One year ago, I started recording the saga of my new home renovations. Since our last Home and Garden magazine came out in the fall, my husband and I have enjoyed (or should I say endured?) the bulk of the work: moving the kitchen, installing a half-bath/laundry room, and finishing the ground floor.

Throughout this project, we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about colors and materials. We started with knotty pine walls that we brushed with a white primer (called pickling), then chose mahogany for the trim. With a slate tile floor, we hoped the contrasting colors would be complementary. But honestly, we weren’t sure how it would look together and frequently questioned whether we would end up living in a “clown house.” Whenever we had to choose new colors and materials (the maple kitchen cabinets, the granite counter tops, a blue paint for a couple of doors), we always considered the potential for a clown house.

Now that so much is in place, at least we don’t think it’s a clown house. Some of our contractors gingerly questioned decisions along the way, but recently one specifically said he likes the contrasts. (At one point we thought about a rough-hewn wood ceiling but decided to go with plain white overhead: That decision was applauded.)

Working on the magazine has been a welcome respite, although you may notice the pages of the magazine have gone through a renovation of their own. We’ve tinkered with the size, the paper, the fonts. Just as a house can use a freshening, so can the printed page. You’ll find the same quality content throughout the magazine, where our goal is always to illustrate in word and image, and with substance, insight, and sometimes humor, the very character of the Vineyard. I’d love to hear what you think about the magazine’s new look and about any of your own renovations.