We couldn’t leave the laundry room makeover without addressing our messy shoe situation. The side door to our laundry room is the most-used entrance, so it naturally became a dumping ground for footwear—since we try to keep shoes off inside the house. Until now our “storage solution” was a shallow woven basket from Bed Bath … Read more

Maybe I’m clinging to the last bits of summer, or maybe I’m dreaming of a sunroom makeover (ours hasn’t been touched since we moved in). It could also be that Jenna Sue has a real talent for beautiful renovations — you may recall her entryway transformation. Whatever the reason, enjoy this bright, cheerful update. Here’s … Read more

So remember that microwave we scored a great deal on a few months ago? Well, we ended up returning it. When we first bought the larger microwave, a few readers asked why we needed such a big unit. That made us realize we don’t use the microwave that often — a bowl of soup, reheating … Read more

We wanted to share some happy news: our family recently grew by one. On Friday the 14th at 5:57 p.m., Clara Kenley Petersik was born weighing 7 lbs 10 oz and measuring 20.5 inches long. We are completely in love with her. She and Burger are already inseparable—he insists on standing guard beside her at … Read more

We’re back with another House Crashing visit, this time in Westover Hills, Richmond. Lori and her husband Greg welcomed us into their lovely home, and we couldn’t resist bringing our camera to capture the light-filled rooms and thoughtful details. Lori is expecting a baby in August, yet the home is immaculate. Stepping through the front … Read more

We’re back to share our latest “Try This” column in Richmond’s R. Home magazine. This time we offered a handful of backyard entertaining ideas across a three-page column. The chaos began, as it often does, when we had to shoot months in advance — a familiar challenge, like hunting down seasonal items long before they … Read more

Win a $500 Dash & Albert gift card. Dash & Albert is known for blending softness and durability in designs that work indoors and outdoors. Their collection includes classic patterns and contemporary colors across rugs and coordinating pieces such as pillows, ottomans, poufs, and bags. We’ve used their products ourselves—in our home and in a … Read more

The grout in our foyer tile floor had become discolored and stained, making the whole entry feel dated and dirty. After trying nearly a dozen cleaners and techniques, we were close to giving up—until we finally found a simple solution that made the grout look clean and fresh again. Once the grout was refreshed, the … Read more

Update: We have a much newer cabinet-painting post with more photos, details, and even a video for you here. If you can paint a wall (and even if you can’t), you can paint your kitchen cabinets. This project follows a few straightforward, proven steps that make it hard to mess up if you follow them. … Read more

Here’s the story of how I made a sweet little quilt for the baby boy we’re expecting. A few years ago I wrote about how my barely-there sewing skills compelled me to make a quilt for our first child. That first quilt became a nightly companion for Clara, so this time I wanted to make … Read more