One of the things we loved most about this house when we first toured it was the finished basement. I hadn’t been actively searching for one—many homes in our area don’t have basements—but in a smaller house extra square footage downstairs felt like a real bonus. Unlike some of the damp, dark basements we saw … Read more

Fall home refresh – sponsored by World Market I’m thrilled that fall is here. The air in Seattle was crisp and the leaves were already starting to change, which always puts me in the mood to refresh the house. Below are five simple, practical ways to give your home an inviting fall update that feels … Read more

image: House Beautiful Kitchen Ideas Frustrated by glossy magazine kitchens because you don’t know how to recreate the look on a budget? You can still learn a lot from styled photos without copying every expensive element. Beautiful kitchens are built from a collection of practical, affordable details that work together to create a polished look. … Read more

A new season is right around the corner. Are you ready? I love every season—fall, summer, winter, and spring—each for different reasons. Over the years I’ve learned that if I’m not intentional with plans and expectations, seasons can slip past and I’ll wonder where the time went. It’s not that I don’t enjoy or accomplish … Read more

Attitude of Gratitude Back in 2008 I shared a list our family called the 20 Little Attitudes of Gratitude — small habits we wanted to practice at home. Lately I’ve been thinking it’s a good time to revisit those ideas and share them again for anyone who might find them helpful. I reviewed the original … Read more

Happy Saturday! I’m excited to join Home Style Saturdays as a regular participant. Each Saturday I’ll share a post here on The Inspired Room that highlights an image and link to each of the participating blogs (plus one from me). It’s a cheerful, curated roundup full of fresh ideas and inspiration for your home. I … Read more

You know the feeling: you should be setting the table for dinner, but instead you suddenly imagine rearranging the furniture. That happened to me the other night. Over the years I’ve hung quite a few plate walls, usually on a whim when inspiration strikes. We’ve been shuffling things around the house a lot lately. It … Read more

Are you ready for summer gardening? The forecast for the next few days here in Washington state is full of sun, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m genuinely excited about starting a garden in our backyard. While my green thumb is still a work in progress, I think gardening will be a fun project for … Read more

Simple Holiday & Party Decor Mason Jars I know I’ve shared these jars many times before, but they deserve repeating. I recently searched “Christmas” on Pinterest and found these mason jars featured on the front page — again. These are my easy Epsom salt mason jars, a project I’ve been making for years, long before … Read more

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments, emails, and Instagram messages about my recent fireplace post. I appreciated each suggestion and the time you took to share your ideas. Today I’m sharing five fireplace makeover ideas and sources of inspiration to help you refresh a fireplace without a full remodel. How can … Read more