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My Latest Vintage Haul Including More Pictures Of Dead Strangers And A Show-And-Tell Of Our New Dining Chairs (Not Vintage) That Bring Me Joy All Day Every Day…

Oh, she’s been shopping and now I’m getting closer and closer to shooting a couple of the rooms I have a real list of stuff that I “need”. These things do NOT include another vintage lamp, but as you can see it’s been found. My MIL came into town while Brian was OOT and I couldn’t just let her sit in the house while I was writing all week. So I reserved two days for us to shop for the stuff I “needed” (including some rugs and plants/pots, not just vintage shopping) however we did make it to a few of my favorite stores in town…so I’ve got a haul for you.

Our New Dining Chairs

Y’all, dining chairs and sofas – these are the two things I struggle with the most because I REALLY want them to be comfortable but they are such an investment and hold such importance in their respective rooms, so to have them be boring or basic is painful for me (which is why I still haven’t decided on a sofa for our living room and frankly am not even close). So when I saw these chairs debut in Athena Calderone’s collection for Crate and Barrel I sucked my breath in quickly and said to myself in a quiet, creepy voice, “These are them. These are it. We’ve found them”. The vintage Cherner chairs we had in here were too rickety for Brian or most people to enjoy sitting on. Finding eight vintage chairs that I loved was proving to be impossible (believe me, I was looking every day). I was looking for something that checked more boxes – comfortable, durable, solid yet modern + worked well with the tile, windows, and the table. I wanted something with a curve since there are so many squares in there but I didn’t want eight curvy armchairs because that could feel busy fun fact, a lot of people don’t like to feel confined in armchairs. I wanted the curve to be more subtle than say the wishbone chair. As you can see, these are PERFECT. The green velvet is subtle and yet happy (and the room is surrounded by trees so green is naturally a part of the room’s color palette). And they aren’t busy or complicated for your eye – they contrast so perfectly with the busyness of the floor. Now the only thing we are waiting on is a credenza for the back of this room that I’m shopping daily for (I need it to be under 20″ deep and between 72 – 84″ wide in ideally a deeper wood tone than the table and chairs, but I’m open).

More Vintage/Antique Portraits Of Strangers

A lot of people are confused by my love of these portraits which I fully understand. My kids say they are creepy which surprised me because I kinda felt like the creepy factor was more from long-term societal conditioning – like we shouldn’t like these things because they are associated with death, etc. When I try to even explain it to myself, I think it has a lot to do with my love of history and my deep curiosity about how people used to live. All these people had full lives and yet they didn’t have phones to capture any of it – except these rare portraits of themselves (some oil paintings, some early photography). Not that it matters, but like, who were they???? These pieces must have been really cherished by them and their ancestors, so to find them at a random antique mall makes me want to take them home and give them back the importance that they once held. I’m not trying to make myself sound cooler or smarter than I am, but I got my degree in history, specifically American History (and comp lit if you are tracking) and I like to stare at them and wonder what they were like and why they were deemed “important” enough to paint or photograph.

I do want to call out the excellent framing on all of those and the pretty shape of the mat on the lady frame (and yes, I’m specifically looking for more ladies for the wall – let’s just say the world of historical portraits isn’t exactly diverse, to no one’s surprise).

Take these two, for instance. They were fancy! “Important”!? American royalty maybe!?? And yet I found them on the floor leaning against other empty frames. Also, everyone looked 50 when they were 20. The clothes. The colors. They are more like flat sculptures than paintings to me. Just so intricate and expressive, even when they themselves are not.

Wait, So What Are You Going To Do With All Of These Portraits Of Dead Strangers?

Well. Witchcraft. Voodoo. Stick googly eyes on their eyes during Halloween. Talk to them on the weeks when I don’t leave my house. Listen, since my children and most of our guests don’t necessarily support this “hobby” of mine, I am planning on putting them all together, gallery-wall style in a room and on a wall that isn’t seen very easily by the rest of the house. Brian actually loves them (“love” might be strong, “thinks they are funny” is more accurate). I have a plan and I’m now waiting on some portraits of my actual ancestors to hang and fill it out. My MIL and my mom have both seen my collection and said, “Oh, we have a lot of those in the garage” and I’m like, “WAIT. WHAT. WHY HAVE YOU BEEN HOLDING OUT ON ME??” So there is a chance that some of these won’t even make it because I do want to include real blood ancestors should I get my hands on them. Then is it creepy? NO, right? I don’t get it. I get zero creepy vibes from these strangers and find comfort in them. It also might be a Mormon thing – we are raised very into genealogy (I’ve never asked why but I think people like tracing their lineage back to the great flood to see which tribe they came from, which indeed is fascinating). I will conclude this monologue and say that I’m also very picky about what portraits I love and buy – the ones I collect are all by very talented artists or framed perfectly. The two above that Brian and I are holding are actually not my favorites (their frames are a big ornate/garish and yet kinda cheap, but they were so affordable that I couldn’t pass them up). But some of the other ones are so beautifully done…Have I convinced you yet???

More Moody Landscapes For Our Family Room Wall

We are repainting the media/family room in a couple of weeks (to Stillwater by Sherwin-Williams) and these greeny blue and gold paintings are looking SO BEAUTIFUL against the paint swatch. So I’m leaning in hard and collecting like a real hoarder. The forest painting isn’t a moody night moonrise painting (that’s the specific genre I’m collecting) but it was so pretty and so “Oregon,” by a signed artist from Salem. I need to remind myself that I don’t actually need to collect things that remind me of “Oregon” anymore as I actually live here now, but I’ve been vintage shopping long enough to know that when something grabs me, specifically a piece of art, I will find the right place for it.

The Captain Found His Ship/Frame!

You probably remember this guy from the basement of our LA house, but he didn’t have a frame and you can’t smoke a proper pipe without a proper frame. So while I was shopping I brought him around and found this guy for $10. I feel like with the gold frame he might make it up on the seascape wall – he’s the captain of the sea!

A Random Abstract

Again, I am just collecting cool art when I find it. I loved the color palette here – the neutrals with the blue and gold frame. It was more than I should have paid (I think over $80).

My First Popscicle Lamp

I’ve been looking for a folk art popsicle lamp for years if you can believe that. They are normally around $1k each on 1stDibs, but you can find them randomly for far less. They are “folk art” and many call them “tramp art” which I need to learn more about, but essentially they are popsicle sticks expertly glued together to create these intricate patterns and sculptures. As you can imagine my kids were like, “I can make that” and I was like, “oh yeah? here you go” and gave them a bunch of popsicle sticks. They did NOT make me a $1k lamp. Now I didn’t find this on my own, I had texted Annie who runs WILMA, and gave her a few things to look out for – a popsicle lamp being one of them. And a few months later she texted from a thrift store saying she found this for $160 and if should she snag it for me. YES, SHE SHOULD. So yay. Baby’s first popsicle lamp.

Ball And Stick Magazine Holder/Plant Stand

You also may or may not have read past posts where I declared my love of Victorian ball and stick decor or furniture. Does it really work in this house? Questionable. But when I found this in a really pretty wood tone I snagged it. I think there is something so playful and graphic about this type of furniture – the round ball, the thin “stripe” of wood. I just need to find a place for it…

A Pretty Antique Desk

This genius over here didn’t put doors on her “office,” so around 2:30 pm or 3:30 pm when the kids come in the house it’s hard to take any calls. I think I’m going to build some interior windows and a door into the sunroom (keep the light, but allow for some sound privacy) but for now I’m going to put this desk in our bedroom for afternoon Zoom calls. This desk is really simple and pretty, has such a lovely tone, and was only $100 which I thought was a really good price.

There you go. My latest vintage haul with a lot of over-explanation around each piece. My goal is to make every room as photogenic as this one (which might be impossible, honestly) and someday you’ll look out and see greenery instead of dirt through the windows (coming soon this spring!). Thanks for reading, friends. xx

*Photos by Kaitlin Gree n

The post My Latest Vintage Haul Including More Pictures Of Dead Strangers And A Show-And-Tell Of Our New Dining Chairs (Not Vintage) That Bring Me Joy All Day Every Day… appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Emily Tested 3 “Self-Heating” Mugs At 3 Different Price Points And Here Is Her Honest Review Of Each One

When I first heard about this $120 robot mug I was like, “what has the tech world invented now?” I pictured a bunch of dudes in Silicon Valley sitting around, trying to find a problem to solve with a new product to sell us. But then I realized how many times I go to the microwave to heat up my coffee when it goes cold. AH. That’s why. But I still couldn’t believe it was that expensive and I thought surely there was a more affordable version on the market. So before Christmas I bought all three (with the intent to review them in December, thus the holiday styling) and then regift them for Christmas gifts. None of which happened because, LIFE, but heck maybe it’s a better time now as people are hunkered down in the cold and wanting their life-blood/coffee to stay hotter longer. So I bought three at three different price points and after weeks of trying them out here is my review:

Wait, What Exactly Is An Electronic Mug?

Well. These bad boys sit on their little pad, which heats them up (through different methods) and the idea is that they stay hot for hours, tasting fresh and not disgusting. In theory I’m into this, but I’m also skeptical that this is something we NEED and doesn’t in fact just create more “stuff”. We drink a decent amount of coffee in the mornings – usually a cup while I walk the pups then I sip on another cup for a couple of house (thus the reheating). So technically I am a great candidate for this mug, but I’m also easily annoyed by technical difficulties so I avoid unnecessary tech at all times. So we need to explore the pros and cons and ensure that the pros outweigh the cons

Mug #1: Ember Mug² Temperature Control Smart Mug

Ember Mug² Temperature Control Smart Mug

This is the most famous and expensive of them all. The Ember was first to market (or first to social media) and runs $130. That’s a lot for a mug, so he better heat your coffee and change the oil in your tires or at least our AC filters twice a year. This is what it says:

“Enjoy hot drinks longer with an innovative mug that stays at your preferred temperature for up to 1.5 hours or all day on the charging coaster. Pair the smart mug to the Ember app on your smartphone to set the temperature, customize presets for your favorite drinks, receive notifications when your desired temperature is reached, personalize your mug and more. Advanced technology intelligently turns the mug on and off and keeps every sip the same temperature from top to bottom.”

This cracks me up. While it’s my preferred mug of the three because of portability, no bros, we don’t need to set different temperatures for different drinks via an app and I certainly don’t want more push notifications on my phone.

Pros: The biggest pro with this one is that it can be cordless (for an hour and a half) while the other two have to remain plugged in and on charging coasters. For me, this becomes the instant deal breaker and preference as I don’t sit at a desk against a wall and their cords aren’t long. I would be knocking over my mug every time I got up, or if the pups came over to say hi. Having this one cordless made it essentially the only one that I can use. Now if you have a desk against a wall or with an outlet directly underneath it you have options. I also like that the mug nestles into the charging coaster (not just sitting on it) as it feels more secure and you know if/when it’s plugged in right. It holds a decent amount of coffee (seems around 6 ounces) and the handle is comfortable.

When I remember to charge it and I’m sitting in one spot (I like to move around). It’s pretty darn wonderful to have hot fresh coffee for hours to sip slowly. I would prefer for the temperature to be controlled on the device itself (sometimes I’ll look at the app and it’s turned down for some reason and I like my coffee really hot). Per usual, the frustrations with tech are often not worth the “convenience” they provide. I’m really selling this thing aren’t I?

Cons: I don’t want an app for everything. I love a good old-fashioned on-and-off button. I know I’m not alone, but boy the tech industry wants us to have every device controlled by our phone (unsure if this is mostly to track behaviors). Sure, on the app you can control the temperature and know the amount of charge you have but again, I’d rather that be just on the pad.

OVERALL CON: This is for all of them – they need to be charged nightly and they don’t seem to hold their charge for hours. Now that’s fine, we can’t have everything in life but that means it’s another device you have to remember to charge at night or it’s useless. When I first started using it, it kept running out and then getting cold. But then you can’t microwave the mugs (or put them in the dishwasher) so you have to transfer to a microwaveable mug to heat up your tepid coffee that you spent $120 buying a mug for. I just couldn’t believe that it didn’t hold the charge for longer, that’s all. But I’m not an inventor so maybe this is really hard?

Mug #2: OHOM Ui Mug & Warmer Set

OHOM Ui Mug & Warmer Set

This one is electromagnetic (maybe they all are) so it’s not hot to the touch and keeps coffee hot for a pretty long time. I didn’t test it for more than 2 hours, but for those 2 hours, it was indeed hot.

Pros: This is dishwasher safe (not all of them are) and it also charges your iPhone (this is a lovely addition). It’s also a nice color and design. It’s also more affordable than the Ember, coming in at $88 (check their site for the second-run versions that are functional but have imperfections on the outside. You get 2 for 44$ random colors chosen).

Cons: Needs to remain plugged in to heat. The mug itself keeps the coffee hot for 10 or so minutes (in my experience) without being on the charging coaster, but typically it needs to sit on it to remain really hot. It also says “self-heating” but that feels misleading to me because you aren’t meant to put in cold coffee to make it hot (I don’t think) so it’s more about retaining heat and maybe making it slightly hotter. This one also has a strainer you can buy separately so you can do a pour over coffee or tea straight into the mug. From my experience to keep it super hot you have to put the ceramic lid on it, which is another task for me to do. If you don’t it does cool down a bit. Again, I like really hot coffee so it kinda defeats the purpose (Ember stayed hotter).

Mug #3: Amazon BestSeller – Apexx Induction Mug

Apexx Induction Mug

This Apexx Induction Mug one was an Amazon bestseller during the holidays, likely because it comes in at $32 – a huge drop in price from the other two. It looks nice for sure but I found that it was hard to get it to charge (which it needs to in order to stay hot) and was frustrated easily by it. When it did work, it would stay hot for 20 minutes or so but you’d have to put the ceramic lid on it.

Pros: Affordable and looks nice. The packaging was strangely high-end if you are into that sort of thing. Charges phone or earbuds on the coaster as well. No app needed.

Cons: Mine was glitchy, you have to keep it plugged in, use the ceramic lid, and even so it didn’t keep it scalding hot – just warmer than if you didn’t have the coaster. But if someone likes warm coffee for longer, I suppose it does that job (just not super hot).

And The Best Self-Warming Mug Goes To…

All in all, I’m sorry and not terribly surprised to admit that the expensive Ember Mug does this particular job the best. It stays hotter for longer without the need for the ceramic lid, can be cordless so less of a risk to knock over, and you can move around the house. I just recently read that you don’t have to download the app and that it will default at 135 degrees (which is very hot and hotter than the other two) and there is a dial on the bottom that I didn’t realize. It’s splurgy though. For my life, I only really sit one day a week when I write, so it’s not enough of a value add for my life (especially because there are more parts to keep track of). I’d rather just use a to-go thermos or microwave my mug. However, if you sit at a desk for many hours in the morning, one near a wall or have an outlet on your desk, I will say this is a solidly good purchase or gift. But it’s not for the casual morning drinker or someone who drinks coffee at the dining table. The convenience of all of these becomes inconvenient when you have to remember to plug it in and keep it charged, so IMHO you have to give it a designated desk and outlet and use it daily to make it worth it.

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post Emily Tested 3 “Self-Heating” Mugs At 3 Different Price Points And Here Is Her Honest Review Of Each One appeared first on Emily Henderson.

A Review Of Our New Induction Range – All The Details On Our Beautiful Aga Elise (And How Cooking With Induction And Convection Is Different Than Gas)

It’s been about 6 months now of cooking on our induction range almost every night, so it felt time to dish to you all. My excitement for our range is extreme, my expectations six months ago were unknown. Today you are going to get the full low down and review (with a lot of pros and a couple of cons). As you might know, now gas ranges are being slowly phased out (like gas cars) but I’m not going to lie that there were times when I worried that my public job was forcing my family into using a newer product that wasn’t going to work as well, or be as easy. Old dog, new tricks sort of thing. Brian was on board, we talked about it for months, and it doesn’t hurt that we found the most gorgeous induction range in the world, but yeah, we were nervous. What if we couldn’t cook as easily? What if it was complicated, techy, and hard to navigate? What if we burned everything? When trying anything new the first time there can be a learning curve, and we knew that. I was confident in the brand and super hopeful we’d love it as much as a gas range. So today is the day where I tell you it all. In case you are just landing here you might have some basic questions:

Why Induction Instead Of Gas? Are Gas Ranges BAD?

I’m not an expert but apparently, gas ranges emit internal pollution into the home as well as rely on fossil fuels. I’ll also admit that I’m a bit skeptical that we need to overhaul a whole industry based on a few years of research because typically the fantasy “solution” also has its negatives that don’t get the same amount of attention. But common sense tells me that having gas burning in your house can emit undetectable fumes. Induction is electric, not natural gas, so the argument is that it’s not part of the fossil fuel industry and can run on clean energy should you live in a state that is working towards that (like solar and wind). I hope that the industry can keep up with the regulations (outlawing them might be a problem if we don’t have the induction supply to replace them – like cars). Again, not an expert and I’m curious about your thoughts, but I’ve done so much research and I try to vet every side of this debate. Similar to cars, there are a lot of lobbyists on both sides trying to control the industry. All I know is that this made sense to us, especially because this Aga range is so darn beautiful, and in many states (CA and OR) you won’t be able to put gas ranges in new construction soon, which might tell you which way we are culturally moving (ours isn’t new construction).

Should I Switch My Gas Range To Electric?

It’s my opinion that if you have something that works well and you like, you should never throw it out, as making and shipping something new is far more taxing on the environment than using something that you have (same with cars). But if you are remodeling and purchasing a new range then yes, induction seems to be a wise investment (we love it), and keep reading to see if it’s for you. I think how we’ve politicized it is just hilarious and I’m not inviting that firestorm in the comments. There are pros and cons to everything we consume, we have to use the data we have and level it against our common sense to make sure it’s right for us.

What Range Did We Choose And Why?

Months ago I wrote a post about our hunt with the induction range options that we were debating, but there was only one that I felt would work in this more classic style home – The Aga 48″ Elise Induction Range in black with gold knobs. Once I fell in love with it, I reached out to Build with Ferguson and Aga and negotiated a trade for PR/photography/social media, etc. Was this range “free”? Nope. Nothing is “free,” everything is a trade for my time, deliverables and social/PR services, and at this point in my career I can’t give my time and resources to represent a brand that isn’t 100% aligned with my design, style, and ethos. I wanted this Aga range and went after it (and was so happy that Build with Ferguson supplies them). This post isn’t even sponsored, I just really really wanted to deep dive into my relationship with this range and give you all the information to help you decide.

Aga is a classic European brand that is super high quality, very well made and extremely well received/reviewed. While the Elise is a newer product (as most induction ranges are on the newer side) we felt confident that with Aga behind it, we’d get a great long-term product.

What Was I Nervous About? Any Initial Hesitations?

We had two major concerns: 1. the capacity of the oven and 2. the ability to butter-baste Brian’s steak. We had read enough reviews so we weren’t worried about the day-to-day cooking for our family but those two scenarios caused us a little hesitation (keep reading).

Well? What is So Great About This Range?

I don’t need to tell you how beautiful it is, but clearly, that is a huge plus to me. Beyond that, it’s more about function and capabilities and so far we have been extremely pleased.

You have a lot of roasting, baking, and broiling options in this lady. We use the convection oven the most and have learned to do it for less time and sometimes lower temperature than a recipe calls for as it cooks faster and more thoroughly than a normal oven. We like that it crisps all sides more (the hot air is moving around more). There were a few sacrificial cookie batches as we dialed in that adjustment, but now we don’t even think about it – we adapted really quickly.

As you can see both the multi-functional door and the convection oven have multiple trays or you can pull them out and put in a dutch oven or larger casserole dish.

Can It Fit A Turkey?

Ignore how overcooked this turkey is – we bought it to show you that one would fit but totally forgot it was in the convection and cooked it for too long. But you get the point – yes to turkey, no to huge turkey. This was such a huge question for us and we don’t even host Thanksgiving (yet). But since the oven compartments are smaller we wanted to see what the capacity would be. We knew it wouldn’t be big enough for a 20 lb turkey so if we were to host we’d likely use a countertop turkey oven. The interior horizontal capacity is 16 1/2″ wide, but many 9″x13″ have huge handles on the side that won’t fit that. We found this one that is 12″x15″ including the handle and it easily fit the 13lb turkey.

Does Convection Cook The Same As A Normal Oven?

No. It’s even better:) Once you figure out to lower the temp a bit and reduce the amount of time (by like 5-10 minutes), it cooks more evenly and crisps things up a bit more. The hot air cooks by circulating. So again you have to ignore this overcooked turkey – this was the first time we were trying a big bird and we forgot it was in there. A tiny learning curve, but so easy to adapt, and I’ve had zero frustrations after the first week.

Do Normal Cookie Sheets Fit?

We had read about this so we were prepared, but no, you have to downsize your cookie or veggie roasting sheets to 9″x13″ and double them up. This was a VERY easy switch to make and with the double oven (the convection and the multi-function) we can roast a lot at the same time (and we do, very frequently).

These cookies are an example of what can happen if you use the normal oven setting on the multi-function and don’t rotate – the top cookies got a lot more cooked than the bottom which is normal. But it’s not a big deal – you do it once then learn to rotate. And since we shot this I started using convection for almost everything (the other compartment) because I like how it cooks everything more evenly.

The Broiling Drawer

This compartment has 4 settings that are almost undetectably different, but essentially change how close the food is to the “element” (read: heat source). So you could put something deeper in there but for this shoot we did bacon. This is the only time we’ve used the drawer (Brian is a big “bacon in oven” guy) so we aren’t experts here but I wanted to show you what it can do.

We cooked bacon but you could also do open-faced sandwiches or vegetables – essentially anything that you want top-down heat for.

Are The Knobs Intuitive And Easy To Read?

Yes. And this has been a pet peeve of mine in the past (also not a big deal). What you can’t see in the photo (but can see down below where we boil water) is that there are little illustrations on top of the silver bar that show which burner you are using. But they make intuitive sense – the middle one controls the middle burner, the left controls left, right controls right. This is not always the case so YAY for not even needing to look anymore.

Next… The Induction Cook Top – How Does It Compare To Gas?

Gas ovens are pretty similar to electric or induction, but does an induction cooktop perform as well? Let’s get into it. Here are the basics of ours: it’s a 48″ and has 5 burners – one large (in the middle), 3 medium, and one small. We very frequently use 3-4 at a time so I’m glad we got the 48″ for our family. It’s a glass top that is so pretty and simple. It’s hard to see in the photos but there are slight circles that are easily seen in person to show you where the burners are.

Do All Pots And Pans Work On Our Induction Cooktop?

No, all pots/pans do not work so expect to replace some, but far more work with induction than we originally thought. We bought new fry and saute pans (we have some Made In and some new All-Clad, but all of my dutch ovens, soup pots, and even my huge broth stock pot worked – I was not expecting that). We found out by putting the pan on and turning on that burner, and it indicates whether it works or not (if it doesn’t work it has a dash sign and won’t turn on, but if your pan will work then it will let you select your temp and start cooking). So it was a fun game to see what worked and what didn’t (our lighter-weight fry pans didn’t work so all of those had to be replaced – Brian researched a lot and bought these and we are very happy with them).

Is Cooking On An Induction Cooktop Faster? Better?

Yes, definitely faster but also it just feels very controllable. For instance, when you want to go lower or higher it does so immediately once it gets going (it can’t go from zero to crazy hot instantly, but definitely really fast, and once it’s high it can go low very very quickly).

Can It Really Boil Water Super Fast?

This is one of the biggest “pros” of the induction – that it can boil water quickly. I’ll admit that I didn’t find this a huge inconvenience with our gas ranges, but I was eager to see just how fast it can boil water should you be REALLY into that:)

So we timed it with 6 cups of water (which is a lot) and it took 5 1/2 minutes to come to a rolling boil.

Apparently, this would be around 9 minutes with a gas top:) So yes, it does boil water faster, but I think what I like even more is that once it’s warmed up it can go from 3 to 7, back to 4 up to 8 almost instantly. So if you are accidentally burning your onion/garlic on the bottom of your soup pot you don’t have to take it off the heat, you just turn it down and it truly does decrease the heat (in my experience).

Can Brian Still Butter Baste His Delicious Steaks?

When all the controversy around gas ranges hit last year (and before the whole thing was hilariously politicized) a lot of chefs were up in aprons because there are some things that many feared they couldn’t cook as well. This was Brians’s biggest concern because for most small dinner parties or special occasions he makes the most delicious butter-basted filet mignon steaks (we are both huge Matty Matheson fans and he uses this recipe, and yes, give yourself a treat and watch his video). The reason the heat source matters is because you use a cast iron pan that has to hold a lot of heat and then the final step of cooking the steak is that you tip it up, off the burner, and use a spoon to butter baste it but the pan needs to hold a ton of heat to do the job. A lot of chefs were literally specifically going public about how induction will ruin their butter-basting game. Brian was one of them.

Before we got the range we knew the risk that this would be a dish that we only did over the holidays at the mountain house, or we would buy a small gas burner just for these occasions – it was that serious of a concern. So it’s with great joy that I can announce that he can indeed butter-baste our steaks on this induction cooktop! I think it’s crucial that you use an induction cast iron pan because once the pan heats up it stays hot for a long time and conducts enough heat, while off the burner (therefore not magnetized) to keep up the proper cooking.

He can’t tip the pan up as much or take it off the heat for as long as he has in the past on a gas burner. It totally works and we can stay married and continue to consume this delicious dish (on occasion).

Is The Whole Top Hot? How Does That Work?

This part feels like magic, but essentially the pan and the burners use magnets to create the heat when in contact with each other – so no, the burner is not hot to the touch on its own. This is great for cooking with the kids as I don’t need to worry about the areas in between the burners – “the pot covers the hot” so to speak. That’s not to say that once it’s turned off it’s instant – no, it takes a few minutes to cool down completely (and has an “H” on it until it’s cooled down) but the real hot heat is only conducted when the pot is on the burner.

The Cleanup Is So Easy

I didn’t take a photo of it, but it’s extremely easy and satisfying to clean, and once you have this as an option dismantling your gas burners to clean underneath them will seem very laborious. I also LOVE that I can take my tray of veggies out of the oven and pop it right on top – like one big safe trivet. It’s obviously heat safe.

So far the only feedback I would give is that I wish there was a user manual for best practices with the induction and convection technology – there is an instruction manual, of course, but it doesn’t give you a lot of info on the nuances of convection and induction that I think could be useful (for instance it would be nice to know how long to broil the bacon on what temperature or how to defrost meat in the multi-function, not just say that you can). From experience, I’ve dialed in my favorite convection temperatures for roasting vegetables, but a manual with some best practices specifically for convection and induction would be helpful as we all make this transition (thus this blog post).

Do We Love It? How Much Would We Recommend It?

Let’s just say that I would not have written this post if I weren’t very, very happy with our induction range. This whole review is not part of a contract deliverable – I wanted to do it to help alleviate any anxiety that future induction purchases would have. I hope that it’s been useful. We really really love it – how it looks (it’s just so beautiful) to how it functions every day for our family. Again, if you have a gas range that you love do not throw it out and replace it with an induction. I’m not saying it’s “better” to cook on than a gas range. I’m simply saying that if you are going the induction range route I can tell you that the Aga 48″ Elise has been excellent for our family. I’m sure there are others that are also wonderful, but I’m writing from my own set of experiences. xx

Kitchen Resources:
Cabinetry: Unique Kitchens & Baths
Countertops: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
White Oak Windows and Doors: Sierra Pacific Windows
Tile: Pratt + Larson
Range: Build with Ferguson
Flooring: Zena Forest Products(Oregon grown and milled)
Lighting, Switches, Outlets, and Sink: Rejuvenation
Wall Color: Sherwin Williams, “Extra White”
Vintage Island: Aurora Mills
Ru g: District Loom
Brass Gallery Rods: Pepe and Carols

*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post A Review Of Our New Induction Range – All The Details On Our Beautiful Aga Elise (And How Cooking With Induction And Convection Is Different Than Gas) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

We’ve Been Using Our Induction Range For Months And Here’s How It’s Going…

It’s been about 6 months now of cooking on our induction range almost every night, so it felt time to dish to you all. My excitement for our range is extreme, my expectations six months ago were unknown. Today you are going to get the full low down and review (with a lot of pros and a couple of cons). As you might know, now gas ranges are being slowly phased out (like gas cars) but I’m not going to lie that there were times when I worried that my public job was forcing my family into using a newer product that wasn’t going to work as well, or be as easy. Old dog, new tricks sort of thing. Brian was on board, we talked about it for months, and it doesn’t hurt that we found the most gorgeous induction range in the world, but yeah, we were nervous. What if we couldn’t cook as easily? What if it was complicated, techy, and hard to navigate? What if we burned everything? When trying anything new the first time there can be a learning curve, and we knew that. I was confident in the brand and super hopeful we’d love it as much as a gas range. So today is the day where I tell you it all. In case you are just landing here you might have some basic questions:

Why Induction Instead Of Gas? Are Gas Ranges BAD?

I’m not an expert but apparently, gas ranges emit internal pollution into the home as well as rely on fossil fuels. I’ll also admit that I’m a bit skeptical that we need to overhaul a whole industry based on a few years of research because typically the fantasy “solution” also has its negatives that don’t get the same amount of attention. But common sense tells me that having gas burning in your house can emit undetectable fumes. Induction is electric, not natural gas, so the argument is that it’s not part of the fossil fuel industry and can run on clean energy should you live in a state that is working towards that (like solar and wind). I hope that the industry can keep up with the regulations (outlawing them might be a problem if we don’t have the induction supply to replace them – like cars). Again, not an expert and I’m curious about your thoughts, but I’ve done so much research and I try to vet every side of this debate. Similar to cars, there are a lot of lobbyists on both sides trying to control the industry. All I know is that this made sense to us, especially because this Aga range is so darn beautiful, and in many states (CA and OR) you won’t be able to put gas ranges in new construction soon, which might tell you which way we are culturally moving (ours isn’t new construction).

Should I Switch My Gas Range To Electric?

It’s my opinion that if you have something that works well and you like, you should never throw it out, as making and shipping something new is far more taxing on the environment than using something that you have (same with cars). But if you are remodeling and purchasing a new range then yes, induction seems to be a wise investment (we love it), and keep reading to see if it’s for you. I think how we’ve politicized it is just hilarious and I’m not inviting that firestorm in the comments. There are pros and cons to everything we consume, we have to use the data we have and level it against our common sense to make sure it’s right for us.

What Range Did We Choose And Why?

Months ago I wrote a post about our hunt with the induction range options that we were debating, but there was only one that I felt would work in this more classic style home – The Aga 48″ Elise Induction Range in black with gold knobs. Once I fell in love with it, I reached out to Build with Ferguson and Aga and negotiated a trade for PR/photography/social media, etc. Was this range “free”? Nope. Nothing is “free,” everything is a trade for my time, deliverables and social/PR services, and at this point in my career I can’t give my time and resources to represent a brand that isn’t 100% aligned with my design, style, and ethos. I wanted this Aga range and went after it (and was so happy that Build with Ferguson supplies them). This post isn’t even sponsored, I just really really wanted to deep dive into my relationship with this range and give you all the information to help you decide.

Aga is a classic European brand that is super high quality, very well made and extremely well received/reviewed. While the Elise is a newer product (as most induction ranges are on the newer side) we felt confident that with Aga behind it, we’d get a great long-term product.

What Was I Nervous About? Any Initial Hesitations?

We had two major concerns: 1. the capacity of the oven and 2. the ability to butter-baste Brian’s steak. We had read enough reviews so we weren’t worried about the day-to-day cooking for our family but those two scenarios caused us a little hesitation (keep reading).

Well? What is So Great About This Range?

I don’t need to tell you how beautiful it is, but clearly, that is a huge plus to me. Beyond that, it’s more about function and capabilities and so far we have been extremely pleased.

You have a lot of roasting, baking, and broiling options in this lady. We use the convection oven the most and have learned to do it for less time and sometimes lower temperature than a recipe calls for as it cooks faster and more thoroughly than a normal oven. We like that it crisps all sides more (the hot air is moving around more). There were a few sacrificial cookie batches as we dialed in that adjustment, but now we don’t even think about it – we adapted really quickly.

As you can see both the multi-functional door and the convection oven have multiple trays or you can pull them out and put in a dutch oven or larger casserole dish.

Can It Fit A Turkey?

Ignore how overcooked this turkey is – we bought it to show you that one would fit but totally forgot it was in the convection and cooked it for too long. But you get the point – yes to turkey, no to huge turkey. This was such a huge question for us and we don’t even host Thanksgiving (yet). But since the oven compartments are smaller we wanted to see what the capacity would be. We knew it wouldn’t be big enough for a 20 lb turkey so if we were to host we’d likely use a countertop turkey oven. The interior horizontal capacity is 16 1/2″ wide, but many 9″x13″ have huge handles on the side that won’t fit that. We found this one that is 12″x15″ including the handle and it easily fit the 13lb turkey.

Does Convection Cook The Same As A Normal Oven?

No. It’s even better:) Once you figure out to lower the temp a bit and reduce the amount of time (by like 5-10 minutes), it cooks more evenly and crisps things up a bit more. The hot air cooks by circulating. So again you have to ignore this overcooked turkey – this was the first time we were trying a big bird and we forgot it was in there. A tiny learning curve, but so easy to adapt, and I’ve had zero frustrations after the first week.

Do Normal Cookie Sheets Fit?

We had read about this so we were prepared, but no, you have to downsize your cookie or veggie roasting sheets to 9″x13″ and double them up. This was a VERY easy switch to make and with the double oven (the convection and the multi-function) we can roast a lot at the same time (and we do, very frequently).

These cookies are an example of what can happen if you use the normal oven setting on the multi-function and don’t rotate – the top cookies got a lot more cooked than the bottom which is normal. But it’s not a big deal – you do it once then learn to rotate. And since we shot this I started using convection for almost everything (the other compartment) because I like how it cooks everything more evenly.

The Broiling Drawer

This compartment has 4 settings that are almost undetectably different, but essentially change how close the food is to the “element” (read: heat source). So you could put something deeper in there but for this shoot we did bacon. This is the only time we’ve used the drawer (Brian is a big “bacon in oven” guy) so we aren’t experts here but I wanted to show you what it can do.

We cooked bacon but you could also do open-faced sandwiches or vegetables – essentially anything that you want top-down heat for.

Are The Knobs Intuitive And Easy To Read?

Yes. And this has been a pet peeve of mine in the past (also not a big deal). What you can’t see in the photo (but can see down below where we boil water) is that there are little illustrations on top of the silver bar that show which burner you are using. But they make intuitive sense – the middle one controls the middle burner, the left controls left, right controls right. This is not always the case so YAY for not even needing to look anymore.

Next… The Induction Cook Top – How Does It Compare To Gas?

Gas ovens are pretty similar to electric or induction, but does an induction cooktop perform as well? Let’s get into it. Here are the basics of ours: it’s a 48″ and has 5 burners – one large (in the middle), 3 medium, and one small. We very frequently use 3-4 at a time so I’m glad we got the 48″ for our family. It’s a glass top that is so pretty and simple. It’s hard to see in the photos but there are slight circles that are easily seen in person to show you where the burners are.

Do All Pots And Pans Work On Our Induction Cooktop?

No, all pots/pans do not work so expect to replace some, but far more work with induction than we originally thought. We bought new fry and saute pans (we have some Made In and some new All-Clad, but all of my dutch ovens, soup pots, and even my huge broth stock pot worked – I was not expecting that). We found out by putting the pan on and turning on that burner, and it indicates whether it works or not (if it doesn’t work it has a dash sign and won’t turn on, but if your pan will work then it will let you select your temp and start cooking). So it was a fun game to see what worked and what didn’t (our lighter-weight fry pans didn’t work so all of those had to be replaced – Brian researched a lot and bought these and we are very happy with them).

Is Cooking On An Induction Cooktop Faster? Better?

Yes, definitely faster but also it just feels very controllable. For instance, when you want to go lower or higher it does so immediately once it gets going (it can’t go from zero to crazy hot instantly, but definitely really fast, and once it’s high it can go low very very quickly).

Can It Really Boil Water Super Fast?

This is one of the biggest “pros” of the induction – that it can boil water quickly. I’ll admit that I didn’t find this a huge inconvenience with our gas ranges, but I was eager to see just how fast it can boil water should you be REALLY into that:)

So we timed it with 6 cups of water (which is a lot) and it took 5 1/2 minutes to come to a rolling boil.

Apparently, this would be around 9 minutes with a gas top:) So yes, it does boil water faster, but I think what I like even more is that once it’s warmed up it can go from 3 to 7, back to 4 up to 8 almost instantly. So if you are accidentally burning your onion/garlic on the bottom of your soup pot you don’t have to take it off the heat, you just turn it down and it truly does decrease the heat (in my experience).

Can Brian Still Butter Baste His Delicious Steaks?

When all the controversy around gas ranges hit last year (and before the whole thing was hilariously politicized) a lot of chefs were up in aprons because there are some things that many feared they couldn’t cook as well. This was Brians’s biggest concern because for most small dinner parties or special occasions he makes the most delicious butter-basted filet mignon steaks (we are both huge Matty Matheson fans and he uses this recipe, and yes, give yourself a treat and watch his video). The reason the heat source matters is because you use a cast iron pan that has to hold a lot of heat and then the final step of cooking the steak is that you tip it up, off the burner, and use a spoon to butter baste it but the pan needs to hold a ton of heat to do the job. A lot of chefs were literally specifically going public about how induction will ruin their butter-basting game. Brian was one of them.

Before we got the range we knew the risk that this would be a dish that we only did over the holidays at the mountain house, or we would buy a small gas burner just for these occasions – it was that serious of a concern. So it’s with great joy that I can announce that he can indeed butter-baste our steaks on this induction cooktop! I think it’s crucial that you use an induction cast iron pan because once the pan heats up it stays hot for a long time and conducts enough heat, while off the burner (therefore not magnetized) to keep up the proper cooking.

He can’t tip the pan up as much or take it off the heat for as long as he has in the past on a gas burner. It totally works and we can stay married and continue to consume this delicious dish (on occasion).

Is The Whole Top Hot? How Does That Work?

This part feels like magic, but essentially the pan and the burners use magnets to create the heat when in contact with each other – so no, the burner is not hot to the touch on its own. This is great for cooking with the kids as I don’t need to worry about the areas in between the burners – “the pot covers the hot” so to speak. That’s not to say that once it’s turned off it’s instant – no, it takes a few minutes to cool down completely (and has an “H” on it until it’s cooled down) but the real hot heat is only conducted when the pot is on the burner.

The Cleanup Is So Easy

I didn’t take a photo of it, but it’s extremely easy and satisfying to clean, and once you have this as an option dismantling your gas burners to clean underneath them will seem very laborious. I also LOVE that I can take my tray of veggies out of the oven and pop it right on top – like one big safe trivet. It’s obviously heat safe.

So far the only feedback I would give is that I wish there was a user manual for best practices with the induction and convection technology – there is an instruction manual, of course, but it doesn’t give you a lot of info on the nuances of convection and induction that I think could be useful (for instance it would be nice to know how long to broil the bacon on what temperature or how to defrost meat in the multi-function, not just say that you can). From experience, I’ve dialed in my favorite convection temperatures for roasting vegetables, but a manual with some best practices specifically for convection and induction would be helpful as we all make this transition (thus this blog post).

Do We Love It? How Much Would We Recommend It?

Let’s just say that I would not have written this post if I weren’t very, very happy with our induction range. This whole review is not part of a contract deliverable – I wanted to do it to help alleviate any anxiety that future induction purchases would have. I hope that it’s been useful. We really really love it – how it looks (it’s just so beautiful) to how it functions every day for our family. Again, if you have a gas range that you love do not throw it out and replace it with an induction. I’m not saying it’s “better” to cook on than a gas range. I’m simply saying that if you are going the induction range route I can tell you that the Aga 48″ Elise has been excellent for our family. I’m sure there are others that are also wonderful, but I’m writing from my own set of experiences. xx

Kitchen Resources:
Cabinetry: Unique Kitchens & Baths
Countertops: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
White Oak Windows and Doors: Sierra Pacific Windows
Tile: Pratt + Larson
Range: Build with Ferguson
Flooring: Zena Forest Products(Oregon grown and milled)
Lighting, Switches, Outlets, and Sink: Rejuvenation
Wall Color: Sherwin Williams, “Extra White”
Vintage Island: Aurora Mills
Ru g: District Loom
Brass Gallery Rods: Pepe and Carols

*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post We’ve Been Using Our Induction Range For Months And Here’s How It’s Going… appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Wall Art On Jess’ Living MOTO Pinboard (+ Her Art Plan And Where She’s Shopping For It All)

Adorning your walls with art is one of the more fun yet still stressful parts of decorating a room. The possibilities are more or less endless. You want them to be pretty, cool, show your personality, connect to them, have them inspire you, make you smile, feel curated but not too curated, etc. Not to mention you want the scales and colors to be right and give each wall its own configuration (see this post if you need help with that:)) Well, that’s at least what I want (and strive for when choosing pieces). So today I thought it might be fun to walk through a bunch of art I’ve pinned so that I can sort through my art plan while showing y’all a bunch of awesome art AND giving you all of the online art sites I love/have been looking at.

I decided a while back I needed a separate “Art” pinboard for my living room makeover because currently, my general inspo board has over 1000 pins. I needed some order. What I quickly came to realize was I have a type. An art type, that is. Let me just show you…

I Have An Addiction To Shapesphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: makeover takeover: jess’ long awaited (small space) living room reveal

Look at my old gallery wall. It’s full of all kinds of different shapes. And while I feel that I balanced it out enough with those few other art types and framing styles, I really want to make sure that I mix it up a bit more in my “new” living room. But we’re off to a geometric start ha.

Those pieces on the left are already hanging on one of my walls. I think the whole print set was $50 from Zara Home and I love them (sorry no longer available). While they are abstract shapes, I love the pops of subtle yet fun colors and are great jumping-off points for my color palette. The piece on the right was from the Lawson-Fenning x CB2 collab and I may never forgive myself for not getting it when I had the chance. I just wasn’t 100% sure if I had the right place for it at the time and because of that, spending those few hundred dollars didn’t make sense. FOOL! I think about it most days. I love the colors and that frame shape. If you have one and feel like parting ways with it please let me know in the comments!! Let me also say that I still have all of the art from my old apartment and plan to use a lot of those pieces. But I also want some new art energy (and have some new colors to incorporate).

Sofa | Rug

Also, I FOUND THE RUG!!!! This poorly photoshopped photo doesn’t do it justice nor is the scale right but I think it’s going to be perfect. However…showing this rug to you all is important because it too has shapes all over it and reminds me how important mixing up the style of wall art is. But since we are on the topic of “shapes” I thought I would show you what I’ve pinned in this category (well most of what I’ve pinned:))

Geometric Shapes

1. Offering | 2. Geometric 11 | 3. Loves The Final Word | 4. 6am | 5. Cascade | 6. Luna Woodblock Print

I love the structure that these prints bring and I would happily own any of them. #2 feels both modern and ancient architecture-inspired which I love. The colors of #3 make me smile and we’ve all seen the power of a Block Shop print in the modern organic living room so this would also be beautiful.

Organic Shapes

1. Distant Hug | 2. Ficus Indica 25 Tiles Panel | 3. Forte De Sao | 4. Pieces 01 | 5. Green (Trough) | 6. Shapes 01 | 7. Brown Handmade Paper Collection (3) | 8. Rising Tide | 9. Montauk

This type of shape, the more organic type, might be my favorite. I love the bold fluidity of how the shapes of each piece work together. #1 is a little under $200 but is 39″x39″!! That’s HUGE!! Plus that bright blue is so happy. I really want to make sure that a handful of my art pieces have “happy colors” (at least happy me) and don’t just consist of traditional neutral tones. I love neutral tones and black-and-white art but given that there are already a decent amount of dark wood tones in the space (a big one being the floor), I want to make sure the room feels joyful and layered. For example, #9 is incredible and a darker piece I would LOVE if it wasn’t sold already but #5 and #6 are brighter.

Oh and #2 is actually a collection of tiles (that I’m pretty obsessed with) which probably belongs in the next category…whoops!

3-D Shapes

1. Realism No. 45 | 2. Blue Beauty | 3. Construction / II

If you have that episode of Parks and Rec where Tom (Aziz Ansari) commissions a piece of art that is just a bunch of shapes and he becomes completely mesmerized by it…me too and I am clearly Tom. But “3-D shapes” or pieces of art with texture that include shapes are such a great way to add dimension to your wall and I love all of these. I wish that one from Minted wasn’t sold out.

So Let’s Mix Up The MediumsTextured Materials

1. Domestic Bliss | 2. Dove | 3. Textile Wall Art | 4. Indoor/Outdoor | 5. Geometric Textile Art | 6. Form 62 | 7. Mendocino | 8. All Animals Come Out Of The Cage | 9. Lines XX Painting

Speaking of texture and layered art, let’s talk about it. But first a disclaimer. Some of these pieces belong in more than one category but I tried to categorize them as best as I could. Now, I think having art made out of materials like fabric, cut-up pieces of paper, etc will give you a ton of visual dimension in your space which is important to me. I think this is also a fun place to add color like in #4 and #8. They look a little weird and modern which I think is something I need in at least a couple of my pieces.

Photography

1. FormH2-2 | 2. Constantine the Great | 3. Polaroid Peace

In retrospect, I had zero photos in my last apartment. What a crime! Like not even of my loved ones! But I love photography. Back when I was attempting to act in NY, I got my headshots done by this really cool woman who had the most amazing West Village apartment. All of the walls were covered in black and white photos and I remember thinking to myself, “I want my home to look like this one day.” I should have also been thinking, “you love interior design more than acting so maybe rethink some things.” Hey at least we got here and I continue to have a deep love of black-and-white photography (duh) and want to incorporate it in this room – maybe not floor-to-ceiling quite yet though. I’ll save that look for my amazing New York apartment I’ll have one of these days:) I like the idea of having an artsy photograph like one of the shots above but I am also considering framing an old family photo. Since I just went through all of my family’s really old photos I have some cool vintage photos that might make the cut. HA.

Still Lifes (ish)

This is a piece of art that belongs to my cousin’s husband (my CIL??) and I’ve loved it for years. Is it right for my living room? No. Plus stealing it might bring me down on the favorite family member’s list. I intend on staying near if not at the very top. But I love the idea of some more modern still life-ish/still life-inspired pieces.

1. Vintage Pink Bathroom Art Print | 2. VASE 04 Print | 3. Bottle of Secrets Painting | 4. Mystic Mood Board Painting | 5. Pomegranate Collage Print | 6. Brown / Olive green Downloadable Print

#1 was my attempt at seeing how I felt about finding something with the same essence as my CIL’s piece. And while that happy pink is a color I am incorporating into this room, it ultimately doesn’t feel right. It’s cute though! #2 and #5 seem much more in line with the general vibe so I might see if those are real contenders! I do though love love love #3 and #4. They are fun and playful and real paintings (which understandably also makes them not super affordable).

Typography

1. I Know Print | 2. Black Ace Card Poster | 3. When You’re Ready | 4. Hold Tight Baby Illustration | 5. Tea Towels for the New Math Collection x Craig Damrauer | 6. Kiss Print

Like most designers (not that I am one), I am very particular about typography art. While there’s nothing wrong with a “Live, Laugh, Love” sign, that’s just not for me. I do apparently, like a mildly ironic piece of typography art. #1 is by the same artist that makes the legs print I have and cherish. I also have #5 in hot pink from when I lived in Melbourne back in the day and that saying still makes me smile. But a hot pink tea towel is not something I want framed, hanging in this room. But a light blue tea towel is something I could get on board with. Plus it feels fun and fresh. We’ll see! Now I wish I could get my hands on an original “Hold tight Baby” piece!! I just couldn’t love it more. Not shown is an artist that my friends just told me about when I was visiting NY this past weekend. His name is Andy Blank and he makes really fun art, typography and otherwise, but this set is currently my favorite (and my friends’ favorite too).

Nature

1. Flume Watercolor Print | 2. Clouds | 3. Runyon Canyon 1 | 4. Clouds

A pretty easy way to contrast a bunch of abstract art pieces is with realistic to semi-realistic nature art. These are great to get vintage and I feel are pretty accessible at flea markets and thrift shops. But the internet is also full of them and these four are my favorites that I found. I will definitely have one that I hang in my living room:)

Line Drawings

1. Willow | 2. Shepherd Strumming A Lyre Mid Century Drawing | 3. “Florecimiento” | 4. Balance | 5. Beige Lilies | 6. The Woman 18P8 Drawing

Outside of organic shapes, line drawings have my heart! All six of these are so special! There were more on my pinboard but they were inpso shots from Tumbler so it sadly would have been useless to you. But line drawings are another one that can be super affordable or really expensive. It just depends on where you find your treasure. I’m pretty in love with #2.

Bodies Baby!

1. Pastel Dazed | 2. Undefined  | 3. Untitled | 4. Bleu | 5. Mexico City Blues Print | 6. Indigo Blue Print

Ok so I bought one of these, can you guess??? It’s #3! For whatever reason when I saw it a couple of years ago I just loved it and haven’t stopped thinking about it since then. So I was very thankful that it was still available! The colors are happy, there isn’t a ton of detail, and I just like it. Not sure if I’ll buy any many more art with bodies on them since I have a few in my collection at home. But love all of these!

Misc.

1. Seminara Masks | 2. Large Shades of Navy Rosette | 3. Ring

Because of what I’ve learned over the years, I know the power of a 3-D/non traditional wall piece that isn’t framed art. Take my squiggle from Katie Gong that was in my last apartment. It made the whole space. So naturally, when I was searching I went to her site and again fell for her wall ring. What a simple but impactful piece of art. But if you are looking at that ribbon, thinking it’s not very on brand for me you are not wrong. I just loved it in this house tour from The Design Files (that I can’t find) and wanted to include it here:) Lastly, that mask from Minted is really special and I would genuinely love to have that in my house. Reminds me of my acting days ha.

Well, that’s the general idea! Of course, there are other things like mirrors, etc to consider but this is where my head is at and I hope you found some new places to shop from:)

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Scott Horne | Styled Velinda Hellen and Erik Kenneth Staalberg | Photo Sara Ligorria-Tramp

The post The Wall Art On Jess’ Living MOTO Pinboard (+ Her Art Plan And Where She’s Shopping For It All) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Farmhouse Guest Bathroom Update (And How I Feel About The Tonal Grout Choice)

The upstairs guest bath is coming along, not there yet, but coming along. I LOVE the tile, the polished nickel finishes, and the sweet little window. This is a new bathroom that you guys convinced us to put in upstairs on the bedroom floor (and we are happy we did). So many of you suggested that we’d want this specifically when the kids are older so they can each have their own bathroom. They already shower at the same time, one in here and one in the kids’ bath, which cuts down on “bathtime” by 20 minutes. I swear from “time to take a shower” to downstairs in PJs is a solid 45 minutes for whatever reason – and not because they are taking long showers. Distractions! So many distractions. I’m going to start guiding them blindfolded to do their tasks because my goodness they get so distracted by the dogs, the sewing machine (“Is now the time to make a pillow for Sue Sue, Charlie?”, A piece of paper that could be an airplane, a pokemon card that HAS to be set out to bring to school tomorrow, and again the dogs”… “but mama they are soooooo cutttttte”)… Anyway, yes, they use both twice a week and I’m glad this is an option. So let’s revisit where we are in the house:

The Guest Bedroom

We are upstairs (ignore all the sunroom, kitchen, and TV room stuff–that is all on the first floor). You walk upstairs and there is a large landing which we love, three bedrooms, a hallway shared bath (which I showed you in this post), a guest room (Permanent-function TBD), and this new small attached full bath. We were spoiled (and spoiled our guests) with ensuite bathrooms at the mountain house, but we weren’t going to put an extra bath up here originally (“Guests can share with the kids!” We said) but it is so nice for guests (and since Brian writes in the guest room this has become his personal spot. Ahem).

The vision for this guest bath was similar to the other rooms – have one high-impact color that we’ll never get sick of, but keep it simple and very high quality. We’d bring in more style and risk with the less permanent finishes and fixtures, but stay more classic with tile and plumbing. I’m still sorting through what level of regret I have in this bathroom – some days none, other days I feel like I know what I would have done differently to, you know, jazz it up a bit.

For this bathroom, we fell in LOVE with this deep mauve/rose-colored pink tile from Pratt + Larson and paired it with polished nickel finishes. The combination is so beautiful, but the room doesn’t feel complete yet (likely because it’s not done). Here’s where we are at today:

Tile | Vanity

There is a lot of backstory that affected some decisions until those elements changed, but the decisions didn’t – let me explain. This bathroom was stolen from one of the original large bedrooms, and therefore it has a massive bedroom-sized window in it that would have landed between the sink and the toilet. It was relatively close to the ground (about 20″ off the ground) which meant that it would be below any normal vanity and not allow for a normal backsplash. For that reason, we knew that we needed a pedestal or console-style vanity, i.e a sculptural base that could be in front of a window, and ordered this one from Rejuvenation. It’s a quirky solution to an older home remodel and one that was actually really cute (before we changed it). We’d have an oversized window in here, with a pedestal sink in front of it and an accordion mirror coming out the side. For this reason, we also needed a pedestal sink with an integrated backsplash since it would be in front of the window. If you are confused, here is where it was before:

This is the bedroom off of the guest bathroom before we created the bathroom. Are you following? So what we did was steal from the nook in the bedroom and the hall closet to create this 5’x7′ (ish) new bathroom. As you can see from the original photo the window that was going to be incorporated was big (and beautiful).

So as you can see, with the larger original window the vanity couldn’t be a typical storage piece – it needed to have an open base and be freestanding with an integrated backsplash (i.e. again, pedestal or console). We found the perfect one via Rejuvenation and called it a day. Great.

But then, a few months later we realized that the house on the exterior seemed to be missing a window. We didn’t really realize it originally because the whole house had funny awkward windows (and that’s ok for an older home!).

Once everything was demoed and cleared out and the new back-covered porch was going to be such a pretty view, we realized that we need that 4th window.

We did some window configuration and realized we could take another one of the unused original windows from downstairs (one of the smaller ones in the entry) and put it up in the bathroom, which would be a better scale for that bathroom. It wouldn’t be operable, but that’s ok (there is a fan). But it was smaller and since we had to reframe it anyway (HOT TIP: do this before re-siding) this felt like a smart swap. We’d put the original large bedroom-now-bathroom window back into the bedroom (matching perfectly) on the much-needed west exterior wall and then add this smaller leftover window in the newly created guest bath on the east wall. It was window musical chairs and it hurt my brain for a while, but so glad we did it.

Here is what it looks like on the outside with the four windows:

So much better and since this back porch and view have become such a feature of the home I’m SO GRATEFUL that we did it. Thank you, Jamie and ARCIFORM. If you want to watch a full video tour of this bathroom & where we want to take it, then here she is (just wait for the ad to play!):

Sconce | Faucet | Faucet Supply Lines | Outlet Cover | Toilet Lever

So now that that was done, no one realized (including me) that at this point we could have swapped for a different vanity with more storage, or something more custom. Now, to be honest, I’m totally fine with this because this is such a cute pedestal sink, was affordable, vintage-y, and because it was a “one and done” piece it did save us some money by not tiling or fabricating stone for a backsplash. And listen, in order to get a window in there it was always going to be awkward so we decided to do the least awkward thing and center it between the shower and the wall – thus not right above the vanity, but leaving enough room for an articulating mirror. Remember this is the guest bath and maybe a future kids’ bath. But not ours:)

Towel Bar | Shower Set | Shower Head

So here’s where we are. Everything is good and fine and great, but when I walked into this bathroom after renovating for so long I felt this slight pang of disappointment and I didn’t know why. After much thought and a few private tears, I figured it out:

1. The grout color that I loved so much (“matches perfectly” she said) made it so the wall of incredible tile felt flat. I think this move of matching the grout with the tile could absolutely work (and does) in a room with a lot of natural light that reflects off the tile, showing the texture and color variation. We did this in our main bathroom on the floor and it’s PERFECTION. But up here? Without a lot of light (the photos make it much brighter) the tile feature wall just looks dark. Can I change the grout? I mean, you can do anything but it’s a thing. I know that over time grout lightens with soap, hard water, and just general wear/tear so I feel ok about letting it just do that naturally. You could dremel out the top layer of grout (on each individual grout line) and then grout over it, but I’m not there yet. I don’t hate it, I just wish it were lighter so the grout lines would create more of a pattern (literally what I didn’t want to do at the beginning because I didn’t want it to look/feel busy). That’s all to say – if you have a ton of natural light, going tonal with the grout and tile is a great move, but if you have no natural light, contrast the grout so that the tile pops more, adding interest and pattern. End of hard lesson:) But that’s not it…
2. I was super clear at the beginning about having this monochrome tile look – the same color on walls and floors, but different shapes/orientations. But y’all it just doesn’t pop. I wish I had done a white and rose hex combo on the floor – still incorporating the pink tile but with another accent or neutral to shake it up. Or maybe even a powder blue. Dunno.

But then I remembered that wallpaper exists and that I can shake it up through (minor) accessorizing. Hope reemerged and I got to work. So let’s show you what is happening:

The Articulating Mirror

I found this vintage polished nickel at Portland Architectural Salvage and snagged it pretty quickly. I LOVE the polished nickel fixtures in here (from Rejuvenation) and was happy to find a mirror that works with it and can swing in front of the window.

Of course, this is not the bathroom nor mirror to get ready from prom in, if you know what I mean. It’s a real gift I have of finding extremely distorted antique mirrors that barely reflect your face. As you can see she is old and the paint on the back (the mercury that created the mirror effect) is chipping off. I haven’t hung it yet because we have yet to wallpaper, so I still have my eye out for another solution that might give Suz less frustration when she is putting on her lipliner. At the same time, I could also just put another mirror on the wall by the door. I’m not concerned about it AT ALL (likely because it’s not my bathroom) and I feel like not every room gets to be this super dialed 2023 luxury.

The Wallpaper

Wallpaper

I got pretty excited about putting wallpaper in here, but have yet to make the final decision. Brian and I agreed quickly on this House of Hackney London Rose pattern and we called it a day…until I became unsure of which kid will ultimately “get” this bed/bath when they get older (if either). If it ends up that Charlie (the oldest) moves in here then he’s already told us he does not want a pink floral wallpaper and you can balk at that if you want, but any parent of a seemingly cis male boy won’t try to make it a bigger thing and force it (because that is a weird parenting move and I want to respect who he is and give him a shot at loving this bathroom). I get it and so I’m taking a second to figure it out. Maybe neither kid “gets” this bathroom and the bedroom remains a guest room, with one of them more dominantly showering or getting ready in here when older. It seems easy to let Birdie have it (she is a HUGE FAN of that wallpaper), but she also likes to take baths more and I’m unsure if when she is a tween/teen if it makes more sense for her to “get” the kids bath with the bathtub. Again, I’m not concerned about it at all, this isn’t a real thing, I’m just working it out here in real-time and I really don’t want to replace the wallpaper in 4 years nor do I want Charlie to feel silly or embarrassed showing his friends his room. So is there a wallpaper that could offset the femininity of the pinky/rose just in case? Maybe! I’m waiting on Kelly Ventura’s new samples to get to me (which are likely to do the trick) but meanwhile, I’m going to look around a bit and see if there is something that might make more sense for more family members, long term. The feminist in me wants to make men deal through a few floral wallpapers as we have DEALT with centuries of systemic patriarchal oppression:). But the loving mom in me wants my son to feel like his room represents him as much as Birdie’s room represents her because he’s wonderful, not to blame, and has done no such oppression in his 9 years on this planet. I’m also kinda laughing to myself right now as the tone is so hard to portray in writing (is it time for a podcast?). Why oh why would I open up this conversation in a seemingly innocuous progress post? Who knows. Silly, Emily. But I guess I want you to know why I’m not immediately installing that pink floral wallpaper. Lastly, and with less gender controversy, we were going to do a shower curtain in here to save money and bring in some sweetness, but once I realized that the room needed more pattern (aka wallpaper) I knew that a curtain wouldn’t do and we’d have to put in a glass shower door. You can have a shower curtain with wallpaper, but it’s not terribly advised for overspray and general moisture reasons – especially in Oregon where it is so humid in the winter. I just finalized the glass order and it should be installed in a few weeks, and then I’ll hopefully pick a wallpaper, install the mirror (and that sweet antique polished nickel cup and toothbrush holder), and be done with this little lady. If I’m being honest no matter what wallpaper I choose this bathroom is inherently going to be relatively on the “feminine” side (pink + pedestal sink + wallpaper will do that to a space) so you might see this original wallpaper back up on the walls in a couple of months because that’s what Brian and I want. Stay tuned 🙂

Resources:
Wall Tile: Pratt + Larson
Floor Tile: Pratt + Larson
Sconce: Rejuvenation
Faucet: Rejuvenation
Shower Fixtures: Rejuvenation
Pedestal Vanity: Rejuvenation
Wallpaper: House of Hackney
Wall Paint Color: Pure White by Sherwin-Williams

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post Farmhouse Guest Bathroom Update (And How I Feel About The Tonal Grout Choice) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Step Inside Artist Ben Medansky’s Colorful, Modern-Industrial Home

From Emily: I’ve been a MASSIVE fan of Ben Medansky’s for years and years – his sculptures are so provocative and full of such spirit. I forget if he reached out to me or vice versa, but he invited me over to his home, and I was immediately blown away by every inch of it. Like a true artist, there was this sense of unbridled creativity, yet in a way that was still totally livable. I wish there were more homes of creatives that we could take our kids to because exposing them to homes like Ben’s that are full of color, whimsy and so much quiet rebellion is wildly inspiring. I hope you love it as much as we do.

Hello friends, Ryann here to be your virtual guide through yet another stunning home tour featured in Emily’s book, The New Design Rules. As Emily prefaced above, you are about to get a glimpse inside the home of Ben Medansky, and not unlike his art, his home is endlessly inspiring and encompasses bold uses of color with a breathtaking mix of modern and vintage elements.

One of the many things I am so drawn to about his home is how effortlessly the Mid-century modern furniture blends with his contemporary art, pops of bold color, and notes of industrial influence. It comes across as effortless, but anyone who has dabbled in mixing styles knows this is far from easy to do so. There is a noticeable balance between different styles and colors that creates a highly lived-in, personal feel.

This room is one of my favorite examples of how to create a space that is personal and straightforward, yet totally unexpected and creative. Despite the amazing use of bold color, this home isn’t maximalist and despite the white walls and wood tones, it isn’t minimalist either. It toes the line between both by perfectly balancing bold modern elements with understated timeless decor. Not surprisingly, this is also mastered through his displays of art (some his, some by friends of his).

If you are already familiar with Ben’s art (and if you aren’t yet then consider this your introduction), you probably guessed that the awesome ceramic totemic piece is one of his. He made this one for himself and I really love how perfectly it suits this room. The colors play off the rest of the decor and furniture, it adds a lot of texture, and the height is crucial to draw your eye up to the incredible high ceilings.

When it comes to living room layouts, having the back of the sofa face out toward another common area is not the most ideal but sometimes it is the only layout that makes sense (which is obviously the case here). A hack we normally suggest when this is the only option is to drape a blanket or vintage fabric over the back of the sofa to create some visual interest. But clearly, this sofa has no need for such a hack. It is an extremely special piece by Stephen Kenn with a metal base and leather belt strappings to keep the cushions in place. It’s functional art as far as we are concerned, so hiding the back of it against a wall may as well be a crime. Luckily, this living room calls for the sofa to “float” out in the open so we all can enjoy a full 360-degree view of the stunning sofa.

The back of the sofa calls for a close-up. The contrast between the brown leather straps, metal frame, and bright blue cushions is really striking.

The kitchen is quite simple and utilitarian except for that incredible island so I had to ask Ben to tell me more about it. He told me the kitchen island was custom-made by Eddy and Astrid Sykes of wrinkle.MX who also designed and built the house. The front of the island is made of cast fiberglass and the top is a custom-edged and honed Carrera marble slab. It’s incredible.

On the opposite side of the kitchen island, the light wood drawers and Carrera countertop create some warmth to contrast with the steel appliances and concrete floors. I LOVE this juxtaposition and how it adds depth and nuance to the space. For the drawers, having circle cutouts instead of hardware adds to this straightforward yet creative style that is carefully exuded throughout the home.

We have talked about those pendant lights on the blog before because they are a great example of breaking a design “rule”. The unspoken “rule” is that an array of lights in a line like so should match one another to maintain continuity and to prevent a space from feeling unfinished or random. Here, the pendants are matching except for their color which is a really cool design risk that 100% paid off. The fact that they go from light to dark creating an ombre effect makes it feel intentional yet totally unique.

The all-steel stove and counters drive home the industrial style that grounds the home. This utilitarian vibe mixed with contemporary art is really exciting.

We never take for granted the power of natural light here at EHD, and it is safe to say this home is dripping with it. The kitchen and dining area open up to the backyard with huge floor-to-ceiling sliding doors which allows so much beautiful natural light to flow through. The skylight in the living room always helps, too :).

Now onto the bathroom, where this vintage pink dresser-turned-vanity paired with a black accent wall creates such a dynamic look. I love the choice to continue the paint color up the ceiling so it encompasses the room (but he didn’t paint every wall so the color isn’t too overwhelming). SO good.

It is very rare we show toilets on the blog (because, well, you know) but I love how simple this one is. Mounting it on the wall partition is very modern and dare I say elegant.

Also, please note the salvaged graffiti door to the left. It’s just another highly creative decor element that speaks to Ben’s style and brings a ton of personality to the space.

I adore this clawfoot tub and love that the black accents tie in the paint color and tile. It creates continuity without being too expected.

This open shower and bathtub nook is really incredible. The way it is open to the outdoors helps drive home a natural, airy feel that is completely intoxicating. I also love how the plants add to this effect (and now I am thinking I want to see more plants in showers!).

In the bedroom, a vintage wall-mount sliding barn door brings in so much soul. The fact that it is so tarnished compared to the clean white walls creates such an exciting contrast that I just can’t get enough of. And again, dark wood MCM furniture plays into the simple, straightforward style, and then the bold colorful art provides a modern flair.

I could stare at this home all day but unfortunately, this concludes our home tour of the day. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, and huge thanks to Ben Mendansky for sharing his incredibly inspiring home with us. xx

Design by Ben Medansky | Styling by Velinda Hellen and Erik Staalberg | Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

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The Link Up: Emily’s Magical Salad Chopping Tool, Caitlin’s Vacuum Show & Tell, And A Plea For Paris Vintage Shopping Recs

Happy Sunday everyone. For EHD this was an exciting week between Emily’s mudroom reveal (see above but also go read the post if you missed it), Em’s new pool install (and the drama that unfolded – see her Instastories or you can wait for the blog post), and lastly some fun developments on the MOTO (Makeover Takeover) front. However, we likely don’t need to tell you that it has been yet another devasting week in the United States. It continues to be heartbreaking that guns and the lack of common sense laws seem to have a higher value than actual human lives. One of our favorites, Gabrielle Blair (aka DesignMom), has yet again made some very important points on this issue. Whether your gut is to agree or disagree before reading maybe just take a moment and have a look. We can’t get numb.

This week’s home tour is a stunning apartment in Mexico City (as if we needed yet another reason to love that magical place). It’s funny because when you see the space you don’t immediately clock that its architecture is really contemporary because of how it is decorated. The soothing colors, the amazing vintage from the owner’s travels, tons of different textures, and of course the magic of limewash paint. Our favorite detail might be the limewash accent walls under the stairway. It’s a perfect example of when an accent wall makes sense (because there’s an architectural reason:)) Go check out Natalie Stoclet’s home on Clever.

From Emily: The salad tool that makes my salad taste like a $16 salad from a professional salad store. I know it’s soup season but hear me out: I was making a salad over the holidays for all the adults and my BIL was like, “Oh you should get what I have – the metal bowl and salad cutter thing that chops and mixes everything perfectly”.  He sent me the link, I ordered it, and have since used it every lunch, joyfully, as if I’m behind the counter at one of those fancy salad places. It mixes and chops everything small enough that you get all the ingredients in the same bite – CRUCIAL to pure salad enjoyment. With a few whips of the wrist, your salad goes from awkward and clumsy to gourmet. No one, I mean NO ONE wants to eat a whole broccoli floret in a salad (Brian and I differ on this so technically Brian does) but once finely chopped and mixed in you can put more veggies in a way that tastes just so good.

From Mallory: I want this book and I want it badddd — Colin King is an insanely talented stylist (you’ve probably seen his work before if you don’t already know who he is). Every time I see a photo that makes my jaw drop I look at the crediting and the tag is @colinking. If you’re interested like I am, you can pre-order the book here!

From Ryann: I think all pet owners can agree that having pets can come with certain…odors. To that end, I like to use this deodorizing spray after I bathe my pup to help him smell fresh and clean longer. It has a subtle kiwi scent and the baking soda really helps keep his coat nice and clean.

From Caitlin: As promised in my earlier post this week – a before & after shots from vacuuming with my new Dyson V15 after two weeks of cat fur and laundry lint buildup (I wanted you to be able to see the difference, too!). GUYS. This thing is extraordinary! It weighs 6 pounds, it’s easy to maneuver, and it pulls up SO MUCH GUNK – my former corded vacuum literally cannot compare. It took less than two minutes to take this rug from “yikes” to “freshly unrolled,” which is a literal dream come true – after 10 years of opting for tan rugs (in the hopes of concealing my cat’s fur), it’s SO EXCITING to find a tool that can keep my bold, rich, jewel-toned pieces looking like new. It makes me excited to source some more saturated floor coverings for the rest of my apartment:) The laser tools are incredible, too. (It shoots out a green light that highlights dirt and dust that’s invisible to your naked eye!). It’s a splurge, but it’s a blast to use, and IT ROCKS. So effective. I wish I could buy one for all of you!!!

From Jess: Y’all the “Les and Jess Take Paris” trip is officially booked!! I’ll be there at the end of February so it’s going to be cold. Because bodies can never stay constant (side eye) I needed some new pants and got these cuties from Abercrombie. My faint attempt at looking like a cool (but unstated) Parisian…ha.

Also From Jess: Speaking of Paris, pretty please give me all of your Paris vintage home store/flea market recs! We’re willing to travel a little outside of the city if necessary:) I promise to make a reallllly good blog post out of it!

GREAT SALES:

Lulu and Georgia is having their annual rug sale and is giving 20% off with code RUGS20 (even rugs that are on sale!)

Alright, that’s it for today. Enjoy the rest of your day, hug your loved ones, and stay diligent. xx

Opening Image Credits: Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM | Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Farmhouse Mudroom Reveal

The post The Link Up: Emily’s Magical Salad Chopping Tool, Caitlin’s Vacuum Show & Tell, And A Plea For Paris Vintage Shopping Recs appeared first on Emily Henderson.

My Winter Workout Gear – What I’m Wearing And Loving Both Indoors And Out When It’s Chilly (And Even Freezing)

Despite the weather being different up here than in SoCal, I love the few months after the holidays when I hunker down, stay in every night, make so much cozy food, and recommit to an exercise routine that was forgotten during most of November and December. Honestly, part of it is just the need for endorphins during the darkness, and I am forever grateful for these dogs that force me to walk in nature for 1-2 hours a day (which is a huge mood boost and very missed when I don’t do it). So today I’ll show you the pieces that I wear inside (for yoga classes and Pelaton rides) as well as the base layer when I go outside and the different jackets and coats that I need for different temperatures or weather. If you have coat confusion and never know what coat you need for what weather or temperature, you are not alone. I’ve figured some things out.

Matching Sets (That Are Also Easy To Throw On A Top For Zoom Calls)

Tank | Leggings

I booked a partnership with Vuori which I said yes to immediately because almost everything that I’ve bought from the I’ve loved (this post isn’t sponsored, just instastories, but I wanted to show you here because I love them). I bought these leggings recently (which I’ve linked up before) and couldn’t believe how soft they were and proceeded to buy two more (and then Oscar ate the crotch out of one of them so I’m back to two). So I knew that for this brand (as well as for most) I like to size up in leggings to be more comfortable. This patterned version I’m wearing is a bit slicker, but still extremely comfortable and very, very flattering. I can wear them all day every day – they don’t cut in anywhere and the subtle pattern makes them forgiving – it shows nothing underneath. I can’t HANDLE when pants are thin and you see all the bits and bobs – the fabric technology is so much better now so don’t settle for this if you don’t want to.

I rarely wear a tank top because I’m self-conscious, which is dumb, but I’m more comfortable covering them up. I recently started back into a heated yoga class and I need to wear less clothes so I don’t DIE. As far as the tank/sports bra – this one has a support shelf and shaping pads (that don’t add too much bulk, they just give your ladies a nice shape). I can definitely wear this for yoga, but not anything too high impact as it’s not a super supportive sports bra (but again, I have large 43-year-old natural lady DD boobs, so they like support if I jump up and down a lot:). I love the cut of this in front and back – it doesn’t cut in in the armpit at all (I’m wearing a medium) and I like a racer back. The tank stays down more than any other (you can watch some yoga moves in stories if you want to see it in action). I’ve historically not worn super cute matching sets because I don’t love wearing really tight or small clothes, but this set is so cute and it changed my mind quickly and made me honestly just feel a little better/cooler. I like the peek of the mid-drift without showing off too much in different poses.

Tank | Leggings

I’m pretty sure I’m watching Cody ride, listening to Kelly Clarkson, as we were shooting this (IFKYK). This gray tank is so cute but less supportive than the other. Brian is a fan, FYI, so I wear this more for weight lifting in our bedroom (until we figure out where we are going to put all our home gym stuff) and like it for more mellow Peloton rides (not the HIIT and hills ones). These pants are also excellent. A different cut than the others, in a dark camo which is again flattering and forgiving.

T-Shirt (similar) | Tank | Leggings | Shoes (similar)

I put this together so you could see my favorite pants but they are all sold out in black (stay tuned). I’m more likely to go to yoga wearing this crop top and then de-robe when it gets hot, revealing my tank underneath. Also, I couldn’t find my mat so yes, that is a bathroom runner turned upside down, fooling even myself:)

My Base Layer For Colder Days – Mostly Dog Walking

After walking the dogs for a year and a half up here I’ve gone through a lot of coat confusion and there is NOTHING worse than when you are 2 miles away and you are either A. still cold or B. sweating inside your coat. So I start with a good base layer then let the temperature of the coat match the weather. It’s a patented formula, science-backed.

Top (similar) | Bra | Leggings | Socks

These awkward poses are because I was trying to show you both the finger holes on the shirt (which keeps my hands colder) AND the pockets in the pants for my cell phone. These pants are on the warmer side which is good if I don’t want to wear a long coat. They also have great compression, which is so good for a fast performance. That shirt doesn’t look anything special but I find the cut more flattering than longer cuts. I couldn’t find the shirt online, but this one looks very great and similar function. What you can’t see is the most supportive sports bra I’ve bought in a long time (great for high-impact anything – I can run again!!) as it has clasps and zipper in front and clasps in the back. Neither pants nor sports bra are “sitting around the house” comfortable, but they are both high-performance for HIIT workouts or when I muster up the willpower to actually run the dogs.

Solving My Coat Confusion – What I Wear Outside On My Long Dog Walks

Coat (similar)

It should be known (again) that I was a professional dog walker in my early 20’s in New York – a job that I really loved and clearly, it turned into a very committed daily hobby (can walking be a hobby? If so I’m really nailing it these days). But it took me a while to dial in my dog-walking attire in the PNW winter months. I don’t want to layer because I don’t want bulk or to feel claustrophobic, but I hate being cold and definitely not sweaty while it’s cold outside. You have to strategize and I take it very seriously. I start with a good base layer that is thin but warm (above), then I need to calculate the temperature and the precipitation chances to choose the right coat for the time of the day (and the time of day matters!). I want to warm up quickly but not get sweaty on mile three.

This first one is my 20-40 degree coat that I wear especially when I don’t want to change into super warm pants. I can wear any of my above thing and comfy leggings, throw this coat on and I’m warm from my neck to my ankles (I hate cold legs). It is extremely warm and if I wear it when it’s 45+ degrees, on a big walk, I will get too hot and sweat which is annoying. But it’s perfect for the 34-degree mornings when leaving the house in the pitch black which feels painful unless you are bundled up properly and it’s great for standing on the sidelines of any games in the winter.

One of the things I love about it is that the top half is lined with fleece so that it’s extremely cozy. I don’t layer anything underneath except a long sleeve shirt. The bottom half is slick parka material making it light and easy to walk in. And there are zipper pockets on both the outside and inside. I read a lot of good reviews on this coat before I bought it and would buy it over and over and over. It zips from your calves to your neck and is just so warm, without being heavy. UGH. I can’t see to find the link for it (I bought it last year). I’m sorry! But this one is super similar.

Jacket

Next up is my 45 – 55 degree jacket. This is great for long walks (but might not be warm enough for just hanging by the soccer field in winter, but def good in fall/spring). I like that it’s long enough to still keep my butt warm. Lululemon loves a fitted body-con coat which I don’t think is necessary (meaning they contour their coats to create a flattering hourglass shape) so yes, it is slimming. Definitely size up – this is a 6 and there are days when it feels too tight (I have an even older model of the same coat in a size 4 which still fits – I don’t get it (and yes I’ve been frustrated buying online, so I try to it just in person when I need something new).

It’s a good jacket, and on final sale for $50 off, that I do wear a lot. I wish that the current colors were available when I bought this one (that blue is so good!). If I didn’t have this one already I would buy it now in the reflective gear colorway as gearing up with my reflector vest and headlamp is annoying…

The Oversized Fleece

Warm Fleece

Another for 45 – 65 degree brisk walks, and this one is warm enough on its own if you are standing outside for soccer. I just got it and have worn it a lot in the last 2 weeks. It’s a great oversized fleece that is extremely cozy on the inside (it drives me nuts when fleeces aren’t fleece-y on the inside!). It doesn’t look very flattering up there, but I feel cute wearing it. I like that it has so many pockets and is just really warm.

It’s long enough to cover your butt (which keeps you SO much warmer than just going to your waist) but you can also style it up like that (which is cute in a bulbous kinda way). I find that I wear this around the house a lot, like a grandpa sweater.

The Long But Light Raincoat

Raincoat

This is my 60+ degree raincoat (or long windbreaker). I avoid walking the dogs in the pouring rain because nobody likes that, but I definitely walk them in sprinkles or take the risk during dryer moments on rainier days. When it does rain I don’t love my legs getting wet, so this one goes down to my knees and feels more like a long windbreaker than a big raincoat. Definitely not for warmer days, but sometimes in the afternoons it gets warm enough that I just want a layer (like a top sheet for those of you who like to sleep with just a bit of fabric). And it has a hood in case I get caught in the rain, which I obviously have.

The Short Rain Jacket/Windbreaker

Jacket

Lastly, for my afternoon walk when it’s not cold (55+) I want something lightweight, with a pocket that will block the air/wind. This guy isn’t really flashy (I have other spring windbreakers just you wait) but it is simple and good.

It has a zipper pouch, zips up to your chin (keeping your neck warm), and is water and windproof. I suppose if you were a big winter hiker this would be a great one for you – super lightweight but keeps out the elements.

And there you have it. I can’t believe how much I had to say about each one. I do think there is a big hole in the market specifically for cool ‘dog walking’ clothes. I’d be happy to collaborate with a brand on this because I have a lot of grievances and suggestions. We dog walkers deserve to look and feel cool, too, while being safe at night and warm during the day. Once again giving away a million-dollar idea … 🙂

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post My Winter Workout Gear – What I’m Wearing And Loving Both Indoors And Out When It’s Chilly (And Even Freezing) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

How Albie Created The (Design) World She Wanted To See With The Meridian Experience…And You Can Be A Part Of It!

From Jess: I wanted to write a little intro because I truly can’t even begin to describe what a special, joyous, moving, and informative conference this was last year. The EHD team was lucky enough to be asked to be speakers and I can only hope we contributed as much as we got out of the weekend. It’s easy to forget how important community is and how empowering it feels. So while I don’t consider myself a content creator because I really just help Emily be one, being around these incredible creators, both veterans and newcomers I found what felt like my community. I got to meet so many family faces, have wonderful conversations, and definitely fan girl a little:) I’ll never forget the first night as we were sitting down for dinner, Albie came out on stage to welcome us and everyone immediately everyone stood up and started clapping and cheering. You could feel the love, the connection, and the gratitude that she had created a space that was truly for everyone. It was almost impossible to not get emotional. And Albie, of course, isn’t going to sing her praises too loudly so I will. We (as in Emily and our team) were astounded by what she was able to create. Not because we didn’t believe in her but because it was just beyond what any of us thought was possible for a first-time conference. It was expertly crafted and so much fun. If Albie’s goal was for design influencers to connect on a deeper level she achieved that with flying colors. Everyone, no matter what their status, was so warm, welcoming, and as helpful as they could be. If 2022 was year one I can only imagine what Albie is capable of for 2023 and beyond. If you are a design influencer, GO. Get your ticket here! The dates are June 21st to June 24th. It’s so so worth it. And if you are a company that is interested in sponsoring, DO IT. You are in great hands with this incredible woman. I could ramble on longer but I will let Albie get into her reflections and her plans for this year!

Happy New Year! I don’t care that most of January is already somehow gone because it’s still a very happy new year over here. This time last year, for context, I was bed bound & in between naps, planning the inaugural Meridian Experience Weekend from my iPhone. That’s how committed I was to bringing this dream to life. P.S. 10/10 do not recommend. When the doctor says rest, you should absolutely actually rest. Yet here I was, determined to get this vision outta my head & into the world… and I did. The Meridian Experience Weekend debuted in Bellevue, WA at the Meydenbauer Center, hosting 100 interior designers & home influencers for a 4 day weekend of celebration, community, edification, and transformation. We laughed. We cried… a lot. We learned. And we forged relationships that have legit changed the trajectories of some people’s careers & lives. 

Which leaves the question…how do I top that!?

If you read my Meridian Experience post from last year, then you know the back story of how this idea was planted, watered, nurtured, and came to be. And if you didn’t read it, go do that now then come back here…I’ll wait.

I went into this eyes wide open, fully aware that nothing about this was going to be easy…and it wasn’t. I am, for all intents and purposes, a one-woman show who happens to have an amazingly generous network of peers & friends. These relationships were absolutely a huge aid in executing this massive event, however, the reality is that all of the minutiae of the event – getting sponsors, programming, coordinating speaker flights, social media marketing, ticket tracking, etc. – were all my job. I knew all of this and did it anyway because it needed to be done. 

Going into this year, I had to guard myself against thinking I would need to “top” myself. There are certain things that happen that when you experience them, you categorize them as “once in a lifetime” and while the Meridian Experience 2022 Weekend certainly felt that way, I didn’t want it to stay that way. The goal was always to return for as many years as possible. Rather than trying to outdo the 2022 experience, I knew I needed to learn from & improve the 2022 experience. As an amateur event producer – amateur, in that, this isn’t my full-time career – I learned a lot…like building the plane while also trying to take off. Again…10/10 do not recommend lol. 

With the planning & preparation officially underway for the Meridian Experience 2023 Weekend, I have a very clear idea of what I want to keep, change, and remove. I am also humble enough to know that there’s still a lot that I don’t know & can only hope that I’m agile enough to get through them. This year my to-do list is just as long – secure sponsorships, finalize venue details, confirm speakers, sell tickets, raise funds, figure out my wardrobe…all the things! There’s a lot that goes into these events that we, as attendees, greatly appreciate yet never think about how they come together. When I think about the events that inspired Meridian, I’ve studied every detail – guest swag bags, stage backdrops, pre-event email experience, venue signage, microphone branding, social media rollout…every. single. detail. What I deeply undervalued was how much the vision in my head would cost because apparently, I have very expensive dreams. You don’t know what you don’t know. And now…I know a little bit more. 

Top of the list for me was creating a scalable curriculum for returning attendees, while also ensuring it would feel fresh for our new guests. For me, this meant bringing back nearly all of the ME2022 speakers. Every speaker is a wealth of information and, to be honest, we only just scratched the surface last summer. Returning speakers – and mentors – would be able to continue to pour into the attendees, their 2022 mentees, and themselves by reconnecting with a community that’s typically divided by state lines & packed schedules. And selfishly, I don’t have ANY group pictures of the speakers! There’s hardly any proof that was ever even in the same room with half of them and I want a do-over! LOL. 

On that same note, I spend more time ripping & running than I did actually hosting, meaning this will be the year I learn how to delegate so I can eventually scale. I have makeup that never got seen & shoes that never got worn because I was always working. Thank goodness for the support of my friends to help carry the load because I can’t even imagine how I would’ve navigated those 4 days without them! And note that I said “learn” to delegate because handing things off & asking for help does not come naturally to me. That, combined with not having resources to outsource meant being extremely scrappy. 

The goal is that with each year, I can be less scrappy & more strategic. Speaking Of Strategy…

I knew returning to Bellevue, WA – with Visit Bellevue as a returning partner…woot woot! – would continue to support the elevated integrity of the event & last year’s data supported by the theory that this would be a one-of-a-kind retreat style event…not just a conference. For example, most attendees selected their highest tier in our hotel block; and nearly all of our guests came in a day early and/or stayed a day late to shop, dine, and explore the city & Seattle. The Meridian Experience community leaned into their #MESeason by, not only joining us to learn, but to truly celebrate themselves.

Working with partners that would recognize their talent for elevated design and storytelling means I have spent A LOT of time looking at who potential attendees are tagging & swooning over. This has been as much fun as it’s been insightful.

Hi…my name is Albie & market research makes me happy. 

In addition to returning speakers, I have been very intentional about reaching out to partners I would hope to work with, prioritizing those in the Meridian Experience network…not just my network. This isn’t an event for me to work with brand partners, establish new relationships, and grow my portfolio…it’s for everyone else in attendance to reach these milestones. My job is to facilitate the accelerated connections to make this possible…to ensure that everyone’s #MESeason continues.

For This Year’s Event, I Have A Handful Of Very Clear Goals:Sell out all 100 tickets, and we’re already a quarter into that goal. Last year we were 31 tickets short, and while the vibes were truly perfect, I wanna hit that 100-attendee goal. On-board partners that are proactively looking for home influencers & brand ambassadors to work with, so that those relationships can start right on site. Create the first iteration of The Meridian House – a mini show house style display of vignettes designed by the Meridian community of designers. In 2016, I began researching what it would take to create a completely shoppable pop-up show house. Short answer: A LOT. This year, I hope to get the right sponsors to begin to slowly bring this to fruition. Raise $10,000 in crowdfunding, passing last year’s $7K achievement. I’ve said it before & I’ll continue to say it – ME2022 was largely possible due to the immense generosity of our extended online community donating to the launch & investing in its success because, in many ways, Meridian is a start-up.Actually get to meet & greet everyone, and sit in on the sessions, because while I know who everyone was, I didn’t get any face time with most of them & I don’t know what anyone learned.

Whether or not I hit all 5 goals to perfection…only time will tell. I do know, however, that I’ll be working feverishly towards making it happen & chipping away at each goal with every social media post, sponsor pitch, email campaign, and #allthethings happening behind the scenes. 

Speaking Of Behind-The-Scenes…

Because there is so much foundation already laid, there’s a lot I haven’t had to do and I find myself sometimes wondering if I’m forgetting to answer an email or confirm a meeting or just do something. Why? Because this year, so far, I’ve been able to BREATHE. What you, and many others, may not know about me is that during the planning of ME2022 I had a full-time job. This year, during the planning of ME2023…I again have a full time. I have a husband and a daughter and a home, and countless other responsibilities. I’ve had my health go through waves of highs and lows. And of course, I am still @albieknows. There is almost never white space in my days and it’s not impossible for things to slip through the cracks. And yet…I still feel at peace…some weeks less peaceful…yet peace all the same. There’s a clarity, I suppose, that comes with knowing you tried and survived something that is big, scary, and unknown. I survived the Meridian Experience 2022 Weekend. I came out all the other side exhausted as all get out & leaned hard into my home as my soft place to land…and I wouldn’t change a thing, because to change how everything played out would be the erasure of all the lessons learned. 

As tickets continue to sell and I continue to do what I do, it sometimes feels like a dream to be able to do this for the second year in a row. To have attendees, speakers, and partners return signals to me that I did what I set out to do last year, and we can only go up from here!

If you would like to attend go here and get your ticket HERE for the 6/21-6/24 weekend!

*Photos by Ellie Lillstrom
**Recap Video Available on @meridianexperience

The post How Albie Created The (Design) World She Wanted To See With The Meridian Experience…And You Can Be A Part Of It! appeared first on Emily Henderson.