Fix a Sticking Door: Step-by-Step Guide to Sanding It Smooth

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Have you ever been stuck in the bathroom? We have—more times than we care to count. Every spring and summer, higher humidity caused the door to swell slightly in the top left corner, making it difficult to open on the first pull. Or the second. Or the third. Usually it took some serious “door flapping”—grabbing … Read more

My Run-In With Eminem: The Story of Getting Caught

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Ok, so I naively thought this day would never come, but I’ve been caught. I foolishly believed I could go through adulthood without this resurfacing 13 years later, but people remember and the internet is vast. After more than a few “Who, me? I don’t know what you’re talking about, haha” denials, I’m coming clean. … Read more

How to Arrange Olive Oil Bottles on a Serving Platter for Impact

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If you have marble or granite countertops—or any countertop material, really—preventing oil rings from soaking into the surface is an important concern when you cook. Rather than obsessively wiping every bottle before setting it down, try this simple, low-effort solution that keeps oil away from your counters for good: Place a small square dish under … Read more

Top August Superlatives: Standout Moments, Trends & Achievements

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It’s that time again — a look back at everything we tackled this month, bundled into one easy-to-skim roundup (with links collected for convenience). We also sprinkled in some behind-the-scenes moments, because oversharing is our specialty. This month felt especially busy: we painted, organized, built, rearranged, crafted, made art, upholstered, installed light fixtures, coded, tended … Read more

How We Transformed Our Brick House with White Paint

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The weather hasn’t been ideal for photos and the landscaping is still a work in progress, but I’m so excited about our painted brick house that I couldn’t wait to share these pictures. I’m a suburban mom in my mid-thirties, and this transformation feels thrilling. In this article we cover: Why we painted our brick … Read more

Discover Our Stylish New Living Room Sofa Collection

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I’m thrilled with our new living room sofa. It strikes the perfect balance between casual and elegant, and best of all, it’s completely dog-proof. The linen-look twill slipcover was exactly what we needed: it looks refined while wearing well, and the clean lines plus plush pillows deliver a comfortable yet stylish silhouette. Naturally, it makes … Read more

How to Hang a Grid of Picture Frames Perfectly

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2, 4, 6, 8, Who Do We Appreciate? Planning! And why do we appreciate it? Because we get burned when we don’t. We certainly learned that after the framing project above our sectional went sideways. Here’s what happened. We’d always planned to fill the large blank wall above Karl with a grid of oversized frames. … Read more

How to Prime and Paint a Daybed for a Flawless Finish

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You may remember the quick sunroom update from a few months ago, when we transformed our former third bedroom—previously home to a West Elm daybed and a desk—into Clara’s nursery. Since we like to make the most of what we already own, we moved the old daybed into the sunroom. At the time we mentioned … Read more

House Crashing: Swanky Panky — How to Handle Party Crashers Safely

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We made great progress on the deck this weekend — even with a dramatic water main break right in front of our house that sent gallons of water rushing down the street until we noticed it and reported it. The result was five workers spending about seven hours with our street’s water turned off, repairing … Read more