I am thrilled for the latest installment of The Interview. Krista and her husband have been busy renovating an old farm house up in Michigan for years. In addition to that, Krista is a business woman and a mother (of three boys all under the age of four... cue Aretha Franklin's "Respect"). On top of that, she is simply one of the most gracious hostesses I know. She loves to throw a party and pulls out all the stops when she does so. Moreover, her taste and sense of style are on point -- when I got married back in my home town, she was my trusted advisor for finding the best of the best. What I love most about her style is its firm grounding in her upbringing. I love learning from a stylish mother - the reality of living with little ones yet still carving out a serene space for oneself. Enjoy her home, and her answers, below.

Describe your home's style.
Tongue-in-cheek traditional. I just made up that term. What I mean is that I think we've struck a good balance with the home's style that works for us. We wanted to be true to the spirit of the house without turning it into a museum. Modern furniture doesn't work here. But neither do pieces that don't have a function. We invested in great antiques, but nothing is too precious where I worry about having three rambunctious boys running through the house. We plan on living in the house forever, so that deeply impacts every design decision. I try and acquire things that will last, things that can adapt as our family grows. The result is a layered look where most everything you see has a story behind it. It's been collected over time.

What is serene about your space?
Honestly, serene isn't the first word that comes to mind when I think about our home. It's full of laughter and the pitter-patter of little feet. But after the boys go to sleep on summer evenings Adam and I will sit on the front porch, cocktails in hand, and watch the world go by. We'll chat with neighbors out walking their dogs; we'll have long discussions about the news. I believe in the power of front porches to strengthen communities. The house didn't have one when we moved in, but then we found an old photograph and discovered that it did in the past, so we re-built it. That's why our front porch is the most serene place in our busy house.

Share with us one tip on how you keep your home serene.
This may sound harsh, but I don't let kid things infiltrate our master bedroom and that works for us. The kids don't sleep in our bed, but I also keep our room free of kid books, clothes, toys, etc. We also don't have a TV in our master bedroom. Having a place for myself keeps me sane.

Tell us about your favorite possession. How did you acquire it? What makes it so special?
When we moved into our house, I became addicted to buying vintage postcards from Buchanan and have amassed a pretty cool collection. I also purchased some from my hometown, Huntley, Illinois. During that same time, I was working on two other collections, framed photographs of our ancestors and the homes that they lived in.

I had found a postcard with a photograph of my hometown church in Huntley, The First Congregational Church, from 1910. It's the most meaningful place to me because it's where my parents were married, where I was baptized and confirmed, and also married. The community there was an integral part of my upbringing. It's the oldest church in the county and located right on the town square. It really couldn't be more charming. But here's where this gets interesting: when I showed my mother the postcard, she got a tear in her eye. In the photograph, behind the church, you can see a beautiful white Greek revival house. Apparently, my great-grandparents were the care-takers of the church and lived in that house. I never knew that. My mother had never known a photograph of the house to exist. The house is no longer there, but my mom has wonderful memories of the home and how my great-grandmother would grow African Violets by the dining room window. And that's why my mom does the same thing.

*Vintage postcard in the background; Krista's collection of photo books (created by Krista yearly) in the foreground.*

What influences your personal sense of style?
My roots are unabashedly small-town/Midwestern/middle-class/4-H Club/Americana. And there is beauty in that. The treasures passed down to me come in the form of handwritten recipe cards and 50's printed table cloths. And those things influence my personal sense of style. I'm much happier at a great flea market than I am in a fabulous department store.

List your five favorite websites and/ blogs.

Steven Gambrel
My home interior inspiration.

Smitten Kitchen
My current favorite food blog. I've loved everything I make from her.

Rip+Tan
I bought an incredible Jenni Kayne dress at a consignment shop in New Orleans 10 years ago and have been in love with her ever since.

Peppermint Bliss
I kind of love to hate this one, but the way she puts it all out there, I respect that.

Big Oven
An app I use daily for grocery lists and meal planning.

Favorite Buchanan/South Bend local.

Living in Southwestern Michigan is a dream. We just adore the rolling farmland, the proximity to the beaches a

Fernwood Botanical Gardens - We are always here. The boys just love exploring in the gardens and along the trails. They also have excellent children's classes.

Alan Robandt Antiques- Alan is a dear friend of ours. He not only convinced us to move to Buchanan, but he's also helped us acquire most of our antiques for our home.

Round Barn Winery- The abundance of wineries in our area are a blessing and a curse. I will say it's really nice to have so many options when we have summer weekend guests. Round Barn is where we usually take them because we can always count on a warm breeze, a shady patch of grass, cold beer good people watching and best of all- live music.

David's Coffee Shop- Best lattes. Hands down. Innovative sandwiches. And cool owners, too.long Lake Michigan and the summer produce is top-notch.