When my husband and I first renovated our fixer-upper, we played it safe. White walls. White cabinets. White mantel. There was only one place where we went bold: the front door.

Since moving in, our door has been my favorite thing about the home. It makes our house easy to identify to visiting friends and delivery drivers alike. There are no other pink doors on our street. Why no one has chosen to follow my lead, I’m not sure.

A few months ago, it hit me. Pink. Walls. If the pink door was bringing me so much joy, why had I not thought to carry it throughout?

Within hours of the idea striking me, I had a Pinterest board and paint samples in the mail. After much consideration—aka I enlisted the help of a designer who chose within 10 minutes of seeing the options—we landed on “Intimate White.”

I know what you’re thinking. That isn’t pink. Well, you would be wrong. The color is a stunning, soft pink that changes with the light throughout the day. My father-in-law is still in awe of its beauty, months after it was painted on nearly every wall in my home. It’s perfect.

Beyond making the house feel cozy, covering my walls in pink has inspired me to find new confidence and take more chances. The week after “Intimate White” went up on my walls, I bought a vintage, aqua blue chandelier—without consulting the designer, this time. Much like its wall color predecessor, the chandelier is perfect.

Sometimes, it’s all about trusting your gut.

Two people who know how to trust their guts are this month’s cover couple, Kalyn and Luke Anderson.

First, Kalyn’s Basel’s Market went from a food truck to a brick-and-mortar location on Highland Road. Then, the couple moved the popular café to St. Francisville. Then, after a spur-of-the-moment home viewing, Kalyn and Luke made the move to a St. Francisville neighborhood and took to completely renovating their new home, small children in tow.

“There were so many dinners on painters’ paper with sheetrock dust all around us,” Kalyn recalled during our photo shoot. “But it was all worth it—and it makes great memories.”

As you’ll see when you read the story, Kalyn and Luke’s design choices are far more bold than the ones I’m patting myself on the back for currently. But they feel authentic, comfortable and, if I do say so myself, perfect for the family of five.

From zodiac wallpaper and orange-lined cabinets to pastel purple bunk beds and an en suite garden, there’s magic and colorful joy in every corner of the Anderson house. And it reflects the life that is lived within its walls.

What not-so-crazy design decision will I make next? Well, I’ve decided on butterfly curtains. My designer has assured me it’s not the right choice. But I don’t know. I think I’m going to trust my gut.

Looking forward,

Riley Bienvenu Bourgeois

Editor