When you’re in the mood for good, soothing HGTV series, there’s nothing like Good Bones, the renovation series starring mother/daughter team Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine. But since the eighth and final season aired in 2023, fans are wondering where Mina’s mom Karen is now.
Mina and Karen started the business Two Chicks and a Hammer, and starred in Good Bones from 2016 to 2023. It’s true that fans searching for home inspiration can find plenty of other HGTV series (and maybe they want to fantasize about being able to afford one of these beautiful homes because, hey, that’s relatable). But Good Bones is unique, and fans grew to care about Mina and Karen. So let’s find out what’s exactly going on.
What happened to Good Bones star Mina’s mom?
Since Good Bones fans know that the show concluded after eight seasons and Mina and Karen weren’t able to get along anymore, they also want to know what Karen is doing now. Mina explained in the season premiere of the spinoff series, Good Bones: New Beginnings, that her husband, Steve, has dealt with several terrible family deaths. That being said, Mina’s mom is alive and well.
According to CBS 19 News, Mina explained that she and Steve are undergoing a “healing” renovation of a lake house so they have a positive place to go with their kids. She said they are thinking “for the long term, for the memories, for the experiences.”
Steve mourned the death of Stefanie, his little sister who passed away after being poisoned by ethanol. He also lost his parents, with his dad sustaining serious injuries when he fell down stairs, while his mom had stomach cancer.
While there are a lot of HGTV shows to choose from on a Sunday afternoon when it’s time to truly unwind, from the memorable Fixer to Fabulous to Chip and Joanna Gaines’s Fixer Upper series, Good Bones is particularly special. The fact that Mina is so honest about her family life sets this show apart and makes it feel like more than just a reno show. While Mina has talked publicly about their arguments, Karen doesn’t seem to dish. However, Mina did say on her podcast Mina AF that Karen texted her in August 2023, saying: “maybe we should talk.” According to People, Mina explained: “I just didn’t really know what to do with it.”
However, while Mina’s mom Karen’s health appears to be fine, since there is no report otherwise (and she continues to update her Instagram), the mother and daughter still don’t appear particularly happy with each other. According to Deadline‘s announcement of the Good Bones: New Beginnings series, Karen is fixing up a place of her own in Wilmington, North Carolina, which will set the stage for the next part of her life.
While Good Bones fans are undoubtedly relieved that Karen is fine and seemingly thriving, they also miss watching her and Mina make some serious magic happen together. That being said, viewers will always be hopeful that they will repair things and get back to teaming up in the future.