Whoa – it feels like an eternity since I’ve talked about decor. If you’re wondering why, I have one word for you… toddler. His ability to make messes far outpaces my ability to clean them up. Consequently, all decorating and interior projects have taken a backseat to the daily triage of keeping the house from looking like a stuffed animal bomb went off. I feel I’m always juggling things, waiting for the ball to drop.…
Ah, the bonus room… We get so excited when our homes have one. That is, until we have to decorate it. Unlike most other rooms in our homes (e.g. the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom), which have defined purposes, bonus rooms are blank canvases. And blank can be intimidating! The possibilities are endless: Home office, study space, game room, crafting area, bar, guest quarters, etc. It can really get your wheels spinning.…
Part art, part daydream, maps are powerful sources of inspiration. They help you plan, explore and learn. In fact, if it were up to my husband, they might just cover every wall in our home! We love to decorate with maps. People usually think of maps as functional tools, but we choose them for their design potential. So, let me share a few clever ways to use geography in YOUR home.…
Room inspiration can come when you least expect it. In this case, our bedroom design started with sea gulls. Yup, much to the chagrin of my husband (who calls them garbage birds)… I spotted a beautiful bird painting in the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby. Just looking at it made me happy. It was like going to the beach without leaving the store. Plus, it was just $23!…
It feels a bit odd to say my favorite room is a powder room, but there is something undeniably special about this space. In fact, plenty of visitors who leave to “use the facilities” at my parents’ lake house, wind up spending an inordinate amount of time studying the walls. This nautical powder room is beautiful, soothing and most importantly personalized.…
This week, my husband and I celebrated six years of marriage. So, I thought it might be fun to look back at our celebration—and for you dear readers—to share some of the unconventional ways we kept our wedding costs in check. These budget-friendly ideas could help you, your friends, or your family save quite a bit.
You might be wondering, what would a journalist know about weddings?
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Transitional spaces are often the “ugly ducklings” of our homes.
Hard to define and a challenge to decorate, they languish vacant and forgotten. I’ve used transitional spaces in my home to store moving boxes, surplus shoes and unused exercise equipment. There is a better way! So, what exactly is a transitional space? Quite literally, it’s an area of connection—that joins one room to the next.…
Want to see inside? Yeah, we did too!
One of my family’s favorite vacation activities is seeking decor inspiration from Parade of Homes-type tours. It is SO refreshing and energizing to see style influences from another area. In particular, we love to draw ideas from the beauty and originality of high-end homes, then translate that style into something more affordable and realistic we can use in our own rooms.…
Are you hoping to bring your dream kitchen to life, but aren’t quite ready to dive into a major renovation? The cost and time-investment for a kitchen update can be daunting. Never fear—you can get a refreshed look without a total revamp. Trust me, I’ve been there!
When we moved from Wisconsin to Indiana, we left behind a “dream kitchen” in our “forever” house.…