Coming off the heels of our own stenciling adventures, we had to share Ginny’s dining nook makeover. After she finished, she joked that her hand looked clawed from tracing and painting the stencil—sound familiar to anyone who’s labored through a DIY project? Here’s Ginny’s account of how she transformed an overlooked corner into a vibrant … Read more

Our quick “we’re getting a new roof” post on Thursday generated a surprising number of questions, so here’s a full update with before, during, and after photos. First, here’s the roof we had before: Up close you can see it was a flat, grid-like, weathered roof—twenty years old and looking tired. It was definitely on … Read more

When Cindy reached out to collaborate on a giveaway for her eco-conscious store, we had no idea the generosity would continue long after one lucky reader won a party pack. Cindy invited us to tour her beautiful, environmentally minded mid-century rancher in Richmond, and we were thrilled to accept. Meet Cindy, her husband Robert, and … Read more

Two weekends ago we visited the Richmond Craft Mafia’s Spring Bada-Bing craft show at Plant Zero. It felt similar to their Handmade Holiday event from December, so we wanted to share highlights from this local, handmade-focused market. We didn’t leave with as many items as last year, but we did buy three things we adored. … Read more

There are a few outdoor showhouse spaces we hadn’t shown yet during this yearlong project. Each of the seven showhouses was encouraged to include outdoor areas in addition to indoor rooms, so beyond the curb appeal there’s a back porch and a patio with a stone fireplace. Those exterior spaces were where we collaborated most … Read more

We’ve been talking about simplifying the porch trim and giving the columns a more substantial, updated look ever since we moved in back in 2010. With the weather finally warming up after a long winter (we were still getting snow a few weeks ago), we decided it was time to tackle an outdoor project. Most … Read more

Sunday turned out to be a quietly wonderful Mother’s Day—unconventional, but exactly what I needed. The weekend felt like an extended celebration: we visited the farmer’s market and enjoyed the Bon Air parade and festival with Clara and John on Saturday (Burger, who’s afraid of firetrucks and loud noises, wisely skipped the parade). On Sunday … Read more

When Anna sent photos of her family room redo, we were excited to share the dramatic before-and-after transformation. Below is her note describing the project: I thought you might like pictures of my 1960s step-down family room re-do. The best changes were removing the textured ceiling and replacing the carpet with wide-plank wood flooring. Because … Read more

When Brieanne shared her incredible nursery before-and-after photos, we were excited to showcase the transformation. Below is the letter she sent describing the project. Last year my sister asked me (her younger sister with an architecture degree) to help design a nursery for my future — and now completely adorable — niece Claire. Because my … Read more

We did it—an oversized DIY light fixture for the office that cost just $32 from start to finish. It gives the same impact as that $412 designer version, so we’re pretty excited about saving roughly $380 with a homemade solution. Here it is in all its glowing glory: To rewind a bit, this was the … Read more