Arcane Pendant

You can spend $10,000 on tile... and ruin it with one decision.

Grout.

If the grout contrasts too much, it highlights every single line. Suddenly the tile feels busy, even if it’s not.

What we guide our clients to do instead is blend the grout with the tile — but go a shade or two lighter. It softens everything, lets the texture come through, and keeps the overall look feeling intentional.

A few of our go-to grout tones:
• Silver Shadow
• Sauterne
• Iron
• Sterling Silver
• Marble Beige
• Light Pewter

If you’re investing in beautiful materials, the small decisions matter just as much as the big ones.

Follow along for more designer confessions and save this post for your next tiling project!

The base layer is where every design decision actually starts.

It’s not what you see first-but it’s what you feel first.
The tone, the direction, the underlying structure that everything else builds on.

Without it, rooms can look finished... but still feel off.

We’re diving into this over on Substack and sharing how we approach it in every project.

Live today at 3pm PST on Between the Layers.

“Why bring in a designer when I could do it on my own?”

You absolutely can. Most people can get a space to look good but does it function and translate over time?

But what you don’t always see is everything happening behind the scenes: the planning, the sequencing, the material decisions, the scale, the problem-solving when something doesn’t quite work.

It’s not just about choosing pieces. It’s about making hundreds of small decisions that all need to relate to each other.

We’ve been doing this for years, we know what to look for (and what to avoid), we have access to resources you won’t find online, and we manage the chaos so you don’t have to.

If you’re ready to take that off your plate, you can inquire through the link in bio!

Because I know I’d be overwhelmed by this list if I wasn’t privy to the industry.

Send this post to someone who is considering hiring a designer!

It gave us a lot of left hooks- but we are still standing. 💪

When I talk about holding our clients hands through projects- I sure wish I had someone holding mine on this one! There were plumbing debacles… we discovered pipes running every which way, structural issues, electrical wires that were a fire hazard, a layout that tested my creativity… the list goes on and on!

Feeling so grateful for all the trades who helped us get here.

The window coverings still need to get installed (the prettiest cafe curtain if you can picture it ) but I just couldn’t wait any longer to share with you…

Now tell me, what is your favorite detail? Because I truly can’t decide. And if you could share/like/save… all the things, to show her some love I would appreciate it so much. 🥰

Life is too short to live in a flat, one-note space.
The details that don’t immediately stand out are often the ones doing the most work. This is one of those.

• Satin on trim
• Eggshell on walls
• Flat on the ceiling

Save this for when you’re picking paint... it makes more of a difference than you think.