 Photo by Moja Msanii on Unsplash Most people plan their homes around the obvious seasons: sunny summers and cozy winters. But if you ask our team, the real test of a well-designed home are the in-between months; muddy Marches, windy Novembers, and those damp, not-quite-spring days that make you question everything about your entryway.
At Designed Happy, we believe great design doesn’t just work on the “perfect” days but all year long, especially during seasonal transitions when your routines shift and your home needs to work a little harder. In fact, we’d argue that the transitions are where thoughtful design matters most.  Our November Nailed It captures that "almost at-home" vibe that comes with some vacation rentals.
And this month, we're extra thankful for DC artists Hannah & Todd Churn's work on this series.  Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash While some of us are preparing our homes for family visits over the holidays, others are looking forward to being those visitors and returning to some of our favorite winter rental homes. And there’s something special about the feeling of staying in a home away from home, right? Maybe it’s the built-in coffee bar, the soft lighting in the living room, or simply the feeling of a space set up for your comfort.
As the weather slowly cools off and the days suddenly get shorter thanks to daylight savings time, it’s the perfect time to bring that same sense of comfort and calm into your own home. With a little creativity and the right design help, you can turn your space into a cozy retreat that feels like a weekend getaway every day of the week. It's time... time for our October edition of Nailed It and this month we're looking at a "creative" approach to counter clutter. Thanks again to our artistic collaborators, Hannah & Todd Churn for bringing these home design misadventures to life.
 Photo by BINGYEN STUDIO on Unsplash The Picture vs The Lived Experience
So you’ve completed your dream kitchen project and you have the Wolf range, the custom cabinets, and the marble countertops. Everything is premium materials and top of the line appliances but you’re noticing that still, something’s not quite right. Our latest Nailed It comic highlights the hilariously painful reality of trying to make all the right design choices. From tile tantrums to cabinet catastrophes, we’ve captured it in this month's strip. As always, thanks to Hannah & Todd Churn for their collaboration & artistry!
 Photo by Stephen Phillips - Hostreviews.co.uk on Unsplash You made all the “right” home design choices… so why does something still feel off?
You went with the neutral palette, the shaker cabinets, and the quartz countertops. Every design decision came straight from your favorite inspiration boards. The result? A beautiful home that looks great, but doesn’t quite feel like you. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. At Designed Happy, we’ve helped a lot of homeowners through this exact moment: when the house is finished but something’s still missing. And this is what happen when home is designed for perfection, not personality. Some people dream of open-concept living. Others see a toilet in the middle of the living room and ask questions. This month's Nailed It comic pokes fun at a tension we know all to well in the design world, the one between bold vision and basic human privacy. Because while "vibes > structure" is a fun idea, not every room should be an open floor plan... we’re looking at you, bathroom.
 Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash When homeowners begin planning a remodel, one of the first words we sometimes hear is “expensive.” Whether it's a quote from a contractor, an image from Instagram, or a product upgrade, the immediate reaction is often, “That feels overpriced", but in reality, most remodeling projects that feel expensive are not overpriced at all; they’re just not aligned with your goals, expectations, or values. Why does this matter? We’re so glad you asked!
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