Lifestyle journalist based in Richmond, Virginia
Top 10 Trending Christmas Decorations For 2025
In line with the maximalism boom born out of COVID times, the past few Christmas’ have pushed the boundaries with holiday decor—opulent and sophisticated looks, jewel tones with pops of pink, and tactile fabrics like velvets and silks.
This year there’s been a strong return to nostalgia, embracing a cozy vintage charm and an overall trend toward personalized and sentimental touches. Think collected ornaments and heirloom pieces to create unique and meaningful displays.
Folksy Scandinavian Christmas Is 2025’s Coziest Holiday Decorating Trend
The Scandinavians have long been a design powerhouse with their streamlined aesthetic, expertly crafted wares, and texture-rich spaces. So, it’s no surprise that during Jul — the Swedes’ Christmastime — that their seasonal decorating calls for some major attention too.
7 Nostalgic Kitchen Details That Take You Back to Grandma’s House
If you want to know the age of an older home, find the kitchen. The appliances, light fixtures, cabinetry, and countertop materials are all telltale signs of a house’s era. While as a whole an older kitchen may feel dated, as old-house lovers, we can’t help but ooh and ahh over those timeless features and charming details that take you right back to Grandma’s house.
11 Genius Ways to Hide Clutter Before Guests Arrive
There is nothing that makes you more aware of clutter than welcoming guests into your home. Sure, smart organization systems made up of pretty bins, cubbies, and baskets are all fine and good, but let’s be honest, most days not everything makes it back into its well-intended spot, leaving you with piles of stuff here and there throughout your home.
The surprising secret to hiding all this clutter with ease? Furnishing your home with things that do double-duty as both pretty décor and convenie...
How a ‘closing shift' routine can bring peace to your home
How to shut down your kitchen at the end of the day
Closet cleanout: How to get your kids organized for fall | NBC4 Washington
How do you keep kids’ clothes from piling up and stop yourself from spending too much money on more stuff? Writer and mom of three Marissa Hermanson shares tips with News4’s Erika Gonzalez.
A 20-minute ‘closing shift’ gets you more than a clean kitchen
Reframing how you think of a quick tidying up before bed might make you actually do it.
How to deal with that never-ending pile of kids’ clothes
Buying, organizing, storing, disposing — it’s relentless, but these tips can make life with your children’s clothing a little easier.
The Low-Effort Wild Rice Salad Everyone Wants at Minnesota Potlucks
As the daughter of a Minnesotan and Michigander, I was raised on wild rice. For one, the long-grain marsh grass (not technically a rice) is a Midwestern staple, originally harvested by Native Americans from streams, creeks, and shallow lakes in the region, and plays a central role in regional cuisine.
Even With High Gas Prices, the Open Road Still Beckons
Itineraries may change, and less money may be spent on food and lodgings, but road trips historically haven’t been stopped by the price at the pump.
8 Places to Visit Along Virginia’s Blue Ridge Parkway
With an autumnal ombré and cooler temperatures, fall is prime time for journeying along this Appalachian Mountain roadway.
A Couple Build a Cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains for $150K—Without Borrowing a Cent
To avoid taking on a loan, Remo Kommnick and Emi Moore rolled up their sleeves and DIYed as much as they could.
Want to break up with your gas fireplace? Here’s how to convert it.
For homeowners who enjoy the simplicity of pushing a button to create instant, cozy ambiance, gas fireplaces have long been the obvious choice. But amid growing pressure to ban natural gas in homes, preferences are changing.
How to renovate your kitchen on a budget, from $1,000 to $15,000
When my husband and I bought our house in Richmond, we knew we’d need to renovate the kitchen. The laminate countertops, off-white cabinets, 1990s appliances and dim lighting made the space feel dark and dirty. I envisioned gutting it and adding square footage. Then I got a harsh dose of reality from a contractor. My plan, he said, would cost $88,000 and take two months.
Okay, so we’d live with the layout. After some more research, I opted to have the cabinets professionally spr...
How to tame a monstera that’s growing like crazy
It is among the most popular houseplants, but this fast-growing philodendron can become a bit, well, monstrous