A room for three pre-teen and teenage girls gets a dramatic beach-inspired makeover: triple bunks, camp-style art, thoughtful storage, and cozy layered lighting. This post is sponsored by Romabio. After we completed a boho cottage shared bedroom makeover for two of the five sisters who live down the street, the other three sisters asked for … Read more

A detailed budget breakdown of our exterior remodel and backyard renovation costs, why we hired certain contractors, and which outdoor projects you can tackle yourself to save money. Our backyard renovation still has one or two small items left before we call it completely finished, but after everything we’ve done to the exterior over the … Read more

How to add a stoneware look to thrifted glass vases and bottles using just paint. Stoneware-style vases have become a major trend in home decor. You can find them in high-end stores and in mass-market retailers alike, but you don’t need to spend a lot to get that matte, earthy look. If you already have … Read more

Complete plan for a master bathroom refresh with a visual mood board — working around existing 1980s beige fixtures and worn ceramic tile floors This bathroom has always been my least favorite room in the house — the one that gets picked last and lives in the background. But because it’s the first space we … Read more

8 tips for decorating shelves to make them look perfectly styled and balanced every single time to make a statement in any room. I have to admit—I didn’t realize how fun this Simplified Decorating series would be until readers started asking for more. Sometimes it helps to return to the basics so you’re not standing … Read more

I put off writing this post for a while because I kept getting the same Instagram messages asking, “How did you lose so much weight?!” It’s a well-meaning question, but it often brings up complicated feelings for me. I want to be transparent about what worked, what didn’t, and why this journey is more than … Read more

DIY Nordic Sweater Mini Christmas Trees The holidays are my favorite time to break out the glue gun and get crafty with Olivia. I don’t do this much the rest of the year—give me thrift store furniture and a paintbrush any day—but come December, I’m all about small, cheerful decorations. These Nordic sweater mini trees … Read more

6 straightforward DIY tutorials showing how to hang outdoor string lights without trees — around a fire pit, pool, fence, porch, from siding, around a patio, or anywhere in your backyard. Ultimate Guide: How to Hang Outdoor String Lights Hanging outdoor string lights sounds simple, but it can get technical fast — especially when you … Read more

A step-by-step tutorial to build DIY built-in cabinets and a window seat using inexpensive stock kitchen cabinets. We survived the most intense project of the Carney rec room makeover: building custom-looking built-ins and a window seat from inexpensive stock kitchen cabinets. It was a challenging week of planning, measuring and installing — but the result … Read more

When I first began decorating my home, I scrolled Pinterest for inspiration and focused almost entirely on visuals. The images were beautiful, but they only engaged one sense: sight. Over the years I’ve shifted toward designing spaces that engage all five senses. That approach has transformed how my family and I experience our home—making it … Read more