Michigan design bloggers dole out design and DIY advice

Two live in 19th century farmhouses in west Michigan. One is a busy mom of four in Canton Township with an art background. Another is a home stylist in Grand Blanc. And one lives on a gorgeous lake in Michigan. 

What do these five women have in common? All are design bloggers in the Great Lakes State, sharing their wealth of knowledge and unique design views with thousands of followers on their websites and social media. And if you’re looking for some ideas for your own home this spring — or even just a place to escape and be inspired during these turbulent times — check out their websites or social media accounts.

They really represent a range of styles and aesthetics, from traditional to more modern. For farmhouse design fans, the Liz Marie Blog and Two Paws Farmhouse are exactly what you’re looking for. 

Sarah Macklem of the Yellow Cape Cod has been blogging for more than a decade and describes her style as “updated traditional.”

“I love to experiment with current design trends, but my heart beats fast for classic and timeless design,” said Macklem. “I usually adopt the ‘less is more’ and ‘bigger is better’ approaches. I always add a bit of drama or something unexpected.”

So if you’re looking for some HGTV inspiration but closer to home, check these bloggers out and bookmark them. Each of their blogs and social media channels are brimming with great ideas.

Liz Marie Blog

For farmhouse fans, Liz Marie Galvan, husband Jose and toddler son Copeland Beau are living the dream — literally. 

They’re restoring a 19th century farmhouse and taking their followers along for the ride. They also own The Found Cottage in Hudsonville, Michigan.

If chippy white paint and rustic furniture is your jam, the Liz Marie Blog is what you’re looking for. It’s filled with ideas for everything from decorating your fireplace mantel to creating a cozy bedroom.

On Monday, Galvan introduced a new home decor line in partnership with PCB Home, a mix of fun farmhouse-style towels, pillows and more. The line comes after Galvan published her first book, “Cozy White Cottage,” last year and gained a national following with appearances on the “Today Show.”

Galvan also has been very open about her and Jose’s heartbreaking journey with infertility. In 2019, she and Jose adopted Copeland.

“He has been such a light to not only us but to anyone he can land the adorable smile on,” writes Galvan on her blog.

Haneen Matt’s home in Canton Township is her canvas. She recently tried out a mirror collage in her living room. (Photo: Haneen’s Haven)

Haneen’s Haven

Like many design bloggers, Haneen Matt’s home is her canvas.

Matt, a Toledo native who has an art degree from the University of Toledo, has transformed nearly every space of her Canton Township home, often sharing the process step-by-step with her thousands of followers on her blog (haneens-haven.com). She embraces color and is a big believer that you should love the space you’re in.

And for those spaces she’s already finished like the master bedroom, Matt is already giving them another look. Her projects are easy to follow — painting a console table or giving her family room what she calls “a refresh” — and relate-able.

Matt describes her style as “sleek and chic with a bit of funky mixed in for good measure.”

Sarah Macklem of The Yellow Cape Cod (theyellowcapecod.com) has been blogging about interior design since 2008 and offers online design services. She calls her style “updated traditional.” (Photo: The Yellow Cape Cod)

Yellow Cape Cod 

Macklem started blogging in 2008 during a challenging period of her life. Her family was taking care of her father who’d been given a terminal cancer diagnosis. Design blogs were a welcome distraction.

“It was an amazing outlet for me so I decided to start my own blog,” said Macklem. “It ended up as the beginning of my design career.”

Over the last decade, Macklem, a former banker, has now worked with hundreds of clients, customizing design plans for them through her EDesign services. Her website includes a variety of DIY projects and room makeovers.

Lily Pad Cottage

If coastal chic is your aesthetic, Kelly Rinzema’s Lily Pad Cottage blog is for you. Blogging since 2012, Rinzema, a mother of two, writes about design projects in her home, including building a new house on a gorgeous lake in 2016-2017. The actual Lily Pad Cottage was the family’s previous home. The blog also tracks various design projects her parents have done.

Kelly Rinzema blogs about design and lake living in Michigan in her blog, Lily Pad Cottage. (Photo: Lily Pad Cottage)

Rinzema has a bright traditional style with a splash of rustic thrown in. Her decor often has a lot of whites, neutrals with splashes of color. 

“I feel the best spaces are ones that are collected over time not thrown together overnight,” writes Rinzema in her blog.

Two Paws Farmhouse

Michigan has plenty of room for another farmhouse design blog. Hayden Scharrer, her husband Nathan and toddler Ryan are restoring a 19th century farmhouse in Paw Paw, Michigan (thus the name). Her blog ( haydenscharrer.com) and social media pages track the family’s progress project by project.

Hayden Scharrer and her husband aren’t just restoring a 19th century farmhouse that almost became a campground. They’re also bringing the farm back to life. “Every other year we switch between corn and soybeans and our farmhouse actually sits parallel with the field so we can view it from all windows in the home,” said Scharrer. (Photo: Two Paws Farmhouse)

The blog includes DIY, lifestyle and decor projects, from painting old lockers for Ryan’s nursery to creating a sliding ladder for a home ladder. And she’s open about her love of taking Facebook Live finds, including a $40 farmhouse table, and giving them new life.

Scharrer, who grew up in Plainwell, Michigan, said her grandma’s house, “styled to the nines,” was an early influence on her obsession with design. She decided to blog, she says, to show people what is possible. She says anyone can do what they’ve done — and on a budget.

“It just takes a desire to learn and to dig in and try it yourself,” said Scharrer. “Had we not taken that step four years ago, we wouldn’t be living on the farm of our dreams!”

Michigan Design Bloggers

Haneen’s Haven: haneens-haven.com. Instagram: @haneens_haven. Facebook: facebook.com/haneens.haven/

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