The Bachelorette’s JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers Show Off Their Cozy Dallas Home: ‘We’re Happier Than Ever’
Since The Bachelorette concluded in August, JoJo Fletcher and her fiancé Jordan Rodgers have been enjoying some much-needed one-on-one time away from the cameras — and they couldn’t have picked a better place for that than their adorable Dallas home.
In this week’s issue of PEOPLE, the reality stars open up the doors to their new digs in Fletcher’s hometown, where they moved in together less than two weeks after the season finale aired in August.
JoJo Fletcher and Jordan RodgersAbel Villalobos
“When we were apart, I remember thinking: ‘This would be so much better if we were together,’ ” says Fletcher, 26. “As soon as it ended I was like: ‘Let’s pack up, let’s move in!‘ It was the best thing that could have happened for our relationship.”
“With all the craziness that comes along with the media and the show, it would have been much harder to do it not living together,” adds Rodgers, 28. “And we both cherish the time we get to spend together. It was a no-brainer.”
But that’s not to say that everything went smoothly — in fact, they had no furniture for the first three months!
“We had this idea that we’d have movie nights snuggled up on the couch,” says Fletcher with a laugh. “But for a while, we just sat on the floor!”
Abel Villalobos
Now, the two have finally furnished their two-bedroom, two-bathroom home, which was decorated by the team at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, with a “cozy chic” look. While it’s not “the biggest place, it’s super cute,” says Fletcher — though she admits her clothes sometimes “take over” the closet. (It’s okay: Rodgers has taken over the guest bedroom.)
• For more on JoJo and Jordan’s life in Dallas, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday
When it came to decorating, the couple wanted to create what Fletcher calls a “comfortable retro rustic” style.
According to Fletcher, Rodgers was “very easygoing” and let her have her fun with it — but according to him, he just wanted a comfy spot to watch TV!
“I wanted comfort,” says Rodgers. “If we had a comfortable couch, I was going to be happy with anything else!” (Indeed, they did end up scoring a great living room centerpiece: A curved Vera sofa, to be specific.)
RELATED VIDEO: JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers Reveal the Adorable Story Behind Her Engagement Ring
But Fletcher says her hubby-to-be does have a “specific taste.”
“He loves the wooden rustic look, which I also really love,” she says. “We have a very comfortable room that’s Jordan’s football room. And we have funky wallpaper — we love how weird it is!”
“The wooden table is my favorite,” adds Rodgers of the couple’s Tremont console table, which is made out of tree root. “There’s a lot of fur and velvet, but it’s complemented by wooden and rustic .”
“It’s unbelievable,” says Fletcher. “We found a good balance of our styles.”
The home office is more minimalist, and designer Williams tells PEOPLE the couple wanted the house to maintain a relaxed and casual vibe.
“They wanted the house to be comfortable — a place where they could just enjoy each other, as well as have friends over,” says Williams. “They didn’t want a place that was too formal or uptight, but they also didn’t want it to feel like a mancave. The whole house is very light and airy. They have beautiful windows.”
“Their style definitely has a young modern feel to it,” adds Gold. “Furnishing a home can be traumatic for a couple, but Jordan and JoJo are very much in sync with each other. They were very easy and they have a really nice, fresh sense of style.”
As for the couple, they’re simply basking in their new life together — and Rodgers, who moved to Dallas from Nashville, has become a big fan of the city.
“I love our area that we’re in,” he says. “I love the restaurants that are around us, and her family is here.”
“Dallas will always be home for me,” she adds. “It’s a great place for us to initially decide on where to be. We’re taking things one day at a time and seeing where life takes us!”
And in the meantime, they’ve got plenty of exploring to do.
“I love going to the park with him and Jackson,” says Fletcher, adding that her 2-year-old German short-haired pointer has become “obsessed with Jordan.”
“We take him to the lake and trails at the park by our house,” she adds. “We had our first Halloween, now we have our first Christmas tree. Jordan convinced me to get a real tree, which was the best decision ever. We’re starting to build traditions that we’ll have for years to come.”
Ultimately, the two agree that there’s a big difference between the happiness they felt in the “surrealness of the show” and the happiness they share now.
“It’s so much more real,” says Rodgers. “We’re growing together. We’ve learned a lot about each other. We’ve got to be able to communicate and talk and work through things like every single other human being does. I never had any doubts we’d make it work.”
“Decorating our house for Christmas, we feel this level of closeness,” says Fletcher. “It’s so much better than flying in a private jet!”
“We want to keep the relationship that we both promised to want for each other,” she adds. “I’ve never once doubted my decision.”
• With AURELIE CORINTHIOS
