How would $500 toward new lighting—or anything else—sound? We’ve added four fresh pieces to our lighting collection at Shades of Light, and to celebrate we’re running a giveaway so one reader can refresh a room (or more) with a generous credit. When we launched our first collection with Shades of Light, we made sure to … Read more

You Down With O-R-G? Yeah You Know Me. Yes, that’s a Naughty By Nature reference. But why O-R-G? That’s $herdog’s shorthand for organizing. I’ll be honest: our house hasn’t looked this messy or chaotic since we moved in 16 months ago. This isn’t a little dust around the baseboards or streaks on the windows — … Read more

We have a soft spot for a good Britney reference, and an even bigger one for painting—walls, paneling, brick, furniture, even oversized ceramic roosters. Choosing the right paint color is a huge part of that process. Paint chips are basically irresistible; we never pick just one. For years Benjamin Moore has been our go-to source. … Read more

With our home freshly painted in neutral tones, we’re excited to fill the walls with meaningful art. Neutral walls provide the perfect backdrop for photographs and pieces that add personality, so we’ll be sharing more posts about art finds and simple DIY projects you can use to display memorable shots. This first piece is a … Read more

What if small changes to our bedrooms and bedtime habits could help us sleep deeper and wake up feeling truly rested? In this episode we explore advice from a sleep expert on how to optimize your bedroom—from choosing the right mattress size and setting an ideal bedtime to clearing out items that undermine sleep. We … Read more

We promised photos of our old house emptied out and ready for the new owners, so here they are. I’m posting from a Panera because our Wi-Fi at the new place won’t be hooked up until tomorrow, so thanks to their internet for making this possible. We intended to share more updates yesterday, but coordinating … Read more

We get asked this question all the time: when should you splurge and when should you save during a home renovation and decorating process? The answer varies by situation, personal priorities, and budget. Sometimes we’ll splurge on one item because we love it and can’t find a good substitute, and save on another by doing … Read more

It’s nearly a year late — I can’t believe I’m going to be the mother of a one-year-old in three short weeks — but I finally feel ready to write about Clara’s birth. For months, just thinking or talking about that day made me want to run and hide. Even after eleven plus months, it … Read more

We have a soft spot for traditional baby names—those timeless, classic choices that feel enduring and full of character. Both of our children were named after grandparents: one from J’s side and one from mine. Lately I’ve heard some of these names dismissed as “old lady names,” which doesn’t sit right with me; to me … Read more

As a final touch to our open closet makeover, I wanted to share a simple, inexpensive finishing detail: tiny hanging labels I made in about five minutes. Small accents like these can make a big difference — they add charm and clarity while keeping things functional. For this project I made three labels: one marked … Read more