Having a fireplace in the kitchen is undeniably charming — it feels like the heart of the home. Even if it isn’t functional, it becomes a useful and cozy niche: a place to tuck a basket of Clara’s toys, stack books, or display seasonal pieces above the mantel. Honestly, I love turning mantel and shelf … Read more

This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see the winners below! Quick reminder: you can use code YHL15 for 15% off at WallQuotes.com. In addition, three readers each won a $100 WallQuotes credit (winners were chosen with random.org): Kaycie Christine (whose walls would recall TV moments from shows like American Idol and Real Housewives), … Read more

Just as we finished our big kitchen reveal, Amanda and her resourceful husband were wrapping up theirs. They completely gutted and rebuilt the space from the studs—including handcrafting new cabinets. We’ve been sharing a lot of kitchen Reader Redesigns lately, and this one was too good to pass up. Here’s Amanda’s note: The room started … Read more

Two quick notes up front: We updated yesterday’s door-painting post with wider exterior shots for everyone who asked, and we also refreshed our header. Sherry is working on a door hardware post (she’s editing photos and writing it up for tomorrow). But for now, we’re switching gears and talking about our office — because apparently … Read more

7:30pm, Monday- SHERRY: The floors are looking great so far, don’t you think? JOHN: Definitely. Right, Burger? (Burger stands in quiet agreement) SHERRY: Do you think it’s odd there’s no baseboard against the brick? JOHN: No, it’s fine. SHERRY: Yeah, you’re right. It’s fine. 11:00pm, Monday- SHERRY: I’ve been thinking — it really is strange … Read more

It’s that time again — a quick look back at everything we tackled this month, gathered in one place for easy browsing. We also sprinkled in a few never-before-seen moments because we can’t help ourselves. This month was unusually busy: painting, organizing, building, rearranging, crafting, upholstering, changing light fixtures, coding, ORB-ing (yes, that’s a thing … Read more

Every year we publicly announce a few resolutions, hoping they’ll light a fire under us and help us actually follow through. So, without further ado (and accompanied by this in-progress photo of primed cabinet doors)… …here they are: Resolution #1 – Get Around: We’re looking forward to a better travel year. We’ve been invited to … Read more

This holiday season brought a string of firsts for our family. Clara is finally old enough to excitedly shout “I love you, Santa!” at the inflatables in store windows, we put up our first real tabletop tree, and this is our first full Christmas in our new house (last year we were still unpacking). But … Read more

When my little sister Carrie showed us the streets of Philadelphia recently, she insisted we try her favorite brunch spot, Devil’s Alley Bar & Grill. We were excited to taste the corn pancakes and brioche French toast she raved about, and the food didn’t disappoint. At the same time, the restaurant’s thoughtful design captured our … Read more

You might be wondering why we put up our Christmas decorations so early this year. We’re excited to share that we’ve been invited to write a regular column for R. Home magazine, Richmond’s bi-monthly home and design publication. After they discovered our blog last spring and featured our before-and-after story earlier this summer, the editors … Read more