Kathryn Dennis Says She’s “Building a Life” With Chleb Ravenell — and Babies Are Definitely Part of the Plan

Kathryn Dennis is at peace in her "low drama" relationship with boyfriend Chleb Ravenell — and planning for their future.

The Southern Charm star started dating Ravenell last summer before making their romance Instagram official in October. Now, she tells PEOPLE the pair are "building a life together."

"We haven't said the word marriage," she says. "But we do talk about more long-term plans, probably more than my previous relationships, ever."

Dennis, 29, adds that Ravenell is "really great" with her kids: daughter Kensie, 6, and son Saint, 4, both of whom she shares with ex Thomas Ravenel (no relation to Ravenell).

"The kids love him," she says. "Kensie will play basketball with him. She's starting to get into sports now, and Saint will be soon."

Dennis, who had a pregnancy scare on the current season of the Bravo reality series, says the experience helped her realize that she does see a future with Ravenell, one that possibly includes more children.

"I really do want more kids, and my family isn't done being built," she says. "That experience definitely made me realize that one day I do want that with him. I really mean it when I say that, too."

"It's very much an adult relationship, he and I — and we've definitely become much more of adults over the last year," she continues. "I'm just so excited that I really do feel like I have a partner."

Dennis also says that Ravenell was instrumental in helping her work through her racism scandal last year.

In May, the reality star was accused of racism for using a monkey emoji in an interaction with a Black radio show host. She apologized for the racially insensitive incident at the time, acknowledging her actions were "offensive."

"He's been a rock through all of this, honestly," she says of Ravenell. "He's a very supportive, happy, just real, cool person, and he really helped me get my confidence back with all of this."

"He knows that I'm not the person that's in that text, and he's going through a lot with this, too, but he just encouraged me to apologize and face it head-on at the reunion," Dennis adds, referring to Southern Charm's season 7 reunion, which aired its second part on Thursday.

Dennis acknowledges that she made a "huge mistake," but says she's since learned from the experience.

"I have come a long way," she says. "I know I made a mistake and there's nothing I should say other than I'm sorry. I know that, and I really am consciously going into the new year with the intention of being more aware and searching for more awareness."