effortless entertaining Archives - Interior Design Studio in Bend, OR

Between the Layers | Design Guide Series

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effortless entertaining

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Cocktail Picks

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Custom Embroidered Linen Cocktail Napkins – Tuxedo

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Fluted Coupe Glass

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Henley Task Lamp

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Cotton Cloth Cocktail Napkins

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Hatch Faceted Glass Punch Bowl and Champagne Bucket

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Lionel Tray

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An0ther 13 Eau de Parfum

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Hand Lotion + Hand Soap Bundle

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Chaumont Coupe or Martini Glass

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Cotton Turkish Washcloth Set

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Stargazer Flameless Pillar Candle

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Tepa Accent Rechargeable Table Lamp

Holiday

Effortless Holiday Hosting:
The Martha Way

Recently, I stumbled back onto one of Martha’s holiday blog posts from 2018. It reminded…

Holiday

Spring Birthday Celebration:
A ‘Girl Dinner’ Themed Party

Spring is finally here, so we had the best excuse to throw a candlelit, slightly…

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Hand Forged Iron Candle Holder

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Vintage Block Print Pillow Cover

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Sanders Sideboard with Hutch – Basil

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Chapman Oval Bistro Table

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Rattan Placemat

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Gustav Medium Floor Lamp

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Silver Hotel Tray

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Dublin Night Carafe

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Madeline Napkins

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Leni Chestnut Suede

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Gemma Maxi Dress

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La Linge Metal Candlestick Taper Candle Holder

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Emporia Stainless Steel Coupe

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Aged Terracotta Round Pots

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Wynn Portuguese Glazed Terracotta Serve Bowl

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Thistle Beer Glass

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Zofia Fluted Glass Cake Stand

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Tyrion Vase

Design

The March Edit:
A Seasonal Shift from Winter to Spring

March always feels like a turning point. The days get longer, the sun starts peeking…

Holiday

Holiday Entertaining: Fun for the Hostess Too!

Alright, so let’s set the scene. Picture this: the house is filled with the cozy,…

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#clouzhouz

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@clouz_houz

Part 1 of our Sixth Street den is finally here.

This room is a little different than the rest of our home, and honestly... that’s what I love about it. One of my design philosophies has always been knowing where to save and where to splurge. Not every room needs the same investment, especially when you understand how it’s going to be used.

This is our family den. It’s where we unwind at the end of the day, watch a movie, read a book, or curl up with the dogs. When we’re entertaining, everyone naturally gathers in the kitchen, dining room, or living room, so I gave myself permission to be a little more creative here.
That meant mixing old with new, incorporating a few vintage finds, and investing in the pieces that would have the biggest impact. It was less about buying everything new and more about creating the feeling I wanted. The room isn’t finished yet (are they ever?), but it’s already become one of our favorite places to land at the end of the day.

I can’t wait to show you Part 2 and walk through some of the other decisions that brought this room together. It’s full of personality, and I think those details are what make it feel like us.

Part 2 coming soon!

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Part 1 of our Sixth Street den is finally here.

This room is a little different than the rest of our home, and honestly... that’s what I love about it. One of my design philosophies has always been knowing where to save and where to splurge. Not every room needs the same investment, especially when you understand how it’s going to be used.

This is our family den. It’s where we unwind at the end of the day, watch a movie, read a book, or curl up with the dogs. When we’re entertaining, everyone naturally gathers in the kitchen, dining room, or living room, so I gave myself permission to be a little more creative here.
That meant mixing old with new, incorporating a few vintage finds, and investing in the pieces that would have the biggest impact. It was less about buying everything new and more about creating the feeling I wanted. The room isn’t finished yet (are they ever?), but it’s already become one of our favorite places to land at the end of the day.

I can’t wait to show you Part 2 and walk through some of the other decisions that brought this room together. It’s full of personality, and I think those details are what make it feel like us.

Part 2 coming soon!

Well, this was fun!!

For those of you who are new around here and want to get to know a little more about Clouz Houz (and me), consider this the rapid-fire version.

I’m Allison-the principal designer/owner behind Clouz Houz. These answers are a pretty honest glimpse into how I approach design, what I believe makes a home feel good, and the little things I think matter most.

At the end of the day, every project is different, but my philosophy is always the same: create homes that are meant to be lived in, not just looked at.

Now I’d love to hear from you. Which answer resonated most? Or better yet... what’s a design opinion you’ll defend forever? Leave it in the comments!

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Well, this was fun!!

For those of you who are new around here and want to get to know a little more about Clouz Houz (and me), consider this the rapid-fire version.

I’m Allison-the principal designer/owner behind Clouz Houz. These answers are a pretty honest glimpse into how I approach design, what I believe makes a home feel good, and the little things I think matter most.

At the end of the day, every project is different, but my philosophy is always the same: create homes that are meant to be lived in, not just looked at.

Now I’d love to hear from you. Which answer resonated most? Or better yet... what’s a design opinion you’ll defend forever? Leave it in the comments!

One thing I’ve noticed after years of renovating homes (both my own and my clients’) is that decision fatigue is real.

It sneaks up on you. At the beginning, every decision feels exciting. You spend hours researching, saving inspiration, imagining how it’s all going to come together.
Then somewhere along the way, your brain quietly starts asking...
“Can someone else just tell me what’s right?”

I don’t think that’s because people aren’t capable of making good decisions. I think it’s because no one is meant to carry hundreds of important ones all at once. That’s why I’ve become such a believer in meeting people where they are.

Some projects need a few hours of guidance. Others need a complete design plan. Neither is better. They’re just different levels of support during different seasons of a renovation.

This project reminded me why we created both.

The full story (and how one room unexpectedly became two is on Between the Layers. I also shared the entire bathroom presentation and all of the materials we selected if you’re curious to see where we landed.

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One thing I’ve noticed after years of renovating homes (both my own and my clients’) is that decision fatigue is real.

It sneaks up on you. At the beginning, every decision feels exciting. You spend hours researching, saving inspiration, imagining how it’s all going to come together.
Then somewhere along the way, your brain quietly starts asking...
“Can someone else just tell me what’s right?”

I don’t think that’s because people aren’t capable of making good decisions. I think it’s because no one is meant to carry hundreds of important ones all at once. That’s why I’ve become such a believer in meeting people where they are.

Some projects need a few hours of guidance. Others need a complete design plan. Neither is better. They’re just different levels of support during different seasons of a renovation.

This project reminded me why we created both.

The full story (and how one room unexpectedly became two is on Between the Layers. I also shared the entire bathroom presentation and all of the materials we selected if you’re curious to see where we landed.

One of my favorite parts of our renovation lately has been watching this hallway finally come together. It was one of the first spaces that I started dreaming up when we initially toured the house.

This hallway is wide. It’s also the very first thing you look down when you walk through our front door, so it felt important to get it right. I didn’t want it to feel like this long, empty corridor that you just hurry through. Instead, we wanted it to feel like an extension of the rest of the house.

One thing I always think about is giving your eye somewhere to land. If you have a long hallway, don’t leave it completely bare. Whether it’s a gallery wall, a console table, a runner, or even a lamp at the end, adding a focal point helps the space feel inviting instead of just functional.

It’s not quite there yet, but it’s finally starting to feel like the vision we had from the very beginning. And honestly, it’s one of those spaces that makes the whole house feel more complete.

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One of my favorite parts of our renovation lately has been watching this hallway finally come together. It was one of the first spaces that I started dreaming up when we initially toured the house.

This hallway is wide. It’s also the very first thing you look down when you walk through our front door, so it felt important to get it right. I didn’t want it to feel like this long, empty corridor that you just hurry through. Instead, we wanted it to feel like an extension of the rest of the house.

One thing I always think about is giving your eye somewhere to land. If you have a long hallway, don’t leave it completely bare. Whether it’s a gallery wall, a console table, a runner, or even a lamp at the end, adding a focal point helps the space feel inviting instead of just functional.

It’s not quite there yet, but it’s finally starting to feel like the vision we had from the very beginning. And honestly, it’s one of those spaces that makes the whole house feel more complete.

I’m convinced dining rooms don’t get enough love.
Everyone talks about kitchens, but I think dining rooms are where some of the best memories happen. Long dinners that turn into game night, holiday meals, catching up with friends over a bottle of wine.... they’re meant to be lived in!!

This room has definitely evolved more slowly than I expected (and yes, there were a lot of opinions over pink paint colors ), but I’m actually glad we didn’t rush it.

One thing about me: I don’t need to have every decision made on day one. I’d rather collect pieces I really love than force a room to feel “finished.” That’s how our homes end up with personality.

A little BTS of how this room has come together so far. Many more layers are still to come. God knows I’m not done adding little touches and moving things around until it all settles and feels just right to me!

Anyone else have a room that’s 90% done... and somehow still only feels 50% done??

We’re diving into more specifics tonight on Between The Layers. See you there!

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I’m convinced dining rooms don’t get enough love.
Everyone talks about kitchens, but I think dining rooms are where some of the best memories happen. Long dinners that turn into game night, holiday meals, catching up with friends over a bottle of wine.... they’re meant to be lived in!!

This room has definitely evolved more slowly than I expected (and yes, there were a lot of opinions over pink paint colors ), but I’m actually glad we didn’t rush it.

One thing about me: I don’t need to have every decision made on day one. I’d rather collect pieces I really love than force a room to feel “finished.” That’s how our homes end up with personality.

A little BTS of how this room has come together so far. Many more layers are still to come. God knows I’m not done adding little touches and moving things around until it all settles and feels just right to me!

Anyone else have a room that’s 90% done... and somehow still only feels 50% done??

We’re diving into more specifics tonight on Between The Layers. See you there!

In case you missed it...
I published a new post over on Between the Layers, and I really hope you’ll take a few minutes to read it.

Even if you don’t buy a single thing from it, my goal is that you walk away seeing your home a little differently. Fresh ideas, thoughtful styling tips, and little details that make your home feel more like summer without starting from scratch.

If you enjoy this one, I’d love for you to subscribe while you’re there so you never miss future posts. We’ve been sharing so much more than what makes it to Instagram, and I think it’s becoming one of my favorite places to connect with all of you.

You can find it through the link in our bio. 🤍

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In case you missed it...
I published a new post over on Between the Layers, and I really hope you’ll take a few minutes to read it.

Even if you don’t buy a single thing from it, my goal is that you walk away seeing your home a little differently. Fresh ideas, thoughtful styling tips, and little details that make your home feel more like summer without starting from scratch.

If you enjoy this one, I’d love for you to subscribe while you’re there so you never miss future posts. We’ve been sharing so much more than what makes it to Instagram, and I think it’s becoming one of my favorite places to connect with all of you.

You can find it through the link in our bio. 🤍