Hey there! This past year has been quite an eventful and exciting year, which has obviously distracted me from my blog…
Architectural Licensing
I’ve been focusing on my Architectural Registration Exams. In fact, I just took my third exam this week, phew! There are 7 exams total, so I still have a few more to go… slowly but surely checking them off. I’ll be a licensed architect by the end of the year, fingers crossed!
New Job!
I am having a blast at Clearscapes! I’m inspired daily by my team in the most supportive environment. Clearscapes is an Art and Architecture studio in downtown Raleigh. We are currently working on some of Raleigh’s most exciting and influential projects: Union Station, Stone’s Warehouse, Chavis Park, and more. Coincidentally, Matt and I were living in a Clearscapes project, The Hudson, making for the most pleasant commute ever: a 2-1/2 block walk from city center to the warehouse district.
Newly Weds
Our wedding day was complete bliss. Everything came together so perfectly, with the support of family and friends. Our faces still hurt from smiling so much. So in love.
Our New Home
As if that wasn’t enough major life changes in a year, we just moved into our new home in East downtown Raleigh. It still feels like we’re playing house since settling in will be a long process, but we’re thrilled to commit to our Raleigh community. At around 1150 sqft, it’s still intentionally small while leaving some room for the future. We bike and walk everywhere, and there’s plenty of yard to experiment with gardens, chickens, and one day an accessory dwelling (AKA backyard apartment)…
I started this blog three years ago as a way to explore my fascination with small spaces and simple living. With a recent feature by IKEA Family Live Magazine and being included in another small space article, I’m reinvigorated to continue to explore. So I just wanted to say that I’m still here, I’ve just been pleasantly distracted. Check back soon for new posts, and thanks for your support!
Intentionally Small 
didn’t know you were featured on Ikea’s magazine! hooray for all of these great life changes.
xo
Congrats on all of the big changes and for the mag features! Very cool! Our next build will be to downsize into around 800/1000 sq feet total, lots of thought going into the plans for that. Love seeing your small living interviews, photos. Hope to see more soon. Good luck on the rest of your exams! – L. Raleigh, NC
Congrats on everything going on! I love your house. We are looking to buy around there too. Did you build?
Thanks! We love the area – come join! It’s a new house through the City of Raleigh’s Housing & Neighborhoods Development Department. It’s an awesome program. Check it out!
Hi Bethany, just wanted to say nice to see you back (hope you manage to post again sometime!). What an amazing packed year you’ve had. My son is just embarking on his last professional course to become an architect here in the UK after years of studying and training, so I have some notion of just how tough that all is.
All the best, .Deborah xxxx
Hi Nicole!
I absolutely love your blog! It is so inspiring to read all about people who are living small. My husband and I bought a small house (840 square feet) in the Glenwood Brooklyn neighborhood and a lot of people thought we were crazy. We have the smallest house in the neighborhood, but it is perfect. Most of our friends are on to their second (and larger) homes, buy I can’t imagine giving up walkability and city amenities simply for more square footage. We are currently renting out out little house to be able to fund a renovation, but I am itching to get back to my small space; there are so many perks to small living in a downtown area. Thanks for spreading the word on what a wonderful lifestyle living small is and congrats on the engagement. 🙂
Warmly,
Elizabeth Burns