Even though we already made four puffy painted pumpkins (one for each family member), we didn’t want Clara’s first Halloween to pass without a bit of traditional pumpkin carving. A recent trip to the pumpkin patch put us in the mood. Here’s our little queen throwing her arms out like she’s declaring, “I’m the queen … Read more

Curious about the most universally loved white paints? We reviewed more than a dozen “best white” lists and compared over 100 white paint colors to find the consensus picks. After compiling data and comparing recommendations from interior designers, architects, builders, and top bloggers, a clear group of favorites emerged. Below are the 12 white paint … Read more

We’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about rugs: where we find them, which materials and patterns we prefer, how we clean and care for them, and how much we typically spend. Rugs can feel complicated—and expensive—and they’re one of those décor elements that’s surprisingly easy to get wrong. A bad rug choice can … Read more

As our laundry room project moves forward (priming, painting, and tile prep are all underway), I thought it would be fun to share some virtual window-treatment options we experimented with in the office. We’ve done this before—testing wall ideas in Clara’s bedroom and trying looks for Teddy’s nursery—and I’ve even photoshopped curtains and rugs into … Read more

Ever move a piece of furniture and find a deep dent in the rug or carpet where your couch, chair, or table used to sit? We recently discovered several such impressions after moving our rug from the living room (where it had been under the couch and coffee table) to the guest bedroom. For years … Read more

We knew it would be hard to top last year’s giveaway, but this blogiversary we’re thrilled to offer an adventure- and luxury-filled Virginia vacation valued at about $3,000. Virginia tourism organization Virginia Is For Lovers invited us to take part in a new series highlighting real Virginians, and they asked to profile our trip. We … Read more

Eighteen football fields — but not a single pigskin. That’s because I’m referring to the eighteen football fields’ worth of showroom space at Green Front Furniture, a huge discount furniture and accessories destination in Farmville, VA. Since Farmville is only about an hour from our Richmond home, we decided to take a short road trip … Read more

In keeping with our annual tradition, we wanted to share Clara’s invitation and a few of the party supplies, just like we did last year and the year before. Many of you have been guessing this year’s theme (after Clara chose worms last year) — so here’s the reveal: a dragon-themed celebration. The dragon idea … Read more

We aimed to have all the nursery’s extra-chunky crown molding painted, cut, hung, caulked, and touched up by the end of the weekend—and we just made it. Crown molding is one of those “nice-to-have” details that always blows us away once it’s in place. Even basic, boxy rooms instantly look taller and more finished. That’s … Read more

In this long-overdue update on our beach house renovation, we share progress: some walls are going up while others come down, and we’ve revised the floor plan again. We also revisit the bathroom renovation, which is still in progress. This episode features a conversation with Joy Cho of Oh Joy! about growing a blog into … Read more