Welcome — if you’re new to The Inspired Room or joining us for Bre’s book launch for The Gift of Home, I’m delighted you’re here. I’m excited to celebrate her book and share a little about my own home and design philosophy.
There’s a giveaway for Bre’s book and links to other bloggers sharing their homes. Comment below to enter and be sure to check the links at the end of the post before you go.
My name is Melissa. I’ve been writing about home since 2007 and over the past several years I’ve authored books on how a well-loved home supports the well-being of the people who live there. My newest book, A Lovely Life, is coming this spring. Today I’ll give a quick introduction to our home and what we’ve been up to since moving.
Creating a home has been a lifelong passion. Bre and I share a similar approach to making spaces feel warm and meaningful, which is why I’m thrilled to join in celebrating her new book. You may know Bre from her blog Rooms for Rent.
Three months ago my husband and I moved into a new house after becoming empty nesters. After an unexpected series of events while our youngest, Luke, was preparing to move out again, we found a cozy cottage on an island in the Salish Sea — our dream house in many ways.
We made an offer, put our previous home on the market, and moved through a whirlwind of decisions and real estate challenges to get here. The effort was worth it — we feel so much peace and gratitude in this new place. We still pinch ourselves daily that we live here. You can read more about the adventure of finding our home in a detailed three-part post on my blog.
To me, creating a home is a refining process — shaping a sacred and meaningful space wherever we are and in whatever season of life we find ourselves. We never waited for a perfect dream house; instead we redefined what a dream house looked like in each season and made the most of what we had. With care and intention, any home can feel like a dream home when viewed through gratitude.
Each home we’ve lived in has been a gift for that season of life. From a newlywed condo to an English Tudor fixer-upper and the 1950s house we recently left, we made choices within our budget and time to create sanctuaries that felt welcoming and personal.
I care deeply about a home and a rhythm of life that nurture family and wellbeing. Creating home is about telling your unique story, building connections and savoring everyday moments. It isn’t about achieving a magazine-perfect look — it’s about how the space makes you feel. Small, thoughtful changes — decluttering, making rooms more comfortable, slowing down to appreciate what you have — can make a big difference in how at-home you feel.
January can feel long and dreary in many places, so I decided to spend January 2022 focusing on making one room in our new house more lovely and livable. My goal was to make the room both functional and inviting. I chose our bedroom and made simple, practical updates as part of a challenge I called “A Lovely January,” inviting readers to join in.
You can read about the most recent bedroom updates on my blog. Even a few affordable changes have shifted how we feel in the space — it already feels more like home. We have other plans for the room, but small improvements are meaningful because they don’t have to wait for “someday.”
With the new year here and the holidays behind us, I’m inspired to continue making this house our own throughout 2022 and beyond. Follow along on my “My New House” posts for updates, subscribe to my newsletter for new posts and tips, and check my Instagram stories for daily happenings and behind-the-scenes glimpses.
If you feel unsure where to begin decorating, or need encouragement in your home journey, Bre’s book The Gift of Home is a lovely resource. It’s full of attainable room photos and practical advice for making your current home feel more like yours.
I’ve shared several sneak peeks of the book’s interior pages above and included links below to other participants in the blog tour so you can visit and be inspired.
Enter the GIVEAWAY at the end of this post for a chance to win a copy of The Gift of Home. You can enter on each participating blog as well.
THE GIFT OF HOME BOOK TOUR: SCHEDULE AND LINKS:
Wednesday 1/19
Melissa Michaels – The Inspired Room
KariAnne Wood – Thistlewood Farms
Claire Berard – Claire Lynn Home
Sarah Wagner – Dreaming of Homemaking
Friday 1/21
Bre Doucette – Rooms for Rent
Beth Hunter – Home Stories A to Z
Courtney Fernan – A Thoughtful Place
Lucy – Craftberry Bush
Andrea – Pine and Prospect
ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF THE GIFT OF HOME by commenting on this post and registering your entry in the Rafflecopter widget below.
Click here to order Bre’s new book, The Gift of Home
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Next on the tour is my friend KariAnne Wood of Thistlewood Farms. We met in person a few years ago and she’s just as warm and engaging as she is on her blog. We also co-wrote a book together. You’ll enjoy her beautiful home and the stories she shares — visit her blog to be inspired.