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‘Good Bones’ Star Karen E. Laine Finds New Freedom After Working With Daughter Mina Starsiak Hawk

Karen E. Laine’s 2019 retirement was from Two Chicks and a Hammer—not an immediate exit from Good Bones. Here’s how landscaping, legal work and separate TV projects gave her a new measure of independence.
Opened Runtime6 min Written byDocumentaryTube Team
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Karen E. Laine’s retirement from Two Chicks and a Hammer gave her the freedom to choose her next projects—including landscaping, renovation, DIY work and law—without working simply for a paycheck. It was not initially the same as quitting Good Bones: Laine continued appearing on the HGTV series, and her later work with Mina Starsiak Hawk reflected a changed professional arrangement rather than a single confirmed explanation for their private relationship.

Karen E. Laine’s retirement from Two Chicks and a Hammer gave her something she had not had while building the Indianapolis renovation company with her daughter, Mina Starsiak Hawk: the freedom to choose what came next. Rather than leaving renovation and television behind altogether, Laine described a post-company life shaped by her own interests, including landscaping, renovation projects, DIY work and law.

That distinction matters. Laine retired from the family business in 2019, but that was not the same as immediately quitting Good Bones. She continued appearing on the HGTV series after stepping away from the company, while her later television work showed the mother and daughter taking on more separate projects.

Why Karen Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk became known as the “Good Bones” duo

Before Good Bones became a television franchise, Laine and Starsiak Hawk were known for their Indianapolis renovation company, Two Chicks and a Hammer. The business focused on restoring neglected properties in their hometown, a premise that became the foundation of the HGTV show.

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Their professional roles also gave the series a distinctive setup. Starsiak Hawk brought real-estate experience, while Laine’s legal background was part of the company’s story and the program’s appeal. Together, they bought and rehabilitated distressed homes, turning difficult properties into finished residences while documenting the practical and personal challenges involved.

That shared business was the center of their work for years. But Laine’s decision to retire from it created a new boundary between the company, the television series and her relationship with her daughter as business partners.

Laine retired from Two Chicks and a Hammer in 2019—not necessarily from Good Bones

Laine’s 2019 retirement is often summarized too broadly. The supported fact is that she retired from Two Chicks and a Hammer. Contemporary coverage made clear that she had not necessarily ended her involvement with Good Bones at that point, and she continued to appear on the show after leaving the renovation company.

HGTV’s description of Season 6 framed the change as a semi-retirement. With fewer obligations to the company, Laine had more room to pursue landscaping, renovation and DIY projects. In other words, retirement changed the terms of her work rather than eliminating her interest in making and improving homes.

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That is also the context for Laine’s reported comments about her new freedom. She described being able to do what she wanted, including taking on landscaping projects and legal work, without working simply for a paycheck. Her version of retirement was therefore less about inactivity than control over her time and priorities.

Her new freedom included landscaping and lawyering

Laine’s professional background has always been broader than television renovation. As a lawyer, she brought a different perspective to the Two Chicks and a Hammer story than a conventional design or construction personality might. After retiring from the company, she could return to legal work on her own terms while continuing to explore the hands-on projects she enjoys.

Landscaping was another important part of that independence. The work allowed Laine to remain connected to homes and property without having to repeat the full business model she had built with Starsiak Hawk. It also fit the semi-retirement picture presented by HGTV: continued creative and practical work, but with more choice over which projects deserved her attention.

That combination—law, landscaping, renovation and occasional television work—helps explain why “retirement” can be misleading when applied to Laine. She stepped away from the company, not from every activity associated with her career.

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Good Bones: New Beginnings put the professional change on screen

The clearest television expression of the changed arrangement came with the limited format Good Bones: New Beginnings. Instead of showing Laine and Starsiak Hawk jointly executing every renovation, the program followed them on separate projects.

Starsiak Hawk worked on a lake-house renovation, while Laine took on a beach bungalow. The projects gave each woman space to develop a distinct renovation story and reinforced the idea that Laine’s post-company life was not simply a continuation of the old Two Chicks and a Hammer arrangement.

The separate-project format supports a “new chapter” interpretation without answering questions the available reporting does not establish. It shows a changed professional structure; it does not, by itself, explain every private or family dimension of that change.

What is known about Laine and Starsiak Hawk’s changed relationship

Reports have placed Laine’s new independence in the context of tension and divergence between the mother and daughter. However, the available reporting does not establish a definitive cause for any private family rupture. It would be inaccurate to present speculation about their personal relationship as settled fact.

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The verifiable development is narrower: Laine left the company in 2019, continued television participation at that stage, and later appeared in a format that gave her and Starsiak Hawk separate renovation projects. Their professional paths clearly changed. The private reasons behind that change should be treated with appropriate caution unless the women themselves provide a definitive account.

Where to watch Good Bones and New Beginnings

Streaming availability can change by country, season and platform. Warner Bros. Discovery’s programming information identified Max as a destination for past Good Bones seasons and the New Beginnings episodes at their premiere. HGTV’s current show page also provides a Watch Now route and lists episodes connected to Mina’s lake house and Karen’s beach bungalow.

For the most current route, check the live HGTV listing before publication or viewing. Readers may be able to stream Good Bones on Max, but the availability of every season, special or spinoff should not be assumed without a current check.

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The bottom line

Karen E. Laine’s “new freedom” began with a specific professional decision: retiring from Two Chicks and a Hammer in 2019. It did not initially mean disappearing from Good Bones, and it did not mean abandoning renovation. Instead, it gave her more control to choose landscaping, legal work, DIY and other projects on her own terms.

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Good Bones: New Beginnings made that shift visible by separating Laine’s beach-bungalow project from Starsiak Hawk’s lake-house renovation. The format documents a new professional chapter, while the deeper details of their private relationship remain their own to explain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Karen Laine quit Good Bones in 2019?

Karen Laine retired from Two Chicks and a Hammer in 2019. She continued appearing on Good Bones after leaving the company, so the two milestones should not be treated as the same event.

What did Karen Laine and Mina Starsiak Hawk renovate in Good Bones: New Beginnings?

Laine and Starsiak Hawk were shown working on separate renovations: Laine handled a beach bungalow, while Starsiak Hawk worked on a lake-house project.

Where can I watch Good Bones?

Warner Bros. Discovery identified Max as a streaming destination for past Good Bones seasons and New Beginnings episodes at the program’s premiere. HGTV’s current show page also offers a Watch Now route, but availability can change by location and date.

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The Bottom Line

Karen E. Laine retired from Two Chicks and a Hammer in 2019, not necessarily from Good Bones. Her post-company life has given her more freedom to choose landscaping, legal, renovation and DIY work, while Good Bones: New Beginnings showed her and Mina Starsiak Hawk pursuing separate projects. The professional change is documented; speculation about its private cause should not be treated as fact.

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