March brings awareness to developmental disabilities like autism, ADHD, and Down syndrome, which are part of the rich spectrum of human experience. Every child's developmental journey is unique and should be supported with empathy and tailored strategies. I want to…
Where your gently used items can do good
If you’re like me, you may find it challenging to rest and recharge your batteries. I’m the type of person who goes until I can't anymore. Recharging is active work; I can only do it by putting effort in. However,…
Get your kids and your home ready for school routines
Kelly Hickman, principal designer at ES Design Studio, gets a lot of requests for understated, neutral interiors. So she was thrilled when the owners of a 12,800-square-foot home in Morrocroft wanted a color-blitzed bonus room for their two children. “The…
If you happened to see Autumn Stone alone, which is rare, you'd never guess that the petite, smiling, seemingly relaxed woman was the familial engine of a household of six children. Here, the Ballantyne wife and mom talks family organization…
As founder of CoCreative Interiors, Misty Molloy does one-room redesigns and whole-house transformations in and around Charlotte. When it came to her own home in Huntersville’s Gilead Ridge neighborhood, she renovated nearly every room in the “builder-grade” house, save for…
Q: Should I let my teen drink alcohol as long as it's under my roof? A: I knew this question would come at some point. This month marks my 40th column—more than three years of answering your questions!—and here it’s…
Getting kids to keep their rooms clean is an ongoing struggle for many parents. Kids often view their bedroom as "their space" and feel they should have autonomy. But for the parent, walking past a room with clothes all over…
Alexis Warren, owner of Alexis Warren Designs, was 7-and-a-half months pregnant with her first baby when she and her husband moved into their new house in Myers Park. “The first thing I wanted to do was get the nursery done,”…
One of the most difficult questions for a new mother to answer is, Do I stay home or go back to work? Many moms don’t have the gift of choice, but for those who do, the decision can feel overwhelming.…
Everyone knows to send bathing suits and bug spray, but what else do you need to purchase before sending your child off to sleepaway camp? The first year my daughter went to sleepaway camp, I couldn’t imagine her being away…
A trip to Walt Disney World tops many family’s wish list, but the cost and time it takes to plan that magical experience can be mind-numbing. The logistics are more complicated than a beach vacation or a mountain getaway, so…
Q: Hi, Molly. My 10-year-old son has started asking if he can ride his bike along the greenway by our house without a parent. When I was his age, my parents wouldn’t have blinked. But I just feel like the…
In my book Our Neurodivergent Journey, I write about how important it is for your home to accommodate your child’s needs. Kids need a space that elicits feelings of calmness but also leaves room for rambunctious behaviors. Our library allows…
When Whitney Sturge’s clients hired her renovate their dated two-story colonial in Barclay Downs, they wanted room to entertain guests and host sleepovers for their three young children. For their 7-year-old daughter’s bedroom, Sturge had to come up with a…
When Tamara Leicester’s clients hired her to design the interior of their two-story modern craftsman in Dilworth, they needed it to function for their growing family, which included three children under age 6. Just off the kitchen, they budgeted for…
Jacy Painter Kelly has designed plenty of children’s rooms over the last decade, but a recent project for a 12-year-old girl schooled her on an emerging design trend among tweens and teens. “She wanted her room to have a lot…
Alexis Warren’s client was pregnant with her second child when she hired the designer to transform a space above the attic into a bedroom for her 2-year-old daughter. She wanted it to be fun and youthful, but it also needed…
When Traci Zeller’s clients bought their Myers Park home, they decided to turn an upstairs room, originally budgeted as a guest room, into a place where their two kids could have sleepovers. The sloped ceilings didn’t leave much space for…
When the owners of a lakefront home in Cornelius wanted a designated play place for their three young daughters, the team at Aguilar Design Studio in Cornelius came to their rescue. Aaron and Laura Aguilar, the spouses and owners behind…
When our son Ben grew too large to be carried from his wheelchair to the beach, we wondered how we’d manage future trips to the shore. His favorite pastime is splashing at the ocean’s edge, and we didn’t want him…
Charlotte Lucas isn’t afraid to use bold colors and whimsical patterns, and that’s exactly why clients across the city hire the designer to add some pizzazz to their homes. When it came to her own midcentury modern house in…
Brave Broth founder Joanna Reule and Simplicity Organizers owner Laurie Martin team up to replace clutter and chaos with clean and calm
