Home on Stephens
“I ONLY WANT PIECES IN MY HOME THAT BRING ME TRUE JOY. IF IT DOES NOT SERVE A PURPOSE OR MAKE ME SMILE, IT USUALLY LEAVES MY HOME AS FAST AS IT COMES IN. ”
I absolutely LOVE decorating my home. So much so that I basically made an entire page to highlight aspects of it on this site. I am always finding inspiration in other's homes and styles. Today I want to highlight someone that I have known for years. You have likely seen her home and decorating if scrolling home decor on Pinterest. Previously known for her amazing HomeSpunSigns, Stephanie Traylor.
When you walk into Stephanie's home you can expect to see a modern, minimalist farmhouse with clean lines and absolutely no clutter. I met up with her to ask where she gets her inspiration, how she keeps a clean home (with 4 kids, two dogs, and a cat!), where to find the goods, and what we can expect next.
Where do you find your inspiration?
"Oh my gosh, where do I start? "Fixer Upper" was a game changer for me. I also love following other home decor accounts on Instagram. (@michelle_janeen @thefestivefarmhouse @household_no.6) There are so many talented ladies who just blow my mind when it comes to interiors".
Do you think interior design will be in your future?
"That really would be a dream job for me. My husband and I talk a lot about flipping houses. He can do the remodel and I can do the decor".
How are you able to keep things so tidy with 4 kiddos?
"Scotch guard is my best friend. Seriously, if you buy furniture pay the extra $100 or so bucks for them to scotch guard your pieces. It's worth it's weight in gold and sometimes they even come with a warranty. Everything also has a place in our home. I try to teach my kids to put away their stuff before they bring more stuff out. If you clean as you go, it never turns into a huge deal. The kids also have a loft upstairs so luckily the toys stay confined to that area most the time. After all kids are in bed, I do a sweep through the house picking up anything that was missed during the day so when I wake up in the morning, I'm coming out to clean counters and floors".
Where is your favorite place to shop for the home?
"There are so many but if I had to narrow it to just a few, hands down it would be Rejuvenation, Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware".
Is your husband usually on board with your ideas, or is there some talking him into with them? If so, any recommendations for how you achieve this?
"Trav learned very quickly, "happy wife, happy life." Haha! But seriously, there's usually some convincing that needs to happen. I guess I have expensive taste. I only know this because he tells me at least once a week. When we moved into our current home I had a mile long list of all the things I wanted to do. Most of it he was onboard with. Some of it, like remodeling the downstairs bath, he thinks is ridiculous because it is "fine how it is." Haha! Sometimes I throw out ideas that he thinks are completely crazy, like when I wanted to shiplap our entire downstairs. His exact words were "I don't wanna live in a barn." But when it was finished, he couldn't stop going on about how much he loved it. He's learned to just let me do what I do and it will turn out beautiful".
Is Homespun signs gone for good?
"At the moment I would have to say yes. I got so busy making signs I forgot why I became a 'sahm' in the first place. I don't want to miss my children growing up because I'm busy cutting and painting wood. Although, I still love to have that creative outlet and I just recently started making some new mosaic style wall art pieces. I have sold a few but I'm not looking to go completely back into the 'wahm' world yet. Maybe when all my babies are in school I can revisit the business".
What can we expect next?
I'm having the time of my life renovating our home. This May we will have been here for a year and there's still so many projects I have in the works. My main goal is to finish our kitchen. We still need back splash, which will hopefully be done soon. The biggest and most exciting project will be when I turn our 6th, unused bedroom into a master bath and then convert the current master bath into a walk in closet."
Let's get even more of the scoop on Stephanie personally and professionally....
What are three things you always have in your purse?
"Snacks, snacks and snacks. Haha!".
Single/ Dating/ Married?
"Married. This August we will celebrate 8 years of wedded bliss".
What is your favorite lip color?
"Anything Nude".
Bronzer, Blush, or Both?
"Both!!".
Red or White wine?
"Neither! I'm a non drinking mother of 4, which is pretty much an oxymoron".
What is your favorite candy?
"Reese's. Omg so good!".
Three home must haves?
- "A single bowl, apron front, farmhouse sink. This sink is a life changer! We bought our first in our last home and when we moved I wanted to rip the thing out and take it with us. There's no way I can ever live without one at this point.
- Open concepts are a must for me. I love being able to cook in the kitchen and have my kids in the living room, yet they are right there with me.
- Windows, windows and more windows. It's incredible how a room changes when you can let the light in".
How often should one rearrange/refresh decor?
"I personally don't rearrange things all that often. I have my Winter/Christmas decor and then my Spring/Summer decor".
Contact info:
Instagram @homeonstephens
Photos by Stephanie Traylor
