Soul Keeping Lessons from a DIY Renovator (Hello Lovely)

Well friends, today is the day!

I've got my welcome mat out, my Dutch door is wide open and my special guest has arrived!!

If you don't already know Michele Ranard from Hello Lovely you are in for such a treat. Besides being an accomplished DIY renovator (two houses in two years) she is a prolific writer and artist who somehow finds time to maintain a gorgeous design blog.

And yet, what makes Michele stand out from the crowd --in my mind--is when she weaves her unique wisdom and serenity into her topics the way she did in this post.  

If you've ever been part of a long-awaited home renovation or a simple, blood-and-sweat DIY project you'll want to read Michele's reflections on her own experience.

Reading Michele's post made me stop and realize how our home projects--with all the sacrifices and stress and delays along with way---can be 'gifts' that help us grow into a better person. 

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I did! 

--Leslie

My Kitchen - Hello Lovely Studio

What a treat to be a guest of Gwen Moss today!

I'm Michele of Hello Lovely, and like you,

I admire Leslie's design style and

lovely heart which has been inspiring

mine for years now.

Home for me is in Northern Illinois, and

while I have always been a summer girl.

in the second half of life, I have

fallen in love with the unfolding 

beauty of autumn.

Fall brings:

fresh apples from the orchard,

crisps and cobblers bubbling over in the oven,

shopping for vintage at fleamarkets,

and hiking outdoors where the

changing colors delight.

This is the first fall in our home

where we're not swamped with

DIY whole house renovation,

and it's a great time to reflect

on how downsizing and renovating

has deepened us in profound ways.

Hello Lovely Studio

The kitchen needed to be completely

gutted, and the reno process brought

disappointments...for example,

learning we wouldn't be able

to lose a wall to create a more

spacious hub for our family to gather.

The gift that emerged instead?

Cozy intimacy.

 Rubbing shoulders with

people you love is not the worst

compromise one must make.

My Kitchen - Hello Lovely Studio

My  Living Room - Hello Lovely Studio

I was not a huge fan of the fan windows

we inherited with this fixer upper,

yet when a blog reader called them

"church-like," I changed my tune.

Slight shifts in perception

can pack a huge punch. 

Church-like is perfect for someone

who longs for her place to feel prayerful.

My Courtyard - Hello Lovely Studio

Weeds and dead shrubbery had overtaken

the front entry area, and the remedy?

Subtraction and creativity.

With a limited budget, we simply erased

all but one plant, and brought

in boxwood and pea gravel for an

airy French-inspired courtyard.

Letting go is also good for the soul.

My Home - Hello Lovely Studio

My Courtyard - Hello Lovely Studio

My Courtyard - Hello Lovely Studio

A few more peeks inside...

My Studio - Hello Lovely Studio

My Studio - Hello Lovely Studio

What's inspiring you this fall?

My Courtyard - Hello Lovely Studio

Thanks so much for having me, and

I hope you'll come visit Hello Lovely,

where Leslie is my guest!

Peace to you right where you are.

~Michele

Thank you again Michele... for sharing your beautiful home and your inspiring perspective with us!

--Leslie

I'm sharing this post with friends:
Feathered Nest Friday
Imparting Grace