Designing a Home You Love: Trends, Renovations & Real Life

In this episode of Deluxe Lounge, the ladies dive into what it really means to design a life (and a home) you truly love. From building dream homes to living through chaotic renovations, they share the real stories behind the spaces they call home.

Tess shares the thoughtful design choices behind her newly built home, including fluted details, soft curves, arches, and checkered flooring that create a cohesive and elevated look. Josie reflects on how renovating homes to sell shaped her design choices in the past—and how living in a space meant for her family has completely changed her perspective.

They talk about function vs beauty, trends vs personal style, and how sometimes the most meaningful spaces aren’t the most perfect ones.

You’ll also hear their thoughts on current home trends like color drenching, wallpaper murals, maximalism vs minimalism, and how each of their homes reflects their personality in completely different ways.

Plus, they wrap up the episode with their latest “Lux Finds”—from cozy bath sheets and stainless steel tongue scrapers to beauty sprays, luxury kettles, and a genius e-reader page turner.

If you love home design, renovation stories, lifestyle chats, and honest conversations about creating a life you actually enjoy, this episode is for you.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Welcome to the lounge, ladies.

SPEAKER_02 0:10

Welcome back to another episode of Deluxe Lounge. On this one's episode, we're going to talk about designing a life you love. How's everyone today? Good. I saw Nibs in his Andes this morning, so my day is off to a great start. He's self-blessed. He knew you were coming. He did not appear to know that I was coming. Was he wearing his red McDonald's Crocs at the same time? He was. No, no. Yeah. Oh, I was asking. Underwear and crocs. Hell yeah. Okay, Miss Beautiful new home build. I feel like this is your episode to shine. Talk to us about it. All right. So many of you probably don't know. We just built a new home this past year. And I was just thinking about like what was one small design choice that I made that really changed the space for me and made it feel more luxurious and more put together. So I would say for me, it was really just repeating elements. So I chose a few things that I wanted to be repetitive in the house to make it feel cohesive and warm and make it all come together. So I chose to repeat a lot of fluting. So I have fluting on my island and I have some fluting on my uh, I don't know, fireplace cupboards, I guess, that open and I store the kids' toys in there and stuff. So you can see those um together, they kind of like mimic each other in the same room. And then I also wanted to make the space like it's a little bit more modern, so I still wanted to have a soft element to it to make it feel more homemade, give that sense of comfort, kind of. So I did a lot of soft coronary, so rounded edges. So I have one side of my island as rounded, and I have lots of arched doorways and two arched niches with built-in shelves on the sides of my um fireplaces. And then I also repeated um checkered floor in. So I have some checkered flooring in my back entryway and in my front entryway. And I just think it's a I don't know. I just love it. It's absolutely gorgeous. And I mean, we've been talking about this house for Yeah. How long have you been planning this house? Since before we moved the trailer on. Wow. So the trailer was kind of a 10-year plan. It was, we don't know, are we having kids? Are we not having kids? Um, what do we build? What do we not? How many bedrooms? We don't know. And it was so expensive because it was just literally a bare piece of land. We had to put all the utilities on there, build a driveway, everything. So that in itself, we were like, holy freaking shit. But I mean, hindsight's 2020, we should have built what the market was right and nothing. We were so freaking expensive. Like we probably have paid double of what we would have, but I'm glad because finally now I'm I really know who I am and what I like. And I there was non-negotiables for me. Like I'm I'm having a black house and I'm having a checkered floor, and I am having a pantry that I can store all my appliances in. Like I wouldn't have done that before. I would have just been like, whatever. It's dude, I can remember when you moved the trailer on and walking through, and yeah, there was lots of I yeah, it wasn't my favorite, but we have that's okay. And then this house, like you knew what you want and you got it, and it's and yeah, I dreamt about it for freaking years, and my Pinterest board is British, but it made the process so easy because I knew exactly everything I wanted. But I know for the two of you, it's a totally different situation because Carrie, you've been in this house for 12 years, and then Josie, you are here, there, and everywhere all the time, and constantly buying a house to friggin' flip. And I don't know how you're doing it. Yeah. Um when we were talking about this episode, I was like, oh, what the hell I'm gonna talk about. Um, our house is a dumpster fire. It's by far the ugliest house I've ever lived in. But it just feels different. So, like, this is our third reno, and the the previous two renovations, I knew we were gonna be selling the house. So it was very much like what's trendy and searching on Instagram and Pinterest, and I was so worried about what's gonna sell. And this house, it just feels like what do I want my home to be? Yeah, and so we have this little like library, and it's so ugly. It is red, which I hate red in a house. It the bookshelves are falling apart. There's this, but there's this little window seat, the cushion on it is torn to shit, but I've wrapped it in a blanket and then I brought a little round table, kind of like this, into the space, and it has transformed our lives. Like, I'm so happy every time I go in that room, there is like actually, we haven't had a night where we don't play a board game where the kids aren't coloring on the table, and I'm like, that's what I want for this house. Like, I want it to be a functional space. Yeah, I want moments to naturally occur because of the space that we've made. So yeah, every time I see you share a story of that, I'm like, oh, that is amazing. Like, I just I love the vibes that that's giving. And it's so you guys, it's your family. Yeah, we were actually watching the uh Father of the Bride. I hadn't I'd never watched that movie until recently. And this is what I want my house to be. Like just full of the kids' pictures and yeah, yeah, things that would make my skin crawl before because we were gonna style the house. I wouldn't have freaking pictures that my kids have artwork all over, but this house does. And um eating floor. Yeah, yeah. They live there too, yeah, yeah. And I don't know, it was just kind of like it woke up and it's like, I don't I don't have little babies anymore. And I don't know, I don't want them to only remember us painting baseboards, and then as soon as they're nailed on, the house is for sale and they never got to live in their homes. Yeah, it makes me emotional. It's just yeah. I want them to remember all the board games and little moments throughout the house that just make me so happy. That's only I love that. So when we talk about a design choice, I don't know if I've made any specific design choices, but I've definitely what I've changed from like, let's say before we moved into this house, um, I was I based everything very much on like what was trending, right? Right. And what everyone else was doing, like my Shea McGee's of the world. And since moving into this house, um, I'm very intentional with what I do purchase for my space. I purchase a lot less. Everything I do purchase, I put a lot of thought into. Whereas before I would just go up, if I loved it, I would buy it. So now, yeah, I'm very intentional with what I buy. I my space has a huge impact on how I seal. Nothing specific. Like it's all very different. But I think your house totally reflects who you are. Like I walk into your house and I'm like, oh, this is Carrie's house. It's very Carrie. It's very Carrie. So I think you've been intentional at every single piece that you've bought is to take like anything specific. Yeah, a house that was built for literally anyone, like a builder grade house and made it your own. Yes. And to reflect you. And I think that's important. Yes. And I'm forever, I have so many dreams for this house. So I'm forever like looking at improving, but I'm very like, we before we would have just redid everything. Right. We just went in and we would have redid it. But you know how you were saying how um the house that you're in now is very different than the house if you would have built it 10 years ago? Yeah. Yeah. So everything I do now is so planned out and intentional. I don't just want to do it all. I want to do what feels right. And that takes time. Yeah. So I totally agree. Yeah. I hear people all the time, like, oh, I wish I wouldn't have done that. I wish I wouldn't have done this. And honestly, because it took us so long to be able to build, I don't have one single regret about our floor plan, about anything. Like I spent so many nights staring at a floor plan, imagining myself bringing groceries into the house. Okay, well, where am I going with the groceries? Or how do I wanna where do I want to put them? Or yeah. Yeah. So I think that's that's a totally perfect way to look at it. Yeah. And we found that was renovating too, because we are stupid and live in the homes while we renovate them. And but you do get a feel for like what works and what doesn't work. So can I guess the two rooms that you would focus on the most would be like your library room? Yeah. Or like family space and gym. Yeah, the gym is huge. And right now, oh, I had such a beautiful gym in the last home. It was so nice. And now it's shoved in my office, and yeah. Ugh. Not the same. No, you can never go back from that gym. No. So would you say that you kind of design your rentals for like beauty, comfort, or more function first? The past two houses were definitely like what beauty? And like what's gonna sell, and how is this gonna flow like at the big beautiful kitchen? Right. This house, I don't know, like I said, just feels you're more focused. It is, yeah. Like I don't know. Like when we were touring the house, we thought we would knock out the walls and do like open concept, but like I'm loving the walls, I'm loving the little smaller rooms. I mean, I'm very, very excited to paint the walls white. 100% not rent. Yeah, but like I still like pretty things. Um, but just I think like what you said, like I'm not so worried about like what does everybody else like and what what do I like? Yeah. Focusing on that. Yeah. I think that goes for me too. I everyone had their opinions on my checkered floors and on my black house, and I got scoffed at a lot. But you know what? That's something that I wanted in my house. So I, for me, I really chose beauty first, and I knew I wanted those non-negotiable things. I knew I wanted a curved island and I wanted arch doorways, and I wanted all of that. So, and then I kind of thought about function afterwards. Well, how is that gonna work with real life and my children and all of that stuff? But I don't know, I'm happy I went with beauty first. And honestly, I'm not sure that I give a flying fuck about comfort. You can take your recliner to the garage. So, on that note, for me, my upstairs mostly reflects beauty with a little bit of function. I feel like you times Dennis and Kobe have complained about this couch, like it's not comfortable. You have your space downstairs, you have your lazy boy downstairs. Yes, go downstairs. And since I've like said that to them, they don't balk at my they know. Like I like beautiful things, it makes me happy. So, but I don't, I love comfort too. Like I'm big on feeling comfortable. But comfort to me means uh clean, clean counters. Yes, those kinds of things. Yes, please. It brings me brings me peaks, and that's a big focus in the light. Helps my mental health, helps my mental health. Yeah, exactly. So, what are some home trends that we are loving right now? Well, I freaking love color drenching. Like, oh, I don't know what it does to me. It does something to my soul. I fucking love it. It is so cool. Like, I would love to just be color drenched in the color brown. I don't I don't love it. But you are right now. Well are you TV White Wall? I fought really, really hard to be able to paint where our gym is downstairs. I wanted to color drench that room so freaking bad. So we're talking ceiling, ceiling, baseboards, doors, yeah, freaking everything. Yeah. Yeah. I wanted to be so bad. Yeah, I know. I every time I'm down there, I'm like, man, you could use some round paint. But I don't, I really don't like extreme minimalism. Uh I'm all about being minimalistic, but I am more of a maximalist. I like to have shit around me. I don't like shit on my counter. I'm a minimalist that way. Yeah. But like when it comes to the lipsticks and clothes, like bury me in it. I love it all. But I just think it can be too cold and like stark and it lacks character. Yeah. And same with matching furniture. No, I don't want it. I think it needs to be like your sofa needs to be different than your chairs. And I think it adds so much character. And yeah, it's much more inviting and inviting and more interesting, do you think? So one thing that I can't, I'm not a huge trend follower, but however, I love the new wallpaper. And I don't know if it's is it new? I'm just seeing more of it. And I'm like kind of trying to figure out what spaces I want to add wallpaper. They've too kind of changed it from because wallpaper's been big for a little while now, but they've changed it from like big floral patterns to more. Yes. Yes, the beautiful murals or the plaids, or like have you seen the Ralph Lauren? Um oh gorgeous, beautiful. And oh, Kendall Jenner's house, her mountain house. There is a uh YouTube episode. Have you seen that? I watched the whole fucking thing and I watched it twice. Kendall Jenner is killing it. Yeah. Like, yeah, but but in such an authentic way. She's finally having her moments. She's having them. I love it. Yeah. In personal style, yes and like fashion. Yeah. And home. Yeah. Yeah. Totally. I'm I'm I'm watching. So pissed I didn't do checkerboard tiles in my showers because I wanted to. And I'm like, no, don't overdo it on the checker. And she did. She did.

unknown 15:07

God damn it.

SPEAKER_02 15:07

So if your home had a personality, what would that personality be? Josie, I'm so excited. You hear your home's personal. It needs to like be locked up. My house. And it's like that crazy drunk friend that you have. It's crazy. It's in the best possible way. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don't know how to answer. But you guys thrive in chaos. I don't like I've always thought that about you. I'm like, the more chaotic, the better for Josie. She loves it. I really don't, but I'm glad that it appears. We do strive though. Like we just parent. Do you know how I know that you thrive here? This is how I know. Because there was a moment, and I did my damnest to stay cool because I thought, if I'm calm, Josie's gonna be calm, hopefully. But it was at Celebrate Success New Year's. And you showed up, and I could I could see it, I could feel it, and my heart went ult to you because I thought, oh my god, this girl, she has so much pressure on her. Um Sean, he's so calm. Sean is so calm or I don't think's going on around him ever. No. I was like, damn, like what? You are so chill. But I tried my very best to just dose you godness. Yeah, like I know it's gonna be okay, but oh yeah. Looking at the stage and seeing you and Sean sitting there and and seeing that look on your face, my heart is well in October's like, watch out. In October, I'm like it's great, stress level, yeah, and like so burnout city. But it all freaking worked out. It did work out. We got to celebrate success, and the laptop wouldn't work. Oh, Josie. So all those videos we couldn't get them on the screen. And it was if there's a technical difficulty, you know Sean's kind of in a habit. Oh yeah, but but Sean's God. But uh that's why she had to marry Sean. Yeah, because she had no other choice. Yeah, she really didn't. Yeah, yes, yeah. That's really that Shane didn't have it. Yeah, yeah. So I don't know. Personality is chaos, but it's also content. Like, I don't know, I don't know how to explain it. Um it just feels like home. And then not necessarily like, I mean, I don't even know if we'll seeing Calgary. Just something about the house just makes you take a deep breath.

unknown 17:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:39

That makes me so there. I love that. Yeah, how is that? I love it. But you well, first of all, my house is a woman, I've decided. I always refer to her as a her. And she love it. So she I like to think of her as like she's friendly and inviting, more of a friendly like ambiance, but like I want someone to come in and be able to have a cup of coffee and sit down, have a good visit, feel like you're welcome. But also, she's a little mentally unstable. Like, please do not ever look in any one of my closets. Ever. Because it is like a goddamn bomb went off in there. Yeah. And it's like when we moved, I was like, whatever, we just have to sleep here tonight. So I'm just tossing shit. Yeah. And then you finally have closets to put shit in. Yeah. I've never had like closets before. And even our builder was like, Does your wife have a thing with closets? Because I'm noticing a lot of closets. And I'm like, don't fucking talk about my closets. Give me the down cloud. Yeah, you don't know what those closets mean to me. Yeah. But it's like, yeah, we moved and I just threw shit everywhere, kind of, so we could live there through this the crazy summer, and I kind of haven't touched it since. Yeah. That's okay. I'll get to it eventually. It's our forever home. So I've got time. Yeah. Yeah. I feel that. Like I feel, but I when I was at that stage in my life, the same stage that you guys are in now. So mine has changed now that I'm older. My kids are grown. I would describe the personality as a quiet, kind of organized luxury. If I'm yeah, and I'm not saying that in like a like to sound conceited, but like Dennis and I have time now. Yeah. So like the little things, like literally, you guys, downstairs at six o'clock, Dennis has it programmed that our lamp turns on downstairs at six o'clock in our living room. Six o'clock to ten o'clock. Shuts off at 10 o'clock. That's what we go downstairs. Yeah. So like we have these like little things programmed into our life. So that's what I mean by like kind of organized. Um, it's quiet. Our house has always been quiet. When the kids were little, they were used to quiet home. They would go to their friends, it would be like loud, and and yeah, I'd come home and we'd be like, Oh my god, mom, it's like so loud there. So we've always been quiet. It's very calm. Your house is just like calm. But that would be how I describe my greenhouse's personality. Love it. We all three of us have such different. Well, we're in different stages. Yeah. But we all have we all had such different answers. Yeah, I want. And I think like if you're renovating or your house isn't what you want it to be yet, like just take a breath. I've had to really check myself and like it is gonna be dusty. There's gonna be drywall dust. And just embrace it. Yeah. And honestly, the attitude, the attitude changes it all. Embrace the jetty. Yeah, yeah, totally. Well, I could talk about this stuff all day, but I think that wraps up this episode of Deluxe Lounge. Thanks for listening until I text you and ask you what tile to buy.

SPEAKER_00 21:09

Alright, so my uh two Lux finds this time are going to be the sage um diffuser. And this one like lights up, so it gives like that ambiance like gorgeous. Um, in the winter time, I uh burn Freezer Fur. And I Maddie actually got it from for me from Twig in Cameros. And every time someone comes into the house, they're like, Oh my god, what does that smell?

SPEAKER_01 21:39

Oh Fraser Fur. Yes, it is the best smell.

SPEAKER_00 21:42

Yes, ever love it so much. And my other one is the Smeg electric kettle. Um, I got this for Christmas last year, and I love it so much, it heats up so quickly. Um, and you can actually Purchase um the SMeg small appliances at Strata in Cameros now. Oh nice. Which is so amazing. So yeah, these are my two luxe finds for this episode.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

So on my luxe list for this month, it's going to be a bath sheet, not a frickin' bath towel. I cannot tell you how many times I've gotten out of a shower, like a hotel or someone else's house, and they give me a frickin' bath towel.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

Like a hand towel?

SPEAKER_01 22:30

It feels like a hand towel, barely covers the nips. And you can choose out. Like why? Why? Well, I need a bath sheet so I can like fold, wrap around, and fold again. And I want to be comfortable. I want to be able to hold it underneath my armpits, go about my business, and it not fall down and have all my bits and pieces out to display for everybody. And I've really been loving the bath sheets that are, they call them Turkish towels. And then my other one is a tongue scraper. Have you guys used a tongue scraper?

SPEAKER_00 23:06

Have not. No, it has been wanting to, though. Like I hear on other podcasts I've listened to how it's like amazing.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

Yeah. So like after you start using it, you'll be like, I was such a disgusting human before because I wasn't using one.

SPEAKER_00 23:19

Really?

SPEAKER_01 23:20

Like and do it in the morning, right? I do it morning and night.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

Yeah, because it said in the morning, from sleeping all night, a lot of your toxins end up on your tongue. So then in the morning you're supposed to like scrape that off.

SPEAKER_01 23:33

Yeah, you scrape it off, and like it's gross. It's super gross. But I yeah, I love it. My mouth feels so clean afterwards. I don't like the plastic ones. It's gotta be the metal, it's gotta be stainless steel. Oh, good to know. And winners is full of them. Like their little bathroom section.

SPEAKER_00 23:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:51

Hundreds.

SPEAKER_00 23:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 23:52

Yeah, so take your pick. They're all, I think they're all created equal except for the plastic ones. Don't buy that shit.

SPEAKER_00 23:57

But another add to cart.

SPEAKER_03 23:59

Yes. Yes. My luxe items this month. Codely, Codalie, I don't know how to say it. Um, this elixir. It's a beauty item. Are you proud of me? Yeah, it is so refreshing. I use it multiple times a day. I love it. I'm obsessed with it. I will never be without this.

SPEAKER_01 24:19

I bought that for my mom because I heard that and she's never used the damn thing. No, go it. It smells so amazing. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 24:27

I use it like I know you're probably gonna, but like as a makeup setting spray, I use it like after I work out all the time.

SPEAKER_01 24:34

Next. Yeah, what is this?

SPEAKER_03 24:36

This it is a page tuner turner for my Kobo. So it like clips on to your Kindle Kobo or whatever, and then you use this to turn the page so that like when you're laying in bed reading, you don't have to get uncomfy to turn your page. Smart. Yes. Or like pull your hand, or like because your hand is so comfy. Yeah, it just goes. It has elevated my reading experience.