It’s a hectic—but delightful—day here at Casa Petersik. A photography crew from Better Homes & Gardens is on site to shoot our newly transformed nursery and our recently renovated bathroom for two magazines: Kitchen + Bath Makeovers and Do It Yourself. We’re thrilled to have them here and to watch the process unfold.
We love watching the stylists work their magic—how they arrange everyday items so they look effortlessly curated is impressive. We already know the photographer Erik Johnson; he photographed the rest of our house previously for a multi-issue feature in Do It Yourself, so it’s great to have him back. Having worked with him before makes today feel both familiar and exciting.
On a personal note, I’m doing my best to stay calm about the baby bump—my mantra for the day is “don’t go into labor yet.” With just over two weeks until the due date, there’s no real reason to worry, but there’s always that internal deadline you want to meet when something important is happening. I’d hate to miss a single minute of the photo shoot excitement.
Even our dog needed a release form—magazine shoots cover every detail, right down to permissions for pets. It’s a reminder that magazine work is meticulous: every prop, pet and pillow matters.
Fresh flowers are part of the usual setup, even when the subjects are a bathroom and a nursery. They add life and color, helping a room read as lively and welcoming in photos. The stylists’ small touches—flowers, folded towels, perfectly placed soap bottles—transform a space into something magazine-ready.
It’s always fascinating to see the tweaks they make to give our rooms that glossy, camera-ready look. We’ve shared behind-the-scenes styling tips from past shoots and plan to share more from this one when we can. For now, the challenge is keeping my belly out of frame—a tricky task when you’re measuring a 43″ circumference. But the crew is resourceful and patient, and they know how to compose shots that flatter the space and the people in it.
That’s what’s happening here. How about you—any plans for the weekend or projects you’re tackling? We’d love to hear what you’re up to.