How To: We painted our fireplace at the river black!

The first time we stepped inside our river house — it was the initial viewing — I immediately knew I wanted to paint the fireplace hearth black, even before we decided to put an offer on the home.

DIY Modern Brass Rainbow Mobile

After's Etta's nursery reveal we received so many questions about her brass mobile, so I've pulled all of the details and a DIY tutorial together in one place to share with you!

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...

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.

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.

Modern Farmhouse: DIY Gold Eucalyptus Place Settings

This time of year I'm looking for any excuse to bring a touch of shimmer into our home and quick projects with a big impact are topping my list. Tis the season!

Halloween How To: Make a DIY Concrete Pumpkin

This year, we've introduced a new friendly face among the bunch of fall decor out front. Can you spot it?

DIY Cake Topper: A Graduation Hooray!

This time last month we were celebrating Brandon's college graduation with a party here at home. We hosted an informal backyard BBQ and added DIY decorations to help make the space feel a bit more festive. One of my very favorite touches was the homemade cake topper to help dress up the table.

DIY Graduation Decorations: Party Sticks & Photo Garland

The weekend before last we celebrated Brandon's college graduation here at the house. In preparation for the big day, I'd put together a couple fun decorations to make the house feel a bit more festive — and poke a little fun at the same time...

Training our Wisteria: DIY PVC Pipe Garden Arbor

Right around this time last year, we'd returned back home from our Italian vacation on the grounds of an olive grove and unreal stone farmhouse in the hills of Umbria we'd found on AirBNB. Filled with leisurely sips of local wines and cooking dinners over open fire with simple ingredients — it was an incredible trip and one we think back on often as one for the lifebook. Oh, to return.

How To: Simple 3 Ingredient Natural Applesauce Recipe

One weekday last month Tim came home with a basket filled with fresh red apples. Taking advantage of the extended weekend, we spent the better part of Labor Day making and canning a new season's worth of homemade applesauce and apple butter.

Hanging onto Summer: How to Make Sun Tea

With 90 degree days in the forecast this week, the heatwave around these parts sure does put new meaning into "hanging onto summer." It's been a particularly hot season here in Virginia this year and hot summer days call for southern traditions, like sun-brewed tea.

Such a simple pleasure, sun tea is quick to make, requires minimal ingredients and puts the sun's rays to work instead of heating up the kitchen during hotter summer months.

Before & After: DIY Antique Pallet Coffee Table

If you follow us on Instagram or Facebook you may already know we took advantage of the three day Memorial Day weekend to tackle a project we've had on the list for quite some time — a tiered coffee table...

July 4th Patriotic Desserts: Cherry Firecracker Cupcakes

Decorate a batch of these cupcakes with seasonal fresh fruits to add a patriotic focal point to your next summer table spread or bring along as the crowd pleaser to that 4th of July party on the calendar. Reminiscent of bursting fireworks, these cupcakes are simple to make and combine fresh blueberries with ripe bing cherries.

Cocktail Trick: Thyme Infused Simple Syrup Ice Cubes

Summer weather and long weekends call for the appearance of seasonal cocktails around here — the added flavor from fresh garden herbs is what really gives them that special twist. As with the return of lavender, thyme is having a big moment among our perennial herbs right now:

How To: DIY Dried Lavender Bunches

Late spring has us eager to be back in the garden, tending to our growing collection of perennial herbs and starting a few new annual varieties.

Over on eHow: DIY Geometric Brass Table Lamp

It's no secret we're fans of clean lines, geometric shapes and a touch of shine — which is why I've been such a big fan of the geometric brass lighting options popping up lately (like this one & this one). It wasn't until a recent trip to our local Habitat ReStore that inspiration struck for creating a budget-friendly version of our own...

How to Wall Mount a Turtle Shell

Earlier in the week we shared the newly complete corner gallery wall in our front office. Amidst the collection of art and photos are a few natural curiosities, for instance the ivory colored turtle shell that adds a little dimension into the mix:

Corner Gallery Wall: How To Hang Art on a Curved Wall

We recently introduced the addition of a small gallery wall to our office decor. While our home decor is in a state of continual evolution, we're loving how this newly-filled wall of personal art makes this front room of ours feel complete (don't mind the missing turtle — you'll see him make an appearance further down in the post).

How To: Bird Nest Shadow Box Art

Over Thanksgiving, I brought back a treasured find my Aunt had given me from the land on their horse farm — this small bird's nest made almost entirely from horse hair. It made for the perfect little weekend art project!