Home

03.21.23

Creating a Beautiful, Cozy Guest Room

After moving into our home last July, there were a lot of projects …

After moving into our home last July, there were a lot of projects to focus on. The guest room is downstairs, right off the half-bath. We ended up having to add the guest room closet to the half-bath so there would be enough space for a standard size toilet, so …

Home

03.16.23

Family Room Ideas: Furniture and Decor Updates

The transformation of this space has taken a lot longer than I thought …

The transformation of this space has taken a lot longer than I thought it would, and it’s exactly what I hoped it would be for our family. This room really feels like the heart of the home – from the cozy seating to the lighting fixtures, this is the perfect …

Home

03.11.23

How to Care for an Indoor Olive Tree

I’ve always dreamed of having an indoor olive tree but didn’t know how …

I’ve always dreamed of having an indoor olive tree but didn’t know how to make it happen. Where does one even find an olive tree? Can they even be indoor plants? I know that they need a lot of sun which Chicago doesn’t have half the year, and historically, plants …

Home

03.06.23

30+ Beautiful Wall Sconces for Every Budget

If you’re trying to improve the lighting in your home, decorative wall sconces …

If you’re trying to improve the lighting in your home, decorative wall sconces are one of my favorite ways to make a room feel complete. And as much as I don’t love overhead lighting, I do love lamps, and sconce lights are basically little wall lamps that add warmer light …

Home

02.22.23

What to Buy at the Serena and Lily Sale

Any time Serena and Lily has a big sale, I always share my …

Any time Serena and Lily has a big sale, I always share my favorites with you. The brand has been one of my favorite partners – from our bed and barstools to bedding and towels, I love weaving Serena and Lily into our home. This is an old post that …

Home

02.08.23

What to Buy at the Ballard Designs Sale

When it was time to furnish my first apartment in Chicago over a …

When it was time to furnish my first apartment in Chicago over a decade ago, I turned to Ballard Designs for a few pieces for my home. Ballard Designs has been around since the 80s and has been expanding its footprint of bricks-and-mortars stores and has launched new stores all …

Home

02.06.23

Coffee Table Decor for Every Style

I have two coffee tables to style in our new home. There’s this …

I have two coffee tables to style in our new home. There’s this one in the living room and a large striped ottoman in the family room. When it comes to coffee table decor, I really like to mix a stack of books (or two) with natural elements – woven …

Home

02.04.23

Designing A Family Room

When we purchased our new home, our family room needed some work. Unlike …

When we purchased our new home, our family room needed some work. Unlike our last home, this house has a formal living room and a dedicated family room. This is the cozy place where we’ll watch movies, and where the kids will play. Family room spaces are the best, and …

Home

01.17.23

Furniture and Decor Sources For Our New House

“Where’d you get that?” A question I am asked almost every time I …

“Where’d you get that?” A question I am asked almost every time I post a photo of my home. And since we’re working on our house, that happens quite often. And I’m here to help, but even I can’t remember the name of every source in our home, so I …

Home

12.27.22

How to Make Your House Feel Like Home

I don’t know that I’d call myself an expert on moving or making …

I don’t know that I’d call myself an expert on moving or making a house a home. But I’ve learned a thing or two in the 8 homes I’ve lived in over the 11+ years. There were my 5 (rental) apartments in Chicago, and then our Gold Coast condo. And …

Home

10.27.22

Designing a Room for a Little Girl

When designing a room for a little girl, there are a few ways …

When designing a room for a little girl, there are a few ways you could go. My 4 year-old loves all things pink and if it were up to her, she’d probably have rainbow bedding. Her last room had pink wallpaper, and when we moved into our new home, I …

Home

10.13.22

Where to Buy Gallery Wall Frames and Art

When we took down our stairway gallery wall before our move, seeing all …

When we took down our stairway gallery wall before our move, seeing all our art got me thinking about a few things. About the gallery wall hanging process, picture frames, and some of my favorite pieces of art, too. Gallery walls are a good way to fill both a large …

My Home

10.09.22

Kate’s Nursery Decor

Putting together baby’s room is always one of the most special tasks for …

Putting together baby’s room is always one of the most special tasks for first-time parents. Kate’s first nursery was simple and sweet. I would have loved to have wallpapered her last nursery but knew we wouldn’t be in the house more than a few years. We moved right around her …

Home

08.31.22

What to Buy at One Kings Lane’s Labor Day Sale

One Kings Lane is a favorite resource for furniture and decor. From sofas …

One Kings Lane is a favorite resource for furniture and decor. From sofas and chairs, outdoor furniture, designer pieces, to lighting and wall art, find furniture and decor for every room. The entire site is 25% off right now, so I spent a few hours scouring OKL for the best …

Home

08.11.22

Cuisinart Air Fryer Review

I spent at least a year rolling my eyes at everyone and their …

I spent at least a year rolling my eyes at everyone and their air fryers. I didn’t get it, and it sounded so gimmicky. Sure, it’s supposed to be the “healthier” way to warm your food and they say french fries are just so much better in an air fryer.

Home

06.20.22

Natural Fiber Rugs: The Best Sisal and Jute Rugs

Jute and sisal rugs are like a great pair of denim. They’re timeless, …

Jute and sisal rugs are like a great pair of denim. They’re timeless, have that perfect, relaxed feeling, can be dressed up or down, and go with pretty much everything. My husband thinks I want our home to look like a beach house. And he’s not entirely wrong – I’m …

Home

06.19.22

New House Q&A

How old is our new house? Are the girls sharing a room? What …

How old is our new house? Are the girls sharing a room? What are our renovation plans? I’m answering all your questions about our new house in today’s post.  New House Q&A   What year was the house built?  Can’t remember the exact year but almost 100 years ago.  What …

Home

06.18.22

Our New Home: Design Updates and Renovation Plans

I love the beauty, history, and details that come with an old home.

I love the beauty, history, and details that come with an old home. They really don’t make them like they used to, so it’s no surprise that we chose an almost 100 year-old home. But old houses also need a lot of updates and work. I’ve gotten a lot of …

Home

06.11.22

How to Arrange a Stairway Gallery Wall

This is probably the least technical “how to” post that will ever be …

This is probably the least technical “how to” post that will ever be written. But I think it might be one of the most helpful, because committing to hanging a gallery wall is the hardest part. I’m here to help those of you who like me, want to hang an …

Organization

06.10.22

Toy Organization: How to Declutter and Store Toys

When you become a parent, slowly but surely, kids’ toys begin to take …

When you become a parent, slowly but surely, kids’ toys begin to take over your home. And as much as I don’t want to be dramatic and call it one of the biggest challenges of parenthood, when you have little kids, it can feel like a lot. Pikler climbers, bounce …

Home

06.08.22

How to Design a Living Room

You’re here because you want to design a living room, and chances are …

You’re here because you want to design a living room, and chances are that you’re overwhelmed. It’s hard, especially when the room has multiple functions like ours does. Designing a space that feels warm, functional, and one that has that natural flow isn’t always easy. Our living room completely transformed …