Great Escapes USA Book

When I turned 50, I thought my story was already written.

Turns out, I was just getting to the good part.

I’ve rebuilt homes—and rebuilt a life.

Left what was familiar. Started over more than once.

Turned a lifelong love for design into a business alongside my husband, creating intentional homes for people all over the country.

I believe spaces should hold real life… the messy, meaningful, beautiful moments.

And I’ve always looked at older homes and thought, look at the potential. Maybe that’s why starting over has never scared me, because I see life the same way. Not as finished, but as full of possibility.

How about you? Are you in the middle part of life and just getting going??? I want to hear! And, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you want some advice on how to get started- I’m realizing we are all in this together. 🤍

Life is short. Make it beautiful.

January, already?!

This month’s edit ended up being a mix of things I naturally reached for: cozy knits, everyday staples that don’t try too hard, little home upgrades that make winter feel more intentional. A few things for staying in, a few things for stepping out, and a few things that just make the house feel good again after the holiday rush.

It’s that in-between season where comfort wins, neutrals feel right, and anything with warmth or texture just makes sense. Simple, useful, grounding.

Here’s what’s on my radar as we settle into the new year. Comment “edit” for all my monthly picks! (Live on the blog at 3:00pm PST).

Hi 🤍 if you’re new here—my husband and I are the founders of Clouz Houz.

Three months ago, we packed up our life and moved across the country to follow a dream: expanding our design business in new ways and planting roots in a place completely unfamiliar to us.

We bought a house in Middle Tennessee to renovate and call home… in a community where we knew no one.

It’s been scary. And humbling.
But we’re doing it.

While we haven’t gotten as far as we hoped on this first project, we are making progress—little by little. New hardwood floors. New electrical. Kitchen and laundry demo complete. A bathroom fully replumbed and rebuilt.
And still… so much more ahead.

Living in the middle of a renovation while starting over at the same time has been overwhelming in ways we didn’t anticipate. This isn’t our first remodel, but this season feels different. It’s stretching us. Asking for patience. For trust. For presence.

And maybe that’s the point.
Progress doesn’t equal perfection. Sometimes it just looks like staying in it, even when the path feels uncertain. Learning a new place. Meeting new people. Believing that what you’re building—slowly—will be worth it.

This house is testing us, yes.

Follow along as we restore this 1930s bungalow and build a new chapter, one step at a time.

2026, we can’t wait to see all that you have in store for us. 🤍

Cheers to another fantastic year in the books and happy 2026 eve, friends! Thanks so much for following along. I’ve always loved the saying “What a difference a year makes!”… and boy did this one show us that. I couldn’t have done it without our amazing clients and my A team... See you all in 2026!