Karen Laine makes up one-half of the Good Bones mother-daughter duo that transforms run-down houses into beautiful homes. The charismatic mom has captivated viewers for six seasons, but her life outside of the HGTV series is fairly unknown. With another season on the way, viewers want to know more about Karen when she's not renovating homes.
Good Bones takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana. Karen and her daughter, Mina Starsiak Hawk, both grew up in the area. The two discovered their passion for home renovation when Mina bought her first home and they updated it together. This passion grew into their renovation business, Two Chicks And A Hammer, and the much-loved reality show follows the operations of the company.
Though Karen announced she was stepping back from the business in 2019, she is still very much a part of Good Bones. More free time through retirement has allowed Karen the opportunity to do more of what she loves outside of revamping Indianapolis neighborhoods.
Age Is Just A Number For Karen
As many fans point out on social media, Karen is a young soul. Although she is 58, her energetic personality and cheery demeanor give her a childlike charm. Karen has admitted on the show that she sometimes feels like the kid in the relationship with her daughter Mina. Growing older can be a sore subject, especially for women, but Karen takes it in stride. She is emphatically open about procedures she has had done, including cool sculpting and micro-needling. Karen inspires fans with body positivity by talking about her experience and even posting before and after photos of her body on her Instagram.
Karen's Instagram & Other Social Media
Karen is an open book on social media. She frequently shares sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes moments of Good Bones on her Instagram, @kelaine217. Snapshots and videos of her cat River, gardening, and interior decor all pepper her feed. With a lot of selfies and photos with family and friends, fans can also get a glimpse into Karen's personal life through her profile. Karen recently started a YouTube channel where she shares vlog-style videos focusing on gardening, home decor, and life in retirement.
Karen's Career Path Is Very Unique
Before going fully into home renovation, Karen worked as a defense attorney. She continued with her law career even when the HGTV series became a hit, though certainly to a much lesser extent. "I am still a practicing lawyer, I am sorta on sabbatical. I've gotten rid of most of my clients, but I still have a few left," Karen said to Popsugar. Though not utilized all the time, her knowledge of the law definitely helped her and Mina to address any legal hurdles within the renovation process.
Hobbies & Interests
Karen has continued working hard at things she's passionate about, even in retirement. She opened her own home decor store in Indianapolis in the fall of 2020, called Karen's Corner. According to an Instagram post where she described the goal of the space, it will be "combination storage, workshop and retail" with the hours posted on her social media. Wanting to extend her influence to the Indianapolis community, Karen also started a nonprofit organization called Indy Home. The central goal of the organization is to address homelessness in the city. If all that wasn't enough, Karen also decided to go to divinity school. She told Pop Culture she has wanted to preach for a while and finally has the time to do it.
Longtime Good Bones viewers might be sad that they'll see less of their favorite handy mom, but Karen is thriving in retirement. The additional time has given her the opportunity to pursue projects she is very passionate about and gain precious family time. Fans can still enjoy Karen's special charm on new seasons of the show and keep up with her through her frequent social media updates.
Good Bones airs Tuesdays at 9 PM ET on HGTV.
Source: Karen E Laine/Instagram, Karen E Laine/YouTube, Popsugar, Pop Culture