Emily Henderson's Blog, page 176

Design 101: How To Style Pillows On A Sofa Like A Pro (Plus Some Great Shoppable Combos)

I don’t know about you, but I think about my sofa a lot. It may be because my front door leads right into my living room so it’s the first thing you see when entering my apartment. Or maybe it’s because I love my sofa too much and want it to shine bright like the beautiful star she is. In any case, sofa styling has been top of mind for me (HELLO MOTO, HELLO DEADLINES), so I thought this would be a great opportunity to break down sofa styling for both my and your sake. Grab your pens and notebooks because this is a “living room rules” post you won’t want to forget.

OUR 5 NO-FAIL SOFA STYLING RULES:

1. KEEP A COHESIVE COLOR PALETTE: This is an EHD rule of thumb. As you’ve likely heard here before, as long as you keep a consistent color palette (3-5 colors) you will have more success when mixing styles and patterns. Here’s a post on how to easily create one!
2. VARY SIZES AND SHAPES: For visual interest you want your pillows to vary in shape and size (i.e. mix in round, lumbar, and square pillows in different sizes).
3. ADD IN DIFFERENT TEXTURES: If you are going to mix solids and neutrals, textures can bring in interesting details without being too loud.
4. BALANCE OUT COLORS EVENLY: Each side of your sofa should have different colors sprinkled throughout (i.e. you shouldn’t have all of one color on one side).
5. VARY THE SCALE OF PATTERNS: Patterned throws and pillows are a great way to add life and intrigue to your sofa, just make sure that you mix in both small and large scale patterns.

Now that you have your basic guidelines, let’s take a look at past EHD projects and dissect how to execute how to style a sofa like a dang pro:

Traditional Sofasphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: experimenting in my living room: trying to find “the” rug

If you remember this version of Emily’s LA living room, then you might already know she was experimenting with a new rug and new sofa–trying to find the perfect match (which is not an easy task let me tell ya). While she wasn’t in love with this rug and sofa combo, the sofa itself is so GOOD and styled to perfection.

Why it works: The large scale patterns are layered evenly so neither side of the sofa is too overwhelming. The two solid but textured color pillows on each side and balance the patterns out so the overall look isn’t too loud but still visually interesting.

design by velinda hellen for ehd | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: new reveal: a colorful, happy home makeover for an incredibly deserving family

Here, Velinda styled the same sofa for a Feel Good Flash Makeover and went with a “more is more” approach proving that pillow combos are endless as long as those 5 golden rules are still applied.

Why it works: The color palette is kept simple with 3 colors (gray, white, and muted blue) and while there are multiple striped pillows present, each is varied in scale and textured so there is not too much of the same thing happening.

[HOT_TIP title=”Hot Tip” content=”When choosing pillows and throws, consider the color and fabric of your sofa. Your sofa is the base so you want to make sure the textiles are not too similar so they complement each other.”]photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our new sofa, my dream floral chaise and the pop of red i always wanted in my life

Moving on to another iteration of Emily’s LA living room, we have this gorgeous custom Lawson-Fenning sofa styled minimally with a few pillows and a throw. Emily wanted the sofa to feel “clean, fresh, and purposeful” so she dialed back her styling so the curves and shape of the sofa would shine and speak for themselves.

Why it works: The two pillows are different sizes and shapes that complement each other while the throw blanket adds a large scale pattern to bring in more visual interest.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: makeover takeover: jess’ long awaited (small space) living room reveal

Here in Jess’s small space living room, she has a simple (but not at all boring) sofa that allows for a myriad of styling options. Going off the color palette of her living room, she peppered in pillows and a throw that would complement both the room and the sofa.

Why it works: She sticks to her color palette with the colorful pillows and added a large scale patterned lumbar to create some dynamic to the space.

design by brady tolbert for ehd | photo by tessa neustadt | from: brady’s living room refresh with the citizenry

Brady’s living room is cool, eclectic, and neutral which he so effortlessly exhibits in his sofa styling.

Why it works: Brady kept his styling rather neutral so he complemented his color palette by adding in A LOT of texture. His two main pillows are knitted and paired with a large scale woven blanket and leather lumbar, there is enough texture going on to be interesting (also note how the leather pillow brings in both warmth and texture).

design by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: “ugly cry” warning: sara gives her momma’s living room a refresh for mother’s day

First of all, if you haven’t checked out this reveal, do so immediately. It is a tear-jerker and the whole space is so special and personal (Sara designed it for her mom for mother’s day–it’s SO SWEET).

Why it works: The pillows Sara used pull from the color scheme of the room so the colors all speak well with each other. Since she uses more color, the patterns are small in scale so they work well effortlessly.

Tight Back Sofas

What makes tight back sofas different? Well, they are sturdier due to the lack of back cushions, usually have more of a structural shape, and (let’s be honest) they are not always the most comfortable–and that’s where pillow styling comes in.

design by emily bowser for ehd | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: new moto reveal: emily bowser’s “refreshed for function” small living room makeover
design by emily bowser for ehd | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: new moto reveal: emily bowser’s “refreshed for function” small living room makeover

As Bowser says in her reveal post, the shape of this sofa is cool and edgy just like her (seriously, she is the coolest). But what do you do with such a cool and edgy sofa? I am glad you asked…

Why it works: The color palette is consistent and (you guessed it) she varies the patterns and textures among the pillows and throw, while complementing the size and shape of her sofa.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: my living room update

This is one of my favorite versions of Emily’s LA living room because I just love how this sofa looks in her English Tudor home. It’s so simple and classic which allows for more modern pillow and throw options.

Why it works: The deep color of the sofa makes the room pop so the pillows don’t have to be “loud”. Notice that while there is scale variation, the “larger one” is more medium. This helps to keep the style still feeling classic. Also, that burgundy pillow is SO good. A fun unexpected (but appropriate) color is always a good idea.

design by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | sara’s living room & dining room reveal

Considering the size of the sofa and its firm structure, Sara implemented four oversized pillows to create a warm and inviting look (and p.s. she says this sofa is actually VERY comfy despite it being a more sculptural shape).

Why it works: Her color palette is neutral, each pillow is varied in size and pattern and she implemented texture with the round faux fur pillow.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: portland project: the living room revealphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: portland project: the living room reveal

Ahh this sofa is like the effortless cool girl who can pull off anything. There are tons of styling options that would make sense here because of its classic shape and black finish.

Why it works: Again, the color palette here is neutral and simple so the pattern mixing is where the real action comes in. Patterns and textures can allow for the colors to be tame while still creating an exciting moment. Also since this isn’t a big sofa, only having 3 pillows looks sophisticated and appropritate.

Sectionals

Sectionals are obviously larger sofas so you can play even more with pillows and throws OR keep it simple and let your sofa shine. Allow me to demonstrate…

photo by tessa neustadt | from: how to add style to a neutral living room (+ get the look)

The traditional gray sectional pictured here in Emily’s old Glendale home leaves so much room to play with colors and pattern.

Why it works: The color palette is spread out evenly so the pillows do not seem too heavy or overwhelming. In the same vein, Emily mixed patterns that did not complicate the styling but instead complement each other.

design by arlyn hernandez for ehd | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: reveal: arlyn’s bright & happy rental living room makeover

Arlyn’s living room reveal is so special and one of my favorite living rooms because of how personal it is to her. This sofa is obviously a show-stopper but that didn’t stop her from bringing in even more excitement with her pillow styling.

Why it works: Since the rest of the room is kept quite neutral, there is more space to play with pattern and color with pillow styling. Arlyn sticks to the 5 golden rules by varying patterns, implementing different size and shape pillows, and spreading them evenly across her sectional. Also, the throw draped on the end of the chaise is perfection.

design by l ea johnson of creekwood hill | photo by sage e imagery | from: lea johnson’s basement reveal: workspace by day and family-friendly living room by night

This basement is one of my favorite reveals we’ve published on the blog, designed by the wonderfully talented Lea Johnson. It’s a hardworking, multi-functional space but I must say this sofa and styling steals the show.

Why it works: Since the sectional is bold and colorful on its own, Lea kept her pillows neutral in color but added more visual interest by mixing bigger varied patterns.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: mountain house reveal: our light-filled neutral & textural living room

This sectional in the mountain house is VERY cool and VERY sculptural which is not always the easiest to style. Emily has talked about the pros and cons of this sectional before, but the one great thing about it is styling can be kept minimal and intentional.

Why it works: Like I said, the sofa is sculptural and interesting to look at on its own, but the 5 golden rules still apply. The pillows and the throw are cohesive with the color palette and are spread out so as to not crowd the sofa.

And now because it’s so fun, I pulled together some pillow and throw blanket combos to shop from:

1. Ticking Pillows | Dijon Cotton Pom Throw / Oversized Ivory Angled Stripe Lumbar Pillow | District Loom Vintage Pillow Cover No. 70 | Harlee Ivory Round Pillow | Oversized Cotton Textured Striped Throw Pillow with Fringe 
2. Clique White Pillow | Chunky Stripe Fringe Throw Blanket – Hearth & Hand | Persimmon Mohair Pillows | Recycled Cotton Blend Pillow with Tassels / Pico 18″ Black Round Pom Pom Pillow | Ray Pillow
3. Gigi Pillow | Boucle Faux Mohair Throw Blanket | Taupe Diamond Cotton Chenille Lumbar Pillow | Woven Washed Windowpane Pillow | Square Woven Cotton Pillow with Fringe
4. 20″x20″ Bradford Two-Tone Tassel Pillow | Pico 18″ Black Round Pom Pom Pillow | Ticking Pillows | Oversized Ivory Angled Stripe Lumbar Pillow | Buffalo Check Plaid Design Cotton Down Filled Throw Pillow | Modern Threads Acrylic Knit Throw
5. Park Designs In The Meadow Plaid Throw | Daios Pillows | Leilani French Knot Design Throw Pillow Natural | Square Woven Cotton Pillow with Fringe | Round Throw Pillow Natural | Vintage Hemp Pillows
6. Oversized Cotton Textured Striped Throw Pillow with Fringe | Maize Sqaure Throw Pillow Black | Oversized Ivory Angled Stripe Lumbar Pillow | Oversize Chenille Shiny Waffle Knit Square Throw Pillow | Rayas Throw
7. Daios Pillows | Rayas Throw | Textured Solid Square Throw Pillow Neutral | Harlee Ivory Round Pillow | Caitlin Wilson Black Gingham Pillow | Clique White Pillow
8. Maize Sqaure Throw Pillow Black | Olive Shag Pillow | Ticking Pillows | Black + Beige Woven Lumbar Pillow | Oversized Cotton Textured Striped Throw Pillow with Fringe | Grid Throw Blanket

And finally, our handy guide to help you with all your sofa styling needs:

Alright my friends, if you made it this far thank you for sticking with me. I know we just went over a ton of sofa combos so hit me with any questions or concerns down below. xx

Opener Image Credit: Design by Brady Tolbert for EHD | Photo by Tessa Neustadt | From: Brady’s Living Room Refresh with the Citizenry

The post Design 101: How To Style Pillows On A Sofa Like A Pro (Plus Some Great Shoppable Combos) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Ryann’s $16 Lululemon Legging Dupe, Caitlin’s Cleaning Hack, and The Shampoo That Makes Your Hair Smell AMAZING

Hey y’all and welcome to another Sunday’s link up. It’s officially been 1 year of lockdown (wow) and we hope you’ve all been dealing with this all the best that you can. If you missed it, we reflected on the last year (with some fun before and afters pre and post-pandemic) in this blog post last week so feel free to read it and hopefully it’s relatable. We also want to express our complete support and solidarity with the AAPI community. We have to be vigilant and purposeful with our words and actions to have any hope in eradicating this horrendous and unforgivable hatred. Anti-racism is a verb.

From Emily: In light of the past week’s hate crime against Asian American women, I found this article to be informative and was very grateful to the writer for putting it out there to the masses. There is a go-fund-me for one of the victim’s families (single mom of two boys) to help care for the boys as their hard-working mom is now gone and their family is in South Korea. We’ve got to be better. If anyone knows of other go-fund-me pages for the other victims please share in the comments.

I’m sorry but is that a marble fluted kitchen island??? Why yes it is and the brilliant Arent & Pyke design firm is responsible for it. Go take a peek at the rest of the photos and indulge in the most calming but still colorful color palettes out there.

From Ryann: I think I might need to start a series called “Tik Tok made me buy it” because the Gen Zers on that app have introduced me to some of my favorite products. I recently bought these leggings that are a perfect dupe for Lulu Lemon leggings thanks to a teenage influencer and they are SO soft and so comfortable. I am definitely someone who needs cute work out clothes just to motivate me to work out, and these are IT, folks.

Another house tour from My Domaine! If there’s one thing to take away from this home is that STYLING CAN BE EVERYTHING. Homeowner, Bryan Smith (a fashion stylist), enlisted the help of Kerry Vasquez and turned this old Hollywood, Spanish-style home into a light, bright, and very well-styled space. It’s more on the minimalist side, so if that’s you’re thing go check it out. Well even if it’s not your thing it’s still pretty so you should also check it out

From Jess: Since the only thing I feel like I’ve truly successfully conquered this year was my skincare routine (sad?), I really want to protect this face I’ve got and not undone all the work I’ve put in. And while I love my Yankees and Cubs baseball caps, I want some more “fashionable” hat options. I really love the look of this one! Plus it’s packable which sounds like it’s pretty durable. Do any of you have it? Thoughts? Feelings?

From Caitlin: OH. MY. GOSH. I have discovered the best grocery store cheese and I need everyone to try it!! It’s the Sartori Sarvecchio Parmesan Wedge, it is less than $7 at Target (it’s like $10 at my local grocery store), and IT IS INCREDIBLE. The label was like, “this is fruity and nutty and caramel-y AND it’s the “best cheese” award winner” (paraphrasing, but that’s the general sentiment) and my reaction was like, “yeah, I’m sure the only Parmesan wedge I can afford is great ::rolling eyes::,” and I WAS WRONG. I hit the jackpot! I bought it to grate but I have been eating it straight off the block like a heathen because it is so, so, so delicious. If you spot this little guy in the cheese case on your next grocery store run (it’s sold nationwide), GET IT. To that end, does anyone else have any favorite affordable grocery store cheeses? I will also scream about Trader Joe’s Honey Goat Cheese, if you want.

Also From Caitlin: Ah, yes, just an everyday, run-of-the-mill, totally normal story about a guy who bought a bowl for $35 from a Connecticut yard sale before learning that it’s a 15th-century Ming dynasty artifact worth…uh, A LOT MORE than $35. Mind. blown.

Also Also From Caitlin: I’m so sorry to have three links this week but I CANNOT WAIT for my next cleaning-centric post to spread the word about this scrub sponge/brush!!! I bought 3 of these on Monday – one for my kitchen counters, one for my bathroom counters, and one for my shower (because I am a little particular about what gets used where) – and oh my gosh, it is now my all-time favorite sponge. If you have old tile that’s looking a little worse for the wear, one of these bad boys and a little bit of Comet cleaner will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. I had 4 months of caked-on dust/grime (live next to a main road and my 100-year-old windows don’t, uh, close) and this made getting it all up SO EASY AND PAINLESS. I love you, scrubber!!!

From Mallory: If you’re a boujee sunscreen person you may know of the brand Sun Bum…it’s the one with the wooden-looking packaging and it smells AMAZINGLY GOOD (like bananas!) I was recently at CVS grabbing some goods and I found out that SUN BUM HAS A SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER AND IT SMELLS EVEN BETTER THAN THE SUNSCREEN. You must try it. I can’t wait to have my hair smelling like bananas (in a good way) all summer long.

That’s all for this week. Thanks, everyone for being along for the ride with us. We love you and see you tomorrow. xx

Opening Image Credit: Design by Arent & Pyke | Photo by Prue Ruscoe

The post The Link Up: Ryann’s $16 Lululemon Legging Dupe, Caitlin’s Cleaning Hack, and The Shampoo That Makes Your Hair Smell AMAZING appeared first on Emily Henderson.

What I Am Putting In My Kid’s Easter Baskets This Year In An Attempt To Not Give Them Garbage

Last year Easter kinda snuck up on us and without really any stores up here we scrambled at the last minute and Brian just bought them garbage candy from CVS, much to their delight. So this year I actually planned in advance. Also, we just went to the dentist for the first time in a year and we knew there would be some, uh, issues but, guys, it did NOT GO WELL. We have no one to blame but ourselves, so let’s just say while there might be a peep or two (birdie is obsessed with peeps, talks about them year-round) we are going to reduce the amount of sticky sugar for a while. Whoops. So my goal was to get them things they need, but in an “Easter way” — almost like stocking stuffers. And no, they aren’t getting ALL of these, but these are what is in my cart or I might try to grab.

1. Boys’ Woven Long Sleeve Button-Down Shirt | 2. Boys’ Batman 6pk No Show Socks | 3. Toddler Girls’ Sequin Bunny Tulle Dress| 4. Girls’ 2pk Knee High Unicorn Print Socks

We bought that bunny dress for Birdie last year and she wore it to threads. Like all day every day for months. And Charlie is starting to gravitate towards button-ups over t-shirts because he likes to be “dapper”, he says They both need socks, so it’s a good filler for baskets. If you are in LA or have time to order, head to my friend’s store, The Reckless Unicorn, to support a small business.

1. Table Topics To Go | 2. 11pk Bright Glitter Washi Tape | 3. Paint-Your-Own Ceramic Gnome Home Kit | 4. 125ct Googly Eyes with Sticker Back

We got the Table Topics game for Christmas from our neighbors and at first I was skeptical about it, but our kids LOVE it and we play it a few nights a week at dinner. It’s a bunch of fun questions that prompt conversations and Charlie loves to read it. It feels like a game even though it’s just a conversation (questions like “what superpower would you want?”, “where in the world do you want to visit right now?”, and even questions about feelings and friends – all very kid-friendly).

We are in need of new crafting supplies as we have gone through A LOT this year, and the new Mondo Llama line at Target is SO CUTE (our kids are super into fairies and gnomes and we are definitely encouraging it). But we are low on washi tape and totally out of googly eyes (the amount of puppets we’ve made this year is wild).

1. Surprise Ride – Build Beeswax Candles Activity Kit | 2. Paint-Your-Own Ceramic Fairy House Kit | 3. Fliptomania Flipbook Animation Kit – Butterfly & Frog

The kids made these bees candles for Christmas dinner and it was SO MUCH FUN. It was a different kit, but it’s such a lovely tradition for big meals so we figured we’d carry it into Easter (and they are super easy to do and don’t drip wax). The kids just started making cartoons on large paper that doesn’t really work so Brian wanted to get them a flipbook kit to help walk them through it (and there are blank ones for them to draw their own).

1. I am Benjamin Franklin (Ordinary People Change the World) | 2. I am Frida Kahlo (Ordinary People Change the World) | 3. If I Built a School | 4. If I Built a Car

We have a few versions of the Ordinary people series and we love them. They are long reads but great for school days or snuggling in the hammock and the kids learn a lot (we love the MLK, Lincoln, Jane Goodall ones, too). And Chris Van Dusen is one of our favorite kid authors (we love love love Circus Ship and Hattie and Hudson – have read those for YEARS).

1. Vintage Grandma Mugs | 2. The Official Easter Bunny Dollar Bill 8-Pack | 3. Vintage Easter Bunny Rabbit Coffee Mug

Our kids drink from their Santa mugs year-round, so I figured that I’d buy them a bunny mug to shake it up. I bought two vintage ones on Etsy like these but there are so many other great ones!

I think getting them these bunny dollars is very fun (and could substitute for candy in the eggs for the egg hunt) and I know they’ll get very excited about it.

1. 12″ Chipwood with Liner Easter Decorative Basket Farm Pattern | 2. 5pk Nesting Easter Eggs

The pups chewed up one of their baskets (we left it out after Halloween – because they trick or treated inside with them) and I love that these are wooden and have a farm theme to get them excited about the farm. These nesting eggs are SO CUTE and are going to sub the usual plastic eggs for our hunt. I bought three sets of them and will use them year over year over year.

We’ll likely have a big hunt in our backyard, watch Peter Rabbit and make bunny pancakes like we did last year. I’m mostly looking forward to the daffodils that go CRAZY up here, crafting with the kids, and basically any excuse to make a big complicated day-long meal and drink mimosas. xx

Opening Image Credit: Photo by Brian Henderson:) | From: How To Celebrate Easter In 2020

The post What I Am Putting In My Kid’s Easter Baskets This Year In An Attempt To Not Give Them Garbage appeared first on Emily Henderson.

One Year In…Is Anyone The Same??

I’ve been kinda off for the past couple of weeks for what I thought was for no reason…or maybe something silly like the rain or daylight savings. Actually, it’s objectively been a really good couple of weeks. Better than most this past year. I’ve been walking every morning, got great feedback from Emily on my living room design (see! I promise I’m making progress:)), saw the EHD gals (masked) for the first time since last March to raid Emily’s prop garage for priceless decor pieces, AND accidentally got TWO BOTTLES of wine when I really ordered two glasses from Postmates. All pretty awesome wins. But when I’ve woken up the past two Mondays, they’ve felt like Thursdays. Each week started out feeling like a mountain I might not be able to successfully climb. It wasn’t until this actual past Thursday when my friend said, “Jess, your body is probably just remembering the fear and anxiety of last year during this time”. At that moment I thought, “DUH! That makes so much sense. How could I have not picked up on that?” I mean, you can’t turn on the TV or open your phone without being reminded that we’ve made it to the one-year mark. But I also haven’t been the only one. My friends, coworkers, family members… a bunch of them have also felt off recently. Coincidence? I think not.

So we thought we’d jump on the “one year” bandwagon and each talk about our experience (the EHD gals and some of our wonderful contributors). Now, when I say “talk about our year,” I mean what we learned, how we grew and some of the happy silver linings that came about. 2020 was undoubtedly a horrible freaking year and our hearts are with all of you who went and are going through far worse than what we have. But with all the trauma, loss, and, extreme stress we’ve collectively gone through, we wanted to create a space to shine a light on the positives. And look simply surviving is PLENTY enough of a “positive”, but with some hope on the horizon, talking about the ways we lifted ourselves up seems like a nice thing to celebrate. I’ll let Em start us off…

Emily

It’s hard to talk about this year in any sort of simple form because it was full of all of the feelings. It’s been a year – and it feels like it’s been both the longest one of our lives as well as a totally lost year – like I keep forgetting what grade my kids are in (we are still homeschooling). I’ve changed enormously and fundamentally and I know I’m not alone. So to try to boil down the impact of this year for me feels almost premature, but I know that I got off the hamster wheel and I really don’t want back on (while being endlessly grateful for what the hamster wheel helped me achieve). 

1. I woke up in so many ways. I became more of a conscious minimalist. I created so much waste before and now I don’t. My job, me personally – I just wasn’t cognizant, didn’t have time to think about it or maybe I just chose to ignore it. I loved “stuff” and “options” – that’s part of being a stylist. But when shopping felt scary at the beginning (and ordering online put delivery people in danger and felt selfish) my thoughtfulness about waste grew and I woke up. We were reusing Saran Wrap and washing aluminum foil. It helps that very little gets delivered up here as we don’t have USPS, so I realized how much less I need to be content. For whatever reason I have zero desire to rearrange my furniture and accessories here, happy with how it is which is an absolute first for me. Maybe it’s because for the first 9 months there were no photoshoots so I didn’t need to change things up. Maybe it’s because no one was coming over to impress. Maybe it’s because it felt unimportant in the scheme of things. Maybe it’s because I am feeling content spending so much time with my family and therefore satisfied with how things are without needing them to be different or “better”? I don’t know. I also recognize that this house is very beautiful and doesn’t need anything, but in the past that didn’t stop me. Now going forward I won’t be perfect, but I can solidly say I won’t go back. 
2. So many lessons learned this year that gave me the opportunity to be a better person (and have hopefully an influence on others). Being an influencer in 2020 was extremely challenging and stressful, and frankly it’s never something I’ve liked being in the first place (I love being a design blogger, but not necessarily an “influencer”). There were huge, extremely important things to learn and say about racial and social injustice, grief, and the election and it was very messy, full of lots of mistakes – all public. I heard somewhere recently (likely a self-help podcast) that “the obstacles are part of the journey”. It’s actually really exciting and freeing, like a way to give yourself grace and kindness instead of regret and shame. Now when I try and fail, or make a mistake I can recognize the lesson I needed to learn almost immediately instead and shaming myself. 
3. I keep joking that I don’t know how I’m going to turn out – my life was so different before Covid, I feel like I was a different person than I am now. It’s like I’m in the middle of the “coming of age” movie and I’m just waiting, so curious how I’ll be after we move to Portland and the world opens up. I’ve become a MASSIVE homebody (often going weeks without getting in the car) and I’m seriously wondering if I was always just an introvert that could extrovert really well (Bowser said this to me once, after I had an exhaustion meltdown and asked everyone to leave the house during a shoot). I used to love living in a city, now I don’t. I used to love any excuse to party and socialize, now I don’t (but can still be easily swayed). I used to spend the weekend busying myself with projects – obsessed with productivity, experiences, and social engagements – now we cook, clean, hang with the kids doing nothing, often in nature, and I read novels – like a lot of novels. I’m so much more protective with my time and my social and work boundaries are so much higher. I don’t know how long it would have taken me to learn this lesson, surely I would have kept running on adrenaline for decades, faster and faster on the hamster wheel if it weren’t for quarantine shutting it down. And I too, finally had time and energy to start therapy instead of just endlessly talking to my friends about the same problems, for years. It was time to do something about it. I’ve become so close to Brian and the kids, and I’m just so grateful for my team of people who care so much about this blog (and you all – thank you for reading and sticking with us). 

Jesstwo different years, two different famous homes, two different jess’s

I go back and forth with letting myself take in the trauma of this past year and finding as many silver linings as possible. I’ve talked a couple of times about the hard parts about being living alone during a pandemic but haven’t touched on the really positive parts. First off, I finally started therapy last summer. I’m almost militant about finding the good in any situation and try to always focus on gratitude. Very “everything happens as it should” kinda philosophy. It’s how I was raised and it can’t be stopped. But holy shit is it almost impossible to find hope in the midst of a global pandemic (especially in the beginning). So “this thing” that made me “me” felt stripped away and I didn’t know where to turn. I was an anxious wreck that was having all of my suppressed emotions from my ENTIRE LIFE coming at me all at once. Nearing 10 years without my mom, physical insecurities, imposter syndrome, extreme fear of prematurely losing my other parent, etc. were all things I couldn’t ignore anymore with my trademark “positive attitude”. I could perk up for work but then was a shell of a human and not reaching out to friends because I didn’t want to add to the burdens that they were going through. So while I hate that it took a pandemic to get me into therapy I am forever grateful. On a lighter note, I MOVED! I know you all (or at least most of you) know that but it has also been pretty transformative. Having actual space and wonderful new neighbors that (safely) talk to each other is something I didn’t know I needed. Also, my relationship with my brother got stronger which actually is the best thing to come out of this pandemic. Lastly, I made some positive lifestyle changes. I’ve talked about how I am FINALLY taking care of my skin and the emotional benefits of that but I also went almost fully plant-based with my dad back in July. It’s actually been such a fun journey to be on with him and really helped me to feel like I was in control of what I was putting in my body in a way I hadn’t before. FYI this is not me saying everyone should do it. Eat however works best for you! So am I all better? Ha. NO! But I am stronger, I think we all are. 2019 Jess was good but 2021 Jess is more firmly rooted, better about creating personal boundaries, and much kinder to herself.

Albie

The past year has taught me that anything is possible, and being able to pivot is tantamount to having a superpower. None of what I expected from 2020 — good and bad — came to pass. While being sequestered to my home wasn’t the most jarring experience, coupled with the civil unrest, the year took an emotional toll on me. Personally, however, I was able to come out on the other side, more protective of my peace, prompting us to take a huge leap to purchase our first home…something we actually hadn’t planned on doing till this year. 

Caitlin[image error]

An unexpected bright spot: after spending a full year apart – the longest we’ve ever gone without seeing each other –  I got to head home and spend 4 months with my mom, and it was the most time we’ve spent together since before I left for college over a decade ago. I flew out in November and we were a little nervous, seeing as we had both been living alone for 8 straight months and we’d both be stuck in the same space ALL THE TIME, but it never got old. I wore my robe 24/7, drank a lot of wine, cuddled with her dog, ate a ton of salmon with udon noodles, watched Antiques Roadshow, giggled a bunch, fell asleep on the sofa too many nights, and had the best time. If we had still been working in the office, I kind of have the feeling that “hey, I’m gonna go work from a sectional in Delaware for 1/3rd of the year, bye” wouldn’t have really gone over well, so I’m just really, really, lucky to have that flexibility now. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I’m really grateful for it, especially after hearing that so many folks are still away from their family. Like, sure, I miss my friends and bars and waking up at 3 AM for skating, but those felt like a welcome trade for the chance to spend so much uninterrupted time with my mom. (P.S. I know Brenda will be reading this while she’s 1. laying in bed and catching up on news or 2. eating her morning rice krispies, so…hi, mom!!! I miss you a lot already!!!)

Rashida

We had just come back from celebrating my husband’s grandmother’s 100th birthday in Atlanta, GA (The dogs came too!). We had no idea that it would be the last time we would see his mom or family for over a year! That trip was a much needed break from my crazy emotional 2019. Some people know this, some may not, but I’ve been dealing with infertility for 4 years now. And social distancing gave me the space and time I needed to finally start to process my emotions and strengthen myself as I navigate so many baby announcements. I started biblical counseling again, which has taught me how to lament. Something I never thought to do. I found myself talking with family and friends daily, that I didn’t usually talk often with. I started memorizing scripture which has helped me get rid of anxious thoughts. It was and is a time for rebuilding; myself, my faith in God, and with others that I lost touch with. I’m grateful that God kept my loved ones safe during this year of sorrow the world experienced. I know that many are not able to say that. But my hope is that we all find God’s peace in the midst of these trying times.

Ryann

I remember at the beginning of quarantine I wrote about feeling happier and less anxious than I had in a really long time. Oddly enough, in the pre-pandemic picture, I was on vacation in Hawaii for my cousin’s wedding which was so amazing yet I was secretly battling crippling anxiety and shame. About a month into quarantine, not knowing how long lockdown would last and how devastating the pandemic would be, I felt grateful for a break from, well, the world. There is this culture, especially here in America, that says we need to be constantly moving, that we need to be productive, and above all, we should be stressed all.the.time. We value stress and “success” more than happiness so I felt like this shared experience of a global pandemic forced many to slow down A LOT and think about what really matters. As months went by I had plenty of ups and downs and several bad days and weeks BUT as I look back on this year, I am so lucky to say there were a lot of positives among the chaos and turmoil. First, I got engaged in August and I am honestly still riding on that high to get me through tough times. Having a loving, supportive, and kind partner during all of this is the biggest gift. I also made some positive strides when it comes to my mental health in that I am finally on medication that works for me and I am starting to let go of the shame surrounding taking medication (A HUGE step for me). And finally, my brother and sister-in-law had a BEAUTIFUL perfect baby girl who I am so in love with and can’t wait to squeeze in person. All of these things coupled with my health and the health of my loved ones are all I need and I think I did some serious growing in 2020 that may not have happened under other circumstances. Cheers to that and a (hopefully) brighter future for all of us. xx

Malcolm

In the “before” photo (which was taken right as the pandemic hit the US) is of me sitting in my old, empty condo. I was taking a leap of faith by selling that place and moving to Arlington, and my anxiety was at its peak. In the “after” photo (taken exactly a year later), my anxiety is largely at bay, and I’m visibly proud of myself for taking that leap of faith. You can even see the tension in my body fade between these two pictures. It’s pretty remarkable.

These are the three things that really shifted for me this past year:

Trusting my gut: I’ve always had deeply visceral reactions to just about everything, but for some reason, I never allowed myself to trust that feeling. Over the last year, I was challenged in SO MANY WAYS to trust it, and it has only given me power and positive momentum.Seeking help: Before this last year, I thought that seeking help was a sign of weakness or failure. With all of the curveballs that 2020 threw at us, I quickly adjusted and learned that help is a pretty vital way to maintain a high degree of level-mindedness and self-care.Trusting people the first time: I’m a very understanding person. I NEVER want that to change, but it has certainly led me to my fair share of pain, heartbreak, and confusion. Over the last year, I’ve learned how to balance my propensity for being an understanding person with a deep belief that if someone shows me their true colors (and those colors don’t compliment mine), I need to see them for who they are and keep it pushing. This is pretty aligned with my first lesson!Mallory[image error]

I’m not gonna sugar coat it, the pandemic has been a REAL struggle for a gal in her early 20s at times. Like I wanna go OUT and SEE the world and MEET people but I CAN’T. That’s been the hardest part about it all. But simultaneously sooo many amazing things have come out of this pandemic it’s ridiculous. I am so thankful to be happy and healthy and especially to still have a job that I love doing so much every single day (it’s a real privilege). Working from home is a dream case scenario for me and while I realize not everyone has had this experience (AND THAT’S TOTALLY OKAY), this pandemic has transformed my fitness life. I used to hardly workout…I would try to go at least 2 times a week after I got off work, but working out consistently at 6 or 7 pm just didn’t happen for me. With our new work-from-home life, I’ve been taking lunch breaks to do a quick 30-minute boxing, strength training, or cardio workout and it has completely transformed my life. I need sunny, natural light to be motivated to workout and I also love being able to do it from my home!! I’ve seen insane physical and mental changes in my life since the pandemic (and I’ve worked incredibly hard for it) and it’s something I may never have had if it wasn’t for being locked inside. THAT is the number one thing I’ve been so fortunate to have during this year. I’ve also been full steam ahead on designing my apartment which has been A BLAST. Getting to talk to THE Emily Henderson about my first ever apartment design has been one of the most amazing things to happen in my lifetime. LASTLY, I’ve felt this incredible bond grow with my family and with Chase (and his family too!). Since those are the only people we’ve seen for a year, our bonds have grown so strong together and I feel so so fortunate. It’s made me realize what’s really important in life: health and deepening connections with those closest to you. Okay, actually one more thing…so this is the real “lastly:” I AM A CHEF NOW. Alert the media. Cooking has become such a relaxing thing for me (usually my boyfriend Chase cooks like every meal and I sous chef) but now I really really cook and I love it. I don’t love Covid of course, but I love a lot of things that have come from this. THE GRATITUDE IS STRONG HERE GUYS.

So like I said, none of us are the same and I think that’s a pretty beautiful thing. Now, we’d love to hear from you. How did you grow? Do you feel different? Any fun new skills?

But again, we don’t want to make light of the extreme loss that so many have experienced. We just want to have a place to both grieve and celebrate.

As always, love you and very much mean it.

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IT’S FINALLY HERE – The Farmhouse Floor Plan Post (Big and GOOD Changes)

Things are really trucking along up in Portland and there is nothing like speeding along a freeway with equal doses of fantasy and denial. We are in the middle of the “fun” phase which is more about fantasizing our dream home and less about knowing how much it might actually cost. We knew what we were getting ourselves into buying this property. But “knowing” and KNOWING are two different things. But first things first – the floor plan, the layout of the house that will affect how we live all day every day. How the house functions and the flow is astronomically important, and we are dissecting it and analyzing every door swing, the light at every time of day to ensure that we won’t live in the house and have an existential hand to the face emoji.

Guess what? We made you a video! Don’t worry you are still going to need to read the post to truly understand what we’re talking about but it’s so fun to dream in the actual space (And as always just wait for the ad to play before the video starts):

We have been working on the farm for WEEKS (maybe months) and when I say ‘we’ I mean Anne from Arciform, her lovely team Stephyn and Marty, with Brian and I playing the role of happy clients. We’ve been meeting every Wednesday morning for 2-3 hours via Zoom and each week we play this floor-plan video game called “Fantasy Architecture” where we move walls, look at the 3-D version of what we just did, change it, tweak colors, leave giddy with excitement and every day we get closer to the final layout of our mini-farm house. We’ve been so impressed with her speed, talent, and skills and I feel like the luckiest person on the planet to get to renovate this house with this team of pros that legitimately seem like they love what they do (which is apparently chronically important to me). It’s been such a positive experience thus far.

BEFORE A FLOOR PLAN YOU NEED A “BUDGET” (Or So I Keep Being Told)

Anne asked us what our budget is, and we deflected like the children that we are and said instead, “we know this place needs a lot so let’s design our dream house and then reassess”. A sort of “if you build it they will come” approach that is face-slappable and a level of denial that can only come from being privileged enough to do this as my job. But I’ve worked hard for decades to be here and for the sake of my family and career, I both need and want this to look good. I figure that since this is our forever house we don’t want to cut corners or compromise because a particular number sounds scary now – because let’s face it they all sound terrifying. Moving on. The house has to be renovated. Let’s do it right.

FANTASY FLOOR PLAN GOALS

The house is 3500 square feet with 1500 of it being an addition from the ’60s for an adult foster meeting home that needed to be completely redone – not optional. The kitchen and living room were great. The rest of the first floor was not. But we had a wish list of how that square footage could be utilized. We had the space, surely we could get our dream layout.

We Wanted To: Open up the kitchen more with the living roomCreate a primary suite (in the ’60s addition)Find a place for a powder room downstairs. Create a family/media room.

Seems easy enough, so for you floor plan nerds (hi. me, too) here is the original as-builts of the first floor:

ORIGINAL FLOOR PLANThe Problems: The location of the kitchen was not bad, but we are such big cooks now that we wanted to integrate it more into the living room. The living room was almost TOO big. Seriously it felt like a dark lodge that would need multiple seating areas to work, of which we don’t need. All the best bright natural light from the south came from the breakfast nook – how do you bring it into the living room? The rest of the addition was not meeting our goals and it was time to reconfigure. FIRST UP – MOVE KITCHEN INTO LIVING ROOM

Version 1: When I first fantasized about this to myself I thought I was being greedy. You have a GREAT kitchen over there and you can’t make it work? But I didn’t want to cook in that room alone – and with the living room being almost too big it just seemed so clear to me – divide the space and create a great room. The cooking parts of the kitchen would move to the living room. But the best part? The original kitchen will remain intact (with some new paint and flooring) and become the pantry and mudroom.

BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR PRIMARY SUITE?

Once we checked that “great room” box it was time to figure out the rest of the puzzle that would affect our lives forever. But it was a puzzle and a huge ask. Here we loved where the family room is right off the kitchen (with doors if we wanted to hang out in the living room).

WE ARE ALARMINGLY PICKY ABOUT OUR BEDROOM… LIKE WEIRDLY SO

This was the beginning of a saga where Brian and I try to convey a totally esoteric sense of privacy that we think we need. We don’t care about window treatments, but we want our bedroom to feel like a retreat from others. Trying to define “privacy” is actually hard because it’s subjective. I bathe with full sun and window treatments open all the time, but I want to feel the sense that people can’t see. So we couldn’t help shake how our bedroom felt really exposed being right off the main deck, with our bed facing the deck in version two.

Anne kept working and tweaking, but we really needed to go up there and get a sense for where we want our bedroom to be. Where do I want my bathtub? Which way do I want to face when I’m attempting to bubble my way into sleepiness? So we drove 18 hours (never again) and Brian and I spent a few days walking the property – such an important move.

We taped it out. Pretended to open invisible doors and walk through them. Sat on imaginary sectionals. It’s different than floor plans and staring at photos. When you are in a space how do you feel??? You have to be there.

What we realized while we were there was that there isn’t a version where we can get our dream scenario – a cozy family room, a nice bedroom, walk-in closet, pretty bathroom, and powder room. There wasn’t enough space. We also realized where we want our bedroom to be and what direction we want our bed to face.

The Musical Dining Room/Sunroom

As you can see above Anne also kept playing with where we put the sunroom and realized that it felt crowded near the kitchen, but the front of the house has a lot of space and is really less usable – so she moved it over there and now it looks so pretty architecturally from the front and yet still opens into the courtyard.

Too Many Needs, Not Enough Space

Here is where we really could have driven Anne nuts if she wasn’t so patient. We were desperate to fit everything we wanted into the existing floor plan (with the new dining addition). But everything felt like too much of a compromise. In these versions, our bedroom felt very right off the family room, and the entrance into it felt too fast (most primary bedrooms have what’s called an “ante room” which is just a space right before you “enter” the room that gives it a sense of a suite (even just a short hallway). Obviously this isn’t necessary – its just gives your bed some space from the next room. Plus in this layout facing the bed to the south is the least nice view (a wall of shrubs), but to the north was like “hello anyone on the patio”. We sound like crazy private people, but I believe strongly in bedroom feng-shui and how it can affect how you feel and live in the space.

Perhaps A Porte Cochère Will Solve All Our Problems? Also What Is A Porte Cochère?

Even while we were stumped on the inside many of you advised that we would want a dry way to go from car to kitchen. Thank you. So we added a port cochère (I had to look it up) which is a fancy-ish name for a carport that is attached to your house, covered so you can exit easily go from your car. This is the ever important “grocery drop path” and avoids dragging in more mud (and it’s not that expensive to add).

as-built exterior

Here is the front of the house now for reference. I can’t wait to add more architectural interest and charm to it. It’s a super nice box, that really wants something else to help make it feel architecturally interesting. So from the beginning, even without knowing that the kitchen would move to where the dining room is, I wanted this added structure (I’ll show you inspiration later).

Dining Room On The Side Of House

At first, Anne put the dining room where we asked her which was off the side of the living room. But soon enough she realized that the front of the house is where all the dead square footage lived, PLUS it would add so much to the overall architecture and gives the side deck way more space.

Dining Room On The Front Of Housefinalized sunroom location with porte cochère

No finishes have been selected, this is just to give you an idea of where the sunroom/dining room would go. I LOVE how it looks. Even the port cochère adds this haphazard charm that we love.

Back To The Drawing Board For Our Bedroom, After A Couple Drinks And Unsolicited Advice

After a day of walking the property, taping things out, staring at how the sun moved, we conceded that we didn’t have enough space to make our dream bedroom suite. Something was going to have to give. But my brother was NOT satisfied and after him laminating our floor plan, while we had a couple of glasses of wine, we drew all over this thing. He said a wise thing – don’t waste this renovation without getting mostly what you want. Don’t go broke, but don’t be scared and dumb.

It was then that Brian had the idea of adding on to the end of the ’60s addition. It seemed both weird and also a no-brainer. We started collating the facts – there would be no additional plumbing or electrical. We already had to redo a part of the roof because we were demo-ing out the big brick fireplace anyway. We already had to repair the foundation. It wouldn’t be free, but everyone agreed that adding 6-8 feet wouldn’t actually cost that much more to get what would ultimately be a better fit for our needs (and by our needs I recognize it means a very special bedroom).

back of the ’60s addition

Once we gave Anne 8 more feet to play with she was able to give us what we wanted and always dreamed up – A nice sized bedroom, closet and bathroom, with a cozy family/tv room and a powder bathroom. Our bedroom is big enough that I can put a desk in the corner and work from there and since it’s the only other room with a TV (that’s right, it’s ok). We’ll likely have a club chair or two so that on the nights or days when I want to watch something while pinning (it’s my creative process) I can do it in a chair instead of in bed.

We ended up changing up the mudroom at the last minute (more on the dog washing station later) and don’t worry there aren’t so many doors from the butler’s pantry to the kitchen (it’s a walk-through cabinet which is so fun). But for the most part, we are almost there. We are still in the throes of choosing everything, but I thought it would be fun to show you the overhead layout because one can only stare at floor plans for so long before you need some fake furniture and wrong tiles to show you how it’s really going to go.

And yes, the living room is going to be VERY hard to layout. We’ve already mocked up a few versions that might work that I can’t wait to debate with you.

Here’s to hoping none of you have a genius idea for this layout that we haven’t heard of. Again, so much of it was dictated by how it felt being there, the light, where we actually want to hang out, and what we want to look at. A floor plan is just that, a plan, but in-person things become so much more clear. Thanks so much to Arciform for making sure that if we are going to do this, we are going to DO THIS.

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A Total DIY Laundry Room Transformation (AKA Peak Adulting)

Can I be totally honest, you guys? I didn’t realize how much adulting I still hadn’t mastered until we bought a house! And lemme qualify that — it’s not the house itself that, or the purchase of, that’s been the adultiest part of this whole transition; it’s been all the stuff that we’ve done since buying a house that really has had us feeling like “so this is what adulting is like?!” One huge adulting milestone for us was renovating and designing the laundry room… even more than the kitchen! 

The laundry room was a complete overhaul — we removed the cabinet, shelving, and flooring, switched out the lighting, added a vent, painted & tiled the walls, and widened the entire entrance. 

Like I said — a major overhaul and was definitely a crash course in things that don’t teach you in school, like allocating space behind the washer & dryer for all the ugly hoses running everywhere or how to even install a washer & dryer.

FUN FACT: did you know that the washer is almost always on the left & the dryer on the right for a reason? Because we sure didn’t…but now we do! Reason — front-loading washers typically swing open right to left & dryers swing open left to right, so when both are open, transferring clothes is an easier task. 

Mind blown… you’re welcome… back to the program…

There were two major adulting keystones when it came to the laundry room, and now that she’s “reveal ready,” looking back at how far we’ve come… honestly the transformation was just as much personally impactful as it was cosmetically.

Wall & Floor Tile Installation: DIY Versus Hire

Thinking about it, I don’t recall us having an official conversation about the laundry room design when we decided to buy the house… at least not the way we did for the kitchen, which was before we even closed. But once we decided to work on the laundry room, we decided to just go for it all the way — it was one of the few rooms that clearly never got an upgrade so we were looking at new floors, new walls, new lighting… the works! 

Considering the actual size of the laundry room — just under 40 st ft — we figured this was totally something we could tackle ourselves, as opposed to hiring out the labor. 

We weren’t moving any of the plumbing and the most strenuous upgrades would be tiling. We went with tile from The Tile Shop because of their impressive assortment of floor and wall tile, choosing a dramatic & glamorous large format black porcelain tile for the floor — Harley Lux — and a unique art deco-inspired black & white porcelain tile for the walls — Metropolitan. The names of the tile really tell you the vibe we were going in here — Lux Metropolitan — but we didn’t want to pay luxe coins to get it done. 

Getting all of the materials from The Tile Shop — literally everything from the underlayment to the grout — made tackling this not only doable but allowed us to save a ton of coins, that we could spend on something we couldn’t/didn’t want to do… like opening up the wall to the laundry room. 

For context — our original reno plans did NOT include the removal of a wall; it wasn’t even a consideration, like when planning out all the design ideas. 

That wall is actually where our television was mounted on the other side — just like the previous homeowners — making it the focal wall of what would’ve been the media room (p.s. that’s coming soon!). But between deciding to move the media room and having to remove the door to get the appliances into the laundry room, we had an “aha moment” — we don’t need this wall! 

And this isn’t to say knock down everyone you don’t have a need for — please don’t do that guys! — but what we really realized was that that wall wasn’t serving us, but GONE, it would exponentially improve how we use the laundry room. So that wall had to go… but we were NOT in the mood to mess around with tearing down drywall & studs & all that bruhaha. We stayed in our lane and hired that task out without hesitation. 

What we spent in money we absolutely made up for in time & stress. But now onto the DIY portion of this project…

Floor Tile

Wall Tile

As a homeowner, almost every decision is going to be weighed this way — what can we do ourselves, do we want to do it ourselves, and when do we bring in outside help? The deciding factors in this space were size, cost savings, and the overall scope of the job. By the time we installed the floors and walls, we learned a ton about tile installation — it is not for the faint of heart — but to have actual sweat equity in our home is priceless… and totally peak adulting.   

Washer & Dryer: Appliance Shopping Basics

In case you missed it, we only got new laundry appliances because the previous homeowners took theirs. This put us on a path towards shopping for appliances for the very first time. We ultimately decided to go with our dream laundry appliances — the LG Signature Washer & Dryer + pedestal sidekicks. 

Shopping around for appliances is not like shopping for anything else in our home, or at least that’s been our experience. In addition to the online research we did, we went to brick & mortar stores to actually see the appliances in person — see the actual footprint, get a sense for the interface, and compare side-by-side features of different units. 

So many brands. So many features. And when you’ve never bought a major appliance before, it is a lot of information to process at once. 

We had a few things going for us however — knowing exactly what our limitations were in terms of size because of the size of the laundry room, knowing exactly what features were most important to us aesthetically & functionally, and knowing how long we were willing to wait because the COVID-induced appliance delays were no joke!

We ultimately got exactly what we wanted and while it wasn’t without its challenges — like having to remove the existing door frame to the laundry room — we now totally have a deeper appreciation for having in-home laundry. 

The result of all these hard-learned lessons? 

Our totally Lux Metropolitan Laundry Room… excuse me… Launderette, said with my swanky pinky all the way up!

Washer – Pedestal | Dryer – Pedestal | Wall Tile | Floor Tile | Paint | Flushmount | Brass Wire Basket | Towels (currently unavailable) | Shelf Brackets | Shelf Contact Paper | Black Wire Basket | Black Frame | Brass Grid | White Floor Bin | Tall Floor Bin (currently unavailable)

Let’s Get Into The Design Details — 

The floor tile, which went in first, is what I would absolutely dub a labor of love — it was my husband’s very first time EVER putting in tile so ALL the lessons were learned right there on the floor… and the lessons were plentiful. 

Once the wall was removed, our contractor was able to meet my husband where he stopped and created a faux threshold to mask so not so professional cuts. 

The lesson here: get the RIGHT tile cutting tools before starting a tiling project. Because, to be clear, we had tile cutting tools… just not the right ones. He didn’t make this mistake with the wall tile. 

Speaking of… we absolutely LOVE our new wall tile, however, we didn’t want it to dominate the entire laundry room, so from out the gate it was only intended to be a half wall — maybe the top half, maybe the bottom half. We ultimately went with the top half because the bottom half of the wall is covered by appliances, in addition to being the home of all the plumbing fixtures — as DIYers, we weren’t keen on wasting precious time trying to work around all those funky components… hard pass!

But Albie, Why Not All 3 Walls?

Short answer: we wanted to live with this tile moment first. Fall in love with it. We can ALWAYS go back and tile the top half of the two side walls, but in the off chance the pattern did overwhelm us, removing the tile would be a MUCH bigger task. We’re still reminding ourselves that we own this house so we can pace our projects to fit our sensibilities. 

Capped by the new lighting from Hudson Valley Lighting — SWOON! — the entire front view of the laundry room from the “flex lounge” reads as a decadent destination for dirty laundry lol. 

And yes… that front view is absolutely enhanced because we don’t have doors… yet.

Once we committed to widening the wall, the plan was to install bi-fold doors so that we would be able to reap the benefits of the opening when the doors are open (versus sliding or hinge doors) but having the ability to close it & hide the laundry when things need hiding. Did you notice that I said that the plan was to install bi-fold doors? Well, plans change… after diving into consecutive projects, getting a new door was no longer a priority, not to mention… we don’t actually need to hide our laundry! It doesn’t get messy and who would we be hiding it from anyway? Each other? No one is ever here but the three of us and it’ll likely be that way for a while so, for now — forever? — no door. 

Retractable Clothesline

While the indisputable stars of the laundry room are the appliances & the tile work — and also the biggest upgrades! — the supporting cast is equally important. 

We considered installing a rod for hanging but decided to go with a daintier, more discreet option — a retractable clothesline in brass — that we could have “disappear” when not in use. Ultimately, it just didn’t make sense to install something that we would use less than half the time we spend in the laundry room. Why commit to something we didn’t have to? And seeing as to how we don’t have a door, the laundry room opens up directly into what’s essentially our multipurpose room — aka the flex lounge — and seeing an unused rod permanently affixed every time I look into the room would drive me nuts! 

Throughout the laundry room, from the lighting to the clothesline to the brackets holding our shelf to our wired basket, I was able to thread the metal hues and really punctuate the “Luxe Metropolitan” vibes. 

P.S. the black, white, and brass combination in this space, while very bold, is still subtle enough that I can get creative in the flex lounge without worrying about any clashing designs. 

Would I consider the laundry room done done? No. 

*GASP*

I know. 

But one of the biggest adulting lessons the laundry room taught us was that even though we own and we can do whatever we want, design-wise, we don’t have to commit to anything. Everything doesn’t have to be permanent, and it’s no secret that reversible design solutions are my jam… even as a homeowner! The floating shelf, for example, is one of the shelves that was in the original laundry room. We cut it down to size and I resurfaced it with contact paper. I had an idea — black & brass shelves — but I wanted to test it out first. We like it — a lot — but tomorrow we may like walnut shelves instead. I reserve the right to change my mind, lol, which is really the big picture, adulting lesson here — know when to hire out, pivot around your limitations, and reserve the right to change your mind. 

*Design by Albie K. Buabeng
**After Photos by Ellie Lillstrom

The post A Total DIY Laundry Room Transformation (AKA Peak Adulting) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

How To Choose Your Perfect Color Palette

As you may know, every once in a while we like to repost an old blog post because they have great info, aging like a fine wine! So, when we were dreaming up which post should go next, it was and Mallory who said, “I know what it HAS to be… The How To Choose Your Perfect Color Palette. I love this post so much and have read it so many times”. SOLD! Plus it’s from 2012 which was nearly TEN YEARS AGO. Wild. So while we were able to find some of the images in a higher resolution, some we did not. So baby, buckle for some 2012 graphics. It’s actually pretty fun to see how far we have come in that department. BUT what has remained is Em’s spot-on extremely user-friendly design advice and this post makes finding your, dare I say, “Comfort Color Palette” soooo easy. Enjoy!

While there are no rules necessarily (at least none that I always adhere to), there are definitely some tricks, keys, and secrets to finding the color palette that you’ll live with the longest and that feels the most like you.

Step 1: Start With One Color You Love The Most

The easiest way to choose this color is to think about what you want to wear the most (if you wear black solely b/c it’s flattering, then disregard that). Clearly, if you want to put green constantly on your body, then you probably really like green. It’s pretty simple. What are your “go-to” colors? Think about what you buy, what you stare at in magazines, and what you pin the most. Yes, there are going to be trends in fashion (and in home) like say, the neon trend right now. So the best thing you can do is use it in accessories — and sparingly — unless you have neon balls of bravery and want to do something crazy on your walls, which is great as long as you know you’ll change it in three years  — and there is nothing wrong with that. So ignore the extreme trends when choosing your palette.

I figured I may as well use myself as an example, so I Google-Imaged the hell out of me:

WOAH. That is A LOT of one Emily von Henderson to Google and stare at, but undoubtedly there is a color story happening — navy, royal, muted blues, and sometimes reds and hot pinks. I never get sick of blues, they just make me happy (and yes, they look good on my fairer-than-Sissy-Spacek skin). Plus, blue is very calming for such a bright color (think of beach houses, right?) and Brian loves it as well so it seemed like a good base for my home color palette. I’ll start here:

Indigo. Oh indigo, you perfect color. You are greener than navy (which can go more purple if you aren’t careful) and yet more saturated (aka, brighter than navy). That color doesn’t waver in my house. It’s virtually in every room and acts as the through-line from room to room. It’s been my favorite color for seven or eight years and I really don’t think it’s going anywhere.

Step 2: Add Highlights And Low-Lights That Complement This Color

Think about your hair: You have your base hair color, then you make some brighter and some maybe even darker (do people still do this? This analogy might be circa “Friends” from 1996). But you don’t want them to be EXACTLY lighter and darker colors, that doesn’t look natural, you want a little color variance so it looks richer.

See? Some bright blonde, some golden, some kinda amber, and then natural-looking darker blonde at the roots. Now with rooms, you want to have way more dark and light variance that you can’t get with natural-looking hair, aka you might want some very dark or very light (white) hits, but the most natural and organic rooms don’t have a perfect color palette where the colors are all just lighter or darker versions of themselves, so I’m adding these two shades of blue:

That’s my foundation. One dark indigo, one light blue/green/gray that helps it stay more neutral and calm, and one light indigo/medium blue.

Step 3: Combine Both Cool And Warm Tones For A Balanced Look

What is a cool tone and a warm tone you ask? Let’s look at the wheel:

Blues, greens, and purples tend to be “cooler” and oranges, yellows, browns, reds, and pinks are warmer.

A well-balanced inviting room will have a combination of both warm and cool tones, though not necessarily equal. In general cool tones are more calming and warm tones are more exciting.

A room with too many cool tones can feel really cold:

It’s a pretty room and would be great for a beach house, but it’s less inviting and warm than I would want for every day. It makes me want to grab The Bear and a blanket and wrap ourselves like a human/pet burrito. Even just having wood floors or a big sisal rug would help warm it up, but that amount of blue and white just isn’t cozy enough for me.

This one is mainly gray and it’s just sooo cold and prison-ish:

OK to be fair gray technically is a “hue” that is neither warm nor cool since it technically doesn’t have any color in it. But I think we can all agree that gray and black feel like cool colors.

On the flip side, a room with too many warm tones can feel dated and overwhelming.

For me, I don’t really like warm tones as much — I like things to feel really fresh and airy and light, and cool tones just do this better. But I do need warmth and I do like wood and brass/gold so I’ll add that into the palette:

That looks WAYYY warmer and more inviting, but still fresh. Let me be clear: I’m not a browns are never my go-to. I’m just not attracted to the color ever, but give me some walnut wood and some caramel or cognac worn leather and some brass, then I’m VERY happy, and those are all very warm tones.

Step 4: Choose An Accent Color

This is the color that you change out, that you can take or leave depending on your mood and the season. Mine right now is bright red/hot pink. Again, it’s what I wear and what I like.

That begs the question, WHAT accent color do you choose? A good rule of thumb is to choose the color that is kinda opposite to your main color; hot pink is so feminine, saturated, and bold that it counters my navy really well. Navy is such a dark neutral that the hot pink (or red) kinda livens everything up and adds a lot of excitement. But really I could choose teal or green or big pops of yellow as well and they could look good. I’m just jonesing all over hot pink right now.

Extra Stuff To Think About

The energy of the room needs to match the energy of your personality. This is more abstract, obviously. But basically, if you are really high energy with a massive personality and a huge sense of humor, then your room could be more high energy and have more contrast in colors, textures, and patterns. BUT this is only contingent on whether or not you want your place to feel high energy or not. Let me explain. I am a messy person that has WAY too many things coming constantly in and out of the house and I have a lot of mental and physical chaos in my life. So while I am an extremely high energy person, I’ve realized (it was a hard lesson) that I need my color palette to be limited because I’m not clean or organized enough to handle the amount of color that I actually want to bring into my house.

For shoots, when things are all clean, organized, and put away, I bring out the hot pink/red:

But in reality, for every day I need it to feel less chaotic, and a quick way to do that is to remove the color that feels the most distracting. Often for me, it’s the accent color = hot pink.

photo by zeke ruelas | from: introducing my living room – commonwealth

A good rule of thumb is that the more color = the more contrast = the busier it gets. The easiest way to combat this is to start with a neutral paint color, add your main color (indigo for me) in the larger pieces of furniture, and keep the accent color to the accessories.

photo by tessa neustadt

This is my old styled out shelf above and see how much “quieter” it is without the hot pink? Sometimes I like this more and sometimes I need some excitement, some hot pink in my life.

Below are houses I’ve designed and styled so you can see this more in practice.

photo by bethany nauert | from: fdr chic – a dude’s mix of antique, mid-century and bohemian style

Ian Brennan’s house: Charcoal gray (cool), light gray (cool, low-light), aubergine (warm), silver (cool), darker blue, black, white (all accents and highlights/low lights), green (from plants, accents).

photo by laure joliet | from: a kid-friendly, baby proof yet stylish living room, ohjoy 2.0

Joy Cho’s house: Navy blue (foundation, cool), gold (warm), white, wood (warm) and pops of teal, pink (accents).

One of my first houses: Teal (cool), ochre (warm), beige carpet (warm, low-light), gold (warm).

And there you have it: how to create a color palette that you’ll love and that looks coordinated without being too perfect.

Wasn’t that both wild and really helpful?? Also, I think we will all forever love those “hot pink days” See you tomorrow with some new and awesome design content. xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Tessa Neustadt | From: Our Master Bedroom – Finally

The post How To Choose Your Perfect Color Palette appeared first on Emily Henderson.

What Is Brian’s Design Style?? An Exploration

There’s something I used to do when we lived in New York that would really annoy Emily. I’m sure there were actually tons of things that annoyed her, probably still do, but this one would really drive her nuts. Like, dead-eyed, “Don’t do that again” annoyance. But it was something that I kinda couldn’t control and it kinda became a problem.

Basically, anytime we got in the back of a cab whose driver had a thick New York accent, I would eventually take on the accent as if it were my own. It would start out subtle, just changing a few sounds here and there, but if I got into a back and forth conversation with the driver, it would become a full-on scene of two guys from New York chewing the fat. I couldn’t stop myself! Even after the first few awkward reactions from Emily, I couldn’t stop. Just imagine a dude from Fair Oaks, California trying to commiserate with a driver from the Bronx about midday traffic, IN AN ACCENT!

“Yeah, pshhh… I bet the Manahattan bridge is crazy right now.”

Or

“You sure you wanna take 7th?”

The more I think about it, the more I realize that it hasn’t just been accents. I think I’ve mimicked people in other ways throughout most of my life. Maybe it’s why I became an actor. Maybe it’s a defense mechanism. But it wasn’t just mannerisms, I spent much of my youth copying people’s tastes – What they wore, what music or movies they liked, how they wore their hair. I remember saying in seventh grade that I really liked Bob Dylan, just because a cool eighth-grader named Jordan Heinrich liked him. I knew nothing about Bob Dylan, but I took on their style and even went so far as buying a Bob Dylan poster without ever owning any of his CDs. I did the same with clothes. Did I like Mossimo or Stussy? Was I a surfer or skater? No! Did I wear them because it’s what Jason Currier and all the cool kids were wearing? Yes! I even got big into hacky sacks because the Regan Reynolds was big into them. I never really thought of my own taste or style, never brought anything of my own to the table.

Of course, that changed the older I got, and I began locking into my own little “likes” and “dislikes,” but I still think I have a tendency to take on the style of whoever I look up to. Or sometimes, just whoever is around. So when Emily and her team asked me to write a post about what my design style is, I started getting butt-sweat because I’m not sure I really have one! I think maybe I’ve just been taking on Emily’s thick accent of style, because I look up to her, and passing it off as my own this whole time! We’ve lived together for so long, that it’s now hard to distinguish her design taste from mine.

photo by tessa neustadt | from: custom framing for our home office With framebridge

It would be easier if I had to write about any other aspects of my style, I’ve actually come into my own in most of them. I have a clothing style – relaxed hipster. I have a music style – Grateful Dead/Taylor Swift. I know what I like in movies and books and plays, even cars. But when it comes to design, I feel like sitting down and taking a long time out. I don’t know what my style is! I mean, I know when I’m in a space that feels cool, but I wouldn’t say that it’s necessarily my style. I’d say that each of the houses we’ve lived in were super awesome, but I don’t know if any of them have been my style per se. I’m a little worried that my style changes with each space I’m in, like I’m taking on the accent of whichever house I’m currently living in.

Glendale Brian – “I’m a mid-century guy”

Los Feliz Brian – “I’m super eclectic”

Mountain House Brian – “Gimme more wood!”

Farmhouse Brian – “I’m a Shaker at heart.”

Brian writing about his actual design style – “…Hey! Look over there! (jumps out nearest window)”

I think that maybe I just don’t think about design. It doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate it, I know great design when I see it, and I know when I like things, but it all feels so subjective to the specific house I’m in that I’m not sure how to translate that into an overall style. And if I’m being truthful, I’m not all that interested in trying to find it out. I know that sounds crazy coming from the husband of a design superstar, but it’s true. I wish it weren’t. I’ve tried to force myself to rethink it before and make it more of a priority, but it never sticks. I just don’t have the desire to go shop for furniture or art. Like, ever. I don’t know why, it’s just not in me. And sometimes the saying is true – you can’t change a tiger’s stripes to chevrons. 

That’s not to say that I don’t like design. I actually do. I just admire it as something outside of me. Like, I know when I see something beautiful in a room or a picture of a pretty space, and I would even venture to say that I’ve got a better eye for that stuff than most dudes (perks of living with a star) but that doesn’t mean that it’s what speaks to me on a personal level. And it also doesn’t mean that I go out of my way to look at them. Never have I ever picked up an Elle Décor for inspo. I have opinions on how we’re designing the farmhouse, sure, but it’s in relation to the space itself, not necessarily my desire to get my style in there. I think. Maybe I’m wrong. For instance, I recently told Emily that I don’t want it to feel too modern, that I really want to keep an eye on the rustic side of the farmhouse. Maybe that means bringing in more natural wood. Now, does that mean that my style is like, rustic? Maybe? But I think it has more to do with the space in context. But maybe that is my style coming through. Like, if we were designing a super modern house or a mid-century space, would I stress about having too many modern elements? I DON’T KNOW! AHHH!!

photo by tessa neustadt | from: brady’s bedroom makeover with parachute

Emily said, just imagine if you had to design a blank space, what would you put in it? Well, I actually have lived in a blank space. The one year we broke up in New York, I lived in a house in Queens with my buddy Edi from acting school. I had a whole year to decorate my room. A whole year. It was like the white room challenge from Design Star, but for dumb-dumbs. And guess what I did to it? Nothing! I put a bed and a desk in, with a chair that I found on my block. And I was fine with it! It never once bothered me that I should decorate my room more. And I’d love to say it was because I was just in my twenties and didn’t know better, or that I was trying to save money, or didn’t have the time. This is all true, but the REAL truth is, if I were to have a space without Emily’s help, I don’t think it would be that much different today. Sure I’d put some random accessories in there so that people don’t think I’m a total psychopath, but I’m just not the kind of guy who will hunt for the perfect side-table to go next to the credenza. And I know those guys exist, and they make all of us non-design guys jealous or furious when they wow all the women in the room by talking about how much they care about design. I know they’re not putting on an act, and I don’t really want to punch them in the face, they just have something in them that I don’t. They genuinely enjoy getting deep into design. Just like I enjoy getting deep into Dead concerts, finding the perfect live version of Scarlet Begonias (It’s 10/9/76, Oakland Coliseum if you’re curious). And I really wish I had that genuine enjoyment of design instead of just riding the coattails of my superstar wife’s taste. 

Maybe I should just list some things I know I like and you guys can decide if it actually adds up to a style. Ready?

Wood. Clean lines. Muted colors. A mix of vintage pieces with new luxuries. Unique architectural accessories. Natural light. And a kegerator tap. Is that a style?

Look. I like design. I really do. I just think it’s ok to be an admirer of it rather than feel like I have to force myself to become an active participant. It’s like art. I know what appeals to me, it’s a wide array of styles and mediums, I love looking at all of it, but I don’t think I need to go out and buy an easel and brushes. And maybe that’s ok. Maybe I have a vague idea of what speaks to me in design and I can add some ideas here and there. But do I have a strong definition of my style writ large? “Ayyyy, forget about it!”

From Em: Stay tuned for part 2 because Brian is getting a full-on Emily Henderson “Style Diagnostic” and I can’t wait because it’s going to be SO MUCH fun. xx

The post What Is Brian’s Design Style?? An Exploration appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Jess’ Unreal Lemon Juice Hack, Mallory’s Awesome Target Find, and The Coolest AD House Tour An EHD Alum STYLED

Hello, happy Sunday, and welcome over to the blog. It’s been a busy week over here since we announced our newest project this last Wednesday: the river house new build (if you don’t know what we’re talking about then click here). And yes, the farmhouse is in full swing as well (a floor plan update post is coming for you soon!) So now that we’re all caught up/know what to look forward to, let’s get on with the link-up, shall we?

From Emily: THE WHOLE TEAM IS SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS WEEK’S HOUSE TOUR BECAUSE EMILY BOWSER STYLED THE WHOLE THING. You might’ve seen it already on AD, it’s Daveed Diggs and Emmy Raver-Lampman’s LA home. The design is by Many Cheng and like we said, styling by Bowser Bowser is so talented and I’m so glad more of the world gets to see her magic. If you missed it, be sure to check it out!

From Sara: I recently learned that someone in my associated circle is going through something inexplicably hard. Their younger sibling (who is only 18) was witness to a very traumatic act of racial violence by a police officer. They have been subpoenaed and will be at a loss of work during the entirety of the trial (as they will have to be present throughout). Their older sibling is also leaving their job and life to go and stay with them during the duration of the trial as their support system and advocate. As you can imagine, this is going to be an extremely draining next few months – both financially and emotionally – for this family. While we can’t do much to support this family emotionally during the trial, we are hoping to raise some funds to help support them financially as they experience loss of work due to the trial. I’ve created a GoFundMe page, for accountability purposes, where anyone can give anonymously. These are financially difficult times for so many, and understand that I’m not able to share much information (in order to protect the privacy of this family). However, if you are financially able to redistribute anything I assure you that any money collected will be going 100% directly to this family. Even $5 donations add up when a community comes together

From Jess: When I was living in Melbourne, I discovered Third Drawer Down and still love it as much now as I did then. They started out in 2003 collaborating with artists making tea towels that honestly should be framed and not used for wiping up messes but to each their own. Now have expanded with tons of funny yet thought-provoking homewares and accessories. One of my personal favorites, that I just replaced this week after 5 years because the original is on its last leg, was this key chain. It makes me laugh and ironically encourages me to create. Go check them out if you don’t know them!

Also From Jess: So since I haven’t really been buying a ton of new things lately (aside from those sweatshirts. I officially have FIVE now), I thought I would shout out one of my life essentials… my glasses. First off, they are from Warby Parker who’s honestly the best. Using them is almost too easy, they are affordable, and they give back. So a couple of years ago I was really wanting to try “clear” glasses but didn’t know if I could pull them off (this is a pattern with me…I remember so clearly how nervous I was to try a middle part back in 2006. Could I really pull it off? After15 years of sporting it, I hope so). Anyway, I went to Warby Parker, tried on their Chamberlain frames in Crystal and I decided to take the plunge. Guess what?! I’ve never looked back. The additional reason why I love these frames is that they aren’t too small. That’s my biggest hurdle with frames. If they are too small, (to me) they make my face look larger and rounder. I wear the larger Ray-Ban aviators for the same reason. SO if this speaks to you too and you’ve been wanting to get some hip clear glasses, try the Chamberlain. I really love them and without them, I am pretty blind. Our relationship is very strong and codependent:)

Also Also From Jess: This lemon hack blew my mind and changed my life.

From Ryann: My cousin is a teacher in Pasadena and one of her students was shot in a terrible and tragic drive-by shooting. He is recovering in the hospital from life-threatening injuries right now so if you are able to help in any way, here is his gofundme page. Anything helps!

Also From Ryann: I just discovered THE GREATEST waste-free online shop and I am never going back. It’s called The Wally Shop and they sell bulk dry goods such as snacks, baking ingredients, grains, pastas, cleaning supplies and so much more. Also, it is all shipped in reusable packaging that you return to prevent any waste!! They really make it SO easy to shop sustainably that I officially buy at least 50% of my groceries from them. I know you can go to a farmers market and bring your own bags and containers to further reduce waste from shipping, but if that isn’t an option where you live this is an amazing alternative.

From Caitlin: I’m not a particularly huge fan of rom-coms or romance novels or anything in that vein, but I just discovered the Our Love Story podcast and IT’S SO CUTE AND HEARTWARMING. I normally fall asleep to Kara Swisher’s Sway (it comes out twice a week, but it takes me a few nights to get through each episode since I conk out almost immediately every night) and now I’m discovering the joy of dozing off to something light and breezy!!! The stories are SO GOOD – even the ones that I’m like “ehhhhh not interested in this” after reading the description end up being so much fun to listen to. 10/10, very tender, guaranteed mood-booster!!

Also From Caitlin: There is some REALLY good furniture in Anthro’s sale section right now. My favorite is this almost-50%-off dining table, which I would buy in a heartbeat if I could fit an 80″ table in my dining room.

One Last One From Caitlin: SORRY, just enjoying a lot of media this week!!! I’m obsessed with this quick story on the last lost tourist – basically, this German guy deplaned in Bangor, ME in the 1970s and thought he was in San Francisco. My favorite part: “Within days, Kreuz became an honorary member of the Penobscot Indian Nation, had a folk song written about him, was thrown a 50th birthday party, and was visited by the governor of Maine. He was even gifted an acre of scrubland in northern Maine as an act of goodwill.” I laughed, I cried, and now I need to read a full book about this guy ASAP because this article was not long enough!!!

From Mallory: I bought this on an impulse buy and I’m OBSESSED with it. It’s small but cute and so great if you have the space for it! Plus it’s only $100 which is pretty good for a well-designed ottoman. 10/10.

That’s all for this week. We hope that you found some great new finds and if you can, any support for Sara and Ryann’s GoFundMe pages would be insanely appreciated. Thanks everyone for reading along and we’ll see you next week xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Yoshihiro Makino | Design by Mandy Cheng | Styling by Emily Bowser | via Architectural Digest

The post The Link Up: Jess’ Unreal Lemon Juice Hack, Mallory’s Awesome Target Find, and The Coolest AD House Tour An EHD Alum STYLED appeared first on Emily Henderson.

My Favorite Before And After Vintage Pieces (With Some “Good To Knows” For Vintage Shoppers)

One of my post-covid fantasies, what I miss more than maybe anything, is thrifting and going to the flea market. Sure I’ve saved money this year from not being able to (there are only like 2 thrift stores up here, anyway) but when we move to Portland it will be back on my weekly schedule (oh how I’ll forever miss the Rose Bowl flea market). I found an old photo the other day of my Blimp art before I framed it and I thought it would be a fun post to show you all of my favorite vintage before and afters. Some were thrifted, some more investment pieces that are vintage. And some I ended up selling, but still miss.

THE Blimp Artphoto by tessa neustadt

Hands down my favorite piece of art ever. My realtor recently nicely asked if I wanted to sell it and I gasped. Not offended, but almost. It would be like asking if you could buy one of my dogs – like NO. In case you don’t know the story, I stalked this piece weekly at the flea market in New York when I was a young stylist, 24 years old I think. I finally got them down to a price I could afford, $200, and rode with it home on the subway. I shipped it out here when we moved to LA and years later I finally had the budget to properly frame it. The frame job was close to $900 due to its size, but it’s perfect.

GOOD TO KNOW: Modern simple frames (especially float mounted) can take vintage pieces like this and make them next level, turn them more into a contemporary piece of art, even though it was just a vintage find.

The LA Chaise Lounge left: photo by tessa neustadt, from: our modern english tudor living room | right: photo by sara ligorria-tramp, from: living room update – again

This piece I got from Jayson Home (on their antiques section). I LOVE the shape and at the time I loved the age of the fabric and fringe. But as the velvet started ripping I realized that it wasn’t exactly fulfilling my fantasies – but in this floral, it sure would. I shopped for a long time for the right pattern – florals are HARD and it is just so unbelievably good. I am begging Brian to let me cover a sectional at the mountain house with a different House of Hackney fabric, but he’s understandably nervous. I love this piece so much that I can’t decide which room it’s going to go in next.

GOOD TO KNOW: Once again this proves my theory that you can’t change the shape or size, but you can always change the finish (fabric, paint color, etc) so choose shape over color for vintage pieces.

The Glendale Sofa photo by tessa neustadt

This piece I got from Amsterdam Modern and was obviously drawn to it by the leather strapping in the back.

photo by tessa neustadt

I had cushions reupholstered in white Sunbrella fabric so you could see the straps so much more and LOVED it. But when we moved to our more traditional English Tudor it didn’t feel right (nor was it big enough for that room). I sold it and don’t regret the sale, but sure do still love the piece.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you are buying a vintage upholstered piece, if the cushions are removable it’s WAAY more affordable than if they have to upholster on the piece. The seat and back were just a couple hundred dollars to be made, and since we left the original leather arms we just brought the cushions to our upholsterer, rather than transporting the whole piece (therefore saving costs both ways).

The LA Dining Tablephotos from: an update on my dining room

This table took me forever to find and I eventually got on Etsy, in the midwest. I loved it for the shape of the base and of course the general farm vibe. Once I got it I realized It was way too orange and shiny so we had it stripped. Everyone would recommend that you have it sealed, but I never did because I didn’t want to change the tone of the wood and you know what? It’s fine. I actually love how it patinas over time.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: styling to tell: how we staged our dining room and kitchen (with the changes i should have done years ago!)

The new buyers of the house want to buy it and I hesitate because I do love it and it’s irreplaceable. However, it’s too small for our new farm dining room (we want to seat 8) so I’m still deciding…

GOOD TO KNOW: Stripping flat surfaces is actually so easy to do on your own. Now if I had to have the legs done, that would be a different thing and would have cost more. The tabletop was the only thing that needed stripping and sanding which cost $300. If I could go back now I would for sure just do myself.

The LA Cherner Chairs

These dining chairs give me both so much love and some stress. They are so beautiful, so classic, so sculptural. I had wanted them for years and found them at the rose bowl for an incredible price. Six upholstered pretzel chairs are RIDICULOUSLY hard to find. Then I had them upholstered in beautiful Cryton caramel leather and they are simply STUNNING.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: styling to tell: how we staged our dining room and kitchen (with the changes i should have done years ago!)

They do, however, still creak a bit and Brian would rather have something more solid, less delicate. I could sell them for a lot (a set of 6 armchairs could go for $8k) but I will never be able to buy them again. I know they would be STUNNING in our new dining room and it’s not going to be where we eat every meal (we have a separate breakfast nook for family meals). We’d have to either buy two more or mix two different chairs in there. I feel like I need to try them before I sell them because these I won’t ever be able to get again.

GOOD TO KNOW: I fretted about the upholstery. The original blue was so fun actually, but I’m so glad I chose the tone of the wood, making them more seamless and showing off the shape rather than a poppy color of fabric. I feel like I made a real timeless choice.

The Mountain House Sectionalleft from: all the hows, whys and how much’s of upholstering with (kid- and pet-friendly) crypton fabric | right: photo by sara ligorria-tramp, from: mountain house living room reveal

I remember when I found this sectional (vintage from the ’70s, via Chairish from a store in LA called Gallery L7) I thought it was THE PERFECT sectional for this house. It’s low and wide, loungey and modern. It didn’t make a huge statement but the curve of the corner was so pretty. It was in terrycloth which was in a way kinda awesome (but it felt gross). I reupholstered it in Crypton linen and it’s holding up fine but the fabric is more slippery so as you’ve read before, I have to put velcro tape to keep the modular pieces together. I go back and forth all the time on whether to bring up the article sectional that we have in storage and sell this one, especially since when we move to Portland we’ll be renting this house out (we think). And most guys don’t find the back supportive enough because its so low unless you are lounging in the corner you might not feel as supported. But it still looks so darn good in here and I love sitting in the corner.

GOOD TO KNOW: If I could go back in time I would have redone it in a nubbier fabric – like a mohair or boucle, something with just more texture to hopefully grip more and stay in place (and a dense mohair feels of the era in a good way).

The Mountain House Pine Nightstands right: photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: mountain house primary bedroom reveal

I found these on Chairish and the wood finish was pretty orange but the shape, the shape is soooo good. I had them stripped and sanded and they turned out SO beautiful. They aren’t sealed so I really shouldn’t put my glasses of water on them but no major marks yet.

GOOD TO KNOW: Without a stain or seal the drawers are super hard to open and close. It needs that slickness, that shine to make them more functional but I like the finish enough that it’s ok (plus the kids can’t snoop through our nightstands :))

I’ve redone a million pieces over time and for the farm, I want to try to collect as many as possible. The only bummer is I have found that contemporary sofas are more ergonomic and you can control all the proportions so much more than vintage ones. So while I’d love a vintage sectional and sofa in our farm family rooms we are going to be pretty picky on making sure it’s one that we all really want to sit on (and not one that grandparents will avoid like the one in the mountain house). But I’m on the hunt nevertheless and on Portland’s Craigslist every weekend. Have a lovely one!

Opening Photo Credit: Photo by Tessa Neustadt

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