Emily Henderson's Blog, page 177

Semi-Custom Cabinets Don’t Stop At The Fronts (And IKEA Isn’t Your Only Budget-Friendly Option Anymore)

Here’s a little fun fact about me — storage and organization are my jam! Be it organizing a desk drawer or cataloging my kitchen cabinets, creating systems for everything make me hella happy. I would browse the kitchen cabinet sections of The Home Depot and IKEA, scroll the online galleries of Masterbrand and Bellmont cabinet companies, daydreaming about what my kitchen storage would look like — what I loved, what I hated, and why. But I was never thinking about the millwork — well not really — so much as I was really fixated on all the interior options. So when it was official that we were going to renovate the kitchen, I knew that I wanted new cabinets that would allow me to design storage around the way we live. After all that ideating, I even came up with a cabinet wish list… 

Two-tone shaker style cabinet frontsCombination of drawers and doorsPull out options behind doors, not shelvesSoft close and full extension drawersVariety of drawer depths and widthsvia houzzvia houzz

I knew that much of what I wanted would require a custom solution, not pre-fabricated…but I didn’t want the hefty price tag of sourcing custom cabinetry…and to be quite honest, I also didn’t want to burn the mental calories coming up with a design from scratch. 

I needed to find a sweet spot between custom and stock or pre-fab so that we could get semi-custom cabinets.

Starting from scratch with our cabinets is something that we knew would be costly. Salvaging them would not be an option for the layout we had in mind because it’s the cabinets that were the problem. 

P.S. The “problem” with cabinets was never the quality of the cabinets themselves…just the layout. 

The kitchen consisted of two L-shaped configurations that framed the large kitchen into a square with small entrance points. That was the problem. To get rid of the wall between the kitchen and the dining room & to extend the kitchen into the eat-in area, the cabinets would need to go…giving me an opportunity (and burden) of starting from scratch. So much for not burning extra mental calories, lol.

Wanting to keep costs low, our first instinct was to check out the IKEA kitchen assortment, specifically the popular SEKTION Kitchen. While I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of putting together kitchen cabinets — IKEA cabinets are “ready to assemble”, not to be confused with cabinets that are already assembled & “ready to install” —  it seemed like a good starting point for assessing our costs. Also going with ready to install versus ready to assemble would make a difference in the cost to us with our contractor. Why? Already assembled & ready to install cabinets would mean less labor and labor = dollars. For this reason, you’ll also find that a lot of contractors won’t install IKEA cabinets and think about it…if you’ve ever bought & put together anything from IKEA — ANYTHING! — it’s not fun. So imagine getting boxes & boxes of cabinet parts to catalog & assemble. While there are contractors that will do it, expect there to be an upcharge for the headache labor.

Right before closing on the house, we’d also made a trip to our local IKEA so that we could see a lot of the cabinet & storage options in person. This, combined with our existing cabinets, inspired and/or cemented a lot of the cabinet wishlist. Let’s revisit…

Two-tone shaker style cabinet fronts: The shaker style would honor the home’s innate charm in a way that still looks contemporary and aligns with our more modern aesthetic with the black & white tone.Combination of drawers and doors: Having more drawers than doors would allow us to maximize (and customize) our storage options, especially not having upper cabinets.Pull out options behind doors, not shelves: Having a balance of doors and drawers will create visual balance, but to make sure we’re fully using the space all the way to the back of the cabinet box.Soft close and full extension drawers: It’s truly the little things… and that’s what this is all about — being able to reach the back of the drawer. Variety of drawer depths and widths

Now for some more ideas…

Even though we have a pantry, I wanted to make sure we add a tall “pantry” cabinet with room for a built-in microwaveA pull-out trash & recycle cabinet has been a must-have, eliminating the need for freestanding trash cans out & aboutClever storage solutions are my jam & I imagine this kind of set up for breakfast bar mugsMetal accents are design jewelry & an elevated way to showoff otherwise basic items…like aprons!Open shelving is visually less “heavy” than upper cabinets & I would get to show off my monochromatic dinnerwareOpen the door… oh look, a drawer! This would make it so much easier to reach our things instead of reaching to the back of a shelf

Using IKEA as my initial point of reference didn’t mean it’s what we would actually get…it was just a starting point for developing ideas. With there being a number of direct-to-consumer cabinet retailers, including IKEA, we knew we could semi-custom cabinets for under or around $10K. 

Spoiler: I am terrible at budgeting when it comes to design — this is no secret — but when it comes to big decisions like this, we do always have a number that we know will make us uncomfortable. 

For the size of our kitchen — 22 linear feet for the cabinets — we were looking at the following costs…

Stock: low of $2,200, high of $6,600
Semi-Custom: low of $3,300, high of $14,300
Custom: low of $11,000, high of $26,400

Stock Cabinetsvia bellmont cabinets

Stock cabinets are ypically the most affordable & with the quickest turnaround because they are mass-produced and ready to ship. What they lack in color, sizing, and features, they make up for in price & acquire ability. The sizes were a good fit for our kitchen but I needed a more robust assortment to accommodate our storage needs.

Semi-Custom Cabinetsvia ikea

This would be the next tier up in terms of customizations while still having the benefits of stock cabinets. They can be found in the same standard sizes as stock cabinets & are pre-manufactured, however, upgrades & detail changes are available. Additional options = additional cost, but still available within a decent turnaround time. For us, this would be the perfect balance. 

Custom Cabinets

As the name implies, a completely bespoke option — from sizing, to color, to all the bells & whistles your heart desires. You get what you pay for, so expect to pay a premium for options that are designed for your specific design. With a higher price point, you’ll also get a longer turnaround time to allow for the customizations to be done. We didn’t want to spend the time or money on custom cabinets, nor did we need to. 

The total price of our cabinets could also be assessed per unit, as is the case with IKEA, paying per piece — every shelf, toe kit, filler, drawer glide, etc. Depending on the finishes and accessories, we could get a semi-custom kitchen from IKEA, for example, right in line with the above estimates…right around $8K.

While I appreciated the ease of stock options from brick & mortar retailers, I kept coming back to thinking, “What if I could make my semi-custom kitchen even more custom?” Even with semi-custom options, I still wanted options that felt a touch more bespoke… without leaving a huge hole in our pockets.

Often when people are upgrading their cabinets, they keep the existing boxes & replace the fronts for an updated, fresh look. We could do the same things, except our boxes would also happen to be new. 

A few months back I’d worked with Semihandmade to upcycle my IKEA Besta media unit with new door fronts. Known for their custom cabinet front options, I started thinking I could pair Semihandmade doors with IKEA kitchen boxes, and create what would essentially be a fully custom kitchen without the hefty $20K+ price tag. 

To be clear, my reasons for wanting semi-custom to custom options have always been for the cabinet interiors — our storage — but having the option to customize the fronts as well wouldn’t be a bad deal. 

via semihandmade

When people think of a custom kitchen, it is often about what we see on the surface, but not us. Renting our entire life meant always having to work around the storage there — purchasing separate storage accessories to come up with reversible configurations for the kitchen cabinets. If we are going to embark on this renovation, this would be our chance to make sure things work from us from the onset…from the inside out. 

left photo: photo by sara ligorria-tramp, from: inside all our (super organized) drawers & cabinets in the mountain house kitchen | middle & right photos: photos by jess marés, design by jess and tyler marés, from: a diy kitchen renovation in two parts (plus a reno pep talk)

As I dug into the exterior options I would have with Semihandmade, I was excited to discover that they would be expanding to offer their own cabinetry with Boxi. 

The idea of getting boxes from one vendor and fronts from another vendor may save us a ton…or it may not. Mixing and matching and playing around with the different ideas was very reminiscent of my permutations math lessons from middle school. My kitchen would need less than a dozen cabinets, and about twice as many fronts — we weren’t getting upper cabinets — and we required “ready to install” cabinets to decrease the cost (time and money) of labor. If we were DIY’ing the entire kitchen this wouldn’t have been a factor. 

Working with Boxi would minimize how many components to manage — cabinets from A, fronts from B — without compromising the custom options that were on our wishlist.

As I said, IKEA was just my launching off point — the kitchen planner helped me visualize exactly what cabinet options I’d want and where, then create an itemized list for the design to shop around & compare. A company known for its cabinet innovation would be the best of all possible options — 

Customization: Access to a variety of cabinet sizes and configurationsAvailability: Unlike most semi-custom to custom options, we wouldn’t be saddled with a hefty lead timeQuality: Having familiarity with the products gave me confidence in the durability, construction, and longevity of the products

With most cabinet options, you should be able to acquire samples to ensure the quality of the products — good looking cabinets mean nothing if they start to fall apart after a few months. 

So after living with our new matte black shaker doors from Semihandmade for our IKEA Besta unit — it was basically a test drive for the kitchen cabinets — I knew this could be perfect for the kitchen cabinets as well. I received my door fronts in the fall, right before we moved. Just from the unboxing, I could see the quality of the doors and knew that Semihandmade would be a great option for the kitchen; and my IKEA kitchen planner efforts were not for naught — I was able to use that same design to plan with Semihandmade for the door fronts… and later with Boxi for the cabinets. 

So How Would Everything Add Up?

Pairing IKEA cabinets with Semihandmade fronts would total close to $10K (this is a very very rough estimate based on the preliminary tinkering I did with the design, including the panels and trims). Configuring a similar design, in terms of look and storage, using The Home Depot’s assembled & in stock white shaker collection, would come in at less than $10K (however a final number, to include panels & trims, would likely require a proper sit down with a THD kitchen specialist). And lastly, the entire Boxi design — trims, panels, and all — would come in at just over $10K…$10,300 to be exact. 

So when you think about the options — everything from how robust the assortment is to the construction of the cabinets themselves — looks like I might’ve found my sweet spot after all. 

What’s next?

My cabinets arrived already assembled, with all the necessary components for installation — a win for me & my contractor, and making for a quick and easy installation. There was no need for too many fillers because of all the size options and I didn’t have to sacrifice anything of my cabinet wishlist.

don’t worry! the blue you see is a protective film:)

Going the semi-custom route has always been my preferred option but admittedly, I wasn’t sure if that preference had many options until I did all my research. With Boxi by Semihandmade — expect a full breakdown of that process over on my blog by the way — I was able to get the semi-custom kitchen cabinets I imagined without having to compromise and now that that’s done, the rest of the design can fall into place. 

Guess what? The next time we talk about my kitchen it will be the final reveal! Hope you are as excited as I am:)

Opening Photo Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Inside All Our (Super Organized) Drawers & Cabinets In The Mountain House Kitchen

The post Semi-Custom Cabinets Don’t Stop At The Fronts (And IKEA Isn’t Your Only Budget-Friendly Option Anymore) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

I’ve Got A VERY Exciting Announcement… And By “I,” I Mean “We” (Any Guesses???)

Many of you may remember 2019 (remember 2019?) when I released my first Skillshare class. It was a 10 part series breaking down how to find and implement your style – think my book, Styled, but in video form. It turns out that a lot of you spent a lot of time watching it (like, millions of minutes spent watching – thank you very, very, very much if you tuned in), so today we are launching the new series…but it’s not just me. And it’s not just about my style. 

When Skillshare and I got together and brainstormed what a sequel for 2021 would look like, we asked ourselves a few questions. How do we add in more perspectives? Can we feature more design styles? Can we highlight more budgets? How do we make this helpful for an even larger at-home audience looking for home inspiration? (Not sure if you know, but the home design/renovation world has exploded since March.) 

And the answer was obvious: we’d bring in three of my friends, colleagues, and favorite people in the design/blog world to teach their own classes, rooted in their specific artistic processes. So today, I’m excited to share that my second Skillshare series featuring Mikel Welch, Arlyn Hernandez, and Albie Buabeng is live RIGHT NOW. (If you’re like, “hey lady, we get it, I’m already sold, show us!” – here is the direct link where you can watch the classes and get two months of Skillshare for free.) 

Now, even I learned so much from each of these lessons – they’re full of actionable and easy-to-follow instructions, charming smiles, and while sure, I’m personal friends with them…I have to say that watching these folks teach just made me feel so, so, so good. At the end of each class, you can even watch me have a little debrief with them – it’s a fun behind-the-scenes conversation where we chat more personally about design and life. 

But enough about me – let me introduce you to these lessons!!! And again, a million thank yous to Skillshare for allowing us the opportunity to shoot a new series alongside such incredibly talented, hilarious, vibrant friends. Anyway, here’s what you’ll be learning in Season 2…

Mikel Welch – Luxe Design on a Budget

Fun fact – Mikel was an intern very briefly on Secrets From a Stylist. I clearly take zero credit for how his career skyrocketed, but I sure have enjoyed watching it. As a set designer for a lot of TV shows, he knows how to think about making a huge impact in a wallet-friendly, affordable way. Think high-end DIY tricks that he employs in his own house, to help make your home full of personality and ‘wow’ moments, without having a celebrity budget. Plus he’s INSANELY CHARMING, so fun to be around and an altogether generous human being.

And he’s so fun to watch, too. In Luxe Design on a Budget, Mikel will walk you around his own apartment (which looks like a million bucks, BTW) and explain how he planned his space from inspiration to execution – it’s awesome for all of you more analytical thinkers out there who love a step-by-step process. 

He also breaks down where to spend, where to save, and how to translate high-end pieces into your own, realistic budget. (When we worked on class outlines, this particular section of Mikel’s class was called Making Your Space Luxurious AF, so in case it wasn’t clear already, this class is a TOTAL BLAST.) 

My favorite part, though, is hearing him talk about the art of the mix and match – you’ll have to watch his class to see the two super affordable pieces he relies on for making every room sing And in case he didn’t do enough, Mikel also managed to assemble a gallery wall in real-time. I know how we do it here at EHD after years and years of practice, but it was SO HELPFUL watching him break it down in such a quippy, bright, hilarious way. 

Arlyn Hernandez – How to Make Your Inspiration a Reality

There she is, the lovely woman who dedicated two years of her life to this blog and the one we miss every day In her class, Arlyn walks you through the process of how to take your inspiration and actually turn it into your room. Arlyn will moodboard a hypothetical room (I love a case study) and show the process of design for her own living room as well – you know, the one we ran here on EHD – which will show you how a moodboard gets manifested into a real-life room.

If you’ve ever struggled with layouts, design-induced analysis paralysis, budgeting/sourcing woes, or wished you could try on a few different styles in your room…this is the class for you. She’ll break down finding inspiration, how to figure out where to put things, planning for weird-shaped rooms, and how to navigate the “should it be functional or should it be pretty” paradox. And while you’re probably familiar with Arlyn’s written voice, hearing her in real life is SUCH A TREAT. I’m so excited to share this smart, warm, beautiful lady with all of you!  

Arlyn’s such a talented communicator and I couldn’t have asked her to pick a better, more helpful topic. Guys, designing can be HARD – you’re often left with a lot of “what ifs” or you can be bitten by the self-doubt monster (“does this actually look good or do I think this just looks good?”), but this class can really give you a framework to make you feel more confident about designing your own space. Arlyn even walks you through her own problem room – again, you’ll have to watch to see what it is – so you can hear her talk through her own thought process in real-time and how she designed around some tricky architecture. It’s such an incredible resource and I can see myself referring my team, my friends, and readers to this class for years to come. SO GOOD, ARLYN. 

Albie Buabeng – Reversible Design: Fun and Fabulous Ideas for Renters & Commitment-Phobes

And of course, last but not least – our own Albie Buabeng! When I heard that Albie’s class was going to be called Reversible Design, I was like, oh shooooot, well that’s genius (she’s got a marketing background if you can’t tell). Albie’s class is all about taking your home to the next level without losing your security deposit – or, if you’re an owner, it can help you try-on different styles in your home before making any permanent choices. It’s a direct action class, full of specific tips, which you know I love. 

Not to get too proud here, but there’s something really empowering about seeing a stylish, talented woman teach others about the tools they should have in their home and then showing us – in real-time!!! – how to use those tools. I can’t wait for people to watch Albie handling these DIY projects in her own home (you’ll see her swapping lighting, hardware, and more) and for these folks to then walk away feeling confident in their ability to make changes in their own homes. We all deserve to live in a place that we love, owners or not  

By the end of this class, you’ll feel powerful in taking on projects around your own home, knowing that you can un-design them later. I know for a fact that my team, made up of renters, LOVED this class. I also had such an incredible chat with Albie that you’ll be able to watch at the end – we had the best time talking about our projects, our homes, and the value of learning to handle things on your own. I can’t wait for y’all to see it. 

Just Some Fun BTS

Now that you know the classes, I just wanted to take a second to call out ALL of the folks involved in bringing this second season to life. When we shot our first series, Skillshare sent a crew to my house and we spent the whole day filming, styling, and laughing together. Since that wasn’t an option this year (something about a global pandemic), Skillshare had to figure out how to shoot safely. 

And that’s where, for me, Brian Henderson stepped in. We’re lucky enough to have film gear in the house – Brian shoots and edits video content professionally – but basically, we had to set up Zooms with the whole Skillshare team where they watched us set up, helped us frame our shots, analyzed our video footage, monitored our sound levels, and guided us through the whole shooting process remotely. It was an unprecedented shoot for an unprecedented time.

Now, you’ll hear more from the other contributors in the coming weeks about their own shoots – I wanted to give them space to talk about their processes and let them explain their classes in their own words – but to that end, I just wanted to say a big thank you to Mikel, Arlyn, and Albie for agreeing to partner on this project with me. I’d also like to thank Kaye Toal (our Skillshare producer, who is hilarious!), Jack Pollock (Caitlin’s counterpart, and the guy who helped us lock this in), and Alex Gomez Garcia, Alejandro Garcia, and Hassanah Abdul-Wahid (all of whom had to hang around on a lot of Zoom calls and give Brian and I explicit instructions to make sure we were recording the right thing so that it looked and sounded professional). I’m so proud of what we’ve all made together and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.

So if you are home, staring at your walls, not satisfied with your space and paralyzed or scared to start – we’ve got you. We’re teaching a ton of new information from different perspectives and featuring people I really trust. The classes are beginner-friendly, with tips for all…and plus, if you like being a voyeur, you can hang out with (or just watch) me and my dear friends at the end. So stop scrolling on your phone, and get yourselves over to Skillshare to check out our new series. Arlyn, Mikel, Albie, and I will be there waiting. xx

One final thank you to the fine folks at Skillshare for allowing me to gift each of you two months of their awesome service for free. We want to make sure that EVERYONE gets to see this project that we all worked so hard on and I can’t wait for you to get to know Mikel, Albie, and Arlyn in a one-on-one setting. So one final call to action: head here , sign up, watch away, and make sure to drop a note so we can see what you’ve learned. 

The post I’ve Got A VERY Exciting Announcement… And By “I,” I Mean “We” (Any Guesses???) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Best (and EHD Approved) President’s Day Sales… That’s 50 Sales and Counting

Traditionally when we’ve thought of President’s Day sales it’s more of an “appliances and mattresses” kind of sale day. Luckily, that is changing and we have the sales to prove it. Basically, WE DON’T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MEMORIAL DAY FOR SOME SWEET SWEET SALES. Yes, I am that excited. I won’t bore you with a long intro so you can get to shopping if you are in need of some appliances, mattresses, furniture, home decor, clothes, and/or gifts. This is pretty extensive and will be updated as the day goes on and more sales pop up:) We’ve got you. Have fun!

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our guest room/office basement suite reveal54Kibo

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% off our jewelry, bags, and ceramics collections
Code: IFE15
Our Picks: Anesu Minimalist Necklace (seen in Em’s Basement Office) | Harare Bowls | Binga Serving Platter

AllModern

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 40% off
Code: EXTRA15 (for extra 15% off)
Our Picks: Lift Top Coffee Table with Storage | Upholstered Platform Bed | Office Chair

Annie Selke

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 20% off* sitewide in-stock products
Code: PRESDAY21
Our Picks: Jute Woven Evergreen Rug | Navy/Brown Dog Bed | Citra Grey Hand Knotted Wool Rug (an EHD Favorite!)

Apt2B

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% off site wide
20% Off Orders $2,499+
25% Off Orders $3,999+
30% Off Orders $4,999+
Code: PRESDAY21
Our Picks: Queen Size Sleeper Sofa (Albie’s Sofa!)| Leather Sofa | Dresser

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the 7 things you need to know before you try to hang that gallery wallArtfully Walls

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 25% off sitewide
Code: PRESIDENTSDAY
Our Picks: Serene by Sylvia Takken | Going by Rikkianne Van Kirk | Fly by Adrienne Brown-David

Article

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 20% off select items
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Ceni Sofa | Lenia Walnut Underbed Storage Drawer | Fantol Oak Storage Shelf

Bed Bath & Beyond

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 20% off select items
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Air Fryer | Slim Hangers | Vacuum (THE EHD Favorite)

Bespoke Binny

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal:10% off selected items
Code: president10
Our Picks: Apron | Lampshade | Printed Throw

Best Buy

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Honestly too many to figure out so just go check it out!
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Washer and Dryer | Nest Thermostat | Air Purifier

design by velinda hellen design | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: velinda’s first freelance client reveal: molding the ‘builder-grade budget’ + where they saved & splurgedBuild.com

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 50%
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Cabinet Pull | White & Wood Pendant (The same one in Velinda’s first client kitchen | Farmhouse Sink

Burke Decor

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 20% Off sitewide | Code: Roosevelt
25% Off orders over $3500 | Code: LINCOLN
Our Picks: Rattan Trunk Bench | End Table | Decorative Bowl

Brooklinen

Dates: Through Monday, 2/17
Deal: 15% Off sitewide
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Percale Sheets | Duvet Cover | Down Alternative Comforter (All from Em’s favorite household essentials)

Buffy

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% Off sitewide
Code: LOVEBUFFY15
Our Picks: The Buffy Breeze | The Buffy Cloud | Eucalyptus Sheets

Christa David Art

Dates: Through Sunday, 2/28
Deal: 30% off all prints
Code: BLACKJOY
Our Picks: “Note to Self: Peace Is Primary” Print | “I Will Not Ever Give Up” Print | “Wait for What” Print

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: inside all our (super organized) drawers & cabinets in the mountain house kitchenThe Container Store

Dates: Through Tuesday, 2/23
Deal: 30% off all Elfa Closet System February 23 + more smaller sales!
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Elfa Closet System (duh and check out Sara’s and this amazing pink closet) | 2-Tier Bamboo Stackable Shoe Shelf | Premium Stackable Jewelry Box

Crate and Barrel

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 60% off clearance
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Brass Pendant | Wood Table Lamp | Shelf Sable

Effortless Composition

Dates: Through Sunday, 2/21
Deal: 35% off select items
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Abstract Cream and Black Terra-cotta Vase | Vibrant Round Seagrass Basket | Loren Pillow

HD Buttercup

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 30% off sitewide
Code: PRES30
Our Picks: Sliding Door Cabinet | Counterweight Pendant | Credenza

Home by Be

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% off sitewide
Code: LOVE
Our Picks: Chefchouen Chair | Roma Vase | Solid Fringe LinenPillow

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the reveal of the mountain house kitchenIndustry West

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 20% off sitewide
Code: PRESIDENTS
Our Picks: Wood Side Table | Cane Ottoman | Chelsea Ladder

Jayson Home

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Free shipping on every order over $100
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Talam Pedestal Tray | Astier de Villatte Colbert Pendants | Linker Tables (like in Ajai’s living room refresh)

Johanna Howard Home

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 40% on select items
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Oprah’s Favorite Throw | Graphic Throw | Geometric Pillow

Jonathan Adler

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 25% off sitewide
Code: UNITED
Our Picks: Palm Springs Stripes Bowl | Torino Ribbon Pillow | Large Sorrento Lacquer Box

Joss & Main

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 40% off
Code: EXTRA15 (for extra 15% off)
Our Picks: Fearn Tree Floor Lamp | Pine Isle Solid Wood Desk | Brickey 2-Light LED Vanity Light

Linoto

Dates: Through Wednesday, 3/31
Deal: $25 off of $300 (Exclusive for EHD readers!!)
Code: HENDERSON25
Our Picks: 100% Linen Sheet Sets | 100% Linen Bedskirt Dust Ruffle | Quilted Pillowcases and Shams

NOTE: Check out our bedding combos post for some fun ideas!

Lumes

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 50% off
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Poldina PRO Rechargeable LED Table Lamp | Dioscuri Wall/Flushmount | Caliber LED Outdoor Wall Sconce

McGee and Co.

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% off sitewide
Code: SPRING15
Our Picks: Zia Round Basket | Minerva Pillow Cover | Scratch Vase

design and photo by ajai guyot | from: ajai’s neutral living room refresh + how her design choices parallel her journey becoming a black interior designerMitizi

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 20% off sitewide
Code: glowup20
Our Picks: Stella Chandelier | Vicky Lamp | Kenly Table Lamp

One Kings Lane

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% off sitewide
Code: Extra 10% off orders over $600 with code OKLTAKE10
Our Picks: Vander Bench | Roger Stool | Leigh Platform Bed

Overstock

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 70% off 1000s of items and free shipping
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Poly and Bark Weave Chair | Bar Table | Natural Woven Barstool

Rugs.com

Dates: President’s Day Sale: Up to an extra 70-80% off from Through Tuesday, 2/16 + Sitewide Blowout Sale: Up to an extra 80% off from 2/17-2/23
Deal: Up to 70% off 1000s of items and free shipping
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Blue Braided Jute Rug | Outdoor Border Runner Rug | Moroccan Shag Rug

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: in defense of the comfy sectional—a friend’s almost-finished family roomSixpenny

Dates: Through Friday, 2/19
Deal: 20% off orders over $1,000
Code: FRESHAIR20
Our Picks: Neva Sofa (we have used this sofa A LOT) | Amelia Chair | Chloe Coffee Table

Society6

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 40% off everything
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Step Away Art Print | Abstract line art 12 Art Print | Illusionary Boat Ride Art Print

SustainAble Home Goods

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 40% off Moroccan Collection
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Moroccan Recycled Glassware (set of 6) | Pile Knot Rug | Flat Weave Moroccan Rug

The Inside

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% off orders < $499 (on everything sitewide!) with code PREZDAY15 + 20% off orders $499+ (on everything sitewide!) with code PREZDAY20
Our Picks: Modern Platform Bed | Outdoor Lumbar Pillow | X Bench

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: emily bowser’s bedroom “after” is unrecognizable from the “before”Tuft & Needle

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 10% off sitewide and up to 15% off mattresses
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Hybrid Mattress | Mint Mattress | Percale Sheet Set

Tushy

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 10% off sitewide
Code: BREAKUP
Our Picks: TUSHY Classic 3.0 | TUSHY Spa 3.0 | TUSHY Ottoman

Wayfair

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 70% off The Online Warehouse
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Round Pouf Ottoman | Tassel Throw Pillow | Slide-A-Shelf Made To Fit Standard Slide Out Shelf

World Market

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% off curbside pick-up promotion
Save 40% select rugs (Through Monday, 2/22)
Save 50% select wall décor, framed art & mirrors
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Arched Rattan Floor Mirror | White Marble Mix & Match Wall Shelves | Gray And Ivory Stripe Woven Cotton Dawson Area Rug

YLighiting

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 50% off
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Syosset Pendant Light | Simple Table Lamp | Mabel Floor Lamp

Fashion & Giftsphoto by veronica crawford | from: this one pair of shorts worked on all of our bodies (+ all the other options we reviewed & loved)Bloomingdales

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Extra 50% off clearance items that say 50% off
30%-50% off of a large selection of wear-now styles
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Belted Trench Coat | Vince Zeta Slip-On Sneakers | Maje Gabyna Double Breasted Long Textured Twill Coat

J. Crew

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 30% off selected items
Code: SPRING
Our Picks: Slim-Fit Chambray Shirt | Tiered Ruffle Dress in Stripe | Celestial Pearl Chain Necklace

Levis

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 30% off sitewide + extra 40% off sale style
Code: PREZ30
Our Picks: 501 Original Womens Shorts | Wedgie Fit Ankle Womens Jeans | Ex-Boyfriend Sherpa Trucker Jacket

photo by veronica crawford | from: my “casual, comfortable, cool” spring weekend wardrobeMadewell

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 20% off sitewide for the Insider’s Club
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Curvy High-Rise Skinny Jeans in Bradshaw Wash| 10″ High-Rise Skinny Crop Jeans in Sheffield Wash | (Re)sponsible Seamed Hilltop Shirt

Kate Spade

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: $50 off of $150+
$150 off of $350+
$250 off of $550+
Code: SPRING
Our Picks: Knott Extra-Large Satchel | Locket Straw Large Flap Shoulder Bag | Julia Dot Headband

Laura Hodges Studio

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 10% off sitewide
Code: PRESIDENTS21
Our Picks: Black Tip Decorative Matches In Jar | Slub Knit Throw Blanket | Glass Spray Bottle

Otherwild

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% off sitewide on orders over $35
Code: selfluvsale
Our Picks: Brick Terrazzo Concrete Soap Dish | Mind + Body Wash | Cacao Turmeric Latte Blend

photo by veronica crawford | from: i tried 3 “party” makeup looks: can I pull off these trends?Sephora

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: Up to 50% off
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: ExfoliKate® Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash | Huda Beauty Nude Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette | Sephora Collection Cream Lip Shine Liquid Lipstick

Sigil

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 30% of journal sales are being donated to nonprofits supporting queer and BIPOC youth
Code: No code needed
Our Picks: Journal Nº 01

Wildfang

Dates: Through Monday, 2/15
Deal: 15% off sitewide
Code: WILD15
Our Picks: The Essential Coverall | Empower Tartan Double Breasted Blazer | Ace SS Button Up Novelty

You made it! Thanks for joining me today and hope you found some much needed items at a GREAT price. See you tomorrow.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Styling To Sell: How We Staged Our Dining Room And Kitchen (With The Changes I Should Have Done Years Ago!)

The post The Best (and EHD Approved) President’s Day Sales… That’s 50 Sales and Counting appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Em’s Favorite House Tour Right Now, Jess’s Wild Anti-Aging Hack, and A New Jewelry Company You Should Know

It’s Sunday, so welcome back to another regularly scheduled link up. Today we’ve got a lot of exciting products, articles, and whatnots…JUST KIDDING DID YOU REALLY THINK WE WEREN’T GOING TO SCREAM HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO YOU GUYS IN THE FIRST TWO SENTENCES!? Happy happy Valentine’s day everyone. This year, YOU (our lovely readers) are the ones we’re gonna call our valentines –– do you wanna be ours too?? This is arguably one of the best days of the year because even if you don’t have that one person to call your valentine (well we’re your valentine actually remember that exchange?), there’s still lots and lots of opportunities to celebrate friends, family, and whoever else you love. LOVE IS SO GOOD. We love you! Now here are our links

This week’s house tour is a real good one brought to us by Clever. It’s a busy family’s gorgeous Parisian apartment with a modern flare designed by the design firm GCG. They did SUCH a good job of staying true to the character and soul of the home while bringing in contemporary, sleek elements + the way they incorporate color in this space is (in our opinion) incredibly genius and methodical. They experiment with some jungle-esque wallpapers that draw the eye in and inspired us in so many ways. Hopefully, it inspires you too.

From Em: This house tour had my jaw on the floor…can you believe that insane moody bedroom and that bathroom are in the SAME HOUSE? What a dream pairing. So so good Jonathan Tuckey Design.

From Albie: Around the hygge ranch it isn’t just about the big sweeping changes but also the little changes that are subtle but impactful. When we gave the mini her very first room, one of the first things I did was get her a chest of drawers from IKEA and switch out the hardware. Made a world of a difference. Now that we’re giving her new room a whole other overhaul, I’ll be changing the hardware again — same dresser — plus upgrading the hardware in & on her closet. These are in one of her fav colors — pink — but also have a sophistication & timelessness to em that make em easy to mature with.

From Mallory: My friend just started a jewelry company called Groovy Luna and I’m OBSESSED (also cute name, right?) I’m heavily into these earrings but could also get behind these chain link stud situations…in fact, I have 2 ear holes so why not wear them both together?? GENIUS. Anywho, these earrings are perfect for you, me, or would make the perfect gift. Support small businesses and shop this store! It’s much appreciated

Also from Mallory: If you read the link up regularly, you probably know that I’m an active Nordstrom shopper. I recently scooped up this dress from Topshop and I’m SO into it. Also, while I was purchasing I noticed that this super cute free people dress that I’ve had my eyes on for YEARS is on sale for $64 (that’s 40% off guys). If you’re in the market for a comfy everyday midi dress that feels (but doesn’t look) like pajamas, this one’s for you & now is the time to buy.

From Ryann: I am in the midst of planning my wedding which is so FUN and so STRESSFUL and as a chronically scatterbrained person, I knew I would need tools to keep my planning on track. In addition to Pinterest, Google docs, and Excel spreadsheets, I ordered this wedding planner and can’t wait to start using it. I always prefer writing things down and having physical copies so I have a feeling it will be my new best friend for the next year. That said, any tips for wedding planning would be greatly appreciated!!

From Jess: So apparently free samples work! In one of my many times buying skincare this year (see yesterday’s skincare post for proof) I was giving a sample of the most wonderful hand sanitizer I’ve ever tried. As it promises, it’s a total “spa in a bottle”! Like sometimes I just put it on because I want to smell it… that’s how good it is. Plus it keeps the germs away which I think we all desperately want more than ever. I really can’t speak more highly of it. If lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, geranium, and sage don’t entice you, I’m not sure what will!

Also from Jess: I might be officially losing it but I promise I’m not terrified of aging. Look, I like that I’ve earned some age on my face and body. However, I don’t mind the idea of doing it gracefully and slowly if I can help it. So as I was listening to Whitney Cummings talk about her skincare routine, she said she swore by these anti wrinkle chest pads and by the end I was sold. I’m a side sleeper/stomach sleeper (working on it but it’s hard) with large breasts and I almost always wake up with wrinkles. Look, it’s not a big deal but clearly as I age they’re going to stop vanishing as my day goes on. SO these little pads are 100% medical grade silicone, reusable, washable, apparently boost collagen, fine for sensitive skin, and prohibit your chest from wrinkling. O and they are really affordable. I’m pretty excited to try and I live alone so the only one judging me is myself! Well and maybe you guys:) Has anyone tried this? Does it work?

From Caitlin: The Bubble Palace is for sale and I’m not necessarily opposed to pooling our funds (all of our funds, to be clear) and buying it as an EHD getaway. Thoughts?

Now, we need to talk about something very The hate crimes against Asian Americans have grown exponentially since the start of the pandemic, and it’s been specifically targeted at senior citizens which is incredibly terrifying. It proves racism is alive and well in this country and we need to educate ourselves on these issues in order to make change. Here is an NPR article (with a good 4-minute podcast listen) that briefly discusses what’s happening right now and what happens next. Please take a moment to educate yourself if you’re unaware of the racist violence that’s been occurring.

That’s all for this week. We hope that the love we all feel today is paid forward in the things we do in our days to come. We need each other to make this world beautiful and safe for everyone. See you tomorrow<3

Opening Image Credits: Design by GCG | Photo by Benjamin Colombel | via Clever

The post The Link Up: Em’s Favorite House Tour Right Now, Jess’s Wild Anti-Aging Hack, and A New Jewelry Company You Should Know appeared first on Emily Henderson.

My Current Skin Issues + EHD’s Favorite Skincare Essentials (Because I Need Some Help)

My skin is super unhappy and I have no idea why. I did a huge detox in January – like 19 days of protein, vegetables, no processed sugar or alcohol and so much exercise. It’s like my skin is just DONE with it all and I’m breaking out on my chin and forehead (curious if it’s masks and hats?). Or, am I trying too many products on it, in a desperate attempt to make it happier?? The only things I think could attribute it to are A. Chin acne is a possible side effect of intermittent fasting, B. My skin is so overly dry without a facial in over a year that nothing can really penetrate the skin and C. I’m getting older and just am not using the right products. Sure, I still love some of my products but NOTHING makes it feel as moisturized as it wants to be. While I am definitely looking for some answers I do have few ole’ trusties that I’ve been using and still love:

1. Supergoop! Glowscreen | 2. Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment | 3. Freck Beauty Lil Prick | 4. St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse | 5. Mitt

Supergoop! Glowscreen: We all know by now that sunscreen is an essential step in skincare and this one by Supergoop is so lightweight and easy to apply. Plus you know, the glow doesn’t hurt.

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment: I’ve been using this for years as an exfoliating mask and it’s a noticeable difference when done with it. I think they call it the “10-minute facial” or something super catchy like that. Plus, it’s bright green so it feels like it MUST be healthy for my face.

Freck Beauty Lil Prick: This serum is SUPER hydrating and in the past has made my skin feel very soft (plus, the brand is owned by an EHD Alum which is so fun).

St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse with Mitt: I speak self-tanner fluently and this is my favorite at-home treatment (so far) that I’ve used for years. YOU MUST use that mitt, but if you apply it right, you look tan, not orange and it’s super even and lasts for 4 days (depending on how often you shower). I literally dreamt of this product when I was a teenager before it existed.

Like I said, my skin still needs help, so I asked my team to share their favorite products. Get ready, folks, because this might just be our biggest, most in-depth skincare post EVER. Let’s get to it.

From Jess

1. Shani Darden Cleansing Serum | 2. iS Clinical Super Serum Advance Plus | 3. Shani Darden’s Texture Reform | 4. Youth to the People’s Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream with Ashwagandha + Reishi | 5. Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen | 6. Supergoop CC cream | 7. Lipscreen | 8. Tatcha’s Silk Peony Melting Eye Cream | 9. Microneedling Tool | 10. hyaluronic acid | 11.  Naturopathica’s Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel | 12. Humidifier

In the past, I kinda dreaded any sort of skincare post because I felt like I had nothing to contribute. My skin has always been dry but “good enough”. Not perfect but also not requiring any special attention… how naive younger Jess was. So while blemishes have always been manageable, guess what new friends have been claiming squatter’s rights?? If you guessed wrinkles and sunspots you are right! So this past year, in an effort to take better care of myself, skincare products and devices have become my new obsession. Like I literally just started listening to a skincare themed podcast. WHO AM I????? This is a girl who used to begrudgingly maybe washed her face once a day and frequently fell asleep in her makeup without a second thought. 

So this is where all of my money has been going and my guide/idol in this newfound journey is celebrity esthetician, Shani Darden. I listen to most everything she has to say because while she loves a good gadget, she has a “keep it simple” ethos that I really appreciate. Most of the products I am using are her recs and to be totally transparent are not cheap. But if I’m honest I’m a total sucker for a “fancy” product. I think it’s what helped me FINALLY commit to this routine that I genuinely look forward to twice a day. Is that good and/or necessary? No, but it’s what works for me. So with that in mind let’s dig in with my routine(s)/dissertation:

Shani Darden Cleansing Serum: One thing that I’ve learned from Shani is to be wary of face oils. They can work for some people but in her opinion they mainly just cause congestion. This really rang true for me because I was noticing way more blackheads around my nose. NO THANK YOU. So I switched my face wash to her Cleansing Serum because I was previously using an oil cleanser. I also got this headband because it’s cute and I wanted it. 

iS Clinical Super Serum Advance Plus: If it’s the morning the next thing I use is the iS Clinical Super Serum Advance Plus which I LOVE. It brightens my skin, gives it the vitamin C it needs plus helps with fine lines, uneven skin tone, and protects the skin from free radicals! So basically a superhero product. (Perviously I was using the C.E.O Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil which I think was sadly attributing to the blackheads. So sad because it really made me glow!) 

Shani Darden’s Texture Reform: If it’s the evening, after cleansing I use my Texture Reform from Shani’s line. This is another superhero product and is made for sensitive skin. I’ve been using it for almost a year now and have totally noticed a difference in my skin. I actually just ordered her stronger award winning version called Retinol Reform because I think my skin is up for it. We will see! Retinol is the main thing (aside from sunscreen) that Shani swears by and thinks everyone should find and use the right one for them. 

Tatcha’s Silk Peony Melting Eye Cream: My next step is moisturizing my eye area. Currently I am using Tatcha’s Silk Peony which I really like. But as soon as I finish it up I am going to try Shani’s eye cream that she just launched (I promise I don’t work for her, I just love her products and advice so much). 

Youth to the People’s Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream with Ashwagandha + Reishi: Then for the all over my face, neck, and chest moisturizing, I use Youth to the People’s Deep Moisture Cream which is currently sold out at Sephora and Nordstrom if that says anything to you:) It’s light, highly moisturizing, and has some incredible plant-based ingredients that make you believe in magic. (I believe I recommended their eye cream in a Link Up once but for me and my sensitive skin, it sadly irritated it. Just an FYI for my sensitive skin peeps out there).

Sunscreen! If I could go back in time and quiet my mother’s voice in my head that said, “if you wear sunscreen you won’t tan” I would and freaking wear sunscreen every. damn. day. I love my mother but man that was some very bad advice. So now I put on sunscreen on my face, neck, arms, and hands every day even if I don’t actually go outside. So now I use Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen (my fav) for my face but also have their Glowscreen which I’m not 100% in love with anymore. I kinda feel like it enhances my lines and wrinkles with the shine. But that could be in my head. I did just order their CC cream and can’t wait to try it because some coverage sounds nice. I also throw on their Lipscreen for extra protection and shine. Lastly, finish off with Sun Bum’s body sunscreen (which makes me smell like summer:))

Ok let’s talk tools. I love love love at-home microneedling. I’ve now been at it for a month (twice a week) and I really feel like it’s making my skin come alive. This is the tool I have (there’s A TON of options out there), this is the rubbing alcohol I use (you must must keep your tool clean and DO NOT share it) and this is the hyaluronic acid I apply before and after I use my dermaroller. I do really like it but after it’s done I really want to try iS Clinical’s Hydro-Cool Serum. I want to keep exploring:) But before I stick a bunch of tiny needles in my face, I use Naturopathica’s Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel. I’ve actually been using this mask for about 2 years and it’s absolutely wonderful. It’s brightens, smoothes and softens. I will probably use it forever. 

I also got a humidifier because Shani told me to. Especially in the winter months, when the air is so dry, she says that humidifiers are key to keep your skin moisturized. I bought this one and am super happy with it. It’s quiet, pretty and has a bunch of settings. To be honest I should have probably gotten the one that was $10 cheaper because “the warm” setting is well not warm at all. But this company has a bunch of options so there’s something for everyone. 

My next venture is my body’s skin. I don’t know about you but I want my arms to look as good as my face in the future (well, as good as I can make them!) So I haven’t tested these yet but they’ll probably just arrived when this post goes live. Here’s the list Ouai Body Creme, Honest Organic Body Oil (both Shani Darden recs), and then what I am MOST excited about is Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare’s Alpha Beta® Exfoliating Body Treatment Peel. I was influenced hard by Stephanie Yeboah and now can’t wait to start getting rid of my little red bumps and get firmer, brighter skin all over!

Lastly, I am going to save up for at least one of these – Shani Darden Sculpting Wand, and LightStim for Wrinkles because this face obsession is full-blown. Also if anyone knows how I can get a Déesse Pro Mask Next Generation for free I will love you until the end of time.

From Albie

1. Now Foods Variety Moisturizing Oils Sampler | 2. Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Face Soy Moisturizer | 3. Cetaphil Normal to Oily Skin Daily Facial Cleanser | 4. Facial Massager Black Obsidian Roller | 5. CeraVe Eye Repair Cream for Dark Circles and Puffiness | 6. Glam Up Facial Sheet Masks | 7. Black Girl Sunscreen Broad Spectrum | 8. Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater

Now Foods Variety Moisturizing Oils Sampler: Sweet Almond, Avocado, and Jojoba Oils: I get very dry on my t-zone and around my mouth, so applying lightweight oils after moisturizing helps to seal in moisture and keep my skin feeling soft. These are a must-have in the winter when my skin gets extra dry but I love that I can still use em in the summer because they’re so lightweight & not greasy.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Face Soy Moisturizer: After washing my face, if I don’t moisturize, I feel incomplete…like I’m missing a layer of skin. I have been using this as my go-to moisturizer since college and it gets the job done without feeling heavy or watery. 

Cetaphil Normal to Oily Skin Daily Facial Cleanser: At the end of the day I look forward to washing my face because it’s like washing away the day & every time I use this, my face feels especially clean and fresh. 

Facial Massager Black Obsidian Roller: This is one of my favorite ways to sneak in 5 mins of easy self-care. Is it necessary? Nope. Does it help? Absolutely. After I moisturize, this helps waken my face, before applying my facial spray. I put it in the freezer before use and if feels so good on the skin, while also helping with any stress/fatigue induced puffiness. I chose black obsidian because of the stone’s protection properties.

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream for Dark Circles and Puffiness: I have always struggled with dark spots under my eyes and puffiness — when I need sleep, it shows! — and this cream has been the only one so far to make any bit of a difference. 

Glam Up Facial Sheet Masks: Another bit of self-care I try to treat myself to, at least once a week, is masking. A new to brand, I love the assortment of options, depending on what my skin needs that week. Each sheet feels so thick and soft on my skin… very decadent. 

Black Girl Sunscreen Broad Spectrum: Finally a sunscreen that doesn’t leave a heavy, white residue on my face…or any residue. It applies just like a moisturizer and days when I know I am going out, sometimes I apply it as my only moisturizer. 

Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater: Sometimes my face needs a pick me up — be it to start the day or just before bed — and I love the refreshing feeling on my skin with just a few sprays. It’s such a great way to punctuate my the rest of my skincare applications, whether it’s just one or all. 

From Arlyn

1. Squalane + Tea Tree Cleansing Gel | 2. Squalane Vitamin C Rose Oil | 3. Pore Clarifying Toner 10% Glycolic Acid

A little about my skin: My face is a very frustrating mix between oil-slick oily and dessert-dry dryness…there’s almost no happy medium. So when I get adult acne (can we just call it acne now? There’s something so demeaning about calling it “adult acne” as if I’ve failed as an adult for still getting breakouts), it’s greasy and flaky all at once…oh yeah, and texturally, it’s a bit rough around the edges. Hurrah! I tend to fare best with cream cleansers that really pick up the gunk from my pores, a light focus on blemish-stopping ingredients, and deep-down moisture. Haven’t ventured into the retinol arena just yet, but I’m curious. 

Squalane + Tea Tree Cleansing Gel: I started using this cleanser after months of reading good things about it but doing what I do best: avoiding it. Like I said, I prefer cream cleansers as I feel they do a better job on my face, and gel cleansers have always been very drying for me, but I LOVE this cleanser. It has really helped my maskne, does a pretty good job of removing makeup, and the tea tree oil is wonderful for my hormonal breakouts. I’ll probably be using this for quite some time. 

Squalane Vitamin C Rose Oil: Another love from Biossance. If you’ve never heard of this brand, WAKE UP. It’s your time. Clean, cruelty-free products that actually work. If I were to have only been able to include one thing in this roundup, it would have been this face oil. I’m not kidding, it has revitalized my skin. My forehead, which used to be quite bumpy, even when not broken out, is super smooth now. It has completely retexturized my skin. This is the kind of thing you use, and I promise, everyone will stop you on the streets and demand you tell them about your skincare routine. And you can quote me on that. 

Pore Clarifying Toner 10% Glycolic Acid: I’m pretty sure I’ve linked this toner up before, but it’s another true marvel. I have low expectations for beauty products because I feel like they are full of lies. BUNCH OF LIARS. But this, just like the other two things I’ve shared, is different. Products like this have reignited my trust in skincare. The glycolic acid in this toner is perfect if you’re trying to smooth out texture or looking to shrink your pores (at least visibly…not sure anything actually shrinks pores). Not drying in the least, either. 

From Rashida

1. Derma-E Cleanser | 2. Cetaphil Cream | 3. Lush Solid Serum | 4. Bobbi Brown Eye Cream | 5. Goddess Clay Mask

I first have to thank my parents or whoever in my genetic line up is responsible for the skin that I have. I’ve never had major problems with it, but there are a few things that I have to address daily in order to keep my skin free of blemishes, bright, and smooth. My skin, on a scale of dry to oily, definitely leans more dry especially in colder seasons, and it’s normal during spring and summer. It is very sensitive, so abrasive treatments send my skin into a frenzy. I tend to have a little bit of darkness around my mouth area and under my eyes, so a lot of the products I use have vitamin c to help brighten my skin and even out areas of hyperpigmentation.

Daily Cleansing Routine: My daily skincare routine is very simple. I love this daily cleanser by Derma-E. It’s a gentle face wash that doesn’t strip my skin of it’s natural oils. The activated charcoal removes toxins from the surface. I always say that this cleanser washes away “the day” from my skin. When I want a deeper clean I use another Derma-E product that has Vitamin C and ancient rice for a gentle exfoliation. This product is a paste and it doubles as a cleanser or can be used as a mask. I get both products at Whole Foods. I shop for food and my skincare all in one place. “WIN WIN WIN WIN!”

Daily Moisturizing Routine: I use only two products for moisturization: good ole Cetaphil or a solid serum from Lush. I’ve been using Cetaphil cream for years. I have a very mild case of eczema and it’s the only daily lotion that keeps me from itching all over like a mad woman. Funny story: I used to be the type of person to only put lotion on the areas that showed lol (I know I’m not the only one that does that.) I went to the dermatologist about 5 years ago because I was itching so much it was keeping me up at night. So I paid a $40 copay to see a specialist just for them to tell me I need to put on lotion EVERYWHERE (specifically Cetaphil). And guess what? The itching stopped. So it’s a part of my self care to lather up everyday. I actually enjoy it now. I buy my Cetaphil cream from Costco. It’s much cheaper that way! But another product that I use daily for my face is this solid serum from LUSH called “Full of Grace”. This is usually my night time moisturizer, or my moisturizer that I wear on my makeup free days. I usually lather the palms of my hands, and massage it into my face in an upward motion. This is important! Always moisturize upward and outward instead of downward. 

My Fancy Routine: Now to address the darkness under my eyes, I love love love Bobbi Brown’s Eye Cream. I take the pillow of my ring finger (the squishiest part) and massage the product from the inner corner to the outer corner of my eyes. And then whatever is left on my finger, I massage around my entire eye in a counterclockwise motion. I usually do this as part of my nighttime routine. And lastly, my favorite mask that gets my skin baby smooth is the Goddess Clay Mask by Charlotte Tilbury! It’s a bit of a splurge but it’s the best mask to apply before putting on makeup. It fills in pores, and it doesn’t dry the skin out like other clay masks do. 

From Ryann

1. Kate Sommerville Exfolikate Cleanser | 2. Vitamin C Serum | 3. Glossier Invisible Shield | 4. Glossier Priming Moisturizer| 5. Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment | 6. Mario Badesco Facial Sprays| 7. Hanacure Mask

My skin issues are pretty standard considering my lineage and fair skin. My forehead is seemingly always dry and flaky, I have some impressive fine lines for being 26 years old (apparently I am going to age in record time! woohoo!) and I constantly have redness on my cheeks and forehead. In short, I have bad skin and it’s really starting to rear its ugly head. My routine is still fairly new but these are the products in rotation right now that I really love and will continue using.

Kate Sommerville Exfolikate Cleanser: My latest cleanser is this by Kate Sommerville and I have to say I mostly love it because it smells like fresh Meyer lemons. There is something about a citrus-forward cleanser that makes me feel so fresh and clean and this one is no exception.

Vitamin C Serum: I use this vitamin C serum to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and for anti aging purposes. It’s funny, when I was younger I used to say that I would “age naturally” and “not care about wrinkles” but OH BOY does that sentiment go away fast when those lines start popping up. It’s unfortunate that I care about wrinkles but alas, I live in the year 2021. All that is to say that I actually do think this serum works and after I use it I can actually feel my skin tightening and becoming more firm.

Glossier Invisible Shield: Sunscreen is an absolute MUST for me and I apply it everyday even if I don’t plan on going outside. I love this one by Glossier because it is extremely lightweight and applies evenly and smoothly.

Glossier Priming Moisturizer: This is the moisturizer I am using right now and it’s nothing special but it is very hydrating. It’s fragrance free, does not irritate my skin and lasts a lot longer than my old favorite moisturizer by Origins.

Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment: I use this Color Correcting Treatment everyday to keep the redness on my cheeks and forehead down. It’s a bit of an investment but it lasts forever and it’s probably the most important step in my skincare routine. I also love that it’s multi-functional as it has spf, so I always feel my skin is extra protected from the sun.

Mario Badesco Facial Sprays: My life is not complete without these facial sprays. I mostly use them to cool myself down because my face can get flushed often especially when I am working (why is that by the way?? Is it the blue light from the laptop? Probably.). Other than that, they help keep moisture locked in to my skin and help me feel fresh and rejuvenated.

Hanacure Mask: I’ve only used this mask once but the results were pretty wild. If you google “Hanacure Mask” you’ll see what I mean and don’t be alarmed that it looks TERRIFYING once it activates.

From Sara

1. Versed Cleansing Balm | 2. PCA Toner | 3. Hyper Vitamin C Serum | 4. Living Libations Best Skin Ever Oil | 5. Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen

I’ve written posts about my skincare regime on here before. I’ve gone through phases where my routine has 12 different steps. But during quarantine I really pared back what I was doing (mostly because I got pretty lazy), and my skin actually seems really happy. Gotta find those silver linings where we can, I guess? Anyways, my core routine is still the same – wash, tone, serum, moisturize, SPF – and I’ve practically totally cut make-up out of it. I tried to put on a “full” face of make up the other day (which for me was always just a CC cream, blush, and mascara anyways), and I panicked. I ended up throwing some bronzer in which looked super fake tanned, did my eyebrows too heavy, and forgot how lightly I’m supposed to apply my blush. I walked out of the bathroom, looked in the mirror in the living room, and walked right back into the bathroom to wash it all off. I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M DOING ANYMORE. But I still feel really confident in my skincare, and I feel like it’s gotten more laid back than ever.

Step 1. Wash – I use a melting cleansing balm from Versed, which you can grab at Target. I’ve been using this balm for several years now, and I still keep coming back to it even after dabbling in other cleansing balms.

Step 2. Tone – I’ve been using PCA’s Nutrient Toner for several years now as well. It’s a perfect gentle exfoliant, it smells amazing (like a crisp fall day), and leaves my skin feeling really healthy. 

Step 3. Serum – During the day I use a Vitamin C serum from Hyper Clear. I was once told that, besides SPF, vitamin C was the best thing I could do for my skin, so I figure it’s worth throwing in there. At night, instead of a Vitamin C serum, I use PCA’s Clarifying Retinol. I really, truly feel like I’ve been seeing a difference in my skin since I started using this several months ago. Start your retinol early folks, constant vigilance.

Step 4. Moisturize – I’m still using Living Libations Best Skin Ever Sea Buckthorn Oil (same bottle!), and it’s still my favorite moisturizer. Putting it on feels like drinking a giant kale smoothie, but for my skin. I was trying to make a funny analogy, but I don’t think it will land, and what I really mean is it just feels really healthy.

Step 5. SPF – Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen is the last step, whether or not I’m leaving the house (not leaving the house still happens 90% of the time these days). Gotta protect my face from those computer screen UV rays or whatever harmful things are shooting at my face as a result of modern living. 

And that’s it! I know it still sounds like a lot, but I do this all in like 6 minutes.

From Mallory

1. Glossier Milk Jelly | 2. Keihl’s avocado eye cream | 3. Honest Vitamin C radiance serum | 4. Neutrogena hydro-boost moisturizer with spf | 5. Coola cucumber sunscreen | 6. The Ordinary retinol serum | 7. Aveeno moisturizer

Okay guys I am NOT a skincare expert whatsoever and I think I’ve been writing about starting my skincare routine on this blog for over a year now (that’s correct–I did not have one prior to this). So, I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve officially read one article from Good Housekeeping and decided to finally do it. Here’s the lowdown for what I’ll be doing for my FIRST EVER skincare routine:

Glossier Milk Jelly: I finally gave in and tried this cleanser and believe me: it’s worth the hype. All other cleansers now feel inferior.

Keihl’s Avocado Eye Cream: I got this in a sample (yes a sample!) and completely fell in love. Also the post I read about how to have a skincare regime said I need an eye cream and this guy fit the bill perfectly.

Honest Vitamin C Radiance Serum: Everyone has told me I need a vitamin c serum and I’ve been wanting to try this brand forever. This one makes my skin feel awesome in the day & I love their beauty resurfacing serum for nighttime.

Neutrogena Hydro-Boost Moisturizer with Spf: My sister turned me onto this and I’m not disappointed. It’s so moisturizing it’s insane! A little goes a loooong way.

Coola Cucumber Sunscreen: Do I really need to explain how good this is again? I will. Because it’s that good. I was so bad about wearing sunscreen consistently until I found this guy. It’s so light plus the cucumber smells so good that people compliment me on the smell of my face.

The Ordinary Retinol Serum: The Ordinary is the best brand if you’re just starting out because their stuff is great at an INSANELY good price.

Aveeno Moisturizer: I had been buying a bunch of different face moisturizers and then my boyfriend bought this one time and I realized it’s the best one for my face. Yes, I use it on my face even though it’s technically body lotion (it’s basic, I know but this stuff WORKS).

I’m skipping toner all together for now because I hear it’s optional and I’m trying to go as simple and approachable as possible because I know myself and I can get lazy about taking care of my skin other than wearing sunscreen. So THERE YOU HAVE IT. I’ve been doing this for a week and so far my skin is looking better than ever! It’s screaming at me like “why did you take 23 years to actually do this” but oh well better late than never!!

From Caitlin

1. Meltaway Cleansing Balm | 2. Exfoliating Cleanser | 3. Pore Control Complex | 4. Hyaluronic Acid Serum | 5. Hydrate Glow Oil | 6. Moisturizing Eye Bomb | 7. Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream | 8. Glowscreen | 9. Resurfacing Mask

My skin is very sensitive, but otherwise pretty normal and dry-leaning – I have been known to get some patches on my right cheek and on my forehead during the winter. My main concerns: I have some everlasting hormonal chin breakouts, I’d like to even out my skin tone a little bit (I can get red!), and there are some pretty deep early-onset smile wrinkles that I’m just trying to manage. I was never a skincare person until this year and even Cerave and Cetaphil turn me red, but for whatever reason, this is the routine that finally sticks and makes my skin happy. TBH I normally only do it once a day, but that’s mainly because I’m not really going anywhere. Otherwise, I’d use the same products day and night!

Meltaway Cleansing Balm: I don’t normally wear makeup (because like, pandemic, but also just lazy when it’s not a pandemic), so I generally use this first thing in the morning if I sleep in an overnight mask. The texture is AWESOME.

Exfoliating Cleanser: This guy has an awesome gritty texture that’s just right – I don’t feel like I’m stripping my skin, but it also feels like it’s pulling up residue and dead skin. I love it.

Pore Control Complex: I see that Arlyn also recommended this toner, so you know it’s good!!! I don’t use this all over – just on my breakouts and on places where I’m seeing a lot of open pores or redness – and it’s helped clear my skin up a lot.

Hyaluronic Acid Serum: I love, love, love this hyaluronic acid serum. My skin soaks it up so quickly (I normally brush my teeth after applying this and it’s totally absorbed by the time I rinse) and it does an awesome job of evening out the texture.

Hydrate + Glow Oil: My finishing piece! Once I’ve put on my moisturizer, I slap 5 drops of this glow oil (literally) all over my face to lock everything in. It smells A M A Z I N G.

Moisturizing Eye Bomb: This is technically for your eyes, but I use it in tiny quantities on my forehead and in my laugh lines, too.

Triple Lipid-Peptide Cream: This may be too thick for some folks, but it’s a dream for me. Most moisturizers turn me super red and make my skin feel tight, but this one just feels calming.

Glowscreen: WE ALL LOVE SUPERGOOP! I love the above division between the Unseen Sunscreen and the Glowscreen. Since I’ve historically had super dull skin, I lean towards this one. (I also think it looks SO GOOD whenever one of the above ladies wear it on Zoom).

Resurfacing Mask: Here’s another gem that I’ve talked about on the site before. CoJ described it as “a facial in a mask,” and I agree. When I slack off and things just get a little out of control, this is like pushing a reset button. My skin looks SO GOOD when I wipe this off. Love, love, love.

See? I told you this would be A HUGE skincare post and I don’t know about you, but I learned a ton and may have added an inappropriate amount of products to my cart. Do you have any all time faves we should be aware of?? Are you also having breakouts for seemingly no reason? Let me/us know in the comments. xx

Opener Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Portland Reveal: How the Bathroom I Was Most Nervous About Turned Out to Be My Favorite

The post My Current Skin Issues + EHD’s Favorite Skincare Essentials (Because I Need Some Help) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

A Huge LA House Hunt Update: Caitlin’s Entered The “Making Offers Sight Unseen & Over Asking” Phase

I don’t know what it is about this house hunt series that compels people to read these posts, but I am eternally grateful for your companionship. The last four months have felt like an episode of House Hunters, except instead of viewing three places and then magically ending up in my dream home, I’m just constantly falling in love with places, losing to higher offers, and crying a lot. Why isn’t there a TV show where someone spends 8 months searching for a place and then ends up empty-handed and weeping on the phone at the end??? HGTV, I AM AVAILABLE.

But maybe I’m being a little dramatic. It’s not all bad (or is it?). I teased this in Wednesday’s post, but I was waiting for a counteroffer on a place…so it felt like a good time to catch up with my friends, AKA you, on the state of the LA housing market and how I ended up here. Today’s update contains some of the freshest information I’ve ever shared (i.e. 10 hours from phone call to content going live on the site), so a million thanks to EHD for lending me the platform for the day and to Jess and Ryann for proofreading my tiny novel outside of business hours. There’s some real drama if you can make it all the way to the end with me! But it’s been a long time since my last update, so let’s get on the same page first with a quick refresher on where we left off…

My name is Caitlin and I handle all things money here at EHD. (Sponsored posts, affiliate relationships, and yes, even the site ads – I’m sorry, I know!!! But I would not be able to have a job – or buy a house, I guess – without the ads, which makes it a real ouroboros, so your tolerance is very much appreciated.) Anyway, I am 29 years old, super single, and I’ve been living in Los Angeles for about 9 years. I’ve saved up about $85,000 in a dedicated account (yes, I do overshare personal financial information in these posts, thanks for noticing) to spend solely on a downpayment and closing costs. Originally, I had been hoping to spend about $400,0000 to $500,000 on a property and put in about $100,000 worth of reno work, but LOL. That was in July when I was young and naive and hopeful, but now it’s February and I’m a tired, worn-down weathered husk of a woman so let’s be clear: that budget has gone out of the freakin’ window.

remember us?

I first fell in love with an abandoned hillside property but honestly missed out due to timing (and maybe due to me putting a little too much faith into the universe ~working things out~, which I now have mixed feelings about). It sold for $340,000 and needed $300,000 to $400,000 in repairs (in addition to like, needing a road and neighbor approval and a new foundation, so yes, I’ll concede that there were a variety of problems) but I guarantee that halfway through this update you’re going to be like, oh, yeah, maybe she should have gone that route, huh?

The second property I introduced you to was an absolutely wild vintage home with a 1970s update. I offered the asking price of $550,000 on this place, despite some seemingly enormous structural problems – the walls were very cracked and it had a surreptitiously leaning retaining wall that hinted at major issues, but I was in love. Honestly, I still am – vaulted ceilings, wood paneling, saloon-style swinging doors, and 70s wallpaper still does it for me. This place ended up selling for $600,000 and again, I wish I had just offered more. Being closed on a property in October would have made things so easy!

Which brings us to today: I flew home to Delaware on November 8 so I could quarantine for two solid weeks before seeing my mom for Thanksgiving, and guys…I’m still here. (Before you ask: yes, I’m from Wilmington; yes, like most Delawareans, I am basically 0 degrees of separation from the Bidens – and honestly, if you’re from Delaware, I’m sure we also know each other; and yes, it is very fun seeing your hometown on the news every night.) But basically, at the end of November, I kinda sorta broke my back (the easiest way to describe it) and when combined with the whole ~raging LA pandemic~ thing, I just decided to stay here until I was fully healed.

All of this brings us to today’s theme: y’all, I have started making sight unseen offers. Cross country. On homes I have only seen 3-minute videos of. A friend of mine recently described me as their most “irresponsible responsible friend,” and I think that explains a lot of what you’re about to read.

i’m writing this from brenda’s office, which has a nice tiny wall of novelty photos (again, a nod to earlier notes), but uh, i love my mom very much and like sharing it when i can

But before we get too in the weeds, let’s all bow our heads for a moment in honor of Brenda, my mom (to whom I wrote a very long and loving ode to in an earlier update), who has had to stand by my side as I make life-changing decisions WHILE HEAVILY MEDICATED. I know the rules for sainthood (Catholic high school alumni here, NBD) but there should be a special Brenda exception for going through this process with me up close and in real-time. Please drop your praise in the comments because she deserves all of it (and more)!!

Now, I hope you’re settled in and ready for a long read, because here’s how my real world, real rollercoaster-y episode of House Hunters went down (please play along – I want to know which house YOU would have chosen)…

First Up, A New Hill House

I HAVE NOT LEARNED ANY LESSONS, GUYS. This fella is priced at $569,900 and has been on the market since March 19, 2020. Yes, that is almost a year. And yes, it has been in and out of escrow FIVE TIMES. I actually first fell in love with this place in July of 2020 when I was trying to stick to the lower end of my budget…but like, who could resist those special ceilings or gorgeous views? NOT ME. I can be swayed by architectural charm and by bright windows and I’m only a little ashamed about it. Take a look, though, and tell me if you disagree…

There are a lot of things about this place that drew me in right off the bat. I know it’s not a super popular opinion, but I love LA homes that are up a flight of stairs. I’ve lived alone since 2015, consume an amount of the ID channel that could only be described as “oh gosh, WAY TOO MUCH,” and am kind of worried about being murdered. Something about making access to the home a little inconvenient really speaks to me. (As if a murderer would be like, “oh, Caitlin lives up a flight of stairs? Ugh, too much work. Pass.” But like, HEY, let me have my illusions of security, thanks.)

But beyond that – did you see that view? The sweet little terrace above the garages? THE CEILINGS? I had emailed my realtor, Francine (as always, if you’re in LA and have no idea how to find an agent, I vouch for her a billion percent #notsponsored) back in July when we had started working together asking about the property. At that time, it had been on the market for a couple of months, so I figured that they’d be open to a lowball offer, but she reached out to the listing agent and learned that the sellers were VERY firm on price.

Since then, it’s just been flopping in and out of escrow. And sure, it’s a bit dated and there’s a lot of obvious damage (it’s most visible in the dining room). But it’s also not not worth the asking price. And yeah, the primary bedroom DOES have windows that look into – you guessed it – a weird addition with a drop floor, but who needs privacy? So when this place came back on the market in late November, it felt like a real kismet moment for me. The universe must have been holding this for me, I thought, because I am dumb.

but also, how could you NOT fall a little in love with this place?

The place had charm, the lot was HUGE (as always, I need to clarify that this is by LA standards, but it’s almost 6,000 square feet!) and it checked all my boxes. To be fair, at this point the boxes needing to be checked are basically “near LA,” “standing,” “financeable,” and “under $600,000,” but I’m also flexible on all of those requests, so it’s honestly a bit of a free-for-all.

Anyway, the kismet really kicked in when a potential EHD partner emailed me to introduce their startup brokerage, which at the time would enable regular buyers (i.e. me) to find homes and to place all-cash offers. There’s usually a lot of vetting that goes on behind-the-scenes before we accept any partnership here (I won’t sign a deal for something we haven’t tried), so they graciously offered me the chance to test out their product by getting a tour of this house.

left: a basement | right: the official, permitted bathroom

The experience was awesome – they sent an agent to the property and I was able to have a body on the ground exploring in real-time. My mom (Brenda, you know, the lady I talk about all the time) and I ate dinner as he toured the property. He looked in cabinets, surveilled the parking situation, and explained the property’s problems (“uh, it’s bad” was his main takeaway, but y’all have probably learned that I cannot be deterred).

Whereas this guy saw a house with bizarrely low basement clearance and impossible street parking and some…bold (???) bathroom choices, I saw a home with cathedral ceilings that had been on the market in my price range for almost a year. AND AT THIS POINT, THAT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. I was ready to give this one a go.

I don’t mean to undersell this place, though – in a true plot twist, it had A STUNNING BACKYARD. It was ENORMOUS. I am pretty confident that if the first image of this house had just been its huge, flat, lovely backyard, it would have sold immediately. Instead, the listing agent chose to go with some ~creative~ choices, like this unpermitted basement bathroom with 6′ ceilings.

it’s shorter in real life, if you can believe it

Seeing it on video chat was kind of like being surprised by a Tinder date who uses a ton of bad photos, and then they show up, and you’re like “WOAH, I WASN’T READY FOR THIS???” So despite all its problems and the initial photo impressions, I talked with Francine, told her that I had gotten to tour the house as part of our partnership vetting process, and asked about making an offer. (An aside: the potential partner who facilitated the viewing is in the process of tweaking their business model a bit, but I can’t wait to share more about the company when they’re ready! They’ll be an awesome resource for first-time buyers.)

Because the universe has a hilarious sense of humor, the house went under contract for the FIFTH TIME while this conversation happened. Francine chatted with the listing agent and said that I could submit a backup offer at $540,000 – about $30,000 below list – but also mentioned that this place had foundation issues.

left: the kitchen + side entrance and bedroom door | right: the “primary bedroom”

OH GOSH. GUYS. The optimist in me gets it: we live in LA! Earthquake country! 100-year-old houses will have problems! But I’m batting 100% when it comes to falling in love with houses with severe foundation issues. WHY??? I emailed back: “Is that the lowest you think they’d go? I think I’m fine with that as a starting point, but like, if I offered $540,000 and then found out it needs $80,000 of dedicated foundation work, do you think they’d be willing to at least try and meet me somewhere in the middle around $515,000? I can only assume it’s a BIG problem if it’s come in and out of escrow this many times.”

She responded, “I asked if they have reports or estimated costs on the foundation repair and if the seller is willing to do any credits. He said ‘No, the price is with the discount.’ It doesn’t sound like they are willing to budge, and it could totally be why they have been on the market a long time.” And guys, that is when I made the first responsible decision of this whole saga: I WALKED AWAY, DESPITE THE 8 MONTH REDFIN LOVE AFFAIR WITH THIS HOME. IS THIS BEING AN ADULT???? Brenda celebrated quietly when I told her that I would not be making an offer.

And Then…The Silver Lake Box

But that celebration didn’t last long. Not to weave too much of my ~personal life~ into the post (that said, I LIVED IT, and I want you to understand the circumstances!!), but I started collapsing regularly with severe back pain at the end of November. I probably should have gone to the doctor but I also come from a family of folks who ignore their medical problems – my great grandpa chopped his own thumb off with an axe instead of seeking frostbite treatment, so I think it’s genetic – but it kept getting worse and worse. On December 3rd, I collapsed (while on the phone with someone from 3M, so I had to be like “oh, uh, I just…stubbed my toe??” while crying on mute. CASUAL!) and I lost all my ability to move or walk and y’all, that is NOT FUN OR COOL!

I ended up in an ambulance and got to spend some time in the hospital during the peak of the rona, which is a story for the books. (I also had a very attractive doctor who was my age and who ended up quoting Lumineers songs to me while he like, ran a billion tests on my decrepit and terrified self, which was horrifying. That’s not actually important, but if I’m sharing the info, you might as well get the whole story. Mallory, from our team, ended up making me a ‘Hot Doc Prep Kit’ for Christmas, though, so I’m ready for any future emergencies.)

I’m only telling you this as context because I was discharged from the hospital pretty quickly – you know, cause like, there’s a contagious disease floating around or something – but I was given a bunch of prescriptions for heavy-duty, mind-changing pain medication, which just adds a WHOLE NEW LAYER to this story. It always just gets harder! (PS. I’m fine-ish now, 9 weeks later!!! 20 years of ice skating injuries can really compound in a bad way when ignored!!! Listen to your body!!!)

buckle up cause we’re falling in love

But a few nights after being discharged from the hospital, I was sitting in my room in the dark (not normal) and refreshing Redfin (actually normal) when this popped up. It was 736 square feet on a ~1,500 square foot lot (read: LA tiny) and listed at $499,000. It was in Silver Lake – a big deal, if you’re not from LA – and it was walking distance from two of my favorite music venues, a bunch of my favorite coffee shops, and my old hair place. NEW. TARGET. ACQUIRED.

I made it through about 3 of the photos before I emailed Francine and asked her to put an offer in on this place. Seconds later, after realizing it was a trust sale, I sent a follow up: “PS. I saw it was a trust/conservatorship – if someone died in this house, can you please never tell me???” I learned my lesson on that Highland Park bungalow and I AM NOT MAKING THOSE MISTAKES AGAIN. 2021 CAITLIN IS MAKING SMART CHOICES!

I knew I wanted to go over the asking price almost immediately, but I also had to confirm that I hadn’t totally lost it, so I lumbered downstairs (again, heavily medicated, and very slowly) to show Brenda. I know I’m almost 30 and I know I have my stuff together – or like, at least as together as it can be – but when it comes to house hunting, I kind of feel like one of those girls on Say Yes to the Dress who can’t buy something without their parent’s approval. She has my back and I trust her and I want her blessing and I’m not afraid to say it!

CAN YOU BLAME ME?

But y’all – look at this place. I WAS ENTHRALLED FROM THE START. It looked like my first two loves, the hill house and my 70s dream mansion, had a baby. She was boxy and modern on the exterior with vaulted ceilings and a fun, 70s paneled interior. And like, sure, it needed work, but THEY ALL DO, so I was gung-ho on this one.

And to my absolute delight, Brenda agreed. “I’m seriously putting an offer in on this,” I said. “OK,” she said. There was no waffling, no “uhhh, it’s kind of gross” or “you do see that it needs a ton of work, right?” – there was just a simple “OK.” I had made my case (poorly and confusingly – it was basically me screaming for about 4 minutes straight as she cycled through the photos a few times), but she agreed. I emailed Francine and told her that I actually wanted to go above asking.

this still makes my heart skip a beat, you guys!!!

That night, I had floated a modest figure – $520,000. $21,000 over asking, I thought, was okay. But by morning, that number started ratcheting up in my brain. IT WASN’T ENOUGH, AND I NEEDED TO WIN THIS ONE. I looked at some comps in the neighborhood with similar tiny footprints and saw that they were selling around $700,000, so I figured I needed to bump up the offer a bit to compete with flippers.

Okay, so…$550,000. At first, that number felt pretty good. The place needed a pretty substantial gut job, which I figured would run a bit over $100,000 (because of rona-induced surcharges on materials). A house in Silver Lake couldn’t really swing a traditional quick flip – you know, the kind of flip that just picks the cheapest gray finish for every possible item. Gray floors, gray paint, gray cabinets, gray walls, large-scale marble-look tile…you’ve seen these, I know it!!! – so investors would really have to INVEST in the quality of its remodel. The market couldn’t sustain anything higher than that, right? With fees and costs and timelines, flippers couldn’t go higher than $550,000 and still make a profit, right?! I would win them over with my heartfelt letter, right?!??!

left: a view of the front + hallway to the bed/bath | right: the lone bedroom

So that weekend, before I submitted my offer, Francine went to tour the house for me. She had said that I’d look like a more serious buyer – you know, less flakey – if it appeared that someone had actually looked at the house instead of submitting an offer ~willy-nilly~. (She didn’t say willy-nilly, but that was the sentiment.) I agreed and it turns out that this is a very smart thing to do in a hot market, which is why you should basically always listen to your realtor on all matters, always.

The video she sent me made me even more sure. I WANTED THIS ONE, BADLY, and I was going to try my absolute hardest to get it. I emailed my loan officer, Andy (again, if you’re in LA and you have no idea where to start, Andy gets my highest recommendation – he was Em’s loan officer, Sara’s loan officer, and he introduced me to Francine, so he is the true hero that’s bringing you all the EHD homes!), to ask if I’d be able to make an offer at $575,000. We are now SEVENTY-SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS OVER ASKING. On 736 square feet. Yes, the tunnel vision did set in…but SHE WAS IT. The universe had made this weird hybrid house baby just for me and I was going in, GUNS BLAZING. I was leaving it all on the table. Literally.

left: the primary bath (controversial take: i actually love that window – thoughts???) | right: basement

As I got to work writing the most earnest letter I have ever written (which was a challenge for me, a lady whom a commenter once described as “achingly earnest,” but with a mean connotation) to the trust selling the house and to the family of the deceased, I got a call from Andy. Good news, he said – he’d run my credit and I’d be good to put in an offer at $575,000 with a 10% downpayment. GREAT. He also wanted to tell me that he liked this house better for me than the original 70s dream house, which was feedback that I genuinely loved. We’re cooking with gas now, folks!!!

Francine worked on prepping the offer as I put the final touches on my letter – and y’all, I’m not sure if I’ve put more thought into ANYTHING in my entire life. I had researched the previous owner and was totally inspired by her. Not to overshare too much of her information, but she was also a single lady with an incredible career and she seemed like the kind of person I wouldn’t mind being haunted by, so again…IT FELT LIKE KISMET. We submitted, I waited, and then…this.

Did I want to counter? DUH. But I also want to do a lot of things that are bad for me, like drinking Coke Slurpees from 7-Eleven for every meal. I’ve somehow trained myself to override that impulse, so I decided to let this one go. AGAIN. I’m going to tell you how much this 736 square foot house on a 1,5000 square foot lot sold for, but first, I’m going to need you to make a guess. Are you ready?

No cheating.

Numbers ready??? Here we go…

$710,000. NEARLY THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION DOLLARS. $211,000 over asking. At $710,000 pre-renovation, the 3 bed/2.5 house on the hill would have been cheaper. HOW. And when I started to feel like there was no hope for a girl like me, the dream place just happened to come along. I know people say that’s true about relationships – you know, that when you’re not looking they just show up – but it turns out that the same idiom is true for real estate, too.

But Finally…

Re-up on your coffee because this is a little bit of a rollercoaster and there are LOTS of weeds to get through, y’all. (Also, a special hello to all of my real-life friends who witnessed me crying over the past few days and who have skipped to this section in search of an update as to what is going on. You’re in the right place!)

Throughout this whole process, I’ve been pretty clear that I’m on the hunt for a house in particular because (a.) I want a private outdoor space and (b.) condo fees are a NIGHTMARE in LA (like, any time I’ve seen an okay condo, the HOA has been $600-$800/month, which does not work for me). On a seemingly-unrelated note that will soon make sense, I’ve also written at great length over the past year and a half about how much I love my apartment. (Most recently like, less than a month ago, so yes – I love my apartment. I HAVE A POINT, I SWEAR.)

I’ve never shared it publicly on the blog – for reasons detailed in that earlier post, but mainly it boils down to me never designing it because it always felt like a temporary point – but I just want to show y’all a few quick shots so you’ll understand my surprise when I FOUND IT’S LITERAL TWIN. FOR SALE. A CHANCE TO LIVE IN MY APARTMENT, FOREVER, BUT BETTER.

my apartment’s original listing images

Couple of things to note: 1930s construction, faux fireplace, great moulding, huge living room (mine is 14′ x 20′), wall of windows in the dining room, semi-open concept/railroad construction. For what it’s worth, these pictures are NOT GOOD and my apartment sat on the market for a month before I grabbed it for $1,900/month (under market for almost 1,200 square feet + a private garage in Koreatown).

So COLOR ME ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED when last Thursday I opened Redfin, turned on the condo setting for fun, and then found this 2 bed, 1.5 bath for sale at $540,000. It’s 2.7 miles from my current apartment but more important than anything, it’s still walking distance to Hae Jang Chon which is THE BEST RESTAURANT IN LOS ANGELES. (If you haven’t gone, you are missing out.) Unfortunately, for some reason, I am not being paid to write a bulgogi review (though maybe I could swing it if y’all requested one in the comments), so I’ll continue showing the new place and explaining the circumstances that got us here…because they’re about to get a little wild. WOULD YOU EXPECT ANY LESS FROM ME AND A FUTURE HOME?

YEAH, $540,000 – CAN YOU BELIEVE? AFTER ALL THE SHENANIGANS I’VE PUT YOU THROUGH?

The above photo isn’t of the actual unit – it’s of the upstairs one, so I emailed Francine immediately and wrote, “So uh, I realize that this is basically the opposite of everything I’ve asked for (not single-family + already remodeled), but it is basically an exact dupe of my current apartment (which I love a lot!!) with the addition of a little bit of outdoor space. (Like, same square footage, same layout, same moulding – a twin!!!) I’m kind of curious to see the actual unit because if it’s similarly bright, I think I want to put in an offer??? VERY weird and again, VERY OPPOSITE of all the info I have given you but I’d buy my current apartment in a heartbeat if it were an option so I have a good feeling about this one!”

And I did have a good feeling – it was the first time I really felt like this was it. Are y’all familiar with that feeling? The last time I had felt this way was back in 2019, right when I had applied for my job here at EHD. I had my final interview with Emily on a Tuesday and was actually supposed to move cross country on Thursday to start a different job, but I never actually packed anything – I just felt so sure that it was going to work out, and it did. I’ve tried to trick myself into feeling that way since, but when it happens, it’s really honest and true and unflappable and WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW?

Geez. Back to the new place, huh? So basically, this place isn’t actually a condo, despite being one unit in a 4-unit building. It’s actually a tenants in common listing, which is a thing that I’ve had to spend the whole week learning about so I’d be able to explain it in a simple way for this post.

yeah, this looks like a house tour already, RIGHT?

The simplest way I can break it down is this: if you buy a condo, the government has a list of every unit inside that building with a separate APN and separate tax info. When you buy a tenants in common listing, you basically buy a share of a building and then you sign a separate agreement with the group that gives you exclusive rights to one building. You all own the building together, which has some pros – like, splitting one property tax bill, which generally lowers costs – but it also has some cons, like…well, they’re valued at 10-20% lower than a condo, and you may not turn a ~profit~ upon resale, so they’re not for folks looking for a super investment vehicle.

But I, a person who has spent over $150,000 on rent over the last 9 years, don’t really care about EARNING money if and when I decide to sell in the future! I think my attitude is shared by a lot of millennials – I just don’t want to pay rent and I want somewhere permanent that belongs to me. I did the math for myself and realized that if I were to buy this place for $540,000, it could depreciate by half AND I could lose money on a sale 5 years from now, but I’d still be coming out ahead compared to staying in my current apartment. I’m not sure if this math works out for everyone, so obviously, ALWAYS RUN YOUR OWN NUMBERS, but for me…well, I guess I have the risk tolerance, the math, and the appropriate level of laissez-faire attitude required to jump in piloting new types of ownership.

wide plank white oak and zellige in the kitchen? THAT’S WHAT I WOULD HAVE PICKED!

But when I went to make an offer, I ran into the big hurdle: since tenants in common buildings are still super new in LA (side note: in San Francisco, TIC units are more popular than co-ops, so it is a well-tested model), there were only two banks able to loan on the units. Well, uh, okay. That definitely takes away some competition and my ability to get the best rate, but…this is a fully-finished place for $540,000 in a layout that I *already know* that I love, because I have been living in a literal dupe for the past 2 years.

I ended up reaching out to one of the banks before putting in an offer just to get an idea of rates and heard back immediately – they’d need 25% down (aka $135,000). That technically would have been doable, but there was NO WAY I was actually going to do that for cash flow reasons, so…I guess in my case, there was ONE BANK who was able to finance this purchase. COOL! That’s not stressful or scary at all!

Francine toured this place for me on Sunday morning (yes, the timeline has gotten very recent) and I put in an offer on Sunday night. I signed my offer while sitting on the couch, watching the Super Bowl halftime show with Brenda. She has not said this out loud but I can tell that she was VERY excited by the idea of me not dropping an extra $100,000 on a renovation over the next few years. If I was a betting gal, I’d say that this was her favorite. (Shockingly, I think the hill house would come in second. She’s a wild woman!) For the first time, I also chose not to write a letter, because they somehow make rejection WAY worse.

one of the TWO bedrooms!!!

The other catch – and it’s a dealbreaker for a lot of folks – is that tenants in common can only be financed via adjustable rate mortgages. If you weren’t a homeowner during the last financial crash, let me catch you up real quick: basically, you sign on with a fixed rate for a few years – let’s say 3, or 5, or 7 – and while it’s usually low for that intro period, the lender has the ability to change the rate every year moving forward after your initial period is up. This was part of the reason the housing market crashed in 2008 – folks rates shot up from a low, manageable amount to something they couldn’t afford.

The government has since set limits and made these mortgages a little less risky for borrowers (i.e. there are strict limits about how much your rate can increase and you’re aware of that amount before signing), but they still have the stench of, you know, collapsing the whole American economy on them, so they’re not necessarily anyone’s first choice for a home loan. They also make TIC units a little less desirable…but hey, after forty offers on the last place, is that so bad?

Anyway – I learned all this info and I submitted my offer on Sunday night. Francine texted me a couple of minutes later and said that we’d hear back on Monday, which I took as a very good sign. Everything else I’ve offered on has had a deadline and I’ve heard back in 24 hours, but offering on something without a deadline and getting that kind of feedback made me feel VERY ENCOURAGED. I remember looking at Brenda and being like, “…yo, this one is going to happen. This is it.”

swooning over vintage built-ins, NBD

But Monday came and went, and nothing. I somehow waited until EIGHT PM to text Francine for an update because I have incredible and impressive self-restraint. She responded that the listing agent had just texted her, that she was working on counters, and that we’d hear back tonight.

COUNTER. OFFERS. GUYS. WE MADE IT!!! BABY’S NOT GETTING STRAIGHT-UP REJECTED ANYMORE!!! It was a cause for celebration. I was so, so, so excited. EIGHT MONTHS AND MY FIRST OFFICIAL COUNTER OFFER. But then 9 PM came, and 10 PM, and 12 AM, and when I woke up and checked my phone every few hours there was still nothing.

I could feel my frustration mounting because I also already knew the prices that the other units had sold for – the upstairs that I’m using pictures from went for $555,000; the other downstairs unit went for $540,000. The one I had offered on was arguably the worst unit in the building – it was next to the driveway and garage (and I mean, I don’t mind, I live on top of a Jack in the Box drive through. Anything will be an improvement from a woman screaming over the speakers or their dump truck at 4 AM on Monday mornings), but it’s yard was also only half the size of the other downstairs unit’s yard. If anything, it should have been less than $540,000. But also, I just wanted to be done and did not really care about paying an extra couple thousand dollars over the course of 5-7 years (AKA how long I’d expect to be in this place based on how long I’ve spent in other apartments in LA) if I meant I could just be done.

it has vintage penny tile!!! and a powder bath!!! also with vintage penny tile!!!

But then Tuesday came and passed, too. At 8 PM, I texted Francine. Nothing. And then Wednesday (read: 2 days ago)…still nothing. I started to feel hopeless – I DIDN’T HALLUCINATE THE COUNTER OFFER, RIGHT? I had the text receipts! Finally, Francine called me at 3:30 PM and the first words out of her mouth were, “I have news…it’s not good.”

Y’all, I was emotional immediately. Basically, Francine explained that the seller’s agent – the main folks who manage TIC sales in Los Angeles – had said that they actually COULDN’T accept my offer because the bank (remember, there are only 2 banks who loan on TIC properties in the area) couldn’t loan on more than 70% of the units in a building. This would be their third unit in the building, pushing their stake to 75%, which means that they couldn’t lend to me.

Francine told me that they had instead accepted an offer from someone who had submitted months ago (like…October? November?) and who had been approved by the OTHER bank, the one that required 25% down. After we hung up, I cried SO MUCH. I cried privately, and then I went downstairs to tell my mom and cried some more (she LAUGHED, saying that I was going to have more weird buying stories than anyone else, which isn’t wrong, but I also was not ready to laugh about it yet!!!), and then THANKFULLY I had to pull myself together for a partnerships zoom because I was headed on a DEEP SADNESS SPIRAL. But true to form, I woke up and cried some more yesterday morning because I had been SO SURE that I was going to get this one. I’ve never been wrong when I’ve felt that level of security before, and my heart really did break a little bit. I’M CRYING AGAIN SO WE NEED TO MOVE ON.

This is when it gets juicy – this morning (I’m penning this on Thursday night, because things are unfolding in real-time and it’s fun to have you along on the ride with me!), I emailed the bank who had financed the other 2 units in the building.

nice little gated private yard situation – it’s about 17′ x 20′

Basically, I said that my offer had been rejected because of their 70% rule but that I’d still like to chat and learn about how ARMs and tenants in common work because at this point, my goal is to become an expert on all obscure forms of real estate transactions so I can write tiny novels about them for y’all to enjoy with your morning coffee. But then I got a call back and GUYS, THERE WAS NO 70% RULE.

I’m not sure where the lapse in communication came from, but MY OFFER WAS REJECTED FOR A FAKE REASON. I spent an hour and a half on the phone on Thursday afternoon with Derek, a loan officer and expert on TIC properties (and on regular properties, too – talk to him if you’re considering either, he was amazing!!!) who spent time breaking down everything I needed to know: why ARM rates on TIC units are higher (there’s no secondary market – i.e. the bank can’t sell the loan to someone else); why they have credit score minimums for their loans (it’s about having a good track record, but folks with dings can still apply for exceptions); how much I’d qualify for (less on a TIC loan than I’d been approved for on a 30 year fixed – TICs only loan on up to 38% of your income, whereas conventional mortgages can go higher); and like, a billion other very specific problems. I’ve met a bunch of real peaches during this process and towards the end, Derek basically assured me that if it was meant to be, it would happen, and THAT’S THE KIND OF WOO-WOO THING I NEEDED TO HEAR. I felt like I was back on track, a least a little bit.

I texted Francine during this and was basically like, “uh, what the heck, I’m talking with the bank and there is no 70% rule, they can lend on every unit on the building if they wanted to” and she texted me back at 8 PM on Thursday night (again, this goes live at 4 AM on Friday morning, so y’all are UP. TO. SPEED. with me) that my offer’s now being kept in backup. I mean. Maybe it’ll work out? Maybe it won’t? I had such a dream of accepting the counter offer and becoming the new spokesperson for tenants in common – this weird real estate format worked for me and it can work for you, too – but it just fell apart and it didn’t work for me, so we’re back to square one. GREAT. PERFECT.

What Now?

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking on what this all means and why this process has been so long and drawn out. On one hand, I could just write it off as like, “seller’s markets suck and this is just a trash experience,” but I don’t really think my psyche could handle that, so off I go on the hunt for meaning!

I think that this Blythe Baird quote really sums it up, despite not being super ~on brand~ for me (poetry is not my thing, but this sentiment is spot on): “I am trying to see things in perspective. My dog wants a bite of my peanut butter chocolate chip bagel. I know she cannot have this, because chocolate makes dogs very sick. My dog does not understand this. She pouts and wraps herself around my leg like a scarf and purrs and tries to convince me to give her just a tiny bit. When I do not give in, she eventually gives up and lays in the corner, under the piano, drooping and sad. I hope the universe has my best interest in mind like I have my dog’s. When I want something with my whole being, and the universe withholds it from me, I hope the universe thinks to herself: ‘Silly girl. She thinks this is what she wants, but she does not understand how it will hurt.'”

So yeah, I guess…in time? I’d like to think that things do work out for the best, so I can only imagine how great my future place will be and how much I’ll love it. I do keep thinking about the person who submitted an offer on my apartment-lookalike TIC unit in October and how happy they must have been to find out, 4 months later, that they’d won. Maybe in 4 months things will be looking up for me, too? Fingers crossed.

As always, let’s chat all things house hunt in the comments. Thanks for going on this long, weird ride with me. I don’t know how people without blogs process their feelings (privately??? What is that???) and I’m grateful that you’re here. Also, if you want to sell me your house in LA or if you’re ready to cast me on your new HGTV show where someone makes offers over and over and over again until they die, my email is open. Happy weekend, see you down there. xx

The post A Huge LA House Hunt Update: Caitlin’s Entered The “Making Offers Sight Unseen & Over Asking” Phase appeared first on Emily Henderson.

If You Needed A Sign To Go BIG With Your Closet Design…This Is It

Welcome to the cutest, happiest closet makeover maybe ever. Anne Sage (remember her nursery?) and business partner, Caroline Lee decided that Caroline’s Palm Springs A-frame home needed some more closet storage (drawer storage specifically). Raise your hand if you can relate… that’s what I thought, everyone. So together they went to work on a fun, whimsical, functional space that has us all really in love.

Now, this sweet home has a pretty great backstory. Have you heard of interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel? That’s a joke because I can almost guarantee that all of you have and are big fans like us. Anyway, this home was previously owned by her and her husband who privately sold it to Caroline. What a dream. So Sarah designed part of the house and then when it was sold to Caroline, she and Anne took over and finished it up pretty beautifully if we do say so ourselves. Actually, they are the ones responsible for this completely incredible studio below that’s on the home’s property… that we’ve absolutely shared before. I can’t believe I didn’t connect the dots until now!

design by anne sage and caroline lee 

So now that you have a fuller grasp on these gals genius, let’s get to this closet. After they sent through the photos I naturally had questions because how could I not need to know more?? Let’s dive in…

I love this closet remodel for a couple of reasons. A) Caroline and Anne took an underutilized space and truly maximized it and B) we get to see a “never before seen” part of a house that I’m sure most of us have drooled over many many times before. And speaking of “before” here is what these ladies started with…

How was the room used before? The room was a ‘walkthrough’ in between the bedroom and bathroom — there was a small closet, but the doors were broken, so it was basically wasted space!

What’s so great about this is that they could have easily just fixed the doors and slapped up some paint and it would be been great. But clearly as designers that simply wasn’t going to cut.

What did you specifically want/need from this space? The needs were for a space to have ample drawers and shelves for anyone at the house to fully unpack and relax into the home. We didn’t want the home to feel like a space you needed to keep living out of your suitcase… people come here to unwind!

What challenges or surprises did you face during the reno process? The original design involved ripping out the ‘bump out’ in the ceiling on the left side of the room, but when the contractor came in and started demo’ing, he discovered that there was a key part of the HVAC vent in the ceiling that couldn’t be moved. It meant the entire design had to be re-configured, and fast! But it turned out in the end… (it always does).

How did you deal with filling in the floor holes with needing to match existing wood? The only holes that needed to be filled were with tile, and thankfully, we had some extra tile to use!

Hot Tip

Never throw out your extra tile, paint, wallpaper, etc. You never know when it may save you some dollars.

Now let’s get to that beautiful customized closet configuration.

How did you plan out the storage design and knew it was enough? Our approach is always to buy more than you need! The Container Store allows you to return things up to 4 months later, so it means you can really try a few different things in the space before you commit to the one you love most.

I actually didn’t know that but it’s such a huge weight off of your shoulders when putting together a puzzle of your own design.

Any Container Storage closet system tips and tricks? Could be for designing, purchasing, and/or installing! Getting closet pieces from a place like the Container Store, where you can customize for your own budget + sizing, is a game-changer. Even with this closet, the shelves can still be re-arranged as much as we want! The closet style is the Elfa Décor.

Wallpaper

Was there a reason you wallpapered after you installed everything? Or did you find the wallpaper after the fact? With COVID, the installer availability didn’t work out for the wallpaper to go in first. Le sigh! Pandemic times! We try to roll with the flow.

Well regardless of how it got done, it’s a total SHOWSTOPPER. Also note that the wallpaper says in the sweetest and delicate script, “make time for rest.” What a perfect message in a place where you get ready for your day.

Peach Trays

Did Caroline’s wardrobe dictate the overall color palette? It all looks so perfect together! Caroline has been known for her love of pink for years, and lately, mustard has shown up a lot… so we just used it as a perfect opportunity to buy some new pieces that filled out the full range perfectly!

White Rope Baskets

Was it always the plan to have that awesome pop of red in there? We (Anne + Caroline) were talking about design inspiration at the beginning of this project, and Anne asked me what I had been inspired by lately. I, in a total COVID-fog, said nothing had caught my eye lately in the design world so Anne asked me to do a deep dive into inspiration, and send her 10 photos that I found and liked. When I started this process, she noticed that one of the ‘themes’ in my 10 photos was red! So I asked Anne how we could incorporate pops of red in the design. In the end, I took a can of spray paint to the 2 lighting fixtures to make them red.. and they’re still our favorite aspects of the space.

Woah I relate to the COVID-fog and love the idea of using your “general” inspo photo to spark an idea like this. I think it’s my absolute favorite part of the design. Bold, unexpected, but completely perfect.

Cheetah In Shades Framed Print | Mind Your Hand Framed Print | Shell Study I Framed Print | Take Your Time Framed Print | Pink Confetti Throw Pillow

Can you walk me through the vanity DIY? How much did it cost? Did you have to use special paint? Start to finish, it was about $150! The vanity was from Amazon, and then the paint was from an Ace Hardware. It wasn’t special paint, although we did sand the vanity before painting it to make sure the paint stuck.

Fun Fact: The seat cushion is a pillow!

Cube Baskets | Shelf Dividers

Boobie Trap Organizer

What is your favorite org item in this closet (if you had to pick one)? The ‘Boobie Trap’ bra holder! The name isn’t the only good part about it!

Well, shoot I think that’s kind of a perfect place to end and I will also be purchased my own Boobie Trap as soon as I get a dresser:)

“Before” and “Afters” anyone?

Ok but wait there’s one more VERY exciting piece of news for those of you who are house-hunting in southern California because this home is actually up FOR SALE! Everyone needs to check out these photos. Also, there’s a pool. Soooo ya, like I said in the beginning it’s a dream:)

*Design by Anne Sage and Caroline Lee
**Styling by Anne Sage
***Photos by Caroline Lee

The post If You Needed A Sign To Go BIG With Your Closet Design…This Is It appeared first on Emily Henderson.

How To Create A Home Gym (Or Nook) You Will Actually Enjoy Using

Disclaimer: This post discusses weight gain and loss, body image, and other diet/fitness related issues so if you’re someone who is sensitive to this type of content just look at the photos or skip altogether.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post over on my blog about how 2020 was a rough year on my body but I was ready to get back in the game fitness-wise. This was in the first few days of the year when my dry January was in full swing, I was working out every morning, and I was eating really well…

Cut to the next week when an unprecedented wind storm whipped through my town, toppling tons of trees in my yard, smashing tons of houses, and cutting the power out for more than a week. I spent a few days in my freezing, internet-and-electricity-free house before giving up and heading to LA to house sit for a friend who was out of town. I came back a few days later and spent a few hours cleaning up the mess from living without power for a week (you’d be surprised how dirty your house gets when you can’t see anything because there aren’t any lights). A few hours later a blizzard started that ended up dumping 10’ feet of snow on my house, trapping me inside (at a certain point I just gave up shoveling because the snow was coming down faster than I could get rid of it and I was getting sick from being cold and wet for so many days on end). 

The snowstorm drama ended when I dug a tunnel out from my garage, hiked down some snowmobile tracks with a bunch of bags on my back while my dog pulled me down the hill, and was picked up by two of my aunts who live an hour away to be taken to warm shelter and (GASP) internet access!

This story isn’t really all that relevant to what I want to talk about today – how to create a fun, functional gym that will actually make you want to workout. But it does have to do with a theme that I think is important when it comes to approaching fitness: giving yourself a break when you need to. What did I do when I was trapped in my cold house with no way to heat up food? I ate whatever garbage non-perishable food I had lying around that didn’t need to be heated up (Hello Goldfish crackers I bought for my nephew when he visited only to realize he was too fancy to eat Goldfish crackers!). With no water and no way to shower, my motivation to go lift weights in my gym diminished. And what do you do when the sun sets at 4:30 PM, your house is pitch black, and you have no cell phone service because the tower got knocked down? Drink wine and think about that past whilst snuggling your puppy, duh!

Needless to say, after the wind and snow storms that basically made survival my full-time job, working out and eating thoughtfully kinda went out the window (keep in mind the snow storm literally made it impossible for me to get out of my house for days and there wasn’t electricity or heat – my neighbors who have lived here for 30 years said nothing like it has happened in all their time here). But I think for a lot of us that’s what 2020 was. Every time we picked up the mess from the last disaster, another disaster came right along after it, making it hard for us to be as resilient, motivated, and healthy as we wanted to be. And this is why it’s so important to not only forgive ourselves for not necessarily being at our best at all times, but also celebrate ourselves for the resilience we showed in just getting through a truly awful time.

A lot of people found themselves feeling a lot less healthy by the end of 2020, and I know weight gain was a typical symptom. I have had my own fair share of body dysmorphic and self-esteem issues, so I want to be careful about how I phrase all of this. I’m not gonna frame the 30 pounds I gained as an inherently bad thing – I actually think I look fine and I’m more annoyed that my clothes don’t fit than I am about being thicker. For me, the real fitness crisis is how I feel. Tired, depressed, just literally weighed down. So in seeking out to remedy my 2020 health depression, I tried to start from a place of self-acceptance and approach wellness from a more encouraging, psychological perspective. And I wanted that sensibility to be reflected in my own home gym.

Fitness and weight gain have been something I have struggled with for a really long time. The first diet I ever went on was when I was 12. And since then I’ve had a rollercoaster of a relationship with my body, my physical appearance, and my body’s relentless desire to be overweight. As an adult, I have never not been on some sort of diet or extreme exercise regimen. And the one gift 2020 brought was that I fell completely off that wagon and it gave me some distance to actually think about what the most mindful approach to my own wellness should be. 

The first thing I had to get over when starting to plan my gym was guilt. I think a lot of us have this thing where we feel guilty about spending time and money on things that seemingly will only benefit ourselves. I could also hear my parents’ voices in my ears saying things like “DO YOU REALLY NEED TO BUY THAT $1500 WEIGHT SET???” Like many people, my finances have been all over the place during Covid so spending a ton of money on a home gym felt a little scary. But my work, my entire business, and everything I make money on depends solely on my creativity, my personality, my leadership, and my energy. And ALL of those things depend on me being happy, healthy, and capable of being productive AF. 

It’s impossible to be productive when you’re physically depressed because you’re eating poorly and not exercising enough. So while it felt irresponsible to spend thousands of dollars primping this room in my house, I knew I had to do it or I wouldn’t get out of my 2020 funk. And if I didn’t get out of my 2020 physical slump I wouldn’t get out of my 2020 professional slump.

So, I approached designing my gym with one objective in mind: fun and positivity. I wanted my gym to feel silly, inviting, bright, colorful, and encouraging. Which brings me to the reason I brought all of you here today! My Ten Essentials for Your Home Gym. Keep in mind, I came up with these based on the person that I am and how I workout. Some of you may be more interested in yoga or cycling, or other forms of exercise than I am, so your gym might look super different. But for me, combining these essentials has made my gym a place I’m happy to spend time. Follow along why don’t you and see what they are!

Vibrant and Delicious Color

Pink Paint | Beige Paint | Ivory Paint

My first memories of gyms were the one at my high school, which looked more like a prison than an actual prison (concrete, rusted metal, no windows) and the little workout center in Yosemite, which was less depressing but had terrible, glaring fluorescent lights that made you question your will to live whenever you entered. So I knew I wanted my gym to be colorful, bright, and happy. I knew if I didn’t put it in a room that got a lot of sunlight I’d never want to go in there. Which is why I chose the smallest guest bedroom on the south (sunniest) side of my house. I realize it’s a huge luxury to have an entire random room in your house to turn into a gym. But I think these tips can be integrated into even the smallest of spaces, from a corner of your bedroom to the garage – the most important thing is putting some time and thought into making your workout space pretty so you’ll actually be excited to spend time in it.

As an awkward last-picked-for-the-team type kid, anything athletic always felt alienating and over my head somehow. And that kinda permeated into my adult life until I started going to gyms on my own accord and trying things out. I am by no means a “Fitspo” expert or anything, but I grew to enjoy working out once I got over the alienation caused by years and years of childhood trauma. I imagine some people might feel the same entering a gym, a space where muscle and traditional heteronormative masculinity are the norm. I wanted my gym to kind of feel like the antithesis of the typical intimidating gym. So I painted it a color traditionally associated with femininity and gayness, PINK!

Fun & Movement

One of my go-to’s, when I’m trying to give a space a sense of importance and movement, is paint. This is probably because I studied painting in school, but also because it’s such an easy way to make your house look so much different, more vibrant, and more interesting without spending too much. I decided to create a sense of movement in the room by hand stenciling half-circles on the wall, framing out the windows, and giving the ceiling a nice rush of pink. One of my favorite color palettes is pink mixed with beige and ivory, so I combined those three colors to make a room that essentially looks like an ice cream cone. A delicious, sweet ice cream cone. 

A Good “Hook”

Frame TV | Shelf/Bracket Set | Lamp

The way I’ve motivated myself to stay in shape as an adult has predominantly been going to a gym in LA. I don’t know why, but I’ve always found it motivating to be around tons of other people doing the same thing as me. Like in college I couldn’t study in my dorm room, only at the library. So not having that public space to workout in anymore was an absolute disaster for me. I couldn’t get myself to workout regardless of how much workout equipment I installed first for my little LA apartment’s guest room, then the living room, then eventually the backyard. What was missing from my workout regime was that communal energy and I wasn’t sure how I was going to get myself to want to exercise without it.

But then a random business trip sparked an idea. I had to fly to New York (my first time on a plane post-covid) to shoot something for HGTV. And at my hotel room, I was reminded of something I always love doing when I’m staying in hotels: watching The Today Show. To me, laying in your hotel room and watching a cheery morning news show for hours and hours is the ultimate decadence, mostly because if I was at home I’d be screaming at myself “YOU SHOULD BE WORKING!” 

But, what if I could use this vacation decadence to trick myself into working out? So I decided to install a TV in the gym and make working out and watching The Today Show my morning routine. It feels like I’m doing something bad, like a treat, but really I’m also motivating myself to get back to health.

I actually think the TV trick is a pretty good one. I splurged on the Frame TV because I’ve been eyeing it for years and love it aside from the fact you have to buy the frame color you want (you don’t get to choose, it just comes black and if you don’t want black you have to pay $200 for a cover). But I think this trick could definitely work for other people. Like maybe your wife hates “Bridgerton” and you can use your workout time to watch that alone? Or maybe you just buy a good wireless speaker and listen to your favorite podcast (I like “Why Won’t You Date Me?,” “Left Right & Center,” and “Fresh Air”). If TV or podcasts aren’t your thing, I’m sure you can do some digging to see if there’s any “hook” you could use to get yourself into your gym. This might take some time (it did for me) but if you truly think about things you love it can help you think of ways to motivate yourself. After a lifetime of dieting and obsessive exercising, I’m kinda over it. So it was really key for me to fill in the motivational piece to make sure I would actually workout. The struggle (to find motivation) is real!

Quality Weights and/or Equipment

This was a must for me but I don’t think it would necessarily be for everyone. I don’t know if it’s still like this, but I found it impossible to find decent weights when I was designing my gym (everyone seems to installing home gyms these days so they’re sold out all over the place). Everyone’s different, but I will say you should think about the type of workout you like to do and not feel guilty spending some money on making it possible. There are obviously a million things you can do with free weights (and I’ve been learning more and more by using YouTube) so for me it was important to have a set. And for my eyeballs it was important that that set matched and was easy to organize.   

Mirrors

Rainbow People Print | Mirror | Barbell Rubber Hex Dumbbell Set

This one seems stupid but it’s not. There’s a reason fancy private gyms have mirrors everywhere. Firstly, they bounce light all over the place and make the room feel airier. And as I’ve already said I love lots of natural light in my workout space. Which means you should too! Because I am the one writing this post and you are the one reading it! 

Mirrors are also obviously helpful in making sure your posture and form are correct. I can’t tell you how many times the little voice in my head has said “You’re doing it! You’re doing it RIGHT!” only to look in the mirror and realize I am doing it totally wrong. You have to be able to see yourself to know if you’re using correct form. I have used these Ikea mirrors about seven thousand times and while I wish the frame was another color they are undoubtedly the best bang for your buck when it comes to a huge ass mirror that only costs $129. I thought about spraying these white or another color but was worried I’d end up spending too much time on a small detail I wouldn’t really appreciate later. 

Eye Candy (Art)

Be Nice Tea Towel | Lamp | Face Bookend Vase 

One of my favorite things about going to an actual gym with actual human beings in it is staring at hot gay guys in athleisure doing sweaty things together. But with no sweaty hot gays (except myself?) to look at, I found myself worried there wouldn’t be anything to feast my eyes on should The Today Show enter into a commercial break or should Hoda enter into a tangent I didn’t personally find interesting (impossible!). So I decided my gym was gonna need some art. Clearly, I need constant stimulation in order to do literally anything. 

No matter how beautifully decorated they are, there never seems to be any art in even the fanciest of private health clubs. And since I wanted my gym to be fun, silly, and welcoming I decided to use some of my more playful art in here. I asked myself “why can’t every wall in here be a gallery wall?” and when I couldn’t think of a good answer I decided to just put art all over the place. I also wanted to make sure I was integrating the fancy Frame TV I bought into the room and capitalizing on its ability to look like a pretty piece of art instead of a giant black box on the wall. 

Cushy Flooring

Foam Floor Tiles | Mirror

I had to swap the flooring out in this room because the dated ’90s carpet was hurting my eyeballs (though it was super comfy to walk on tbh). But I wanted something to protect the floor from me constantly dropping heavy things on it, insulate for sound in case I had guests (what are “guests” and when will they come back?), and be nice and easy on my joints (because I want my muscles to be swole, not my knees!). The solution was relatively inexpensive and easy. I installed these interlocking foam tiles from Amazon in a few hours. Basically, you just cut them to size and tape them down with carpet tape. I have had to maintain them a bit as they tend to warp depending on how warm it is, but they function pretty well and cost about $150 which seems not bad for flooring an entire room. 

Ample Lighting

Lamp | Grip Plate Weight | Adjustable Rack | Pulldown Attachments | Adjustable Bench

All people are different, but I’m super sensitive to the lighting wherever I am. Bad lighting can destroy my mood and potentially my entire life depending on what day it is. I like things to be bright, especially when I work out. Good lighting, along with the views out my windows, gives me energy to keep going. One of the reasons I moved to the woods was to experience all four seasons again. Believe it or not, after 13 years in LA I really missed winter and snow. Life gets boring when it’s sunny every day for years on end. But living in a place with weather also means living in a place where it’s often cloudy and overcast. So I not only wanted a room with ample natural light, I also wanted to make sure if it was gloomy outside I’d have enough lighting to keep it bright and cozy in my gym.

I repurposed an “orb-lando” (DIY wire light fixture) I’d crafted as a prop for my book and added a few lamps on surfaces around the room. I even replaced the existing boob light with a simple, modern flush-mount I found on Amazon. Amazon has actually been a pretty great resource for inexpensive lighting as I’ve been slowly trying to swap out all the dated fixtures in the house. The fixture I chose is LED and cost less than $30. I don’t LOVE the temperature of the light. It’s a bit bluer than I tend to prefer. But the other lighting in the room is super warm so it kind of balances out.

I’ve been installing fixtures all over the house which has been an adventure because A) I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing and B) The breaker box is labeled in a very confusing and mysterious way – I thought my dryer didn’t work for two months and hired an electrician to come out and tell me that it did work it was just labeled as “microwave” on the panel. Probably by the time I’m done replacing all this lighting I’ll be a certified electrician because there’s still so many ugly fixtures to get rid of. But, lighting is one of the most important elements in any home. Especially if it’s in a gym with a bunch of mirrors – you want to see yourself in the most flattering light possible. 

Storage

White Bins | Bracketed Shelves | Hey Sosi Paintings

Since I wanted my gym to be pretty and organized, I added some shelving I’d had leftover from a project I did at my parents’ house years ago. To be honest, most of the stuff in this room (aside from the equipment) was leftover from something else because I was trying not to spend too much. These pretty shelves are from Rejuvenation and I love them along with the pretty brass brackets. But I didn’t necessarily want to see all the wellness accouterments I’ve collected over the years so I added some simple white bins from Ikea to hide things in. The more you research different workouts the more stuff you’ll accumulate. For example, I just bought these bands for glute exercises and they’re great, I just don’t want to look at them all the time. When creating a composed, organized gym storage is essential. This is doubly important if your gym is integrated into a corner of your bedroom or another room in your house.  

Not all storage has to be hidden away. I’ve been experimenting with making different things out of dowels lately. So I cut a few down to make a storage system for all the accessories that go with my pull-down system (this is a set of pulleys attached to the ceiling, mostly used for chest and shoulder exercises). To make these, I cut down a 1.25” dowel to 5” rods, sanded it down, and attached it to the wall with a double-ended screw. I like that they bring in pretty blonde wood and make the pull-down handles and bars into a little gallery wall while keeping them easily accessible. I used the same 1.25” dowel to make a mobility stick (bar you use to do different arm/shoulder stretches) and added it to the wall next to the TV as a fun little accent that’s also a super practical way to store it.

Self Love

Clock | Be Nice Tea Towel

I know this is super cheesy, but no post about gyms or working out would be complete without the reminder that none of this is going to work if you don’t begin your wellness journey from a celebratory, self-love perspective. 

I was talking to a friend the other day about how stupid the ’90s were. I’ve been watching Dawson’s Creek, which I’d never seen before, and I never knew how racist, homophobic, and slut shamey it was. I also just watched the New York Times Britney Spears documentary and it reminded me what a weird time the late ’90s were. The public wanted Britney to dress like a sexy baby, but also be a virgin. The number of “legit” news reporters who asked her about her virginity is shocking. And it wasn’t just her, it was Jessica Simpson and literally every other visible woman back then. I’d hope that if that question were asked now the response would be NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS YOU CREEP. What a gross time. I remember even being a teenager in the ’90s feeling like I was somehow living in the past.

The ’90s were also stupid because of how rigid the standards for bodies, especially womens’ bodies were. The super skinny heroin chic look must have given half (if not all) the women my age complexes about their bodies. I’m a guy and it even rubbed off on me. And my impression was that things were better now. We have beautiful people like Lizzo around letting us know that there are a million ways to be gorgeous. But I think if you actually look at Instagram, TikTok, and everywhere else there’s still a lot of the same content asking us to hate ourselves.

For me as a gay man, I feel constantly inundated by THOTy gay influencers with perfect bodies. Consciously or subconsciously I always end up comparing myself to them. Which is one reason I don’t spend lots of time looking at Instagram and TikTok. When I sense that my scrolling is starting to elicit dark feelings, I shut the app down and do something else. On Instagram, sex definitely sells and it still feels like even though we have made strides in inclusion, the same old traditionally “hot bodied” people tend to get more traction, gain more followers, and procure the most lucrative brand deals.

And I’m not a woman but it’s clear the same kind of please-hate-your-body bullshit is being hurled their way. For example, you’ll see brands celebrating “curvy” women, but the curvy women they’re celebrating have a very specific type of curviness that’s often only possible via plastic surgery (huge breasts, tiny waist, big butt). You’re not really celebrating body diversity if you’re only celebrating one very specific version of “curvy.” We still have so far to go in terms of figuring out how to accept and celebrate diverse bodies.

For me, starting from a place of self-acceptance with my own body has helped me make working out, which formerly felt more like a punishment, into something I had positive associations with. Instead of feeling “I need to look like that” or “this is a punishment for eating ___” I’m more concentrated on “I’m doing this to feel better and be stronger.” Expressing positive thoughts about your body is not only a way of helping yourself feel better, it’s also a way of boosting up everyone around you. This is especially important if your body doesn’t fit into the traditional mold of what has been recognized as beautiful. Loving your body gives the people around you permission and encouragement to do the same.

Okay that’s it. I love your body. And I think it’s worth taking some time to think about ways to make it healthier and stronger. And (especially now in Covid times) creating a space for that in your home is the best way to do that. Goodbye!

*Photos and Design by Orlando Soria

The post How To Create A Home Gym (Or Nook) You Will Actually Enjoy Using appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Basic & Practical Household Essentials That Keep Us Clean, Organized, and Sane

I think that on the whole, Wednesday generally feels like a sturdy, non-sexy weekday. It lacks the promise of a Monday, the productivity of a Tuesday, the building excitement of a Thursday, or the exuberance of a Friday. For that reason – and to celebrate this lovely, average Wednesday – I wanted to do a quick deep dive into one of my favorite topics: practical home essentials.

So look…while my team is great at pulling together roundups with the best furniture at the best prices, sometimes a gal (or guy, or person) has just gotta focus on the basics – like a cutting board that will go the distance, or the best smart lightbulb, or a window AC unit that won’t burn your eyes, or a grout scrubber that’ll save your forearms. That’s my goal today: to highlight the tiny, basic things that every home could use.

Almost every item here is under $50 and while a couple of them are surprisingly design-minded (I see you, $30 marble toilet brush), the overwhelming majority are practical and un-sexy – so basically, perfect for a Wednesday – but also EHD-tested and well-loved. These tiny basics keep our homes in order and keep our clutter body at bay, so we hope they can be of service to you, too. Let’s start out with the kitchen, yeah?

design by velinda hellen design | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: velinda’s first freelance client reveal: molding the ‘builder-grade budget’ + where they saved & splurged

1. Extreme Scrub Scour Pad: Jess swears by these for her stainless steel cookware.

2. Everyday Cutting Board: We love a wooden cutting board for styling purposes, but this $27 option is Em’s go-to choice for daily meal prep.

3. Drawer/Shelf Liner: Quick aside with big news: my mom just got the first shot of her Covid vaccine and I’m eagerly awaiting a counter offer on a new place (burying the real intel in these posts!). Naturally, my mom’s first comment after her shot was, “if you get it, maybe I’ll be able to come out and help you line the cabinets”…so like, yeah, that’s where I get this obsession with basic essentials from. Anyway – the clear is great for seeing crumbs and the ribbing increases air circulation. I’m a ride-or-die for this liner.

4. Knife and Cutlery Cleaner: This is a game-changer if you’re also scared of washing your knives. It’s also WAY easier to wash a fork by hand with one of these compared to the average sponge.

5. Brass Trivets: These are a splurge but WOW, they’re showstoppers, right? (“Actually, my other trivets are like 60 years old AND I can actually leave these out all the time, so this is probably a steal” – me, justifying this purchase. If these go on sale for President’s Day, I’ll flag them for y’all.)

6. Pot & Pan Brush: I don’t have a dishwasher, have been known to let things sit in the sink for too long so things get dried on and annoying, and this is my go-to daily dishwashing tool. A ringing endorsement!

7. Walnut Scouring Pad: You get 4 of these pads for $4, so they’ve replaced my Scrub Mommy. Honestly, they take the tiniest bit longer BUT they also aren’t neon, so they’re worth the tradeoff in my book.

design by sarah zachary |styled by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: afraid of designing a boring home?? this designer will steer you clear by showing you her tricks

8. Sink Caddy: Like, sure, yeah, it’d be beautiful to have decanted soaps and wooden cleaning supplies…but this does a good job of corralling the things you actually DO have while making them look a little bit more intentional and designed.

9. Wire Dividers: $5 or $6 to never hear the cacophony of cookie sheets, pot lids, or casserole dishes clanging around in the cabinet again is $5 or $6 well spent.

10. Sponge Cloths: These are super absorbent, reusable, washable, compostable, and they’ve completely replaced paper towels for Emily and me.

11. Countertop Dish Rack: This rack, with a drip tray and separate utensil compartment, is minimalist and beautiful. It wouldn’t look out of place in the Mountain House kitchen, which is the highest honor that I’m allowed to bestow, I think.

12. Airtight Silicone Lids: There are a bunch of uses for these (keeping food warm, storing leftovers, etc.) but the absolute best one is using them in the microwave. No more splatters! Jess also has them and LOVES them.

13. Over-the-Sink Drying Rack: No counter space? No problem. Roll this out, let your dishes and utensils dry, and shove it back in a drawer. (Fun fact: I had a lunch with the Food52 designer behind this product pre-pandemic and I gasped and then yelled when they showed me this design. I pre-ordered it that night. It’s GOOD.)

14. Studio McGee Paper Towel Holder: Blonde wood, brass accents, leather, AND practicality? This packs a big, California cool-meets-refined style punch for $20.

15. Swedish Dishcloths: Ryann loves these Swedish dishcloths, which live in the same world as the aforementioned sponge cloths. These are a little more affordable and come in a slew of bright colors – perfect for dipping your toe into the reusable product waters for the first time.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | styled by velinda hellen and erik staalberg for ehd | from: working with what you’ve got – an $8k budget kitchen makeover with a lot of vintage charm

1. Wool Dryer Balls: I am so passionate about these that I haul them – in their own separate bag – alongside heaping bags of clothing and hands/pockets packed with quarters on my walk to the laundromat. Spritz a little essential oil on them (if you want – you can also leave them as-is), throw them in the dryer, and your laundry will be coming out faster and fluffier.

2. Squeegee: There was a lot of chatter about glass shower enclosures after Brian’s recent post. If you also love the look of glass but hate the maintenance, hitting doors/walls with a quick squeegee after bathing is (a.) fun and (b.) good for preventing streaks, buildup, and spots.

3. All-Purpose Bleach Alternative: You can use this with laundry, but it’s also safe for general house surface cleaning. Additional Bonus: it’s non-toxic and unscented so you won’t feel like you’re inhaling ammonia fumes.

4. Bathroom Spray: This is a $9 natural cleaner and odor eliminator that actually works and smells like a healthy breakfast of sugared grapefruit.

5. Toilet Brush: SHEESH, Y’ALL. CB2 is crushing the whole bathroom accessories game. If black marble isn’t your thing, they have a ton of great options (really into the brass and fluted collections) that aren’t obscenely expensive.

6. Pumice Stone Toilet Bowl Cleaner: If you’re stuck with a stubborn ring around the waterline of your toilet despite your best cleaning efforts, this will remove it ASAP.

design by william hunter collective | style by velinda hellen and erik staalberg for ehd| photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a basement-turned-office reveal (+ 7 steps for how to pull off “edgy neutral”)

1. Smart Light Bulb: There are SO MANY smart light bulbs out there and shopping for them is confusing and hard. This is the best one. DONE.

2. Cordless Power Drill: For reasons unknown, this is currently 51% off, which is an insane deal. And like, sure, you can use this to mount shelving or…make things? Attach cabinets to walls? I’m honestly not really sure why we need drills in everyday life, but the real value here is that it will speed up your furniture assembly process by a million percent. Assemble flat packed pieces with ease and without tears!

3. Humidifier: Humidifiers for kids are cute and often shaped like animals. Humidifiers for adults look horrifying plastic aquarium/ant farm combos. WHY? This teardrop-shaped one, though, gets the job done while being aesthetically pleasing.

4. Felt Furniture Pads: I know they’re boring. But I also know that if you don’t make a conscious effort to put them on ASAP, you’ll end up accidentally scratching your nearly-100-year-old floors while rearranging furniture solo. $5 now will save you an entire security deposit in the future. (Someone, please, learn from my mistakes.)

5. Queen-Sized Air Mattress: I loaned this to a friend in late 2019 and they are still sleeping on it, so I’m pretty sure it’s amazing. Plus, you can’t beat the $99 price tag. You can test it out while dreaming of hosting guests in the future.

6. Battery Organizer with Tester: Well first off, ew, I’m so sorry for recommending something named “Battery Daddy,” but I HAD TO. This has a tester attached and it holds all your batteries in one place where you can stow them away safely so your friends won’t come over and say, “hey, why do you keep batteries in the fridge? That’s definitely not normal.” (Please leave a comment if you also put your batteries in the fridge – we can commiserate.)

7. Cleaning Caddy: It’s two caddies in one, it’s under $10, and it’s not garish. Win/win/win. Michael Scott would be proud!

8. Electronics Cleaning Brush: This double-ended brush removes all the gunk between the buttons on your electronics like keyboards, phones, or remotes.

9. All Purpose Spray: This spray is $9, non-toxic, biodegradable, safe for all types of counters, and it smells like figs (i.e. very luxe). Jess was influenced by Shavonda and is VERY happy she was.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: how we designed a family-friendly laundry room in the portland project

10. Power Scrubber: An electric toothbrush for your grout and caulk crannies!!! Save those elbows!!! Carpal tunnel, be gone!!! I’m very excited about this product!!! (It’s not just me, though – hundreds of 5-star reviews can’t be wrong.)

11. 6-Pack of Flashlights: Not to be too much of an overbearing mom, but have you checked your flashlights recently? You don’t even need to buy these (though they are probably as cute as flashlights can be!), but this is your gentle nudge to make sure you have your essentials ready for an emergency.

12. July A/C: It feels weird to recommend an A/C unit as I prepare for another nor’easter, but this is truly the only not-hideous window unit that has ever existed. There are different front options for different decor styles and honestly, it’s super fairly priced (especially with this free shipping). I recommend.

13. Cordless Dyson: I mean…once you go cordless, it’s tough to go back. Plus, this one is specially-made to handle pet hair. That said, I’d hold off on this one til the weekend – I’ll share the best President’s Day deal once we get the intel.

14. Pull-Out Cabinet Drawers: Don’t invest in new cabinets or closets before trying these! They add a whole new level of easy-to-use functionality to existing built-in storage.

15. Lobby Broom: I promise that you will be more incentivized to clean with a lobby broom – it’s so much easier than bending to use a tiny pan. Also great for folks with mobility changes (i.e. me)!

16. Reusable Latex Gloves: Grab two packs and use one pair for pet hair cleanup (pet hair hack – rub affected areas with latex gloves and it’ll gather all the fur for easy removal!), one pair for the bathroom, one for the kitchen, and stash one for miscellaneous emergencies.

17. Pet Hair Roller: LIFE. CHANGING. If you have a pet who sheds, this is the answer. We have one of these on set at most EHD shoots (you know, if a pet lives in the house) and it’s the reason you don’t see tiny hairs or fluffs in every shot.

18. Cleaning Brush Set: I swear by the tiniest end of the smaller brush for cleaning around/into my sink and shower drains. Most folks probably don’t need to go THIS niche with their cleaning supplies, but if you really want to go all the way with your deep clean, this set will take you over the finish line.

That’s it from me on this sturdy, practical, homely Wednesday morning. In the interim, I’d love to learn about the cleaning or organizational products that keep your home in order – y’all consistently have the best recommendations. (You were actually the folks who introduced me to the sink caddy and knife cleaner, both of which I now love deeply!)

I’m particularly super interested in learning more about your favorite corded vacuums (a new frontier for me!) and your most-used cleaning sprays – I fell in love with the Murchison Home all-purpose spray linked above when my go-to name brands sold out during the early rona-onset, but now I’m excited to try out more cleaning products from small businesses. Also, open to discuss battery storage with my fellow fridge weirdos. Let’s chat, please???

Opening Image Credits: Design by Jess and Tyler Marés | Photos by Jess Marés | From: A DIY Kitchen Renovation In Two Parts (Plus A Reno Pep Talk)

The post The Basic & Practical Household Essentials That Keep Us Clean, Organized, and Sane appeared first on Emily Henderson.

What Kind Of Plants Make Sense In An Old World Or Victorian Style Home? Ryann Investigates

Plants are windows to the soul. Wait no *checks notes* that’s not right–but they are an aspect of interior design that speaks to the soul. We want our homes to feel lived in if not full of LIFE and what better way to incorporate life than with actual living things? I know I’ve always felt that my home would be complete as soon as I spontaneously procure a green thumb and have a million plant babies, that is until my style went from scandi-minimalist-mid-century to70s-cowgirl-meets-eclectic-old-world-Italian-grandma. Think Brigerton meets The Godfather meets Thelma and Louise with a hint of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. But as my home has gradually emulated this style, I began to realize I had NO clue what kind of plants make sense in my home. The few plants I’ve had over the years seem off amongst my decor so I needed some inspiration:

left: photo by yuki sugiura | design by  matilda goad | via house & garden | right: design by louise roe | via house & garden

Right away I began noticing a theme. Bushy, extra leafy type plants are welcome in such a style which totally makes sense–it’s like bringing your grandma’s garden indoors.

photo by yuki sugiura | design by  matilda goad | via house & garden

We all know “old world” or “Victorian” styled homes are often littered with floral patterns and earth tones so it’s interesting that I felt like real plants are hard to place in such a style. It’s counter-intuitive for sure, so after scouring the web and pinning for days, I’ve found there are some specific types of plants that make sense with this style I am trying to achieve in my home. Forget cacti, succulents, and Sansevieria (aka snake plants–I just learned that word too, don’t worry) and instead opt for:

1. Large leaf plants such as Monsteras
2. Blooming plants such as Petite Rose Plants and Cyclamen
3. Extra leafy plants such as ferns, palms, and cast irons

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Kangaroo Fern | 2. Monstera Deliciosa | 3. Minima Monstera | 4. Dwarf Eureka Lemon Tree | 5. China Doll Plant | 6. Vickerman Artificial Rose Plant in Pot| 7. Petite Knock Out® Rose | 8. Kimberly Queen Fern | 9. Cast Iron Plant | 10. Boston Fern | 11. Miniature Rose Bush | 12. Swiss Cheese Plant

I personally love a living plant but I am also not against faux plants as someone who is known to commit plant murder (unintentionally of course). #6 would be so sweet in my dining room but maybe I could learn to keep #7 alive? Also, #1 has my heart.

But wait, there’s more…

photo by owen gale | design by studio squire | via house & garden

Did you know that indoor lemon trees exist? When I found this out I nearly fell over. OF COURSE I need an indoor lemon tree in my home. It makes so much sense and yes, I want my home to always smell like fresh lemons. But trees in general are a great addition to an old world style home. They really bring the outdoors in and make a statement that says, “Of course I have a tree indoors, don’t you?” Although again, someone sans a green thumb like me may have to opt for a faux one.

1. Ficus ‘Fiddle Leaf Fig’ Lyrata | 2. Schefflera Arboricola | 3. Lemon and Lime Citrus Trees | 4. Bamboo Palm | 5. Variegated Pink Lemon Tree | 6. Ficus Lyrata | 7. Artificial Weeping Eucalyptus Tree in Pot | 8. Benjamina Ficus Tree – Popular Indoor Houseplant | 9. Arbequina Olive Tree

So, what do ya think? Can you imagine these plants in a 70s-cowgirl-meets-eclectic-old-world-Italian-grandma style home? (Because that’s an easy style to picture in your head, right??). Let me know what you think and suggestions are welcome. Plant parents, please teach me your ways! xx

Opener Image Credit: Photo by Beata Heuman

The post What Kind Of Plants Make Sense In An Old World Or Victorian Style Home? Ryann Investigates appeared first on Emily Henderson.