In reality, we don’t all live in a perfect little cottage, deep in the woods. But we can easily transform the inside of our own abodes, making home feel more like a cottage (without any renovations).

Floating shelves in the kitchen are commonplace nowadays, but making a decision to add them to the kitchen isn’t always straightforward. The main questions are always “what size”, “what location”, “what purpose”, and “what finish”.

It comes down to choosing items that matter to you. Think of a mantel as a display case, they are usually central to a room

But fall, it’s near perfect. With the earlier sunsets the days cool off quicker, the bugs disappear, and the season that’s symbolic for gathering together is just that, a time to come together. (Even if that means sitting on your front porch with your spouse and babies.)

Summer is here, and most of us have been spending time with family and friends outdoors; we all must embrace the good weather while it lasts!

Not all energy efficient features have to bring down the decorative morale of a home, and some features can beautifully improve a home's decor. 

Anything you do to improve your home should also improve or add to your life. Life is too short to be improving things simply for the monetary reward, especially if it's the place you actually call home.

A garden is never finished, it's always a work in progress. But, with a little bit of work each day during the growing seasons, you'll have a beautiful garden, whether than be a flower garden or a vegetable garden.

Most people that buy land, and build on their own, will tell you that it was a long and crazy process. Is this something that you're willing to endure and put your family through? It just depends right?

In fact, our children can learn more about their parents by sharing time in front of the television, together.

Oftentimes we think that our children don't feel the weight of a move. Especially with little tiny kids and babies, ignorance is bliss right, but is it really? If mom and dad are under stress, so are the little ones, and this can't be taken lightly. While moves happen sometimes without expectation, and sometimes they're abrupt, there are things we can do to mitigate the emotional strain that weighs on our children.

Here are a few of the most inspiring spaces that I have been looking at lately:

Perhaps the extra trips to the gym aren't benefiting us if we're not sleeping enough. 

Just today I was able to go out into the garden and cut flowers for our dining table (photo above). It's comfort to my soul to be able to grow flowers for our own home.

There are many ways to make the best use of smaller spaces.

Even the brightest and cleanest homes have hidden health risks that should probably be eliminated. 

Establishing the tradition of having a "family night" is what matters more than what actually takes place. Make it exciting by honoring this time together, creating a sacred space for your own family to connect. 

Lately, floating shelves in the kitchen have become quite the trend, and they do look beautiful. In fact, they're one of our best selling products. We've even added them to our kitchen, and are realizing how much is involved once the shelves are installed. 

It may sound dramatic, but essential oils can help. Not only will diffusing lavender in your home relax you, it can also save your health, and help your budget. 

Imagine for a minute, you're on the open road, sharing life with the people you love, listening to Bon Iver, and watching the sun rest behind the the pines. It's beautiful, it's glorious, and you feel a warmth that you can't describe. 

If you're in a climate that allows for a desert landscape, it's worth considering. Desertscapes are low maintenance and beautifully simple. 

Regardless, colonial style points to more than the politics, and defines the homes of an era, perhaps more specifically than most decor styles. 

Homes resonate who we are as human beings; our unique freckles, our unique piles of books, the freckles accumulate over the years, as do the books. 

Our homes, regardless of how they are, will infiltrate our senses. The taste, the smell, the sound, the feel, and the sight. 

On the other side, home ownership comes with great responsibilities, which can be mostly annoying. I would much rather buy new linens that spend the money on rain gutters.

It's always a wonderful feeling to pull up to your home and love what you see, it's the best way to welcome yourself home on any ordinary day. 

Taking preventative action against water damage is probably the most important part of home ownership.

There are no rules when it comes to home decor, and the more your home is a true representation of your own style and comfort, the more of a "home" it truly is.

Creating your own beautiful flower garden can happen, and with very little maintenance.