Last night we slept in our new house for the first time after spending the day setting up as many rooms as we could. After hotel hopping for a month, I think we were so excited to be at home and feel at home–we got quite a bit done! Even though the move has been a little stressful (more on that in the future), I’m so grateful we moved with the majority of our things. I can already tell settling in is going to be a lot faster this time for us.
Have you ever chosen where you lived? Like the city. Place! This move to North Carolina marks my/our first time every purposefully choosing to live somewhere. Not due to schooling or where our parents moved when we were small. Choosing a place that feels right for us. This week, as we focused on getting out of our comfort zones for cljsummerschool, I realized it had been 6 months since we made the decision to go way outside of our comfort zone and move to North Carolina. And in that big shuffle, I already feel like we found part of ourselves here.
It’s hard to explain feeling like home in a brand new place, but I think for me, it has partly come from stripping away so many of my security blankets that I had in place. That has really forced me to be confident in my choices and has already allowed me to grow. And then today, seeing some of our things again, gave us a little bit of that security blanket back. And it felt like a huge reward.
More fun things this week!
• I heard so many of your moving company horror stories (and many of you sent me this, too! Stars! They’re just like us!). I am working on a big post about the things we learned and would recommend differently in the future!
• I get questions about my lashes a lot! They are my own and naturally curly. I do use this lash serum (I put it on before bed) and this mascara every day!
• this is the most amazing leave in conditioner!! My hair is so soft!
• Our website redesign with Tonic went live with week! I want to do a whole post about it because we have been working on it for a YEAR and had the best experience with them. But in the meantime, you can Use code CLJ15 for 15% off any customizable templates!
• my picks from Studio McGee’s Fall Collection at Target here and here!
• my new sunnies! (the perfect pair to get you started on rounder frames)
Amazon: You can shop our Amazon storefront here! (can I buy this again for this house?)
APT2B: Friends & Family Sale (remember this dining table I used in my parent’s family room?)
Anthropologie: Extra 40% off sale items! (the prettiest sheets from this week’s summer school round-up)
Burke Decor: 20% off site wide with code SUMMER
CB2: Up to 40% off outdoor! (eyeing this)
Everlane: The Summer Sale (this one-piece!!!)
Mango: Sale up to 70% off! (need for the beach)
McGee & Co.: 25% off pillows with code SLEEPONIT (my fav)
Rejuvenation: Extra 20% off clearance with code EXTRA20 (our bathroom hardware is on mega sale)
Terrain: 25% off the Arcadia collection with code arcadia25 (OBSESSED)
Our wood grain Shaker cabinet fronts were designed for busy, high-traffic homes like ours. Clad with durable textured thermofoils, this line is compatible with Sektion, Akurum, Godmorgon, and Besta cabinets from IKEA. It's the perfect, practical way to add the warmth of wood to all the rooms of your home.
We have teamed up with Loloi to create a line of rugs that are as affordable as they are beautiful. This collection houses a great mix of traditional and modern rugs, in cottage-y colorways, as well as vintage-inspired beauties that you’ll want to roll out in every room.
We partnered with Stuga on a line of hardwood floors — The Ingrid is really livable, and the color is very neutral. It doesn’t lean warm or cool, it’s that just right in-between. We have really loved putting it everywhere in our house. It’s the best jumping-off point for design, no matter your interior style. In addition to being beautiful, Ingrid is really durable — we have three kids, and we always have a home construction project going on. Ingrid stands up to it all.
SHop all
Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop.
Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
A reader recently asked me if I’m starting to fully embrace traditional style and whether we still consider our house to be a “modern Colonial” and why. It was a really great question and so timely — I had really just been thinking about my approach to this home and how my style has changed […]
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Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
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Get Around
Make yourself right at home
Portfolio
Design
Casual Friday
Projects
Lifestyle
Gift Guides
All Posts
Shop
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Love the photo of you reflected in the mirror. Is the framed art of the tree with blue sky behind it available?
I was surprised by the information you shared on Instagram regarding asking about next projects. I would have thought that readers/followers being excited about the next step was the goal of sharing projects on a design blog/account, especially with a new space and seemingly a lot of moving pieces!
Like I said, “I know everyone has good intentions!” I don’t think ANYONE meant anything by it. But it does come across as I’m a puppet sometimes. I don’t know. I’m glad I said something, even if for some people it didn’t come across right.
Hi, your IG story had a link for a less expensive arched floor mirror. Would you please share that link again?
Thanks!
Here you go!
The new site looks great and is so much easier to navigate on my phone!! Nice job!! Enjoy settling in– we made the big decision to move to an entirely new country of our choice two years ago, and we haven’t regretted it!!
Love the website updates! Also appreciate your transparency with your move. I will be moving in a few weeks and I know it’s going to be stressful, and appreciate that people show the realities of it rather than sugarcoat it all! Looking forward to reading your piece and would appreciate any packing/organizing tips that worked for you.
Where did you get The arched leaning mirror
right here!
“here” is same color as other text – doesn’t look like link – web designer trying to help, sorry if critical and part of your design! 💜
I am a single woman living in a one bedroom apartment and I used a combination of Zippy Shell, U-Pack, and Amtrak to move/store my items when I moved 3/4 of the way across the country for a year. I am happy to provide more details if that’s helpful for the piece you’re writing!
Reader View is not working/available on your new website. Using an iPad.