MaryAnne's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

1. Great Room: A large, open, vaulted space is ideal as it becomes the epicenter of family fun, entertaining guests, and holiday gatherings.

2. A Friendly Front: I don’t love garages facing the front of the home, but with the right paint and landscaping, I can compromise. A pretty stained or painted front door adorning a seasonal wreath is a must have at my own home.

3. Renovated Kitchen: The heart of the home must be updated in order for me to feel like it’s a clean, fresh palate to prepare meals and host friends

4. Walk In Closet: Style + fashion are huge in my household because my hubs is in the fashion industry, so big closets are a must!

5. A View: Because I work so much, I want to relax when I come home so either a view of the City, some body of water, or garden is a non negotiable.

Chai's Top 5 Must Haves

1. Patio/ Outdoor Living- I am such an outdoor person, and being in Jacksonville where the weather is always so beautiful, I find myself spending most of my time out on my patio. It's a retreat for me! Being able to enjoy nature and feel the fresh air gives me such happy energy. Whether I'm entertaining or just enjoying by myself, it's always refreshing and relaxing. It's definitely my happy place.

2. Spacious Kitchen- Generally, the KITCHEN is the most important room in your home, because it's the center of your family day-to-day living. I love to cook, entertain, and spend time around my family, so having an open space is a must. It's good to be able to chat and see people's faces while I'm cooking. I also like to have my kitchen clutter-free, so a good size pantry would be great!

3. Main Entry- It's great to have space and storage for keys, shoes, an umbrella, etc. I feel having a functional entrance creates a positive flow when coming home or leaving the home. I do love a double door and a high ceiling, it creates an open space for me. Oh, and definitely built-in cabinets to hide stuff would be great.

4. Master Suite- Having my own oasis so important to me. I think your bedroom should be exactly how you want it, and it should make you feel relaxed and happy. It's a wonderful way to start your morning and end your day. Big windows and a high ceiling would be fantastic.

5. Home Office- These days I'm working from home more than ever, so an office space with lots of natural light and facing the woods or lake would be amazing! Of course, built-in cabinets would be very functional.

Katie's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

1. Cozy Feeling- I want everyone to feel comfortable and at home when they walk into our house. The perfect candle, cozy blankets out to share, and of course, sweet treats up for grabs, creates an inviting atmosphere.

2. Outdoor Patio/Porch- With two little boys we are always playing in the backyard. Now that we’re seeing glimpses of fall weather, sharing a meal outside on our back porch is a favorite of mine. 

3. Lots of Counter Space- I don’t know about you, but when I cook, ingredients, pots and pans, and cutting boards are everywhere. Plenty of counter space ensures that a home cooked meal happens in our house!

4. Pops of Bright Color- I am a huge fan of traditional decorating, but I think fun pops of bright colors on artwork or throw pillows adds a sense of whimsy and fun!

5. Fireplace- We live in Florida, so fires don’t happen too often. But! A fireplace is the perfect focal point for a room. Put up special artwork or seasonal decor to bring some change to a room all throughout the year. 

Jamily's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

I have a fairly large household. With 4 kids and two dogs my husband and I are always on our toes ready for the next adventure. Some days those adventures are simple, like getting our 5 years old to eat in a timely manner (seriously, some days it takes her an hour to finish a bowl of cereal) and other times they’re a little more complex. But nonetheless we’ve adapted our lifestyle to the ebbs and flows of our family and with that comes some must-haves for the Fullers.

1.     Coffee Maker. If you’re a coffee drinker you know how essential the first cup of the day is. Admittedly I’m slightly dramatic when it comes to coffee but it’s such a large part of my life it’s hard to be anything less than enthusiastic when I talk about it. A GOOD coffee maker (or 4) is non-negotiable in my home and that means a brand that adheres to the Golden Cup Standard.  I know, I’m a coffee nerd. The Golden Cup Standard was established to basically brew the best cup of coffee calculating the right temperature of the water and the ratio of ground coffee to achieve perfection. There are several coffee makers that follow this guideline and I can attest to the difference it makes! You can find your perfect home brewer here: https://sca.coffee/certified-home-brewer and pair it with my favorite coffee from Black Rifle Coffee here: https://www.blackriflecoffee.com

2.     Hurricane Preparedness Kit. With a large family comes large responsibility and that applies to safety! Florida is a hotspot for hurricanes and severe storms anywhere between June and November. Because of this we take safety very seriously in our home, especially during those months. Usually you can see a hurricane come closer in the days leading up to landfall to make preparations or even evacuate if needed. But you never want to be rushing to the store during those times and push through the crowd only to find the essentials already gone. Prepping for storms (or safety in general) is a standard, not an exception, in my home. We always have a surplus of things like first aid kits (one in the car and one in the house), propane for the grill, gasoline, dry goods/foods, water bottles or in gallons, batteries, flashlights, lanterns and satellite radio. My best advice would to be to have a family meeting and discuss the things you need, make a list and start collecting! The next time a storm or disaster strikes you’ll be prepared to care for yourself and others without the added stress of not having what you may need.

3.     Outdoor Space. Are you a back porch or front porch person? Personally, I’m more of a back porch person because you can make it your own and generally you have more space to do so. It can be such a wonderful oasis to relax and clear your mind. Or it can be party central (am I aging myself yet?) just waiting on the next weekend’s gathering. Here in Northeastern Florida we see some wonderful weather September through April where we can enjoy the outdoors with minimal bugs and low to no humidity. I love sitting outside in the early mornings with a coffee cup in my hands or watching the sunset – thank you west-facing backyard! I remember when my husband and I were house hunting and one of the first things we would do after walking in the home is go to the backyard. A home can speak to you just from the outdoor space.

4.     Knives. Yep, knives. I’m a sucker for a good chef’s knife because how else are you supposed to cook a great meal without one?! My background is in hospitality and culinary arts so I naturally gravitate towards cooking for people and making them feel happy and with that comes home cooked meals. Ever since I met my husband he’s been buying me knives for special occasions and it brings me so much joy! If you don’t have at least one great knife, like a Shun which is a company that used to make Samurai swords, I highly encourage you to take the leap and buy one! Your kitchen will thank you and your cooking will never be the same again.

5.     Exercise Equipment. This one is so versatile! It really just depends on how you enjoy moving your body. It can be as simple as a great pair of walking shoes or as grand as your own workout room - my personal dream. Right now, we have a spin bike, weights, a bench, some resistance bands and my favorite Brooks running shoes! There isn’t a perfect spot in my current home for those items but we make it work! Having a healthy mind and body is so important to success in anything from work to every day parenting.

Mary Mychael's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

1. Wine Fridge/Storage- Having spent a lot of time in the wine industry, I have a soft spot for a good glass of vino and lately our collection is growing! I love being able to store it properly so I can have a crisp (perfectly chilled) glass of white or rosé or a nicely aged red from our wine rack.

2. Record Player- Music is a big part of our lives as a family, and we LOVE filling our home with some good tunes. We have a cool tabletop turntable and lots of fun records (old and new) – a recurring fave is *Galactic – Into the Deep* and of course (Penelope’s favorite) the Frozen II soundtrack – you gotta have balance.

3. Statement Dining Room- Dinner at a dining room table is something I will always encourage and cherish – the conversations, the laughs, the good food and drinks, all of it. Eric and I have spent years looking for the perfect dining room that was unique and perfect for us and our space. We recently took the plunge after a 3 year pep-talk (because dining room tables…man, they can be a financial commitment!). And I couldn’t be happier…its beautiful but also brings people together and I love that.

4. Reading Nook/Library- I love a space where devices are not the centerpiece. A space where you can sit and listen to music, read, work, craft…bonus if there are lots of windows with natural light. :)

5. Bathtub- If you missed my bathroom renovation last year, then you may not know that I am a bathtub gal through and through…the entire renovation came about *just* so I could add a bathtub (I mean it needed updating anyway but still). Living in dust for months (and months) is not my favorite thing, but the end result was SO worth it because that bathtub is my jam. Bonus if there is a glass of wine involved – and a book – maybe even some soft tunes in the background – and a sleeping kiddo – now we’re talkin!

Amanda's Top 5 Must Haves In a Home

1. A Yard with Sunshine and Shade. I like to garden so a yard with plenty of room and light for a vegetable garden is my #1 thing.  I also like some shade for spending time relaxing outside though.  Plus we have an Australian Shepherd.  They are EXTREMELY active so she needs space to run.

2. A Large Working Kitchen.  Because I grow so much of my own food I love cooking and I am someone who doesn't like to be crowded in a kitchen.  I have a ton of equipment too like a kitchen aid, tagine, cuisinart, pasta maker, dehydrator, air fryer, canning equipment - you name it I've probably got it. So kitchen storage as well as work space is definitely important.

3. A Nice Office Space for myself + Mark.  Since I work primarily from home, a private office for myself is preferable.  Mark and I shared an office in our home in Maryland, when we were both flight attendants, and that just didn't go over well.  since I'm a visual person I like having stuff laid out.  If I file it away I will forget about it.  He thinks it's a mess.  I say "welcome to my brain" :)

4. A Formal Dining Room.  Not used much because it's just the two of us, but when my family is visiting we need to have space for 8 to eat.

5. A Guest Room. Again, to help accommodate my family.  In our house now, we have a guest room (my parents), a pull out couch in my office (my niece), and an apartment over the garage for my sister + brother-in-law. This is great because we each have our own space when visiting but are still close.

Our home now has all of my must have's so I feel very blessed at this time in my life.  Now we need a vacation home in NC! LOL