Your first home, beautifully reimagined together
Stories, ideas & perspectives — thoughtfully written, beautifully told.
21 Jumping straight into a home purchase sounds romantic — but skipping a rental phase might mean renovating a home that doesn't actually fit how you live. Here's why your first year as tenants could be the smartest investment you make before ever picking up a sledgehammer.
22 Design disagreements are practically a rite of passage for couples renovating their first home together. But with the right mindset and a few clever strategies, you can turn those tense Pinterest debates into something that actually brings you closer. Here's how to make decisions you'll both be proud of — without anyone walking away feeling steamrolled.
23 Moving in together sounds romantic until you realize you've somehow accumulated two couches, three sets of dishes, and a rowing machine nobody uses. If your first home together is bursting at the seams, you're not alone — and you don't need a major renovation to fix it. These couples figured it out, and their solutions might surprise you.
24 Before you pick a single paint color or browse one countertop sample, there's a conversation you and your partner absolutely need to have — and it's not about aesthetics. Getting on the same financial page before you renovate can be the difference between a dream home and a serious strain on your brand-new marriage.
25 Jumping into a home renovation right after getting married sounds exciting — and it absolutely can be. But the couples who come out the other side with their sanity (and their relationship) intact are the ones who put in the prep work before the first wall came down. Here's your complete 30-day checklist for doing exactly that.
26 Those beautiful wedding gifts sitting in boxes don't have to stay hidden away — they can actually tell you exactly how to design your home. From that KitchenAid mixer to the silky-smooth duvet set, your registry items are secretly your best renovation starting points. Here's how to build whole room makeovers around the meaningful pieces your guests already gave you.
27 Moving in together when you both already own a houseful of stuff is a totally different challenge than starting fresh — and a lot of couples underestimate how complicated (and emotional) it can get. We talked to real couples who've navigated the great merge and came out the other side with homes they both actually love. Here's the honest playbook they wish they'd had.
28 Moving in together is one of the most exciting chapters of a relationship — and one of the most quietly contentious, at least when it comes to décor. A professional interior designer shares her go-to framework for couples navigating clashing aesthetics, and why getting this right matters more than most people expect.
29 When Jake and Mia moved into their first home together after their wedding, their master bedroom felt more like a storage unit than a sanctuary. With a firm $3,000 limit and a whole lot of Pinterest boards, they pulled off a stunning transformation that proves you don't need a designer budget to get designer results.