Q: Would you and John consider posting a home buying guide or list of tips for first-time home buyers? We are out on the hunt for our first place and we’re looking for something that has potential, like your home, but maybe needs a little work and updating. I have read countless articles on things … Read more

Blerg. I woke up feeling awful—either food poisoning or a stomach bug—so while I try not to spread whatever this is around the house, I figured I’d put together a timeline showing how our bedroom has evolved over the last twenty months since we moved in. It wasn’t an overnight transformation: lots of little changes, … Read more

I’ve been eager to share Teresa and Andrew’s kitchen makeover. They’re close friends who live just around the corner, and after filming a bookcase styling time-lapse video in their living room, I couldn’t wait for their new appliances to arrive so we could show off this kitchen transformation. What makes this reno so inspiring is … Read more

Our office is inching toward completion — tortoise-style — with two recent additions: an overhead light and new desk chairs. The light should look familiar: it’s the same fixture we previously had in our kitchen, so it fits both the “old” and “borrowed” parts of the story. We loved the design, but after living with … Read more

As John mentioned on Monday, our full bathroom is overdue for a complete makeover. From across the room it still looks charming… …but up close it’s another story. After more than fifty years of use, the original black-and-white basketweave floor tiles are cracked, stained, and worn beyond repair. The white wall tile is in rough … Read more

We had to share this clever repurposing idea sent in by Camille: transforming old glass light covers into charming vases. It’s an easy, budget-friendly way to refresh your decor for spring or any season. “I just wanted to share (just in time for spring) how I re-purpose old glass lamp covers to use as vases. … Read more

When Stacie told us she was redesigning the front of her beautiful home in Richmond’s Historic Fan district, we knew the result would be impressive. She’s already impressed us with her interior style before, so we were excited to see the exterior transformation. Her makeover exceeded expectations: thoughtful design choices, careful restoration, and expert workmanship … Read more

I don’t fuss over hospital corners or make the bed the moment I wake up (Burger sleeps in and I usually tidy up in the early afternoon). What does drive me crazy, though, is a shifting featherbed mattress topper — especially when it slips so far that it sits a foot out of alignment with … Read more

Our upstairs hallway recently received wainscoting, and it feels like a more polished relative of the DIY board-and-batten we installed in our last house. It’s a blend of board & batten and picture-frame molding—think a refined English cousin to the more casual version we did before. The Easy Approach To Installing DIY Wainscoting This project … Read more

By now you know we held our wedding at Casa Petersik, but believe it or not we originally booked a proper venue right after we got engaged — long before we ever saw our brick ranch. As soon as we fell in love with our future home, we asked for our deposit back (our date … Read more