Gretchen Eichenberg

Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

The Art of the Front Porch

In an age of communities where neighbors often remain strangers, seasoned homebuilder Steve Sorrells is quietly reviving a lost art: the front porch. Designed not just as an architectural detail but as an invitation, Sorrells believes homes with porches on the street side — where conversations linger, children ride bikes until dusk and people know each others’ names, not just house numbers — bring back a sense of belonging that once defined American neighborhoods.
Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

Family Traditions

The holiday season is a time when homes feel warmer, families gather closer, and traditions take center stage. Some traditions are rooted in generations-old customs, passed down like treasured heirlooms. Others are newer rituals—born from changing times or the simple desire to create moments that matter. Two Waco families — the Bauers and the Youngs — share how their family traditions bind them to their history, their faith, their community and to each other.
Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

Vintage Holiday Décor

In the historic Castle Heights neighborhood, holiday décor always feels magical from the inside out. Century-old homes along tree-lined streets glow with twinkling lights and tradition — almost like a winter village inside a snow globe. The home of Jennifer and Troy Neumann, along with their daughter Piper, is no exception as they lean into a timeless country retreat vibe where luxury meets warmth for the Christmas season.
Oklahoma Magazine •

The City's Harvest

Across Oklahoma, a growing number of residents are rediscovering the landscape and harvesting edible goodies in an activity called urban foraging.While living solely off the land may not be practical for most people, everyone can enjoy the bounty of Oklahoma on occasion through the practice of urban foraging. Wild mushrooms, herbs and fruits can all be found in nature, and, if harvested responsibly, can be a source of nutritious, unprocessed and chemical-free food. “Foraging is what people ha...
Oklahoma Magazine •

A Modern Masterpiece

In the heart of midtown Tulsa, a Midwest modern style home, constructed with Oklahoma-sourced limestone, a natural colored stucco, wood timber and plate steel, stands out. And, by design, it also fits in. “My vision of modern architecture is that it is clearly of this era, and fitting and responsive to this climate, culture, geology and building practices,” says architect Brian Freese, who owns Tulsa-based Freese Architecture.  The best architecture, he says, looks natural to its location....
Oklahoma Magazine •

A Spring Awakening

From lighting and color to space and lifestyle compatibility, interior design is about making bold statements in 2025. Ross See, principal of Sees Design in Oklahoma City, says lighting continues to be the jewelry of the home. “Expect sculptural, oversized fixtures that double as art pieces, incorporating mixed metals, hand-blown glass and plaster fixtures,” he says.  Concealed kitchens are gaining popularity as they blend seamlessly into living areas with hidden appliances and sleek cabin...
Fox Business •

Virginia woman who went viral after cheap Goodwill vase sold for $100K speaks out: 'Changed my life'

It was just another day of thrift store shopping for Jessica Vincent, 43, of Lynchburg, Virginia — until it wasn’t. She spent $3.99 on a vase that caught her eye at Goodwill and wound up selling it for more than $100,000 — a thrill that she said changed her life. "It's a really special piece, and it will always have a special place in my heart and in my life," Vincent told Fox News Digital in an interview.
Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

Love Your Neighbor

When Jay and Julie Cruz moved their family from California to Robinson, Texas a little over a year ago, they had two things in mind when designing their custom-built modern farmhouse style home: creating a dream home they would never want to leave and cultivating a sense of community with their neighbors. “Every other city we’ve lived in, we never knew our neighbors,” Jay Cruz, a fitness/wellness trainer and lifestyle YouTuber and podcaster, said. “Even right next door, maybe 10 steps. I mean, we knew them, but we never hung out with them. Since we moved here, we know tons of the neighbors on all the streets.”
Fox News •

California fixer-upper sells for nearly half a million dollars: 'The Bridge House of L.A.'

A tiny and unique house built into the side of a bridge in Los Angeles County — dubbed the "troll house" — sold for nearly half a million dollars this month amid today's competitive housing market. "We originally listed it for $249,950," Douglas Lee, listing agent/broker with Compass Real Estate in Pasadena, California, told Fox News Digital. "So basically $50 short of $250,000. It was on the market for a little over a week, maybe two weeks. And we sold it for $430,000 cash to a really cool gu
Fox News •

Rare white squirrel spotted in North Carolina: Why some US towns are used to the fair-furred rodent

A Cary, North Carolina, resident snapped a photo of a rarely-seen white squirrel this week — a photo that generated interest as many people who commented on the local news station’s Facebook page said they had never seen one of the creatures before. "What a beautiful white squirrel. They are rare. I don’t think I have ever seen a white squirrel before. That one is so beautiful," one person commented. But in Brevard
Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

Mid-Century Modern

Built in 1961, this classic mid-century modern brick home in Cameron Park has only housed two owners. Architects Robert S. Braswell and William P. Davis designed the 2,100 square foot one-story, three bedroom, two bath home on a raised .64-acre lot. With its flat planes, large windows and views of the outdoors, the home is known as one of the only true mid-century homes in the neighborhood. The current owners, who consider themselves preservationists, chose to modernize the home while honoring its classic and historic mid-century architecture. In January 2020, it was gutted to the studs and was mostly completed that July.
Wacoan® | Waco’s Magazine™ •

A Splash of Swank

Peace and calm — with a splash of swank. That’s what interior designer Renae Palmer of Palmer Davis Designs was tasked with creating for a client upgrading their primary suite into a larger, more open and functional space last September. “They wanted to remodel their primary bedroom because it was too small, but it actually is really good square footage,” Palmer said. “It simply was not laid out in a functional manner. The bedroom was massive, and it included a sitting area with a beautiful Hill Country-like wooded view — but that no one was using."
Fox News •

Vintage Pyrex bowls may be worth big bucks as collectors hunt high and low for nostalgic dishes

There was a time when no respectable casserole or Jell-O salad was served in anything but a brightly colored piece of Pyrex glassware — and every cupboard was stacked high with the functional mixing bowls, baking dishes and storage containers. Now, Pyrex dishes are fetching big bucks as dealers make rare finds they call the "holy grail" and snap up nostalgic kitchen pieces as seen in their favorite Netflix shows. Social media has helped people spread the word — and the enthusiasm. "I didn’t k
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