Have you heard the news? Seriously Happy Homes is going on sabbatical for two years starting August 31, 2023. Yep, after 15 years in the biz, I’m closing shop and moving to Paris with my hubby. He’s pursuing his dream of becoming a chef at Le Cordon Bleu, while I start my own new adventure. Just what is that adventure? Yes, I have a professional bill-paying plan, and l tell ya all about it in a sec. But first, let’s talk about my hubby’s cooking. It all started with Penne in Vodka sauce. If the man had a go-to seduction meal, that was it. #WhenHarryMetSally Clearly, it worked. Then came the c ..read more

You want to remodel your home, but can’t get a contractor to call you back? You’re not alone. You’re *trying* to give them your money, so why aren’t they more excited to learn more??? The short answer is that the industry is *super* busy and contractors notoriously *terrible* at helping new clients when they’re focused on completing projects in progress! Want to improve your odds of getting a call back? There is something you can do to stand out from crowd:  Have a plan!  If you’re calling contractors with a vague “I’d like to remodel my kitchen or bath” message, they’re likel ..read more

If you’re like a lot of our clients you may be wondering where designers shop for tile. This is a question we’re asked SO often we’ve decided to write a blog about it! So here we are, eager to share where *you* can shop for tile (and, of course, how we can help!). First off, YES, you can shop at a Big Box Store! Marble Hex Backsplash Tile from Lowes If you’re wondering if it’s okay to shop at places like Home Depot, Lowes, or Floor & Decor, the answer is YES! We don’t source there very often for our clients because of con #1 below, but it’s a great resource for DIYers and folks on a bud ..read more

What do you do if you want a bright, cheerful home but your house doesn’t have a lot of natural light?  Maybe it feels dark because trees or buildings block the natural light. Maybe instead of bright west and south facing windows, you have east and north-facing windows. Maybe you’re dealing with an interior or basement room with no windows. Or maybe, like us, you simply live in a place with lots of cloud cover and short winter days (hello Seattle!)  No matter the reason, if you’re reading this, you’re probably saying: “Yes! And what can I do about it?” It’s not like you can tear down ..read more

We love helping folks prepare for a renovation so that you can head into your remodel feeling confident and prepared! But… what is it *actually* like to remodel your home? That’s a tricky question to answer because every remodel is going to be different: each house has its own story and each homeowner has their own hopes. Even as the Happiness Coordinator at an Interior Design Company, *I* had a lack of awareness of what happens to the home after I send over the design plans. I see the before photos, I see the carefully crafted design files, and I see the after photos. There was a huge ga ..read more

  Planning new lighting for your bathroom remodel, and want to avoid making costly mistakes?  Staying at hotels and Airbnbs can be a great way to figure out just what you *do* (and more importantly, do *NOT*) want when it comes to planning your bathroom lighting! When my hubby and I stayed in this cozy Airbnb in Paris, we discovered a great example of what *not* to do with your bathroom lighting! – What should you think about when planning your bathroom lighting? – Overall, there are three main things to think about when it comes to planning bathroom lighting – the color of the light ..read more

With everything getting more expensive and prices everywhere going up up up, what does it mean to be a “non-luxury” designer trying to help “regular” folks get happy at home? Just 5 years ago, I would have told clients that they could complete a fully tiled bathroom remodel for $30-40,000 (and up), and nowadays I don’t feel I can say it’ll come in less than $80,000 in the Seattle area – that’s an astonishing leap up in costs! Likewise, I’d have said you could fully remodel your kitchen with stone counters and semi-custom cabinets for $80k and up, but now even “normal” kitchens regularly excee ..read more

Two questions we get asked all the time from folks about to embark on a home remodel are: “Do I need permits?” followed by “Can you help us with that?” Let’s see if we can shed some light on what you might be facing when it comes to permits, covering the nuts and bolts of whether or not you might need permits and exploring who actually submits the plans to the City and pulls the permits. Spoiler: Nope, it’s not us and it’s probably not your architect. It *might* be you, but *hopefully* it’s your contractor! Pull up a chair – this is a longer read than most of our posts but it’s full of juicy ..read more

  Have you been staring at a big, blank wall in your home, wondering how to fill it? You’re not alone! Not only is that one of the most common decorating questions we get during our Quick Action Sessions, it’s also one *we* faced when we moved into our new office space! Want to know how *we* solved our big blank wall problem? Like a LOT of our clients, we were on a budget, and we wanted to make the wall feel inviting and interesting without spending a bunch of money or time on it. Before I show you the results, let’s show you where the WHOLE room started – it was a bit of a brown dungeon ..read more

Wondering if you can convert your wood burning fireplace to a gas fireplace?  The answer is: maybe!  First, let’s clarify what you mean by “gas fireplace.” When most folks talk about installing a gas fireplace, they’re usually thinking of an “insert.” A gas insert is a self-contained metal and glass box that’s installed into your old brick or stone wood-burning fireplace. It generally uses your existing chimney to vent away the fumes that come from burning gas. They are very energy efficient and can effectively heat spaces of all sizes! On the other hand, you might be thinking of a g ..read more