A guest bath and a neighbor who popped in

Small guest bath project up in Carefree last week. Two days start to finish. Tight little room, one window, one vanity, and a shower — the kind of bathroom that if you paint it wrong it feels like a closet, and if you paint it right it feels like a jewel box....

A quick refresh between grandkid visits

Susan took this one on the phone. Nicest lady up in Fountain Hills, hosting her grandkids for a two-week stay starting the following weekend. She had a small window — three days between when her last houseguest left and when the family flew in — and she...

Warming up a great room in Cave Creek

Had a nice family out in Cave Creek call us about their great room. The words they used were “it feels cold.” The walls were a light cool gray, ceiling white, floors a dark tile. Beautiful house, big vaulted ceiling, west-facing so the afternoon light...

That front door everyone sees

Sometimes a whole exterior isn’t in the budget or isn’t needed yet, and that’s totally fine. What we did in Peoria last week was a good example of what you can do with a single day and a lot of intention. The house itself was in good shape —...

A master bath where a pocket door finally behaves

Nicest couple I’ve worked with in a while called us to do their master bedroom and bath. When we do a bedroom-and-bath together, it’s usually because folks have decided the two rooms should feel like one connected space when you walk through them. That was...

A two-story stucco in Scottsdale, before the monsoon

We got the call in late May. Family up in North Scottsdale, two-story stucco, been about twelve years since the last coat. The sun had done what the sun does out here — north and east elevations were still hanging on, but the west side looked tired. Faded,...

A mini kitchen makeover in Surprise

We’ve been doing more of what we call the mini kitchen makeover lately. The idea is simple: everything the eye sees gets refreshed, but we don’t tear anything out. Cabinets get painted. Backsplash gets swapped or refreshed. Countertops get resurfaced...

Cabinets in Phoenix, from golden oak to something you actually like

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me, “Can you actually paint over golden oak cabinets?” I’d have — well, a lot of nickels. The short answer is yes, and it’s genuinely one of the best returns you can get on a home improvement...