Last you saw our sunroom, it looked pretty rough. Since then we’ve made significant progress: the ceiling has been lofted with the help of a professional framer to make sure the roof remains solid. I only grabbed one quick iPhone photo before a rainstorm rolled in, but it was enough to show that the room … Read more

I don’t think you’d be able to stomach any of the “before” clutter after one look at this Reader Redesign from Annastazia. But before we dive into the dramatic transformation, here’s her note in her own words: Hi John and Sherry — I’ve been reading your blog for a while and I’m so inspired by … Read more

The console has returned. After many updates about our big console build, this is the official finale — and the most fun part for me, because now it’s all about styling it. I expect the look will change over time, but here’s how it’s arranged today. The lamps were a splurge for us. I usually … Read more

Board and batten is one of our favorite, easy DIY projects. It’s beginner-friendly and creates a big visual impact in any room, entryway, or hallway. This is the third home where we’ve installed this style of wainscoting, and in this guide we share our tricks for making the project faster, easier, and far less expensive … Read more

So—my basement workshop. I admitted a few months ago that it had gotten embarrassingly messy. Building Clara’s dollhouse motivated me to tidy up a little. For a brief moment you could actually see parts of the floor. Then the deck project happened and everything slid back into chaos: sawdust everywhere, piles of scrap wood stacked … Read more

You may have seen the before-and-after bench photos in our recent column for R. Home magazine. Here we walk through the full transformation of a cheap, rickety bench using paint, new fabric and a bit of elbow grease. This $7 find from a favorite local thrift store looked rough, but its solid lines and simple … Read more

Clara may be another year older, but she’s still a long way from the tween years. That’s why it was delightful to see Courtney’s recent makeover of her 11-year-old niece Emily’s room—this project captures a perfect tween balance: grown-up enough to feel special, playful enough to still be fun. After we admired Courtney’s own home … Read more

Road-Trip Finds: Pottery Barn Outlet and Mary Jo’s Cloth Shop I finally went through the 200+ photos I took at two of my favorite on-the-road shopping stops: the Pottery Barn Outlet in Gaffney, SC, and Mary Jo’s Cloth Shop just outside Charlotte, NC. Below are the pieces and displays that caught my eye, what I … Read more

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been consumed by paint. This weekend everything finally made it from cans to walls — and to our hands, clothes and hair. After a burst of prep work and a lot of rolling, we refreshed most of the main living spaces with a simplified, cohesive paint palette designed … Read more

Do you hear that high-pitched cheer? That’s me in Richmond celebrating the completion of our office/guest room/playroom makeover. Come on in and take a look. To appreciate the transformation, here’s how the room looked when we moved in: And here it is now, fully converted into a multifunctional space: This room is just a 10 … Read more