Recently a friend asked how my house is, since we had been doing a big renovation. We’ve closed the work permit and have our certificate of occupancy, so officially it’s done. But in reality, there’s still work to do – all those little things (and bigger things that weren’t part of the renovation).

Whether you’re a new or experienced homeowner – or a renter who’s happy to call a landlord when something goes awry – it seems there’s always something that needs attention. My friend asked, of all we have to do, what makes me feel the most embarrassed?

How true that what we need to do comes down to the things we’ve made excuses for when someone new sees the house. No doorknobs on the closet: We haven’t quite gotten to that yet. But the closet is in the bedroom and it’s really not too embarrassing. The cinder-block chimney we haven’t covered that’s smack in the middle of the downstairs? That’s more embarrassing, so more of a motivating factor to get the job done.

Perusing the magazine can also motivate – and inspire. We can’t all see the sunset from a back deck like the Potters who live next to the East Chop Lighthouse (page 32), but their penchant for Asian décor may trigger your own inner designer. Or perhaps you’ve been considering growing a berry patch, and all you need is a little know-how to get started (page 10).

I enjoy seeing other people’s home and garden projects, whether it’s to get ideas or live vicariously. Artist Margot Datz’s Edgartown home is wonderfully fantastical (page 48), while our story on Brookside Farm in Chilmark (page 22) goes inside the renovated farmhouse and all around the landmark homestead. Funny how the homes in the magazine look as though the homeowners wouldn’t have anything to be embarrassed about.

– Nicki Miller (nmiller@mvmagazine.com)