After nearly 10 years of renting our lake house, we’ve learned that repairs rarely happen at a convenient time. From broken appliances and emergency service calls to a major exterior renovation, here’s how we handle repairs when guests are staying or already booked—while keeping communication and the guest experience at the centre of it.

When I left my legal career, I was convinced I'd finally have time to work out every day, cook healthy meals, organize my home, and do all the things I'd been putting off for years. Some of those dreams became reality—but many didn't. Here's the surprising lesson I learned about free time, habits, and why building the life you want takes more than simply having more hours in the day.

After seven years with a mostly bare kitchen table, I finally decided to style it. Here’s how I used a few simple elements—flowers, candlesticks, fresh fruit and a new chandelier—to make our everyday dining space feel warm and finished without ever feeling staged.

Can a family lake house really work as both a cherished family retreat and a successful Airbnb? After nearly ten years of welcoming guests into the place we love most, I've learned that operating a vacation rental isn't about creating a perfect property—it's about creating a home people genuinely love spending time in.

Learn how we designed our covered patio to feel like an outdoor living room. From layout and lighting to fireplace design, furniture and styling, these are the decisions that created a space our family uses almost every day.

Sometimes the hardest question isn't whether you can keep going—it's whether you still want to. A personal reflection on career change, identity, ambition and the work of figuring out what matters next.

I used to think I was bad at houseplants. It turns out I was just busy. Here's what I've learned about choosing, styling, and placing plants in a way that makes a home feel finished—not cluttered—and the surprisingly easy plants that have worked best in my own home.

Looking for coffee table styling ideas that still work for family life? Here’s how to style a coffee table that feels beautiful, functional, and finished — without sacrificing the way your room actually gets used.

What do you do all day after leaving a career? A former lawyer shares an honest look at stay-at-home life, the invisible work that fills her days, and the shift toward building a more intentional life.

Listing our lake house on both Airbnb and Vrbo has given us more visibility, more booking opportunities, and a better sense of which platform performs best for our property. Here’s my honest experience managing both platforms, avoiding double bookings and why I’d still choose to be on both.

Learn how to style a glass-front cabinet so it feels layered, intentional, and never cluttered. In this post, I’m sharing my exact process for styling a black arched cabinet in our family room — from shopping your house first and using books as styling tools to creating shelf “moments,” keeping a cohesive color palette, and knowing when to edit back.

When people think about what makes an Airbnb special, they usually think about decor, amenities, or location. But for us, the one thing that matters most happens behind the scenes — and it has shaped the guest experience at our lake house more than almost anything else.

Two years ago I finished the “bones” of our laundry room—cabinetry, layout, and function—based on a saved inspiration image. Now I’m ready to elevate it with warm paint, a backsplash and simple styling. Sharing the before photo and my warm neutral mood board, with the final reveal coming soon.

A modern backyard mood board built around a pool-first layout, clean lines, and a warm neutral palette—cream, white, natural wood, light stone and soft black accents. See the colours, textures and finishes that shaped the overall backyard design concept.

Waiting for 100% certainty? This post shares the 51% rule: decide when the factors lean slightly yes, take the next step, and let clarity follow action — a simple framework for overthinkers.

This post is about the “communication effect”—how talking consistently about your goals turns vague dreams into direction. When you name what you want and revisit it over time, you start making small, strategic choices that add up. With a home-design lens, it’s a reminder that the life you’re building is shaped the same way as a great space: vision first, then aligned decisions.

A moody den concept built around warm neutral tones, layered textures and timeless pieces. This interior mood board explores how comfort, contrast and restraint come together to create a calm, lived-in living space.

Practical lessons learned from hosting a short-term rental for nearly a decade, including how to prepare an Airbnb and/or VRBO guests love — from cleanliness and communication to thoughtful design details and everyday essentials that elevate the experience.

A reflection on stepping away from a traditional career to rethink work, creativity, and value. An exploration of building a more intentional life through design, projects, and work that evolves alongside real life.