Fifteen years ago, when I began working as a stocker for a niche retailer, I had zero knowledge about elevating spaces. I was lucky if I could keep myself awake during those early morning hours! I quickly realized, there was something so beautiful about the story being told through the way products were placed, the color story, textures, patterns, scents. It was captivating and magical! With the support and mentorship of a colleague (that is one of my dearest friends, to this day!), I learned the ins and outs of visual displays and story-telling.
My love for creating beautiful spaces quickly spilled into my home. I smile when I think of the many ways my style has reinvented itself over the years, but one thing that has remained consistent? My desire for spaces to feel like a warm hug. When someone walks in, I want them to be welcomed with a scent that brings a smile to their face. If they’re going to sit down and stay awhile, I want them to be cocooned in soft blankets. Curating a home that evoked those feelings was more than a hobby, it was where I found joy. But at times, that joy was overshadowed by insecurity- especially when I felt creatively limited in spaces I didn’t fully control.
My husband and I rented an adorable cape-cod style home in the early years of our marriage. I loved that little house and its charm! Like so many, we weren’t in a financial place to purchase a home (hello student loans). Renting felt like a hindrance at times, but it taught me how to get creative and work around things I couldn’t change in a home. When we had our son in 2019, I stepped away from my job to focus on raising him. During that time, I began floating the idea of starting a blog. I had quite a few blog posts typed up and ready to go, photography and all. But of course, insecurity stepped in and squashed that idea.
Right after my daughter was born in 2022, an opportunity presented itself for us to move into my parent’s home while they took on another obligation in a different state. It was the perfect opportunity for us to work toward our future and hopefully (fingers-crossed!) buy our first home. But- as life sometimes goes, we still haven’t found our home. There was a period in the midst of this where I lost sight in myself, and those joys I touched on above. It felt strange trying to navigate creating spaces that felt authentic to me, while someone else’s belongings were there to work around. After some time and reflection, I needed to find my spark again. I began looking at the challenge as an opportunity to tap back into what a beautiful home looks like to me. It’s not about looking “Pinterest perfect” or being the most aesthetic. It’s that comforting feeling you feel when you walk in.
“The Everyday Reverie” came to me while I was wandering through one of my favorite antique stores in the little lake town we vacation at every year. It was a rainy, summer day and I was moved by the simple beauty surrounding me. It was in that moment I felt my spark come back. Nearly 6 years and hundreds of excuses later, I am finally taking a chance on myself. Home is so much more than the four walls we are confined to. It’s about the little things that make us feel at peace and connected to those we share the spaces with. I may not have my own “home”, but I am making “home” through little routines that give magic to the mundane.
Welcome to “The Everyday Reverie”. I hope when you visit my blog, you feel inspired to create little rituals and spaces that bring hygge into your life. You don’t have to have the perfect home or ideal moment to make it happen. The time to slow down and ground is now.
– Cayla
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