When I started designing homes, I believed good design was all about control — a perfectly balanced palette, a tidy vignette, every pillow fluffed just so. Then I had kids. And everything — the schedule, the priorities, the floor plan — changed.

What surprised me most wasn’t how much my kids challenged my sense of order, but how much they taught me about design. They gave me a new way to see what home really means.

Here’s what I’ve learned from them.

As the holidays approach, our homes start to hum with energy — twinkle lights, gift wrap, and that familiar mix of excitement and chaos that comes with little ones counting down the days.

Prepping the playroom isn’t just about finding storage — it’s about creating space for joy, imagination, and a bit of calm amid the holiday magic.

Here’s how I approach it each season:

Let’s just say it: summer is beautiful... and also mildly unhinged.

One minute you’re lighting a citronella candle and sipping something that contains at least one sprig of mint, and the next you’re triple-booked between a wallpaper delivery, camp pick-up that “absolutely cannot be late again,” and a surprisingly intense pickleball tournament you signed up for on a whim.

Somehow, amidst it all, we’re still making beautiful spaces happen—and if that’s not a design miracle, I don’t know what is.

If you're like most families we work with, your home has to do a little bit of everything: playroom, work zone, dinner spot, cozy movie night hub, and maybe even a scooter racetrack on rainy days.

The good news? This year’s design trends are full of inspiration for creating homes that are not only stylish but truly livable for life with little ones.