***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries*** It’s hard to summarize an online retailer that lists more than 2 million products across categories like tools, lighting, sporting goods, and furniture. ATG Stores even sells kitchen sinks, so a short title does it no justice. Regardless, ATG operates hundreds of specialized online shops and often sells … Read more

There’s something new brightening our sunroom—no, not the fireflies Clara endlessly chases and insists should live in her room forever. That’s a different kind of glow. I’m talking about actual lighting: we finally added fixtures to the posts in the four corners of the space, and the change is immediately noticeable. Last summer we planned … Read more

Figuratively and literally — and we need your help. Last week our bathtub drain started acting up. Having grown up with three sisters, I’m used to occasional hair clogs in the shower, so at first it didn’t seem like a big deal. Then, after one post–basement-painting shower, the drain went from slow to completely stopped: … Read more

First, thank you all for the overwhelming well-wishes after our announcement yesterday. It was wonderful to share the news with you. While we tried to keep up with the 3,000+ comments, our afternoon post got delayed, so here’s the follow-up. Sherry is compiling questions from yesterday’s comments for Friday’s Q&A, and I’m sharing progress on … Read more

When Erin and her husband Ben sent their before-and-after photos, we were excited to share the results. Here’s the note they included: I read your blog every day and love your style, your thriftiness, and your wit! My husband and I have lived in a 1925 Arts & Crafts bungalow for almost two years, and … Read more

This week would have been my Aunt Kay’s birthday, which made it a bit difficult for me since she passed away last year (she lived with me while I was growing up and was like a second mom). She was a bright, joyful person who loved to paint and draw—it was even her college minor—so … Read more

They can be notoriously difficult to work with. Day two of cabinet installation brought a mix of progress and setbacks, much like the first day. On the bright side, almost all the cabinets were installed, including my favorite addition: a built-in space for the refrigerator. It makes our existing fridge look surprisingly custom, and the … Read more

On May 25, 2006 Sherry and I officially became homeowners. It’s hard to believe three years have passed since we moved into our modest house. Between renovations, redecorating, and even a backyard wedding, the last few years have been full of change — yet it still feels like yesterday that we crossed the threshold for … Read more

What began as a simple sink replacement in the beach house’s en-suite bathroom turned into a bigger mess than expected: a hole in the wall and an unexpected spray of water right in our faces. The problem stemmed from something we’d never encountered before — an odd plumbing issue that took some detective work to … Read more

Hooray — our publisher has locked in more tour dates that many of you requested, and even added a few extra stops. We’ll share those at the end of this post. First, here’s our biweekly recap of the last events of 2012 before the tour resumes in January. After our whirlwind week away in mid-November, … Read more