Sherry, Clara, Burger and I took our home-improvement skills on the road this past weekend to help family members in Northern Virginia who had recently moved. There must be something in the water—several moves happened around the same time. First stop was my little sister Carrie’s new apartment. We didn’t take any photos while working, but here’s a picture she later sent of herself and her boyfriend Robert, who helped out during the project.
Carrie rented this place last month. We’d helped with earlier apartments in Philadelphia and Northern Virginia, and for her most recent move she asked for help painting as an early birthday gift. Sherry and I wrapped up a painting stick with a can opener as her official present: redeemable for one gallon of zero-VOC paint and painting labor, with the option to exchange it for a Starbucks card if she changed her mind. Thankfully she didn’t, and we were on our way to transform the bedroom.
Carrie wanted a warm, neutral color—something taupe with a touch of gray to complement the curtains she already owned. We chose Benjamin Moore’s Ashen Tan, color-matched to zero-VOC Olympic Premium paint so the air would stay clean for everyone, especially with the baby present. Ashen Tan would warm up the plain white room without feeling too dark, creating a soothing, classic backdrop that’s easy to style.
On Saturday morning Robert and I rolled paint while Sherry cut in and took turns watching the baby. The two coats the room needed took only about two hours to apply, which was almost less than the time it took to drive to Lowe’s and back in rainy traffic. By Sunday, once the paint had dried, we returned to help Carrie move furniture back in and stage the space. The warmer walls immediately made the room feel more inviting and lived-in.
Carrie still has artwork, pictures and curtains to hang, and she plans to swap out some of the Ikea furniture for more unique pieces over time. Even so, the room already looks comfortable and intentional. Small changes on the walls can take a rental from sterile to cozy, and Carrie’s accessories—throws, pillows and colorful accents—bring pops of personality that work beautifully with the muted walls. Sherry couldn’t resist fluffing everything into place before we took the after photos.
Carrie’s cat Duncan seemed to approve of the cozier vibe, though he didn’t enjoy being kept in the bathroom while we worked because he was determined to inspect every paint can and tray. Burger was content to nap in his travel crate during the commotion.
One of my favorite moments was a candid shot I took of Sherry adjusting a side table. I teased that I was “white balancing,” but snapped the picture because I loved the casual, real moment. Sherry’s response was classic: “Oh, why not—keep it real.”
Carrie also plans to paint the living room, but the apartment layout kept us from tackling two rooms at once. During paint selection we helped her pick a cheerful, artichoke-green tone for that space. While Robert and I rolled paint, the ladies—Sherry, Carrie and Clara—narrowed down options and settled on a shade called Fennel Splash by Valspar. Clara, our little helper, was particularly interested in the color swatches and took the task very seriously.
After finishing up at Carrie’s, we drove about 15 minutes to my cousin Travis and his wife Cat’s new house. They and their daughter Elsa moved last month and are expecting baby number two any day. Their new home already looks charming—their yellow-and-gray bedding and a bright rug give it a cheerful, modern feel. Sherry even helped Cat hang a gallery of frames in a spare room, proving once again that she’s happy to wield a hammer for friends and family.
Since this was likely our last visit before they become a family of four, Sherry brought a homemade baby book for the expected arrival. She used the same simple format she created for Clara’s book: colorful scrapbook paper slipped into sleeved photo pages with printed labels for milestones, trends, and predictions about the baby. Because the gender is still unknown, the book was designed to work for either a boy or a girl, with placeholders like footprint cutouts that will be replaced with real prints after the baby arrives.
The weekend was full of painting, hanging frames, visiting, eating, watching the kids and playing board games. One of the sweetest moments came when Elsa snuggled Clara and Clara nuzzled her right back—an instant of pure affection I was lucky to capture on camera. That snapshot felt like the highlight of the trip.
We wrapped up the weekend with a lively game of Apples to Apples. We experimented with a quirky variation: each round we added a random extra card for the judge to consider, calling the phantom player “The Computer.” The random choices often won over the carefully picked cards, creating a playful everyone-versus-The-Computer rivalry and some memorable surprises. It was the perfect low-key way to unwind after a busy but rewarding weekend of helping family settle into new homes.