2025 was a wonderful year for our family and our home. Below is a round-up of the highlights from the year.
After downsizing and moving to a new area four years ago, followed by a renovation, it took time to regain creative, physical and mental energy — not to mention recovering financially. Those big transitions can be exhausting, and for us they required patience and a slow return to normalcy.
In 2025 we finally felt like we had rounded a corner. The chaos of the move and renovation was largely behind us. I’ve noticed it usually takes us about six years to feel fully settled in a new house and to shape it into a true reflection of who we are — so starting year five and still having projects ahead feels about right. This is the longest we’ve lived in one home, and while we don’t plan to move in the next couple of years, it’s comforting to know we’re investing in what feels like our forever home for now.
This year we focused on smaller, meaningful changes — practical updates to make everyday spaces more efficient and decorative touches to make the house feel even more like ours.
In the fall we turned our attention to the second floor and started planning practical and pretty improvements. Before year-end we began painting and refreshing our bedroom; I shared an initial peek on The Inspired Room just before Christmas.
On a personal note, 2025 was full of joy with our now nearly 19‑month‑old puppy Finnegan, our senior pup Lily, and our two toddler grand littles. Their laughter and playful chaos filled the home with many special moments — the heart of what creating a home is about.
Below is a collection of posts and projects from The Inspired Room in 2025. I hope you enjoy this roundup of updates, inspiration and favorites from the year.
If you want to join me in creating an intentional home that reflects you in 2026, you’re invited to Wintering for HomeBodies, a virtual retreat in The HomeBody House. We’ll set Winter Home Goals on January 7th and start the Room Recipe Guided Decorating Workshop on January 14th. Everything is recorded so you can participate at your own pace.
My phrase for 2025 was “a place for everything,” and it guided many small but impactful changes. I made progress throughout the house and maintained most of the new systems, though a few spots still need tweaking — which I plan to address in 2026.
Inspired by that mantra, I shared several organizing and decorating projects on the blog, including organizing under the kitchen sink, solutions for hiding power strips and cords, a coffee cabinet makeover, closet organization for family photos and mementos, decorating with baskets, an organized flatware drawer, and more. I also curated inspiring rooms and ideas in my Sunday Strolls & Scrolls posts, such as inspiring bathrooms, charming home exteriors, simple spring rooms, cottage mudrooms and entries, and cozy cottage kitchens.
We completed many smaller updates at our house and at our daughter’s homes, partnered with lovely brands on styling projects, and created resources, ebooks and workshops to help others love their homes more.
Highlights I shared on The Inspired Room in 2025:
Our Tiny Mudroom (Pantry + Dog Feeding Station) Makeover
Little Updates Around My House in January (faux greenery for the porch, fresh bedding and more)
A living room refresh — I even gave away my sofa and introduced a new layout
Our cozy bed nook under the eaves in the snug
Cottage by the Sea Style: 5 Ways to Design a Coastal Sanctuary
My new striped couch arrived — my honest thoughts and a review
I began a Dreambook project and created seasonal dreambooks for inspiration
An entry refresh and a new front door color
Celebrated grandson Forrest’s first birthday with party details and a baby‑friendly smash cake recipe
Shared favorite realistic faux tulips and faux hydrangeas
14 Pretty Decorating Ideas to Use During Sales
The Tale of Finnegan and the Floral Rug Calamity, plus a dining room get-the-look feature
Favorite housecleaning tips and tools (including how we removed paint from a new rug)
Pillow pairings and pattern mixing tips for cottage style
Antique and secondhand finds, like vintage blue-and-white platters and antique wood nightstands
A how‑to on hanging plates on the wall
Five outdoor spring projects we worked on in 2025
Five ways we’ve created a bedroom sanctuary — where we started and where we are now
Encouragement to make your home your own and simple ways to romanticize life at home
Introduced The Lake House and shared Forrest’s new toddler bedroom
Nancy Meyers coastal cottage style: 8 ways to get the look
Why your home doesn’t need to be perfect to feel peaceful
A tour of my granddaughter Lila’s nursery
New outdoor lamps we love (we use them indoors, too)
A 400‑square‑foot tiny cottage in summer with tips for maximizing small spaces
Our tiny deck refresh and five tips to create a vacation‑style spot at home
The four‑year decorating evolution of our living room — encouragement for slow decorating
Our coastal cottage living room makeover reveal (we’ve since rearranged the furniture)
Simple joy of puttering around the summer kitchen
New polywood outdoor furniture for comfortable porch sitting
Coastal cottage Amazon finds and mood boards
A quiet September morning at home and the launch of a Cottage by the Sea decor shop
Fall home updates and moments around the house
A 5‑minute morning habit for a calmer, happier day
Found a pretty bamboo tabletop easel I’d been wanting for displaying art
Coastal cottage finds, a quiet morning, and a new decor shop offering curated pieces
Fall and holiday posts including Christmas decorating with ribbons, bedroom paint color indecision (we chose stripes), cozy fall kitchen recipes, and tips for making your home feel like a Christmas movie.
We also updated a kitchen resource with a FAQ: My Coastal Cottage Kitchen Sources: Details and FAQ.
Seasonal recipes included a gingerbread loaf inspired by Starbucks with sugared cranberries and rosemary garnish.
Our annual gift guides returned, featuring thoughtful Etsy finds and curated gift ideas for the year.
Holiday content included our Christmas chandelier and simple winter table styling, holiday prep for hosting, favorite coffee and espresso supplies, and step‑by‑step garland hanging for stove hoods, mantels and staircases.
I also shared floral and greenery ideas for our coastal cottage Christmas mantel, favorite faux Christmas trees we love, and reader‑favorite gift and home decor finds.
A sneak peek of our striped coastal cottage bedroom decorated for Christmas and a full Coastal Cottage Christmas Tour (including the Tiny Cottage) were among the year’s favorites, plus a Christmas home tour video.
If you’d like to join the Wintering for HomeBodies retreat and decorating workshop, you’re invited to participate in the virtual event and workshops designed to help you create an intentional, cozy home.
For a limited time I offered 50% off the Winter Dreambook through the end of the year for those wanting a seasonal guide to inspiration and decorating.
Thank you for reading this 2025 roundup. I’m looking forward to continuing the journey of making our home a peaceful, functional and beautiful place in 2026.