Decor & DesignEasy Houseplants for Beginners: 10 Plants That Forgive You
Convinced you have a black thumb? These ten easy houseplants put up with low light, missed waterings and general neglect - and look great doing it.
The project archive
Every project from the Dogwood House
Brick, bathrooms, walls, gardens and the occasional wreath. Filter by category or just scroll and get inspired.
Decor & Design
Home RenovationPeel-and-Stick Tile Backsplash: Is It Worth It?
Peel-and-stick tile got us through a tiny budget in our first house. Here's how to install it well, how ours held up, and when we'd spring for real tile.
Home RenovationHow to Paint Kitchen Cabinets Like a Pro
Painting our oak cabinets was one of the first projects we ever did together. Here's everything we've learned since about getting a smooth, durable finish that doesn't chip.
Garden & OutdoorsHow to Plant and Care for a Dogwood Tree
Our house is named after them, so we had to get this one right. When, where and how to plant a dogwood tree so it blooms for decades - even in red clay.
Garden & OutdoorsThe Best Shrubs for the Front of Your House
We pulled out six-foot shrubs so you don't have to plant them. Here are the front-yard shrubs that stay in scale, look good year-round and how to space them.
Home Renovation10 Budget Bathroom Makeover Ideas (Most Under $100)
You don't need a gut remodel to love your bathroom. These ten budget updates took our dated hall bath from gross to fresh - most for less than $100 each.
Home RenovationGerman Schmear vs. Limewash vs. Whitewash Brick
Three ways to lighten dark red brick - and they look (and last) very differently. Here's how German schmear, limewash and whitewash compare, side by side.
Home RenovationOur 1960s Brick Ranch Renovation Plan (Modern Farmhouse Ideas)
Ranch houses are having a moment. Here's our room-by-room plan for updating a 1960s brick ranch into a modern farmhouse - and the order we'd do it in.
Decor & DesignModern Farmhouse Living Room Ideas (On a Real Budget)
Our living room went from dark paneling and red brick to bright and cozy. These are the modern farmhouse ideas that made the biggest difference for the least money.
Home RenovationThe Essential DIY Tool Kit for New Homeowners
After renovating four houses, these are the tools we reach for on almost every project - and the ones we'd tell a new homeowner to skip or rent.
Garden & OutdoorsThe Spring Yard Cleanup Checklist We Use Every Year
Every spring we run through the same checklist to wake up the yard. Here's the order we do it in and why - from pruning shrubs to the first mulch.
Decor & Design7 Tips for Decorating Your Outdoor Spaces on a Budget
Your outdoor spaces should look as great as the inside of your home. If you have a deck or patio, these budget outdoor decorating tips will make it feel like another room.
Garden & OutdoorsBeginner Gardening Tips for Planting in Red Clay Soil
Do you have a hard time keeping plants alive in red clay? These beginner gardening tips will help you get the landscaping you've always wanted - without hiring a professional.
Home RenovationThe Simple Way to Remove Wallpaper from Drywall
All you need is hot water, a sponge and a little patience. Here's how we removed old wallpaper from drywall, repaired the walls and painted our bathroom a fresh new color.
Home RenovationPainted Grout: How to Update Your Bathroom for Under $20
Tired of old, discolored grout? Grout paint made our 1960s bathroom tile look brand new - for less than $20 and an afternoon on our knees.
Home RenovationHow to Remove Old Caulk and Replace Caulk Around a Bathtub
Nothing makes a bathroom look grubby faster than moldy, peeling caulk. Here's how we removed old caulk from our tub and laid a clean, crisp new bead in an afternoon.
Decor & DesignSimple DIY Boxwood Wreath You Can Make in 20 Minutes
Love fresh greenery in your decor? In just 20 minutes you can make your own boxwood wreath - for a fraction of what you'd pay in a store. Ours cost nothing.
Garden & OutdoorsThe Easy Way to Remove Overgrown Shrubs in Your Yard
Six-foot boxwoods and hollies were swallowing the front of our house. Here's exactly how we removed the overgrown shrubs - roots and all - in a single weekend without hiring a landscaper.
Home RenovationUpdate Your Brick Fireplace with This German Schmear Technique
Our dark red brick fireplace made the whole room feel small. Two buckets of mortar and a putty knife later, it has that Fixer Upper farmhouse look - for about $55.
Got a project question?
Stuck halfway through a project? Ask us.
Tell us what you're working on - a brick fireplace, a stubborn shrub, a bathroom that needs some love - and we'll point you to the guide (or write one).