Feeling intimidated by installing crown molding yourself? We were too, but we recently installed crown molding in our daughter’s bedroom and were surprised by how affordable and straightforward the project was—materials cost less than $100. With the right tools and a bit of patience, it’s very achievable for a DIYer. Below I’ll walk through what … Read more

How should I stage my house to sell? Should I take down all of my family photos? I’m not selling but want my home to look good for guests — any tips? Do I need a lot of decorative accessories or should I declutter? Those questions come up every time I mention that I’ve been … Read more

Back to the room that didn’t exist a few weeks ago. Excuse the shout-y tone—this is about as thrilling as it gets around here. (Side note: I dreamed there was a newspaper column called Shellac This!—a daily feature that shellacked a different piece of furniture each morning—and everyone talked about it. It even became a … Read more

The last few weeks have been delightfully random and incredibly productive for us. We’ve been bouncing from project to project — at least until a big renovation demands our full attention. This week alone we painted raindrops and a pink door in Clara’s room, wrestled with Shannon’s design dilemma, finished our sunroom floor project, and … Read more

After getting a bunch of helpful tips from readers about flying with a toddler, we wanted to share a concise recap of what worked (lollipops!) and what didn’t (two words: red eye). We spent a lot of time in the air: six flights total. Two on the way to Portland (with a layover in Chicago), … Read more

When we shared this Instagram photo last month, we mentioned it wasn’t a typical everyday snapshot—our caption even noted that both of us had to put on makeup for it. That image was taken on the set of a photoshoot for Richmond Magazine’s Best & Worst issue. This annual, reader-voted feature highlights local favorites across … Read more

HOODWINKED! We pulled off a major kitchen steal. For months we’d been coveting a stainless-steel chimney hood to install above the stove in our new kitchen, but the original $1,579 price tag felt impossible to justify. Then, unexpectedly, we came across the exact style we wanted for just $350. It turned out that a high-end … Read more

Surprise! This was the scene at our house yesterday: Here’s what happened. A few weeks ago we had the soil around our home’s underground oil tank tested so we could confidently present a clean bill of health to any potential buyer. The results were worse than we expected: the tests showed a small leak. It … Read more

This simple method for cleaning a stainless steel sink is honestly one of my favorite household tasks. It’s easy, fast, and extremely effective. You don’t need harsh or special cleaners—just a few common items to restore your sink’s shine in minutes. Sherry tried this technique first and we’ve used it ever since. I even taught … Read more

Ever since DIY styled our home, we’ve been eager to refresh every shelf, side table, and bookcase—and we didn’t stop there. I decided to play with place settings using everyday items I already had on hand. With leftover flowers and produce from a recent shoot, I put together several quick, festive table settings—each took under … Read more