Emily Henderson's Blog, page 140

15 (Yes, New Ones) Easy & Healthy Slow Cooker Meals You AND Your Kids Will Love (We Hope)

Much like every other year I’ve been on this earth (ok at least since college), I’ve needed a full body reset after the holidays. It may be the most cliche thing ever but it doesn’t make it not true. I need veggies, I need protein, I need tasty meals that feel good to my body. But the thing about cooking when you have to apparently also feed your children, they need to want to eat these healthy, nourishing meals too. Easy, right? Hahaha. So this is a post that we (mainly Sara) did a couple of years ago when I realized the actual magic of the crockpot. Remember the days when I could hardly chop an onion properly?? Guys, I’ve gotten so much better. Also after rereading this post, I feel like I’m reading about a totally different Emily. WILD.

So look at this post as your readymade shopping list and your crockpot as your cook, giving you optimal time to ease into January. Have a great rest of your weekend and enjoy the NEW recipes we added. xx

In my attempt to “mother my children,” it has come to my attention that food, three times a day in their mouths is crucial to their success. So like any good mom, I tasked one of my team members, Sara, to research fast, easy and affordable meals with as few ingredients as possible (to avoid waste) that I can throw in a slow cooker or pot before I go to work. She found a bunch on Pinterest and blogs that claimed this “mom fantasy” trio, but I wanted to test one out to ensure they indeed tasted good before passing off to you guys. In case you are under the wrong assumption that I just don’t like to cook, it’s more that it’s just not the best use of my time, and instead, hanging out with my kids after I get home from work while a dinner simmers produces a better night for all.

Here are the rules I gave Sara while researching:

1.) The ingredient list had to be small. No one wants to spend $60 at the grocery store buying 22 new ingredients for one recipe that will end up rotting in my fridge.

2.) The instructions had to be simple. Sara says my cooking level is “burnt grilled cheese” and history has proved this, but I’d like to remind her that I won MANY a blue ribbon in 4-H cooking in front of judges when I was 10. There is a specific person that can handle what I do at work and then have the brain space to execute a complicated meal with two small kids begging for attention and distracting me from the kitchen. I am not this person and that’s okay.

3.) They need to be healthy. I can make them a cheese quesadilla, what I need are more delicious recipes with vegetables.

4.) And finally, the recipes had to be meals that the whole family could eat—not kid specific but not adults-only either.

After researching for the Holy Grails of easy, minimal, healthy, kid-friendly meals, we’ve got 15 recipes for your cooking pleasure.

Today, we’re just focusing on meals you can make in a slow cooker (or Instant Pot if you’re cool, unlike me). Slow cookers/crockpots/Instant Pots are great for so many reasons, but the biggest one is the time they can save you (plus, who on earth wants to turn on their hot stove when it’s exactly 2,000 degrees outside?). You can dump everything in that thing before walking out the door and come home to a dinner that’s basically ready to serve. Slow cookers sound old fashioned, but they might just be heroes we need in our fast-paced, modern world.

The real question is, do these recipes work (as in, are they yummy, easy and kids will ACTUALLY want to eat them)? We were a little skeptical. So, I picked a recipe that sounded tasty and we took it for a test drive in my kitchen. Friends, it was so easy and so delicious.

We decided to try out a recipe for White Chicken Chili from food blog Gimme Some Oven. It only called for five essential ingredients—chicken breasts, chicken stock, canned great northern beans, salsa verde, and ground cumin. Sara picked up all these ingredients at the Trader Joe’s around the corner from our house on her way over and spent about $30 getting enough for two batches. I also grabbed sour cream, shredded cheese, avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, lime and chopped onion as garnish options.

The method of attack was this: Pull out the slow cooker, place the raw chicken breasts at the bottom of the pot, pour over the salsa, chicken broth, and cumin, then cover and let cook for 3 1/2 hours on high OR 8 1/2 hours on low (check out the recipe for all the right amounts, etc.). When your timer goes off, add in your canned beans (drained), and let cook for another 30 minutes on low (the perfect amount of time to set the dinner table, pull out the garnishes, and wrangle toddlers). Did it work? Yes. Was it delicious? YES. Any notes? We found the recipe called for a little more liquid in our chili than we would have liked, so we’d recommend omitting 1 to 2 cups of chicken stock for a thicker chili. There’s no dairy or sugar in this recipe, and you can top bowls with extra vegs like diced onion or avocado.

Most importantly, it was 2-year-old approved by Birdie herself. The recipe checked all the boxes. But watch stories for her real reaction (the first thing she said was “what are these?” to the cherry tomatoes and when I reminded her what they were, she said, “oh, I DO NOT LIKE TOMATOES.” We’ve had this conversation so many times, by the way. Cherry tomatoes are deceptive. I get it.

Now, we haven’t tried the rest of the recipes in this post, but they all sound as simple and delicious as the chicken chili.

Sara took over writing the rest of this post because she did the research and cares far more about food writing than I do. So, here are the other 14 easy, fast, affordable and healthy recipes she found for you.

Shredded Chicken (also via Gimmie Some Oven) 

Wait, THREE ingredients?! All we’re talking about in this recipe is uncooked chicken breasts, one can of salsa, and one packet of taco seasoning (Trader Joe’s has a GREAT taco seasoning packet, FYI). Let it all simmer in your slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours on low (3 to 4 on high), and then use two forks to get that chicken shredded. This would be great for tacos, in a burrito bowl, or on top of a salad with fresh corn and black beans.

Pork Pot Roast (via SweetPhi) 

This dish is going to make you look so much fancier and put together than you actually are (this is a broad generalization—disregard if you are currently very fancy and put together). All you’re going to need is uncooked pork roast, potatoes, garlic salt, an Italian seasoning packet, and chicken broth. Imagine all the added veggie options you could sneak in here. Carrots would be my first choice, but green beans, pearl onions, turnips, sweet potatoes, or cabbage would all do well. A chuck of beef would also do well with this same treatment (though I might omit the chicken stock and use a bit of water and cornstarch instead, like in this Tasty video).

Beef & Broccoli (via Creme de la Crumb)

Okay, so this recipe technically calls for nine ingredients, BUT I almost guarantee you that you probably have at least four of them sitting in your pantry and fridge. A bottle of soy sauce that’s rarely used? That box of cornstarch from a past science experiment that’s sat untouched in the back of your pantry? They’re about to become useful again. Eat it over brown rice or straight out of the crockpot, all at once, by yourself. Your family can fend for themselves.

Turkey Wraps (via Better Homes & Gardens)

If there’s one thing I know about Brian Henderson, it’s that he loves a wrap almost as much as sandwiches. This recipe combines tender shredded turkey with healthy broccoli-and-carrot slaw to create a super easy wrap that could work for dinner with leftovers for lunch. To be fair, this recipe does call for a pre-bottled sauce but that’s kind of the beauty of these easy recipes. Turning something pre-packaged into an actual meal with minimal effort. And if you’ve never bought broccoli-and-carrot slaw before, you can find it in the salad aisle of most grocery stores these days.

Crock Pot Tortellini & Spinach Soup (via Lil’ Luna)

This is another recipe that leans on a pre-packaged item to round it out. Just seasonings, a bag of spinach, chicken broth, canned tomatoes, and a package of chef’s choice tortellini (the chef being you). The recipe calls for a block of cream cheese as well, but while that sounds SO GOOD, I’m sure it can be omitted in the name of “health” or something. Make it vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock!

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken (via Oh Sweet Basil)

One of my favorite meals growing up was when my parents would get a rotisserie chicken and just make some mac and cheese or rice and microwave some frozen veggies to go along with it. This is also how I survived through a lot of finals during college. Plus, leftover chicken is easily used in wraps, sandwiches, salads, or soups. This recipe looks absolutely fool-proof and delicious.

Black Bean Chili (via Gimme Some Oven)

I’m guessing at least a handful of you are vegetarians out there, so this recipe is for you. There are eight main ingredients, but most of them come in a can, jar, or can be bought pre-chopped. Just dump everything into the crockpot for 8 hours and serve topped with sour cream, avocado, cheese, or cilantro for a protein-rich vegetarian chili.

Chicken Noodle Soup (via The Spruce Eats)

Everyone needs a good chicken noodle soup recipe in their arsenal. Mine comes from my best friend’s grandmother in Kansas and involves homemaking egg noodles that need to rest before cooking, and slowly sautéing chicken and veggies in a bath of butter and garlic. It’s decadent, it’s delicious, it requires a lot of effort. We don’t have time for that. So instead, we’re going to rely on dry, packaged egg noodles to get the job done. Looking at the ingredient list, you might think “Uh, Sara this list is LONG and you are a liar,” to which I say Trader Joe’s sells this thing called mirepoix mix, which is a container with pre-chopped carrots, celery, and onion all in one. Buy that and send me cookies as a thank you (I like chocolate chip, thanks). This could also be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock and omitting the chicken.

Broccoli Mac & Cheese (via Eat Good 4 Life)

Okay, so this one might cater to kids a little. But sometimes everyone just needs a bowl of mac and cheese (don’t act like you’re above this). And at least with this recipe, you could source a good quality cheddar cheese and sneak in some broccoli. Oh, and this recipe only calls for six main ingredients. Don’t have a food processor or the will to drag it down from whatever shelf it’s hibernating on? A blender or knife can do a similar job on those broccoli florets.

Garlic Butter Chicken and Veggies (via The Magical Slow Cooker)

You can’t really go wrong with chicken, carrots, and potatoes covered in an herby butter. And I would probably sneak some extra vegs in here in the form of green beans. Just dump your chicken and veggies in the pot, melt your butter in the microwave, mix in your herbs, and drizzle that mixture over everything. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Watch your family eat and feel accomplished.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili (via Talley Farms Fresh Harvest)

Jess here! So this chili is INCREDIBLE. So good in fact that I made it for Christmas dinner. I wanted something tasty and warm, but healthy and not too hard to make. My dad was the one who originally sent it to me so it’s Les Bunge approved too! I’ve been a picky eater most of my life so I can confidently say that your kids will like this a lot. And if there’s an ingredient like sweet peppers that they may hate, you can easily omit. The first time I made I used an insta pot and that was much faster but as you can see above (on the right if you can’t tell:)) I made it in my dutch oven. There are a decent amount of ingredients but most are spices or canned food. It’s super easy. 10/10!

P.S. Ignore the photo on the left. That’s not what it looks like and while I am sure tortilla chips, sour cream, and squash(?) would be great additions, the recipe doesn’t call for them. Clearly some chili stock photo. Enjoy!

Healing Curry Butternut Squash Lentil Soup (via Ambitious Kitchen)

Vegan, anti-inflammatory, protein packed, AND creamy? Count me in. Plus the butternut squash would give it a sweetness I know my kids would be very into. Again, a few more ingredients then something super simple but since my skills (and more importantly patience) for cooking have increased, I don’t feel like this is too overwhelming.

Pasta Soup with Shrimp (via eatwell 101)

Honestly this just looks good and from reading the recipe also looks pretty simple. Heavier on the ingredient list but if you didn’t want to add in the shrimp even easier and I believe vegan if that’s something you are into. But that shrimp does look pretty good:)

Instant Pot Stir Fry (via ifoodreal)

Looks super simple and tasty. It’s not a “dump and serve” dish but with a prep time of only 5 mins this is an easy meal that I would feel very good serving my family to.

Well, that’s all we have for you today. We’ve got a few more posts on the back burner if you guys are into them (see what I did there? That was a subpar cooking pun, just for you). Think one-pan sheet meals, easy salads, and quick stovetop dinners. And if you have any favorite slow cooker meals or tips, let us know in the comments!

If you try any of these, please come back and let us all know how they turned out. I know some of team EHD was talking about testing more of these out themselves, so wish us luck.

More recipes (for tummies and faces):

Summer Soiree on the Patio (+ Yummy Recipes)At-Home Spa DIYs with Culligan

The post 15 (Yes, New Ones) Easy & Healthy Slow Cooker Meals You AND Your Kids Will Love (We Hope) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Caitlin’s Made A HUGE Shift In Her House Hunting Plan – Welcome To International House Hunters: EHD Edition

My whole family is buried in a tiny, quiet, 330-year-old cemetery just outside of Chestertown, Maryland. The notable exception and still-living member is my mom, Brenda, about whom I frequently overshare. Today is no exception. (You thought I was going to come back from our holiday break and write a normal lede? That I’d just jump right into an update post without a weird and personal anecdote that makes you think, “she thought this was the right tone to hit on a Friday morning? I have to drink my coffee and read about this girl’s dead family before I start mentally planning my weekend? What does this have to do with house hunting?”)

And to be fair, that’s probably the rational response. But a few weeks ago, when my mom and I passed through Chestertown on our way to scrape algae blooms off headstones with our fingernails (festive, huh?), Brenda hit me with a new question for the first time: “if it’s still light out when we’re done, do you want to see the places where dad and I used to live?”

DUH. Of course I did. So after we’d finished scratching gunk off granite, wiping down graves with bottles of water and paper towels (her), and hammering big holiday arrangements on top of each plot with long, old nails (me), Brenda drove a little deeper into the country. She pointed out former homes and told me stories about old landlords or the neighbors who used to watch me when I was a baby. And then, nonchalantly, as we were about to make a right turn, she gestured at an old gate guarding a long driveway up ahead and said, “that was the mansion we bought at auction.”

“the mansion”

And if you’re like, “hey, what the **** is Brenda talking about,” please know that I WAS IN THE EXACT SAME BOAT. The story – which had somehow never come up between us in the 30 years I’ve been alive – went like this: in 1992, my dad dragged my mom to an auction for an enormous 18 acre, 14 room, 9 bed, 6.5 bath, mid-1800s money pit. (Adjusted for inflation, even I, in 2022, would have been able to buy this home and its surrounding acreage with my current budget.)

The mansion – or the “manor house,” as the auctioneers called it – was just a portion of a 115 acre estate that had formerly belonged to a world-famous aviator. The airplane magnate – who even graced the cover of Time Magazine in the ’20s! – had passed away in the 1960s and the entirety of his property had fallen into disrepair. His land was split into 5 separate parcels and was being sold for pennies on the dollar.

brenda found the original auction booklet for me!

The manor house (lot 2 of 5) was affordable, but it was also a massive, years-long renovation project – especially for a couple with two full-time jobs, one cancer diagnosis (my dad’s), and a 6-month-old newborn baby (me, obviously). My parents were not dissuaded. “Let’s buy this house today,” said my dad. “Okay,” said my mom.

Now, if you’re familiar with my own house hunting journey over the past few years – from the similarly, uh, let’s call it…project-heavy? hill house, to the 1970s time capsule, to the sight-unseen offers – my father’s cavalier approach may ring a liiiiiittle bit of a bell. The rollercoaster may sound familiar, too – my parent’s offer was accepted, but the contract fell through after a brief legal battle (the seller no longer wanted to sell). My dad passed just a year later; Brenda and I moved in to a new build home. The manor house, in a lot of ways, is my mom’s own version of the hill house – a home that almost was – but her story had unfolded 30 years earlier.

an aerial shot of the property

There’s been some interesting scientific research which suggests that folks can be genetically predisposed to inheriting set levels of happiness or resilience or optimism. I don’t remember anything about my dad – I was too young when he died – but I seem to have inherited something else from him: a one-track mind with a real determination to complete a complicated, nightmarish, rewarding renovation project. (Along with a desire to rope Brenda in on said project – though her willingness to stand by me as I fell in love with money pit after money pit now kind of makes sense, doesn’t it? History doesn’t repeat, but it does rhyme…and I’m here with some genetically-inherited unfinished business, apparently.)

Which brings us to the real point of today’s post – because guys, finding a fixer-upper in the continental United States didn’t seem challenging or confusing or stressful enough. WE’RE GOING INTERNATIONAL. (Yeah, we. Me and you. All of us. We’re in this together now.) Let me catch you up to speed on what’s happened over the past year, yeah?

I’m Priced Out of LA (At Least For Now)

I know concepts like “being priced out of a market” can be kind of big and abstract, so I wanted to pull some actual, real-time numbers for you. You know how many homes are on the market in my price range in Los Angeles right now? And we’re talking about a huge search radius here – from North Hollywood to Pasadena to Boyle Heights. (If you’re not from LA – this is a far bigger stretch of area than I’d been searching in previously.) Anyone wanna take a quick guess?

SIX. In a city with between 4 and 18 million people (you know, depending on what you consider to be LA), there are SIX HOMES available under $575,000 in my newly-expanded 130+ square mile search radius. But it gets better (or bleaker, depending on how schadenfreude-y you’re feeling):

1 is a cash-only probate sale. 1 is tenant-occupied. 1 is a cash-only probate sale AND it’ll be delivered tenant-occupied. 1 is cash-only for investors.So then, there were 2…500k and 550k, respectively, in case you were wondering

And they’re fine. I’m sure they’ll make one of the 18 million people in the greater LA area very happy! They’re just not the right home for me, you know? I love Los Angeles – I’ll be celebrating 10 years here at the end of May, and I want to stay for the rest of my life – but unless I (a.) win the lottery or (b.) find a rich benefactor, buying real estate and laying down my permanent roots here just doesn’t seem like it’s in the cards for me. But seeing as I’d like to, you know, own a home before I’m deceased, I figured that I should start changing up my strategy.

I Reconsidered My Priorities

This process may also be known by its more colloquial name, “the reality check.” I started to consider searching elsewhere – just like Ajai did, after her year-long search in LA – with the hopes of keeping my apartment and balancing my current rent with a mortgage on a “vacation” property. I ran the numbers, planned a budget, and came up with my own list of nice-to-haves.

if only i could be as decisive in my dating life!!!

This is where I landed. The gist, in case you can’t read my handwriting was as follows: affordable, architecturally interesting, warm, and not in the middle of nowhere.

Now feels like the time to clarify that my goal for homeownership has never been to diversify my investments or to accumulate wealth or to climb some sort of socioeconomic ladder – I simply want a stable place to call my own, forever. And for that reason, I started to think that maybe this idea for a vacation property was better – you know, prioritizing a smaller, more manageable destination that I’d be able to share and enjoy with friends and loved ones. It felt like a more – I don’t know, fun, maybe? use of capital when I compared it to buying a home just for me.

But true to form, I’ve never been great at thinking small (which, from here on out, I will blame on genetics). If I was going to invest in a property to share with my friends – most of whom already live in some of the most dynamic and beautiful cities across America – why not just do a quick check search in, uh, some actual vacation destinations in other parts of the world? No harm there, right? (Those will be my famous last words, I think.)

I Did My (Admittedly Boring & Unglamorous) Research

So in April, I threw myself deep in to learning the ins-and-outs of international real estate. I wasn’t trying to pull a Say Yes to The Dress here – like, when you fall in love with something totally unattainable and spend the rest of your life yearning for the impossible – so I’d pick a destination and then pull as much information as I could find about the seven following questions. If you’re interested in buying internationally, I found these to be the best places to start, too. It’s high level and by no means totally comprehensive, but hopefully it’ll be a little helpful as a jumping off point

Where can I buy? Some countries allow foreigners the same purchasing rights as citizens; others limit the property type, size, or locations available. How long can you stay? Oh, Schengen zone. Ah, 90/180 rule (read: you can stay 90 days every 180 days). That was okay for me – I love LA and don’t need to move permanently! – but it may affect where you choose to search. Is financing available at all? Transparently, I’m looking to buy in cash (and it’s possible – for way less than I’d spend on a comparable property in America!). But there are lots of options for financing, too. Most folks work with local lenders (albeit with terms much different than we’re used to here in the US). There are also a few international banks who offer foreign mortgages in a select group of countries. But beyond that – and maybe most importantly – do you have the risk tolerance for fluctuating currencies? Will you be okay if the value of the dollar falls?What are the long term costs? As someone who is pretty intimately familiar with the property tax structure of LA, this one was a big sticking point for me. What do the usual, boring, recurring, long-term costs look like in your area of choice?How much would the international renovation process cost? Yeah, you do need to be pretty far into a process to find the folks with whom to have this discussion. Fortunately, I did make it pretty far, and I have a great benchmark number to reference (if you’re interested in the area where I landed, at least). Are there any benefits to your new location? Whether you’re looking for tax breaks, programs that help finance green renovations, paths to citizenship, or visas, there are a lot of incentives out there that can help you achieve your goals (whatever they are).What does weather look like? Simple? Yeah. And while an island home sounds amazing in theory, I don’t have the mental bandwidth to worry about hurricanes or sea levels or wind in a home that I’d only occupy part-time. So for me, zoning in on areas with temperate, mild climates became the name of the game.

Noticeably – and maybe foolishly – absent from my list is the question, “what does the rental market look like for tourists?” Turning a profit isn’t a priority for me – I think of this more as an investment in my own happiness vs. an investment to generate financial returns – but also…I’m still young and idealistic, so who knows? Maybe one day, I’ll come around.

So…We’re Going Global

I’m going to go ahead and give you the full Brenda experience here. (Because what fun is having a child if they don’t just blindside you once in a while?)

from magic erasers to massive life decisions in the blink of an eye!!!

Here’s what happened: after months of research, I’d homed in (punny, I hope?) on southern Italy. Impossibly, it somehow checked all my boxes AND THEN SOME. Affordable fixers, a temperate climate (errr, temperate-ish. Full disclosure: Sicily did clock its hottest temperatures ever last year), airport and ocean proximity, walkable towns, and INCREDIBLE architectural interest. Beyond that, the townspeople I’d emailed were friendly, the property taxes were affordable, and the incentives and tax breaks for folks working on renovations were unprecedented. But that was August, and this is January. So what the heck happened???

a close up of the shot that captured my heart

This freaking pandemic, you guys. CAN’T WE ALL CATCH A BREAK? Like I had mentioned to Brenda in the earlier texts, Emily had surprised us with the first week of September off (one of the many perks of a kind boss!) and I’d hoped to cash in on some miles to fly over and check out a few sub-$50k USD fixers in person. The one you see pictured had captured my heart – and funnily enough, it was actually a hop, skip, and jump away from the town where that world famous aviator was born, which now feels like a very full circle moment – but I put my plans on hold after a surge in cases in the area led to a “do not travel” notice. While I’m vaccinated and comfortable flying, I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of being stranded for an indeterminate amount of time.

In the interim, I familiarized myself with the process even more. I chatted with local designers and architects to grab a renovation quote for the property in question, which came in around $700/sq meter. For my fellow Americans, let me break it down for you – that’s about $65 per square foot. (Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either.) The cost of the home? About $23,000. The cost for a full 1,400 square foot renovation? $91,000. Even with overages and taxes and potential emergencies and cross-contintental flights, this was still more affordable than the vacation properties I’d looked at in America by a number of multitudes.

two more close-ups for ya

Let me be clear: I’m not waltzing in and suggesting that buying dilapidated homes halfway around the world is easy or affordable (or that it’s even a good idea, TBH). But I am willing to trade comfort and ease and even my mental sanity in exchange for a long-term reward, so working towards this makes sense for me.

After my September plans fell through, I had hoped to fly out on our next EHD break: the week off between Christmas and New Years. Mileage redemptions are even better in the winter, I told myself. It’ll be even better! Maybe I’ll even be able to bring Brenda! My mom and I had spent our last pre-pandemic New Year’s Eve in Quebec. Perhaps, I hoped, we’d be able to spend our first post-pandemic holiday in Southern Italy. And, uh, I’m pretty sure you can guess how that one turned out. Pandemic: 2. Caitlin: 0.

So, Like, What’s Next?

Well, uh, the house I fell in love with – the one that I’d sent to Brenda, the one I’d hoped to visit first, the one that I’d gotten estimates for, the one I’d assembled a team around (and trust me, it takes a village!) – recently sold to another buyer. WOOF, RIGHT?

It’s okay, though. Have you ever felt like you’re moving in the right direction? Not to sound too ~woo woo~ (she wrote, after writing the wooiest woo woo post of all time), but my gut tells me that I’ve just been headed towards the big payoff. All these weird and niche experiences have been building up to…well, something. I’ve continued to search in Italy, have a few properties in my sights, and have built up my language more than I thought possible (9 months of daily practice, thanks Duolingo!).

I’ll get there when I get there, I guess. And when I finally do find my spot and get those keys, I can’t wait to force to stand Brenda by my side to witness the complicated, nightmarish, rewarding renovation project that she should have gotten to experience all those years ago. I mean…I do have some genetically inherited unfinished business, after all.

THAT’S IT FOR ME TODAY. But I’ll be back later this month with a full roundup of all the best sources and IG accounts I’ve found which compile affordable, old, architecturally interesting houses for sale worldwide. (That was actually supposed to be the topic of this post, but, well, sometimes your fingers are flyin’ and then you’re accidentally 10 pages deep on a personal essay. C’EST LA VIE. Or, more appropriately, COSÌ È LA VITA.) As always, I appreciate you indulging me. Please let me know if you have any burning questions – I have nearly a year’s worth of research up in this noggin!!! – and feel free to drop any advice or words of caution if you’ve been through this process.

Here’s to all of us finally getting what we’ve been working for in 2022. Happy Friday. Sorry for making you listen to my story about my dead family (hope the payoff was worth it). xx

Opening Image Credit (the bathroom): Design and Model by Caitlin Higgins | Styled by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Caitlin’s First MOTO Reveal – A Vintage Bathroom Gets A Modern Update

The post Caitlin’s Made A HUGE Shift In Her House Hunting Plan – Welcome To International House Hunters: EHD Edition appeared first on Emily Henderson.

9 Kitchen Trends That We Think Are Going To Hit BIG In 2022

I am shocked but always delighted when it’s time to write these trends posts each year. It’s always the same cycle for me. I think, is there anything actually new? How many new trends can there truly be for just one room year after year??? But then I take a second, look through everything I’ve saved, what’s been on the other design sites, what other designers are showing on their accounts, and BOOM, I see trends. Not to mention chatting with Em and the team about their thoughts. So despite what feels a bit like January 2021 deja vu, this new year is feeling hopeful (I say this with caution). And for some silly reason, new trends add to that feeling… at least for me. Like newness and creativity are still thriving. Honestly thank god. I know I need any kind of hope to sink in deep into my bones. So since kitchen renovations are also still very much thriving, let’s talk about all the trends we think are going to hit this year.

P.S. As always, these trend posts are not meant to make anyone feel like they need to redo anything in their homes. These are just ideas IF you are planning on renovating or wanted to change something up. Trends are only awesome if you genuinely love them (making them not actually a trend in the long run;))

Breaking The Triangle – Fridges Further Away And Hidden

Rules be damned! We have been seeing A LOT of designers designing their kitchens how it will work best for them and their families. And isn’t that how it always should be? If you don’t want your refrigerator near your range and sink then you don’t have to.

design by plain english senior designer sarah picton | photo via plain english | via clever

Look, I love rules. LOVE them. Ask anyone that knows me even a little. But even I know and can respect that (in terms of design), rules are really just the jumping off point. It’s not that I’m saying go crazy for the sake of going crazy with your layout. But if you are mindful about how you would like or want to move around your kitchen/have a specific aesthetic in mind – GO FOR IT.

design by sarah sherman samuel | photo by stoffer photography interiors

Ok, I know this is Sarah Sherman Samuel’s kitchen from a couple of years ago. It’s still beautiful (duh) but since her new show house is still very much under construction, this photo will clearly do to make my point. Both in this kitchen and in the new one (which her and her husband haven’t decided if they are going to move into) the fridge is not in the main kitchen area. Talk about “screw the triangle!”. From what I got from the last tour she did about the new house on her stories was that the fridge, like I believe it is in the kitchen above, will be in the pantry. The only caveat with this trend is that you need enough space to have a large enough pantry… But I really am into this idea because it visually really lightens the overall look of a kitchen. I know this isn’t for everyone but something to think about.

via devol

Plus as someone who is constantly looking in the fridge because “maybe there’s a magical new snack I have yet to discover”, I like the outta sight, outta mind idea. I mean it could help, right?? Not the point but I’m looking at all the reasons why, K? So with everyone who’s renovating and creating their dream homes we predict that we are going to be a lot less of that big icebox. Could/would you??

Plum Kitchen Cabinetry

I wouldn’t say that purple is a color I gravitate towards really ever but my oh my am I into these rich plum-y cabinets. Bright, “classic purple” kitchens will always be a great fit for the right bold person who is color obsessed. But this deep rich version is not the like it’s more say, lavender colored friends. This purple’s got some sex appeal. This purple is very cool. Is this a new neutral??

design by jane hallworth | photo by laure joliet | styling by colin king | via architectural digest

I think the world fell over themselves when they saw Jane Hallworth’s work in Kirsten Dunsts’ new kitchen. It’s happy, moody, playful and full of an infinite amount of soul. But those plum cabinets really bring the space to life and help to not make it look too serious. It just feels classic.

design and photo by shavonda gardner

Then we have the great Shavonda Gardner’s kitchen, where she also dove head first into happy, juicy, purple forward kitchen cabinetry. Shavonda’s home is filled with luxurious saturated tones, so this color simply makes sense in her home. See how bold yet natural it looks in the space?? I dare you to walk into that kitchen and be in a bad mood.

design by studio hus

I was new to Studio Hus’ work until I spotted this kitchen in my research and wow do they create stunning spaces. This kitchen is no exception. What I love about this particular plum tone is that if you were to look super quick at this photo you might think that’s regular wood toned cabinetry. But with another look are completely drawn in by that dark, rich plum tone that is stunningly contrasted by the marble counters and backsplash. I could say a lot more about what I love in this kitchen (*cough the chandelier* *cough the chrome wrapped shelf*) but what I want you to take away from this space is that you can (and maybe should expand your mind about kitchen cabinet colors. You might just get something really special out of it.

Metal Kitchens

Whether it’s IKEA or custom, stainless kitchens can be pretty darn chic and practical. I know, I wasn’t totally on board at first either.

design by justin dipiero | photo by nick glimenakis | via domino

Historically, metal kitchens (especially silver ones) haven’t been my favorite. But they’ve been popping up more and more and I might be slightly changing my tune. What I really like about Justin Dipiero’s kitchen above is that he only used metal cabinetry on the lowers. It helps make the range and hood effortlessly blend in while not making the space feel visually cold.

design by tamsin johnson | photo by sean fennessy | via yellowtrace

This kitchen by Tamsin Johnson is all brushed stainless steel and honestly pretty awesome (and easy to clean??) It’s a modern design lover’s dream. I do think that incorporating other natural materials like marble and wood (as they did) is a great way to still have that super modern look but making it feel a little warmer.

design by paradowski studio | photo by pion studio | via yellowtrace

I think it’s fair to say that metal kitchens or metal accented kitchens have been more popular abroad. That really just means it’s only a matter of time for it it hit on the American design scene. Even I can wholeheartedly get behind that incredible 1970s kitchen island above. It also looks like brushed metal which might be the key to really pulling off this look if you are interested. Feels more organic and less…surgical? Can anyone vouch for stainless steel cabinetry? Pros? Cons?

Apron Front Sinks

This one comes straight from the brain of Julie Rose, the kitchen queen herself. This women is constantly studying new kitchen ideas for her clients so when she sent this over asking if I needed any trend ideas I jumped. Let’s get into these sinks…

design and photo by kate arends of wit & delight

It’s funny because before Julie sent me Kate’s new sink my first instinct was to drool over that marble. Kate if you have any extra I will gladly take it off of your hands. But when Julie pointed out the apron front style, I thought, “how did you miss that?” I love how it gives you the farmhouse sink look but it’s sleeker, more modern, and you can play with fun materials instead of it just being the color of the sink.

left: design and photo by chris love julia | right: design and photo by heidi caillier design

Even Chris Loves Julia and EHD fav designer, Heidi Caillier are on the trend. I know I normally only show “done” photos but I think that fact that these designers are in implementing them as we speak only drives this trend home.

design by jean stoffer design

I mean how pretty is that?? Jean Stoffer is another wildly talented designer that knows kitchen design. So if the other’s didn’t convince you, this likely will.

via ruffled

What I also think is cool about this trend is that you have a style options. Both Kate and Julia went more modern with the counter lip and front piece looking like they are seamlessly connected. Then Heidi went for a more traditional and detailed look with having the counter beveled all the way across and the front piece just sitting flat under it. And lastly, the final two are somewhere in between where there is less detail in the counter edge but the front piece still sits under. I wouldn’t assume that last look is probably the most cost effective but maybe not! Just talk to your fabricator to see what the best option is for your design and budget.

The Return Of The Tile After Years Of Only Slab

Large stone slabs have been king for a hot minute (aka years). And while no one is saying goodbye to a stunning marble slab, tile is really picking up some steam.

design by liljencrantz design | photo by magnus mårding | via vogue living

You might have guessed that slabs can be expensive. And it’s not just the slab you need to think about. The fabrication is what really can get you. So tile is really coming in strong. I mean look at that Zellige tiled counter to ceiling backsplash and hood??? Heart, be still. Sheer quantity can be a huge showstopper. Don’t forget that.

design by johanna bradford | photo by fanny rådvik | via remodelista

I mean this isn’t beautiful or anything. Emily has been talking about this kind of tiling for most of last year (here specifically). All of these tiles individually are fairly simple. You’ve got some green squares and white rectangles and squares in varying sizes. But when mixed together in an unexpected way it freaking sings the most beautiful song. A slab would have been pretty but not nearly as special and unique as this.

design by pierce & ward | photo by olivia pierce

Here we are again with marble countertops and a VERY special tiled wall. Look at all of those tiles orientations! The vertical line along the counter and the brick offset on that one wall and stacked on the other wall. So good. Oh and see the one column of vertical tiles on the what’s probably the load-bearing wall? Too cool and way more affordable than slabs.

design by kaiko design | photo by fiona susanto | via the design files

But going with tile doesn’t mean you can’t go modern. Above Exhibit A. Notice though that everything is stacked and vertical. That’s an easy way for tile to look modern.

design by tom mark henry | photo by damian bennett | via yellowtrace

Exhibit B. Tile on the island that gives lots of movement and texture when the rest of the cabinetry is very smooth and ultra modern.

design by ginny macdonald | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

And here we have the amazing Ginny Macdonald with the in-between. Not modern, not traditional. Just fresh, colorful, and in a classic pattern. Has movement like a slab but way more cost effective. Plus it’s just pretty!

Large Scale Marble Veining On Countertops

Ok I know we just talked about tile potentially replacing slabs but large scale, high contrast veining on marble is finally not just for “AD” homes. The high end trend is coming into our real homes.

design by home studios | photo by brian ferry | via yellowtrace

Maybe this first photo isn’t the best example of a “normal home”. BUT it doesn’t look like a real person lives there and that’s the kind of marble I’m talking about. High contrast, big veins.

design and photo by kate arends of wit & delight

I know I already used this photo when talking about apron sinks but remember when I said the marble was the first thing that grabbed my attention? How could it not?? But what also struck me was that while Kate is a design influencer, that kinda bold marble isn’t what you see outside of a crazy rich celebrity home. I thought it’s here! For all of us! We are taking more risks and I love it!

design by ditlev fejjerskov

This is another great example of using a very bold veined marble but in a way that feels approachable. I really love the dark walnut, contrast marble mix. Isn’t it beautiful but not super overwhelming?

design by aimee song

Aimee Song also went for the bold marble and dark cabinets. With the marble super thick and also being the backsplash, it makes a much bigger statement. I think it’s so stunning and when you have a marble like this, your kitchen doesn’t need a whole lot else.

design by studio m.haas | photo by michael clifford

Bold marble proves to look incredible with colorful cabinets, dark cabinets and light cabinets. Hence why this trend is going to stay strong in 2022.

Double Islands…

Em asked if we thought this was a trend. I immediately wanted to say, “NO, two islands?? I refuse to say that’s a thing”. I mean unless you have a very large family or live in a multigenerational home, why would anyone need TWO islands?! To say I thought (and kinda think) it’s wild is an understatement. Can you tell? But trends aren’t here for me to say if they exist or not. They just exist (some last longer than others). Also maybe I should take a chill pill and recognize that there could be a ton of totally valid reasons for needing more than one island.

design by joanna gaines

Now, this one from the upcoming season of Fixer Upper feels less “we need two islands” and more “let’s split up what would have been a veeeery long island into two parts”. This I can wrap my brain around. Have any of you done this look?

design by studio mcgee

But then when Em sent me this kitchen, while extremely beautiful, the two islands are just… a lot. Maybe this is a big party house? Maybe as I said before this house is FULL of kids? Or it’s filled with parents, kids, grandparents, cousins, etc.?

design by studio mcgee

There is a part of me that hopes this stays niche and only happens on an absolute need basis. But also if my whole philosophy is design the home you want to live in and one that works best for you then who am I to judge, right?? I’m sure for some double Islands are a live saver.

Frosted Cabinet Doors

Afraid of see-through cabinets but love the airy look? This could be the middle ground you were looking for…

design by maria dueñas jacobs | photo by annie schlechter | via domino

This is another one that feels very European but is creepin’ its way over to the states and I’m personally into it. I love that you can have the look and feeling of your cabinets being light and open but not needing to have the contents of your cabinets perfect organized. I also feel that especially with the texture of the panels that they wouldn’t look dirty easily. Another win!

design by home studios | photo by brian ferry | via yellowtrace

In this very beautiful kitchen, the doors look less textured but instead slightly tinted giving you a similar sense of privacy. What is also great is that it’s almost like a built-in organizing alert. It’s concealed enough so it doesn’t have to be perfect but you can also easily tell when it’s gone too far.

All in all, I think these types of cabinet doors really help to open up a kitchen and am happy to see this trend go the distance.

left: design by annesophie pailleret, photo by stephan julliard | right: design by lead designer jules mesny-deschamps of merci, photo by merci , via remodelista

Another way that these frosted panels are being used is a as a hood cover over the stove. It seems like an interesting choice given that they likely get dirty quick being over the range but maybe I’m wrong. Any insight? Regardless the look great and make the ceilings feel taller.

The HOT Return Of The Pot Rack

Hear me out on this one. I know that pot racks aren’t new…like at all. BUT I feel like they are dominating my feed. I can’t go 5 minutes without seeing a great pot rack in a kitchen shot. But also they are really being thoughtfully (and sometimes boldly) incorporated into kitchen designs. Let me show you.

design by april tomlin interiors | photo by paige rumore | via all sorts of

Take this, almost too beautiful, kitchen and see how that pot rack was very thoughtfully placed in front of the window. It’s so stunning but also not that hard to incorporate into your own kitchen (and window). Honorable mention to that floating shelf. You’re perfect.

design by frederick tang architecture | photo by gieves anderson | via clever

Here’s another “statement pot rack”. What I love about this one is that it feels like an effortless way to make a dramatic statement without screaming, “look how dramatic I am!”

design by jane hallworth | photo by laure joliet | styling by colin king | via architectural digest

This one is another “all the way across the range wall” but more understated which I also love. Like you wouldn’t even know it was there unless there were pots hanging. So chic!

left: design and photo by shavonda gardner | right: design by workstead, photo by matthew williams

Shavonda is here is show off that copper pot collection and were are here for it! Plus she shows us that you don’t need a massive window like in the first photo to have that window-pot rack moment.

But also know that you can mix things up and put those pots over your island. Sure that’s probably a custom island, but for those who love to DIY this could be a super cool (and practical) project to tackle.

left: design by flack studio, styling by joseph gardner, photo by anson smart, via architectural digest | right: design by tamsin johnson, photo by anson smart, via vogue living

A rack can have a personality of its own. This “S” bar is everything to me. I love it so much and the first time I saw it in Troye Sivan’s home my heart jumped out of my chest.

design by kim kneipp | photo by lisa cohen | via dwell

However, small and simple is just as effective. I also think that pot or utensil racks help to give a little more dimension and bring your eye up. Basically they’re pretty, helpful, and can be put in nearly every kitchen. Happy they are very much back for 2022.

design by arcadian revival | photo by elizabeth haynes photography | via remodelista

I just thought this photo was super pretty:) Ok, we are done with the racks.

So what do you think? Did any of these spark your reno imagination? Let’s talk trends. O and we are doing a first time ever kitchen appliance trend post. We have LOTS of thoughts so get ready:)

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Home Studios | Photo by Brian Ferry | via Yellowtrace

The post 9 Kitchen Trends That We Think Are Going To Hit BIG In 2022 appeared first on Emily Henderson.

IT’S TIME TO ORGANIZE – Small Entry Organization Hacks For Those Of Us Who Are “Mudroom-Less”

My favorite mom quote goes as follows – “Without systems there is chaos. Without systems there is chaos“. One of you deserves credit for it, left sweetly in the comment section two years ago, and I chant it ALL THE TIME. This applies to every single part of our lives, and as someone who unfortunately isn’t innately gifted in the organization realm, and yet abhors visual mess, I HAVE to create systems, or else the house is so chaotic and messy and it actually affects my mental health (thus the choice to live more minimally with less stuff).

Labels are my boss. Baskets make me feel safe. So when we were brainstorming about how to talk about organization in the New Year, I ranted about all my pain points at the mountain house – the “no mudroom entry,” the exploding vanity, the lack of linen closet, the hall utility closet that housed both the vacuum and the board games. All solvable, WITH A SYSTEM that includes starting with the right product. And even though we knew we were moving to Portland it still seemed like a good time to come up with some better solutions – both for guests that stay, my family when we return in winter/summer, and of course for the blog.

So we partnered with Target to highlight their new and always loved organizational products to ease our chaos and make our homes and brains calmer after the holidays. Systems, it’s all about systems

The “No Mudroom” Entry

We packed in a lot of solutions up here, for ideas for all your pain points. Not everyone can enter and exit through a designated mudroom, especially apartment dwellers, and us. But walking into chaos, stepping over shoes and the visual pile of coats drives me NUTS. Now the elements that you MUST have here are simple –

Wire Basket | Wood Bowl | Sunglasses | Black Wallet | Leopard Card Case | Knit Gloves | Shoe Rack | Toddler Magnus Chukka Boots | Ronin Lace-Up Chukka Boots | Blaine Slip-On Leopard Sneakers | Slip-On Enzo Brown Leather Sneakers | Kingston Leather Sneakers | Luna Sneakers | Opal Zipper Slip-On Chelsea Boots | Molly Sneakers

A Drop Zone (could be the bench or the tray on the shoe rack) – This is for mail, keys (if you don’t have hooks), and bags. Get yourself a tray, bowl, or basket (and a hook if you want to never have to look for your keys again). Shoe Storage – This could be a shoe shelf like this (which is nice because it can be wheeled away if you have guests over), a trunk, or a basket. While I prefer something more enclosed, getting my kids to “drop” is a challenge enough so ‘arranging’ is a monumental feat. Plus a shelf keeps them from getting scuffed up and you have less searching to the bottom of the basket time. Someday, crossing fingers, we’ll graduate to this.

Accordion Coat Rack | Tall Basket | Umbrella | Rug | Circle Vase | Trailing Green Stem

Don’t have a coat closet? ME NEITHER! So you need either hooks on your wall, a coat rack, or a freestanding piece of furniture. The first two are better for small spaces (plus wet coats can’t dry off in an armoire).

3. A Place to Hang Coats/Scarves, and Hats – Could be standing or to save space use a wall-mounted hook system like this. Use the anchors provided (I’ve skimped on those before), try to do a weekly depopulation based on the weather, and put away coats in hopefully a coat closet nearby, leaving just what you need here.

Gold Wall Sign Key Hook | Round Mirror | Bench | Pillow | Belt Bag | Large Wire Basket | Jean Jacket | Rain Coat

4. Designated Baskets for Daily Needs – Under the bench: 1. “House shoes/slippers” (easy to change into when you come home, 2. “Dog accessories” (leashes, bags, treats), and 3. “Hats and gloves”. I love these baskets with the wood on top, but opting for something more closed will make it look cleaner (just make sure you know what is in them so you don’t have to do the “search and bury”).

Left Bin: Slippers | Lionel Moccasin Slippers | Topher Moccasin Slippers | Middle Bin: Monkey Fist Rope with Handle | Sherpa Dog and Cat Vest | Dog Leash | Dog Poop Bag Carrier | Tennis Balls Dog Toy | Right Bin: Rib Glove | Chunky Rib Beanie | Pink Plaid Scarf | Cream Plaid Scarf | Solid Blanket Scarf | Knit Gloves | Cable Pom Beanie | Color Block Beanie

Brown Bag

Shout out to that bench – please note the good joinery under the seat!! So good.

The “No Entry” Entry

Entry Bench | Wire Basket | Wallet | Sunglasses | Jacket | Cream Scarf | Hat | Dog Leash | Dog Poop Bag Carrier | Faux Trailing Plant | Rattan Plant Holder | Woven Basket | Beanie | Knit Gloves | Rib Gloves | Gray Scarf | Rug

For those of us with even less space or perhaps at the back, side, or kitchen door we have a one-piece unit for all of those same needs – it’s pretty genius. At the top you have hooks for coats/hats and scarves, then a bench to sit on for shoes and a surface for a drop zone, with shoe storage underneath. ONE AND DONE.

Tan Sneakers | Leather Sneakers | Pink Hightop Sneakers | Duck Boots | Sherpa Tongue Hiking Boots

It’s a small space solution that packs a ton of function into one piece. All you need is a 4′ blank wall near your door and you can live a better life in a small space. Pretty sure someone should write a book with that title.

So no, you don’t need “an entry” to have an entry. You just need a good, solid system and Target has truly made it even easier.

Em’s Outfit: Beanie | Jacket | Dress | Socks | Duck Boots

*Art Direction by Me
**Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp
***Styled by Emily Bowser

The post IT’S TIME TO ORGANIZE – Small Entry Organization Hacks For Those Of Us Who Are “Mudroom-Less” appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Biggest Macro Design Trends We Are Predicting For 2022 – The World Is Shifting (AGAIN)

Everything changes all the time, and fast. Trying to keep up with it is always interesting, not to mention trying to predict even the immediate future. It’s clear that the pandemic made most people focus and care about their homes A LOT. All of a sudden making every room more comfortable, organized, and livable for our immediate quarantine needs became a priority and that is GREAT. But due to the lockdown, we were collectively making more online purchases for utility and convenience – the kid’s books are piling up so we need a bookcase. Jump online and buy one. You work remotely now and now need a desk in the corner of your bedroom. Jump online and buy one, etc. And because of the endless amount of online stores you can buy from having really great stuff that can be delivered quickly, those companies that specialized in affordable and convenient furniture really thrived (and likely will continue to). And that’s great in a lot of ways, but after 2 years we are seeing some new shifts – not in place of utility shopping, but in addition to it.

I thought I was in the minority – my desire/responsibility to buy local, heirloom-quality decor has been pulling at me hard. I thought it was just my mindset, refocused priorities, and ability to do so due to my higher budget. I want to buy once and for the long term, to splurge on pieces from furniture makers when I can, but there is actually a larger movement towards this which is so exciting. Now before we go into these things, I want it to be clear that whatever you do in your home, whatever choices you make whether it’s budget furniture from a big box store or saving up to buy an heirloom-quality piece or simply embracing your hand me downs – if you love it and use it long term, then all those things are great in our book. It’s whatever is best for your budget and your home. So here is where I see that going:

Searching For “The Unique” + “The Rare”design by beata heuman | styling studio cruz | photos by simon brown photographylead design by Lead designer jules mesny-deschamps of merci | photos by merci | via remodelista

We’ve seen this coming for a long time, but there is a lot of homogeneity out there in design and don’t get me wrong, I LOVE so much of it and often it’s designed for livability and comfort – which is GREAT and important. But what that has done has made many of us crave pieces that we haven’t seen before, or at least aren’t as ubiquitous (again, nothing is wrong if we all have the same pouf or side table – I myself have a ton of pieces that you can see in a million peoples homes and I still love them). But I’m finding myself also scouring vintage sites in other countries and Craigslist/FB in other states even to find a version of x,y,z that feels fresh and unique for the farm… And frankly, I’m eyeing pieces that might be hard to knock off so I don’t risk featuring it and then it being everywhere the next year. I thought that this was just where I am in life – which admittedly is a very privileged situation – to be able to take time and to have the budget to search for and splurge on unique or custom pieces – but after talking to so many other friends and designers it’s clear that we are all looking for new blood, fresh aesthetic, uniqueness. It’s why I was so inspired by Beata Heuman’s work – every single thing in her spaces are so unique and it’s just such fresh eye candy. I would stare at some of her rooms for a solid 10 minutes, soaking up the details. Now her work is a little too exciting for my chaotic brain to live in year-round, but I think she is helping define this bold uniqueness that is a new 2022 eclecticism. Let’s call it high-quality weirdness that makes our space just feel fresh and unique to us, perhaps even layered over the more livable pieces that are much simpler and more identifiable as new on the market.

Heirloom Quality Furniture With Interesting Joinerystyled by colin king | photo by stephen kent johnson | via beni rugsvia eneby home | via 1stdibsvia nickey kehoe | via eneby home

Now, this is ALWAYS in, but the movement towards furniture with interesting joinery, something that absolutely could not be mass-manufactured is very clear right now. And it’s so exciting. I feel like the maker community finally has a larger audience (and buyers) and that we are seeing some modern-day Paul McCobbs coming of age – pieces that we save for, splurge on and they increase in value because they are so high quality, specialized, and superbly made. And then we hand them down to our kids, and them to theirs. You know, like the world always did before mass manufacturing. These pieces are splurgy, as they should be because they take years of honing skills, practice, apprenticing, and talent not to mention high-quality materials and likely a big warehouse and machinery. I spoke with Justin Nelson of Fernweh a lot about this – his business is thriving and I think it’s because there is just an appetite for high quality, soul-injected furniture, locally-made heirloom quality furniture. I know that I have a whole pinboard of beautiful joinery for any custom pieces that I want to make.

Longer Lasting Affordable Everythingstyled by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: fall 2021 is all about comfort, ease, affordability, and gathering again in target’s new big launchphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: my living room update

We are in such a golden era of our larger retailers truly caring more about making better quality materials and making big steps towards responsibility, while also seeing more and more collaborations with makers rather than just knocking them off. What I love about this is how it democratizes design more, helping more people love their homes no matter the budget. Listen, it takes a lot to make these changes for big companies, so we are happy to see big steps being taken. Just because it’s budget-friendly doesn’t mean that it can’t be long-lasting, this is a story we’ll be telling a lot this year and helping point out even more what pieces we think are affordable, without being ‘cheap’.

Decorative Details, Unnecessary Ornamentationdesign by luke edward hall | photo by miguel flores-viannadesign by leila sanderson and tony espie | styling by annie portelli | photo by caitlin mills | via the design files

Think over the top old world and dare I say even a little gaudy. I realized this when I was super attracted to a mirror that had the most meticulously carved wooden FRUIT AND VEGETABLE frame at an antique store. I Insta-storied it and MANY of you freaked out in love. The wooden grapes on this were STUNNING. We are seeing this extra adornment, a 180 from Scandinavian style right now, and possibly even a rejection of California Casual (or maybe layered on top?). I’m talking baroque framed mirrors, Victorian stick and ball side tables, and intricately carved console tables like a real grandma. Caitlin wrote about this last year (she is always ahead) and I think it’s a really exciting addition to all the other styles out there. And again I think the reason this is moving fast is because A. Big box stores can’t do handmade detailing easily, and B. Decorative adornment is the anecdote to the minimalism that has been so popular for so long (and will likely remain so for those of us still loving it). It’s like the ‘Eccentric English Grandma’ won the lottery and bought a bunch of 19th-century french and Italian pieces from castles.

A Return To Vintage EVERYTHINGleft: design and photo by carlay page | design by jane hallworth, styled by colin king, photo by laure joliet, via architectural digestleft: design by holly lueders and venetia sacret young, photo by oberto gili, via t magazine | center: design by megan o’neill and jesse bull, styling by benjamin reynaert, photo by annie schlechter, via domino | right: design and photo by lowe saddler

I remember a year and a half ago fearing that this was the end of thrift shopping. The thought of going into a store full of people’s used stuff in 2020 felt so unsafe. Luckily they are back open and we are back shopping in person. YAY. So again, because of lack of access to thrift/vintage, I think most of us shopped for what we needed from non-vintage online shops out of sheer ease of not leaving our homes in 2020 and most of 2021. Chairish and 1stDibs thrived during the pandemic, but they typically are pretty expensive so I’m excited that the in-person hunt is back. I know I’m not alone in craving the thrifting, vintage, and flea market experience so I think we’ll see more of that in our homes this year. Again, it’s a return to eclecticism.

Sustainability Through And Throughdesign by pierre lacroix | photo by yannick labroussedesign by gardiner architects | photos by rory gardiner | via the design files

It’s been so green-washed I know, which is why I prefer ‘intentional’ or ‘responsible’ because the debate around what is sustainable is crazy. This is going to be a huge conversation this year, as I continue to learn all the different variety of ways of being responsible in how we renovate our homes and what we put in them. No lectures here (or in the comments) – just good old-fashioned information and education, done in a really friend-to-friend way. I’ve dove deep and am learning so much (which is really empowering) and I have some experts guiding me/us in the process. And while I won’t be perfect, certainly, I think the entire design and home world is shifting to be more intentional and responsible (see literally all of the above trends) and hopefully the appetite for mass-manufactured, very poorly made furniture that falls apart and ends up in a landfill has waned. Again this year we’ll help sift through the garbage and we’ll find well-made and yet still affordable pieces in addition to the heirloom quality pieces – doing our best to satisfy all budgets (OOF). Listen, both worlds can exist at the same time and no one should shame anybody for their budget choices – whether they are high and splurgy or more budget-oriented. Because…

The “ONE THING” That Is OUT

“Cheap” anything is out. What we can all agree on is rejecting poorly made garbage, packaged in non-recyclable garbage, shipped from far away that ends up in a landfill in 2 months. Now THAT is out. I’m sure that in the past I’ve recommended pieces that look good, but were cheaply made and fell apart. I honestly just was less concerned with longevity than I should have been and I’ve become far more educated. And while I can’t guarantee that I won’t be wrong in the future or link something that we later realize is cheap, we are excited to do more research, write more reviews and give the best advice we know with the present facts. It’s a big world out there, and we are super excited to be able to spend our time researching, testing out, and recommending longer-lasting design everything. Design and renovation are inherently wasteful, so it’s actually an incredible honor and challenge to have a platform to do better and educate you all in real-time as we learn.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Jane Hallworth | Styled by Colin King | Photo by Laure Joliet | via Architectural Digest

The post The Biggest Macro Design Trends We Are Predicting For 2022 – The World Is Shifting (AGAIN) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Wait, What’s The Farmhouse Style Again? Did We Lose The Original Vision??? How We Almost Made Some Risky Permanent Choices And Why?

I knew this would happen because I know myself pretty well – that my love of Victorian can overwhelm my love of minimalism – because IT’S WAY MORE FUN. Let me be more specific – I LOVE looking at Victorian tile, florals, embellishments, lace – it’s how I dress when I want to dress up (princess sleeves and bright colors). I love staying in weird old Victorian hotels (just stayed in this one recently and LOVED IT) full of wallpaper, weird toilets, and so many florals. I mostly read historical romance novels set in, you guessed it Victorian-era England, and heck I got my degree in history. It all tracks. But I PREFER to live in a more minimalist home. You might wonder why that is or maybe not even believe me – and I would never have believed it myself. But my day-to-day feels so busy that I like my home to be not busy, super calm, and easy to maintain/clean. I love stuff so much, but the more ‘stuff’ you have the more ‘stuff’ you have to put back in its place. Every color, stripe, and contrast excites your eyes which excites your neurons (definitely fact check me there) so while I LOVE IT, I simply don’t want to live in an ‘exciting’ home right now. This could change. And maybe it’s also because I work from home most days and will continue to likely for years, so I’m here all day every day. I love looking out the window at the trees in between paragraphs, staring at the wood grain while I’m thinking. This could also be because I probably have ADD and get easily distracted by things to fix, things to put away, credenzas to style perfectly. So after living at the mountain house and loving the visual calmness so much. Very little that’s “decorative” (beyond art, of course) and just so easy to maintain. So the original art direction was a shaker-style farmhouse – minimal, utilitarian, egalitarian, focusing on natural light, cozy colors, and nothing too ‘decorative’. It was a clear vision. I wrote about it here – but you can see the general art direction:

In fact here is a little art direction brain dump I wrote up (including my typos) a year ago when I first started working with ARCIFORM (some of it is admittedly dumb/pretentious).

I just found it and like an old journal entry, it is A. Very cringy and B. We have strayed a lot from that! Whoops. My favorite is how I want to make sure that they know that we are NOT elegant (nothing is wrong with elegant, it’s just not a word I respond to but it’s all just so silly to identify as ‘not elegant’). Also ‘high quality but humble’ is also admittedly kinda annoying, but you get the idea – well-made finishes that don’t scream loudly in any way… I don’t know if I ever actually even sent to this anyone, but I just found it and thought it was hilarious to share. 2020 Emily really wanted the farmhouse highly informed by the mountain house. Likely because I didn’t really want to leave here.

Then in late August we actually moved to Portland, left our minimal mountain house and I started shopping at antique stores and driving around all these incredible Victorian neighborhoods. Slowly more decorative elements started creeping into the design – more color, more pattern, more whimsy in the permanent finishes even. It’s like I couldn’t help myself. Vintage-inspired floral fabrics replaced the vintage plaids and ticking stripes I’ve been collecting. Simple handmade tile was given a decorative border and stripes in the shower – leaning towards, well the word ‘carnival’ even came up.

said shower

And listen, the house, while technically it a 4 square craftsman – was really just a box and the only the original things worth saving were the windows, the living room ceiling, the brick fireplace, the interior doors upstairs, and the soapstone in the renovated 90s kitchen (the kitchen cabinetry was painstakingly dismantled and salvaged and donated to the ReBuilding Center who will find it a new permanent home). So I honestly didn’t understand why we had to stick to “Crafstman” finishes when there really weren’t many original elements that felt “craftsman” to me.

I also want to say something that might be controversial – I know intellectually that busier rooms – rooms with more whimsy, color, pattern, and oddness – WHEN DONE RIGHT – are generally more exciting to look at, they are real feasts for the eyes. And I really want our home, to be so fun and exciting to look at. And that might sound shallow, but I think it’s pretty darn natural especially as someone who has spent their entire adult life styling rooms for still photography. It’s like wearing a safe dress to the Oscars – no one wants to look at that for long. But a home remodel isn’t a one-time event and you’ll have to live with these permanent bold choices forever. The Chief Architect renderings without pattern or boldness honestly just look boring because you can’t see any of the texture and the quality of the finishes. And no, we haven’t even started putting in any furniture, textiles, or art which will make a huge difference and add a lot of excitement. So, I think I was also tempted to, I don’t know, just be more exciting and bold than my dumb ‘simple but special’ minimal mantra (DRINK! :)). There are times when even I’m bored by photos of my own house even as I love living in it so much (TBH I think some rooms of the mountain house were just too minimally styled for the reveals and I should have made them more loose and editorial). So between seeing Victorian houses everywhere, having loved it visually for my whole life, then being more attracted to whimsical interiors in photography I think I lost track of the original intent. So here are the places where I took it too far…

The Guest Bath Nutty Bordersans stripes

It’s a real case of the ‘I like too many different styles’ which is NOT a bad thing, ever, but it can make a house a little chaotic, which is FINE if you are a maximalist. But it’s definitely against that initial word dump above. I freaked out and so did Anne when we saw that vintage tile installation (in a good way). It’s incredible and fresh and perfectly weird. We figured the new bathroom upstairs would be a great place to have more fun and implement this idea. I knew that I would rarely use this room so I wouldn’t get sick of it quickly.

Fun Fact: the more your eyes are confronted by something busy or loud, the faster you can get sick of it which is why people take more risks in more temporary spaces like hallways, dining rooms, and powder baths.

So on a call with ARCIFORM they painstakingly “built” this border from small pieces of tile in order to put it in the rendering. Stephyn did this before our call so that we could just move it around and decide where it should go. And yes, the tile is pink so there’s that.

This is also the bathroom that at the time we were going to work with the original window location which meant that the vanity and the toilet would be in front of it, but not in a nicely centered way. We decided to embrace the awkward and I truly think it would have ended up being really cool. But you get it. It not only has the most vintage-y whimsical style plumbing (which is so pretty) but it now had this odd window/vanity/toilet situation and a pink tile with a striped border. We loved it. Closed the meeting for that day and went about our business. But then after really thinking about it and my original vision the border was taken out and I feel very good about that decision.

The Mosaic Floor Tile

I’m going to write a whole post about this from start to finish because it was a really great creative/design process and there were MANY iterations, most of which I made with painted paper on the loft floor in the mountain house. But the last iteration – the most Victorian of them all – was A LOT. Even for me, honestly. It was my idea. I wanted a slightly ‘larger scale’ of a diamond pattern but since Pratt and Larson only goes up to 8″ I wanted to visually make it bigger (10″ – 12″) by doing one of the above. But once I saw it on the rendering (which I’ll show you later) Brian and Anne were so enthusiastic about it that I caved, questioning myself.

It was about 2 weeks later that showed it to Brian with fresh eyes and we both realized we had taken it too far. Now it’s still Victorian, but just less busy. And by the way, the reason that it’s ok that this room has Victorian elements when the rest of the house is a shaker farmhouse is that that sunrooms or conservatories were added on all the time (and still are) and often have a different feeling. It’s a step-down, it’s going to be clad in brick instead of siding and definitely ‘looks’ like it’s a special room. It’s perfectly ok and lovely to put a PAST permanent design element in your home, one that might have been a holdover from the era right before. IMHO (But Anne and ARCIFORM agree with me). But I wouldn’t put a ‘future’ tile design element – like retro 1950s Atomic tile, something that wasn’t invented yet in a much older home. But that’s just me

OH, and I want to point out the obvious, by simplifying both of these tile designs – getting rid of the mosaic stripe and border in the guest bath and the mosaic on the sunroom floor we saved likely THOUSANDS on tile labor. Seriously. Thousands.

The Floral Tilesvia dutch tile | from “the new/old risky tile trend i’m exploring for the farm”

Remember when I was (still am) on a mission to bring some sort of contemporary/floral delft tile into the farm? Well, we ultimately didn’t have the right spot that felt appropriate and maybe we could have found the right place but honestly, it was just going to set us back time-wise. Between getting the samples to my probable indecision, making sure it works with the already chosen finishes… it just felt like we were forcing it. Plus the cost. The one place where it might have made sense (if it had worked with our floor tile) was the mudroom, behind the laundry machines. But it’s a pretty big wall and I’m still scared of ‘accent tiles’ so I likely would have done the whole wall when the plan right now is just paneling which is obviously way more affordable.

The Corbels On The Exterior

For some reason, Brian and I were worried that the house was just going to look like a white box again, especially from the outside. We don’t have an opportunity to do different paneling, or switch to shingles or anything – it’s not pitched enough. And while I didn’t like how small the shutters were I liked the idea of them. What we landed on was a white house, with white windows (already ordered), white brick, no shutters, standard craftsman railing, etc. I showed Brian a few really classic white farmhouses that had white windows and white railings and while I loved it, he was like ‘no, that is way too stark’. Meanwhile, he’s pretty inflexible about it needing to stay white, so without changing the color of the house we would need to add, ‘decorative elements’ – AND BOY WE DID. On one of our Wednesday meetings, ARCIFORM and I put back the shutters, painted them blue, put corbels on the posts added copper gutters, all the things.

Now before you judge or think we are nuts, this is the actual design process. All of you designers out there know when a client (or even yourself) wants to entertain something and you spend hours trying to make it work, just to realize the first plan was actually the best. You take it too far in one direction and then pull it back. It is not ‘wasting time’. We are paying hourly for Stephyn’s design and rendering time and I know that all the tile drawing work has taken her hours and hours, but it’s not ‘wasted’ it’s truly how you get the closest to the ultimate home you want – by experimenting and pushing yourself a little too far. It’s also made us super sure that we want it to be the pared-back version.

What I realized through all of this is that I REALLY NEED to find and restore a distressed Victorian house at some point in my life, and bring all of these ideas and this obvious passion to that house – somewhere I can visit and act out all my Duke fantasies, but not live there day to day. But it’s just not this house and that’s ok. I feel SO GOOD ABOUT IT. Now I know that some of you might be sad but fear not because I’m going to bring in a lot of eclectic furniture – some definitely more whimsical and Victorian like my chaise lounge in the House of Hackney floral and my weird plant stand. I’m not denying my love for this design era, but just NOT taking risks through the permanent finishes in what was supposed to be a shaker-style farmhouse.

And by the way, you want to know the most expensive permanent design element to “change out” is if it’s wrong? TILE. Faucets and sconces? Easy – which is why it’s ‘visually’ more accepted to have crazy 60s french light fixtures in 200-year-old Parisian apartments – it’s more of a layered on style choice, but tile? Be careful. Tile is no joke, especially in large quantities. So while I don’t want to scare you, to play it too safe and be boring (hell, we are so excited about the pink tile in that guest bath), definitely weigh that risk and be reminded that you can bring in so much color, pattern and risk in every other element and through styling/decorating. I have to remind myself of that all. the. time.

So we are back to mostly a Shaker Farmhouse. We still have some contemporary elements here and there, as well as a claw foot tub, a border in one of the bathrooms and yes, still a mosaic tile sunroom – but it’s just quieter now. And while I know that some of you hate minimalism, it’s our house and I can’t wait to show you how it’s going to come together to still be warm and interesting. Design plans for each room coming at you soon!! xx

Opening Photo Credit: Photo by Suraya Barbee

The post Wait, What’s The Farmhouse Style Again? Did We Lose The Original Vision??? How We Almost Made Some Risky Permanent Choices And Why? appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Emily’s “Teeth Cleaning Lollipops” invented by a kid, Jess’s $30 Shearling Jacket & An At Home Nail Kit

HI FOLKS. It’s officially 2022 and we are officially full of hope that this year will be vastly better than the last. Are you with us?? Great. There is no time like the present so let’s get right into the links for this week:

Today’s home tour (via The Design Files) is a contemporary home that incorporated salvaged items from stables from the 1800s, so that should be all you need to convince you to click here and check it out. The project belongs to two sisters and their intention to highlight the history of the property is both inspiring and beautiful.

From Emily: I’m a sucker for this. I know it sounds too good to be true (and it might be) but I keep hearing about these ‘teeth cleaning lollipops‘ that can act as a treat for kids (and grownups) but are supposed to mitigate tooth decay and cavities. My spidey sense warns me that they can’t be better for your teeth than actually brushing teeth, but I see it as a good alternative to a sugary sweet. It was invented by a 12-year-old ‘candy-preneur’ who obviously saw a hole and filled it.

From Mallory: I’m VERY into powder dip nails right now (they last longer than gel IMHO!) so when I saw this powder dip kit, I got very excited. I recently purchased it as a gift for my friend who’s also heavily into powder dip…I’ll report back on how she likes it and when I’ll cave in and get one for myself!!

From Jess: I’ve been wanting a sporty shearling jacket but simply didn’t want to spend the money on an expensive one. So when I was shopping for my last trip, I saw this little guy for only $30! It’s cute, I love the super small hits of neon and I feel fun and put together when I wear it with just jeans or workout leggings.

From Ryann: I have a Nordstrom Rack less than a mile from my apartment which is a blessing and a curse. The other day I went there with only the purest intentions to find a gift for a White Elephant game but I somehow left with a few things for myself?? Very strange. One of the things I got is this jacket that is insanely cozy. It’s a steal at $45 and I really love the crop fit and the way it drapes. I got an XL but I think I could have sized down to a L for a more fitted look. I also bought these platform heels and this velvet dress that by the time you are reading this I will have worn on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

From Caitlin: In the spirit of the new year, I wanted to share the 4 things on my phone that I could not live without: Robinhood, for making stocks and ETFS easy; Coinbase, my crypto wallet of choice (if you’ve ever been interested in learning more about the whole space, their resource library is great); You Need a Budget for all things financial; and Axios’ daily newsletters for staying up-to-date with the world (I subscribe to AM/PM, Pro Rata, Capital, Media Trends, Login, Science, Space, and World). Highly recommend all of these if you’re looking to start off 2022 on the right foot!!!

Alright sweet friends, that is all for now. Happy 2022 and we hope to see you tomorrow for a fun farmhouse update. xx

Opener Image Credit: Design by Sibling Architecture | Photo by Katherine Lu | From: An 1800s Stable Turned Contemporary Home Connected To Bushland, History + Family

The post The Link Up: Emily’s “Teeth Cleaning Lollipops” invented by a kid, Jess’s $30 Shearling Jacket & An At Home Nail Kit appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Happy New Year + My Fresh 2022 Outlook… Is My Identity Crisis Over?

I’ve been in an identity crisis for most of 2021. Personally and professionally and it made planning the future very hard. WHO ARE WE POST-LOCKDOWN??? The year 2020 shifted the blog (and all our lives dramatically). Our design content pivoted (are we done with that word yet?) pretty quickly to help solve problems, create comfort, and give resources in the home as we were all in lockdown. But we did it in a very low-budget, casual way that required way less production on our end. And I LOVED the freedom and ease of that level of production. We went from 4-7 photoshoots a week to maybe 1-2 with my iPhone, at my house, in my pajamas. I’m talking REALLY LOW QUALITY when it came to photos, styling, etc. I just rewatched and read Brian’s post about Matty Matheson and I really loved that vibe. We were way more focused on what was practical and relatable than trying to be perfect. And not only was it fun/fast/easy to do but it was actually what we wanted to see on the internet, too. Even myself, a stylist obsessed with perfectly yet effortlessly styled photographs did NOT want to see someone’s home looking annoyingly beautiful during that year.

Cut to the end of 2021. In the last few months specifically, I’ve seen this real shift back to “perfection” on most of the internet. And y’all I don’t want to go back full-time perfection pushing. I found myself, for the first time in my career, really comparing myself to others, feeling jealous their homes looked so good, their content so professional, and frustrated that the world is just back to business as usual – that what we learned in the last two years has already been forgotten. But of course, that was just my own insecurity, grappling with my desire to not become the machine that I once was, and just trying to figure out how to “do it all” while maintaining the sense of slowness that I’ve had. I also have felt confused about what people want, and like there is a backlash for anything we do because the audience has gotten so large. Here’s an example – If I wear an American-made, expensive dress, people are irritated that they can’t afford it and I get called out. If I wear a $19.99 Target dress, people feel like I’m promoting fast fashion and I get called out, and if I wear something vintage/thrifted people feel frustrated they can’t click and buy. And I fully understand all three viewpoints, but no matter what I feel bad that someone is unhappy and it feels like a lose-lose. The sauna blanket posts is a great example – so many of you found it useful (and the traffic/engagement were very high which yes, produced a lot of revenue) but many of you found it was off-brand for me – which I fully get, but it was honest and I had fun doing it. It made me think what is “the brand” anyway post-pandemic.

hello from my sweat sleeping bag

While the blog was doing great (thanks to you all) in 2020 and 2021 I was still confused about the future. Brian and my priorities shifted and we really wanted to slow down. So we left the city and focused on trying to create a life off of the hamster wheel in Oregon. But what does that look like business-wise? Do I want to grow the business or keep it “as is”? Can you even exist without wanting to grow or progress? Isn’t that just part of the human condition? How do you exist as a content creator or “influencer” with a team to support without getting back on the hamster wheel and saying yes to everything good that comes our way? DO I HAVE TO BE ON TIK TOK???? Can we possibly keep up with every platform and do them well??

And then I realized, wait, we can do all of those things and maybe that’s actually where we should live anyway (and always have, but with less mental ownership). We can still do low-budget mirror-selfie posts while also doing the higher budget styled-out photoshoots. And that’s not only OK, but perhaps having a looser approach can actually have a broader/more inclusive appeal. We can be more things to more people and just own it.

So here is the analogy that I pitched to the team – We are like a large Hollywood studio production company that tells stories about home and design. We can do big-budget blockbusters (the tent pole superhero films that pay for everything else), the low-budget indie films (budget stories, trends), documentaries (real process and education), off-broadway plays (experimental design posts), commercials (sponsored content), and even the free theater in the park (feel good makeovers) – WHATEVER WE WANT as long as we do them in the EHD way. Not every production (post) will be for all people, and that’s ok. Like Hugh Jackman – I prefer him in The Greatest Showman over Wolverine, but he does them both really well. Some people are here for the big well-produced reveals, some for nitty-gritty farmhouse documentary process, some for house hunting, some for trends, budget products, fashion, and some for sauna blanket reviews. And that’s GREAT. We hear you and we know that many of you want budget design ideas while others want discussions around sustainability. And that’s good! Both things can happen here. With my team and our contributors, we can be more things to more people, but we can’t be all things to all people every single day. We all can agree that if today’s post isn’t for you – just come back tomorrow and hopefully it might be.

left aka “blockbuster”: photo by sara ligorria-tramp | right aka “low-budget indie film”: photo by me…clearly

And listen, if coming here many days in a row makes you feel bad, uncomfortable, or snarky in any way – then I think we aren’t the right fit for you. And that’s ok, too. We’ll be more on top of the comments this year to ensure that this remains a site full of positive, productive, and constructive design conversations, education, inspiration, resources all with a personal connection to us. No snark towards each other, or the writer of the post in the comments allowed, and if you want to snark about me there are dark places on the internet you can waste your time. Go for it. Of course, discussion and constructive criticism are ALWAYS welcome, but I’ve had too many readers reach out saying that some days the comment section kinda ruins the spirit of the blog and bums them out and we agree. No one should feel guilt and shame for their choices in their home. I know many days I’ve avoided the comment section myself out of anxiety and we have some writers that don’t want to write for us anymore because of it. And listen, it’s just a few commenters so I think it will be easy to control (we know because we can look up IP addresses even if you use email aliases like a few of you do). So don’t waste your time, you will be quickly deleted (which FYI automatically deletes any comment that replies to the original one so don’t reply to them). Boundaries, y’all. We aren’t perfect people. We are human, and we are trying really really hard to help inspire, educate and entertain no matter what your budget and style.

I’m actually super excited and feel re-energized – and I couldn’t have said that 2 months ago. I feel more empowered to educate and use what I’ve learned to help you all through your design process. And I’m not alone! With the help of my team (and former team), we’ve really turned into a publishing platform and have been able to broaden the voices, styles, and budgets and want to continue to do it in 2022. I think I just needed to own my shit more, be proud of the mess, process, the reveals, and throw up some new boundaries (the buzzword of 2021).

I think just giving myself permission to do the big-budget blockbusters and the more experimental low-budget indie films has unlocked my creativity and made me less hard on myself. Going back to perfectly produced everything gave me anxiety and just didn’t feel right. I mean I’m living in a house with sheets on the windows for curtains and renovating what feels like an absolute mud/money-pit. My hair is frizzy every day because of the rain and I mostly wear yoga clothes and bogs. I don’t really feel like a style inspiration right now and I refuse to put it on just for the camera. How do you show that mess “perfectly”? I think you don’t, you just embrace it. And yet I can’t WAIT to style out the farm, making beautiful photos and videos to reveal this insane project (yes, the “blockbuster”), I LOVE styling branches in a vase to camera and placing the slippers next to the bed, *like so*. But I also love talking about my mudroom or closet woes, with iPhone shots. I love working with a partner to tell a story around their product, which often pays for the feel-good makeovers. We love finding truly great budget furniture and researching smart products for better living. And I love writing personal posts about parenting, marriage, and religion.

WE LOVE IT ALL. So instead of feeling like we have to be one thing, we are embracing the fact that we can do posts of all budgets/styles, etc, as long as we do it in the EHD way.

So expect all of it – it’s going to be a real “throw it at the wall and see what sticks” year – which honestly isn’t that much different than the last 10 years, it’s just a clearer mind-frame and less apologizing. And in digital and social media there is literally no predicting what will work – well except talking about dead cats, vasectomies, living room rug sizes, hair, and sauna blankets. I suppose I should figure out what all those have in common and plan our editorial calendar based on that?

A huge thank you to my team, of course, who has stuck with me navigating my identity crisis this year. There was a lot of “talking it out” and moments of privacy and I know that isn’t easy for a small team to navigate, both personally and professionally so thank you Jess, Caitlin, Ryann, and Mal. I appreciate the hell out of you. And thank you to our new contributors who have created some of the best content on the blog – looking at you Key, Malcolm, Albie, Ajai, Anita, Lea, and Rashida. I’m so proud of all of the EHD family for the incredible content produced, even when your leader is having an identity crisis. You’ll see even more faces this year as we grow a small team in Portland.

And thanks to you readers, seriously. Twelve years in and I know that many of you were here from the beginning and come every day and I can’t TELL YOU how much that means to me. I am not a “people pleaser” in general, but boy do I want to please you, as you guys truly do know me and have supported me on the way up. So just thank you for sticking by me, coming back, and embracing all of the changes, transitions, and self-indulgence

CHEERS TO 2022 being a VERY interesting year!!!!!

Opening Photo Credit: Photo by Suraya Barbee

The post Happy New Year + My Fresh 2022 Outlook… Is My Identity Crisis Over? appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Turns Out I’ve Been Blow Drying My Hair All Wrong—Here’s How To Get It Right

When trying to decide what to post on new year’s eve, we thought a good ole fashion “how-to” beauty post would do the trick. Hopefully, this will come in handy tonight so that you can ring in the new year with a perfectly blown out do (if that’s the look you’re going for;))

Turns out, I’ve been blowdrying my hair all wrong—and not only does it not look as good as it could, but I’ve been damaging it. I was recently at my friend Janine Jarman’s salon (Hairroin Los Angeles), complaining about how I can never make my hair look good on my own, and convinced that I’ll never learn, when she handed me the blow dryer and a brush and said “show me how you do it.” I did and she, horrified, said “I see…yeah. That is all wrong and now I understand why your hair is so damaged.”

She was actually relieved because this is a problem that we can solve.

To be fair my hair is a challenge and even she admits that. I used to have great long, natural-looking blonde hair. Then I had two kids and proceeded to bleach and chop it and it’s never been the same. It’s curly (therefore frizzy and fuzzy) and broken (so I have to be gentle with it) and it’s actually only shoulder length so while I try to grow it out, I have extensions. It’s also naturally blonde, therefore fine. All of this makes it VERY hard for me to blow it out. The extensions are long and straight, my hair is short and curly. It’s awesome.

So to be clear, yes, I was doing it all wrong, but my hair is absolutely a challenge.

Here’s what I was doing wrong:

I was not using product, did not have the right brush or the right hairdryer (my good one broke a while ago and so Brian picked this cheap guy up at the drugstore).I was blowing the wrong direction, therefore opening up my cuticle and CREATING frizz.I was putting the dryer far too close to my hair while it was still really wet (more frizz and damage).I had no real order and started in the wrong place.I was doing it WAY too fast, creating more frizz.

Here’s what it looked like “before” when I was done. I mean, I don’t think it looks that bad, honestly, but does it look like I just stepped out of a salon? Uh, no. It was still a little wavy, a little frizzy, not that shiny. Good enough for everyday life, but yeah, nowhere near what a pro could do.

So yeah, the finished product, as you can see, is not great. Let’s move on to how you are SUPPOSED to do it:

1. First, towel dry as much as possible. There is no reason to damage your hair by going straight to the blow dryer with soaking wet hair. I hear that this hair towel is great and apparently reduces drying time 50%. (When Arlyn was reading through, she said she actually had that towel, and it indeed made her hair dry faster…though she said maybe by like 30% but she liked it because it was felt light and not like a big lumpy heavy towel that was always flopping around on the top of her head).

2. Next, you want to protect your hair with a product. It’s not like I haven’t tried this but I honestly didn’t know what do use for my hair, how much of it to use and at what point to put it in??? Janine gave me just a few sprays of invisible oil primer and told me to work it all throughout the hair, evenly, while it is still damp. If you have hair like mine, using something that is heat-protective is key. It will act as an SPF for your hair, and protect it from the sun and heat (and reduce frizz). I hate my hair feeling product heavy so at first, I resisted, but using this stuff really made a difference and my hair did not feel weighed down by product at all.

3. Use a gentle wet brush to brush out your hair. I was just using my other bristle brush and not being NEARLY as gentle as I should be. She recommended this one.

4. Then we added a quarter-sized amount of conditioning straightening balm and applied it evenly throughout my hair (avoiding the scalp, because it will get greasy).

5. First big thing I learned: You HAVE to start with bangs. Why? Because they are the most important part and it’s best to do them at the beginning before your arms are tired, while you still have the patience and before they get too dry and frizzy. She recommended using this brush, then pull the bangs to one side and blow-dry pointing the blow dryer down. Repeat the same motion on the other side.

6. For my hair, Janine told me to do a flat wrap where you use the forehead to help shape and bend bangs. When bangs are almost dry, use a large metal brush, which acts as a curling tool, and pull bangs forward in a circular motion for volume.

7. Before going into sections, rake through hair using hands and blow-dry (always pointing downward) to help get rid of some more moisture so you are not spending a million years drying each section.

8. Then move to the crown using a bristle brush and roll the hair under and back using SO MUCH TENSION while pointing the blow dryer downwards and towards the back of your head.

HOT TIP: Tension is the key to shiny and frizz-free hair.

9. As you go along, clip sections to cool. Janine told me to clip it like there is a pretend roller in there. This allows your hair to cool down in that smooth shape.

To be honest this is where I started to get REALLY ready for this to be over. It’s so much work and as Janine kept telling me “it’s not a race,” but I just wanted to be done. My arms were tired. I was tired. But I get it. If I take the time, a blowout can last 3 to 4 days so that 1/2 hour to 40 minutes it takes to do it properly is WORTH IT.

10. Once you give yourself a pep talk to keep going (you’ve got this), move to the side sections of your hair, making your way from front to back. We used the big boar bristle roller brush for smoothness, and then moved to the metal brush to add more style, curl, and movement. Angle the brush tool the direction you want your hair to go (if you want your hair down and smooth, the brush will need to be curled under your hair, as opposed to just lose like in the top right photo above).

11. Repeat for the rest of the sections of your hair.

HOT TIP: the sections you work with should not be bigger than the tool you are using.

To give my hair a little movement, my normal routine is to add some curl with a curling iron until it looks nice and voluminous (I did this even when I was doing everything else so. wrong.) so that’s what we did here at the end. The finished product is a lot shinier, smoother, and healthier looking. And look, NO FRIZZ. You may notice the exhaustion behind my eyes from the effort, but okay fine, it was worth it.

In case you forgot what MY technique looks like next to Janine’s expert advice, here’s a side by side of the first finished job next to the new and improved blowout:

I kept saying to everyone in the office “are you sure the before is bad enough?” and they all would politely just laugh and say “yeah, it’s convincing.”

So, what do you guys think? Did I succeed? Have I just become a woman who knows how to blow out her hair? I think so.

We just put up a video of the process, so go check it out if the photos aren’t doing it for you.

A HUGE thank you to Janine for taking the time to show me the tricks of the trade. She is the best and you can check out her salon here.

Happy Saturday and happy new year, folks. xx

Photos by Veronica Crawford for EHD

The post Turns Out I’ve Been Blow Drying My Hair All Wrong—Here’s How To Get It Right appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Our Most Viewed Pins On The Internet In 2021

Hey everyone! Mal here, ready to bring you the top 10 most viewed pins on the internet. Well, OUR most viewed pins on the internet. These roundup posts are so fun for us because it’s like looking back through everything you’ve put your blood sweat and tears into the past year and then focusing on the POSITIVE (aka what did very WELL). Hopefully, it’s fun for you guys to see, too, and we’re so excited to walk down memory lane with you. Now let’s get goin’.

10. PORTLAND MEDIA ROOM GIF[image error]photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the ultimate family-friendly media room + wet bar

Ah, the Portland Media room wet bar. What a star…I haven’t seen this gif in a MINUTE (and it was before I started working at EHD so that’s seriously saying how old it is). How exciting that something from the 2017 archives is coming in hot on this list!! The team did such a good job with this gif, I’ve watched it for hours now and it’s making me want a glass of wine. Please hold.

9. BLUE & RED IN BEDdesign by studio rey | photo by carmel king | from: blue & red in bed! is this the next bedroom color trend? (+ the no-fail formula used to make it work in 28 different rooms)

Okay, wine’s in hand and we’re ready for super fine number 9. Our very own Caitlin wrote a post on how much she loves blue and red bedrooms and gave SUCH solid inspiration photos. This one being a crowd favorite, clearly. I love that floral pillow breaking up the solid colors, but man that color palette is seriously slaying.

8. THE ‘AESTHETIC’ ROOM via pinterest | from: ‘what are “the young people” into? it’s called “aesthetic” and “avant basic” I had no idea, and now i do’

I cannot stop laughing at this one. You may remember the post I wrote on what Gen-Z’s design style is and clearly it must’ve had some truth because this photo from the post got repinned A BUNCH of times. The records, the butterflies, the polaroids. It’s SO ‘aesthetic’ (you’ll get what I mean if you read the post) and it did WELL.

7. OUR DENIM ROUNDUPfrom: ‘ripped & distressed jeans roundup + a genius shopping hack for affordable denim’

1. Premium Cigarette Jeans | 2. Classic Straight Jeans | 3. Stella Skinny Jeans | 4. High Rise Skinny Jeans | 5.Levi’s Wedgie High Rise Jeans | 6. Maggie Mid-Rise Straight Leg Jeans | 7. Ripped Ankle Straight Leg Jeans | 8. GRLFRND Distressed Jeans | 9. Curvy High Rise Skinny Crop Jeans | 10. Vintage 505 Distressed Levi’s (size 32) | 11. Ribcage Straight Jeans | 12. Vintage 716 Levi’s (size 28) | 13. Rag & Bone Low Rise Jeans (size 23) | 14. Levi’s 501 Taper Jeans | 15. Vintage Levi’s 501 (size 32) | 16. Vintage Levi’s 501 (size 29) | 17. Rag & Bone Mid-Rise Skinny Jeans (size 23) | 18. Vintage Levi’s 501 (size 27)

Ah hello, little roundup. We started repinning these roundups a while back and we’re learning that people really like seeing everything in one spot like this. Denim is HARD to find so I get it, this really breaks it up visually and lets you really see the jeans (from a lot of different places at once). This was from a few months back, so I included the links but be forewarned that some of them may be out of stock or may not exist anymore (sad day).

6. #SHOWEMYOURDIY CHALLENGE: ACCEPTEDdesign by sarah gibson from room for tuesday | from: the 2021 #showemyourdiy: 22 diy ideas to transform your sad backyard into your favorite place

This is BACK with a vengeance!! This DIY by Sarah from Room For Tuesday has absolutely killed the Pinterest game for a few years now. It’s a step-by-step, idea-based graphic that seems to really get the concept across quickly and is a total scroll stopper. We updated the #ShowEmYourDIY backyard post earlier this year with some more awesome ideas, so in case you missed it, click here.

5. THE 2017 CALIFORNIA CASUAL ROUNDUPfrom: achieving the ‘effortless expensive’ style: furniture

1 Wayfair Side Table | 2. Jayson Side Table | 3. West Elm Side Table | 4. Anthropologie Side Table | 5. Urban Outfitters Side Table |  6. CB2 Side Table | 7. Jayson Home Side Table | 8. Urban Outfitters Side Table | 9. West Elm Side Table | 10. Ikea Side Table | 11. Wayfair Side Table | 12. Neustadt Studio Side Table | 13. Viva Terra Side Tables | 14. Shop Horne Side Table | 15. Wayfair Side Table | 16. Wayfair Side Table | 17. Shop Horne Side Table | 18. Rejuvenation Side Table

Another roundup for the win! This was from a post about getting that ‘effortless expensive’ look in your home. AKA organic, California, kind of transitional thing that is STILL very hot right now. Again, this graphic has a lot of inactive links since it was from a few months ago, but the important thing is that that side table from Jayson Home is still available (#2).

4. The Portland Kitchenphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: all the what’s, why’s & how much’s of the portland kitchen (+ big reveal)

Wow, two Portland Project photos made it wahoo! This house was so pretty, and the kitchen was a TOTAL star so I completely get it. Also how about that insanely beautiful paint color?? (It’s Sherwin-Williams Pewter Green btw)

3. THE CROWD-FAVORITE READING NOOKdesign by samantha gluck | photo by alison bernier | from: house tour – a bright & warm scandi-inspired home from an EHD alum 

Okay, how meta is this…a top pin from a past post about TOP PINS??? EHD alum Sam Gluck KILLED this nook. It’s constantly one of our top-performing photos – from Pinterest to Instagram this thing has GOT IT GOING ON. I mean a giant build-in bed with a bookshelf?? It’s the ultimate.

2. THE SHOWER NICHEimage via pure wow | from: ‘rethinking the shower niche’

Ah, the shower niche strikes again too! This post did shockingly well a while back, and it’s no surprise that the beautiful bathrooms to go along with it are also performing insanely well. How pretty is a clean & fresh bath with that GORGEOUS shower door? Might get a bit cold since you can’t shut it all the way, but hey we aren’t super opposed to fashion over function if it brings you joy.

1. CAITLIN’S HALLWAY MAKEOVER IDEA PIN

And in number one we have Caitlin’s hallway idea pin!!! We actually did this in partnership with Sherwin-Williams (for their 2022 color of the year, Evergreen Fog) The hallway was in need of something colorful enough to stand up to 3 busy wallpapers, but also muted enough to go with all the colors…Caitlin made this transition space so beautiful (we were all SO impressed) and the before and after was just so good. Check it out if you haven’t seen it…it’s SO FUN.

So that’s all…thanks for reading and tuning in. See ya in the mornin!!

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Tessa Neustadt | From: The Griffith Park Master Bedroom Reveal

The post Our Most Viewed Pins On The Internet In 2021 appeared first on Emily Henderson.