In a couple of months one of my kids will no longer be a teen. Crazy, right?! So, I’m curious, when do kids age out of Easter baskets? Honestly, I don’t see myself hanging up my Easter Bunny duties any time in the near future because filling an Easter basket and stuffing a Christmas stocking are two of my most treasured mom tasks. Call me crazy, but I live to round up a bunch of little gifts for my teenagers. I mean, does anyone ever age out of liking candy and gifts?! In our house, we use the same Easter baskets every year, and these well-loved baskets are left out the night before Easter for ..read more

Over the past few months I’ve discovered some really great beauty products that have quickly become favorites! 6 New Beauty Favorites, In No Particular Order: This Versed Body Scrub is 100 percent the best body scrub I’ve ever used! It’s really more of a polish than a scrub as it’s a finer grit than a lot of other body scrubs, which I prefer. I want to buff my skin not tear it off, you know? Also, because I once had a near death experience thanks to a body scrub that left an oil slick on my shower floor, I’ve been anti-oil-based body scrubs for years. And I’m happy to report that this one is ..read more

I know for some of you this is old news as I’ve already shared this both in my newsletter and over on Instagram. But in case you missed the announcement, I’m thrilled to share that I’m writing a decorating book!!! I have dreamed of doing this for years, so to say that this is a pinch-me moment is such an understatement. Since January, I have been steadily working, and I’m almost halfway through the writing portion! It has been such a joy-filled process to have the opportunity to write about what I’m most passionate about – creating a home full of personality! My hope is for this book to serve ..read more

Well friends, we’ve reached the end of the annual New Year New Room Refresh Challenge, and I’m not quite “finished” with this bathroom makeover. However, I’ve crossed the majority of the DIY portion off my to-do list, so I’m calling this challenge a win! Phase one was all about adding molding and color to this space, and I’m in love with the impact just these two simple changes have made in here. If you remember, last week I was still waffling between painting the walls or painting the molding with this deep, rich, warm brown (Madeira Wine from the Historic Charleston Duron Collection for She ..read more

Before the first month of the new year is over, I want to share my top 5 favorite finds of 2023. No surprise, they are all home related! In no particular order…. 1. My Beautiful Slow Cooker The slow cooker we received as a wedding present 23 years ago bit sadly the dust, so I was in the market for a new one. I landed on this Beautiful slow cooker, and I can’t love it more. I’m always such a fan of form meeting function. And this beauty had me, hook, line, and sinker, with the gold details. But it was the removable lid stand, cord wrap on the back, and all the different programming options that ..read more

It’s week four of the New Year New Room Refresh Challenge, which means it’s crunch time as the challenge ends next week! Thank goodness I’m finished with the board and batten molding, but now I need to decide on a paint color. I had originally planned on going dark and moody in this bathroom vanity space. See my inspiration here. But now that I have the molding up….. …I’m not so sure I want to paint it dark. Excuse my terrible Instagram Stories mockups, but you get where I’m going, right? What are your thoughts? Should I paint the molding dark brown, as I had originally planned? I think if ..read more

It’s week 3 of the New Year New Room Refresh Challenge, and I’ve started installing the board and batten wall molding. If you’re just now tuning in, you can check out my inspiration for this bathroom makeover here and see my design mood boards here. I’m not yet done, but the board and batten in this one corner of the bathroom is already looking so good! I just love the way molding elevates a space. It always adds so much character and interest! This particular type of molding project is very beginner-friendly. I’m certainly not an expert. So trust me, if I can do this, you can too! With board ..read more

As I mentioned last week, I’m going for a moody, masculine vibe with classic details in my son’s Jack-n-Jill bathroom. However, plot twist, in the small vanity area that’s off the library I want to add a touch of femininity. I like the idea of playing up the whole Jack and Jill thing with the two separate vanity areas, giving one more of a masculine look and going a bit girly in the other. So each space will have a slightly different vibe but will be visually tied together through color. I’ll, of course, be adding some vintage finds in there as well, but are you getting the overall vision? A ..read more

Happy New Year, friends! Once again, I’m kicking off the year by joining a group of my fellow design creatives in taking on The New Year New Room Refresh Challenge. This is my fifth year participating in this challenge that was dreamed up by Stephanie at Casa Watkins Living, and it’s truly something I’ve come to look forward to doing every January. This year, I’ll be bringing you all along as I give my son’s bathroom a moody, masculine vibe. Every Tuesday, I’ll be sharing an update here on Our Fifth House, and the goal is to have a “finished” space by the end of the month. (But is any room eve ..read more

While I typically like to decorate my screen porch for Christmas before Thanksgiving, I don’t usually deck the rest of the halls in my home until I’ve had my fill of pumpkin pie. Welcome to my Christmas home, where if we’re not watching a Christmas movie, we’re listening to Christmas music, and of course, we’re doing it all in our Christmas jammies. We’ve had these velvet stockings since my children were just babes, and I still love them so much! This is the first time I’ve ever dried orange slices to use in my holiday decor, and I can guarantee it won’t be my last. They are so charming ..read more