Meet the Re-Nest Team: Therese Maring

Therese Maring.jpeg Blogger: Therese Maring
Started at Re-Nest: March 2010
Lives: near Madison, Wisconsin

As one of our three Green Tour contributors, Therese photographs a variety of eco-friendly abodes—from farmhouses to modern lakeside homes—mostly in the Madison area. Her tours always convey a sense that real people live in these homes, and they have real ideas that we can be inspired by.

Meet Therese

You most enjoy writing about: Green Tours, especially those involving historic preservation and creative reuse.

Your personal home style is: warm and welcoming. A blend of vintage, family pieces, and new additions. Everything has a story.

Your green home must-have is: as much sunlight as possible, to allow for better passive solar and a generally better attitude.

Your ideal Saturday morning is: I feel like I should say getting up early to hit the farmer's market. But it's really staying in bed listening to NPR, and then eating pancakes.

What's on your nightstand? Sun magazine; a collection from StoryCorps; books on gardening, poetry, and Amelia Earhart; and a catalog for The Clearing Folk School. Plus my glasses.

Where you go for inspiration/info/help? I'm inspired by the people who welcome me into their amazing homes for Green Tours. Some of the websites I like are Poppytalk Handmade, Vintage Roadside, and PreservationNation.org.

DIY or buy? I think of myself as an Idea Person who is, luckily, married to a Craftsman Person. ("Honey, could you build/make/design one of these?")

Favorite CFL or LED lightbulb brand? I haven't committed to a favorite yet.

Favorite green paint brand and color? Paints from Wisconsin-based Hallman/Lindsay that carry their Green Leaf Promise.

This year you're going to: get out and discover more fun, funky sights and treasures during a week-long adventure on hubby's motorcycle.