Julia Marcum Of Chris Loves Julia Talks Partnering With Lowe’s, Layout Trends And Do it yourself

Julia Marcum was a person of the very first bloggers to appear to prominence before currently being a creator was regarded a profession. Her website Chris Loves Julia attributes her and spouse Chris’ adventures in design and style, Do it yourself, and way of life. Extra than a ten years and several posts, tasks, and even residences later on, the site turned brand name has become a preeminent source for house design inspiration and information and facts. 

Just after functioning with a lot of top rated brands, Marcum and her spouse are thrilled to announce they are partnering a single of the biggest names in property improvement, Lowe’s, for their Fall Refresh campaign

I just lately spoke with Marcum about performing with the significant box giant, the evolution of her manufacturer, moving to North Carolina, and Do it yourself projects. She generously opened up and shared some of her most handy suggestions and tales. 

You commenced your layout blog site over a 10 years back. How did you start off it and did you ever imagine you’d be a complete-time written content creator?

I began back in early 2009. We were truly residing in an apartment at the time and I required a imaginative outlet. I started off type of managing our house like a canvas and sharing about it. We had moved away from our family and friends for the to start with time in our article married life. At initial, it was sort of just a way to retain our households up-to-date on what we were being carrying out. Then I discovered this total community of folks that have been sharing what they were being undertaking, and I connected with them.

At the time, running a blog, material development, and even Instagram failed to even exist. So that was not on our radar as some thing that was likely to pay back any type of charges. But the more I did it, the more I was captivated by it. 

What was your day work when you started running a blog?

I labored for an OB-GYN in the billing division. I examined artwork in college. So, it was not the creative career that I was certainly seeking. And I didn’t deal with [blogging] as my entire-time work at the beginning. Despite the fact that I did make absolutely sure I posted just about every working day. It may well have been 200 words, and a photo that was way much too small and grainy.

Then it variety of just grew right up until we came to a issue in which I [thought], men and women want to pay out me to clearly show their products. It was the commencing of articles development as a job. I was on the cusp of that.

Now you are just one of the most important names in household style blogs and you have partnered with Lowe’s, which is just one of the greatest names in household advancement. Can you notify me additional about this partnership?

Lowe’s has been one of our most cherished longtime partnerships and that is anything that we seriously pleasure ourselves on is developing people connections with not only our audience but with makes that make feeling. Lowe’s has usually been that from the incredibly commencing. As people, we appreciated likely into the shop. We felt like we had been having the enable that we wanted.

What are your favored points to get from Lowe’s?

I’ve normally loved their lighting collection. It’s off the charts. For our tumble refresh, [we focused on outdoor lighting]. Lighting does not only impact the within of your property. It influences the outside the house as well.

Speaking of matters you appreciate, I want to know how you feel about the identify “Chris Enjoys Julia?” In retrospect, would you have preferred the identical title?

I come to feel like around the past twelve a long time, the response has undoubtedly adjusted. In the beginning, we had no notion. We just set our names jointly. We were newlyweds. It labored. I assume it is relatable. I am coming up with all of these concepts and layouts that I want to do to my property and Chris enjoys me so substantially that we do it with each other. It operates in that perception. 

Do I wish at times that there was a residence ingredient labored in? Indeed. On the other hand, each solitary human being is aware of my identify. It is not like, oh, The Homebody Crew. What’s their names? It is really Chris and Julia.

And so that has labored for us. There have unquestionably been periods in which I would like it was a tiny far more telling of what we ended up about. But in the conclude, dwelling is a appreciate story and our blog site is a tale about how we tumble in enjoy with our houses and how we assistance other individuals do the exact.

What are some design and style developments you love right now?

With tumble weather conditions upon us, I am unquestionably imagining about outside spaces, and how I can make them an extension of our inside spaces. [I’m looking forward to] cozy tumble climate in North Carolina [because] it is really variety of incredibly hot to cling outside the house in the summer. We just moved listed here, but from what I have heard, it’s amazing in the slide, and so we are already considering about how we can make our outdoor regions an extension of our indoor places. That’s been a major detail.

Speaking of transferring, how has your transfer been and what is it like to start out about in a various element of the nation?

It’s unbelievably overseas and it feels a tiny little bit scary at moments. It is also definitely exciting. We have been loving the new rate of points, getting obtain to a ton of great dining establishments, and furniture. Tons of home furniture is designed in North Carolina. And so Facebook marketplace has been off the hook. 

There are undoubtedly matters that we miss. We’re in our 30’s. Our oldest daughter is about to start middle faculty. If not now, then when? We ended up form of completely ready for a new chapter of our life. 

I grew up in Pittsburgh and I lived in Pittsburgh for eighteen years. I lived in Idaho for seventeen decades. And so that might be my max of how extensive I can dwell in this article. And so it’s possible we will be listed here for the future fifteen many years.

What are your minimum most loved property style traits correct now?

I have this issue in which I have so significantly enjoy and appreciation for so lots of distinctive layout trends. And I just adhere with just one lane that I come to feel most signifies me. And but if there was a single that I would say that I am not loving— I’ve never ever been a huge boho supporter. That is anything that most likely would not resonate with me. I loathe to say it, but mid-century fashionable has hardly ever been my [thing] both. That won’t imply I are not able to respect it. It is just that I are unable to bring it into my home.

Last year wrote on your site about how you spray painted your faucets with Rust-Oleum paint. Are you still delighted with that decision?

[It’s been] around a 12 months and the paint is even now wanting actually very good. I painted an oil-rubbed bronze faucet. And so the contrast wasn’t as if I went from silver to black. I guess if it was silver, you know, I may well have been in a position to see a little bit much more don and tear on that. But actually, it was the most significant bang for our buck. Matte black truly modernized it all. I have no regrets on that undertaking. I would do it yet again.

Do you consider any one can Diy? 

Sure, but it does involve an factor of tolerance and enthusiasm. You have to be enthusiastic about what you’re heading to do. Specially at the incredibly starting, every challenge that Chris and I tried— we were eager to understand how to do it. We have been on a demanding spending budget, [but] we had this “make it work mentality.” 

What are Do it yourself projects good for inexperienced persons or that everyone can do?

The least difficult initiatives to Do-it-yourself are changing the components on a dresser, vainness, or even your kitchen cabinets. That is this sort of an easy Do-it-yourself and heading to make a drastic big difference for a minor amount of money. 

Even portray a area is a sort of Diy. Everyone really should attempt portray a area at least the moment in their lifetime, and then go on to adding some very simple trim. But I assume issues that really don’t require a good deal of power tools are in all probability the very best Diy to get your feet wet with first.