Merry Christmas and FAQ’s

Hey everyone. Sorry I missed the Friday Feels last week, we had a snow storm roll through Thursday and Friday and my kids had a snow day! Which means we did nothing but play outside, drink hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies. I always love the first snow day of the year…the 8th or 9th in a row, not so much. Crossing my fingers we don’t get to that “stir crazy/send wine” point again this year.

I just wanted to pop in today to wish you all a Merry Christmas from my family. I wasn’t on top of it this year for a whole family Christmas card, but I did manage to grab a couple shots of my goofballs, so here is our Christmas card this year.

I went sweet for the front.

Christmas card with smiling kids

And the back, especially the top right photo, captures how we really feel about trying to take photos ;)

Christmas card with smiling kids

Also, I know some of you look forward to my mom’s dog card every year, so here is her pup’s chilling on the beach. They are enjoying the perks of retirement in Florida too ha!

Christmas card with small dogs

I’ll probably take the next week off while my kids are home on break, and I’m guessing you will all be busy enjoying the holidays too! Let’s chat about the New Year a minute – in January I’m hoping to do some posts about the building process and more details on our house along with all of the frequently asked questions I get. There seems to be a lot of you building or remodeling, who have questions about paint colors, sheen, moulding size, board and batten, the building process etc…etc… and I’m hoping to answer them all!

So, here’s your chance to help me out – if you have any questions for me about whatever – home decor, building, family, food, style – anything! Drop them in the comments below. I will be collecting them all and trying to answer them in a series of January posts.

A few blog posts you can definitely plan on in the year ahead – I will be tackling my daughter’s bedroom and I’m going to take you along on the design process. Send me some good vibes guys (or again wine), my sweet 9 year old has been changing her opinion daily on the design and we are going in circles. I have now brought home 6 different rugs that we have decided against and gained a few gray hairs in the process…but we are having fun figuring it out, mostly ;) Somehow we went from aqua boho to beachy and black and white themed? This is the design board I showed you – and now I’m trying to work in black and white too?!

Girl bedroom mood board

I’m trying to roll with it, because when I was a kid, my mom let me choose candy apple red walls for my bedroom and then I painted yellow sunflowers on the wall…I should have seen a DIY blog in my future based on that genius design. I want my daughter to have the same sense of ownership of her room and love it just as much as I did when I was younger. Albeit my mom didn’t need to share that horror show of a room with the entire internet, but I feel pretty confident we will work it all out!

I’ll also be sharing our basement, bar area and my parent’s newly renovated house in Florida. If you have suggestions of what else you’d like to see let me know that too!

I’m wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and blessings to you all in the new year!

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34 Comments

  2. I thought of a few questions! :) 1. How wide and deep is your living room fireplace? 2. What is the total width and height of the built-ins on either side of the fireplace? I love that you already shared the details of the inside of TV cabinet! 3. How did you figure out how much space to plan around things? Like how much space between your island and your pantry wall, between the sectional and your window walls, between your bed and the windows, etc. I love how spacious your home looks, and I’m trying to create that feeling in our new house without just going crazy with the overall square footage (I want to put the space where it will make an impact, and cut corners where it won’t). :) Thanks!

  4. Your blog is my favorite and so very helpful! Love your style on everything!

    Maybe you might find some black/white inspiration for your girls room here-
    https://www.pbteen.com/shop/specialty-shops/emily-meritt-collection/

    Im really interested in knowing the details on your window sizes, window trim, and especially the board and batten size/spacing. Any treatments to share with the builder that make a home look more cottage without going overboard. I think you mentioned what you did was cost effective and that super appealing!!

    Happy Holidays!!

  5. Eek!! I’m so excited that you’re going to be sharing about the building process and answering FAQs! YAY!! :) Of course, I can’t think of any great questions right now…Other than can you send my your blueprints, because your house is my most favorite house ever, except I need the basement to be a 2nd story on top, okay? ;)

  6. Merry Christmas Kelly! You blog is my number one favorite…I love getting a coffee and checking emails every morning and especially happy when I see you have posted! We are Michiganders who have been living in New York for 5 years and are finally moving back! My son graduated college in Grand Rapids, but we will live a few hours east. We are starting the process of building a house on a lake and I would love any information you can provide about that process. Your home is simply stunning! I welcome any information you can provide, like teaching a first-grader to read! Merry Christmas!

  7. Hi! I’ve loved following along on your building journey. It’s been so inspirational! It’s been a dream of mine to build a house rather than take a house that doesn’t suit my family (ex: formal living spaces that wouldn’t get used, nonfunctional layout). I feel like it would be amazing to build a home perfect for the needs of my family where every square inch is used all the time. I’m going to start calling builders after the holidays to see if building a home is a possibility or if it is too expensive. My questions for you are (1) what types of questions did you ask when finding your builder? And (2) when you call builders, do you show them a floor plan and they’ll give you an estimate of how much it will cost to build? Thank you! Merry Christmas!

  8. Merry Christmas to you and your lovely family! I have really enjoyed your blog and love the local recommendations you sprinkle in… we live in Grand Rapids! We are starting to think about a big kitchen renovation – taking out a wall and reconfiguring everything – but as we’ve never undertaken a project like this, we’re lost as to where to begin. A post about which professionals you need for which jobs would be awesome (when do you need an architect? a designer? a builder? etc). And any recommendations for local building or redesign professionals would be wonderful as well!

  10. Merry Christmas from a fellow “Michigander”. :)
    Two questions! 1) We are in the process of the design phase on or new build! I *love* your idea of building a ranch and using the basement for your kids bedrooms (no upstairs). To me, this is *cost effective* and a wise way to utilize sqfootage / not waste space! However, I am worried this is bad for resale. Do you have any regrets about this choice? We will also have a full walkout / daylight so it won’t feel like a basement. 2) Is there anything you wish you had done differently? Thanks!

  11. Hello Kelly! Merry Christmas to you and yours :) I would LOVE a little of that snow sent down to Ohio.. All of ours melted this week… I love love love a WHITE Christmas!

    A few potential future blog posts that I would like to see :)
    I would like to know what materials you used, dimensions, etc… on your board and batten.

    I would also like your opinion on “nailing down” your style. Though I LOVE the BLUE coastal cottage style of your home.. I’m smack in the middle of farm country and feel that it just doesn’t go. I DON’T love full- on over the top country… but I am loving the black and white- more modern style farmhouse with a slightly coastal feel… Does this sound logical?…LOL. How do I pull it all together?

    Thank you for sharing your home with us and have a blessed, Happy New Year-
    Toni C.

  13. One of my sons, also a blondie, has the same vest! Beautiful children! Merry Christmas & A Very Happy/Healthy New Year to you & your family!

  14. Can’t wait! You are one of the few remaining bloggers that actually blogs about design and decor instead of tons of shopping posts and rstyle links. I love your style and your new home is just beautiful!

    Have a Merry Christmas!

  16. Your kids are so cute! Love your blog and look forward to the Q&A’s. Merry Christmas from your neighbor across Lake Michigan!

  17. Your children are adorable…A Merry Michigan Christmas to you all from down here in GA…we actually got a good bit of snow about a week ago and it felt like I was back home in MI…fun! Stay warm!

  18. Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family! I so miss those kids Christmas cards I sent out every year, it’s not the same when they’re 26, 23 and 20 yo. :) The last few years I haven’t even sent cards….not good!

    I love how you are letting your daughter pick her own room designs! Can’t wait to see the finished room.

    And I went to Flowerland and bought some Christmas décor, thanks for sharing your idea for Christmas décor from Flowerland. I was loving all the fun things to chose from.

    Dawn

  19. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Your children are adorable.
    I don’t have any questions, but I do love your style and enjoy your blog.
    Enjoy the time with your kiddos.

  20. I love your blog and your style. Thank you for the inspiration. I would love for you to give some pointers on ways to incorporate farmhouse/cottage design on a budget. Your new home would be my dream! In particular, some hardwood flooring look options when you can’t afford hardwood, built in ideas, etc. Thanks for the last years posts, you have a beautiful home!

  21. Beautiful kids! Your mom’s dogs are adorable.

    The design board for your daughter’s room is fabulous! The bedding she chose is darling and offers tons of color possibilities. I bet there are some sparkly pillows/lamps/accessories in her future! I know you two will make sweet memories pulling it all together and it will, no doubt, be gorgeous!

    Merry Christmas and many blessings in the New Year!

  22. Merry Christmas, thanks for all your inspiration and ideas this year. My only question would be what business is your husband in that you can afford all this ;) ? Just kidding, none of our business. Wishing you and your beautiful family a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2018.

  23. …Those blue eyes on those beautiful children!!! And I love your mom’s card as well. I’m a recent reader of your blog, but LOVE your style, and look forward to whatever you’re going to post in 2018. Happy Holidays!!

  24. AAAAHH we are re-doing my 10-year-old daughter’s room this summer. She was 5 when we moved in and have made NO changes, so she has definitely outgrown it. Coming up with the wall color has been the biggest challenge. Will be paying close attention to your project!

  27. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

    We have a summer home in Glenn Michigan (The Pancake Town….just south of Saugatuck) and I want to redo one of the bedroom walls with a battan board look and do not have room for boards. I have seen wallpaper that would give me the same look and would like your opinion. Pros…cons?

    Thanks so much and stay warm!

  28. Your kids are beautiful! What a sweet family! Merry Christmas to you all. I do love your design style! This year we are going to be sprucing up our home so we can sell and move to the Panhandle of Florida! So excited! I have lots of questions, but I thought this one would help me the most right now anyway: Our master bath is small and we only have a small budget to redo the flooring, new vanity, sink, toilet, tub, and tile. I have done the floor in our bedroom a woodlook ceramic tile. But in our bathroom, it is the cheapest white square tiles. I still have the wood look ceramic tile, but I want a lighter color. Is it a poor decision to not continue the floor and choose a lighter color? If I had the money I would redo the whole floor. We might be doing our hallway, living room, and kitchen tile too. Its a ghastly large white tile with grey flecks that ALWAYS looks dirty. I know we are selling it and I have read that you shouldn’t go overboard because people will change it to their taste too. But it is just so bad. Anyway, thanks so much for any advice!

  29. Do not, repeat do NOT buy a full bed set. Buy just shams and a neutral spread. It’s so much better looking and so much easier to change out of the changes her little design mind often.

    Also, as a designer, you will understand that neutral does not mean beige. It can be any color, but to me is the the softest color in the palette.

    Another idea is to buy one comforter and two sets of shams and pillows…

    As for paint, again go with a neutral background and then buy wallpaper…go to Michael’s or someplace and buy as many big poster frames as you need and hang the paper on the wall that way. This is fun, easy and you can pretty much go nuts with pattern without breaking the bank.

    Decorating with kids is challenging…I suggest teaching her to use a design board as well.

  31. How do you make a cool looking open concept room with only east light warm and inviting??? I need a paint color to do that but finding that some/more than not turn yellow or a muddy brown???
    Any advise would be appreciated.
    thank you
    dee

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