Somehow, while being deeply involved with house plans, custom homes, and major/minor modifications, my partner and I decided buying an old family home and managing our remodel was the right choice for our first forays into homeownership. I can say it is a far greater task (and stress and expense) than either of us were prepared for.  This home has been in his family since the 60s. Handcrafted to a very specific vision of what his great-grandparents needed to support a large family. Every li

In light of how…exciting 2020 has been, we all could use a break to focus on something more lighthearted, wholesome, and safely uncontroversial. After spending these last few months constantly assaulted by rotating news stories, medical tragedies, and celebrity gossip, all I really want is to find a bit of peace and solace. If not readily available, I aim to make our home a port in the storm! Even a thundercloud has a silver lining, right? When thinking of quiet civility, our European fri

Life is messy, generally speaking. With all your responsibilities, your hobbies, your children (furry or otherwise) requiring love, attention, and dedication. Maybe everyone else has their lives put together in a reasonable, logical fashion. Not in my house! Our constant on-the-go lifestyle has turned our garage and mudroom into a catch-all of school items, dog leashes, pantry items, and seasonal clothings. It’s a disaster zone. We could have an entire wing of our home dedicated to storage spac

With the weather warming and swimsuit season looming, we are all thinking about when we can rush off to the beach or lake! Stunningly hot afternoons punctuated with lazy relief cooling in the water and soothing sunburns on your vacation home covered porch. Who else is ready life to resemble something a little more normal? I’ve got a craving for sandy toes and tan lines! There are a few months yet until anyone can safely capitalize on these warm and sunny days. For empty-nesters, growing families

The Aspen Retreat house plan is designed by award-winning designer Michael E. Nelson. Aspen Retreat is a rustic craftsman bungalow style house plan with 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths. With 3,698 square feet of living space, this pleasantly inviting home plan emphasizes togetherness and entertainment. From the vaulted ceilings in the Great Room to the angled rear covered porch to the expansive Media Room, Aspen Retreat brings modern-day to the rustic, mountain-inspired craftsman home! It’s All I

We spend so much of our time focusing on the walls, the flooring, the very expensive (but wildly charming) crown molding all to improve and personalize our home. Far too often, the ceiling is left simple. Now, there is nothing wrong with simplicity. But choosing an alternative to the conventional ceiling is an amazing way to redefine your home! Opting for a specific ceiling type can emphasize your open floor plan or add depth to a Master Suite. I've gathered a list of unique ceiling alternatives

Like most of the country right now, we’re all spending a fair portion of our life at home. Some of us are still working from home and the paperwork stacking up is highlighting how difficult working off the kitchen table can be. Some of us are trying to keep busy with housework and truly regret not adding extra shelving and storage space, I mean, honestly, where does all this stuff go? Others yet are managing both tasks with a small entourage of youths squeaking hungry demands every 20 minutes (H

FAKRO Focusing on providing environmentally conscious skylights, roof windows, and attic ladders, FAKRO is one of our exclusive partners for builders and homeowners. We’ll be taking an in-depth look at the wide range of products FAKRO offers! One of my favorite things about FAKRO roof windows and skylights is how they never fail to create unique and innovative ways to incorporate natural lighting in your home. You can see (pun aside) the dedication to quality materials and ease of use on the co

It’s been nothing but wet and gray for weeks here. Not only is this the first sunny day in a hot minute; it’s also warming up to a toasty 80 degrees. I know we are still social distancing and isolating. If you’re looking for a good excuse to sit outside or keep busy, now is the time to plan your outdoor cleaning! Yeah, I get spring cleaning and outdoor chores aren’t the way we planned to kick off the changing season. But there is a certain satisfaction to working with your hands and knowing your

Homeschool In Your New Home COVID-19 has everyone wary of big gatherings. We are all practicing social distancing, refreshing our hand-washing technique, and staying home as often as possible. If you are feeling a little stir-crazy or have little ones roaming about the home, I’ve gathered some sanity-saving ideas, as well as free programs and activities to keep everyone entertained and healthy. Keep A Routine I know it is difficult to find interesting activities and plan for fun days when the m

My neck of the woods didn’t get a true winter this year. It was soggy and dreary, that’s for sure! Now that spring is starting to show, we all are chomping at the bit to get outdoors again. Fresh air, sunshine, and flowers blooming begging our attention outdoors. Unfortunately, we don’t always like what we see when we do finally get outside. Luckily, you’ve chosen a Nelson Design Group house plan to stand out from the cookie-cutter homes in your neighborhood. How do you create a lawn to match?

Cozy Without The Clutter It can be a puzzle figuring out how to display all your necessities alongside your knick-knacks in a home with a smaller square footage. That’s no reason to put your favorite heirloom pieces in storage! Selecting the right organization bins and utilizing your vertical space creates a cozy, intimate home without making you feel lost in the clutter. It’s 2020, baby! We’ve got dual-purpose items to save space without sacrificing your look. Take a look at some of these space

The weather is warming and it’s time to start thinking about your spring cleaning. While you take stock of belongings to go in the yard sale, now is the best time to plan your home’s necessary updates. Taking time to review home improvements preserves the longevity of your home and helps protect against costly emergency repairs. We’ve put together some eco-friendly home improvement ideas when building or remodeling your home. Start Small with Energy Efficiency Living sustainably and eco-friendl

We all know minimalist design is a classic choice for a contemporary modern home. What if that isn’t quite your style? Yes, minimalist is a very cool, nonchalant, unmaterialistic approach to declutter your space (and ideally your life). But how do you cut down to only the key pieces? Boy, do I have a treat for you. There exists an underrated design style called maximalism fully focused on adding more, more, more! These are my favorite No Rules Allowed starter tips to maximize your design fun. Ok