What’s all that stomping you hear? It’s just us doing the happy dance. We’re thrilled to share the second installment of our home makeover featured in Do It Yourself magazine. The magazine photographed our house back in October and invited us to write a three-part series chronicling the transformation of our humble brick ranch. The series runs across their Spring, Summer, and Fall issues, and we still can’t believe we’re contributing editors for a national shelter magazine—hence the celebrating.
Where the previous issue focused on step-by-step transformations in our kitchen and living/dining room, this installment highlights the sunroom, den, laundry nook, and mudroom. We appreciated being able to show a range of spaces that reflect how a house becomes a home—practical spots like the laundry nook and mudroom, alongside the more relaxed spaces where we spend downtime. One of the photos shows us sitting in the sunroom; we were simply trying to stay out of the camera crew’s way when they captured the moment, and the candid shot ended up in the story. Bonus: Burger looks hilarious with his little arms out—like a tiny zombie—and it makes us laugh every time.
We were fortunate to have two days of great weather for the shoot, which made it easy to photograph the whole house. The crew brought a few thoughtful styling touches that made the rooms feel cozy and photo-ready. See if you can spot the small, playful prop they added to the sunroom setup—it’s a tiny detail that adds personality to the scene and shows how styling can elevate a room without changing the layout or structure.
In case you missed it earlier: a little glass dish of gummy bears on the coffee table. It’s an unexpectedly charming addition, and yes, we might have eaten most of them before the first day was over. In our defense, the crew was very generous, so we couldn’t resist sharing—or sampling—the snack while we were on set.
One aspect we especially liked about working with the magazine was the way they presented the project in stages. Labeling shots as “Stage 1” and “Stage 2” helped communicate that transformations don’t happen overnight. Each room evolved gradually: demolition, mid-project adjustments, and then the finished space. That progression is useful for readers who want to understand the timeline, the decisions made along the way, and how small changes can accumulate into a meaningful makeover.
You can also catch a behind-the-scenes moment of me with a hammer and crowbar as I tore down the half wall above the laundry center that had been hidden behind old bi-fold doors. Those demolition photos tell the story of progress—sometimes the messiest moments lead to the most rewarding results.
We have a fun little production secret to share about one of the mudroom shots. The cute ribbon shoes staged in front of our bench actually belong to Beth, the magazine’s editor, who’s pictured in the left of that photo. Likewise, the jacket on the hook was hers. The purse and scarf on the floor are ours, though, so it truly was a collaborative styling effort. It’s always a team job to bring a photo story to life, and we’re grateful for the creative input and friendly energy everyone brought to the shoot.
So that’s part two of our three-part series in one of our favorite shelter magazines—huge thanks to Beth, Cat, Erik, Piper, and the whole team for making the process so much fun. We loved shooting with you in October, and we’re excited to share the third installment in a few months. We’ll also be announcing what we’ll be writing about in future issues after our final house feature appears in print—something we’re very excited about and can’t wait to reveal. For now, stomp stomp stomp—happy feet all around.