Between the Layers | Design Guide Series
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Embracing Summer with a Grilled Peach Smash

Hey friends!

I hope you’re all managing to stay cool and safe this summer. Here in Oregon, the fires have made their return. I swear, every year it seems to happen sooner and sooner. We spent the earlier part of this week up at Suttle Lake, and it was definitely getting smokey and windy. It feels so sad to see this happen time and time again, destroying the beautiful surrounding areas of our home. Not to mention, it’s quite miserable and un-motivating to work and go about our daily routines with a thick cloud of smoke that suffocates you and makes it feel like the apocalypse!

But, speaking of smoke, let’s pivot to happier things. I have the best drink with a smokey flavor for you to try! I’ve waited all summer long for peaches to be in season, and they finally appeared at the farmer’s market — thank goodness. There are so many tasty treats to make during peach season! They’re refreshing, citrusy, sweet, and soft. I have plenty of other recipes featuring peaches if you guys are interested (they are Clouz family approved), so let me know in the comments!

Today, I wanted to feature a cocktail as a little mid-summer treat for you all to try. You’ll love this seasonal take on a whiskey sour, and the grilled peaches twist is fun and unexpected. This is becoming my current hyper fixation, especially with this heat—it feels like I’m rewarding myself at the end of a long day with an adult juice!

The recipe itself is super straightforward, so don’t let it intimidate you. The homemade thyme honey syrup is a crucial ingredient, and only takes a few minutes to mix up. Pour the syrup directly on top of the peaches and grill, or cook them on a skillet to get a bit of char (this is what I did since Derrick didn’t want to fire up the grill)!

Give it a try and let me know if it hits the spot. Cheers! ?

Want more tasty drinks recipes? Check out this other bourbon favorite of ours: Lemon Thyme Bourbon Cocktail 🙂

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Now booking Signature Virtual Design projects.

The room you’ve been meaning to finish for the last two years probably doesn’t need another Pinterest board. It probably needs a plan.

Most homeowners get stuck somewhere between inspiration and execution. They know they want to update a room, replace furniture, or finally make decisions they’ve been putting off, but there are too many moving pieces. Too many options. Too many decisions that feel difficult to make.

That’s where our Signature Virtual Design comes in.

We create a complete design plan for your space, including layouts, furniture and finish selections, sourcing, drawings, and clear direction so you can move forward with confidence. You get the same level of design thinking we bring to all our projects, just in a format you can implement on your own timeline.

Whether you’re updating a single room, or furnishing an entire home, our goal is simple: help you stop second-guessing and start making progress.
Now booking Signature Virtual Design projects.

The room you’ve been meaning to finish for the last two years probably doesn’t need another Pinterest board. It probably needs a plan.

Most homeowners get stuck somewhere between inspiration and execution. They know they want to update a room, replace furniture, or finally make decisions they’ve been putting off, but there are too many moving pieces. Too many options. Too many decisions that feel difficult to make.

That’s where our Signature Virtual Design comes in.

We create a complete design plan for your space, including layouts, furniture and finish selections, sourcing, drawings, and clear direction so you can move forward with confidence. You get the same level of design thinking we bring to all our projects, just in a format you can implement on your own timeline.

Whether you’re updating a single room, or furnishing an entire home, our goal is simple: help you stop second-guessing and start making progress.
Now booking Signature Virtual Design projects.

The room you’ve been meaning to finish for the last two years probably doesn’t need another Pinterest board. It probably needs a plan.

Most homeowners get stuck somewhere between inspiration and execution. They know they want to update a room, replace furniture, or finally make decisions they’ve been putting off, but there are too many moving pieces. Too many options. Too many decisions that feel difficult to make.

That’s where our Signature Virtual Design comes in.

We create a complete design plan for your space, including layouts, furniture and finish selections, sourcing, drawings, and clear direction so you can move forward with confidence. You get the same level of design thinking we bring to all our projects, just in a format you can implement on your own timeline.

Whether you’re updating a single room, or furnishing an entire home, our goal is simple: help you stop second-guessing and start making progress.
Now booking Signature Virtual Design projects.

The room you’ve been meaning to finish for the last two years probably doesn’t need another Pinterest board. It probably needs a plan.

Most homeowners get stuck somewhere between inspiration and execution. They know they want to update a room, replace furniture, or finally make decisions they’ve been putting off, but there are too many moving pieces. Too many options. Too many decisions that feel difficult to make.

That’s where our Signature Virtual Design comes in.

We create a complete design plan for your space, including layouts, furniture and finish selections, sourcing, drawings, and clear direction so you can move forward with confidence. You get the same level of design thinking we bring to all our projects, just in a format you can implement on your own timeline.

Whether you’re updating a single room, or furnishing an entire home, our goal is simple: help you stop second-guessing and start making progress.
Now booking Signature Virtual Design projects.

The room you’ve been meaning to finish for the last two years probably doesn’t need another Pinterest board. It probably needs a plan.

Most homeowners get stuck somewhere between inspiration and execution. They know they want to update a room, replace furniture, or finally make decisions they’ve been putting off, but there are too many moving pieces. Too many options. Too many decisions that feel difficult to make.

That’s where our Signature Virtual Design comes in.

We create a complete design plan for your space, including layouts, furniture and finish selections, sourcing, drawings, and clear direction so you can move forward with confidence. You get the same level of design thinking we bring to all our projects, just in a format you can implement on your own timeline.

Whether you’re updating a single room, or furnishing an entire home, our goal is simple: help you stop second-guessing and start making progress.
One of the questions I get asked most often is why furniture can vary so dramatically in price. You can pull up two sofas online that look nearly identical. Yet one costs a few thousand dollars more than the other. Most of the time, the answer isn’t in what you’re seeing. It’s in what you can’t see.

When I’m sourcing furniture for clients, I’m looking beyond the fabric color and silhouette. I’m paying attention to all of the little details that determine how a piece will perform over time. A quality hardwood frame can often outlast the upholstery itself, which is why heirloom pieces can be reupholstered multiple times over their lifetime.

Even something as simple as cushion construction can completely change how a sofa feels. A family room sofa that gets used every single day should feel very different than a sofa in a formal sitting room. There isn’t one “best” option. The right answer depends on how you live.

None of this means every room needs custom upholstery. But understanding what’s happening beneath the surface helps explain why two pieces that look almost identical online can feel completely different five or ten years later.

As designers, we’re always thinking beyond how something photographs. We’re thinking about how it will sit, wear, and function for the people living with it every day. That’s where the value lives.