'Good Bones' What to Know About Karen Laine's Family

By Michael Hein

Like all reality TV stars, Good Bones' Karen E. Laine has opened up more and more about her personal life to fans as the series has gone on. Many die-hard fans of the show now follow Laine on social media and relish every update on her travel plans, her personal projects and her doting on her grandchildren. Here's a quick rundown on what Laine has shared with her viewers.

Laine stars in Good Bones along with her daughter, Mina Starsiak Hawk, as the two renovate old homes in Indiana and sell them for a profit. The duo began working together this way long before they were approached by HGTV and they have stayed true to their roots throughout the process. However, over time they have become more open with fans and shared more details of their lives on social media that give many a greater sense of connection to the show. Now that Starsiak has two children, their social media posts are all the more precious.

Starsiak and her husband, Steve Hawk, welcomed their new daughter Charlotte Drew Hawk back in September of 2020. Instagram followers have been swooning for Starsiak's precious baby photos, and for her 3-year-old son, Jack Richard, learning to be a big brother.

Of course, since Good Bones is a family show, many are curious about how Laine feels about grandparenthood. Laine is having a great time in retirement, and many of her Instagram followers are living vicariously. Here is what you need to know about the HGTV star.

Prior Career

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Just trying to stay a lawyer today by taking continuing education class. These jokers make it easy 😀 #motivation

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Some viewers might be surprised to learn that before she was replacing walls on Good Bones, Laine was a defense attorney who spent most of her time in the courtroom. She set that job aside in 2007 to start Two Chicks and a Hammer, Inc. with her daughter, but in a 2017 interview with PopSugar, Laine admitted that it took her a while to disentangle herself from lawyer life.

"I am still a practicing lawyer, I am sorta on sabbatical," she said at the time. "I've gotten rid of most of my clients, but I still have a few left."

Retirement Hobbies

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Love Heals. Renovate Yourself. @the_demogod @loveheals_aparelll

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Laine retired from Two Chicks & a Hammer in 2019, though she continues to appear on Good Bones consistently. However, in a blog post about her retirement, she listed all the other hobbies she intends to focus her energy on now. These include fishing, sailing, camping, watching the sunrise on the beach and spending time with her family. In addition to Starsiak, that includes her own mother and her husband.

"I have been working in my garden. My husband is retired, so I have a playmate 24 hours a day. I'm his favorite person. I don't understand it," Laine said of retirement, in an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com. "It doesn't make any sense to me, but he just loves hanging out with me, and he's my favorite person, but it makes sense with him because he's super nice. And he has a Harley. We go for Harley rides. We get the kayak out and go for floats. We have a boat on Lake Monroe that finally got unwinterized, so we'll start sailing again."

"We go camping; we go hiking, we go bike riding. Just hang out in the yard and play with the plants. Do little projects around the house. The stuff I did before but didn't do enough of. Now I've got plenty of time; I can do all I want," she added.

Divinity School

As if that weren't enough to fill her time, Laine told PopCulture.com that she also enrolled in Divinity school amid her retirement. Speaking to us shortly before classes started in June, she said: "I'm very excited! You would think that a [Juris Doctor] would be enough, but I love school, and I've wanted to preach forever. And so now that I've retired from the company, I have enough time and I have the funds to go to Divinity school. I'm excited. A lot of exciting stuff in the future!"

Banter with Mina

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Having some fun with @trane. Super comfy interior environment AND to recline on 😉

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Some Good Bones fans point out from time to time that Laine and Starsiak have dry humor and sarcastic banter, which Laine often seems to take the brunt of. Laine assured PopCulture and its readers that there's no malice behind these jokes, and that she actually takes it as a good sign when Starsiak "sasses" her.

"They should know from seeing me on the show that I can handle it, and when my kids sassed me, I never, ever got mad at that — that's a sign of their intelligence," she said.

Secret Tattoo

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Are you ready for #sharkweek

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While Laine is a lawyer, a maternal figure and a responsible business owner, there is still plenty of room in her life for a little whimsy and fun. In a Season 4 episode of Good Bones, for example, fans got a brief peek at a tattoo on Laine's back. From the glimpse, it looked to be a koi fish, but in a subsequent interview with House Beautiful, Laine revealed that there is much more to it that fans did not see.

"Most people are surprised to find that I have a tattoo that goes from the nape of my neck, covers my back, and extends down the backs of my thighs," she said.

'House Flipper' Label

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Stairway to heaven?

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In a 2016 interview with IndyStar, Laine differentiated her work with Starsiak from the typical "house flipping" some fans refer to. She said that the extensive work they do goes beyond "flipping" for a profit, and that they do more good for their community as well.

"We truly are rehabbing neighborhoods," Laine said. "If we were flipping, we wouldn't strip down to studs, install new electrical, new HVAC, new plumbing or whatever else needs to be done. This is rehab. These houses need a good 12-step program."

Family Friendship

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Making the sausage IS as much fun as eating the sausage! #averybradyrenovation

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Finally, while Laine keeps much of her private life to herself, there's no hiding how close she is with her daughter. Starsiak told IndyStar that she and Laine are more than just business partners or even family — they are true friends.

"That's the value of being mother and daughter — she's not going to lose me," Laine added. "I'm always going to love her and think she's awesome and have her back. I know that's our default position. It's not like two business partners who can just go their separate ways."

Good Bones' six seasons are currently streaming on discovery+ as well.

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