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.
10 projects
Home renovation projects
The hands-dirty side of the Dogwood House: brick, mortar, caulk, grout, drywall and paint. Every guide includes what we spent and what we'd do differently.
Home Renovation
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).