Many of us want a more organized home, but sometimes our strategies make the process harder than it needs to be. In this episode we speak with a home efficiency expert about rethinking how we organize so it actually improves daily life — making us calmer partners and more present parents. She shares why the … Read more

When Jessica sent photos of her attic makeover, we were amazed at how she transformed her third floor from unfinished to fabulous. Here’s her note: I’ve been a reader for some time and I love your before-and-after posts. I recently renovated my entire 1910 house to add modern amenities while preserving its original character. Our … Read more

We’re often asked where our inspiration comes from. The short answer: everywhere. Other blogs and design magazines, everyday life, family and friends, clothing, nature, and yes—sometimes reality TV. Guilty as charged: I take photos of the TV for inspiration and for fun. Those screenshots end up in an iPhoto folder labeled “TV pics,” and every … Read more

Now that we’ve shared some pre-wedding moments, here’s a look at our ten-day honeymoon in Alaska. Our goal was to show America’s largest state through our own eyes — and, admittedly, to highlight the quirky ways we Petersiks like to enjoy ourselves on the road (case in point: the ring photo we snapped on an … Read more

***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – soon to see who won below!*** After a busy giveaway (and a surprising number of NPR fans), random.org has chosen our winner as… Kathy (who says music is therapeutic and that songs on the radio can always lift her spirits on a bad day). Congrats, Kathy! We’re … Read more

Richmond experienced its first taste of winter yesterday with a light dusting of snow. It didn’t stick, so life went on as usual—no snow day for John. Mostly usual, anyway. The light precipitation kept the installer indoors rather than out cutting crown molding and cabinet baseboards, so progress was modest. They managed to install the … Read more

We’re not professional photographers, but we’re learning as we go. That’s why we sometimes improvise during makeshift photoshoots at home. Notice the neon blue cast behind me in that photo? When we shoot our artificially lit kitchen, any natural light that sneaks in often appears blue by comparison. Usually it’s not a big deal, but … Read more

Watching a former home change under new ownership can be surprisingly emotional. This week we talk about how we worked through those feelings and found the silver lining when someone undoes your design choices. Back at our current house, we finally made the driveway kid-friendly — a project that was long overdue and easier than … Read more

When you look through the photos in this post, you’ll quickly see that Meghan and her husband achieved an impressive transformation. What makes their story even better is the personal account she sent explaining how they turned a dated, awkward space into something that stops you in your tracks. If you decide not to scroll … Read more

We wanted to expand on our reply to Alyssa’s question on Wednesday about the framed map shown below. The piece in the white frame is a card from the City Walks: New York boxed set. City Walks are compact boxed collections that each include 50 “adventures on foot” for a particular city. Every card presents … Read more