Starting Over After 50: Inside My Home Office and YouTube Studio

Starting over doesn’t usually arrive wearing a sash and carrying a marching band. Most of the time, it shows up quietly—one decision at a time—until you look around and realize your life has changed.

Reinvention after 50 wasn’t on my vision board. When I actually turned 50 back in 2008, I’d spent 25 years raising my brood of boys and traipsing around the world while Mr. Style’s career called the shots. And honestly? I’d do it all again.

But when the kids were grown, and I was ready to work again, I had one thought on repeat: Who’s going to hire me with this resume?

Oh sure, I had skills—plenty of them. Try juggling three boys’ schedules while flitting across continents and figuring out how to slot into each new city. Mr. Style had a team keeping him organized, so I was the one holding down the home front. That takes something. But good luck explaining that in a job interview.

Here’s what I learned: corporate America doesn’t care about stay-at-home mothers—or the skills we have. They only care about one thing: what’s on the paper. And once I accepted that, everything shifted. I stopped waiting to be chosen and started building something of my own. I decided to write. And that quiet decision? It changed everything.

Here’s what I’ve learned: we’ve been sold this myth that women can have it all. And we can—just not all at once. Life comes in chapters.

This chapter? It’s mine. I have a business I can pour myself into in ways that weren’t possible thirty years ago.

For me, this season started in my mid-fifties when I launched a blog. I didn’t have a master plan. I just had something to say, a desire to connect, and a little stubborn streak that whispered, Try. So I did.

Several years later, I realized video wasn’t optional anymore—it was becoming an integral part of blogging, so YouTube came next. And I’m so grateful I have the channel, especially now, in the day and age of AI. Because on video, I show up as a real-life person. I can connect with you in a special way—face to face, voice to voice—and I believe that kind of human connection is going to become more and more important in the years to come.

Which brings me to the space that supports it all: my basement home office and YouTube studio. It’s where I work, where I film, and where the team can gather to plan and create. It’s not just a room—it’s a piece of my starting over.

This Room Pulls Triple Duty (Office + Studio + Team Space)

This basement room does it all. It’s my office, my YouTube studio, and a place where the team can actually sit down together—brainstorm content, map out a plan, troubleshoot the little details, and keep things moving.

And I love that it doesn’t feel like a “set.” It feels like me: modern, polished, and functional. Because I don’t want a space that looks pretty but can’t handle real life. I want a space that works.

Side One: Modern and Bright (Tulip Table + Washable Rugs)

On one side, I created a clean, modern setting with a tulip table and chairs—simple lines, fresh feel, and the kind of spot where you can sit down with a laptop or a coffee and actually get things done. There’s also a caned chair that adds warmth and texture without competing with the clean aesthetic.

I layered in details that make it feel like me: a faux banana leaf tree and artificial lemons and limes housed in a pedestal bowl for that vacation-at-home energy, a bouclé pillow cover for softness and texture, and a stack of coffee table books—Hamptons Private, Amalfi Coast, and Palm Beach—because dreaming is part of the process. Cherry blossoms in a terracotta vase bring in a little life. And the handblown table lamp? It’s gorgeous, but it’s also integral for YouTube filming—good lighting is everything.

On the walls, fun and whimsical art that makes me smile: a deer head, a cow print, cow bells, and a paint spots print over the red cabinet. Because a room should have personality, not just furniture. There’s a brass wall clock—because in this business, time matters. Every single minute.

And yes, we’re talking rugs—because rugs are the unsung heroes of a room. They anchor the space, soften the edges, and give it a finished feel.

I have two washable area rugs by Ruggable: the Kamran Ivory Opal Round and the Kamran Hazel Rectangle. And I adore them for one very practical reason: they’re washable. You can throw them in the washer, and they come out looking good as new. They also come with a pad, which makes everything feel more substantial and keeps the rug in place (because nothing ruins a moment like a rug that tries to trip you).

Side Two: Modern Ralph Lauren Vibes (Leather + Texture + Iconic Pieces)

The other side of the room has a modern Ralph Lauren vibe—warm leather, rich texture, and that tailored-but-relaxed energy I’ll never get tired of.

There’s a leather sofa, leather lounge chairs, and leopard pillows that bring that mid-century edge I love. An acrylic coffee table keeps things feeling open and airy—important in a basement where you want to maximize the sense of light and space.

I grounded it all with the Grandin Road Hand Woven Jute Rug. It adds that natural texture that makes the room feel collected instead of “thrown together,” and it’s durable enough for a space that gets used all day long. And a cowhide rug for a little extra fun!

The Details That Give It a Modern Edge

A few design choices took this room from “nice” to this is a vibe.

I had the Tuscan Bookcase painted French Beret—which sounds like a color and an attitude, and I’ll take both. I styled the shelves with a mix of practical and whimsical items—because we need a bit of both, right, Grit and Glam Club? There are touchless lights, a sunglass case, a ceramic bust, my “What If It All Works Out” print, a “Tiffany Diamond” Can print, and a Jo Malone diffuser that makes the whole room smell like a dream. And the concrete floors plus exposed ceiling give the room a modern edge that keeps everything from feeling too sweet or staged.

It’s clean and modern, but not cold. Styled, but not fussy. And that balance matters—because this room isn’t for show. It’s for building.

Why Showing Up on Video Matters More in the AI Era

We’re living in a world where AI can write, summarize, generate, and imitate—fast. But what it can’t replicate is the real human connection that happens when you show up as yourself.

And that’s exactly why I’m so grateful for this blog and for YouTube. This is my home—the one I open up to you. You can see me. Hear me. Watch me actually put outfits together in real time. You won’t love every single look—no one does, and that’s not the point. The point is showing up with honesty: the styling tweaks, the try-ons, the “here’s what works and here’s what doesn’t.”

That kind of connection? I think it’s only going to become more valuable as everything else gets more automated. People want people. And I want to be here for you.

If You’re in a “Now What?” Season…

Maybe you’re rebuilding. Maybe you’re restless. Maybe you’re tired. Or maybe you’re simply looking around and thinking, Surely there’s more than this.

I get it. We’re in the fourth quarter of life—and I don’t know about you, but I want to make it count. Every single bit of it.

Let me say this plainly: you’re not behind. You’re not too old. And you’re not out of time.

You don’t have to overhaul your whole life. Start with something small: a corner of your home that’s just for you, a routine that brings you back to yourself, a project you’ve been putting off, a space that supports your next chapter.

One small decision becomes momentum. Momentum becomes confidence. And confidence becomes a new beginning.

And yes—sometimes that beginning includes ring lights.

Closing Thoughts

My basement home office and YouTube studio aren’t perfect. Neither am I. But it’s mine. It’s where ideas get sharpened, content gets made, plans get mapped, and sometimes… we just sit down and breathe for a minute.

Life beyond style isn’t only about looking good (although yes, always). It’s about living well—and creating spaces that support the life you’re building.