Between the Layers | Design Guide Series
SUBSCRIBE
Lifestyle

A Gift Guide for your Valentine ♥️

Derrick and I keep things pretty simple for Valentine’s Day. We love to make a yummy dinner and just enjoy the evening together. Now that two of our three kids are out of the house, we mail them each a little gift. Typically, it’s something I know they could use for school, but it’s also fun to give presents that show our love for them but that aren’t necessarily “useful.” If you’re looking for a gift for a loved one, check out the ideas below!

By the way, did you know you can follow us on Like To Know It?? You can find ALL the items featured in this post there on our Like To Know It page. We have an account on LTK where we share all the links of things we’re loving. We hope you’ll check it out and let us know if there’s something you would like to see more of. You can find us here!

 

 

1

Boy Smells Candle

I'll admit, I'm obsessed with Kacey Musgraves ... and this candle collaboration with Boy Smells has me very curious. I'll definitely be repurposing the glass container; it's a beautiful shade of red. I have one in my cart as a little gift for myself!
Kacey Musgraves x Boy Smells
2

Pink Carry-On Luggage

I'm already a fan of bold colors, and this BEIS suitcase will make finding your luggage in baggage claim so much easier! Isn't it cute? I've heard this brand is really really good -- in fact, it's all the rage right now. Our design assistant, Kaylei, took the carry-on version on our trip to Las Vegas Market and loved it!
Carry-On Luggage
3

Le Labo Santal 33

I'm not exaggerating when I say WHENEVER I wear this perfume, someone asks me what it is. And, the coolest thing is that it's unisex! This would make a great gift for your spouse or lover. It smells absolutely heavenly.
Le Labo Santal 33
4

Le Creuset Heart Cocotte

I've wanted a Le Creuset baking dish for sooo long! Although this may not seem super romantic, for the cooks out there -- well, if you know, you know. And this heart shape makes it even sweeter as a loving gesture to the chef in your life.
Heart Cocotte
5

"Loved" Socks

Our daughter is the queen of comfy clothing ... and these socks will go perfectly with her favorite sweats! She's always telling me that she needs cuter socks. Ha! But seriously, these socks make any outfit that much cozier.
Join the Conversation

get inspired
#clouzhouz
follow along
@clouz_houz
POV: You want a home you love... but you don’t have the budget to do it all at once.

And then you find our studio!

I’d rather see you create one room you absolutely love than stretch yourself across an entire house and feel like nothing is ever finished. One finished room gives you momentum. It reminds you why you started. And it gives you a clear vision for everything that comes next.

One of the things we help clients with is deciding where to begin. Together, we create a roadmap that allows your home to evolve thoughtfully over time-without feeling pieced together.

You don’t have to do it all this year. You just have to know what comes first.

If you’re wondering where to start, we’d love to help. Feel free to message me and we can set up a 15 min discovery call!
New project in Bend, Oregon.🤍

We just signed on with the sweetest family, and one of the first things they said was, “We don’t really love our house.” A home can be objectively beautiful and still not feel good to live in.

In this house, the kitchen, dining room and living room are all one big great room. It sounds ideal until you realize the dining table is taking up the exact real estate the living room desperately needs.

Instead of making the kitchen bigger, we’re making it smarter. One move solved several problems at once: more storage, a better dining area, and enough square footage to give the living room the footprint it deserved.

Now we’re moving into one of my favorite phases... layering in materials. This is why I love the conceptual phase. Before a single cabinet is ordered, we’re already changing the way this family will live in their home.

If you’ve been looking around your own home thinking, “I know this could work better, I just don’t know how,” we’d love to help. Whether you’re planning a renovation, reworking your layout, or just need an expert eye before making expensive decisions, that’s exactly what we have to offer!

Check out our services through the link in our bio or send this post to a friend who’s struggling with this exact thing.
While renovations are an investment, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned after years of designing homes is this:
It’s not about how much you spend. It’s about where you spend it.

The homes that feel the most elevated aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets. They’re the ones where every decision was made with intention.

That’s the philosophy behind everything we do. We help our clients understand where it’s worth investing, where they can save without sacrificing the overall look, and how to create a home that feels layered, timeless, and beautifully functional. Because a thoughtfully planned home will always feel more luxurious than one filled with expensive choices that don’t work together.

Good design isn’t about spending more.
It’s about making every dollar work harder for you-and creating a home you’ll love living in every single day.

If you’re planning a renovation or a furnishing project, we’d love to help. Learn more through the link in our bio.
People often ask why renovations have always been my favorite. The easy answer is that I love watching a transformation. But if I’m honest, I think it’s something much deeper than that.

Years ago, our family walked through a season that forced us to start over. It wasn’t something I would have chosen, but looking back, it changed the way I see everything. Homes. People. Even myself. I stopped looking at what something was and started paying attention to what it could become. Maybe that’s why fixer-uppers have always felt so familiar to me. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re starting over. I know what it’s like to wonder if something beautiful can come from a season that feels uncertain. That’s why I love renovations. They’re hopeful. Every wall that comes down makes room for something new. Every decision is an act of believing that what’s ahead can be better than what was there before.

The funny thing is... I don’t think this is really about houses. I think all of us have something in our lives that feels unfinished, overlooked, or in need of another chance. I’ve learned that the middle of the story rarely looks like the ending. And sometimes the most beautiful things aren’t built from scratch. They’re simply revealed.
For anyone who’s ever had to start over... I’m rooting for you!
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the little things.
After moving across the country, leaving behind everything we’d known, and living in the middle of a major renovation, I’ve realized that joy isn’t waiting for me on the other side of a finished house.

It’s in the fresh flowers on the counter.
The windows open on a summer morning.
A glass of rosé at the end of the day.
Clipping greenery from the yard.
Lighting a candle just because.

These small rituals have become the way I slow down, stay present, and make this house feel like home-even while it’s still a work in progress.

ICYMI, I wrote all about this in my post “A Home That Feels Like Summer.” It’s a collection of the simple rituals, thoughtful edits, and favorite finds that are helping me embrace this season instead of waiting for the next one.

You can read the full story through the link in our bio.🤍