Home projects that look designed.
Paint, DIY and kitchen projects for busy families, planned by a working graphic designer who has done them all in a real house that is, yes, still half-finished.
Sage Pantry
Cabinet painting
Hallway Blue
Trim and walls
Butter
Small kitchen refresh
Lilac Nook
Kids’ rooms
Blush Clay
Entryway makeover
Latest guides
New projects, start to finish, including the messy middle. Swap these placeholders for your own guides.
How to paint kitchen cabinets without brush marks
Paint · The prep, primer and paint I would use again, plus the mistakes I made.
The 8 tools every first-time DIYer actually needs
Tools · A short list, with what is worth buying and what to borrow.
Picking a paint color: a designer’s 5-step method
Design · How to test samples so you do not repaint the room twice.
Weeknight dinners for a family of five
Kitchen · Meals I cook on repeat, and the kitchen gear that makes them faster.
Gear I use
Products I have used on real projects. Add your affiliate links to each button.
PAINT
Cabinet-grade enamel
Your pick from Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore, with why you chose it.
Printables and templates
Digital products you make once and sell repeatedly. Link each button to Gumroad, Etsy or Payhip.
Room Color Planner
A printable worksheet for choosing and testing paint colors.
$12
Project Budget Tracker
Plan costs, supplies and weekends for any DIY project.
$9
Family Dinner Planner
Four weeks of meal planning pages with grocery lists.
$10
Hi, I’m Annie!
I’m a graphic designer, a mom of three, and the person who repaints the room when the first color is wrong. This site is where I share what works while the house stays a work in progress.
Free paint-color cheat sheet
Add your email service sign-up link here to start building a list.
Disclosure: some links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.