Living With Kids: Kate Lewis, Revisited

Remember Kate Lewis and her whimsical Chicago home? There were those one-of-a-kind DIY light fixtures in her dining room, the hand-drawn goodness on her son’s walls, and swings in the studio, all of which made me smile the whole way through her interview. I could read it again and again, couldn’t you? So I reached out to Kate and asked if she had made any more lovely additions to her home. Luckily for us, she had. Even better, she sent pictures. And even better than that, she answered a few more questions for me. Friends, please say hello (again) to Kate!

Q: What’s new, Kate?

A: We’ve been busy! We’re spending a lot of time outside, enjoying our twinkly-lighted backyard at night, and our porch and new little garden in the front of our house, too. It’s been such a treat to pick strawberries, lettuce, and fresh herbs with the kids; it reminds me of my childhood in Tennessee when I would watch my grandmother in her garden.


Also, I painted our main steps. It was a labor of love and so fun!

With the start of school in our household came the flood of artwork into our home. So I decided to created an ever-changing art gallery with ribbon and clothes pins in our upstairs hallway.

I’ve also been working on creating a comfortable space for my husband in his home office sans desk, and I created a new little sitting area in our living room.


Q: What’s your favorite part of living with your kids?

A: Definitely watching them play and create together. Whether it’s when they are building a tunnel with their red cardboard bricks, lining up cars, or simply playing with pillows and blankets on the living room floor, their creativity fuels mine. They are truly carefree and uninhibited. Every day, I am reminded that I can choose to live that way as well.

Q: Please finish the sentence: I wish I had known…

A: I wish I had known that following my heart — which was telling me to make art full-time — was okay…well, not only okay, but that following my heart would lead to unexpected and exciting opportunities that keep coming. In my 20s, I didn’t trust that I could do it. Thankfully, with the encouragement and support of my husband and family, I am!

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Thank you, Kate, for one more peek into your lovely, lovely home. Expect to see your brilliant staircase on a whole lot of Pinterest inspiration boards, too. It’s amazing!

Friends, you can revisit Kate’s main Living With Kids tour here; I promise it will make you smile and possibly even hang a swing in the middle of a room!

P.S. — You can find all the homes in my Living With Kids series here. If you’d like to share your home with us, drop me a note! I’d love to hear from you!

15 thoughts on “Living With Kids: Kate Lewis, Revisited”

  1. Kate: I love your attitude about living with kids. I agree, kids can teach us so much about living uninhibited, about being creative & joyful in the present.

    I really like the backyard. How nice to have it lit for an evening chat on the porch. Thanks for the follow up Gabriella & Kate!

  2. There is so much joy in this home i can totally see it throughout. I agree, being able to be creative at a young age is a fantastic idea. I’d much prefer my future kids to be active either outdoor or drawing than being glued to the TV and computer. I love the stair case! It’s so much fun!

  3. I have such a silly question about the twinkle lights. Are they waterproof? Or do you bring them in when it rains? Thanks!

  4. Thank you everyone for your sweet comments! It is a joy to share our house with all of you (again). Sheri, I purchased the lights from Target- they are waterproof and solar! So, I don’t have to plug them in. :)

  5. Beautiful house, love it! I too believe in having a home well loved by family and children. What good is a house full of things that can’t be used or touched? Thanks for sharing!

  6. What a lovely home! That picture with the swings from the first tour was so inspiring to me—it’s been on my Pinterest for a while and I’m still hoping/planning to hang a swing in our new playroom. I love the stripe of yellow paint that runs up the stairs and around the hallway upstairs. Another idea I hope to replicate!

  7. I love the backyard too! Where did you get the woven fence for your garden? Does it keep out wild critters?

  8. wow, i love hearing all of your feedback! Jessica, the rocker was a gift from my mother-in-law which she received from her mother. Martina, I know you’ll love having a swing in your playroom. It’s the #1 most used “toy” in our home. Angel, the woven fence is from http://www.gardeningwithkids.org/13-1514.html. Not sure if it’s keeping the critters out, but it looks cool!

  9. I’m sure nobody would mind if you put up a tutorial on how to make those stairs all sunny and yellow! Just sayin’.

  10. Wow! What a lovely home!! I would like to more know about the painting in the dining room and the painting by the stairs, are they your own work?…also the stacked bookshelf , where did you find that?

    1. hi danelle, i’m sorry for my delayed response! thank you so much for your lovely comments! yes, both paintings are mine and they are available for purchase through my web site, katelewisart.com. also, i love the stacked bookshelf in my husband’s office. i found it on amazon. search for stacked bookshelf and you’ll find several versions.

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