Between the Layers | Design Guide Series
SUBSCRIBE
Shop
Butler Bastion Industrial Chic Side Table
Lucille English Roll Arm Chaise Lounge
Quincy Fringe Pillow
Galvin Brown Walnut Burl Desk
Weathered Oak Flatweave Jute Rug
European Linen Euro Sham
Clapham Hand-Loomed Wool Rug
Tulpina Napkins
Rosemary Quilt
Banded Recycled Glassware
Hermione Placemat
Handmade Ceramic Pendant Light
Ceramic Swan Coaster set of Four
Navy Luna Plate
Mariana Pendant
Pleated Lampshade: Beige Red Floral Block Print
Mar Chandelier
Avignon Slipcovered Armchair
Printed Accent Chair Gingham Berry
Antique French Desk or Dining Table
Corner Chair
Pillow Bundle SAI.III
Spindle Four-Poster Bed
Bruce Updated Traditional Brown Burl Wood Chest
Barry Updated Traditional Black Cherry Wood Secretary Desk
Tole Flower Standard Hellebore
Amilia Brass Perforated Flush Mount
Antique Louis XIII Writing Table
Thames Hand-Knotted Rug
The Horses
Tangier Settee
Alpena 90″ Dark Acacia Wood Credenza
Esther French Country Beige Canvas Leather Bachelor Chest
Bamboo Cordless LED Table Lamp
Design

If I Could Design a Cottage in Ireland

St. Patty’s Day always has a way of putting Ireland on my mind—but this year…
Design

A Case for Painted Wood Floors

There’s something about a deadline that makes decisions happen. My parents are coming to visit…
Projects

How We Turned a Formal Home Into a Fresh,
Functional, and Feel-Good Space

The Project Two years in the making. Forty-eight hours of installing, styling, and watching this…
Projects

A High End Window Covering Hack You Must Try

Okay, I have to let you in on one of my best-kept secrets for instantly…
get inspired
#clouzhouz
follow along
@clouz_houz
When life gives you lemons… you make lemonade. 🍋
But for us, it wasn’t just a saying.
For over 20 years, I had been designing our homes… but when Derrick lost his job, everything shifted. What felt like everything falling apart was actually the beginning of something new.
After years of being a stay-at-home mom — the role that meant everything to me — I stepped into something completely unknown and started my design business. I was terrified.
Somewhere along the way, Derrick and I found our rhythm, and what started as helping each other turned into building something side by side… Clouz Houz.
And then… we did it again.
We left everything familiar and moved to Tennessee, starting over in a place where no one knew us. No reputation. No safety net. Just a dream… and a lot of faith. And if I’m being honest, it’s taken more grit and determination than I ever imagined. Because starting over midlife hits differently — when so many around you are slowing down, you’re asking yourself to dig deeper, push harder, and believe bigger.
There have been moments I’ve questioned everything. Moments that felt heavy, lonely, uncertain.
But also moments that feel like… this is it. This is the life we fought for.
“Life is Short. Make it Beautiful.” came from one of those turning points — when we realized life wasn’t going to wait for us to feel ready. So we chose to begin. 
Again.
And in this season of rebuilding, I’ve found myself being pulled toward something new… a different way of sharing what I’ve learned, what I see, and what I love.  It’s stretched me in new ways — and in some ways, it’s been unexpectedly therapeutic.
I can’t wait to share more soon. 🤍✨
Office reveal… but also a little life update.
We’ve been working from this space behind the scenes, and it finally feels ready to share. This is where client projects come to life…where we’re sourcing, planning, and building what’s next for both our Oregon projects and the ones we’re beginning here in Tennessee.
Oregon will always be home for our work. Our roots are there and very much staying, but we’re excited to now be creating in Tennessee as well, while continuing to serve clients nationwide.
We have three project openings this summer and are currently taking on new clients in both locations.
If you’ve been thinking about starting a project, you can inquire through our website…we’d love to work together. 🤍
What started as a “simple” fireplace update quickly turned into one of those classic renovation plot twists.😅 
Here’s how it actually unfolded:
1. Planned to install tile over the existing fireplace tile — that was the original vision.
2. Began demo and discovered some serious structural damage to chimney. Immediate pivot.
3. Tore in further and uncovered the original brick hiding underneath.
4. Brought in the mason to re-mortar and clean everything up.
5. The brick went from dusty and rustic to bright red and very classic — and yes... I freaked out a little.
6. Lived with it for a bit to see if I could make peace with the new look.
7. Ultimately we applied a watered down lime grout (what was used by mason) to give it that old-world imperfect feel again.
8. Polished/stained the original stone hearth to refresh it without replacing it.
9. Stripped down the fussy details from the wood mantle and surround.
10. Painted the mantle and reinstalled it — and finally, it all felt right.
Renovations rarely go exactly as planned, but sometimes uncovering what’s underneath leads to something better than you imagined in the first place.