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Is there a room you've been aching to repaint in your house but you just can't decide on the color? You're not alone. Choosing the wrong color is a common fear among DIY-ers.

When the Grand Rapids Downtown Market first opened in 2013, Rylee's Ace Hardware was there with a pop-up store, featuring Fiesta "factory seconds.” Fiesta dinnerware maker, The Homer Laughlin China Co., has strict rules about where it allows the popular art deco dinnerware to be sold, however, so Fiesta pop-up shops are only allowed to operate for a limited time and at very few retail locations.

Between the boom in restaurants, coffee shops and office tenants, it is no surprise Grand Rapids’ West Side has become a go-to spot. Rockford Construction, which has been the catalyst for many of the changes on the West Side, wants the historic neighborhood to not only be a destination for eating and shopping, but also a place to call home.

The hectic start of the back to school season no doubt has you dreaming about a tranquil escape. How can summer vacation have passed so quickly? We hear you! The good news, you don’t have to wait until next summer to plan your next getaway or to experience fantastic Michigan weather.

When Cynthia’s mother Irene was diagnosed with dementia it was a devastating blow to the whole family. Imagining a future where Irene might no longer remember cherished memories or even her family members was heartbreaking.

Weekends can seem short when you are planning a family getaway. Thankfully, Grand Rapids has a lot of cool cities nearby that let families essentially enjoy a staycation while being just far enough away to promise new adventures and unique memories.

Less than two hours north of Grand Rapids and offering both a bustling downtown and miles and miles of preserved natural areas (including 28 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline), Ludington makes the perfect quick getaway for families, couples or a group of friends.

Phil Palmer has spent three years painting the wildlife native to Keller Lake. He mostly sees waterfowl, but other animals scurry out of the reeds or dart across the lawn of the 40-acre Clark Retirement Community campus where he lives. 

Whether it’s a bus trip to the Grand Rapids Symphony, a visit to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park or viewing an exhibit of local work at the facility’s in-house gallery, on any given day at Clark Retirement Community, residents have the opportunity to partake in numerous arts, entertainment and cultural activities.

The new Kingma’s Market in Ada offers convenient shopping with an emphasis on community building.