Welcome to The Housing Muse! Because every home needs inspiration.
The Housing Muse

Find ideas to spruce up your space, countdowns to the latest design trends, fun interactive quizzes, and how to grow your most valuable investment—your home.

Recent Episodes

Real Estate Trends & Musings

The Mooch Strategy to Real Estate

March 7, 2023

To get into real estate today, do you need to adopt a “mooch strategy?” Possibly. Young adults have been moving back home in record numbers—and even well into adulthood. Parents are footing the bills, and even helping their …

Home Design Trends & Tips

The Real Deal on 2023 Home Trends (with special guest Krisztina Bell)

Feb. 7, 2023

We take on the good, the bad and ugly of the latest home design trends.

Home Organization

Why It's Now OK to Have a Messy Home

Jan. 30, 2023

Enter a judge-free zone with the Housing Muse. After all, even organization guru Marie Kondo recently said it’s acceptable to not have a spotless, perfectly organized home all of the time. Maybe tidy doesn’t always spark joy…

Home Design Trends & Tips Countdown

The Worst Trendy Home Trends EVER

Jan. 12, 2023

You have some of these in your home. We all do. In this episode of The Housing Muse Podcast, we question some mainstream design trends that may be doing more to make our lives harder than easier. Listen in as host Melissa Tr…

Remodeling & Home Improvement Countdown

5 DIY Tasks Home Inspectors Want You to STOP Doing

Oct. 28, 2022

The pandemic ushered in a DIY craze, as homeowners armed with YouTube tutorials and power searches on Google went to work on their homes in high numbers. But they may have taken on more than what they should have in an effor…

Recent Blog Posts

2023 Paint Colors of the Year

Find inspiration behind this year’s Colors of the Year from the leading paint firms.

How to Choose the Best Flooring for Your Home

From checkered tiles to trendy hardwoods, find inspiration in selecting the best flooring for your home with style, sustainability and safety in mind.

Which Paint Color Wears It Best?

Choosing the perfect paint color for a space isn’t easy. We breakdown some of the favorites to help you narrow your choices.

About the Host

Melissa Dittmann TraceyProfile Photo

Melissa Dittmann Tracey

Podcaster / Blogger / Journalist

Melissa Dittmann Tracey is known as "the housing muse" and is an award-winning journalist who has been covering the real estate and home design industry for more than 15 years. She is the creator and host of the Housing Muse Podcast. She is also the creator of the Styled, Staged & Sold blog (the No. 1 home staging blog in the country voted by Feedspot for the last four years and counting). You also can hear her weekly on the syndicated radio show and podcast, Real Estate Today, with her segment "Hot or Not?" in home design. She has contributed to dozens of publications over the years, including BobVila.com, Homes.com, HouseLogic.com, PEOPLE, Chicago Tribune, REALTOR, and more.

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