Search and discover
Cedar & Linen grows with each project we tackle and each resource we discover — which means the site keeps changing. Whether you’re looking for a specific room, a type of project, or just browsing to see what other people have done, there are several ways to find what you’re after. Some searches work best with keywords; others are better suited to browsing by category or timeline. The guide below shows you what each search method finds, what you’ll see in the results, and how to refine your results when you land on something close but not quite right.
How to search the site
| What you’re looking for | The method | What you’ll see |
|---|---|---|
| A specific room or project type (kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc.) | Use the site search box and type the room name or project type — “kitchen renovation,” “bathroom tile,” etc. | All posts tagged with that room or project type, newest first. Each result shows the headline, the date posted, and the first line of the post. |
| Posts from a specific time period or by topic | Browse the Topics page, which lists posts grouped by project category and shows how many posts we’ve written on each topic. | A grouped list of all posts on that topic, with dates so you can see which ones are recent updates and which are from earlier in the journey. |
| Posts about a specific material or technique (paint colors, wood finishing, etc.) | Use the site search box and type the material or technique — “wood stain,” “paint finish,” “tile grout” — for broader results. | All posts mentioning that material or technique, even in passing. Some results may be tangential but often contain useful context or comparisons. |
| A post you remember but can’t quite recall the title | Use the search box and try keywords you remember from the post — even partial phrases work. If that doesn’t help, the Topics page shows the full archive organized by category. | All posts containing those keywords. If you’re not finding it, post a note in the contact form and we’ll help you track it down or create a guide on something that’s missing. |
The key figures
- 11
- The total number of main topic categories organizing the site (kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living areas, outdoor, structural, energy/efficiency, finishes, tools, learning resources, and contractor relationships)
- 3-4
- The average number of posts per category, with some categories (like “finishes” and “kitchen projects”) containing more detailed documentation because those are the areas we’ve explored most thoroughly
- 60%
- The percentage of posts that include either a full before-and-after photo series, a time-lapse of the work, or a detailed cost breakdown — these are the ones to start with if you want to see what’s actually possible in a similar space
- Every month
- How often we update the site with new projects, lessons learned from previous work, or resources we’ve discovered and tested. The most recent posts appear first in search results and on the homepage preview.
Refining your search
The search results page includes filters on the left side to help narrow results if you get too many matches. You can filter by category, date range, or whether the post includes a photo gallery or video. If you’re looking for posts that required hiring a contractor versus DIY projects you could tackle yourself, search for “contractor” or “DIY” and the results will show you which projects fall into each bucket. For a quick visual browse of recently completed projects, start with the Topics page — it shows thumbnail images alongside each topic, so you can see the kind of work at a glance.
Most posts also link to related posts at the bottom, so if you find one project interesting, those links will lead you to similar work or the next phase of a larger renovation. We also maintain a “Recommended” page with links to external resources — books, authorities on specific topics, tools we actually use, and reliable contractors we’ve worked with — all the stuff we wish we’d known when we started.
If you can’t find something you’re looking for after trying the search and the category browse, the Contact page has a form where you can request a guide on a specific topic or ask a question about a project you’re considering. We read every submission and respond within a week.