Compliments of
Kim Hughston
February 2025
The Puppy Wellness Guide:
Building Healthy Habits from the Start
From Love to Anxiety:
Decoding Your Pet's Emotional Signals
Self Love, One Sip at a Time:
How Small Rituals Help You Recharge
Happy February! ❤️🏡 This month is all about love—for yourself, your pets, and the spaces you call home. It’s the perfect time to create an environment that supports the well-being of everyone under your roof, whether they have two legs or four paws!
In this issue, you’ll find tips on how pets can help you stay on track with your goals, smart tech solutions for easier pet care, and ways to refresh your home’s energy during winter. Plus, we’re diving into healthy kitchen design and the nature-inspired color trends shaping 2025.
Recipe of the Month
White Chocolate Raspberry Scones (Gluten-Free Vegan)
Heather Christo, Deliciously Allergen Free Recipes
Fresh tart raspberries combined with sweet white chocolate in a tender scone with a good crumb- seriously delicious. When I made these for the family last month they were gone completely within about 15 minutes. So that’s always a good sign!
Photo Credit: Heather Christo
Organization
How Your Pet Helps You Stick to Your Goals
By Jolene Nannette
As the New Year has come and gone and we enter into the second month of the year, many of us find our January resolve waning as the days tick by and we fall back into familiar routines. Whether your goal was losing weight, exercising more, or simply finding more joy in life, sticking to these goals can be challenging. However, one often overlooked ally in our pursuit of self-improvement is our beloved pets. Here’s how they can help us stay on track with the goals we have made for ourselves in this new year.
Pet-Tech
Gadget-Powered Pet Care: How Smart Tech Can Simplify Your Life
By Lucy Chatman
Let’s face it—being a pet owner is one of the best jobs in the world, but it can also be a handful. Between busy workdays, family life, and everything else on your plate, making sure your furry friend gets the care they deserve isn’t always easy. You love your pets, but sometimes keeping up with their needs feels like another full-time gig. That’s where smart home tech can make a real difference!
Featured Article
Wellness-Focused Real Estate
A Rising Trend
Kim Hughston
Petcare
The Puppy Wellness Guide:
The Puppy Wellness Guide: Building Healthy Habits from the Start
By Lucy Chatman
Bringing home a new puppy is one of life’s sweetest joys. Those tiny paws, wagging tails, and endless cuddles make it hard not to fall head over heels in love. But raising a happy, healthy puppy isn’t just about enjoying their cuteness—it’s about setting up routines and habits that will keep them well for a lifetime. Just like humans, puppies need a solid foundation of wellness from the very beginning to thrive. If you’re a new puppy parent (or about to become one), this guide will walk you through the essentials of puppy wellness. From feeding and exercise to mental stimulation and socialization, we’ll cover everything you need to help your pup grow into a strong, healthy, and happy adult dog.
Feng Shui
Spring Forward: Infusing Your Home with Fresh Energy and Style During Winter
By Dee Oujiri
Here in Minnesota, we are deep in the depths of winter, eagerly awaiting the thaw of the dingy snow and yearning for the bright colors and fresh scents of spring. If you are like me, you are looking for ways to bring a touch of spring into your home early. Lean into Feng Shui and Biophilic Design to brighten your space and infuse it with vibrant energy.
Valentines Day
Self-Love, One Sip at a Time: How Small Rituals Help You Recharge
By Lucy Chatman
This Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to show yourself some love! 💖 Creating a home that helps you recharge is one of the best ways to practice self-care. Whether it’s a cozy reading nook, a spa-like bathroom, or simply a clutter-free space, your home should support your well-being.
Eco-Design
Grounded in Nature: Seven Color Trends for 2025
By Cassy West
No longer are we seeing cool gray or silver tones in interior design. The color trends for the new year focus on fostering wellbeing and creating spaces that feel warm, grounded, and connected to nature. Wood tones, textures and colors from natural materials are continuing to dominate the design world. This is my favorite time of year when designers and professionals give us their predictions and inspirations. Here are a few examples:
Photo Credit: Spacejoy on Unsplash
Healthy Home
Healthy Home, Happy Spouse: Simple Ways to Create a Healthier Space Without the Conflict
By Amanda Klecker
We’ve all been there: You want to make a change or implement a set of healthy habits and your spouse isn’t 100% on board. It can be one of the more common issues in relationships. After all, most relationships are made up of one side doing a lot of the pushing and suggesting and the other side standing firm to their comfort level. It’s the beauty of how relationships have a way of balancing us out.
Pets
From Love to Anxiety: Decoding Your Pet’s Emotional Signals
By Sabrina Augilar
Our pets are more than just companions—they're family. Whether it's a wagging tail greeting you at the door or a soft purr as you settle in for the night, animals have their own special ways of expressing affection. But unlike humans, they can’t say, “I love you” outright. Instead, they rely on unique behaviors and body language to show they care. Understanding these subtle (and not-so-subtle) cues can strengthen the bond between you and your furry (or feathered) friend.
Healthy Home
Designing a Healthy Kitchen: Expert Tips for Safe & Sustainable Choices
By Andy Pace
If building your dream healthy home with an unlimited budget is in the cards for your 2025, congratulations! In my career, I have never been more excited and assured that the building and design industry is completely prepared to provide you with what you need. As a healthy home building material supplier and consultant for over 30 years, I am pleased to see that more and more healthy home materials are becoming accessible and home owners are becoming more educated on the subject. However, most of us who strive to live in a healthy home aren’t in a particular position to accomplish a healthy home top to bottom all at once, so we must do what we can, when we can. Room by room, as time and budget allows.
