The spare room closet used to be overflowing with luggage, wrapping paper, gift bags, and a jumble of miscellaneous items that needed to be cleared out so the space could become a true playroom and storage spot for Clara’s things. We emptied everything out (keeping the photo albums and yearbooks on the top shelf) and, … Read more

I finally tackled the stenciling project I’d been avoiding. After months of eyeing a large feathered damask stencil, I ordered it and set out to add subtle tone-on-tone detail above the chair rail in our office. We wanted something soft so it wouldn’t compete with the dark teal built-ins or the lively curtains in the … Read more

* We’re sending lots of love to everyone in Boston (our cousins were at the marathon but are thankfully safe). Until last fall we wouldn’t have called ourselves frequent travelers. We used to fly only rarely — our honeymoon to Alaska in 2007 and a family trip to Hawaii in 2012 were a few of … Read more

Some parts of this kitchen remodel were less thrilling than opening up the wall, but they still had to be done—especially a few tasks we wanted completed before the countertop fabricator came to template the new surfaces. First on the list was filling the gaps beside the stove. The base cabinet we removed was 36″ … Read more

So many people had raved about Garden Ridge, but until yesterday I’d never visited one. A new store finally opened in Richmond (I’d heard about the old location near the airport that closed before we moved here), so I took a first trip to the large, Costco-like warehouse filled with home goods, garden items, and … Read more

It’s gettin’ hot in here, so we added bamboo blinds. I’m practically singing as I installed each of the four shades — while John politely rolled his eyes. The change wasn’t just about blocking heat — it was about privacy. Our sunroom has an entire wall of windows, which makes it bright and lovely, but … Read more

Updated 2018 With Thanksgiving suddenly upon us, we’re reviving a tradition from last year and adding a new one. Last year we made a simple thrift-store jar for 99 cents and turned it into a “Thanks Jar” with etching cream and a homemade tape stencil. We used a small jar, etching cream from the craft … Read more

Not having a functioning kitchen is starting to wear on us. It might sound odd, but tonight we were too tired to eat out and instead decided to try cooking in our kitchen that currently lacks a counter and sink. Fortunately, the meal—chocolate chip pancakes—was simple enough to prepare on the top of a cabinet … Read more

Between all the photos and video tours, you might think you’ve seen every corner of our house. Not quite — there’s one room you haven’t seen until now. It’s tucked beneath our sunroom and accessed through a private exterior entrance, so you have to step outside and go down a few steps to reach it. … Read more

Remember the West Elm duvet cover we ordered on sale last week? It arrived! Here it is in our bedroom: We’ll add some bolder accent pillows later, but we already love the cover. It’s a touch greener than we expected, and it actually brings back the blue-green tone we once used on the back of … Read more