Here’s the much-requested roundup of our favorite DIY tools for anyone asking Santa for something tool-related this year, or for those trying to pick a gift for a handy friend or family member. None of the items below paid or perked us for mention — they’re simply the tools we use and recommend. Let’s dive … Read more

Coming off our own adventures in stencil land, we had to share this note from Ginny, who stenciled her dining nook earlier this year. Her results are dramatic — the patterned wall transformed an ordinary corner into a true dining area. Here’s Ginny’s account of the makeover: I wanted to create a dining corner in … Read more

My dad gave me a toolbox when I was in high school. It held just a few things at first: a hammer, a handsaw, a set of screwdrivers, and a photo of his dad — a quiet reminder that being handy ran in the family. As a teenager I wasn’t very interested in tools, but … Read more

Removing that section of wall (and the contractor) was an exciting milestone, but there’s still quite a bit to do before the opening feels finished. Unless, of course, this is your idea of a beautiful dining room: Quick note about the contractor: neighbors have asked for Steve’s contact information, and since we were very happy … Read more

Fire up your laser pointers and Bunsen burners — it’s time for our annual by-the-numbers roundup. Each year we tally up the stats that describe what this site looks like: some are wild, some are surprising, some are serious, and some are just for fun. This year we added a handful of fun blog facts … Read more

Woot! Yesterday we officially broke ground on the big deck project. “Broke ground” might be generous since we haven’t started digging post holes yet — we’re still focused on getting the ledger board installed. For anyone who’s never cut or drilled into brick, especially the exterior wall of your house, it’s a humbling experience. There’s … Read more

We promised photos of the old house emptied and ready for its new owners, so here they are. (These were uploaded while parked at Panera using their Wi-Fi because we couldn’t get service set up at the new house until the next day.) We intended to share more updates yesterday, but coordinating a domino closing—where … Read more

Our approach to renovating a house from afar has shifted a lot since February when we first began house hunting. For a while we thought we wouldn’t be undertaking major projects at all, but plans changed multiple times. Many of you have asked for a clear update on what’s happening now, what remains, and how … Read more

A lot of readers asked for details about the thrift-store chair we refreshed for our latest column in R. Home magazine. Here’s a clear, step-by-step account of how we transformed it. We found this chair at Diversity Thrift in Richmond and paid $10. Once home, the first task was sanding. We used 100-grit sandpaper to … Read more

Q: I have an idea for a blog post: “Design mistakes we won’t make again.” Looking through photos of your beautiful projects, I’m tempted to copy many of your styles and purchases. But over time — did you ever regret a design choice? — Shannon A: Great question. Here’s the short version condensed into a … Read more