December 30, 2018

Reflections and Intentions for the New Year

Image by Ali Williamson

With each new year on the horizon, we find ourselves taking a moment to reflect back and set new intentions for the fresh start ahead. This year we're breaking from the structured format we've previously adhered to and are sharing a more personal note amidst some of the family milestones and project highlights we're most proud of from the past year.

December 27, 2018

Our Go-To Kitchen Planning Guides


It's hard to believe it's been four months since finishing the renovation of our kitchen this year. On one hand, everything still feels shiny and new and in another way, it feels like this has been our space for years.




December 23, 2018

Recipe: Classic & Easy Pecan Pie


This time of year is one filled with family and tradition — one of which includes my mom's pecan pies. She's been making them by the batch to give as gifts every holiday season since before I was born. The recipe was passed down from her mother and as a kid, even though I loved watching mom bake these pies, the filling was too rich for my liking. As an adult, I've developed a taste for them and look forward to a single slice once a year at Christmas. I hope you enjoy this family recipe as much as we do.

October 29, 2018

Before & After: DIY Wooden Letter Board


Today's post is in partnership with Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia.

We recently transformed a thrift store picture frame into a wooden letter board and have had fun using it as an added piece of decor and party prop at different gatherings we've had here at the house. It's a simple project and we can't wait to show you the before and after...

September 26, 2018

A Stainless Steel Cleaner that Actually Works + a Giveaway!


Today's post is sponsored by Therapy, who we've partnered with to give away $60 worth of kitchen cleaning products to one lucky reader. Entry details at the bottom of this post.

Earlier this summer, I came across a stainless steel cleaner that actually works and have never looked back. It all started back on Prime Day — I'd loaded up our Amazon cart with a few things we'd been eyeing, hoping they'd go on sale, when this stainless steel polish by Therapy with over 1400 reviews popped up in one of my feeds. Admittedly, I was skeptical because I've tried everything from spray cleaners to wipes and baby oil on micro-fiber cloths and have always been left with a streaky finish. That said, we were in the midst of the kitchen renovation and all of our new appliances are stainless, so I added it to our cart and figured it was worth a try.

September 21, 2018

The Reveal: Our Row House Kitchen Renovation is Complete!


After years of dreaming, and more recently 12 weeks of renovations, our kitchen makeover is officially finished! It's everything we imagined and more, and over the last few weeks we've been getting used to the new layout and spending so much more time in here than ever before. Our kitchen is the heart of our home, and we can't wait to show you every last detail.

September 11, 2018

How To: DIY Balloon Garland & Bridal Shower Backdrop


I've gotten so many questions about the balloon garland I made for Stephanie's bridal shower a few weekends back, so today I'm sharing all the details on how it came together.

September 5, 2018

Stephanie's Gold and White Bridal Shower


A few weekends ago we decked out the house in gold and white decorations and showered my step-daughter, Stephanie, for her upcoming wedding in what was one of the most fun celebrations we've ever hosted. Today I wanted to share a handful of our favorite photos from the day and of course, the decorations!

September 1, 2018

Etsy Edit: Labor Day Sales


Happy September, friends! Fall is probably my favorite season of all — bring on the layering, simmering meals and crisp mornings. Today's edit is packed with some of my favorite seasonal finds that are also on sale through Monday as part of Etsy's Labor Day sale event.

August 21, 2018

Reimagining our Office with Modsy



Today's post is sponsored by Modsy, who helped us realize the potential for a challenging space in our home and is sharing the love with all of our readers by offering 20% off any regular design package with the code 17APART20!

August 14, 2018

Before & After: DIY Instax Photo Holder Wall Hooks


Today's post is in partnership with Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia.

We recently gave a set of decorative wall hooks a mini makeover, refreshing them as instant photo holders with a modern look and personalized touch. We're loving them right now to organize mudroom type supplies like Basil's leash, reusable grocery totes and keys. They're so versatile though and would also make fun small space solutions for back to school dorm decor or to spruce up an entryway.

August 11, 2018

A Birthday Wish for Basil


Today is Basil's 8th birthday and we're cherishing the day with him, celebrating his life harder than we ever have before. Those of you that follow us on social media know that we have had a roller-coaster week and quite the health scare that landed Basil in the emergency surgery this past Tuesday. We're taking his recovery day by day, and while Basil is far from sitting prettily amidst a sea of balloons today, we wanted to honor the day and him on a cheerful note.

July 31, 2018

Beach Getaway: Our Trip to Oak Island, North Carolina


Last week we ventured off on a little getaway. It was just the two of us (the first in a while!) and we stayed in a cozy little beach town in North Carolina that neither of us had been to before. Despite the rain, we made the most of a week away from home and cherish the memories we made. Today I've put together handful of our favorite vacation snaps if you'd like to see...

July 25, 2018

Our Historic Kitchen Renovation: Waiting for the Dust to Settle


Over the last 8 weeks, we've been in the midst of a full remodel and reconfiguration of our kitchen to accommodate our ideal use for the space along with our dream design. Last we checked in, we were eager to get the process started and anticipating how we'd survive without a kitchen for a 3-4 week stretch. We knew there would likely be surprises to come and our amazing team of local specialists even prepared us with the notion that renovations can be like weddings in that there's always some sort of challenge — it's just a matter of what and when...

July 16, 2018

Etsy Edit: Shopping Small on Prime Day


With all the excitement around Amazon Prime day, it's easy to get caught up in the hype — and trust me, we have our cart filled with a few staples we're ready to pull the trigger on when the sales launch later today. That said, I wanted to shift gears and share a handful of finds that are currently catching my eye on Etsy in support of special, and those small businesses that aren't slowing down their creativity, hustle or grind... in celebration of all the things that can't be mass produced and while still a good value, their worth isn't driven by price.

July 9, 2018

DIY Art "Makeunder" for Our Front Sitting Room

Sources: Leather chairs | Curtains | Bookcases —> diy template | PhotographyAli Williamson

Let's talk about the art in our front sitting room. It's the first time in too many years to count that I pulled out my set of art school paint brushes and channeled my inner creative side in this way. The best part? These paintings were simple to make thanks to a helpful tip I tried that not only saved us a ton of money but changed the way I think about making art...

June 29, 2018

A New Look for 17 Apart!

Sources: Leather chairsRug

The same way our home is in a continual state of evolution, we felt it was time for a refreshed look right here on our website too. You may have already noticed a few changes around here and today we're eager to share more about the new look & feel of 17Apart.com as well as get your feedback on the new design.

June 26, 2018

Our Historic Modern Sitting Room Makeover


Over the past three months, we've been on a journey to transform our front office into a multi-functional library and sitting room; today we couldn't be happier to call this makeover complete and share the final outcome!

June 21, 2018

First Look: Front Room Reveal + The Chairs That Started It All


What started back in April when our son made the official move into his own apartment has evolved into a completely refreshed front sitting room where our home office used to be! It's quickly become our favorite "hang" spot and excuse for Tim to keep adding to his growing record collection (any excuse will do, really).

June 16, 2018

The Story Behind Our Kitchen Hutch

Photography, Ali Williamson

After sharing the plans for our kitchen renovation along with all of the current pics, a few questions about the tall cabinet on the back wall rolled in and I realized I'd never shared the story behind this piece here on the blog.

June 12, 2018

Our Historic Kitchen Renovation: The Before


Today's post has been a loooong timing coming, friends! We're spilling all the details on our upcoming complete kitchen renovation. It's something we've been talking about for years and more seriously planning for over the past year. Well, the day is finally here that we bid farewell to our kitchen as we know it and embark on the largest renovation we've ever tackled.

June 8, 2018

The In Between: Living in the Midst of Projects


I'm calling the stage we're living in right now "the in-between" (kind of like the upside down for any Stanger Things fans out there). What I mean is — we're amidst a season of juggling home updates, all at various stages, which can feel a little unsettling at times. On the bright side, we're on the home stretch with our front room and the running projects we've got going on are all things we're excited about. You know, the fun kinds of cosmetic updates instead of necessary ones like a new roof or bubbling plaster walls that blow the budget with nothing to show for in the end.

In that spirit, while perfectly finished spaces are still a ways out (are they ever really finished though?), I wanted to check in and share a few updates on all that we've got going on...

June 5, 2018

Etsy Edit: Father's Day Gift Ideas


With Father's Day just around the corner, this month's edit is dedicated to showing all the father figures out there how loved and appreciated they are. Whether he's a foodie, tech lover, sentimentalist, fashionable guy or all of these rolled into one — we've rounded up all of the fun gift ideas topping our lists for Dad this year.

May 28, 2018

A Fresh Start: Planting Our 2018 Summer Garden


This past Sunday we had a chance to plant our long-awaited summer garden. We're on the later side for planting here in Virginia and had been putting it off due to really fickle winter weather, followed by record-breaking downpours of rain around here this month. That said, when the sun finally came out, we made a day of it!

May 14, 2018

Mood Board: Historic Modern Sitting Room


Over the last several weeks we've been working on a front room makeover after deciding to move our office from this space to an upstairs room. Now that all the renovations and painting portions are complete, we're so ready to decorate.

May 9, 2018

Change is Good: Plumbing Pipe Shelves


A couple weekends ago, we made a simple change to the bookcases in our front room that has made all the difference in how we feel about the new space.

April 30, 2018

Etsy Edit: 10 Unique Mother's Day Gift Ideas

With just two weeks until Mother's Day, there are so many fun ways to celebrate all the moms in our lives. Whether she's sentimental or adventurous, a homebody, bonus mom or pet mom — little ways to show her your care are sure to make her feel special. From little luxuries to help her unwind to sweet mementos and a couple of handy helpers, I've rounded up ten unique gift ideas (all from Etsy!) I'm loving this year for Mother's Day.


April 26, 2018

Historic Polish: Smooth Ceilings & Plastered Walls



After Brandon moved out and we decided to relocate our office upstairs, we've been focusing all of our energy into a full refresh of the front parlor where the office used to be.

April 8, 2018

The Unsettled Chaos: When Kids Fly the Coop


Just when we thought our house was in order, we've found ourselves in a new season of complete overhaul projects across multiple rooms. At this stage, we're learning to embrace the process and chaos.

April 2, 2018

Travel: Home Away from Home


The week before last we were happily hustling around in NYC. While it was primarily a business trip, we rounded up a few favorite highlights (namely eats & interiors!) to share.

March 25, 2018

Dining Room Refresh: Historic Modern Charm


We recently finished a complete refresh of our dining room, which has made all the difference in how much we use it and how we feel about entertaining.

March 16, 2018

On Removing Radiators & Lightbulb Moments

Sofa | Ottoman | Rug | Leather Chair, Estate Find

Back in November, we had the radiator in our family room removed — and I have to tell you, it's made all the difference.

March 12, 2018

How to Cook a Whole Country Ham


A country ham is known best for its salty taste. I've only ever met people who either love or hate a salty ham. I've also met folks who think they like a salty ham until they've tried a real country ham. If you've had one, you know what I'm talking about.

March 1, 2018

Etsy Edit: Garden Vibes

The start of March is, without fail, the time of year we begin pining over garden plans. The weather begins to get a touch milder and we both itch to be outside — hands in the dirt. We look for signs of new life in our perennials and are dreaming up plans for the vegetable garden. While it'll be a few weeks before we can officially get started, this month's Etsy edit is dedicated to the spirit of all things lush, green and gardeny (that's a word, right?).

February 22, 2018

Instant Refresh! Our 4 Tips for How to Paint Radiators



We've been on a radiator kick lately — cleaning, updating and even removing one from our house entirely. We're loving the updated look so much it has us wondering why we hadn't thought to do it sooner!

January 30, 2018 Richmond, VA 23220, USA

Etsy Edit: Storage + Organization

With each new year comes a renewed desire to clean up, clear out and organize — once and for all! While deep down the truth of the matter is there's never a once and for all, this time of year is always a solid starting ground for the best of intentions. I don't know about you, but I'm always more motivated to stay organized when I have beautiful systems in place that meet both form and function. I love storage solutions that fit seamlessly into the look and feel of a space, that can lend just as much to the decor as the job it's meant to do.


So! In the spirit of wrangling ALL the clutter, I've rounded up a collection of beautiful storage solutions that are both hardworking and filled charm. You can find every last one on Etsy, made from independent designers in rich natural materials like fiber, wood, metal and leather.

January 8, 2018

A New Year: Our 2018 Goals & Intentions


Tell me I'm not alone in feeling like the start of a new year is like having a new chance. In all the hustle and bustle that comes with day to day life, this is a time of year we actually take the time to pause and look back, reflect and realize we're making this life of ours. It's also a chance to think about where we're headed, what we're dreaming and how, perhaps, our dreams have changed.
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