For the love of renovating Tips, tricks & inspiration for creating your dream home

Brownstone Boys bloggers Bordelon and Slocum debut with a rewarding manual that walks readers through how to refurbish their homes. To prepare for renovations, Bordelon and Slocum recommend getting three to five quotes from architects and contractors and creating a "lookbook" ("Organize your inspiration for each space first by floor and then by room using something like Pinterest"). Detailing what to consider when working on each room, they suggest that "the stove, sink, and fridge should make a triangle" in the kitchen and outline the pros and cons of various kinds of stone countertops. For bedrooms, they encourage readers to buy throw pillows in a contrasting color to the walls or drapes, and for bathrooms, they describe how to save money by refashioning a credenza into a vanity. The guidance is chock-full of useful rules of thumb ("The minimum clearance that you need to maneuver around in any space is 36 inches"), and the authors place a welcome emphasis on trusting one's gut ("Think about how you want the space to feel, not just how you want it to look"). The result is a comprehensive overview on revamping one's home. (June)