Some (but Not All!) Before & Afters of Our Kitchen Remodel.

This post showing you a few before & afters of our kitchen remodel is going to be brief as far as words go. Not because there isn't enough to say, but because there is so much to say! So we'll be breaking EVERYTHING about the kitchen down later, into a series of simpler articles. Why were we forced to remodel our kitchen? This was a surprise remodel that got sprung on us and had to…

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Raised Patio Edging Ideas: 10 Tricks to Edge a Raised Patio!

Looking for raised patio edging ideas? Well here's a high five for ya, because you're in the right place!🤗 We're not only sharing 10 tricks for edging a raised patio, but most of these 10 contain more than one option, so you're sure to find at least one (if not several!) options that work for you! First, decide on the function of your edging. Is a railing needed? Are caps or edges needed on retaining…

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The 3 Smartest Ways to Build a Raised Patio Yourself!

We're sharing all the tips, tricks & details of building a raised patio with retaining wall—along with our raised stone patio design and cost! Do you have a sloped area in your yard that seems unusable? Or perhaps you want to avoid a deck off the back of your house and have started envisioning your own way of building a raised patio with retaining walls? Whatever your need, you're in the right place, my friend!…

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What Influences Your Design Style?

We all like something. Even those who are the hardest to please, who claim they don't care about design, still have preferences. At the very least, we all know what we don't like. And when you don't like something, that means you do like something else. What we do like is either based on a part of our personality and who we are, or circumstances and memories we have of things that impacted us, or—which…

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Vintage Pieces.

I turn 40 this week. How do I feel about it? Well, let’s first acknowledge that the culture around us seems to give 39.9-yr-olds the message that we should be flipping out in some way. (Or completely ignoring it and pretending we’re still 27. :) ) Growing up, 40 was the age I’d hear talked about as “the big one.” You know, when mid-life crises hit & you were now going downhill. 40 wasn’t just…

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DIY Glass Dry Erase Board Frames: Our Genius Hack!

I've never seen anyone do my DIY glass dry erase board frame hack anywhere before (although maybe they'll start now that I've been posting it on social media and here on our blog?). This is one of my favorite easy home hacks of all time! If you’re in need of an attractive write-and-erase surface somewhere—meaning you want to be able to write messages or information and be able to erase and reuse it—you do NOT…

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The Best 15 Woven Pendant Light Ideas Under $150.

Whether you're looking for rattan, wicker, or bamboo pendant lights, we've pulled together 15 of the best woven pendant light ideas for you—all kept under $150! And now it's time for our first installment of the new series, "Go Internet Shopping with Jess!" Whether you actually need a new woven pendant light, want a new pendant light, or don't need or want any lights of any kind, come along and see what we can find…

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12 Life-changing Entryway Solutions: New Mudroom Storage!

What do you do when you want an entryway or mudroom bench or cubbies for storage but don't think you have the space? We figured out how to create a mudroom out of seemingly nothing, and the storage we now have is incredible (and includes our favorite woven mudroom baskets)! My neighbor asked me, when I mentioned we were working on creating mudroom storage, "What's a mudroom?" I refrained from answering what I really wanted…

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When Fire Threatened Our House (Seeing Life By Fire Light)

A few weeks ago, a fire threatened our house yet again. Two years ago, because of another wildfire, we had to evacuate our home with a four- and one-yr-old at 2am. Last year, a fire moved so close to our house that we had to actually pack and be ready to evacuate again. And then for the third time, this year we were so close to a wildfire that we could see the fire trucks…

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The Most Stunning DIY Bookcase Makeover On The Internet.

Today, we're making some big claims with our super-simple but crazy-high-impact DIY bookcase makeover! Those of you who have taken the private tour of our upstairs may remember some unsightly looking built-ins. (And no, it wasn't these linen cabinets! Although they're close.) We're talking about these bad boys. To the left of our fireplace in the master bedroom. Can you spot them? How we created a stress-free master bedroom sitting area! There they are again.…

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