Call it a small step, but we’ve completed our first nursery project — yes, that was a pun. The room always had a dimmer from its days as a dining room, but since we moved in it never really dimmed. It only offered on or off. With a baby on the way, we wanted something … Read more

A reader recently asked for help making a dog crate blend with home décor, so we gathered a few clever solutions — a DIY idea we tried ourselves and a selection of attractive ready-made crates we found online. First, our own small-space solution: we tucked our pup’s crate inside an unused guest-room closet. The door … Read more

March is almost here, but before we rush into spring, let’s take a moment to look back at February. Slowing down to celebrate small wins keeps momentum going, and February delivered travel decompression, hallway upgrades, and several “big girl” room projects. Below is a month-in-review presented as playful yearbook-style superlatives. If you’d like more throwback … Read more

Our recent run of mirror projects has left me running low on new mirror puns, but the guest bathroom was next on the list. After swapping out the medicine cabinet in our master bath, we decided the guest bath deserved a similar refresh—especially since guests don’t really need a medicine cabinet. The old metal cabinet … Read more

Over a decade ago we launched a small t‑shirt line with designs for women, men and—even dogs. Yes, really. We eventually retired it, so there may still be a few floating around—my dad kept a bunch (he was our best customer) and one even turned up at a book signing in 2015. Earlier this year … Read more

We shared a glimpse of Kirsten’s beautiful house in last week’s Portland post to get you excited — now here’s the full House Crashing tour. The exterior of Kirsten and her husband Kyle’s home is a deep gray, and the porch is framed by oversized white corbels that make the entry feel special (house numbers … Read more

We’re excited to announce that the Petersik family is growing. Our new addition is due on May 19th, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Sherry is expecting, and we’re delighted to share this happy news with you. We’ll post more details on Friday — please send any questions you have and we’ll answer as many … Read more

Quick note: Tomorrow (Saturday, November 10th) we’ll be in Chicago at the West Elm on 1000 W North Avenue for cookies, cocoa, and a book signing at 1pm (arriving early might help you get a jump on the line). More info here. We’d love to see you there! Welcome to our biweekly book-tour recap — … Read more

Here it is: our affordable and stylish 2008 holiday gift roundup. We mixed a few simple DIY projects with memorable store-bought finds that won’t break the bank. Ready? Let the gifting begin! One fun gift we assembled for our game-loving cousins pairs Bananagrams (think Scrabble without the board) with a Monkey Bread mix from the … Read more

As requested, here are photos of the plants around our house and a few ideas about where to place them and what to put them in. We favor clean white ceramic Ikea planters (usually $2–10). Small pots work well on windowsills and on top of stacks of books, while the larger ones look great on … Read more