About
Stephanie Mickelson is a freelance writer covering a range of topics that include home improvement, design, and architecture. She started working with BobVila.com at the beginning of 2023 but has been writing in the industry for 5 years. When not writing, she’s juggling kids and coffee and working on creating a home full of comfort.
Experience
Stephanie has always been a DIYer. While she was in high school, her dad walked in on her ripping carpet out of her room to reveal the original wood floors. He shook his head and continued on his way, knowing that she had a project in mind. Her skills were sharpened when a friend hired her as his kitchen remodeling assistant and taught her how to install cabinets, flooring, countertops, trim, and more. Now she and her husband work on projects around the home, including garage reroofing and driveway seal-coating projects last year.
Writing for Apartment Therapy, HomeLight, and BobVila.com, Stephanie covers topics ranging from the merits of solid-surface countertops to how to choose faucets for freestanding bathtubs to the history of spiral staircases. She loves digging into the history of everyday objects and design elements like Hoosier cabinets and turret rooms as well as guiding readers through DIY projects and helping them understand how to care for their home.
Education
Stephanie attended a variety of colleges—Duquesne University, Ohio State University, and Old Dominion University—where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and a Master of Arts in secondary education.
After an 8-year career as a middle/high school English teacher, she quit her job to be a stay-at-home mom to her three kids and began a second career as a freelance writer.
Highlights
- Specialties: DIYer with experience in kitchen remodeling, installing cabinets, flooring, countertops, trim, and more
- Education: Bachelor of Arts in English literature and a Master of Arts in secondary education
- Other work: Apartment Therapy, HomeLight, and other building material company blogs
Notable Works
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Should You Buy a Historic Home? Be Prepared for Character, Charm, and Maybe a Ghost or Two
HomeLight
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What Is Radiator Heating — And How Does It Work?
Apartment Therapy
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Heat Pump vs. Furnace: Which Is Best for Your Home?
Apartment Therapy
Proudest DIY
Her proudest DIY project is the set of cubbies she built to house her kids’ mass of coats, boots, shoes, and backpacks. She knew the family needed a solution, so she bought the materials and built it in the span of two nap times.
