2013 was an eventful year for us. It began with a book tour, included a move into a new house, and ended with the exciting news that we’re expecting a baby boy. Between those milestones we tackled a lot of projects, celebrated family moments, and learned a ton. To close out the year we wanted to share our 20 favorite highlights from the past twelve months — a mix of home makeovers, creative DIYs, and personal memories. Here they are, in no particular order.
#1 – Refacing Our Old Fireplace: One of our favorite transformations was giving our old fireplace a full facelift. We installed marble tile, experimented with a herringbone pattern, and built a new trimmed surround that completely changed the feel of the room. The result was elegant, timeless, and a great reminder of how much impact a well-executed focal point can have on a living space.
#2 – Clara’s Big Girl Room: Clara’s new bedroom quickly became our favorite room in the house. We painted a soft pink ceiling, added chunky crown molding, and decorated with colorful raindrop accents and a rose-colored door. Removing the crib and creating a playful “wall o’ fun” made the room feel joyful and grown-up — a cheerful, kid-friendly space we love spending time in.
#3 – A Graphic Bathroom Update: A small but impactful project was updating the sink nook off our bedroom. We stenciled the subfloor for a graphic, budget-friendly look, removed the worn carpeting, painted walls and trim, hung a large mirror, and refinished the vanity with new shelves and hardware. The space feels refreshed and much more cohesive now.
#4 – Building the Pergola (aka “Cargola”): Building a pergola over our carport — which we affectionately call the “cargola” — was a big confidence booster. Constructing it from scratch, including custom brackets, taught us a lot about carpentry and will give us the courage to tackle a similar feature above our garage in the future. It’s a practical upgrade that also adds great curb appeal.
#5 – The Painted Pillow Experiment: Sherry stenciled a colorful pillow using a metal screen and sponged-on craft paint. The final look was bleed-y and imperfect in the best way, and it ended up being one of those small handmade pieces that really makes a room feel personal.
#6 – Striped Stair Makeover: Removing old carpeting from the stairs and repainting the trim and posts brightened the whole stairway. We painted risers white, refinished the railing in a deep stain, and installed a black-and-white runner. The staircase went from dated to striking and modern, and it transformed how the entry feels.
#7 – Simple Frames for Favorite Art: I built inexpensive wood frames for John’s large bike posters. The frames were simple, cost-effective (about $7 each), and showcased the artwork beautifully. They remain options for the nursery or office as we settle into the new house.
#8 – Decorating a Children’s Hospital Waiting Room: One of the most meaningful projects of the year was giving a holiday makeover to a family waiting room at the Children’s Hospital. It was incredibly rewarding to bring cheer and a warm, welcoming atmosphere to families during a stressful time.
#9 – Clara’s Dragon Birthday Party: Celebrating Clara’s third birthday with a dragon-themed party was a blast. After her worm-themed second birthday, we weren’t sure we could top the fun, but the dragon party was imaginative and full of kid-friendly activities. Clara is already brainstorming her next birthday theme, so the creativity continues.
#10 – Deck and Sunroom Overhaul: We spent a lot of time revitalizing our outdoor spaces. We patched, stripped, and restained the deck and completely reworked the previously closed-in sunroom — adding a lofted ceiling and tiled floor — to make a bright, usable space for spring and summer enjoyment.
#11 – Sharing a Silly Single: We had some fun creating and sharing a playful, nerdy music video. It was pure goofiness and a reminder that making time for lighthearted projects keeps the creative energy flowing.
#12 – Upgrading Vacation Jars: We refreshed our vacation “time capsules,” giving new life to old mason jar collections. The updated travel mementos are simple, sentimental displays that celebrate our trips and memories.
#13 – Installing Hardwood Upstairs: Replacing upstairs carpeting with hardwood floors and repainting doors and trim was a major undertaking. The process was messy and time-consuming, but the finished result made the upstairs feel cleaner, brighter, and more finished.
#14 – Designing a Showhouse: We accepted the challenge to design an entire house for a showhouse benefiting Habitat for Humanity. Moving from the planning phase to framing and sheetrock, and collaborating on reclaimed wood porch details, pushed our design skills and project management abilities to a new level.
#15 – Budget-Friendly Guest Bath Refresh: We embraced the vintage character in our guest bathroom and refreshed it with inexpensive updates. A fresh coat of paint, some window attention, and thoughtfully chosen art and accessories turned the room into a charming, budget-friendly space we actually miss.
#16 – Clara’s Jellyfish Costume: For Halloween we made a jellyfish costume using an umbrella, dangling ribbons, and LED lights. It was creative, homemade, and one of our favorite costume projects to date.
#17 – Cheap Hallway Board & Batten: A simple board-and-batten hallway upgrade cost under $60 and made a big visual difference. The new detailing was a highlight during the home’s first tour and is an easy, high-impact idea for other spaces.
#18 – Interview with a Design Icon: Sherry got to interview one of her design heroes, which was a bucket-list moment and an exciting professional highlight. It was a giddy, memorable conversation and an inspiring experience for us both.
#19 – Finalizing the Curb Appeal: We improved the front exterior by boxing out porch columns to match the carport, painting siding for contrast, and adding window boxes. Those curb-appeal changes made the house feel more cohesive and welcoming.
#20 – Announcing the New Addition: The biggest personal highlight is that we’re expecting a baby boy in April. We’ve nicknamed him “the barnacle” (or “bun” according to Sherry), and planning the nursery is already on our project list for the new year.
Thank you for following along with our 2013 journey. Sharing these projects and moments with readers like you is a major reason we love documenting what we do. We’re excited to keep improving the house, growing our family, and sharing more tips, tutorials, and honest stories in 2014. Happy New Year!
What were your favorite projects or life moments from the past year? What are you most excited about for 2014?
Update – We’ve heard a lot of requests for details about professional blogging — how we started, grew our traffic, and eventually turned it into a full-time job — so we shared a complete breakdown of how we launched and monetized our blog for those interested in starting or growing their own sites.