Between the Layers | Design Guide Series

Cocktails

The Perfect Fall Cocktail

October 25, 2022

Apricot Blood Orange Vodka Martini

Looking for a festive and delicious cocktail to serve at your next fall gathering? Look no further. This cocktail, courtesy of yummly.com, is the perfect compliment to any fall comfort food you may be serving. We paired it with clams in white wine broth the other night, and it was oh so good!

Apricot Blood Orange Vodka Martini

1 EGG WHITE

2 OZ VODKA

½ OZ SIMPLE SYRUP

2 BLOOD ORANGES, JUICED

½ LEMON, JUICED

1 TSP APRICOT PRESERVES OR JAM

1. ADD ICE WATER TO MARTINI GLASS TO CHILL WHILE PREPARING COCKTAIL

ADD EGG WHITE TO A SHAKER. SHAKE FOR ABOUT 30-40 SECONDS UNTIL EGG WHITE IS FROTHY. FILL SHAKER WITH ICE. ADD ORANGE JUICE, LEMON JUICE AND APRICOT PRESERVES. SHAKE WELL UNTIL COMBINED, ABOUT 30-40 SECONDS. PLACE ICE INTO GLASS AND STRAIN CONTENTS OF SHAKER INTO CHILLED MARTINI GLASS. ENJOY!

Let us know if you give this a try… we promise you, you won’t be disappointed. We may or may not be shaking one up right now!

explore

More You'll Love

Design

Inside a Virtual Design Project:
From Concept to Execution

Design

The Best Blue Paint Colors I’ve Ever Used

Bathroom

Tile Patterns To Try If You Love Checkerboard But Are Tired Of Seeing It Everywhere

get inspired

#clouzhouz

follow along

@clouz_houz

This made me laugh because... guilty!!!

Running a small business can sometimes feel like you’re talking into a dark hole. You pour so much into creating, sharing, photographing, writing—and you never really know who’s on the other side of the screen.
But honestly? This community has reminded me how much good exists on the internet.

Since moving from Oregon to Tennessee, I’ve missed the friendships and familiar faces we left behind. At the same time, I’ve been so grateful for the people we’ve met here-and even for the ones we’ve only met through this little corner of Instagram. You’ve shared recommendations, encouraged our work, welcomed us into a new city, and made this business feel a whole lot less lonely.

So I’d love to turn this into one giant recommendation list! Show each other some love and support!

Tag a few accounts you’re loving lately. Big or small. A creator. A business. A designer. A photographer. A local shop. Someone who inspires you or simply deserves way more people cheering them on.

I’ll start...
@whitneymcgregor
@alexisnegranti
@emily.a.schoen

346 41

Open

This made me laugh because... guilty!!!

Running a small business can sometimes feel like you’re talking into a dark hole. You pour so much into creating, sharing, photographing, writing—and you never really know who’s on the other side of the screen.
But honestly? This community has reminded me how much good exists on the internet.

Since moving from Oregon to Tennessee, I’ve missed the friendships and familiar faces we left behind. At the same time, I’ve been so grateful for the people we’ve met here-and even for the ones we’ve only met through this little corner of Instagram. You’ve shared recommendations, encouraged our work, welcomed us into a new city, and made this business feel a whole lot less lonely.

So I’d love to turn this into one giant recommendation list! Show each other some love and support!

Tag a few accounts you’re loving lately. Big or small. A creator. A business. A designer. A photographer. A local shop. Someone who inspires you or simply deserves way more people cheering them on.

I’ll start...
@whitneymcgregor
@alexisnegranti
@emily.a.schoen

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!

93 19

Open

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!

19 1

Open

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.

46 1

Open

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.

73 3

Open

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!

131 18

Open

Apricot Blood Orange Vodka Martini

Apricot Blood Orange Vodka Martini

explore

Inside a Virtual Design Project: From Concept to Execution

The Best Blue Paint Colors I’ve Ever Used

Tile Patterns To Try If You Love Checkerboard But Are Tired Of Seeing It Everywhere

get inspired

follow along

Join Between the Layers

Inside a Virtual Design Project:
From Concept to Execution