Many of you have already seen the results: our previous home was photographed for HGTV Magazine. Since so many readers have asked for a behind-the-scenes look at that photo shoot, here’s a candid recap of how it all went down and what it taught us about home styling, staging, and storytelling.
The day the crew arrived was a blur, but we managed to capture a few moments. Here’s Clara playing the role of editor, telling the team what needed to be shown in the frame — like “you need to show more of my toys.” Those little decisions matter when a photographer is trying to tell a home’s story.
The HGTV Magazine team — photographer, assistant, stylist, and editor — spent two full days working in our house. They were professional, friendly, and respectful of our space, even when our dining room temporarily became their command center.
Sometimes rooms had to be pared down to create the right composition. For example, the dining table was photographed with only four chairs instead of six to open up the scene and showcase the pedestal base. Seeing your home through someone else’s eye is a fascinating exercise in editing.
At other times, the crew cleared an entire room to get a clean angle. This is the setup they used to photograph us in our office for the opening spread — lots of careful lighting and thoughtful framing to make the space feel inviting and authentic.
We’re used to the controlled chaos of whole-house shoots (after several weeks of book shoots, nothing surprises us), and our kids adapted quickly too. The team worked patiently to keep everyone comfortable and the day running smoothly.
Rachael, the photo stylist, excelled at small touches: floral arrangements, pillow fluffs, and putting Clara at ease. She even invented a thumb-pressing “secret handshake” that helped our daughter relax around strangers — simple, sweet, and effective.
The stylist and editor also brought props that made our kitchen sing — an eye-catching Instagram-worthy setup that combined food and accessories in a way that was both beautiful and approachable. It was practical inspiration and visual candy in equal measure.
That careful styling produced what we think is one of the prettiest photos ever taken of our kitchen. The team struck a great balance: the scene felt enhanced but still undeniably ours. Watching their process gave us ideas for small tweaks we might make down the line.
Not every image they shot made the magazine, which was the only downside. We’d hoped a few favorite frames — like a detailed shot of our recently completed fireplace — might be included, but space is always limited in print.
The shoot also spawned a running joke: someone dubbed a particularly large prop sandwich “aggressive.” A tomato slice came off and the sandwich was tamed — a reminder that even tiny changes can alter the mood of a photo. The nickname stuck and became part of our friendly banter with the team.
Here are a few captures that didn’t make the final layout but show the craftsmanship that went into styling and composing each image.
The framed-photo wall never looked better. The stylist added fresh flowers and adjusted little details to give the hallway photo a timeless, lived-in appeal.
Photographers invest a lot of time setting up shots that may ultimately be left out of the spread. It’s part of their process — and part of the magic that goes into creating a polished magazine feature. For some images we even removed light fixtures that cast unwanted shadows so other elements could shine.
Even photos that didn’t run still left us with lovely flowers to enjoy for a while — a small, fragrant bonus from the shoot.
One image of us prepping food in the kitchen was cut, which we secretly appreciated since being photographed rarely feels natural for us. What surprised us most was the final spread length — what we expected to be a two- or three-page feature turned into a ten-page story. It was overwhelming in the best way.
Floral abundance became a theme during the shoot. The team had a box of blooms delivered from the flower market, and for two days our sunroom was a temporary florist’s workspace. The house smelled amazing for weeks after; Sherry loved it, and I kept wondering when the scent would fade.
Sherry kept whispering, “If only they would last forever,” as she wandered through bouquets and arrangements. At least we have the photos to remember them by.
Watching the professionals taught us practical styling tricks we’ve already used at home. For instance, the stylist layered many more pillows on our sectional than we usually do, and the result was cozy and polished. Sherry loved the look so much she bought a few of the pillows afterward to recreate the effect.
Small adjustments can make a big difference: a low table was raised with scrap wood to improve its scale in a shot, and familiar pieces like a desk and mirror were temporarily removed so a chalkboard could take center stage. The team’s attention to proportion and balance was impressive.
Wardrobe tweaks were part of the process too. One of Sherry’s loose shirts looked too flowy in a test shot, so she changed into a different top. Ironically, the clipped version of the original shirt ended up appearing in the spread — a small reminder that editorial decisions change as the shoot evolves.
For a photo of Clara in her big girl room, I hid behind the closet wall to be close by while the team photographed her. The trickiest part was keeping her from running to join me, but the effort paid off with a sweet, natural shot.
Shooting outdoors posed challenges because late March in Richmond wasn’t fully spring yet, and some of our exterior improvements weren’t ready for the camera. The magazine handled it by focusing on tight, flattering angles and introducing pops of color — like moving our red Adirondack chairs closer to the porch — to lift the scenes.
The feature also mentioned our moving plans, which we hadn’t shared with many people at the time. We only confirmed those plans with the magazine after we’d told our readers, family, and close friends — and it felt special to explain to the crew how meaningful it was to document the house before we left. Having HGTV Magazine capture our home was a lovely final tribute.
We’re deeply grateful the magazine included us, and we appreciate everyone who reached out with kind words via social media, comments, and email. Your support made this experience even more rewarding — and yes, we’ll keep the “Aggressive Sandwich” joke alive in our emails.