The Exact Moment I Stopped Caring What My Critics Had To Say

I don’t think I’ve ever told y’all this story, but I thought today would be a good day for it. I know most of you are probably wondering, “Where is this coming from?” Well, I’ll tell you. Lately, there has been a rash of comments on the blog coming from these critics who feel the need to tell me not only what they think of my rooms, my house, and my projects, but they also inject plenty of personal digs at me.

These aren’t the nice people like most of you who can offer constructive criticism in a nice way like rational adults do, the way a friend would share with another friend. But these are people who toss around words like grenades, obviously intending to hurt and offend.

These are the people who tell me things like “This house is a circus act,” or, “I think that half of your “fans” tell you what a great job you’ve done but they are shaking their heads and waiting for your next train wreck idea,” or that the “crap” I add to my house (specifically mentioning the mural I’m going to use in the bathroom) makes my house look like “a 12 year old girl got ahold of your home,” or “I’m surprised that you actually worked as a professional decorator/designer.”

Just because I love it so much, here’s a peek at my future bathroom designed by my inner 12-year-old. 😀

The funny thing about these comments is that they always come from people who claim to be long-time readers who have read my blog for years, and yet their “I’m done!” comment is the first comment they’ve ever left on my blog (yes, I check IP addresses out of curiosity to see what else the person has said on past posts, and it’s almost always a big fat NOTHING).

And I always laugh at the “I’m out!” comments allegedly coming from adults who are behaving like petulant three-year-olds who didn’t get their way on the playground, so they’re going to take their toys and go home while stomping their feet and pouting. It’s just hard for me to imagine actual adults behaving this way, and it’s especially hard for me to imagine a person being so mentally and emotionally fragile that the things an internet stranger does in her own home sends them into these these fits.

When I’m following a blogger and I’m not longer interested in what that blogger is doing, I simply stop reading. I don’t announce my departure (a blog is not an airport, so there’s no need to announce departures) presuming that the blogger would even care. I don’t pop off about how stupid that blogger’s projects are or how much I hate that blogger’s house. I just simply stop reading. When I’m scrolling blog posts or Instagram and see stuff I don’t like, I just move on. Never in my adult life would I think of telling another human that their house is “a circus act” just because I don’t like it. Never in my mind would I presume that just because I don’t like something, that must mean that everyone else hates it, so that must also mean that that blogger’s readers are simply waiting for her “next train wreck idea.” I just don’t think I could muster up that much petulance mixed with narcissism. That’s kind of a different topic, though. Let me get back on track so I can tell you my story…

Another strange thing about these comments is that they tend to come in batches. And that always makes me wonder if they’re coming from the same place. And that thought always makes me laugh, because it reminds me of the exact moment I genuinely stopped caring what these pouty, petulant critics had to say about me.

When I read the most recent of these comments to Matt a couple of days ago, I told him this story. He said, “I knew that something had changed several years ago, but I never knew that’s why!”

So I thought I’d share the story with all of you. Maybe it’ll help some of you. Maybe you’re in a position where people are being critical and rude to you, and you’re having a hard time not taking it personally. Maybe it’s regarding the way you decorate your own home. Maybe it’s about the artwork or craft that you love to create. Maybe it’s about the way you do your job, or run your business, or something else.

Maybe my story will help you to break free from actually caring what your rude critics (not to be confused with actual friends or helpful people offering constructive criticism) have to say. Because, let me tell you something. When you’re so bound up with worry and anxiety over what your critics think, that’s a miserable feeling, and it can feel kind of mentally and emotionally paralyzing, prohibiting you from any forward movement because of fear of criticism.

But when you realize they truly don’t matter, and you can actually laugh at and move on from their criticism and word grenades, it’s such a freeing feeling. And that freedom will allow you to try new things, and take chances you never would have before.

That doesn’t always mean you’ll succeed (example, my sitting room wall mural), but at least you can have the freedom to challenge yourself, to try new things, and most importantly, you can give yourself the freedom to fail and to even tell others about it while not being destroyed by it. Because in those moments when we don’t quite get it right, we learn, and we grow, and we become stronger and more determined.

Here’s my story…

There used to be an online forum where people would gather to discuss bloggers. I honestly have no idea if this site still exists, although I would guess that it does. (The name sometimes appears in the Google auto-fill dropdown options when I’m searching for projects that other bloggers have done, so I assume it’s still around.)

The people involved in these “discussions” would try to convince themselves that they were just giving constructive criticism, but it wasn’t that. This forum was filled with some of the meanest, pettiest, most vindictive people online. It was a cesspool of negativity, and it was the kind of place where the whole group as pulled down to the lowest common denominator. I mean, that’s just Sociology 101. A group will never be pulled up to the highest level. But instead, the whole group will get pulled down to the lowest level present in the group.

BUT…I was obsessed. I would go there every day to see if anything was being said about me. I’d hope and pray that they liked me, and I would be devastated if anyone ever said anything critical of me or my projects. I hung on every word. When a critical comment was left (which was inevitable in that environment), I would be devastated. It would literally ruin my entire day. It didn’t matter how many positive comments people were leaving on my actual blog posts. One critical comment on that forum would send me into a tail spin.

I don’t know how long this went on, but it was not healthy at all. It was affecting me mentally and emotionally. It was affecting my attitude all day long. I literally cried tears over some of the things that were said. It was causing me to second-guess literally every decision I was making about my house. It was causing me to feel very insecure. And on, and on. It’s like I was living in a mental prison I had built for myself, and it was miserable.

And then one day I went to that site, just like I did almost every single day, and I read the latest comment, And in that single moment, I was literally set free from that bondage of caring what these petty, petulant critics had to say about me, my house, my blog, or anything else. That single comment was so absurd that in an instant, it woke me up to the sheer absurdity of ALL of it. With one single comment, it wasn’t just a light bulb that went off in my head. It was like an entire football stadium filled with lights went off in my head, and it illuminated the insignificance of the words, the criticisms, the insults, the judgments about me, about my character, about the way I decorated or spent my money…ALL of it. It literally all happened in a single moment.

And I have not been back to that website since then. I was set free. And from that moment, I have not even been a tiny bit curious, and I have not given a care in the world what those morons have to say about anything regarding my life. I don’t know how long it’s been. Three years? Four? I have no idea. I don’t care about that, either. All I know is that one comment freed me from my anxiety over what critics and idiots have to say about me.

The funny thing is that the comment wasn’t even about me. It was about Matt. As long as the critical comments and insults were directed at me, I could never see them for what they were. But the moment a person directed that towards Matt, everything was illuminated for me, and I was free.

I know y’all want to know now what the comment was. 🙂 Since I don’t care to go back so I can copy and paste it exactly word-for-word, I’ll just paraphrase. It went something like this: “I just don’t understand why her husband can’t help her with anything. I mean, I know he’s in a wheelchair, but at least he could pick up a paint brush and paint some trim or something.”

OH MY GOSH.

Like I said, all it took was one singular moment. In an instant, I realized that I was getting all twisted up inside over the opinions and criticism and insults of total and complete morons. Absolute freaking idiots. I don’t have any idea who wrote that comment, but I will forever and always be grateful to her because the sheer volume of stupidity wrapped up in just a few words was like a bowling ball hitting me in the face. And that’s exactly what I needed to knock sense into my head and realize how ridiculous I was being by obsessing over the words of these people.

Yes, Matt is in a wheelchair…because he has multiple sclerosis. He doesn’t have a spinal cord injury that has left his legs paralyzed while his upper body is still strong and healthy. He has a disease that has affected every part of his body, every single muscle, all of his nerves.

I want my wheelchair-bound (and often bedridden) husband with multiple sclerosis helping me paint trim in our house every bit as much as I want a two-year-old at my house helping me paint trim, because the results would be about the same. Actually, I could probably put a paint brush loaded with paint in my dog Cooper’s mouth and point him to the trim and end up with better results than I could if I put a paint brush in Matt’s hand.

To be clear, I don’t fault people for not knowing that information. If you’ve never known anyone with MS, then you might not know how it affects the body, and how it affects people’s physical abilities. But it wasn’t her not understanding MS that woke me up.

What woke me up is the fact that rather than ask me directly, “Hey, Kristi, why exactly can’t Matt help you?” or even just getting online and doing five minutes of research on the topic, instead she was so desperate to be part of the piling on and negativity of the group that she was willing to say something so stupid and presumptuous about a topic that she obviously knew nothing about, and make herself look like an absolute moron in the process by presuming that Matt should be able to pick up a brush and paint trim, and insinuating that he was lazy for not doing so.

And why? Because negativity attracts negativity, and groups will always be pulled down to the lowest common denominator. And when people are involved in stuff like that, they lose all sensibility. They want to be part of the piling on regardless of how stupid it makes them look.

So again, I have no idea how long ago that was. I do know that it’s been multiple years, though. And I will never forget that comment, and I will never forget that one single moment when it literally felt like stadium lights went off in my brain, and I was finally free from the bondage and anxiety of being all twisted up inside over what my critics thought about me.

And I hope that you don’t get twisted up inside over what your critics say (or might be saying) about you. Don’t allow that in your life, because it will hold you back from great things. Go and decorate your home the way YOU like it. Go and create that artwork that you’ve been wanting to create, regardless of whether or not your critics like it. Go and take that chance with your business, no matter how much your critics tell you how dumb your ideas are.

Don’t be held back by idiots and morons with word grenades. Listen to your true friends whose criticism is actually constructive, and who can deliver that constructive criticism with kindness. But mostly, just be true to yourself. If chartreuse is your favorite color in the whole world, and you’ve always dreamed of a chartreuse bedroom, who cares what anyone else says? Be true to YOU.

Those other people who just hurl word grenades? They don’t matter. They never have, but it’s time for all of us to actually realize that and stop allowing them to affect our lives, our choices, and our attitudes, and to stop allowing them to hold us back from doing things and trying things and taking chances.

So I hope that encourages some of you. And for those of you who didn’t need that encouragement, hopefully I entertained you a bit. 😀

And I’ll leave y’all with some views of my “circus” of a house filled with my “train wreck ideas” that look like they were done by a “12 year old girl” and makes people “surprised that [I] actually worked as a professional decorator/designer.”

house 2021 - finished rooms in our home

Frankly, I love my circus filled with my train wreck ideas. And you know what? When it comes right down to it, mine is the only opinion that matters (and Matt’s opinion also matters, of course, on the very rare occasion that he actually has an opinion). 🙂

 

 

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274 Comments

  1. I think you’re a genius. I am 84 and a wood worker. I’ve learned a lot about your projects. This world is full of opinions about which these people could never achieve. You’re fine and I think you know that! God Bless

    1. I have been inspired by you time and again. My bedside table was made from your plans back when you lived in the condo. My wall colours are different from yours, but every room is different because you use coordinating colours in every room of your house. I painted our piano! I make plans and scrap them all the time! I lost 16 pounds following your diet challenge two years ago. You have great ideas. I, personally marvel at how much redecorating and building you get done while taking care of your hubby and blog.

  2. I think your house is magic and you’ve created confidence in me to go with color in our vacation home. We’re moving slowly but being set free from the gray and black of our primary home has been liberating! My friends think I’ve lost my marbles but I’m in my 50’s and just don’t care – ha!

    Loved your blog today 🙂

  3. Cheers Kristi!!! People can be awful! Rest assured the rest of us are normal and we love you and what you’ve done that is a happy happy style!!!!

  4. Bonjour from France! (Originally from Portland, Oregon) I think I’ve maybe left either no or possibly one comment on your blog. So here is another one. Your house is your house, and it’s for you! It looks colorful and cheerful to me. I love color. I don’t “do” white. The mural behind the claw-foot tub is sooooo beautiful. I hope you and Matt enjoy your home and your love for many, many years to come. I, too, am stunned by the things people say on-line. And they can truly ruin a person’s day. Really, horrible! I’m glad that you are giving these ruthless cretins no more time occupying space in your mind, no more time, hurting your heart. Carry on!

  5. Words well spoken, Kristi! Thanks for the post. I not only agree with you but you made me laugh, which is always a good thing. Go have a great weekend and if your heart so desires and it makes you happy, go paint something that would be considered “outlandish” to others . . . . because it’s yours and YOU get to decide!!

    1. I’ve already done just that! Just wait until you see the new artwork I created for the sitting room. 😀 It’s crazy and bold and colorful and GLITTERY!!! I’m sure many will hate it and think it’s garish, but I absolutely love it. I can’t stop staring at it. 😀 Matt and I were in there watching a show this weekend. Well, he was watching the show. I was staring at my new artwork. 😀 I just need to frame it, and it will be ready for its debut on the blog on Monday.

      1. Funny story, I just read Matt my comment above, and said, “I don’t know if you noticed me staring at my new artwork.” He laughed and said, “I thought you were looking at me!” 😀 I said, “Nope. It was the artwork.” 😀

        1. That’s great Kristi, I admire you and all that you do. Keep it up girl! I think critical feedback is a better term than critical criticism, it sounds more positive. So stay true to yourself and ignore the haters. Much love to you and Matt.

  6. Oh Kristi, I can only imagine how depressed those comments made you feel. I am too much of an introvert to put myself out there like you do. Apparently you have alot of 12 yr old friends who love your work, including me. I marvel at your energy and ideas. Your guest BR looks like a high end hotel room with the wall treatment and furnishings. I can sew and did home decor when I was younger. Not so much at 73 with arthritis and other medical conditions.
    I joined your blog at the pantry. I loved the way it turned out and the functionality of it.
    Do what you do and to hell with anyone who disses your work. When they start paying for stuff, they can have a voice. Just remember that there are a whole bunch of us out here who appreciate you and Matt and love what you do! We’re known as adults.

    1. I only wish I had an ounce of your talent and skills. There is absolutely no reason why people would leave positive comments if they didn’t mean them. For the life of me, I cannot understand the mentality of people who enjoy being nasty and insulting when it’s so much easier to just scroll on 🤷
      I love your message, it’s the message above all else, that I teach my clients. Live your life for you, in the way that’s you, and hear your own voice above all others.
      Thank you for sharing this. And thank you for everything you’re teaching, and the inspiration. Keep being you.

    2. Kristi, I’ve read that the internet has emboldened people to say things they’d never say face to face to another person. Manners and etiquette have gone out the door and folks don’t really think before posting words that could be interpreted as hurtful. I’m sorry that you’ve been hurt along the way, but have not let it define you anymore! Thanks for not being a victim, but an overcomer! You’ve helped me to get over my fear of using color in my decorating. And my gosh, girlfriend! When my husband hears about “Kristi from Waco” he knows I’m going to go into great detail about something you’re working on that I want to try myself! Keep on keeping on!

  7. 1. A designer works with a client to bring about the clients wish. It does not matter that the designer I choose has black walls and pink tile in every room of her house. It is about whether they can see my vision and bring it to life in a way that makes me happy.
    2. I love the fact that you are real. Like real real. A person. With a family. And a life. Not a random typist somewhere in internet la LA land. If it is wrong you fix it. You give me a lot of courage to try things, and retry if it isn’t quite what I wanted.
    3. I am a nurse by profession and it is baffling how many people do not know what chronic illnesses are or how dehabilatating they can be.
    4. Continue to cultivate your house and your projects to suit you. You are your most important client.
    5.Much love and thanks to you for being so open and real with us. You have a courage and strength that very few people have.

    1. Calm down before you have a stroke! You have to value an opinion to have it hurt you. These people are so terribly unhappy with themselves they need to cause pain for others. PFFFT! Blow them off, they are a waste in humanity. You do a super job, know when things don’t work and come up with something better….like all the the rest of us. You’re the winner and they already know what a loser they are. Mary R.

  8. Nice share! We actually give people power in our lives when we internalize their opinions. Taking that power back and trusting ourselves is quite freeing.
    Side note: I loved your emerald green kitchen so much. I was disappointed when you changed it, not because the new look is not attractive, but the green was just so beautiful. I have to say, after looking at the above pictures, seeing the house in context, the kitchen change really does pull the whole house together. Great job!

    1. I agree. The emerald green kitchen was breathtaking. But aside from that, isn’t she marvelous?

  9. Christi. I absolutely love what you have done in your home! It’s so beautiful and happy. I Get inspiration from your design/colors. We are moving into a “new build” (retired, downsizing) home in October. Your site is my inspiration for the decorating I plan to do….

    I’m also so glad you will not let those old negative Nellies get to you!

    Please keep your blog coming. I so look forward to them.

  10. I think your work and your design style are pretty awesome. It’s frankly inspirational and has given me loads of ideas. The fact that you can tackle such big projects gives me the push to try smaller projects in my own home. I truly enjoy reading your posts and seeing the before and after photos of your beautiful home. Thank you for being you.

  11. I love your house! Your ideas, colors, designs….all of it! I’d also love to have the imagination and wonderment of that very talented 12 year old!!! Fly high Christi and hug Matt for us!

  12. Well, now I have to comment. I find you to be an inspiration, not because I adore every design you create (although I do love many), but I am amazed at your fearlessness, your boldness and your tenacity. You go after a project with an idea in mind and nothing stops you, well, except maybe yourself. I love that you are not afraid to try news things and pick up power tools and build f*#king walls, tables and cabinets! You let nothing stop you and your results are gorgeous! They are not all my style or favorite color, but FFS, I have enough creativity of my own to see how I can integrate your ides and imagination into something that might work for me. I am sorry this world has devolved into what it has and that you must waste time reading someone’s vile words. Keep being your amazing self!!

    1. Kristi, Thanks for your great message. I love your work, enjoy following your work on your house. You take us step by step on your projects. Your home your choice, just like my home my choice. Keep up your talented joyful design work ❤

  13. listen, i’m not a ‘teal’ person, but i do like how you use it with so many wonderful colors- i also love your bathroom wallpaper.
    i’m an artist, i like happy colors. my living room is ‘raspberry sherbet’ my front hall is ‘orange sherbet’ with accents of lemon shebet, and all my trim and ceilings are the color of eggnog ……. people don’t like it….. but they don’t live here, i do and i love it……… you live in your house and you and your husband love it…. that’s what is so wonderful about life here…you CAN live in your house and have it as happy and colorful (or not) as you would like
    ps: while it’s all worn off now, i stenciled a floral rug on my front hall floor, in all those colors… cause it made me happy and it also disguised the difference in the color of the wood from a previous owner’s long term use of a runner.

  14. YAY KRISTI! You do your home the way YOU want to do it. Your house and your ideas are soul-satisfying to YOU. I love readding your blog posts. I Love your house. I LOVE your use of colour. Do I want to use all your colourful colour in MY house? Nope. But YOUR house and YOUR decorating ideas WORK FOR YOU. And I enjoy seeing your progress. <3 Dori

  15. Your style isn’t always my style, however I love what you do! I never cease to be amazed when you redo-often several times- because I’d give up. Ignore the nasties and do YOU (and Matt, of course!)

  16. Wow just wow. I have enjoyed reading your blog for years…ever since you were in the condo. Our taste are different but I am 76 years old and they should be different. Not to mention you have a real imagination and realize how to implement your taste into your home. Which thanks for the over view of all you have done to that…well let’s be honest…what WAS a nasty 50s house …it is amazing what you have done with it and so beautifully. I also understand about the misconception of people knowledge of MS. My daughter had it and she was affected in ways much like you describe Matt has been. People did not understand the changing affect it has on their bodies. There are real jerks in this world we live in…but glad you have got it all together over this and just stay happy. That is contagious.

  17. I love all of your ideas! Those that work and those that don’t.
    But what I really respect is your resourcefulness and perseverance to get it just the way you want it.
    Also I admire your ability/nor fear attitude to tackle construction jobs – whether a table or a wall.
    Your taste in furnishings or colors may not be mine – but they don’t have to be! You have so much to offer for us DIY people who need a place to start or to see how or even that someone else did it!

  18. Kristi, you have inspired me with so many projects! I’ve had a few written attacks lately and it’s affected me for the last month and a half… your post came at a good time – thank you! 😊 Words are weapons… use them wisely!

  19. Kristi,

    I have followed you for a long time and I love that you are open and honest about what you are doing and the challenges you are facing. There is just too much negativity in this world and I learned long ago that we are all struggling with someone, so try to show compassion whenever I can.

    I love that you are not afraid to experiment. While I tend to play it safe design-wise, I love seeing what you come up with and applaud your bold choices. It inspires me to see a kitchen that is bold or a wall design with interest and again, while I might not make these choices in my home, I can find inspiration from them in other ways – maybe a color or a design that I can incorporate into a pillow or curtain. Keep up the great work!

  20. Your “12 year old girl house” is a million times better than my “many decades older” house:)

    I love learning from you:)

    Keep it coming Kristi!!!

  21. Good gravy! My only advice is to put up the Moron/Bozo shield before reading comments!
    Every day I look for your blog, I.Love.It. Full stop. My bedroom and master bathroom ceiling are dark blue due to you. So many projects I’ve done were inspired by you. Thank you.

  22. We don’t always have the same taste in style. I am way more boring. Haha. But I ALWAYS learn something from reading your blog. You are very inspiring and I get all kinds of ideas from your blog. And people, UGH. I don’t even explain myself to people anymore when they have things wrong about me. Some people have their mind made up about you no matter what truth you tell them. They just want to be able to tell a good story or gossip. I quit caring what people think a long time ago. So just keep doing you, because you’re AWESOME!

  23. I. Love. Your. House! Having recently downsized and moved from a single family house to an apartment (2 months ago), I am not free to paint, paper or experiment with my creativity the way I could in my ex-house. Although I love the new place, I miss colored walls! You have exquisite taste & brilliant ideas and I love being able to share in your progress.

  24. I’m changing the title of this post to “The Blessing of the Truly Outrageous”. Sometimes we just need an outrageous moment, or in this case words, to clear our minds and wash away the foggy, muddled thoughts that paralyze us from being true to ourselves and our loved ones. So, as outrageous and offensive as that post was, I’m thankful for the blessing that came from it. You inspire many of us to reach beyond our comfort zones and to try things we likely wouldn’t have tried. For that I am truly thankful!

  25. Keep up the great work. I love your blog!!:) Your blog is authentic and real. From: Long time follower who will continue to do so! Katie:))

  26. People can never mind their business! Kristi, there are a lot of miserable people out there who really don’t have fruitful, meaningful lives..They LIVE thru others.. So sad .. You are truly gifted and it is a pleasure seeing your artistry. Thank you!

  27. I think your house is like eye candy. It is fun, cheerful, creative, and personal. Keep up the great work. I love reading your blog and am always inspired by your determination, skill, and energy to do so much yourself! I am an interior designer for a living but do not have any power tool skills and for that I envy you!! Keep up the good work, ignore the haters. I think there are so many bored and miserable people who sadly have nothing better to do than to sit behind their keyboards and project their nastiness onto others. They are just jealous and sad. Have a good day, Kristi!

  28. You are an inspiration to many of us. Thanks for your well explained projects that can inspire all of us to do our best work

  29. I’ve followed you for years because I LOVE the fact you use color in every room of your home. I LOVE that you aren’t afraid to try, to do, to change. I’m glad that you could move on past the rude comments. I followed a page for a long time where you’d post your space and people would comment or rate it. I still remember negative comments like “your space is lovely except for the fan. Why would you add a fan?” I live in OK there IS a fan in every room possible. It’s HOT. Or when I added coat hooks to the wall by our back door “why would you do that? That will just ruin your drywall when you hang a wet coat there?” I finally learned they were petty people with no spaces of their own and had to tear down what someone else had done. Kudos to you for moving past them!

  30. Hi Kristi:

    I’m so sorry you went through such nastiness online. Cyberbullying gives cowards an easy way to do this. Making remarks about someone with a medical condition is especially heinous. Your hard work and color sense are a joy for me, and I always looks forward to your new posts. When it comes to my own house and taste, I always think to myself, “If you don’t like it, don’t live here”. Bast wishes to you and Matt.

  31. I loved “not an airport, no need to announce departures”! This was a good week for me to read this, as I’ve let criticism take up more head space than I should. Thanks for the pep talk.

    I don’t see your house as a circus; I hate the circus. I love your house. I love every bold choice you make that scares me until I see the final result. I love seeing you try something, fail, explain what happened and do it over. I learn a lot!

    Please keep doing what you’re doing and ignore the haters. (There are other sites I enjoy where morons will pile on and just say hateful things, on almost every post. I wonder what is in their lives that makes them spend their time doing this.) They are the kudzu in the garden of life. You are the wild and beautiful blossom that make the garden the place I want to be.

  32. Kudos to you! Not many 12 year olds can reach the point of ignoring other’s unkindness. I love what you’ve taught me over the years and this is just another good lesson. Thank you.

  33. BRAVA! You are exactly correct, and have shared excellent wisdom here.

    The joy in you and the realness of you, expressed through your designs, risk-taking, expertise, skills set, visionary ability, artsy eye, etc.. comes through in each building and decorating endeavor you pursue. We, who appreciate you and your willingness to share it all, a very blessed as viewers and learners.

    Negative Nellies and Critical Karens are among the saddest and loneliest of peoples, I have no doubt. Their absence of kindness robs them of joy every day of their pitiful lives. As you have discerned and determined, they are best left behind in their hollow, petty existences, out of earshot, out of sight, and out of mind.

  34. LOVE this post! You crack me up! “A blog is not an airport, so there’s no need to announce departures.” I love your blog because I love color and get so many ideas and project insights. No, I wouldn’t use the exact same colors or style, because we are all different people. Carry on! I adore your spirit!

  35. I’m SO glad you wrote that timely post. You are one of the few bloggers I read, check, and comment on regularly because you tell the good, bad and/or ugly truth in all of its witty glory. Because of you, I’ve learned much more than just DIY skills; I’ve made intentional changes in my thinking and treatment of others that I hope have made me a more compassionate and empathetic person instead of just a better DIY’er. While I’m certainly not a pro designer or decorator I’m not letting that stop me from creating my dream home regardless of what my family or friends think because you’ve taught me to be FEARLESS. I may have said this before but I’m always impressed by your incredible ability to not only DIY ANYTHING but also to express your experiences, feelings, and perspectives in a way that’s witty, heartfelt (and sometimes heartbreaking) and insightful. Yes, you ARE entertaining…but my grandma always told me that other people are not my monkeys and their lives are not my circus! No one deserves to be treated as if they’re expendable or “less than” just because they disagree on something. Keep on ignoring the haters, enjoying your ride, and celebrating your victories because you, my amazing friend, are AWESOME 🙂

  36. though it is not my style, I love to see your house and how you are doing it. Today’s post was interesting. Recently I have had in-laws criticizing me. It is a reflex they just have to do. I think it is because their father did it and he is considered the superior of most people. He wasn’t he was just self centered. And most of these idiots are too.

  37. I also love your circus filled train wreck of a house❤️
    I seem like the world is filled with nothing but hate and I’m sorry you have to deal with it.

  38. Very well spoken Kristin !! I love everything you do. I love all the colors, because our world is so very gray and your creativity is amazing. Your blog is so fresh and inspiring.
    It is truly amazing what people, behind screens, have to say – those ‘haters’ are just jealous

  39. I swear we are living in a world of REALLY stupid people. A long time ago, I realized that the only people I wanted or cared to please are my husband and children. About the same time I adopted a favorite saying that I use often. That phrase is, F**k that S**t! I’m sure you get the point and hopefully, you adopt it as well. I don’t always comment in fact, I’ve probably only commented a handful of times but I do look forward to your posts and I have read every one. I wouldn’t necessarily copy your ideas into my home because we all have different design ideas. What I do take away are how to do things, new ideas and awe of the things that you tackle that would normally be viewed as a “man’s job”. Women can do anything men can do except, according to my husband, pee standing up. I disagree. We can, but it’s messy! Do not give in to mean stupid people and continue to do what makes YOU and Matt happy!

    1. “We can, but it’s messy!” Oh my, that made me laugh so hard! It reminded me of something that happened right before Matt and I got married. I’ll have to share that with y’all one day! If I were a person who embarrassed easily, it would be my most embarrassing moment. But I don’t embarrass easily. I laugh at myself. And Matt and I laughed so hard I could hardly breathe. It has to do with me and an unfortunate peeing incident while using a port-a-potty at a state park in Oregon where we had gone to hike. It’s a story that will have to be told on video, though. Writing it won’t do. The next time I do some sort of Q & A, I’ll try to remember to share it.

  40. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

    Well said. I love your train wreck and could move in in a minute. You and Matt are an inspiration.

    Maybe that is why I often comment on other people asking the opinion of others. In the end, we have to live with our own decisions. If you like it, go for it. After all, we are the ones living with these decisions.

    Keep n being true to your “12 year old self”.

  41. You have a most beautiful and unique home…I love it!!! I love the colors, the flow, and the fact that you re-do anything that is not to your liking (keyword – YOUR). You create interesting content and I am always amazed at your talent. Keep on keeping on – glad you’re not letting the haters bring you down! You’re amazing!!

    1. Kristi, I love your blog so much. I look forward to every post and have recommended you to lots of friends. You are one talented woman. Keep up the great work. As we say hete in Australia “Don’t let the Bastards get you down. “

  42. Hi Kristi,
    I’m sorry you get such rude feedback. I think these are probably unhappy people who are discontent with their own life. On the whole I love everything you do. I love color also, although my color choices are different. I posted a potential color scheme on Houzz a few years back and got such vile, insulting comments that I never posted again.

    Even more than your use of color, I admire your creativity and ambition. Truly, I am in awe. I’ve often considered asking you for advice but do not want to impose. Do you remove these naysayers from your subscriber list? Keep on doing what you are doing. I truly admire you, that you do what pleases you and don’t bow to “ rules.” I look forward to seeing your finished house—though I suspect it will be a continuous project.😍.

    1. These rude people are never subscribers. In fact, they almost always comment under false email addresses. They’re just cowards who can’t take ownership for their own words.

      I used to have a policy that I’d never delete comments. The problem is that people like those love to create drama. So now I do delete them. My blog is my happy space. I shouldn’t have to read insulting comments from people determined to hate me. So now I happily delete them and move on. When they catch me on a hard day (like the other day when Matt had a horrible night, which carried over into a horrible day, and we were both exhausted), I can be a pretty mean and sarcastic person. And unfortunately, on days like that, my initial reaction is to respond and be as mean and vindictive as I can. That’s my tired, exhausted self, and one such commenter caught me on just such a day last week. Their comment, and my mean response, was on the blog for about 30 minutes before I came to my senses and deleted both. That’s just not the atmosphere I want to create on my blog. So while I didn’t delete comments for many years, I do now give myself the freedom to delete the ones from people who are obviously and intentionally trying to be insulting.

  43. Wow! Kristi, I am so sorry you had to waste even one minute on those moronic comments! So, so sorry! I certainly don’t think your house looks like it was decorated by a 12 year old. I think your house looks like it is filled with JOY!!!

    I appreciate all the helpful tips you give for making cabinets, painting and creating your wonderful art projects. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve told about your art projects. It doesn’t matter that my style is totally different than yours, I just appreciate watching your process!

    Sending you and Matt a lot of love ❤️

  44. This post made my day. You are amazing, I’m so glad you’re able to ignore the trolls. It certainly can be hard to do – I always repeat this in my head when I read negative comments “everyone has an opinion and a hiney – no one wants to hear either one of them!” Silly, I know, but it makes me laugh and breaks my mind free 🙂

    I love your blog – keep up the great work!

  45. Kristi, I have followed you for years and rarely leave a comment, but I’m dazzled by your gumption and positivity. Your talents in both design and construction, your ability to draw the line on what you can and want to accomplish yourself in your projects, and your vision are all inspirational. So glad you had the revelation about critics. Another point of admiration. You keep doing YOU! That’s what I’m here for. Thanks and have a great weekend!

  46. I wouldn’t call it a train wreck, but rather an expression of joy, warmth and love. This post is the best I’ve ever read, it is full of meaning and lessons that I’ll try to apply to my own life. A word about Matt…….. I bet he is so happy he married a firecracker like you, life must be fun.

  47. “A blog is not an airport, so there’s no need to announce departures”
    That’s awesome! And SO TRUE!! I will never understand why some people choose to be unkind (and even cruel) to people they don’t even know and will never meet. Makes no sense. You keep doing what makes you happy.

  48. Thanks this reasonated with me. Feeling quite low and my mind caring too much what others think.

    1. @Rachel – never forget how awesome you are – it’s the haters who are less so. 😊 Have a great day.

  49. Kristi, keep doing what you love! If only more people would follow the dreams of their 12 year old selves. I love getting your blog updates and have been following you for years.

  50. And none of those people levying the criticism has the vision to do anything with the actual “train wreck” you started from. You have transformed that house, inside and out.

  51. Kristi, keep doing what makes you happy and try not to worry about all the negative comments. Your creativity is amazing and you are so talented.

  52. I think it’s human nature to focus on one negative criticism and ignore 99 positive ones. If you lose interest in a blog, it’s as simple as unsubscribing and chances are, you and your negativity won’t be missed. The anger and hate in some people’s hearts is hard to understand.

  53. I was only thinking last week about your blog posts several years ago when you were struggling with the criticism and Matt had to take on moderation of the comments to protect you. I was wondering if that was still the case and hoping not. I’m sorry that some people have such a need to be so negative and horrible, but am so glad to hear you are now able to ignore it.

    Your home is far from a circus! I love that you love colour, but when it’s tempered with white. I’m similar and so find your home inspirational as so many other colour lovers are more full on.

  54. ha ha – they never learned what my Mom taught me – if you can’t say something nice say nothing at all.

  55. I don’t comment much, but today I felt I needed to. My husband also has MS. He is not wheelchair bound but it still affects everything. Thankfully, he is able to work from home and earn a good living with great benefits for us both. That leaves everything else for me to do. I am so inspired by you, Kristi. When I get to feeling sorry for myself, your projects lift me up.
    I don’t decorate like you at all, but there are so many things I learn and apply to our home. Whether it is trim work, refinishing, outdoor renovations, furniture building, etc. I have learned so much.
    It’s unlikely that I will have teal cabinetry or a multi-colored exercise room. If you visited my home and wondered through the sea of greige, muted colors, and off-white, I’m sure it would feel very blah to you. I would hope most of us are here to be inspired, learn, and apply your ideas to our own style.
    I do have one bedroom that is painted bright green and decorated to perfection–it’s the room where I get the most compliments! I think you’d like that room. Maybe you’re rubbing off on me 🙂

  56. You will never please everyone! I think your work and talent is amazing! They are probably jealous of your ability to do everything you are able to do. Let it go.

  57. Please don’t ever stop wrecking trains or being the 12 year old ringmaster. I learn so much from you and am encouraged to try so many things I never would have thought of on my own.

  58. Wow. I can’t believe people make time in their lives to make nasty comments about the decorating in other people’s homes. I simply love your “circus” and get so excited to see your new posts

  59. I remember when you wrote about that blog so many years ago and that was the first I’d heard of it. I checked it out and was astounded that people were sayings all this stuff while hanging.on.every.post/word of the people they were criticizing. My reaction was the same as yours. Why in the world are they continuing to read or spend time on these blogs they don’t like at all? Bizarre. I posted a few times to say positive things about you in particular and was accused of being you as a “sock puppet” in disguise and no matter what I said the response was that they were going to report me to the site owner because I was you. Fine. Do it. She can check my IP and see I’m not you no problem. But, man, I got off their quickly because these people were beyond irrational.

    1. This cracked me up! 😀 I had forgotten about all of the “sock puppet” accusations. Yeah, you’re not allowed to defend a blogger or say anything nice. Any such comment will earn you the accusation of being a “sock puppet”. 😀 Such absurdity all around.

    2. Hey, me too!

      The most ridiculous part of all is that this blog was under “Stay On My Internets.” People were SUPPOSED to post nice stuff!!

  60. Kristi, As a devoted and adoring fan (I describe you to my husband as “a goddess”), I believe that someone should give you a swat on the behind! Why, in heavens name, would someone as gifted and talented as you are pay any attention to those idiots! Seriously, there will always be people with no talent themselves who are envious and jealous of someone like you. What is astonishing is the vitriol and the pent-up rage that fuels these people.. What pitiful and empty lives they must lead. I am so sorry that someone as lovely as you are is subjected to such ugly behavior.

  61. I freaking LOVE this post. Thank you! I have admired you from afar, and comment occasionally, and love your home. Keep doing you.

  62. Ohhh Kristi, negative people are such a turn off. Frankly I love your posts and there is always something to learn!! I may use your ideas with my colors or even read in wonder how you build so many pieces of furniture. You are an excellent teacher. I love Matt for his support of all you do. His opinions always matter! Seems a few people are too ignorant to see what the world has to offer. You are a gift.

  63. Kristi –

    I don’t think I have ever left a comment before … but I have read EVERY one of your posts!! I wait with anticipation for each post. I am constantly amazed, inspired, and impressed with your talents and all that you have done on your home … all so very lovely!! My thought is that all of the critical idiots are so very jealous of you. Thanks for sharing your story – what an inspiration you are to so many people … in so many different ways!!

  64. I’m so sorry anyone would treat you so poorly. It’s amazing That they need to put effort into being cruel. By the way I absolutely love everything you do! I also love your 12-year-old circus mess LOL.. please keep doing it and posting. I’m jealous, I have no talent. And I hope you I’m doing well on your wellness journey!

  65. Kristy, I only want that you know that your ideas are really an inspiration for me, I absolutely love all what you do in your house, the colors you choose, the textures and lights! All of it is trully beautiful, and I hope you never loose this self confidence again! Your words made me feel more confortable with my ideas about decoration ( and about life too)!
    Thanks from your fan from Brazil!
    A big hug and kisses 🙂

  66. Kristi, personally I think your house is stunning! You are exactly right with everything you said. I love your house and think you have much to feel proud about. Keep up the great work!

  67. If your house is a circus, I want tickets! You are absolutely the most creative designer I have run across, and your results are breathtaking. The fact that you do most things yourself adds another dimension. I see so many of what I call “Pottery Barn houses” … pleasant to look at, but with no individual style or excitement. That’s NOT your house! And to take a shot at a family member is inexcusable.

  68. Kristi, your timing is spot on. I am dealing with similar issues, not from a business or blog, just life. I FINALLY washed my hands of the negativity towards me just this week. It’s been going on for the last 3 years and it brought me to my knees, not in a good way. I’ve been working at letting go since the beginning of the year but it hit me 3 nights ago when I found out I was being purposely excluded from an event. Not even my so called BFF told me the details of the event. After my final tears shed on the subject, I decided I AM DONE! I do not care about these people. They bring zero positivity to my life. They are mean girls, 46 years after high school graduation.

    So thank you! You validated my decision with your words and it means the world to me, even if you had no clue how you were helping me. And I dare say, I’m not the only one who can relate. You do you! No explanation needed.

    1. I’m so sorry to hear that you’ve been dealing with this situation for three years. Ugh, my heart hurts for you. But I’m so also glad that you’ve turned a corner on it just recently!! Just keep reminding yourself that the critics don’t matter.

  69. You tell em, Kristi. I’m always amazed at how nasty people can be on social media. If you don’t have the guts to tell them face to face the just don’t type it either. Love your house.

  70. I love your home and your blog! I’ve learned so much from you – especially that if something doesn’t work, just do it over. Thank you for continuing to write and ignoring the nay sayers. Hugs Kristi, and hugs to Matt too!

  71. I am so sorry you have had these horrible people leaving rotten comments.
    Your home is stunning which I am sure none of those Karen’s can say that their homes are.
    The comments against Matt are inexcusable and those people are school yard bullies.
    Keep up the great job and we all love reading about your progress on your home.

  72. Bravo, Kristi. That post is like a breath of fresh air for anyone. Who doesn’t feel pressure to conform at different times for different reasons? Consider your post a Public Service Announcement! I remember once when I was packing for a flight, and wondering if my luggage was stylish enough and I realized I was trying to impress people I didn’t know, who I would never see again, who would not even notice, and — most importantly — who didn’t matter! Thanks.

  73. I’ve been with you since the condo days…and you have one of these posts every few years. You work in an industry where there is a lot of negative feedback because it’s easy to be mean when it’s “just online”. You should be proud of yourself that you’ve been able to recognize when you allow that feedback to become too meaningful to you and break that cycle! I cannot think of a single blogger I follow as long-lived as you. They’ve all moved on for one reason or another. I think a BIG reason you continue to make it work for you is you stay focused. You’ve not gotten caught up in maximizing ALL the social media platforms and you’ve not allowed yourself to let the masses direct your pathway (long term). You just do you…and we love it!

  74. Amen! Rudeness and incivility are at awful levels everywhere, made worse by the anonymity of electronic communication. Your pushback against the nastiness is a reminder that we all need to be conscious of bad behavior and not afraid to call it out. Glad you denied the snipers any more power over you.

  75. Dear Kristi and Matt,

    Your post brought me to tears. Thank you for saying all that you did, Kristi. Yes, I can see how that obnoxious, thoughtless, ignorant comment changed your life. It well may change the lives of many of us.

    I looked at your pictures just now trying to remember when I started reading your blog. It has been a long time. It must have been soon after you did your kitchen. Each project has been adventure to follow. Seeing the finished rooms in a group shows the recurring theme of the colors, the coral and the teal, for example, which flow from one to another. Not in all spaces but especially in the common areas. The symmetry you achieve appeals to me, too.
    What you have done and will do shows your vision, creativity and ingenuity. It is amazing.

    Your generous sharing of your methods has given many the impetus to try things in their own home. You tell about your successes and challenges. Even how you are feeling as you deal with them. Real life and an honest life. Well, I could go on and on.

    As for the critical comment about your bathroom mural: I laughed out loud. Of all the dumb things to mention. To think of soaking in that beautiful bathtub while enjoying that restful scene, which will make the cares of life disappear for a time. (I don’t suppose we will get an ‘up close and personal’ actual picture of that, but we can well imagine it.)

    To you, Matt: I appreciate your loyal presence and I hope you will enjoy your luscious shower stall, your sitting room comfy chair, your game room, and so much more. While I don’t see you, I think of you when I read Kristi’s words. You married the best, but I’m sure you know that well. She is fortunate to have you. Keep smiling yourself and remember we are rooting for you.

    As for you, Kristi, keep it all coming and share whatever. I will read every word and enjoy every project. I will be anxious to see what you decide to do in your studio. It will be such a grand place to work. I love functional work spaces. Can you tell? Your pantry is another one of them. Those tiles are fantastic. So are the painted appliances.

    For the record, I don’t own the space I live in. It’s an apartment but I have a landlady who let me do as I wished. I live in a colorful place and there is a theme that runs through it, although not many visitors would pick up on it. Decorating in the city/area of Ecuador where I live is an unappreciated art. Friends may like what they see, and say so, but they have no idea why. It is not important that they analyze anything. I want them to feel welcome. Like you, I do it to enjoy the process and smile at the result.

    I send warm love to you both.

    Elaine

  76. OH. MY. WORD! Where has courtesy and decency gone? Yes, constructive criticism is one thing…and, by the way, whatever happened to, “Speak the truth in LOVE”…(or opinions, in this case?) but to say such horrible cruel things! Unbelievable.

    You are an artist, incredibly and overwhelmingly talented! What you tackle is beyond belief! I would gladly welcome ANY of your projects…even the ones that may not be my personal taste, because they are creative, well-done, extremely detailed, and as near perfection as humanly possible when completed!

    WELL DONE!!!!!

  77. It doesn’t matter that Matt does not pick up a paint brush for you. At the end of the day, you both LOVE each other and there is nothing better than that. You have each other’s back and are in your marriage for the long haul. I’m so honored to be able to read your blog.

  78. I have come to the the conclusion that people that spit out hateful and derogatory comments feel so bad about themselves that they have to try to tear someone else down so they can feel better about themselves. I call my house “The Big Top” all the time so I would consider “circus act” a compliment. Keep up the circus act because I love it. Continue to be bold and daring

  79. A lot of the comments already echo my feelings. I’ve had drifted from friendships. My husband has helped me see when I stressed over soo much, I really wasn’t letting myself be myself, nor happy, just appeasing, which wasn’t pleasing for me. Then I started to be more open. I approached each part cautiously but shared, I hated it as they came up, and eventually more honestly. Eventually bad gossip/opinions slowed with friends who got it. Some drifted, and had a friendship blow up unfortunately, I was upset until I realized the whole experience thrived on making everything dramatic and stressful, that didn’t need.

  80. Kristi,
    This is such a heathy way to deal with the crap. Thanks so much for sharing. I’m sorry you had to go through so much heart ache to get to that point, but I don’t think there was another way around to get there. Keep up the great work, I am always in awe of you and love to see what you are doing!

  81. I’ve been following your blog for years and I couldn’t put a value on the things you have taught me. My friends have all heard stories and lessons I share from “my decorator lady”. I love your style, your bravery to try new things and to go with your instincts. Keep on keeping on Kristi! I look forward to every one of your projects because I know I’m about to learn something new.

  82. I cannot tell you enough how much this post has meant to me. It came at the perfect time when we are getting horrible, negative comments in our community. It has nothing to do with decorating, although, I too, love your blog. I think the “stadium lights” finally went off in my head after reading this post. The “group” here has fallen to the lowest common denominator, and yes, negativity does attract negativity. Thanks for setting me straight. Your words were exactly what I needed!

  83. I have learned so much from your blog! My taste is not the same, but I still get so excited to get a new updated email to read what you are doing. We have done things in our older home that I would have never dreamed to do had I not followed your blog. I also have tried things that didn’t work and said I learned something from it because you are fearless with trying to figure out how to do something, and also fearless to say you don’t like it and redo it. I don’t look at it like I failed but instead it didn’t work.

  84. I am not ‘artistic’ at all! I can’t draw a straight line with a ruler. I’m also ‘scared’ of a lot of color(s) being used together. That is one reason I really enjoy your adventures in decorating your home. I would never, #1 think of things you do, or #2 have the courage or ability to make those dreams come to life. There are things you have done that I absolutely love, and some things not so much. But, I would never criticize you for your work! You do you, ALWAYS!!! Enjoy the positive comments and suggestions. Completely ignore the negative. Those people are usually miserable anyway and just want to bring someone else down to their level and try to make themselves ‘look good’ or something. Carry on, Kristie. We’ve got your back any day of the week.

  85. I joined your blog while you were living in the condo working on your kitchen. I think all of the things you have accomplished over the years are amazing. Your end results are absolutely freaking fantastic. I applaud your skills and use of colors and will continue to follow you for as long as you write these blogs. If I lived closer to you, I’d come over and paint the trim for you

  86. Kristi thank you so much for sharing. I too was once so obsessed with what people thought about every decision I made in my life that it made me miserable. When I finally realized, with the help of a friend, that it just didn’t matter what they thought & I was not going to live that way anymore it was the most incredible freeing moment. I love your blog and have learned so much from you. Please keep sharing!!

  87. Every day that I find your new post in my email is a happy day for me. You are a woman of extraordinary talent, and staggering energy, and I learn something from you with each post.

    Unlike many other decorating bloggers, you are not decorating your home with nothing but off whites and muted grays. You have given us all permission to use beautiful colors in our homes and in our lives.

    You are not alone in decorating in a colorful style. I just read two articles on the sale of Gloria Vanderbilt’s apartment in New York.

    Here’s one: https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/real-estate/a37209386/gloria-vanderbilt-beekman-place-home-for-sale-listing-photos/

    And here is a paragraph from a New York Times article about it:

    “Ms. Vanderbilt died in 2019. She was 95. But as it happens, she did live on in her apartment, a layered, sumptuous jewel box of a place that looks like something out of “The Arabian Nights,” draped with swoops of orange silk, lacquered pink walls, mirrored halls, Russian icons and chandeliers from which Christmas ornaments hang year round. Decorating is autobiography, she often said, and 30 Beekman Place, her home for nearly a quarter century, tells a vibrant story.”

    I was so struck by her quote, “Decorating is autobiography.” I don’t want my home to look like a model home, I want it to look like my home, my family’s home, filled with colors and objects that give us joy. There is no award in life for having the most tasteful, bland house, as far as I am concerned.

  88. You are wonderful, unbelievably creative and they are morons. That’s it. And I think you and Matt are a great couple.

  89. I love 98% of what you do and would do something similar in my home. As to the other 2%, my mother always said if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. Some of us love color and pattern and others prefer white, neither is better, it’s just important to be true to yourself. After 7 years and according to my gmail almost 1000 posts, I still find you inspiring not just for your skills but for your love and caring for Matt.

  90. I forgot to ask you……have you ever been approached to do a magazine spread or something similar by a big company? I’ve expected to read it on your blog that you had been contacted. I’ve wondered about that and am surprised if you haven’t. You are so good.

    1. I haven’t. Unfortunately, since I’m Matt’s full-time caretaker, I’ve never been able to attend the conferences and other large events where most bloggers network with each other and with companies and media people.

  91. I’m fairly new to your blog, but I love it. I’m sorry you had to go through such an awful experience; thrilled that you ‘saw the light”.
    Hugs ~

  92. I absolutely love your home and your decorating style. I’m so inspired by your drive and determination. No, it’s not my style, but it is beautiful! You have a vision and an ability to execute that vision that I really envy. Keep up the beautiful work! Keep infusing your home in color and light and please keep sharing.

  93. It’s truly sad that there is so much toxicity in the world today. The internet, while good in countless ways, has enabled the negative cowards who would never have the guts to say these appalling things to your face. Although my styles are more reserved than yours I LOVE your house and the projects you so painstakingly share with us. Your master bath room idea is magical. Every day, no matter how dreary, will be like spring. Please keep sharing with us. I’ve actually bragged about you to my husband. I’m in awe of your creativity and abilities. No task seems too daunting for you to tackle. Please keep sharing with us.

  94. This post got me to thinking about how long I’ve followed A2D, and I was pretty sure it had been more than a decade! Out of curiosity, I went to the Wayback Machine to see if I could recognize 1) when I first starting occasionally reading; and 2) when I started reading every new post. (Yes, it’s a slow day here.) I was surprised to realize that my first visits were in 2009, and my regular following started in late 2010. Remember the photo galleries you used to have of inspiration rooms! I loved those. 🙂 Anyway, the point of this is that even though I rarely comment, I read EVERY post and have for years. And this is the only blog I follow. This is my highest compliment to you.

    Today’s post brought to mind Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena” speech:

    “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

    The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

    Ignore the “cold and timid souls” who criticize you. Think what an incredible high it is to look at a room you’ve finished and love. And to walk into that room every time and feel the beauty of it lift your spirits. That is when you know that ignoring the critics is the smartest thing you can possibly do.

    1. Wow!! I can’t believe you’ve been reading my blog for so long!! A high honor, indeed. Thank you so much for sticking with me!

      And that Theodore Roosevelt quote is one of my absolute favorites.

  95. Kristi—I believe this is my first comment, although I’ve been following you for years. You are one of my favorite bloggers. What sets you apart from most of the others is that you do almost all of the work yourself and have a realistic budget. I admire your many talents and work ethic. I do follow several other bloggers but many of them appear to have bottomless pockets. When I read your posts, I’m often motivated and think “hey—this might be a design I can use in my house”! You are an inspiration and I enjoy reading about your plans and seeing them come to fruition. Haters gonna hate—-you keep doing YOU!

  96. I don’t usually comment but I’m always delighted to see all the creative ideas you have . I love that you have the courage to try something and if you don’t like it to say so and change it into something you do like. The world would like us to conform to their ideal but God gave us the ability to express our creativity.

  97. I honestly don’t understand why people feel the need to make negative comments. Why are they even following the blog if they find nothing to like??

    I just want to say that I LOVE your designs and colorful home. It’s a happy home and if it brings you and your husband joy, then at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. You’ve given me inspiration to make my home joyful for my family! Best wishes on your continuing project!

  98. Your home is beautiful. You are so talented and creative. I have always loved your blog and just realized one of the main reasons I love it so much when I looked at the group of images of your home that you posted above. I think it’s because you are true to your own style and always end up with something that is totally you, which in turn makes your home flow so nicely. In looking at those images, each room is different but each room has your particular style. You know what you like and you aren’t swayed by all the “inspiration” that is available online. I can easily be overwhelmed if I spend too much time on Pinterest or reading design blogs. I seem to lose my own sense of what I truly love and either can’t make a decision at all, or end up with something that isn’t even my style. You stay true to what you love and it is clearly working. Your home is just lovely.

  99. When I was a small child, I was bullied incessantly due to being left alone to roam outside as my parents were not very protective. I have a very strange memory of what to me looked like a gigantic pack of neighborhood kids gathered around as one of the bullies coaxed me to come over there. I did, and this bully who was a girl gave me what looked like a candy wrapper. She told me to take a bite. I did, as I stared not knowing what to expect. She burst out laughing, shouting out loud that I actually took a bite out of a dead rat that she had replaced the candy bar with. This was not true, I had not bit into anything that seemed gross, nor did I take a large bite. It was all for her showing off. Another strange memory I have in that neighborhood was being very young, like Kindergarten or 1st grade max. I remember at least two teenage boys wearing letterman’s jackets, they pushed me up against a tree that stood between the sidewalk and the street, so it was visible to the entire neighborhood. I recall being absolutely terrified and screaming for dear life as they lit a small fire with a lighter at my feet.

    I guess what I am trying to say is that I am now 58 yrs. old and those bullies are slightly older than me. I imagine they grew up to become absolutely horrible adults. The neighborhood was an upper middle class Southern California and we were all the same skin color. They just saw me as easy pickings because I was so easy to scare and I had no real parental guidance to show me how to stand up for myself.

    The cruelty that some people are capable of and do inflict never ceases to sadly surprise me. I am so sorry that you have been forced to deal with this treatment, Kristy. You are a kind and good soul who I enjoy and look forward to seeing all your projects, opinions and content.

    1. I’m so sorry you had to deal with that as a child. Those things can leave lifelong scars for so many people. And today, bullies have a way to inflict injury on other people while remaining anonymous and hiding behind a computer screen. It’s sad that there are so many miserable people who treat others like that.

  100. On a happier note to my bulling comment above ^^^ I just wanted to give a happier update.

    I had a son and while he was growing up, I would always encourage his friends to visit and I provided a safe, happy home where I provided food, laughter and positive interactions.
    There was always some kid, who like me growing up could use some extra nurturing and encouragement. My refrigerator was open and I fed countless meals. One boy in particular
    was especially sweet and good. His parents would literally leave changes of clothing on my doorstep for him so that he could stay longer. I truly cared about this boy, and wondered what happened to him all these years later that he is an adult and I moved with my son to another state. Last week, my son called me and gave me the happy news that this young man had found him on Facebook. I immediately sent the young man a friend request and messaged him. He seemed to remember my son more than me. He had just gotten married and graduated college. I was so relieved he was safe, sound and thriving. I cared about him, he truly had a heart of gold. In his FB messages to me, he explained that he was a DACA kid who lived in fear of deportation. I had no idea at all that he was going thru all that. You never know what someone’s burdens or cares are that they harbor in their heart.

    Bullies be damned.

  101. Kristi, I adore your “train wreck that was designed by a 12 year old”. 😂🤣I’m so happy for you that you finally “got it” and stopped letting them take up space in your brain!
    I’ve never been one who let others get to me like that, and for that very reason I’ve been told I’m “cold and/or harsh” . So I just shrug it off and go my merry way. You can’t please anyone but yourself!
    I’m so proud of you for doing this as well as sharing it! That is freeing as well! You go girl…..keep on doing you as I’ll continue watching and cheering you on! Been watching you for years, don’t intend to stop now.

  102. Although I don’t read each blog, I LOVe what you do. You see possibility and greatness, then go for it! If it’s not right, you do it again in a different way. I have learned that from you and want to say thank you for giving me the courage to follow my heart in my house.

  103. I love what you do and your blog. It inspires me to do my own projects which I love. I remember a time when you got really fed up with a bunch of people because they didn’t like a certain aspect of one of your rooms and you went quiet for a while. I felt really bad about that and am glad that things like that don’t bother you now. It’s your home for goodness sakes, and we’re grateful and fortunate that you share so much with us! Thanks for all you do!

  104. You go girl !! You are right, nobody should listen to keyboard bullies. It seems to be getting bad on all the platforms. Chin up you got this !

  105. You are clearly a very hard working, creative, caring woman. Charge on. I love what you do even IF I wouldn’t or can’t do in my own home, I LEARN FROM YOU. I’m inspired. I have grown in decorator confidence.

    And I LOVE LOVE LOVE your montage. It threaded the needle for me to see them all together, side by side, see the themes, continuity, the nuances of your creative expression more powerfully.

    And ta ta to the haters. Thanks for reminding us to live in our own truth.

  106. Hi kristy When i look at my email i look for your blog and, if its a day that you’ve written, i read your blog first. Now, mind you, i can’t tell one end of a hammer from the other. But, i do so enjoy reading about your adventures in decorating. I’m glad you’ve learned not to listen to the naysayers. What do they know anyway?

  107. I’m so glad you are free of that negativity. Absolute fools!! And that beautiful collage of pictures showing how far you came. You didn’t do any of that for them that was for you and Matt

  108. Amen. Couldn’t have said it better myself. And your home is beautiful! Hurray for train wrecks!! I’d love to have that train wreck my house any time!

  109. I am a much more neutral color girl for my house but your bold choices inspire me to look at my house differently. I appreciate your willingness to share your unique style so much in this ‘cookie-cutter’ world. You keep being fabulous and making your house YOUR home. Who cares what anyone says.

  110. Dear Christie,

    I am probably as surprised that anyone would have negative comments about your achievements as you were to receive them. I am constantly amazed by your creativity and the work you continually do to turn your home into the dream that it is. It is with great delight that I see a posting from you pop up in my email and after reading it, it is immediately filed in my Christie file. I am always stunned when you change a room since it already had appeared perfect but then amazingly becomes more so. You sew, paint (pictures), do carpentry. etc. – in my opinion, you are the Wonder Woman of home decorating. Keep on keepin’ on, and the best of luck to you and Matt. You are my hero. I am addicted to Addicted 2 Decorating and you.

  111. Very insightful and inspiring post, thank you! All very valid points. I love that you have arrived at the point where the “Mean Girls” no longer have an effect on you, wonderful! I rarely comment but wanted to personally thank you today and to say keep up the good work!

  112. I think I know what forum you are talking about. It’s the same one that caused a lot of bloggers to either quit or change their formats, because of all the negativity they spread. They had changed their name a few times because they were getting shut down or something. And yes, they were really getting horrid with the comments. I too stopped going there, except when someone would bring them up. Glad you found the power to overcome the critics. I don’t think I have the mental strength to do that. I had always been told I had a great design sense and should pursue it, but I knew if one person didn’t like it, I would be devastated, so I never did the hard thing. Bullies can totally change the course of a life.

  113. I follow your post every time anything shows up in my email. Kristi, you are truly talented and I get so much joy reading and seeing what you have created. It might not be my “style” exactly but it doesn’t matter. I’m always amazed with your talent so just carry on, nevermind the haters!

  114. If your house is a circus show, I’m all in. People are all just nasty nowadays & know it alls! Keep on blogging & ignore the haters.

  115. I haven’t commented in years…but this post gets me going! Kristi, I only follow four bloggers. Each one is different and inspire me in different ways. Your style is not my style usually, but what you do inspires me. How many times have I been frozen in a project because I’m afraid of doing it wrong? Lots. And then I see you tackle things until you LOVE it. I love colour, but not to the same degree as you…so I’m still learning about how much is right for me. If I only saw neutral, modern farmhouse bloggers (not picking on them, just that’s what is common right now), what would learn about myself? So keep doing what you love, as I know you will.

  116. I’ve been a faithful follower since just before you started on the kitchen (wow, that was really something!) I love everything you’ve done and admire your grit and determination. You have a great head on your shoulders. I don’t comment much but if I did it would most definitely be “Girl, you amaze me”! Keep it up, hug Matt for me and know if I ever get to Waco your house would be the top site on my list of “must sees”.

  117. Kristi, Due to health issues, mine & my husbands, I have not been following your posts. Imagine my surprise when I finally did to find that my favorite site that kinda feels like Christmas morning because I cannot wait to see what you’ve done next is called a circus. What? I love your site, your ideas, your home. I wish I could create my home to look more like yours. You’re so creative, the different things you’ve done is just amazing. DON’T LET THESE NEGATIVE PEOPLE DISCOURAGE YOU! By the way they’re everywhere bringing their drama with them and they’re probably just envious. Let’s just pray for them. Keep on designing and encouraging those of us who are inspired by you! Love you Kristi

  118. Remember those Home Interiors parties of years past?? While the company often carried lovely decorator items, I never really wanted to pull the trigger to purchase any of their products. Why?? Because I’d often personally see the decor items that I favored in multiple homes. Yours will NEVER be a home like that. It’s original, colorful, bold, innovative and…totally not my style at all!!! That being said, I check every day to see if you have a posting. Here is a woman who can do carpentry OMG, and original works of art. I was totally amazed when you were doing your kitchen in green. I even showed my husband those cabinets with the gold trim. I don’t even like green, but they caught my eye like nothing else ever had. If you can catch the interest of people who’s decorating taste is totally different than your own, then you truly have an special talent. Your work is fascinating, your use of color makes me want to whoop-whoop cheer, no fear there! The tiles you made for the pantry, well I have no words. I loved the coral buffet and the painted upright piano, and you changed them both. So what, it’s your house and that way I got to see something new again. Yay! You’re projects are so much fun to watch in the making. I could give a s**t about what the nasty little pigs out there spew. They can’t change my mind about your talent and shouldn’t shake your confidence. Obviously you got beyond that years ago. Bravo.

  119. I love your attitude about it! Right after I turned 40 the shackles of other’s opinions fell off for me too. It was the most liberating feeling. As for your style, I love it! I live in a house with three little boys and one large one. My house looks like a hunting lodge with Dinos and man stuff everywhere. Your blog is a visual treat and feels so inviting and real. It makes me want to take more risks and throw some teals and pinks around my house! You are an amazing designer and teacher. I’ve learned really cool stuff from you.

    As for your husband, why do people think they have the right to weigh in on other’s lives? It’s just as easy to be kind or silent as it is to be cruel.

    Thank you for your blog, I look forward to every new post!

  120. Criticism is an event in someone else’s head. Meet criticism with empathy by asking “where are they coming from?” They see, in what you’re doing or saying, their own past. They don’t see you. You share your talent, skills and experiences with us. They can’t compete, so they lash out to tear others down.

  121. Good for you for not letting those hateful comments get to you. Although your decorating style is not my style, I love your blog! It’s refreshing to see a home filled with happy, bright colors instead of the whites and grays. I’m inspired by how much work you do on your own and how awesome the result is. You have a big fan here!

  122. Hahaha….I love your take on this. Don’t let the trolls get you down! I’m amazed at how negative our country has become in the last few years. I love everything you do!

  123. Out of curiosity, do you remember what home project you were working on when that lightbulb moment happened? Just wondering if we could see a difference in your work.

    1. Oh, now that would be interesting to know, wouldn’t it? But I don’t remember, unfortunately. And I have no desire to go hunting for that comment to see the date on it. If someone else finds it and sees the date on that comment, I’d certainly want to know. I’d love to see if and how that moment affected my projects, my decorating, etc.

      1. I was wondering if it happened somewhere around the kitchen cabinet color change or one of the changes of the living room. It seemed like something changed around then. Love reading your blog. We just installed 650 sq ft of oak flooring, that needed to be laced into existing flooring. What a job!

  124. As if “12 year old girl” was an insult. I love your unique,
    personal vision, and I love the joy you take in sheer creativity.
    You go girl.

  125. Kristi …. you GO GIRL !!
    I for one, LOVE your adventurous and can-do spirit and I’m truly envious of your vision and ability to create beautiful rooms, albeit most are a bit colourful for ME.
    But I appreciate your creations for themselves and for the cleverness of the results. They ALL work!
    O.K. I may not want them for my home; but they inspire me nevertheless.

    Example: your bathroom mural. For years I’ve adored chinoiserie wallpaper; but have never had the courage to incorporate it anywhere in my decor. But because of YOU and your amazing projects, I ventured to suggest to my husband that we should make a feature wall of it in our living room. And he likes the idea having seen some on-line examples of my taste!!
    So I’m now actively searching for that perfect design, (which I think I’ve found) so I can transform my room into MY special place. I’m so excited and it’s all thanks to you …… and your “circus”.
    Thankyou for being so inspiring and courageous- I LOVE your blog and I thank my lucky stars to have found you.

    1. I for one love your blog! I love that you use color in every room of your house. I wish I was like you but I’m afraid to use a lot of color in my home. Maybe one day.
      Thank you for all your great post and ideas. You truly are a great designer. Keep up all the great work. And if some people don’t like it they can move on. I personally think they are jealous of you!

  126. Oh, Kristi, YOU know who you are and YOU know what they are…I am not a stupid tasteless person at all, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your happy, fun designs that are not only creative, but very tasteful, creative and done with love and great planning. There are far more people just like me who really are encouraged that given an example like yourself, that without spending money we do not and will never have, to try really hard so that we might be able to get our own homes half as lovely as your showplace. Baloney to haters and insensitive cruel people. So sorry that some have no respect for talent and kindness. There are far more of us who have never written to you to tell you we LOVE and appreciate everything you write and demonstrate for us that we may have the courage to try something similar. You are fantastic.

  127. I think the greatest thing about getting older is not caring so much about what others think. It’s incredibly freeing! People I love and am friends with are really the opinions that matter to me. I enjoy many blogs and their style doesn’t match mine 100% of the time. But the ideas I get from the are why I return to them. I think that’s the point of them!!

  128. I rarely comment, because I rarely have anything value added to say (and probably don’t know, lol). But I love that you try things that might be considered ‘daring’ and you share with us when they work and when they don’t. I love that you’re not afraid to do things over if you don’t like how they turned out. That has been a HUGE inspiration to me in my own diy world. I’m glad you figured out how to ignore the idiots so you can keep inspiring the rest of us.

    1. Oops – didn’t catch my typo – should have been ‘and probably don’t now’ (have much value added to say 🙂 )

  129. y’know, I was just sitting here after an hour of looking at photos trying to decide how to makeover my patio, and I thought, “I wonder how the happy lady with the colorful house is getting on with her bathroom. I bet she’ll make me feel better.”

    You see, it turns out that after buying 2 things for my patio, it’s going to be black and white. Just like my dining room. I mean, I could have gone with blue and white like every other room in my house. The only reason the spare room has red in it is because my mum comes to stay and she likes red.

    I love your house. It’s inspiring and fun, and so designer. My house will never look like yours, because apparently, I’m boring as all out, but I come often to be cheered up by the happy lady in the colorful house. So I guess it takes all sorts, as my grandmother used to say.

  130. 👏. I remember that site. Someone told me about it, and when I looked once, I was absolutely aghast at how vitriolic and nasty it was. I am so sorry you had to experience this. I have absolutely hated this kind of shit my whole life, culminating with the “slam books” which were circulated back when I was in high school in the early 1960s. The mere idea that anyone would say anything about your husband is beyond appalling. My parents would have punished me beyond description had I ever participated in something like this, so it is just beyond compression that it would exist at all. (In fact they found one I brought home, and took it to the principal and I was punished even though I never wrote anything in it. ) You are an incredibly talented creative person, and have demonstrated incredible strength and inspiration to all of us who are dealing with a difficult life situation. Your artistic expression is your way of channeling that challenge into a productive positive conduit. I am so glad you came to the realization that no one else’s opinion matters. If you are happy with what you did, then that is all that matters. It requires a lot of bravery to even put anything “out there” in this day and age for other people to inevitably get snarky about.

  131. This is a LOVELY thing you’ve shared! So many people need to hear this, to fortify their own resistance to that garbage. I’m proud of you for coming to this point, and for sharing it. xo

  132. I am so very sorry that people are so small they need to criticize you to make themselves feel better. For what it is worth, you and I don’t have exactly the same taste, but then again, who does? I find you have ideas that are stupendous that would never have occurred to me, and I learn something with every post. I also love “watching” and learning how you do so many projects so skillfully. I am always looking for the next post, because it is always something I never thought of. I am glad you are able to shake off the negative people. At the very least, they are cruel, and probably no where near as competent as you are. Keep doing what you do, and I will keep reading about it with enjoyment.

  133. Kristi, Thanks for your great message. I love your work, enjoy following your work on your house. You take us step by step on your projects. Your home your choice, just like my home my choice. Keep up your talented joyful design work ❤

  134. “Stadium lights” – so perfectly expressive.

    My first home healthcare patient was a woman with MS. People just don’t realize.

    My very much 70-year-old self loves the plan for the bathroom, especially the mural.

    Glad you’re saving yourself for yourself and fam, and being the beacon of fun and invention that you are with this blog.

  135. I have a couple of friends who have blogs and internet sites. Apparently, there are trolls who sit in their lonely basements and reply to people; they act as if they are many people. They, in actuality, only 1 or 2 sick minds.
    WHO DOES THAT???
    I am happy that you figured that out several years ago. Good for ta!
    Your house is very nice, you have toiled over it. And, most importantly, it is yours!
    God bless!

  136. I am glad you realized that critical, mean, negative Internet opinions shouldn’t matter – I am double your age and just realized this last year! I think the anonymity of the Internet, sitting at home typing something that you don’t use any social filters has created a mean society. People say things they would never say in person to your face. If I don’t like something I move on. The last year I have “silenced” “friends” (and relatives!) on Facebook, I have unsubscribed from blogs (without leaving a mean message!), and it feels great to release the negativity! So let it go and continue to have a colorful life!

  137. I was listening to a Podcast with Sharon McMahon and she had an amazing quote. “If people can’t get you to stop doing what you love, they’ll try to take away your joy.” I’m so glad you’ve stopped letting others be joy stealers. Keep up the amazing, stunning work!

  138. I absolutely love your house! That 12 year old that is designing your house has some real promise! 😂 Would you please send her my way when she’s finished in your house?

  139. Your house and blog is the first one I’ve seen online that actually makes me feel happy and inspired. You are enormously talented and I’m so grateful I get to learn from your blog. In a sea of beige, you are a rare ray of colour!

    And I’ve had a lot of “constructive feedback” about my blog on that forum as well. And I felt heartbroken when I read it years ago. I remember my husband saying “Honey, do you really think happy, fulfilled, creative people are spending their time on that message board? Of course not! It’s not an audience that is worth listening to.”

    It’s like that Brene Brown quote… unless you are in the arena doing the work and getting your ass kicked, your opinion is worth jackshit.

    I just wanted you to know you are not alone… and I’m so glad you are confident in your creative vision! It’s a thing of beauty.

  140. Good for you! I’ve always admired you for being a 24 hour caregiver and still getting all this neat stuff done. Give yourself a hand!

  141. Thank you so much for sharing that, Kristi! When we give more weight to what total strangers think about us and our lives we, frankly, reduce ourselves to children/teenage levels. I have always found it interesting how, as kids, we want so
    oooo much to be like everyone else. Yet, as you grow older, I hope, you begin to appreciate the differences about what makes you YOU. I was one of those people pleasing girls and I couldn’t tell you the exact time the lights went off for me, but it was a good long while ago and yes, it is soooo freeing. Of course, the opinions of my family and closest friends are sought, but sometimes (most times) discarded and sometimes incorporated into the issue at hand. I’m an Aries and have pretty much always marched to the beat of my own drum.

    Again, thanks for sharing all that, because social media and opinions of absolute strangers (who also happen to be idiots and/or just total assholes) is the reason so many young people commit suicide these days. They simply haven’t lived long enough to build the emotional muscle and confidence they need to walk away from those kinds of situations. And it gets the best of them sometimes. I’m so glad you came throught to the other side! For the record, I think you are amazing in your vision and your accompllishments. But I couldn’t live in your house. It would be overwhelming for me and my house would probably bore you to tears. But I still love you and read your blog. You still give me ideas that I can adapt to my life and my home! Bless both you and Matt. Stay strong.

  142. I have been following your blog for a few years and only left a handful of comments when you’ve asked readers to weigh in with their opinion on topics/choices. I have learned so much from you over the years and I’ve attempted many projects (and bought power tools) bc you inspired me to do so. Forget the haters and keep doing your thing. So many people like me are thankful for your content, inspiration, and education. Best always!!

  143. wow, is all I can say. Yours is one of the only blogs i have been continually following for years (started with the green kitchen that took my breath away) and the reason is the colors you use, new and wild things you try, even if you fail, and just sheer talent that you have. I can hardly stand these new white on white rooms that seem to be everywhere now and all look the same. Where’s the creativity in that? thank you for what you do, inspire and entertain us!!!

  144. I love your house and watching your house change. I also love the colors you choose, they are so happy! Keep doing what you are doing and I will keep watching!

  145. I’ve followed you and Matt for a few years now! I find you to be a Woman of many talents and You love what you do almost as much as Matt. Of course we don’t all like the same decor. That certainly would be boring,,,,,,, but I and many of us followers find you ambitious, honest, talented, unassuming and most of all a loving caring person. I guess we all want to be liked and get kudos, leave those negative ones behind. Don’t change You! I’m a Dedicated follower! 👩‍❤️‍👨

  146. I’ve been reading since the condo days – the cat desk, fish scale artwork and who knows what else. I’ve always admired your ability to go full speed in one direction – do it all yourself- and then course correct if you need. Uncertainty comes with all decor decisions and you talk it all through and make ME feel better about not being sure about what I’m doing. I love every project – even if it’s not something I want to do – and want to keep seeing you being true to yourself. Haters are gonna hate but those of us who love and admire your work are gonna stick around regardless. Hugs to you!

  147. Kristi,
    I have read your blog for years. I do not leave comments. I am not a person who normally puts my thoughts out for others to see.
    I love your blog. I check it every day. No, your style of decorating is not mine. I think how you decorate your home is beautiful. I personally prefer more neutral colors but I do not live in your home. If you came to my house, you would want to put color in it. That is the beauty of it being our own home. We do what we like.
    I have learned from you to take chances on my ideas and not worry about doing it again if it doesn’t turn out the way I saw it in my head. You inspire others to try. That is a wonderful trait.
    Thank you for opening your home to us.

  148. I love love LOVE your home! I love seeing ALL of the color and how it all goes together soooo beautifully. Kudos to you for being able to let go of the idiot critics. Walk a mile in my shoes, people. Walk a mile. And then just be NICE.

  149. I am so glad you woke up! They are the same people who were the “mean” girls and guys in high school, the playground bullies, empowered by anonymity. I personally LOVE your circus filled home and honestly you could come train wreck over here. Your personal conviction and willingness to follow YOUR OWN Path to what makes your heart sing empowers the rest of us to do the same. KEEP GOING because I personally have been BEYOND inspired by you!! Thanks for sharing a teaching moment with us!!

  150. You go girl! Whereas I would not do many of the design choices you have in my house, I LOVE that you follow your heart and do what makes you happy!

  151. I’m all aboard your train wreck, the ticket taker in your circus, not the 12-year-old girl but the 70-year-old woman that has followed you in awe with all you have done. I would be as I know you are to have a home as lovely as yours. You are a very talented, artistic, strong person to do all you do with your home and caring for Matt. I cared for my husband for years until he passed in March, I don’t know how you do all you do but stay proud of yourself Kristi, you are a marvel.

  152. Well that was an entertaining read. Thank goodness you got yourself out of the pull of those haters.
    It amazes me that these mouth-breathers are so determined to try and hurt.
    They must have nasty little lives, so ignoring them is the best way to upset them.

    Your decorating and reshaping of your house is so very interesting. Your ideas are a revelation and your finishes are superb.

    If they don’t like it : sod ’em!

    (l now have a vision in my head of a dog with a paintbrush….)

  153. Kristi, I can’t always see your vision, but I’ve learned to wait for the finished product. I’ve not been disappointed! I call myself a “colorphobe” because being completely surrounded by bold color (walls, carpets, furnishings all together) actually makes me feel nauseous (as does loud music in a contained space) – no clue as to the whys. You’ve been teaching me how to add color with your DIYs without doing that to myself. I’m a beach girl and have a whole slew of colors I love! Thanks to you I can incorporate blues, greens, teals, coral and more!

  154. I grew up in a family whose every social interaction was determining what they didn’t like– about person, place, or thing–nothing escaped our critical eye, it was our entertainment! I never realized how caustic this was until I caught myself doing this with my young son! From that moment on, I have tried to undo my upbringing and have trained myself to find the pleasant, focus on what is positive. It’s just not that hard to find what I like about a person, place, or thing. So, if some aspect of your project may not be my thing, it is always very easy to find something wonderful in every one of your projects (teal cabinets may not be my thing, but learning how to paint grained cabinets to get a smooth finish was definitely worth the read! And I love seeing how your teal cabinets come together with the rest of your decorating.). I’m always excited to see a new post from you and I always stop what I’m doing to see what you’re up to. I imagine without your personal epiphany, these posts might not still be coming. Thank you so much for sharing this story!

  155. I feel like I am a guest in your home. I am in utter shock how these spoiled brats act. Really!!!! What else is a decent word to even call them? They are done?????? Honestly???? They are actually people I would have no desire to even hear from, let alone be a guest in my home!!!! Please keep on sharing. I would LOVE for you to come to my home in Missouri and give me advise. You are such a hard worker and are so wonderful to share your feelings and talents.

  156. I LOVE every bit of your house because it reflects you. Just you and Matt. Keep on doing you and revel in your successes and learn from your do-overs! Notice I DIDN’T say mistakes! 🥰❤️ You’re extremely talented and honest in a way that is so refreshing.

  157. I LOVE YOUR HOME!! And I love following your blog!!! I, for one, am terrified of picking up a paint brush cause my husband will want to take over and GET IT DONE FAST!!! I am a slow turtle cause I want it done right!!

  158. I just don’t understand people with no filter. Once something is said (or read) it can’t be taken back; the damage is done. Proverbs 12:18 = “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” So, words should always be carefully chosen. People can be plain stupid — good on you for not caring! They should mind their own business.

  159. I’ve often said, “opinions are like fannies; everyone’s got one,
    some just smell better than others.”
    To this day, and maybe it’s a generational thing, I don’t understand how bloggers open up themselves, their homes, their daily living to us, total strangers. I’d never have the courage. So I applaud you for doing you and being the best you out there!

  160. People so ugly on the inside are awfully insecure, unhappy and lost. It’s sad. Honestly, the best way to disarm people like this is to compliment them! It flies in the face of human nature but it totally strips them of their motivation to tear others down. In reality they are obsessed with you and what you do, and feel they cannot compete or measure up. Otherwise they would not be spending so much time reading your blog and commenting on it. And the jab at Matt just means she has a man issue in her own life.

  161. I am astounded at these people who criticise! I am one of those people who have followed you for a while now and have never posted, just ‘liked’. I love your creativity and am continually amazed by the results you achieve through not only your creativity, but your workmanship and hours of manual labour. I’m glad you’ve hit back at the ‘haters’ rather than disappear from sight as that would be a loss for all of us who are inspired by you.

  162. Kristi-always do you and never apologize!! I think the only project you’ve ever done that I really really loved eventually got painted over! 🙂 But ya know what, life didn’t end! And I don’t follow you so that I can control what you do with your own house that I will never set foot in! I have learned soo much from following you since the condo days and will continue to do so!! Taste makes a market! Social media has made people such narcissists! Just because one has an opinion doesn’t mean the rest of the world is breathlessly waiting to hear it!!
    Make yourself happy and don’t let a single one of us take that from you!

  163. Thank you for having the courage to voice this. I love to follow influencers and DIY accounts with a wide range of decorating styles. I don’t expect to fall in love with every room, but want to learn and expand my appreciation of style. You amaze me with what you are able to accomplish while caring for Matt.

  164. My sisters and I always say ‘If you wouldn’t say it to their face, don’t type it online’. When its anonymous, people feel embolden to tear others down, a sure sign of their own insecurities. I know you realize that and putting your creativity and masterful abilities out there sets you up for others to troll you. I’m so happy you don’t concern yourself with that behavior any longer. I’m sorry people have made you feel horribly in the past. You are so talented, it must be jealousy raising its ugly head. I wish I had the vision to make my house as colorful and wonderful as yours. Maybe I should tap into my forgotten 12yr old imagination. Keep doing you, you’re awesome and loved by your true fans❤️

  165. Wow! Such a sick comment about Matt. That’s the epitome of stupid. Most of these comments come from envious women that are brain dead. Recently, I read a comment on a Youtuber’s channel It went essentially like this: “I need you to stop shopping now. You are unbearable!” A subscriber ordering the vlogger! People hide behind a computer to do their nasty deeds. I am glad you don’t care about that anymore.

  166. I’m glad that you don’t pay attention to negative people. I am so impressed by your skill and your energy level! Keep doing what you’ve been doing!

  167. Well said Kristi, and better yet well done. It’s amazing to me the venom some people spew and I’m glad you are mentally in a place to ignore now. Your colorful home is refreshing and I think of you as fearless.

  168. This is my first comment, but I love your style. I love color too, especially teal which you’ve used all over your home. It gives me the courage to try color in my home. I see all the basic boring grey houses, and they seem so void of life. I do have grey in mine, but there’s still COLOR! Keep doing what you’re doing.

  169. Beautiful Kristi {and Wonderful Matt},

    I could not have said it better myself.

    Your home INVITES and WELCOMES my eyes, my interest, my heart. It is lovely what you have created as a dwelling place for you and your beloved. The thought, the esteem, the “other-ness” you ponder when making your decisions is a positive influence on any loving couple and spouse who enjoy your blog. Your place expresses both your creativity and your care for your mate. And that you share and inspire us with your ideas (even the ones you deem too “precious”) is, for me a gift. I only recently came across your blog, and I’ve thanked myself ever since. *wink*

    Have a wonderful week! I have the feeling that many bloggers/readers are freer than they’ve been in a long time after reading this post.

    *hugs*
    Mrs. Kelley Dibble
    (David and I celebrated our Ruby this year.)

  170. Oh man Kristi, you’ve inspired me in some way or another with most of your post. I’m Happy you’re not letting the nasty troll people win! Their mission in life this is spread hate, imagine how miserable they must be. You are very talented in design, DIY ability, and as a writer. Beautiful fun personality!

  171. I have read your blog for years but haven’t ever left a comment, now I wish I had. Your ideas and creativity are so inspirational to me. I’m always impressed by how much of the actual labor you do yourself, the actual construction parts that I would be terrified to even attempt myself. Watching how you personalized your condo and THEN how you transformed your house has been one of my favorite things to keep up with for the last several years.

    I know the website you’re talking about and I remember reading there for a while (I do have a petty side) and always being so angry and defensive when people would bash bloggers that I liked-including you. I had to leave because it just made me such a mean, angry person by just reading what other mean angry people wrote. I’m SO glad you were able to let it go.

  172. Kristi–it’s so nice that you said goodbye to that forum. Good riddance! I’m a writer, but I ONLY follow 2 design blogs. Yours is one of them.

    That should show you how good it is.

    Thanks for putting this out there. I know it will help someone be free of the trolls. BTW, it was seeing your “circus” on Pinterest that led me to subscribe.

    I was awestruck by your use of colors!

    Haters always gonna hate.

  173. Oh my! My feeling is that people are so unhappy with themselves that they want to bring everyone down to their level….miserable. Good thing you and Matt have a strong bond and are able to cope with these idiots. Your home is a beautiful expression of you two. It’s a fun, colorful happy home. Keep up the good work!

  174. Bravo Kristi! I too love your “circus” of a house…..& I’m sure we ALL wish we could unlock our “inner 12-year old child”! Your use of color and your willingness to “do it all” inspires me. I haven’t commented often but “I want to be like you when I grow up”…..even though I believe I’ve got a few years on you. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your story! Warmest Regards! Amy K.

  175. Amen sister! You are an amazing woman. I wish I had half your talent, ability, energy, and endurance. Congratulations on learning the most basic tenet of a happy, fulfilling life. You and those you live with are the ONLY ones who get a say in how you live in your own house. You do you – spectacularly! I love it, I hate it, I’m not sure how I feel. No matter. It’s not mine. What does matter is that by sharing what you do, you inspire me to be brave enough to do me, and the heck with what anyone else’s opinion is. That’s your special gift to us out here in insta-blog world. Thank you. I will treasure it.

  176. Thank you, Kristi! Sometimes I forget that the bullies that lurk around the edges of our lives really have no power unless we give it to them. I still need those reminders now and then. Besides loving what you do with color, I really took to heart what others have told me before! So thanks for the post today, I really needed that.

  177. Wonderful post. I’m glad you’ve been able to make your peace within the toxicity and further tried to help others. ‘ve heard of these sites that exist just to tear others down, but never bothered looking them up. Like you, I figure if if don’t care for a blog or blogger style, I’ll just move on-without the grand announcement that no one really cares about. Who has time to waste on such negativity?

    I, for one, must love 12 year girl style too, because I think your home is beautiful. And your talent is clearly evident in every room and project you take on! I love your use of color and the complete departure from the white on white on gray I see on so many other blogs.

  178. I’ve always thought your home is amazing! It’s vibrant, loaded in personality, happiness, and creativity. It’s not what I would have in my own home, but I would love to visit with you in yours once a day, everyday! Wouldn’t life and personal spaces be so boring if we all decorated the same? You do you, boo! Nobody does your brand like you do … it’s gorgeous and inspiring – even to us black, white, and beige girls!

  179. I don’t even know what to say except that that you don’t need to defend Matt or anything. There are plenty of bloggers whose husbands have careers outside of the blogging and it isn’t anyone’s business. Some of your taste is different than mine but I read your blog because you give me courage to try something bold. It doesn’t always work out the way that I want but your choices don’t always please you either…and it’s ok! You’ve helped me see that I don’t have to be perfect the first time…it is time and money but it’s mine to spend to get to the feeling for the room that I want. I send you unlimited grace for helping me resolve that personal issue to be true to myself. All the best, Aime

  180. I am so sorry that you experienced this horrible negativity. I learned a long time ago that people who are unhappy with their lives try to make everyone else unhappy too. You cannot change “stupid” so please don’t get upset with ignorant comments. The guy across the street from me is ne of those people, he got like five niches from my face and called me a “bitch.” I still to this day have no idea why, I cried for two days. M husband tried to have a conversation with him but stupid is as stupid does.

    By the way, you have helped me so much with your bravery in tackling projects by yourself. You and I have very similar tastes. First, teal is my favorite decorating color. I had planned on painting my kitchen cabinets a light teal but have since determined that the cabinets are not good enough to salvage so I am waiting for the budget to get new ones. My color accent will be a teal ceiling, white walls, light gray cabinets. I cannot wait!

  181. I ran out of f’s to give long ago. It comes with age and maturity. Keep on being you! I LOVE your circus, even if it isn’t my style. You inspire me to get off my butt and renovate our 1966 ranch home that is way out of date every time I see one of your posts, so keep on keeping on, sister!

  182. 👏👏👏 I agree these people have nothing else to do and want to drag people down into the poop they like to roll around in. Good for you. Everyone has different preferences and although I have rarely commented, I take inspiration in some projects have different opinions in others but ultimately I respect your choices because ultimately it is your home and you should be able to do whatever you wish for your home. I applaud you for your strength 💪 👏👏👏

  183. I came to this site because a picture I saw somewhere and I loved the room. I never cease to be amazed at the incredible rooms you have created from what looked really bad before – homes that I never would have bought yet now I envy. But mostly because you inspire me to try out of the ordinary things. In a world of grey you bring COLOR!!!

    I too am appalled by the meanness and haughtiness that people can display while hiding behind their computers. For example, a person mentioned that she couldn’t afford new pillows was thinking of recovering them in one of two fabrics shown and asked for advice. One “lady” actually told her that their was no point in putting new pillows on that ugly, out of date furniture that she needed to buy all new. Another told her that her room was too busy and she should tear out the built-ins, replace her carpet and curtains. Other posts had comments like well I think it is really boring, but if you like it…..
    So I wrote a stand alone post suggesting that people offer help with what was asked for, not to assume everyone has a lot of money, and basically “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything”. And that post got a backlash of people saying others needed thicker skins and if they post on here they should expect to get helpful suggestions for other people. “To say it looks nice when I don’t like it would be disingenuous”. And with that, I just rolled my eyes and decided some people will just be who they are and be grateful I don’t have to live with them!

  184. Your living room is one of my favorite designs ever, and I love that you share your thought process and missteps along the way. Anyone in the construction business (not just DIY’ers!) know that there are always plenty of missteps and problem-solving opportunities in any build. I appreciate your tenacity!

  185. I hope that you find some peace and joy today. Let those negative comments go for good. You have many readers that enjoy your posts and creativity.

  186. I just love your “circus house”, it might not be all my style, but that’s what makes it fun and yours. We don’t all have to like the same thing. Imagine how boring we would be if we all had the exact same design style. And how hard it would be to buy anything, hahaha. Over the last few years I have tried to not define myself with one design style and I have started to let myself mix it up. I have some farmhouse, with some eclectic and a bit of mid-mod, oh and industrial. Like you said you and Matt are the only opinions that matter. I have even told family members, if/when they have made a comment (nothin as rude as what you have experienced) that I like xyz as is and that it’s ok that they don’t like it. It means I don’t have to worry about them trying to sneak out that item or copy my house 😉 . Thanks for being you and letting out your inner 12 year old. I love your blog and how much fun you clearly have creating a space. I also love that you show that it’s ok to complete (or be halfway) and change mind and start over.

  187. Kristi, I have been following you for years. I don’t comment much. We purchased a cottage in February and took it down to the studs. We are close to being done with the inside. Whenever I get the feeling I cannot DIY one more project, I think of you. You are so inspiring to me. Your capabilities are endless. You do you! Thanks for sharing your home with us!

  188. Your blog has definitely influenced me. When I got married, I toned down my colorful, maximalist style to blend with my husband’s minimal, neutral style. I thought it was sophisticated but it didn’t bring me joy. When I asked my husband what he thought of some pieces that were influenced by your designs, he told me to change whatever made me happy. Now our home has neutral furniture but color everywhere else and it makes us both happy. I don’t do large-scale projects like you do and my home has more vintage and thrifted than your home but your blog has definitely influenced me. I don’t know if would have felt free to explore with color and redo projects that didn’t quite feel right to me if it wasn’t for your blog. Thanks!

  189. I remember that comment. I tried to explain, but…yeah.

    I got chased off that board because one particularly toxic person decided I was your sock puppet. It was a blessing.

    When they accused the widow of faking her husband’s death, that was the final loss of respectability for the site.

    1. Oh my gosh, just thinking about that makes my blood boil. That whole episode should have been the death of that forum. Any person with the slightest drop of dignity and humanity left in their brains should have been OUT of that forum at that moment, with the most wretched, toxic, bottom-feeding people in that forum having been laid bare for everyone to see just how truly disgusting and inhumane they truly were. There are no adequate words for those people who participated in that whole thing. Dregs of society? No. That’s WAY too nice. There are no words. The fact that the forum even survived after that tells you everything you need to know about those people. They behaved more like rabid animals than humans.

      1. Absolutely. It’s really hard to go lower than that.

        I wasn’t even aware of it until after it happened. I can’t imagine the site gets much traffic anymore.

  190. Bravo for leaving that nasty group! I think you are amazing and love just about everything you do. With that being said, it isn’t all for me or my house but I get inspiration from you. I very seldom comment but I enjoy following you immensely! Keep doing YOU!

  191. I began reading your blog just after you purchased your house. I have commented a few times. Your style is a little bold for me, but I like what you have done with your house. I know sometimes it takes you a while for your idea to become reality, but that’s ok. I am always amazed with the result whether it is temporary, a do-over, or the final result. You have so much talent. I have referred to your blog at times to show my daughter something that might help her with fixing up her home. It’s an older home that needs some work, and being a newlywed, they can find their own style for this house or just make needed improvements until they decide to build or move. It is much improved over what her then boyfriend bought 2 years ago! It also had tornado damage a year and a half ago. She just mentioned about doing a little sheetrock work (seriously, probably will take one sheet for the entire job), and I immediately thought of your dislike for sheetrock work.

    Being a caretaker for a sick, disabled, or elderly person is not an easy job! I realized that a few years ago when I started helping my aging parents. My daddy and I became my mother’s sole caretaker after her cancer diagnosis. It was a hard 8 months. After her death, I became my daddy’s caretaker. I have lived next door to to my parents for 20 years. My brother lives 1000+ miles away. Fortunately, my 84 year old daddy is fairly independent and in relatively good health . I also have a full time job, a 15 year old son still at home, a family farm with livestock to help tend to sometimes when my husband and son need help with farm stuff. We have four other children with spouses, and very soon our 6th grandchild will be born. They all live a minimum of 2 hours away. My life is busy.

    I said all that to say that you do what you need to do to take care of you! Until someone has walked in your shoes, they don’t need to be critical of what you are doing. Bright colors, bold design, bold choices bring you joy. There were times, that I wished you had left something alone, but I do not live in your house. You do! The end result of your do-overs are always better than what I thought you should have left alone. You want to live in a place that makes you happy (and also in your case, comfortable and convenient). I would not still be reading your blog this many years later if I did not like what you were doing. Keep on keeping on.

  192. You are a lovely Christian woman with the biggest heart and a beautiful home. This is all obvious from your blog. The internet is full of lonely, disillusioned, sad, hopeless trolls that wonder why everyone isn’t like them. And they express their mental illness because they think it’s all “anonymous”. This is why the world needs Jesus (and perhaps some serious psychotherapy). Thank you for your blog and your happy, fun projects. And a peek into your compassion and love.

  193. It seems that I remember a time when you and Matt decided he would check the comments that came in before you saw them and sort out the ones he knew would not be helpful. Have you stopped doing that? Or did I misunderstand? Even though our tastes in home decorating are very different, I have benefitted greatly and learned how to do SO much by following your blog. Thank you!

  194. I applaud your ability to go ‘outside the box’ with your decor and I think your home is beautiful. You take decor to the next level by incorporating color and style instead of the trends like ‘greige’, industrial and shiplap throughout the house. You’ve given me a number of great ideas. Keep doing what you’re doing.

  195. Kristi, I absolutely love your attitude. Spot on! I have followed your blog for years and am amazed at what you are able to accomplish.. You were my inspiration for tackling painting my woodwork and cabinets in my 70s era home. I am amazed at your skills. I figured if you can learn, then so can I. I freaking love your home. and every project you have done. Kudos for powering on!
    As far as, MS, my nephew’s wife was stricken with this devastating disease several years ago. I understand the struggle from first hand experience. You are an absolute saint!!! Many prayers for you and Matt and the years to come.

  196. I have been following you for YEARS. I am always amazed at what you can do. I love how you fill your home with what you love. Thank you for this post. I work in a job where I am reviewed online. It is dreadful. That one post can stick with you for days. I am getting better at it, and will keep your words in mind. Thanks again 🙂

  197. Just one more comment….this whole situation reminds me of a person on instagram who takes negative reviews of national parks, and then creates these beautiful posters of gorgeous scenes from those parks, and overlays the negative review on top of it (Subpar Parks; something like that-look for it if you haven’t seen it). The combination of the gorgeous view with the nasty review is hysterical. It definitely takes the power from the negative reviewers and shows how truly silly they are. I am imagining a similar thing from you now, shots of your amazing kitchen, or pantry, or bathroom, or breakfast nook, with “designed by a 12-year old” overlaid…..Thanks again for this post.

  198. I’m sorry for what you’ve experienced as a blogger. Do unto other, right?
    I must tell you that your airplane/departure remark made me LOL. As a matter of fact, I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. 🤣
    As the expression goes… you do you!

  199. I don’t know if this is my second or third comment, but I’ve been reading you for years, from Italy. Hi Kristi, I do adore that 12-years-old girl inside you, even if my style and taste is pretty different, but… we’re adult, different tastes are a good things! Yours is your own magic style and I appreciate its unicity and its being cohesive all around your home. Up to me, you and Matt are strong examples of building: a life, a couple, a home, a family of human and animal souls. Your tutorials helped me in many ways… despite I’m really that 2-years-old with paint in her hand! 🙈 I painted a really ugly kitchen in a rental, just… following you! And plus: I’ve sold it at the end of that 2 years rental!!! Just to say… Always trust us, your affectionate adult and psycologically balanced followers 🙂🙏 Thanks for all these years of tutorials, encouragements, laughs and colors!

  200. I love your blog. It is full of very helpful projects for people who want to try to some difficult projects themselves. I love the color and I just really think your home is so cheerful!! There is always going to be mean spirited people out there with nothing better to do than put other people down. Don’t pay any attention to them.

  201. I rarely comment (but if you do a search, you WILL find me!) :o) I rarely comment, because I live in my own train wreck (my husband and I affectionately call this place “the f’ing wreck”), my own circus, and frankly, most of the time, I have a tool or a paint brush in my hand, and I don’t have the luxury of time to sit and relax. Just read a book, or a blog, or something fun. But, I read this post, because it spoke to me. I do agree, we let critics get in our head, and live rent free, making us second guess ourselves. And most of the time, after they drop some grenade of criticism, I bet they forget about it, forget about us, and go lobbing grenades somewhere else. So many people say things on the internet, they would never say in person, because they are cowards. I had a friend who said to me that unless the critic was someone who paid the bills in her house, she just didn’t care. I thought that was incredibly smart. Those critics don’t live there. They don’t support the home. Why do I care what they think? I HAVE to live here. Therefore, I should love it. And if I don’t, that’s my problem to fix, even if no one else likes it. My husband (Matt also) rarely cares about my decorating decisions, which I am very grateful for. Most of the time, he can’t “see” my vision, but once he sees the finished product, he loves it. That’s really all that matters. I happen to love your train wreck, your circus, your enthusiasm, and goodness girl, your SKILLS! I wish I had half of your skills. And if that’s what a circus is, call me a clown, I’ll follow you as the ring leader, and I’m in. Thanks for sharing this insight.

  202. Kristi, this gave me SUCH a good laugh! I’m so happy that you are freed from the words hurting you. Sure, your decorating isn’t mainstream HGTV but it’s what YOU like so go for it. I enjoy following your blog to see the unique design ideas you offer, even if it isn’t my style. Thank you for being unapologetically you.

  203. Kristi, you rock. I LOVE reading your posts and envy your ability to plunge into projects that would make most contractors blanche. Your color ability is exquisite and creative and bold; I’ll wager that whomever made the circus comment is sitting in a house surrounded by gray walls and furnishings, feeling very depressed and wondering what exactly happened. I will always think that your bird mural painting was the most beautiful thing I had seen in ages (I still miss it in your home) and it inspired me mightily. Your devotion to your husband and your ability to accomplish what you do is something to admire, not disparage. You do you, and you do it very well.

  204. I love your decorating!! It looks like a fun place to live and a “Happy House”!!! I am so tired of what is out there today, GREY GREY GREY…
    Do you have a favorite room in your house?

  205. Way to go! Glad you got rid of those negative people. Keep up the great job! Love love love your blog. It makes me smile daily, and you are not conforming to the grey period which in itself is depressing (and its my opionion that you dont have to like). Lets get more colour in this world! And love all of your projects.

  206. Well Kristi, all I have to say is… I am always happy visiting your blog and discovering your creative ideas, seen your energy and learning how you always choose to make the best of any situation.
    You have always nice words to another people or ideas and enjoy been able to help others, and I think that this is really the most important thing about your work in the blog, you bring joy, positive energy and nice feelings to your lectors. Thank you for that 😉

  207. I have been following you since the kitchen in the condo. And while some (very little) of your design is not to my taste, I absolutely love everything that you do! You are amazing – very creative – and such a hard-worker. You are my hero!

  208. FYI – I have been inspired by your creativity for a couple years now… as I shared all of your DIY accomplishments with my husband this evening, I was saddened to discover the negative feedback you continuously receive.

    Keep up the amazing work!

    AND dont worry about the hurtful comments. Each and everyone of us need to find a way to elevate people and remember our manners. “If you dont have anything nice to say it’s best to not say anything at all.”

    Honestly, negative comments fuel the fire that keeps me going – dont ever let anyone stop YOU from achieving a goal.

  209. You’re awesome, Kristi and so is your beautiful home! Your creativity is so inspiring and I love your finished results! There is a whimsical classiness to your home that makes it a fun inviting place.

    I left my Apple phone for a Gaxalxy and I have to say, your blog looks fantastic on it!! I always viewed your blog on my laptop but the layout is even better on this large screen android.

  210. Thank you for this post! I have read a lot of your topics through Links from Pinterest, but today I am on vacation so I read about two years’ worth, and when I got to this one I stopped in my tracks. It is so inspiring I almost cried. I’m a former theater set designer who is now a pastor, and I do transitional work when a pastor leaves a church while the church searches for its next permanent pastor. I deal with a lot of criticism. I’m often following in the footsteps of an older, more traditional male pastor. I bring a lot of artwork and empathy to my role at the church, which most people love but some hate. The haters say things like “artwork on the communion table is an abomination!” or other mean spirited vitriol. Some of it gets personal. Lately I have had to completely ignore the haters, or I would drive myself crazy wondering why they keep coming to church when they are clearly just there to find fault. You have perfectly described why people do that and how the group can devolve into negativity. I need to keep reminding myself of this. In the mean time, I will keep on admiring your blog and getting ideas from it on my own 100 year old house as I work on it bit by bit to be what I love.

  211. Kristi, I loved this post! I am the onsite manager at an HOA. Lately I have been feeling so defeated. Your words remind me that other people’s negativity says a lot about them but nothing about me! Thank you for sharing your story. You helped me today. Sending good vibes to you and Matt.

  212. I found you by googling “diy pull out kitchen pots and pans drawers” and I have spent the last thirty minutes plucking around your website. I’M OBESSESSED!!! with you, your taste, your EVERYTHING! I’m so happy you had this revelation and I’m sorry people are horrible but YOU ROCK!!! I wish you and Matt nothing but the best <3333