Julia Marcum was a person of the to start with bloggers to appear to prominence in advance of staying a creator was regarded a occupation. Her web site Chris Enjoys Julia attributes her and spouse Chris’ adventures in design and style, Do it yourself, and way of living. Much more than a decade and lots of posts, jobs, and even houses later on, the web site turned brand name has turn out to be a preeminent supply for house structure inspiration and information and facts.
Right after doing work with many top rated brand names, Marcum and her spouse are energized to announce they are partnering just one of the biggest names in house improvement, Lowe’s, for their Drop Refresh campaign
I just lately spoke with Marcum about working with the big box huge, the evolution of her brand name, transferring to North Carolina, and Do-it-yourself tasks. She generously opened up and shared some of her most handy suggestions and stories.
You started off your layout weblog about a 10 years in the past. How did you begin it and did you ever envision you’d be a comprehensive-time content material creator?
I started off back again in early 2009. We have been truly living in an condominium at the time and I needed a imaginative outlet. I began type of managing our household like a canvas and sharing about it. We experienced moved absent from our household and friends for the initial time in our publish married life. At initially, it was variety of just a way to preserve our family members current on what we were being doing. Then I observed this entire community of men and women that were being sharing what they were being performing, and I related with them.
At the time, blogging, material generation, and even Instagram did not even exist. So that was not on our radar as anything that was likely to pay out any sort of bills. But the much more I did it, the more I was captivated by it.
What was your day career when you began running a blog?
I worked for an OB-GYN in the billing department. I analyzed artwork in school. So, it was not the artistic career that I was absolutely seeking. And I did not treat [blogging] as my full-time task at the starting. While I did make certain I posted every day. It may possibly have been 200 words, and a picture that was way far too modest and grainy.
Then it variety of just grew until we came to a place where by I [thought], individuals want to spend me to present their products. It was the commencing of articles generation as a career. I was on the cusp of that.
Now you are a person of the greatest names in residence style weblogs and you’ve partnered with Lowe’s, which is just one of the biggest names in residence improvement. Can you inform me more about this partnership?
Lowe’s has been a person of our most cherished longtime partnerships and that is a little something that we actually pride ourselves on is developing people connections with not only our viewers but with brand names that make sense. Lowe’s has constantly been that from the pretty commencing. As consumers, we appreciated going into the retailer. We felt like we had been obtaining the assist that we required.
What are your beloved points to buy from Lowe’s?
I have constantly beloved their lighting collection. It’s off the charts. For our fall refresh, [we focused on outdoor lighting]. Lighting won’t only have an affect on the within of your home. It affects the exterior way too.
Speaking of factors you adore, I want to know how you really feel about the identify “Chris Enjoys Julia?” In retrospect, would you have selected the exact title?
I experience like more than the past twelve years, the solution has certainly transformed. In the beginning, we experienced no idea. We just put our names jointly. We were being newlyweds. It worked. I assume it is relatable. I am coming up with all of these thoughts and models that I want to do to my property and Chris loves me so considerably that we do it with each other. It is effective in that perception.
Do I wish at moments that there was a home element worked in? Of course. Having said that, just about every single particular person understands my title. It truly is not like, oh, The Homebody Crew. What’s their names? It is really Chris and Julia.
And so that has worked for us. There have surely been moments where I want it was a minimal additional telling of what we have been about. But in the finish, house is a enjoy story and our blog site is a tale about how we drop in enjoy with our households and how we aid other people today do the very same.
What are some style traits you adore ideal now?
With fall weather conditions on us, I’m undoubtedly imagining about outside the house areas, and how I can make them an extension of our inside areas. [I’m looking forward to] cozy fall weather in North Carolina [because] it is variety of warm to dangle outdoors in the summertime. We just moved below, but from what I’ve read, it can be astounding in the fall, and so we are presently contemplating about how we can make our outside parts an extension of our indoor locations. That is been a big matter.
Speaking of moving, how has your go been and what is it like to commence more than in a diverse aspect of the place?
It’s exceptionally international and it feels a minimal bit terrifying at occasions. It truly is also actually fascinating. We have been loving the new pace of factors, obtaining entry to a great deal of wonderful dining places, and home furnishings. Tons of home furnishings is designed in North Carolina. And so Facebook marketplace has been off the hook.
There are unquestionably matters that we skip. We are in our 30’s. Our oldest daughter is about to start center faculty. If not now, then when? We ended up form of all set for a new chapter of our lives.
I grew up in Pittsburgh and I lived in Pittsburgh for eighteen many years. I lived in Idaho for seventeen a long time. And so that may well be my max of how prolonged I can are living in this article. And so probably we’ll be right here for the up coming fifteen decades.
What are your least favorite house style tendencies proper now?
I have this dilemma exactly where I have so significantly love and appreciation for so many various design trends. And I just stick with one lane that I feel most signifies me. And but if there was 1 that I would say that I’m not loving— I have in no way been a big boho enthusiast. Which is one thing that almost certainly doesn’t resonate with me. I loathe to say it, but mid-century fashionable has never been my [thing] both. That would not indicate I can not take pleasure in it. It’s just that I can not deliver it into my residence.
Past yr wrote on your website about how you spray painted your faucets with Rust-Oleum paint. Are you still happy with that selection?
[It’s been] more than a year and the paint is continue to looking seriously good. I painted an oil-rubbed bronze faucet. And so the distinction wasn’t as if I went from silver to black. I guess if it was silver, you know, I could have been in a position to see a very little bit much more wear and tear on that. But actually, it was the most significant bang for our buck. Matte black definitely modernized it all. I have no regrets on that task. I would do it once again.
Do you consider any individual can Do it yourself?
Indeed, but it does have to have an aspect of persistence and enthusiasm. You have to be thrilled about what you’re likely to do. Particularly at the incredibly beginning, just about every task that Chris and I tried— we were keen to discover how to do it. We were being on a demanding finances, [but] we experienced this “make it get the job done mentality.”
What are Diy tasks good for newcomers or that everyone can do?
The most straightforward projects to Do it yourself are altering the hardware on a dresser, vanity, or even your kitchen cupboards. That’s this sort of an uncomplicated Do it yourself and likely to make a drastic difference for a minimal amount of funds.
Even portray a area is a variety of Do-it-yourself. Everybody should try portray a place at minimum the moment in their everyday living, and then transfer on to introducing some straightforward trim. But I imagine items that never require a good deal of electrical power equipment are most likely the very best Do-it-yourself to get your feet moist with 1st.