A Note from Carrissa

Less than two weeks ago, we adopted a kitten named Tiger. He has already claimed a favorite spot on the couch, right in the middle of where we all end up most evenings.

Watching him find his place has become its own kind of entertainment. Khloe, our ten-year-old cat, is just now letting him sit near her without hissing. Karley has appointed herself his full-time companion, blocking off the staircase, guarding Khloe's food bowl, making sure he has exactly what he needs to feel safe.

The living room works because it was designed to hold all of it: endless soccer games on TV, with FIFA in the US keeping everyone glued to the screen lately, a new kitten finding his footing, and whatever the evening happens to bring. It's been fun gathering to watch soccer this summer, with Tommy picking it back up after walking away from it years ago, and Kendall hoping to find new inspiration to settle back into her rhythm. Different chapters, same couch. Nothing about that room feels accidental. It simply took time, and the right foundation, to become the place everyone naturally gathers.

It made me think about how rarely that happens by accident.

Which is exactly where my head has been as July begins. Not what needs to change, but what deserves a stronger foundation.

Later this month, the Buck Moon echoes that idea perfectly, a reminder that meaningful spaces, like meaningful progress, are built slowly. Not through urgency, but through steady decisions that accumulate over time. And this month, that's aligned almost too perfectly with the work happening in the studio.

BEHIND THE SCENES

This month has been all sourcing: three very different clients, three very different stages, but all the same kind of work. A full home renovation, now moving from countertops and lighting into rugs, furniture, and artwork, each layer building on what came before it. A bookcase refresh that's had me hunting stores for the right pieces to anchor a space that already has good bones. And a return to a custom home I designed years ago, still standing on the foundation we built together, now getting finishing touches, custom cabinets fit to a tricky angled ceiling, a Taj Mahal quartzite backsplash and shelf to match.

Three very different foundations. Three very different next layers being built on top of them.

Each one starts the same way though, with a plan that gives everything after it somewhere to go.

I've been meeting with more architects and builders the past month. A few vendors have introduced me to luxury builders they trust, and every conversation has been a chance to show how my work fits into theirs. It's all been about connection, and about showing what I can actually do.

If you're building or renovating, or know someone who is, I'd love to be part of that conversation. I recently shared a guide that walks through exactly what it's like to work with a luxury interior designer, from our first conversation through the design process, so you'll know what to expect before we ever begin. Read about What It's Really Like to Work With a Luxury Interior Designer here.​

All of that work is in service of one thing, helping people build a foundation for their own homes. Which brings me back to where we started, that living room everyone in my house keeps ending up in.

WHY DOES EVERYONE END UP IN THE LIVING ROOM?

It's rarely the room with the nicest finishes. It's the room built to actually be lived in, not just admired.

Most living rooms don't feel unfinished because they're missing more things. They feel unfinished because nothing was ever placed first, with everything else built around it.

That idea sits at the center of this month's post. A living room's foundation isn't one decision, it's five elements considered together: the plan, the furniture, the rug, the art, the windows. Furniture comes first, not because there's a rulebook, but because it's the biggest investment and the most constrained choice. Once it's chosen, everything else has a clear direction to follow.

The biggest mistake isn't choosing the wrong sofa. It's choosing it last, once every other decision has already boxed it in. A sale item that doesn't fit the room isn't a deal. It's a distraction. Read about The Foundation of a Beautiful Living Room here.​

I've also pulled together a curated edit of the pieces I keep coming back to this season, the kind that work because they were chosen in conversation with everything around them, not instead of it.

SHOP THE COLLECTION

A curated blend of furniture, rugs, and artwork/decor — investment pieces and budget-friendly finds, all in one place.

CLOSING THOUGHT

The Buck Moon doesn't ask for speed. It asks for steadiness, the kind that shows up in small decisions most people never see.

What foundation are you building this season? Hit reply and tell me. I'd love to know.

With gratitude, Carrissa

ONE MORE THING

Writing this newsletter is one of the ways I get to do work that genuinely matters to me. Sharing beauty, peace, and intentional living is something I love, and I want to keep doing it.

If this letter has brought you any inspiration or joy, I'd love your support. The easiest way is to shop through my links. When you click my LTK or Amazon links, you pay exactly the same price you always would. I simply receive a small commission from the retailer at no cost to you. It's one of the ways this newsletter stays free, and it genuinely makes a difference.

You can also share this with a friend who would enjoy it, or simply reply and let me know you're out there.

It means more than you know.