kind of mom who inevitably has dog hair on my shirt and often discovers a rogue … Read more

When we received a letter from Jacky detailing her mantel makeover, we were excited to share the impressive before-and-after photos. Her project is a great example of a budget-friendly DIY mantel transformation that updated a challenging curved concrete mantel and a large frameless mirror into a polished focal point for the living room. I’m a … Read more

7:30pm, Monday- SHERRY: The floors are looking great so far, don’t you think? JOHN: Definitely. Right, Burger? (Burger stands in silent agreement) SHERRY: Do you think it’s strange that there’s no baseboard along the brick? JOHN: No, it’s fine. SHERRY: Yeah, you’re right. It’s fine. 11:00pm, Monday- SHERRY: I’ve been thinking — it really is … Read more