An update on our studio renovation

As we shared at the end of 2020, our plans for 2021 include a new studio for Two Hands to call home. We have officially moved and are in the midst of making our new studio into all that we know it can be. Here, we’ll share with you all the fun of Phase I.

Mid-Century Modern Country Club Vibes Bring Style and Function to an Unfinished Basement

This newer build home provided a wide open playground with tall ceilings - and of course, plenty of HVAC runs to accommodate. When the client shared her style hopes for the space, we knew the potential and inspiration could come together for something special.

Living with Color: Tips to Weave Color Throughout Your Home

When it comes to how much color you prefer to live with in your home, there are maximalists and minimalists and then a whole lot of in between. Saving the minimalist’s approach for another post, let's dive into how to use color throughout your home.

designer friday: an aspire exclusive interview with rachel alcorn

In an interview with Aspire Design and Home, we get to learn more about Rachel's past, her passions and her perspective – a fun delve into getting to know Rachel better.

how to shop for furniture: tips shared with consumer reports

Along with other interior design experts, Rachel shared her tips and suggestions to help anyone shopping for furniture and precautions for certain pieces that are better suited for seeing in-person.

A Reflection on 2020 and Exciting News for 2021

You guys, 2020 has been a doozy. Much has been written about this truly crazy year - it’s been fodder for great memes, hilarious insta-posts and unending metaphors about dumpster fires and the apocalypse.

how to prepare for an organized home

Designing a place for everything, so everything can be in its place starts with a lot of questions. Questions about how a family lives and operates within in a home and the ways to keep the items that they use most both convenient and organized.

How Best to Set up your Home as the Pandemic Drags On: Interview On MPR Radio

Providing tips, tricks and insights into how to make our homes work harder for us this year, Rachel chatted with Angela Davis of MPR on her live radio show. Tune in to hear Rachel share advice on all things decorating.

deck the halls with holiday decorating ideas

Adding holiday cheer to our homes is one way we celebrate the season and sprinkle all the good vibe reminders throughout our daily lives. In this post, we pull together our 12 days of Holiday Decorating Tips and hope it helps inspire some joy.

A Historic Craftsman gets a European Influenced Update

When two childhood sweethearts reconnected and created a new blended family of 8, the search for the perfect home began. This home needed to accommodate their large family for everything from an everyday family dinner to a special holiday event.

Thanksgiving Table Inspiration

While Thanksgiving may be a little different this year, we’re always excited to have our family around the table. For a little inspiration, we’ve pulled together a few tables that we’d love to gather around.

The Art of Creating a Beautiful Interior While Keeping the Budget in Check

An unlimited budget is of course an interior designer’s dream - it simplifies things dramatically. No limits, the world is your oyster and you can focus on thrilling the client and hitting the timeline. But, let’s be real - nobody really has an unlimited budget - it’s all relative.

Art Selection’s Impact: An approach to bringing art into your home

Much has been written throughout history about the purpose and power of art. While it is simple to acknowledge “great” art and its importance in expressing our humanity, deciding how we bring art into our everyday lives can be overwhelming.

How Houseplants Can Help Make a Happy and Healthy Home

Before we jump into chatting design in the midst of a global pandemic, let’s acknowledge the stress, anxiety and uncertainty we are all living in. I truly hope reading this journal brings you a moment of inspiration, or at the very least, distraction. Know that while our team is happy to be designing, we hold space for the challenges we are all facing.

A First-Floor Refresh: Featured in Naperville Magazine

Naperville Magazine recently interviewed us and our clients about a first-floor refresh. We hope this kitchen refresh reminds many to consider what inspires them at the outset of any home project.

Interior Design in a Covid World

Shopping Vintage Tips and Tricks of the Trade

Vintage pieces bring so much character, story and interest to a space. It is hard to rival a piece that comes with history and built in patina. Not to mention the thrill of the hunt for vintage collections never seems too dull. So put on your comfy shoes, check out the following tips and be sure to let us know what you find!

Preparing for a Fall Semester Unlike Any Other

To say that our calendars and rhythms have been upended in 2020 is an understatement. When will school start? What will school look like? Will we be working from home this fall? What will our day-to-day family lives entail? To that end, we are sharing a few tips for helping our homes flex to meet all the new demands.

4 Ways to Give Your Bathroom a Fresh Facelift

Bathrooms have certainly come a long way in the past several years - they’re no longer neglected when it comes to design and have even become some of our favorite rooms in the house. While there are so many ways to spruce up our bathrooms and give them a luxury facelift, knowing where to start can feel overwhelming on your own.

6 Ways to Create a Collected and Curated Home that Reflects your Family

Our homes are elemental to our lives, and as such should serve us well. Interior design sometimes gets a bad rap for selling the fantasy that a good home is a perfect home that is perfectly on trend. No so! A good home is one that uniquely expresses the people that call it home.

A Well-Loved Kitchen gets a Classic Update

This 20 year old kitchen had hosted more than its fair share of birthday parties, holiday gatherings and everyday family dinners. It had worked hard for this hard working family and was ready for a refresh. Well, more than a refresh, it was ready to start new again and comeback to life - all shiny and ready for the next 20 years of gatherings.

A Former Playroom Turned Tween Hangout Destination

The 3rd floor of this home was a playroom that this sweet family’s kids had outgrown. It offered some extra storage space, but there wasn’t much else luring the family to venture up there often. When tweens have the choice of where to hang out, having a spot to invite friends, snuggle up for a movie or just retreat with a good book is golden.

Working with a Talented Maker

The creative synergy between a designer and a talented maker can result in something truly special for a client. The opportunity to go custom on furniture is appealing for obvious reasons - perfect sizing, control over finish and look, and of course enjoyment of the process itself.

An Unfinished Basement Turned Hostess Dream

The unfinished basement - we all know it well. Cold concrete floors, dusty concrete walls, the sounds of the HVAC equipment and so many, many ways the space could be more useful. Don’t get us wrong, an unfinished basement can be great - but after the kids are over rollerblading down there, it's time to convert it to a space that can host more than playdates.