Emily Henderson's Blog, page 183

Happy Holidays From My Family And The EHD Team…And A Big THANK YOU.

WE MADE IT. Despite the fact that we started decorating November 1st the holidays once again FLEW so fast and here we are – with too many presents to wrap, meals to prep and movies to watch (I’m WAY behind and have a lot of catching up to do over break, thanks Caitlin for the movie roundup). Every woman/mom out there I know is dripping with exhaustion and ready for an excuse to watch good/bad movies, cuddle with literally anything and maybe just stare at a wall while, say, a 5 year old performs ‘salon’ on her head (it’s a pretty great manipulation tactic to get your kids to play with your hair for 1/2 hour). 2020 was transformative both personally and universally and my self reflection muscle is pulsing with excitement to analyze the year, but I’m staving it off, making it wait just a few more days so I can figure out how to zoom with Santa and make my own egg nog.

Christmas this year will be different for everyone – some being able to isolate and insulate, and others having to work hard to help our country heal, both preventatively and frantically. If you work in healthcare, THANK YOU.

I want to give a HUGE THANKS to my incredible team who adapted quickly and helped us survive in the digital world (and made working still fun). I’m talking to you Jess, Caitlin, Mal, Ryann for being here and working so hard with a positive attitude. And they weren’t alone – all of our contributors, both former EHD (that all still work together – I could cry – Sara, Julie, Veronica, Velinda, Orlando, Erik, Emily B. and Arlyn) and new contributors Lea, Albie, Rashida, Malcolm, Ajai and Key. Collectively they have really helped me transform this from an unsustainable personal blog to a more dynamic community supported site with a wide variety of daily content. My team and all our contributors have made this a place I truly look forward to coming every day to read, laugh, learn and get inspired and we have much more in store for 2021. THANK YOU EHD FAMILY.

And lastly THANK YOU, our readers who have hung with us loyally through what has been inarguably one of the most challenging years of your/our lives, perhaps in recorded history. I’m fully appreciating how much time I get with my family, while my kids are so young and actually WANT to hang out with me, but BOY are we excited to move to Portland and start school next year. Speaking of …

We closed on our property in Oregon this week (phew) and after some fun new years roundup posts (most popular blog posts, most pinned photos, etc) we’ll come back in 2021 with two big project launches (not immediately, but expect early January). Who knows what 2021 has in store for us all but with a vaccine and a new president the EHD team and my family are feeling very hopeful that things are looking up. Regardless we’ll be here to distract, relate, commune, and support you and each other. I might even try to entertain you with my ‘lash journey’ and Brian keeps threatening to write about his SIX NEW TATTOOS and ongoing hilarious midlife crisis that led him to tracking down his 1980’s high school truck, amongst design content of course.

Also y’all, I’m going to need some advice on chickens and alpacas and yes, that is a hint on where my family is headed next year. More to come in 2021 so for now, have a happy, happy, happy holiday and consider this one huge hug from my family and the EHD family to you and yours. Thank you for being here. Seriously. Thank you. xxxxxxxxxxx

Opener Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Our Scandinavian (And Easy, Mess-Free) Holiday Living Room Reveal + How I Finally Figured Out My Biggest Styling Problem… And Solved It

The post Happy Holidays From My Family And The EHD Team…And A Big THANK YOU. appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Netflix Holiday Originals Reviewed And Ranked By Someone Who Has Actually Watched Them All

Guys, my mind is a steel trap of Netflix Christmas original movies. And, well, usually all the knowledge about fake countries that sound like supplements and or Vanessa Hudgens’ rise as *the* holiday rom-com star of the decade is pretty much worthless…but not today.

For one day only, this knowledge is relevant and useful and I am READY to help you pick the films that will set the scene for the next three days. Now, this is a personal film ranking, so here are the parameters:

It’s a Netflix original. Yes, other places have made incredible holiday films, but Netflix is pretty ubiquitous and on-demand so we’re sticking with it. Adults can watch. There are a few animated or family-friendly picks on here – I’ve made sure to highlight them – but there’s no Storybots or Captain Underpants here, sorry!! It’s an actual movie. Netflix does have a surprising number of holiday TV series (Dash & Lily is not their first Christmas show, which is mind-boggling) and shorts but this is FILM TIME, baby. Give me some grace on this ranking!!! As I’ve realized, Netflix are “good/good” movies (timeless films – there’s even an Oscar nominee here!), “good/bad” movies (Hallmark-style – stereotypical and fun to watch) and “bad/bad” films (usually a gratuitous sequel).

In any case, I’ve done my best and I’d love to hear your picks, too. Let us begin…

22. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby

Vibe: Straight-to-VHS sequel of 90s smash hit movie
Family Friendly?: Yeah, but I think it’s probably only interesting to kids 8+.
The Verdict: First off: Aldovia sounds like the name a muscle ointment and Penglia sounds like the name of an as-seen-on-TV medication and NO ONE CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE. Also, how is the queen of a country allowed to blog? And it’s just called “Amber’s Blog?” What is even going ON in Aldovia??? (PS. Andy looks like a knock-off Brendan from this season of the Bachelorette. Let’s talk about it).

ANYWAY, I will tell you that it’s about a pair of royals who have to renew a truce, but the document is stolen, the thief is trapped inside the palace after a snowstorm, and then a curse threatens their baby, but that actually kind of makes it sound interesting. Overall, it’s fine. If you’re looking to binge something for a few hours, you could do worse than the 3 films that encapsulate this nice little royal romance, but it’s not really a must-see.

21. The Princess Switch: Switched Again

Vibe: “Oh no, there’s too much going on here”
Family Friendly?: There’s a scene with kidnapping, so skip this if that would frighten anyone in your household.
The Verdict: WOOF. Would really only recommend this if 1. you have a lot of wine and 2. you have someone to scream at the TV with. Vanessa Hudgens is doing THE MOST – playing 3 different characters with 2 rough accents – and you just want her to slow down.

There are just so many weird things not addressed in this sequel. Like, your best friend is in love with your doppelganger and it doesn’t affect your relationship at all? You have marriage troubles that get cleared up in 30 seconds? Folks go on ONE date and then get married? The fact that THREE WOMEN look exactly the same despite not really being related and everyone in this country is just like, “ah yes, totally normal, of course that happens all the time.” All this being said: this is fun to chirp at with friends and family, but you’re not going to walk away being like, “WOW WHAT AN INCREDIBLE HOLIDAY FILM!”

20. Operation Christmas Drop

Vibe: “Military history in gentle romance” – Common Sense Media
Family Friendly?: Yeah, this is pretty safe for all.
The Verdict: So apparently “Operation Christmas Drop” is a real thing – it’s a training mission for the Air Force where they drop toys over remote Pacific islands – and I guess it’s interesting to have a holiday rom-com based on a real life scenario, but this one just didn’t hit for me.

It’s a beautiful location, it features a powerful woman in a lead role (she’s in charge of deciding whether or not this project gets shut down!), and it’s nice to see a ton of people trying to help others, buuuuuuut…something about it really rubs me the wrong way and I’m still having trouble putting my finger on it. Maybe it just feels a little savior complex-y? Anyone else?

19. Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square

Vibe: Kind of like if Dolly Parton made the Muppets Christmas Carol on the Wizard of Oz set.
Family Friendly?: It’s not overtly “adult,” but there are some grown-up themes like teen pregnancy, the death of a parent, and a scary car accident .
The Verdict: DOLLY, I’M SO SORRY. I KNOW. I know. She gave us a vaccine and she deserves better!!! But hear me out. Y’all, I have tried to watch this THREE TIMES and I have fallen asleep every single time (not before crying, though, so I know it’s at least kind of good?). I’m kind of weirded out by Dolly parading as a homeless person at the beginning of the film (I know, she’s an angel, it’s a whole Scrooge and the ghosts thing, I get it) and beyond that, the earnestness of all these people singing so close to each other’s faces just gives me the heebie-jeebies. I’m always hyper-aware that this is some soundstage and I’m never really able to settle in.

All that said, I feel like Dolly may have made a classic – it’s just not one for me right now. Like, maybe I just needed something hopeful and was not expecting her to star in a film about a woman evicting everyone from their home as the country faces an enormous eviction crisis? I could probably see this sitting alongside the Muppets Christmas Carol – it has that same sort of campy spirit – but I’ll actually need to stay awake through it to confirm. WOOPS.

18. Free Rein: 12 Neighs of Christmas

Vibe: If you were REALLY into the Babysitter’s Club, you’d probably like this.
Family Friendly?: Almost exclusively for kids and teens.
The Verdict: This is really only this high in the ratings because apparently the kids LOVE THIS. Free Rein is a Netflix series – I wasn’t familiar until seeing the film – and from what I can gather, it checks the Hannah Montana safe pre-teen drama-shaped box.

Should you actually watch this one if you’re an adult and alone? Eh. But if you have a child or pre-teen who’s looking for their very own Christmas movie, this may check the box. I leave you with my favorite review from Google, which made me snort from laughing so hard: “AMAZING MOVIE IT WAS HORSEOME”

17. Christmas Inheritance

Vibe: HALLMARK. CLASSIC.
Family Friendly?: Nah, and depending on your parents, you may want to watch this alone (though siblings or friends would be fine!).
The Verdict: OH LORD. A high-powered executive needs to deliver Christmas letters to a town called SNOW FALLS so she can be named CEO of her father’s company. (Take a second, tap into your cheesy holiday film brain and predict what will happen next – I’ll wait.) TO LITERALLY NO ONE’S SURPRISE, she gets snowed in and learns a lot of life lessons from some handsome small town innkeeper.

But wait: GIRLFRIEND IS ALREADY ENGAGED. And for some reason, despite this being a feel-good movie, we like…never really address that she’s kind of flirting with the idea of cheating on her fiance within HOURS of meeting the hot innkeeper. (Of course, it wraps itself up in a neat little bow). I guess there’s a little more spice here than the normal holiday movie, so it’s pretty fun – worth a watch if you have some time this year.

16. El Camino Christmas

Vibe: For some reason, I am convinced that dads will LOVE this – it’s not overtly Christmas.
Family Friendly?: Adults only, but you could watch this with family if they’re okay with swearing, some violence, drug references.
The Verdict: SO FUN. Dax Shepard, Tim Allen, the dad from That 70s Show…the cast here is a real treat. There are guns, there’s a hostage situation on Christmas Eve (really, the only holiday tie-in here), and it’s definitely has the most action/buddy comedy spirit out of everything on this list.

This is a classic for me – it fills a pretty special niche, so I’ve enjoyed bringing it back year after year – but it’s definitely not for everyone. #16 on the list, #2 in my heart of hearts.

15. Let It Snow

Vibe: 90s teen movie about high school seniors ~living life~
Family Friendly?: Ehhh, watch this one on your own.
The Verdict: What a teen ensemble. There are truly like, one million child actors in this movie. So many threads and romances, so many seemingly-enormous life decisions (will he tell his best friend that he loves her? Where will she go to college?) all wrapped up in a Christmas bow and generally centered around a local establishment called Waffle Town.

It’s sweet, basic, escapist teen love with a surprisingly diverse cast (like, dang, well done Netflix) and I’m actually pretty sure that Em would enjoy this as a guilty pleasure. EMILY, PLEASE WATCH AND RELAY YOUR THOUGHTS, YEAH?

14. Klaus

Vibe: High-brow cartoons (like, it was nominated for an Oscar – it’s legit).
Family Friendly?: Sure is! Fun for everyone!
The Verdict: OH MY. So tender and beautiful. A reject postman from the self-proclaimed “unhappiest town on earth” meets a reclusive guy in the woods and is like, “hey buddy, you have a gift – you make toys and I’ll deliver!”

There are a ton of great one-liners about the meaning of friendship and the value of selfless acts and obviously it’s all combined together in this surreally animated package. (As a side note, the animation kinda reminds me of Anastasia except BETTER, which is really saying something. Watch with your whole family!).

13. A Very Murray Christmas

Vibe: INDIE INDIE INDIE. If you are (or know) a hipster, this is the movie for you.
Family Friendly?: Keep this for the teens and adults, but it’s okay to watch together.
The Verdict: OH MAN. I worked on the vinyl rollout for the Phoenix single from this movie – it’s actually a SUPER good standalone Christmas song – so I feel like the preeminent expert on this film. (The fact that Phoenix recorded a special Christmas single really does tell you everything you need to know, though).

That said, the cast and crew speak for themselves: Sofia Coppola directed, Bill Murray stars, and there’s a who’s who of celebrity appearances – George Clooney, Amy Pohler, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, Miley Cyrus, Jason Schwartzman…GOOD LORD. I could go on but there are literally too many celebrities to mention. It’s simple (there’s a snowstorm in NYC and Bill Murray is worried no one will make it to his TV show in time) and short (under an hour) but it’s a fun watch and you can tell that it was made with love by folks who genuinely enjoy each other’s company. I do not know why this isn’t more famous.

12. The Christmas Chronicles

Vibe: The Santa Clause but 2020 and with a better Santa.
Family Friendly?: YEAH. Super.
The Verdict: First off, I love Kurt Russell SO MUCH as Santa. Miracle is one of my all-time favorite movies and I thought I was going to have problems seeing him as anyone other than Herb Brooks and I’ve never been more thrilled to be wrong!

But truly, what a sweet story. A “true believer” gets to meet the actual Santa (she ends up climbing into his sleigh with her older brother) and they end up having to save Christmas. (As one would expect. As a spoiler, they also get to save Christmas in the sequel. The elves are SO CUTE, the story is full of heart, and just to reiterate: Kurt Russell is AWESOME and brings enough adult humor to make it fun for the whole family).

11. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding

Vibe: The Prince and Me, cold feet and all.
Family Friendly?: There is discussion of financial fraud, so maybe it’s a little grown up content-wise.
The Verdict: Again, WHY is this woman allowed to have a blog? It ends up being a sticking point in this movie, but can you imagine if Kate Middleton or Megan Markle just got to BLOG about their romances? Like, I know she’s a writer, and maybe it’s anti-feminist of me to be like, “girl NO you can’t keep that job,” but it’s hard for me to empathize.

ANYWAY. Amber gets cold feet and worries that she’s not ready to be queen of a small country. Fair enough! Will she make it through to the wedding? OF COURSE. It’s formulaic and comforting and a decent sequel.

10. A California Christmas

Vibe: The classic Christmas rom-com with a twist (that’s an alcohol joke, because wine country).
Family Friendly?: There’s definitely a lot of chemistry between the leads, so watch it on your own.
The Verdict: Uh, Christmas in wine country? I’ll take it. Plus, there’s a fun take on the old trope: it’s a business-focused man who heads to the country and meets a hardworking female ranch owner who shows HIM the meaning of the holiday. (It’s a little more complicated than that – there’s a case of mistaken identity, and his true intent was to buy the land for a corporation by Christmas, but that’s basically the gist).

Also, I just learned that this is a real-life couple, so they actually do have great chemistry. A nice, classic holiday rom-com with a not-cliche farm background – I’ll take it.

8. Holiday in the Wild

Vibe: Charlotte (of SATC fame) does Eat, Pray, Love.
Family Friendly?: Best for teens (though it be a little “mature”), or adults, and honestly, the animals are distracting enough that you can enjoy with parents.
The Verdict: Robe Lowe and Kristin Davis are so cute together and this is the escapist fantasy we all need in 2020!!! Kate gets divorced, goes on a trip to Africa to ~find herself~, meets Derek, a pilot, and ends up falling in love on an animal sanctuary.

There’s a little bit of tension (who is this mysterious blonde woman competing for Derek’s heart?!?) but it’s a slow build peppered with SO MANY very, very, very cute baby elephant shots and scenes. Will they end up together? Will they save the elephants? I’m sure you can guess!!!

9. The Holiday Calendar

Vibe: Kinda like About Time, in that there’s some magic and love going on.
Family Friendly?: This one is okay for teens/adults to watch with parents, but probably best for kids like, 10+?
The Verdict: OH, I LOVE. The woo-woo side of me went “WOO, WOO” while watching this one, which follows a woman who inherits an advent calendar that predicts her future. I AM INTO THIS PLOT – it’s special and original, but we still know what’s going to happen. (Like, it is clear 3 minutes into the movie – the second you see the way her “best friend” looks at her, we know how this is going to end).

Ron Cephas Jones is SUCH a star (you may recognize him from his role on This Is Us). You will leave this film WISHING that you had a wise grandfather who could give you magic stuff and guide you to the right partner for Christmas.

7. A Christmas Prince

Vibe: The Princess Diaries 2. Like, beat for beat.
Family Friendly?: If you’d show your kid The Princess Diaries, you can show them this one.
The Verdict: VERY schmaltzy, not even a little bit plausible, and THE DREAM MOVIE to enjoy with a big glass of wine. There’s every trope in the book here: a journalist digging for a scoop! Mistaken identity! Deep family secrets! A misunderstood prince! A woman who finally gets him!

Watching critically, I love imagining what an absolutely BAD king Richard would be. He spent a year shirking his responsibilities, he blows his only two major commitments, and he ends the week by (spoiler!) proposing to a women he’s barely known for SEVEN DAYS. But hey, it’s Christmas, and it’s cheesy, and it’s the film that really LAUNCHED the holiday rom-com on Netflix, so…it gets a pass. I love it despite the flaws.

6. The Christmas Chronicles 2

Vibe: Like kids get thrown into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, except Willy Wonka is nice and not murderous.
Family Friendly?: AFFIRMATIVE. Fun for all!
The Verdict: THE TEARS THAT CAME DOWN MY FACE. Y’ALL. My mom and I threw this on on a whim and we were not prepared!!! It’s a pretty decent standalone film – you can generally pick up on the story without watching the first one – and it’s just a sweet, well-produced, fun Christmas movie.

We see Belsnickel – in this film, he’s a former elf that is more “disgruntled teen” than “Dwight Schrute in rags” – attempt to hijack Christmas as his own holiday; we see a kid grappling with her dad’s passing while saving Christmas; we see an anxious little boy learning to be courageous; and maybe most importantly, we see SO MUCH sweet love between Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn as Mr. and Mrs. Claus! Please cast them in these roles in every Christmas movie moving forward, THANKS.

5. The Princess Switch

Vibe: A little Parent Trap, a lot of Prince and the Pauper, plus holiday
Family Friendly?: You’re probably in the clear for 7+, but this is also easy to watch with adult family.
The Verdict: YES, I know it’s controversial to throw this above A Christmas Prince. Hear me out: this movie actually looks like it’s shot in a castle – it has the little bit of extravagant swagger we expect from Christmas royalty films. Meanwhile, A Christmas Prince looks like it was shot in a ski resort. This one wins on aesthetics alone.

But also, who hasn’t dreamed of swapping places with someone for a while? And like, hey, it’s a bonus if the person with whom you swap 1. is royal and 2. leads you to meet a handsome prince. Cheesy, formulaic, and basic shenanigans ensue – it’s the exact kind of comforting and predictable film we NEED during crazy holiday seasons. 10/10!

Okay now that we’ve made it to the final four, I am giving you trailers so you are even more enchanted to watch…

4. Holidate

Vibe: A traditional rom-com where Christmas is a side-note.
Family Friendly?: HARD PASS. Watch this on your own time; would not recommend viewing with parents.
The Verdict: Stick with me, we’re about to get a little convoluted: Holidate is less about Christmas than the movie Valentine’s Day is about Valentine’s Day. (If you’ve seen both of those movies, I know you’ll agree. If not, we’ll proceed.)

Two people agree to be each other’s dates for a whole year. We see Christmas. We see New Years. We see St. Patrick’s and 4th of July and all the other ones, too. And of course…they come full-circle and they fall in love, because DUH. In a year without cheesy rom-coms, this scratched an itch. Does it really deserve to be #4, or am I just in lust with the novelty? We’ll find out next year, I guess. (Although this does have some good staying power for future holidays – any thoughts on whether or not Netflix will re-promote this around Valentine’s Day? Let’s take bets).

3. The Knight Before Christmas

Vibe: Like if Kate and Leopold was a Hallmark special.
Family Friendly?: It’s rated PG, but safe for kids – you won’t feel awkward watching this with parents, either.
The Verdict: OH MY GOSH. THE ULTIMATE GOOD/BAD MOVIE. It was so hard for me not to put this in the #1 slot. This woman meets a time traveling knight, HITS HIM WITH HER CAR, and then lets him move in with her. He’s a complete stranger!!! He has a weapon!!! He sets fire to her yard at one point!!!

My mom and I had to pause the movie on our first watch as we laughed so hard we were crying. Where are this woman’s friends?! Instead of being like, “girl, no, that dude needs professional assistance,” they’re like, “WOW, he’s perfect, his only flaw is that he thinks he’s a time-traveling knight!” AS IF THAT ISN’T AN ENORMOUS DEALBREAKER. It’s so good, and so bad, and so funny, and my personal favorite Christmas classic. Give Vanessa Hudgens an Oscar for this. She is the Mariah Carey of holiday originals.

2. Jingle Jangle

Vibe: Greatest Showman meets Christmas meets Wall-E.
Family Friendly?: YES YES YES!
The Verdict: There’s something deeply hilarious about going from a Hallmark-style rom-com at #3 to this absolute blowout at #2, but we’re going to roll with it. If movie theaters had been open, Jingle Jangle would have been *THE* biggest Christmas movie of the year. (TBH I thought this was better than The Greatest Showman, which is REALLY saying something.)

I’m assuming you’re a fan of interiors, so you’re in for a treat – the set design on this film is EXTRAORDINARY. Actually, the whole thing is stunning – the costumes, the makeup, the choreography, the soundtrack…SO GOOD. It’s also super empowering for kids (they save the day!) and Keegan-Michael Key is so fun to watch as a Jafar-style villain. LOVE.

1. Alien Xmas

Vibe: Classic claymation goes 2020.
Family Friendly?: YUP – even for really young kids!
The Verdict: This was a huge shock for me. When I first pitched this post, I did not anticipate that a stop-motion film about a tiny kleptomaniac alien would end up taking the top slot. But then…Alien Xmas won me over. It’s produced by Jon Favreau, the guy behind Elf (HA, amongst other things), so it has the same sweet heart, sweeping score, and you may even recognize a few of the animals from Buddy the Elf’s neck of the woods

How I Felt About Seeing My Home Styled For The Lulu & Georgia Catalog

I keep getting these photos popping up in my feed that make me stop and be like, wait, is that….?? Last October (over a year ago) Lulu and Georgia asked to rent our house for a location for their catalog for two days. It was sitting empty that week I was like ‘yah go for it’ (they paid a location fee obviously). Every day people text me saying ‘wait, is that your house?’ So I figured I’d show you guys and write about my feelings real quick. And no, this is not sponsored by Lulu and Georgia – just a fun post about renting out my house for a location shoot.

Wreath | Lumbar Pillow | Rug | Credenza

The one above (on the right) took me a while to figure out where it was in the house. It’s wild how used to shooting and seeing certain angles that you literally don’t even recognize your own house.

Sectional | Lumbar Pillow | Knit Throw | Ottoman | Rug | Coffee Table | Candlestick | Stockings

And this one of the living room made me want a bigger sectional. I was complaining the other day on the insider community that our modular sectional keeps coming apart likely because the kids play with the pieces like they are blocks and my monthly carpet taping them back together is getting old. And then Brian told me that it’s too low for him to sit on and that he ‘actively avoids sitting on it’. So when I saw this sectional above in our living room I was SO JEALOUS. And yes, btw I’m going to likely sell ours if you are interested. It’s awesome, just don’t have kids that jump on it all day.

Left Photo: Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Candle | Candleholder | Right Photo: Sofa | Rug | Knit Throw | Stockings | Candlestick

So cozy and now I’m wondering if I need garland up the railing…

Rug | Dining Table | Dining Chair | Candlestick | Credenza | Stockings

It’s truly SO weird (in a cool way) to have a room you associate with one purpose be staged as something totally different. This shot actually kind of got me excited about future (and safer) times when we can maybe have a huge Thanksgiving here. We would probably need to make this a big dining area, right?? Man I want that to happen someday. It would be so fun.

Credenza

I think we all need to take a moment to appreciate this wood. The movement is so good. With any sectional in this room, this window setup wouldn’t happen but I do like it:)

Sofa

All of the colors are pretty but I still vote for a light and neutral sofa. What do you think?

Bed | Knit Throw | Rug | Nightstand | Lamp

So fun fact. That bed is our actual bed and is from Lulu and Georgia. It’s so beautiful in person. I also really like the rug and chair but for me, they would feel a little too modern traditional for the overall feel for this house which obviously isn’t the point of a catalog shoot. For them, it’s about creating awesome vignettes.

I actually love those chairs with our table (I like how the back is taller – our back is basically the same height as our table, which I can’t tell is a good or bad thing.)

Bed | Rug | Nightstand | Waffle Blanket | Throw Blanket

When I stumbled on this one on Instagram it took my breath away and while I know that it can’t be my bedroom (and I love my bedroom) it is just so dreamy.

So that’s most of the shots but in case you are wanted to compare how I styled these spaces vs them – we did some fun side by sides. This is why design and styling are so cool and can actually transform a space.

MY OFFICE

I want to be in both of these spaces. If only I could click my heels 3 times when I needed a 5-minute break from work and flip the rooms. Also, update! I’m working from here again now that we have a much better routine in place with the kids (which makes me very happy because I love those windows).

LIVING ROOM

Lulu and Georgia dining on the left, our living room on the right – so fun to see!!! and now I wish I had a bigger tree.

Again, we need a bigger sectional because I love how this looks.

DINING ROOM

It’s also interesting to see the different lighting used in photography. Their photographs are warmer (on the left), and ours are much ‘cooler’. I like both!

DOWNSTAIRS GUEST ROOM

Not only is it super fun to see my house styled differently and compare the design (like do I need bigger nightstands in there? (p.s. yes, but I’m not going to).

So hope this was as fun for you as it was for me:) Would love to hear your thoughts! xx

*Styling by Lulu and Georgia
**EHD After Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

The post How I Felt About Seeing My Home Styled For The Lulu & Georgia Catalog appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Posts That Surprisingly HIT And The Ones That Unexpectedly Flopped in 2020

Emily thought it would be fun to let you all in on a bit more of our editorial world by examining what posts knocked it out of the park and which ones didn’t. I mean why not?! We think it’s pretty interesting:) Let’s start off by saying that truly every post is in some way “a gamble” in terms of success. There have been posts that we were sure would be a hit because they were great reveals or posts that y’all had asked for. But then publish day comes and well, maybe they weren’t a flop per se but definitely not the banger we had anticipated. Sometimes these “flops” are due to things totally out of our control like the time of year, politics, weather (not kidding), major world events, etc. But other times, they may not have resonated because of the title, opening photo, the actual content. All of it is good for us to learn from because we want is to give you what YOU want.

Something that also comes into play is… Google. We aren’t the type of people or company that cater to Google trends. Why? Well, for me, the special sauce to EHD is that we talk to you about what is happening in our lives (both design and personal) and those things aren’t always trending but are super relatable to you which then strengthens our really awesome connection. We’re just romantics are the core:) But sometimes these topics are trending which is when the internet stars align and we get a Google pickup that brings up our numbers usually by a lot. We never know what’s going to get a pickup but it’s always exciting. If anyone knows that secret codes we are alllll ears:)

So let’s go through this year’s big hits and unfortunate misses and see if we can make sense of them. After you…

THE SHOCKING MISSES



The UPDATED Ultimate Budget Living Room Furniture Roundup



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the updated ultimate budget living room furniture roundup

This was a HUGE success the first time around for obvious reasons. Who doesn’t want to see what affordable furniture options out there?? But the second time around I think maybe it felt less special? It was only one month into the pandemic which was understandably a very difficult time for most households. So while the intention was to give you affordable options to make your home feel really good in a scary time, it’s more than understandable the appetite and ability to buy a new piece of furniture wasn’t there.

My Favorite AFFORDABLE Spring Dresses (all with pockets)



photo by veronica crawford | from: my favorite affordable spring dresses (all with pockets)

To be honest this one mistifies me a little bit. In the past, our “affordable dresses” posts have always big hit. And this one was pocket focused. POCKETS. I have two thoughts. 1. We might have just jumped the gun a little on this one posting it in late February. It’s such a delicate balance of not posting too early but not too far “in the season” that most everything is sold out. 2. We didn’t have any new photography. This one is hard because we want to do fun fashion posts that don’t create unnecessary purchases and returns but we also know that new photos are obviously really exciting. What do you all think?

The Most Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Places You Can Shop For Furniture Right Now



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the most sustainable & eco-friendly places you can shop for furniture right now

The unfortunate truth of sustainable furniture right now is that outside of thrifting (which has been tricky this year) and a couple of awesome new decor companies, it’s $$$$. So there is currently a disconnect between wanting to support newer sustainable furniture brands and the reality of affording them. I think that’s what happened here. I know we all want to buy sustainably but in a pandemic when thrifting isn’t as easy as it used to be and shipping sustainable furniture is typically pretty expensive, it feels dim. So if you can afford to be sustainable PLEASE DO IT and thrift safely if you can. But if not just purchase with intention and look at this post because it’s great.

Kids Play Clothes: Hacks, Ways To Save + Some Basics Our Kids Love



from: kids play clothes: hacks, ways to save + some basics our kids love

Every year we do a fun survey getting info about you and what you’d like to see. Guess what? About half of our readers are parents! So since we get a lot of kid clothes requests (and they are usually big sellers when we do promote) we thought that a post about budget-friendly hacks during a financially hard time would be really helpful and a big hit. Well, it didn’t. It’s a mystery but regardless it didn’t hit the mark and that’s ok:)

The 15 Reveals You Might Have Missed But NEED To See (Consider This A Mid Week Pick-Me-Up:))



design and photo by dabito | from: the 15 reveals you might have missed but need to see (consider this a mid week pick-me-up:))

These reveal roundup posts are another type that typically do really great. I mean who doesn’t love awesome reveals?? So with this one, it could have been the end of the year timing and being just a little too close to Christmas when people’s attention is elsewhere. Maybe the title felt a little too thirsty? Who knows?! Do you? hah

Starter Tool Kit Guide: The Basic Tools You Should Have in Your Home (Plus Our Go-To Power Tools)



design by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: starter tool kit guide: the basic tools you should have in your home (plus our go-to power tools)

I don’t know if I would call this one a miss but we thought it would be bigger. It was such a great and thought out post, but likely a lot of you already have a decent amount of tools since you are design lovers so it wasn’t actually a great post for our audience. Maybe more niche tools would be helpful?

The Definitive EHD Paint Post Round Up (And Why This Is The Perfect Time To Paint)



design by ginny macdonald | photo by zeke ruelas | from: the definitive ehd paint post round up (and why this is the perfect time to paint)

Paint posts also typically do really well for us because most people are brave enough to pick up a paintbrush and get to work (plus it’s affordable). But despite the ease of having all of our paint posts (recs, trends, and styles) in one place, with ones you probably forgot about, this didn’t tickle the masses’ fancy. But again that’s okay. We are here to make your lives easier and hopeful you will bookmark it for your next paint adventure:)

THE SURPRISE HITS



How To Choose The Right Rug Size For Your Living Room – 5 Formulas Guaranteed to Work



design by and home of sam gluck | photo by alison bernier | from: how to choose the right rug size for your living room – 5 formulas guaranteed to work

This post has a real Cinderella story. She was originally published on March 12. If that date sounds familiar but you can’t quite put your finger on why… it was the week the country shut down. It was reallly confusing at the time because this was a post that everyone had been asking for and we didn’t fully understand what was going on in the world. But then we gave her a repost in August and Google picked her up, so this lady really got her day in the sun.

Are IKEA Kitchen Cabinets Worth The Savings??? A Very Honest Review One Year Later



design by amanda holstein| photo by comeplum | from: are ikea kitchen cabinets worth the savings??? a very honest review one year later

When Amanda pitched us her kitchen, we loved the design and really loved the idea of a true IKEA cabinet review. I mean, at least 90% of people renovating their kitchen have considered using IKEA, right? But little did we know that not only you, the readers, would be curious and read but Google also (and continues) to send us new readers all of the time. So it wasn’t a surprise that it was a success with you, but it was a surprise when Google turned into reader Santa Claus. Do you have any other IKEA cabinet questions?

The Painted Trim – High Impact, Low Cost (One Girl’s Journey + All The Tips & Tricks)



photo by matthew williams | via country living | from: the painted trim – high impact, low cost (one girl’s journey + all the tips & tricks)

This post was one that Sara pulled out IN A DAY. We needed to shift the calendar around and needed a post the following day. This type of mad dash doesn’t happen a lot but does from time to time.

So Sara had been thinking about painted the trim in her house and thought it could make a fun post. Then at around 6 pm, she told me it’s ready. I finished up some linking, crediting, etc since she had plans and as I was reading it I was taken. It was SO GOOD. Look Sara is a real renaissance woman so dreaming up and writing a great post is no surprise. BUT writing a great post in one day with photos and researched info is not easy.

Needless to say, you loved it (because it was GREAT) and Google loved it because well I guess people were searching about painted trim.

How To Make A Dark Room Feel Lighter and “Brighter”



photo by bethany nauert | from: how to make a dark room feel lighter and “brighter”

We were sure that this was going to be a BIG hit. Like no question because it’s another TOP question we get asked about all of the time. Maybe it was the darker photos (not as appealing to the eye)? Maybe the title wasn’t clear? Maybe our audience prefers cats on sofas instead of dogs?? Just kidding that’s impossible. But then Google came in and really saved the post from its almost “Miss” destiny.

P.S. If you haven’t read it you should!

Styling to Sell – The FINAL Entry Reveal (That’s Real Estate Agent Approved)



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: styling to sell – the final entry reveal (that’s real estate agent approved)

Emily’s “Style To Sell” series was definitely popular but we didn’t imagine the entryway to be SO popular. It might have been that it was beautiful but still felt like you could achieve it in your home. You tell me! And although it was already a success amongst you, Google did also like it which we appreciate. That might have been something to do with the “real estate agent approved” part:) Thanks, Howard!

Caitlin Found A House In The Hills For $299K And This Is What Happened



from: caitlin found a house in the hills for $299K and this is what happened

I think if there’s a 2020 MVP award for writing extensive and wilding engaging posts IN A DAY, it’s Caitlin. This was an idea she had pitched but was supposed to have another week to pull it together. But another calendar switch needed to happen and we didn’t have a post that was in good enough shape with the time constraints we were under. So with the info all in her head, she powered through to write this rollercoaster story that has A TON of incredibly awesome advice. Also, this post was probably a little too niche for Google so its success is all you! THANK YOU CAITLIN.

Where Do You Put Your Litter Box??



photo by tessa neustadt | from: where do you put your litter box??

Another Caitlin hit! A true problem she was having that both you and the people searching on the internet related to. So fun, so specific yet universal, and a true surprise hit. We half joke all of the time that we need another litter box story (fun, easy lift, and VERY relatable). Any other similar animal design woes??

The Unexpected 2020 Tile Trend That A Very Unlikely EHDer Is Putting In Her House…Plus An Ask The Audience



design and photo by vintage revivals | from: the unexpected 2020 tile trend that a very unlikely ehder is putting in her house…plus an ask the audience

I actually can’t believe this was a hit but am so grateful! The word “trend” doesn’t always hit with you guys but always has potential:) This was a wild and intriguing trend that I had been noticing and wanted to do in my bathroom rental (I’m so sorry I moved but I promise cool things are coming!!). I also think it was the color we all needed at the time (and still do).

Wake Up When You Want: Super Affordable Blackout Shades and Curtains



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: wake up when you want: super affordable blackout shades and curtains

I can’t remember whose idea this was (Emily?) but I remember thinking “O that will be really helpful but probably won’t be a big success.” Well, I was wrong! People (and kids) need to sleep in darkness and loved getting affordable options to do so. Makes sense.

That’s it! Did any surprise you? Did you know that Google can really affect traffic that much? It’s pretty fun and interesting to see these lists because we are always trying to figure out how to bring you the posts you want. Please leave us suggestions of what you’d like us to write about and need in 2021! Is it too big to dream for zero misses?? Only time will tell:)

Love you, mean it.

Opening Photo Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House Reveal: Our Soft Yet Secretly Sultry Downstairs Guest Bed + Bath

The post The Posts That Surprisingly HIT And The Ones That Unexpectedly Flopped in 2020 appeared first on Emily Henderson.

2 Budget-Conscious Kitchen Renovations, 2 Different Styles, 2 Friends In 2 Washingtons

I’ve always heard people say that “kitchens and bathrooms sell houses” but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone quantify that. When looking for our home, admittedly, a lot of the ones that we passed on were because of these spaces, but especially the kitchens! If the kitchens didn’t wow us — or at least have the potential to wow us, I wanted no parts of it. So I get it.

As soon as I saw our new house, I could see my future kitchen — a tweak here, a tweak there, and it would be perfect for us. I actually sketched on scrap paper, with our realtor, my ideas and she confirmed that it was totally doable & worth it. We made an offer that night.

But here’s what no one tells you when they’re telling you how valuable it is to update your itch — how much time and money (and anxiety) can go into creating a kitchen that’ll make you go “wow!”. We knew early on that we had no desire to break down a bunch of walls, relocate plumbing, and go through all the tv-worthy-drama of a reno; but we also wanted to make sure we got the most bang for our buck to get the kitchen of our dreams. What would be our kitchen reno sweet spot? To make sure I’d achieve major design impact without breaking the bank or the walls, I made a few well-calculated design decisions with my design bestie Rashida Banks — based in the other Washington (she’s in DC and I’m in Seattle) who’s also planning a mini reno for her kitchen! With a few bi-coastal Zoom chats, we began strategizing ways that we could get our kitchens to their fullest potentials while keeping costs & stress down. And the best part? You guys get to follow along with BOTH of us as we figure out this wild ride. We’ll be sharing our conversations, our struggles, our “aha moments” and naturally, our final reveals–plus you’ll get to see two kitchens get totally transformed from two similar but different perspectives. You’re welcome.

photos by mariah texidor

Now you’ll hear from the both of us and what we are tackling and our individual plans…

Albie

When we started house hunting, my husband and I were pretty clear on a few things, including the kind of kitchen we wanted. Every home we considered, we kept in mind how close to (or far away from) the existing kitchen was from the kitchen we wanted. I would look at listing photos & assess whether or not the kitchen would be worth the work. We’re not crazy about walls but we’re also not “open concept” everything folk, and this kitchen was the perfect sweet spot. To get the look and feel we’d want, a gut renovation wouldn’t be necessary and we could make a huge impact with minimal reno.

Rashida

Hi Everyone…Rashida here! I can’t believe after 7 years of living in our home, we’re finally tackling the kitchen. You would think the red floor grout would have pushed me to pick up the sledge hammer the day we moved in, but we were just so happy to have a place we call home. Trust me if I could have a sit down with the person who decided to make the grout the same color as the cabinets, they would have some explaining to do. Did you run out of white grout? And what’s with the marble threshold?? Questions that need answers.

Now, I would be the first to say that our kitchen isn’t in terrible shape. The layout and flow of our kitchen is what I love most. There was once a wall where the island stands, separating the kitchen and dining space. Removing it was a good call. I’m sure the person who decided on that, was NOT the same person who decided on red grout (as you can tell, the floor grout is the thing I hate the most). The cabinets are a classic shaker style, which I like, but the cherry finish reminds of kitchens from 2006, and we’re in 2020 so it’s time for a change. But that’s it folks! Those are the only two things I like about our kitchen.

Design Problem



Albie

The kitchen is flanked by the dining room & an eat-in area. Since we don’t need both, removing the wall between the kitchen and the dining room — a non load bearing wall — and updating the cabinets would extend the floorplan and create a true galley kitchen with more than enough space & storage. Instead of keeping the two peninsulas, we’d add a wall of cabinets to replace the eat-in area, maximizing the kitchen’s overall footprint, while still having the dining room as a place for family meals.

In addition to the flow & function of the space, we also wanted to make style updates that would reflect our family. While the current cabinets were clearly fairly new, the deep brown cabinets & beige countertops are not our jam. Even less our jam? The boob lights & ceiling combo happening overhead. 

For context, we bought the home from the original owners from nearly 40 years ago, so a lot of the style choices don’t surprise us, but we’re of a different generation and want that reflected in our home. As two 30-something millennials, the only thing in the kitchen that reflects us — stylistically — are the black stainless steel appliances that were clearly a recent upgrade. We want the rest of the kitchen to be as chic & sleek as the appliances.

left photo: design by shauna beltramo | right photo: design by justin sachs, photo by chris veith, via kountry kraft



via semihandmade



Rashida

So what’s changing, you ask? EVERYTHING. I wrote out my “If I could have my way” list, and surprisingly most things are doable. This will not be a full-on gut job, just an invasive facelift. Right now, our kitchen feels heavy and dated with the cherry cabinets. I want to freshen it up and make it feel brighter and bigger but still cozy. A lot of my inspiration pictures that I’ve collected over the years have creamy white cabinets, something black, brass hardware, light countertops with veining, wood tones and just an overall classic cafe cottage feel.

left photo: christopher peacock | right photo: design by jenny komenda



design by andrea zappone | photo by elizabeth haynes



Design Plan



Albie

To keep costs low, there’s some work we’re going to do ourselves, while the bulk of the heavy lifting will be hired out to a contractor to make sure we get everything done right and done once. So once the wall is removed — by a pro! — we’ll be installing new cabinets, countertops, backsplash, hardware, plumbing, and lighting. Whew…that’s a mouthful. 

What I’m looking forward to most is having the dining room entirely open to the kitchen, which will drastically change (for the better) the way we use the entire area. Keeping the load-bearing wall saves us money & creates a privacy barrier from the front of the house, where the living room is, to the back wall in the kitchen. 

As I mentioned, the previous owners left us with some very spiffy new black stainless steel appliances that we absolutely plan on keeping, but as for everything else — they can go. Although, full disclosure, the white beadboard has grown on me and may stay… maybe! (it’s hard to see in the before photos but it’s in the “eati-in” area)

We wanted to make sure the new finishes we chose reflected both of our personal styles while still keeping the charming vibes of the house that we fell in love with. I made decision choices that would feel custom without sacrificing any of the home’s innate charm. 

We’re not design purists but I am also cognizant of how certain design choices can feel out of place. With the cabinets being the largest change, we went with a shaker style that could feel like it belonged there all along. I wanted something that had the same construction of our new IKEA Besta door fronts from Semihandmade — that’s in the media room aka a new reveal coming your way soon! Who knew that my new media fronts would actually be a foreshadowing for the kitchen design — neutral contrasts, clean lines, classic design — with an exciting new product launch that I get to share with y’all… later lol.    

Keeping the palette neutral with the cabinets & countertops let me play with a few design options — be it some bold backsplash or blinged-out lighting — but you’ll have to wait and see what ends up having the most star power because the way these COVID delays are setup, it’s anyone’s guess at this point. But here’s the moodboard as of now:

1. Kitchen Inspo Source | 2. Sink | 3. Pendant | 4. Faucet | 5. Countertop | 6. Fridge | 7. Cabinet Fronts | 8. Pulls | 9. Flooring (came with house) | 10. Wall Tile | 11. Wall Paint | 12. Ceiling Paint

Rashida

So here’s the plan: We’re not getting rid of the cabinets, instead, we’re going to paint them ourselves (QUICK! Someone talk me out of it). And since the cabinets don’t go up to the ceiling, I’m going to use a paint trick that I learned working at Benjamin Moore to make them feel like they do. We will get rid of that silly cabinet that sits over the island, and replace it with open shelving. We actually use that cabinet a lot, but I have some storage solutions up my sleeve that will make up for the loss. We’re also going to jazz up the hardware for something in the brass family.

The backsplash and tile on the island just make me dizzy, so it will be switched out to a beautiful stone layered in a subway tile format, that’s less busy. And by the way, you’ll see me write and hear me say “island” but I know it’s a peninsula…(just feels weird to say). Speaking of the “island”, we’re going to add a waterfall edge. A quartz waterfall edge to be exact, which I’m over the moon about. It’s a design detail that really modernizes a kitchen. So bye bye granite countertops also from 2006.

There are many things about the kitchen facelift that I’m excited about, but nothing brings me more joy than to rip out the floors. The floors will be replaced with a beautiful natural black stone. This will be the dramatic element for the kitchen. I always like my space to feature one “drama” element; the detail that stands out and contrasts with the rest of the finishes.

Now to enhance the function of the kitchen. We have a pantry (yes it’s small), but a pantry nonetheless. Right now it’s not being utilized to its full capacity. There’s a lot of wasted volume. So I will have my contractor transform that pantry to a pull out pantry where I can utilize the entire space and see everything. The last functional thing I’m changing is moving the microwave to the island and adding a range hood in its place for better ventilation. One, I love that look better, and two, it actually vents the air and food smells outside rather than recirculating through the house.

Here’s the moodboard to help you visualize.

1. Cabinet Inspo Source | 2. Countertops | 3. Pendant | 4. Window | 5. Door | 6. Faucet | 7. Sink | 8. Backsplash Tile | 9. Handle Hardware | 10. Stool | 11. Floor Tile | 12. Runner | 13. Wall Paint | 14. Cabinet Paint | 15. Nook Paint

Albie here to finish us up!

With this being our largest undertaking as both new and seasoned homeowners, we are equally excited and nervous — definitely keeping our fingers crossed for a fun and bump free ride (let’s hope right?). The decision to do a reno of any size isn’t easy, and to be honest, we’re just gonna officially dub these invasive facelifts because that is a lot less anxiety-inducing. In any case, a project of this size means juggling a lot of design decisions — did we mention we’re the project managers for each of our transformations? Having our husbands as sounding boards helps — A LOT — but having each other to lean on, especially creatively, is gold. It guarantees that one or both of us isn’t in a corner wishing I never touched the red grout and beige counters. As design besties, we already turn to one another for everything from a new vendor to a project hashtag. P.S. feel free to drop your suggestions for our kitchens. And if you have any kitchen renovation questions (or advice) don’t be shy. We’re going to be sharing our woes and wins and candid conversations as we navigate our kitchen upgrades, culminating in the final reveal here on the EHD blog; but don’t forget to check in on us on the gram at @albieknows & @rashida.banks.

Opening Image Credits: Left Photo – Photo Design by Studio McGee
| Right Photo – via Semihandmade

The post 2 Budget-Conscious Kitchen Renovations, 2 Different Styles, 2 Friends In 2 Washingtons appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: The Novel Emily Read in 24 Hours, Ryann’s Life-Changing Duster, and The $13 Kitchen Essential We Never Knew We Needed

T’was the link up before Christmas, guys! Welcome, welcome to this week’s list of random products, articles, and general things we love and love to share with you. We’re glad you’re here. We want to thank everyone who joined our blog brainstorm zoom/happy hour chat this last Thursday –– we had a blast and hope you enjoyed! We’d love to hear any feedback you guys have so feel free to comment below. Also, if you have no idea what we’re talking about, then check out our Insider Community where you can get some more info on what’s goes down around there. Alright, enough blabbering, let’s dive in:

Haaaaave you heard the news?? Our favorite person Orlando Soria (who had an awesome guest bedroom reveal on the blog last week btw) designed Gus Kenworthy’s house and it was featured on Architectural Digest!!!! AH. Not to mention it looks AMAZING so we had no choice but to make it our featured home tour for the week. We can’t stop talking about the dining room…specifically that park studio pendant above the table (@park studio please release this pendant so we can all buy it). We also love Gus Kenworthy so this whole project was just a treat to see. You must check it out.

From Emily: It’s been a while since I read a novel in 24 hours. I started Dark Matter Saturday morning at 10 am and was done by noon on Sunday (fine 26 hours). Obviously, I had to ‘parent’ and cook/clean the house but every second that I could get away to finish it I did (with Covid we are lucky enough to not leave the house so I have way more lounging time if I get my ‘chores’ done). It was thrilling from the first page so no ‘it took me a while to get into it’, no it just flew. I read a lot of ‘easy to read books’, and this one was no exception however it still felt I was learning and it was thought-provoking. It’s a thriller that you might call sci-fi, but it’s about time, identity and yes, some love and posed a lot of questions about life, purpose, satisfaction, fulfillment, etc. I immediately started one of his other books (by Blake Crouch) Recursion and it’s also really good. Warning – Recursion is adrenaline-inducing so there was one night where I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. My heart was pounding, I was kinda creeped out and HAD to read it so be warned about that one.

From Mallory: There’s a tool that I had no idea existed that’s literally changed my life. I was complaining to my sister about this sweater that I had just bought from a neighborhood boutique that was getting pill-y REALLY fast. She waltzed to her room upstairs and handed me what I first thought was a sex toy, then she turned it on and rubbed it all over my sweater and the little pill stragglers got sucked up and it looked good as new. I was SHOOK, so now I need to get one for myself. NOTE I’ve tried it on a bunch of sweaters now and it works better on some than others, but regardless it will take away SOME sweater pills and make it look better than where you started. I’m a big fan.

From Arlyn: Okay, we’ve all heard Sara (and Brady, #throwback) sing the praises of the Thymes Frasier Fir candle but I’m here to tell you that the Thymes Frasier Fir essential oil is EVEN BETTER. The smell fills my entire 1,400-square-foot apartment and I don’t have to stress about leaving an open flame flickering if I leave the room for a bit. I’m a convert. 

From Albie: I honestly don’t know how I have survived as a wine drinking adult without an electric wine opener but after accidentally breaking our manual one, both my husband & I felt like it was time for an upgrade. Best $13 spent…maybe ever. I am not above a twisty cap wine bottle, but for the ones that come with a cork, this has been so clutch! Did I know what I was doing at first? Nope, not a clue. I made it way more complicated than it actually is and now it’s my new fav kitchen gadget. 

From Jess: Since I’m 99.9% my brother has never read this blog without me sending him a link, I feel pretty safe saying what I got him for Christmas. Let me first say that my brother LOVES to work out. We are different:) So when I asked his fiancé what he wanted for Christmas she said that these trainers were at the top of his list. If you also have a gym living person in your family I feel that my brother loving this brand means it’s a really good one. The man likes to research.

From Ryann: Guys. I’m in love (with my new duster) and I don’t care who knows it!!! My home gets so incredibly dusty because A) we have a dog who sheds an absurd amount and B) we have a lot of shelves and crannies that collect heaps of dust. But all that is no match for this duster and my home is 10000x cleaner because of it.

That’s all from us folks! Wishing everyone safe and happy holidays. We are so grateful for all of you! See you next week xx

Opening Image Credit: Design by Orlando Soria | Photo by Zeke Ruelas | via Architectural Digest

The post The Link Up: The Novel Emily Read in 24 Hours, Ryann’s Life-Changing Duster, and The $13 Kitchen Essential We Never Knew We Needed appeared first on Emily Henderson.

My So-Called Hair – The Brian Henderson At-Home Haircut Story

On August 25th 1994, something happened that changed the course of my carefree fifteen-year-old life. A certain show aired that night on the American Broadcasting Network and a certain unsuspecting about-to-be sophomore was caught in a gut-wrenching tornado of feelings. It was an emotionally wrought show, starring an emotionally wrought Claire Danes, who was navigating the emotionally wrought landscape of being a fifteen year old in high school. That show of course was My So-Called Life, and this so-called masculine-teen-dude was crushed like a can by it. From the first glimpse of the misunderstood Angela, defiantly dying her hair red, to the mysterious hunk eating bologna in her kitchen, I couldn’t get enough of this new bizarre feeling tugging at my insides. It was like I had discovered a new wistful color and I wanted to dip myself in it. Although if you were to ask any of my dude-bro friends at the time, they would never have known. I mean, what kind of meathead-brawny-boy admits that he counts the seconds until he can get lost in the next episode of a tempestuous, unrequited love story? What kind of jocky-gridiron-guy lets himself roil in the anguish of Angela’s mistaken glance from Jordan Catalano? This guy.

I mean. It was a soap opera for my age range, and I was sooooo there for it. I couldn’t wait for the weekly whisper of, “Go. Now… Go!” in the opening theme song, because it meant I was about to feel so many new feels. The way they explored teenage angst felt so real to me, even if it wasn’t my own circumstances, it still captured the ‘why-do-I-feel-sad’ -ness that had come with turning fifteen and starting high school.

For an emotionally out-of-touch fifteen-year-old boy (i.e. every fifteen-year-old boy?) this was the first time that I felt like I was allowed to privately explore any sort of real emotional depth. How sad is that? That teenage boys are so closed off sometimes that it takes a melodramatic TV show to let them know it’s ok to feel emotions. But that’s what the show did for me. I couldn’t put it into words at the time, but looking back, it allowed me to admit that I had some melancholy or some kind of angsty sadness in my life that wasn’t an abnormality or a red flag, it was just part of being fifteen. And guess what? It feels really good to revel in that for an hour a week. And boy did I revel. I mean, I wanted to liiiiive in that show. The only problem was, I didn’t know who I wanted to be more – I mean, Angela had all that turmoil and anguish, which I could somehow relate to, even if I didn’t know why. But then there was Jordan Catalano.

I think I may have talked about Jordan Catalano on here before, but let me just re-iterate – Jordan Catalano was the most beautifully brooding character I had ever seen, and hence, I wanted to be him. Like, no joke, I created my whole high school look based on him. I got a suede sherpa jacket, I wore jeans with holes, flannels with open sleeves dangling past my wrists, and most importantly, and why I’m writing this overly-verbose intro here… I grew my hair long. 

Starting sophomore year, my hair was full-Catalano. It was down to my shoulders, parted in the middle, thick and full and brown. It became a defining characteristic for me. I loved it. I kept it despite all the maintenance and the not-so-coded insults my football coaches hurled at me for four years. Even when the long-hair thing was kinda over by ‘97, I still didn’t cut it. I didn’t want to let go of the notion that I was deeper than I was. If that makes sense. I associated the long hair with an idea of like, uniqueness sure, but also an indicator of an emotional life that I had learned to nurture. Also, being the quarterback with hair down to your shoulders was pretty damn cool. I’m just as vain as anyone, guys. I ended up cutting it all off when I got cast in my first play at U of O, and at that point I was ready to join the crowd of normies. I never had long hair ever again. Until the pandemic hit. 

At first, I just let my hair grow because there was a stay at home order and all of the barbers had shut down. Then it was because I was just too lazy to cut it myself. Then sometime around August, it became an active growing. My hair had gotten to a length that was stepping out of ‘shaggy’ and into ‘long’ again, and that got me excited. So I told Emily that I was going to grow my hair until there was a vaccine. It was my little way to answer any questions about it, while secretly waiting for it to get back to it’s Catalano glory. But there was a problem – in the twenty-five years since I first grew my hair long, a few things had happened physically. Namely, the little part down the middle that was so cute back then had become kind of a gaping chasm of scalp. The old hairline has been slowly rising like a modest woman in the 1800s lifting her skirt to reveal her ankles. But these ankles were desperate wisps of hair surrounded by creepy white scalp. In other words, no matter how much Finasteride and Rogaine I’ve tried using over the past few years, the hair on my forehead has thinned out so much that it really put a damper on my desperate attempt to re-live my long-haired glory days. 

Having long hair with a receding hairline, I mean, if you can pull it off, I tip my cover-it-up cap to you. But for me, it really didn’t work. Instead of stepping back into my cocky high school persona, I had sludged into like the guy who still has a garage band, years after it stopped being cute. 

But there was one little glimmer of hope – a baseball hat. Having the long hair pour out the back of a hat actually did look good! So like Ron Howard, I started wearing a hat everywhere. And Emily even admitted that it was a good look – long hair, waving down to my shoulders, a nice, manly beard sprouting on my face. I definitely felt like I was matching the terrain up here. I would drive to the post office in my hat and scruff, looking all burly mountain-man. I started noticing people would give a little more deference as they saw me pull up. Little did they know that this mountain man was blasting ‘Mirrorball’ by Taylor Swift (can we talk about ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’ please?) or his favorite Dick Pick (no, not that kind you perv, this kind) on the stereo. It was all a facade. I wasn’t really a mountain man. But as long as I kept my hat on, I could pass for one, and it felt really good. So the baseball hat became glued to my flimsy-haired head. Like, no joke, I never took it off.

Things got so bad that I started putting on a hat just to drink coffee in the mornings, or brush my teeth next to Emily at night. It came to a head last week when Emily and I had to shoot a thing for a sponsor, and I was supposed to be dressed nice for a Christmas cocktail. I had on a fancy cable knit sweater and slacks, and came downstairs, rocking my old garage band hair, and Emily said, “Hmmm…Maybe you can wear a hat?” We laughed, but I was crying on the inside. Not really. But we decided it was time.

To be fair, Emily would have let me grow it to my butt-cheeks if I had insisted it was important to me, or if I actually thought it looked good. But I didn’t, for two reasons: 1. I didn’t have the patience to actually try to style it or put product in it, so it was all puffed out frizz and wispy wires all day. It looked like a really enthusiastic, middle-aged Phish fan had left a concert and wandered into our house. And 2. I have a thing about trying to capture the glory days of my youth. It has led me to some pretty dark realizations about myself. In fact, I’m so interested in why men try to hang on to their youths, that I’ve actually begun writing a silly novel about it (more on that when it gets closer to being finished). So, once I came to terms with the notion that I was just growing my hair to feel like teen-Brian, it was adios muchachos. 

Em and I watched the first two minutes of a tutorial on youtube, got bored, and decided to just let ’r rip. The good news was that we were in quarantine for the foreseeable future so it didn’t really matter if it didn’t turn out well, I could always shave it and look like an enthusiastic, middle-aged Hoobastank fan had wandered in. So Emily got the scissors, I got the cocktails, and the kids got the spray bottle to shoot me with ice-cold water every twenty seconds. Aaaaaaaannd… 

It turned out really well! For her first time ever cutting a guy’s hair, Emily crushed it. I mean, yeah, she gave me bangs. And one side of those bangs is much longer than the other. But all in all, she did a much better job than I thought she was going to. I will definitely make an appointment at her salon again. This is such a better look, and I’m not putting on a baseball hat just to read in bed anymore. 

Also, you gotta check out this pretty hilarious video of the process (just wait for the ad to play):

Do I miss being Jordan Catalano? You bet your So-Called ass I do. But trying to recapture your youth can a dangerous thing, no matter how beautifully brooding it can be. I think it’s best to look back on our glory days like a boxed set of DVDs that we can take out and watch every once in a while. I don’t need to like dress up in cosplay and throw them a convention, I can just watch them and appreciate them for what they are. So now I can let myself get obsessed with a new series, one that’s a little more age-appropriate. I hear the Queen’s Gambit is good. But I’ll always stay in love with Angela and Jordan.

The post My So-Called Hair – The Brian Henderson At-Home Haircut Story appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Our Last Feel Good Bedroom Makeover This Year – A (Pre) Teen Jewel Box Of A Room

In case you aren’t following along this is our third and last (for now) feel good makeover – Holiday Style – this week working with blogger/designer Shavonda Gardner and supported 100% by Target. If you are just catching up here’s the quick story – Shavonda’s sister just moved near her after decades of living on opposite coasts. She has four kids and being a military ICU nurse works 12 – 14 hour shifts (Covid isn’t helping this situation – she’s been deployed twice for Covid relief) so furnishing and decorating her kid’s room couldn’t be her first priority. And any of you out there know what it takes to design a room – far more time, thought, and resources than you’d think so Shavonda knew she was going to help. As we were chatting on Zoom we decided to pitch the three rooms to Target and they said yes, enthusiastically. So off we went (months ago) brainstorming and ordering, all set for a Thanksgiving install/shoot. Covid spikes hit and I wasn’t able to travel to the install or shoot so Shavonda basically had to execute without me with the help of styling assistant Jordan (plus some production assistants). I literally can’t say ‘thank you’ and ‘I wish I could be there!’ enough. They did a great job and this room turned out to be quite the pre-teen jewel box for Ariyah.

Since they just moved in there wasn’t much other than this bed which nobody was a huge fan of (and was safely donated). Ariyah is 12 and she loves color (her favorite is neon green). Shavonda wrote more about it on her blog so go check it out! It was time to paint, decorate and of course give it a heavy dose of holiday.

The colors – that teal and yellow – simply POP. We knew we wanted that neutral bed and rug, and she chose this super sweet light blue wall color (it’s on the ceiling too). Then accented it with the bright teal and yellow. Since her favorite color is neon green, Shavonda figured that this bright yellow was a great way to bring in that vibe, but not neon necessarily.

They went to Target and Ariyah chose all of her own ornaments and pillows because while you don’t NEED a tree in your bedroom, it sure made them all really happy to have them. While the twin’s room was more playful and fun, Devin’s was totally Star Wars themed, Ariyah went with a cool blue and silver with a lot of glam.

Her desk needed its own tree, for obvious reasons. The desk isn’t available anymore, but that chair sure is.

I really love how it’s clearly a room for a soon to be teenager but that there’s still that playful whimsy that doesn’t make it feel too grown up.

I think we could all use a big ‘before and after’ to see how this was transformed in a week (with obviously a lot of planning and prep).

1. White Comforter Set | 2. Printed Flannel Sheet Set | 3. Wood/Metal LED Flush Mount | 4. Good Tidings Pillow | 5. Embroidered Christmas Tree Pillow | 6. Christmas Village Lumbar Pillow | 7. Velvet Tufted Quilt | 8. Scandinavian Upholstered Bed | 9. Holiday Embroidered Zebra Pillow | 10. Boucle Throw Pillow | 11. Glass Dry Erase Calendar | 12. Grid Wall Organizer | 13. Mixed Metallic Ornament Set | 14. Tabletop Christmas Tree | 15. Diamond Patterned Woven Rug | 16. Rattan Fan Back Chair | 17. Gold Wire Pencil Cup | 18. Desk Calendar | 19. LED Task Lamp | 20. Baby Yoda Snow Globe | 21. Perry Desk | 22. Unlit Tinsel Tree Figurine | 23. Wood & Enamel Church Figurine | 24. Seagrass Tripod Floor Lamp | 25. Pelham Vertical Dresser | 26. Countdown Garland | 27. Faceted Curtain Rod | 28. Velvet Curtain Panel

1. Pre-Lit Flocked Tree | 2. 10″ Glitter Snowflake Topper | 3. Glitter Snowflakes Ornament Set | 4. Acrylic Diamond Ornaments | 5. Silver & Blue Ornament Set | 6. Faux Fur Christmas Tree Skirt | 7. Turquoise Bead Garland | 8. Silver & Dark Blue Ornament Set

Not being able to finish the project (and trying to just facetime from here was a bummer), but Shavonda (with the help of Jordan) pulled these rooms together and they are so vibrant and fun. Designing and shooting during a pandemic is challenging. Trying to please 4 personalities with different requests wasn’t easy either. Shavonda was nominated ‘best sister’ and ‘best aunt’ by Ariyah, Devin, Isaiah and Jayden. Andrea said “I was filled with so much joy and love after seeing each room!” followed by “The kids ABSOLUTELY LOVEEE their rooms!” A huge thanks to Target for supporting these feel good makeovers that can make us all smile during this time. Now go read Shavonda’s blog post about the rooms and see other photos (and more personal anecdotes that I can’t give). xx

*Design by Shavonda Garnder
**Design Assistant: Jordan Ballenger
***Photos by Lisa and Gary Ashley

The post Our Last Feel Good Bedroom Makeover This Year – A (Pre) Teen Jewel Box Of A Room appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Shavonda Feel Good Makeover #2 – Devin’s Star Wars Themed Bedroom

Here we go again. Star Wars, bursts of red and, a daybed full of happiness for a very sweet 7-year-old boy. In case you missed it, we revealed the first of three bedrooms on Tuesday that we did with Shavonda Gardner for her sister’s family, fully supported by Target. Today we have the second, Devin’s room and yes there is fun wallpaper, a black ceiling, and painted red trim and door. It’s definitely the boldest of the three makeovers as Shavonda really pushed it. And while I still haven’t been able to see it for myself, THIS ROOM POPS. I think it’s my favorite (although Ariyah’s is really dreamy, coming at you on Friday).

In case you don’t remember this is what it looked like before they moved in, and they didn’t have much furniture.

A total blank slate, with white walls and new flooring and the smallest of the three bedrooms. Devin LOVES color RED and Star Wars – both requests made us very happy.

After a few months of planning and a week or so of install (thanks to Shavonda and Jordan – sadly I had to cancel traveling up there because of Covid) the room was ready for Devin to take over.

First off, Target sells this Star Wars removable wallpaper that is SO CUTE. We were wondering how we were going to bring this element in, in a way that was frankly cool and not super loud and riddled with logos. This wallpaper was actually perfect and checked off every one of our boxes.

To save room we chose this daybed to keep the space as open as possible, which gave Shavonda a great place to throw some very cheery holiday pillows.

When we were choosing paint colors, Shavonda had the idea of painting the molding, trim, and door a bright red, which I LOVED. But when she wanted the ceiling to go black I got a bit scared, thinking there was enough happening already. But I was WRONG. That ceiling had such impact in the room without adding a lot of busyness and from what I can tell in the photos it balanced everything out.

Having the ceiling go black really made the light fixture really POP, too, and it could have gotten lost against a white ceiling. And yes she mixed the gold (sconce) with the silver which worked really well with all the other tones in the room and felt kinda space age-y.

See how fun the red door and trim are??

Devin picked out all of his ornaments on his Star Wars tree and Shavonda filled it in with some simple white, black, and red balls. I imagine that they are going to be so happy every year revisiting the ornaments they chose. I love the idea of them all being ‘set up’ for the holidays from here on out (and so easy on Andrea).

That RUG. When he requested a lot of red I knew we could bring it in in the holiday decor. But without red walls or red bedding (which feels questionable), I was worried until I found this rug on Target.com and we FELL IN LOVE. I like that it isn’t solid red, has a fun Moroccan pattern that works really well with the wallpaper.

You are looking at the most popular Auntie in the world, Shavonda Gardner. She wrote about the room yesterday and has more insight on Devin and more about her process.

1. Daybed With Storage | 2. Rug | 3. Star Wars Wallpaper | 4. ‘Letters To Santa’ Pillow | 5. Red Stripe Pillow | 6. Red Plaid Pillow | 7. Jersey Comforter Set | 8. Red Plaid Sheets | 9. Ceiling Light Fixture | 10. Tassel Garland | 11. Nightstand | 12. Santa Mailbox | 13. Snow Globe | 14. White Rotating Tinsel Christmas Tree | 15. Snow Blanket | 16. Sconce | 17. Black and White Plaid Pillow | 18. Snowflake Square Pillow | 19. Merry Christmas Lumbar Pillow | 20. Santa Hanging Advent Calendar | 21. Curtain Rod | 22. Small Camper Decorative Figurine | 23. Dresser | 24. Mirror | 25. Nutcracker | 26. Curtain | 27. Stocking Holders (set of 4)

1. Silver Ornaments (set of 8) | 2. Black Ornaments (set of 4) | 3. Star Tree Topper | 4. Artificial Tree | 5. Darth Vader Christmas Ornament | 6. Green and Red Tinsel Christmas Garland | 7. Light Gray Ornaments (set of 8) | 8. Tree Skirt | 9. Red Truck Ornament | 10. Red Tinsel Garland

A huge thanks to Shavonda (and Jordan) for executing this without me, it wasn’t how it was supposed to go, but even with all the craziness of the month it looks SO GOOD. And thanks again to Target for supporting this Feel Good Makeover. I hope that it does make you all indeed, feel good. Stay tuned for the final room on Friday. xx

*Design by Shavonda Garnder
**Design Assistant: Jordan Ballenger
***Photos by Lisa and Gary Ashley

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The Essential Worker Gift Guide – If There’s Any Group That Deserves A Gift Right Now It’s These Heroes

Welcome to our final gift guide of 2020 and folks, I believe we saved the best for last. This one is special to me because I got to interview some of my dear friends that are HEROS, ask them what would make them feel loved and cared for this year, and call it work. Although the inspiration for this gift guide is a result of horrible circumstances, I hope it can help you give (or receive) something extra thoughtful this year. Let’s get to it.

Nurses & Healthcare Workers

My best friend, Jamie, whom I’ve known since literal birth is an ER nurse and her boyfriend Connor is a nurse in the ICU. It’s safe to say they have stressful jobs during a “normal” year, but Covid 19 has certainly exacerbated their everyday work stressors. To put it in her own words, “[The most challenging thing is] the patients are sicker and there are more of them! This puts pressure on us to provide more complex care for a higher influx of patients. In the ER we are getting one sick patient after another, we can’t go a night without having to perform multiple intubations (breathing tubes) for these sick & hypoxic (low oxygen) Covid patients. This makes nurses become “on edge”, thinking to ourselves “will we ever have a normal night again??”. In the ICU where Connor works, the patients are also very sick, but since family can’t come see the patients it’s more sad for him since he sees patients take on this virus pretty much alone. Also, the “no visitors” rule has made everything even more stressful. Family cannot come back to the ER even to help their grandmother communicate with staff if she doesn’t speak English (for example).”

From Connor: “Another tough thing is how all of it is compounded by the fact that isolation and other precautions seem like such obvious measures to us yet we have to argue for these points and defend them to people who don’t agree with us. Feeling like the entire country is working against you makes all the hard moments even harder because you know it’s not gonna be over any time soon.”

Guys, I don’t know about you but this makes me want to somehow give every nurse and healthcare worker and entire year off and a million dollars. But since I can’t do that, Jamie gave me some really amazing gift ideas that will make them feel loved and cared for.

1. Travertine Spa Steam Shower Spray | 2. Cypress CBD Balm | 3. Oil Diffuser + Essential Oil Relax Blend

1. Travertine Spa Steam Shower Spray : Eucalyptus shower spray makes your shower feel like an actual spa and helps relieve stress and sinus congestion
2. Cypress CBD Balm: This CBD balm or any CBD product can help ease anxiety and promote relaxation which Nurses can never get enough of.
3. Oil Diffuser + Essential Oil Relax Blend: Nothing is more soothing than an essential oil diffuser and a relaxing lavender blend and this oil diffuser from Target is both minimal and chic (and only $28!).

1. FlashPatch Rejuvenating 5-Minute Eye Gels | 2. Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm | 3. The Body Lotion

1. FlashPatch Rejuvenating 5-Minute Eye Gels: Eye masks for those long overnight shifts are lifesavers and these ones are great because they are 5-minute ones so they could be applied during break.
2. Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm: Aesop hand lotion is expensive (BUT SO GOOD) and I can’t think of anyone more worth splurging on.
3. The Body Lotion: I’ve heard so many people (aka influencers) rave about Neccessaire products and this body lotion is supposed to be the best for all skin types.

1. P.F. Candle Co. – Sunset Candle | 2. Garden Mint Candle | 3. No. 06 Neige de Printemps Candle

1. P.F. Candle Co. – Sunset Candle: I simply can’t imagine the smells that nurses are in contact with day to day, so a great smelling candle is a much-appreciated gift for them to come home to. I absolutely love this candle and recommend it to everyone. It smells fantastic and the tin vessel can even be used as decor when the candle is all gone.
2. Garden Mint Candle: Here is a rec from Sara which she describes as “herby, but not floral, minty, but not like a pack of gum. It’s like mint mixed with soil wet from a summer rain, and old bookstore on a crisp overcast fall day.”
3. No. 06 Neige de Printemps Candle: This candle is another one of Sara Tramp’s favorite and she loves candles more than anyone I know so you know it’s gonna be good.

1. Winc Wines | 2. Pink Esme Glassware and Coaster Gift Set | First Leaf Wines

It’s official, nurses love wine! At least I know my nurse bff does :). I can’t wait to have wine nights with her again and since there is no such thing as too much wine, a wine club subscription would be a wonderful gift, or a single bottle of wine and new wine glasses is also a great move no matter what.

1. YETI Rambler 20 oz Tumbler | 2. Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug | 3. Purist Mover Vacuum Water Bottle with Element Top  | 4. Kokeshi Nurse Travel Mug

Travel coffee mugs are always welcomed gifts as nurses are working 12-16 hours shifts sometimes back to back so caffeine is essential. Also, reusable water bottles are never a bad thing because they need to stay hydrated during those long shifts!

1. Lapel Pins | 2. Seabrook Jacket | 3. Women’s Micro D® Fleece Jacket

Nurses can put pins on their badges and these ones from Etsy are very cute and sentimental. Also, work jackets with lots of pockets are necessary for trauma shears, pens, tape, note pad, etc. Jamie says these Patagonia and Columbia ones are Nurse go-to’s.

Lastly, Jamie suggested “Notes of love & support from close family and friends to look at when work gets tough and you need a little motivation.” UM YES. This is everyone at EHD’s favorite thing to gift. It’s so sweet and you can make it a double git by putting your notes in a beautiful vessel or mug.

Teachers

Here in California, teachers are still doing distant teaching for the most part and it’s not how anyone prefers to teach or learn so adjusting to this has been especially stressful. To get the whole picture, I spoke with my cousin and best friend, Makena, about what her and her students have been going through this year:

From Makena: “I think the biggest challenge for me and my students is not having the same class community and connections. For example, we can’t hug, high five, or fist bump when someone does something great or greet each other in the morning. We still celebrate the students but it just looks different and doesn’t feel the same. Also, being able to hold students accountable is more challenging. I can tell a student 100 times a day to turn their camera on or turn in their work but they still won’t because they aren’t physically in front of me which ultimately leads to a loss of learning for them.”

I can scarcely imagine what that is like so besides oh I don’t know…UNIVERSALLY BETTER PAY what do teachers really want this year?? (hint: it’s not just Starbucks gift cards).

1. Coffee and Espresso Maker Bundle with Aeroccino Frother | 2. Retro Mini Fridge | 3. Keurig K-Mini Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker

1. Coffee and Espresso Maker Bundle with Aeroccino Frother: A Nespresso machine is a baller gift and if you can swing it and any teacher would be forever grateful.
2. Retro Mini Fridge: A lot of teachers are doing their zoom classes in their own classrooms, and Makena said having a mini fridge in her classroom when she’s teaching from there would be a dream!
3. Keurig K-Mini Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker: This a miniature Keurig that could totally fit on a desk so it could be perfect for a home office or bedroom (if that’s their makeshift office for now).

1. Winc Wines | 2. Pink Esme Glassware and Coaster Gift Set | First Leaf Wines

Spoiler alert, teachers love wine too! Especially after this year, a bottle of wine or wine club subscription would be a much appreciated gift, and nice wine glasses are an added bonus.

1. Varia Sculptural Vase | 2. Heartleaf Philodendron | 3. Golden Coast Candle + Match Cloches | 4. Glass Mug

There are always little things you can give to a brighten a teacher’s day. But lately, things they can look at while they are teaching or grading that also make their space feel beautiful are extra special.

1. Varia Sculptural Vase: A unique vase (perhaps filled with compliments??) is a beautiful gift.
2. Heartleaf Philodendron: Everyone needs plants in their home or office because they literally bring life to a space and make everyone happy.
3. Golden Coast Candle + Match Cloches: This is another candle that I love and these match cloches are stunning.
4. Glass Mug: These mugs are really chic and would be a super cute gift paired with coffee or yes, a Starbucks (or local coffee shop) gift card.

1. Michael’s Gift Card | 2. Target Gift Card | 3. Flair Pens

1. Michael’s Gift Card: Teachers are always dipping into their own pockets to make their students learning experiences better. A gift card to Michael’s or any craft store will absolutely save them some money.
2. Target Gift Card: Like I said, teachers absolutely need better pay, but since we can’t control that before the end of the year, a gift card to Target is great because they can buy school supplies OR treat themselves to something special.
3. Flair Pens: Makena uses these pens all the time for grading and other projects and says she can never have too many of them!

And lastly, because I know that distant learning and teaching is extremely stressful and difficult, I asked Makena what parents can do to help make it a little easier. She said, “I always ask parents to have open communication with me. Some of them are at home with their children and they might be able to tell if their child isn’t understanding the work quicker than I can through a screen. Reach out in a supportive and kind way and let us know your kid is having trouble! We want to help. Also, try not to take out the frustrations of the pandemic/being at home with your children all day on us. We want to be back in the classroom with your kids & we have no control over when we are able to do so!”

Delivery Drivers

My fiancé Rocky works for a fastener warehouse and since they are supply chain company, their doors have been open this entire year. As is the case for every essential business, the new protocols and regulations simply make work more stressful. A lot of workers are forced to essentially relearn their jobs and add additional tasks to their plates. In Rocky’s case, he wears many hats including delivering orders to customers, and customer service is certainly affected (i.e. having to set packages outside instead of face to face) and pragmatically speaking, normally he would be able to go into a business and use the restroom or wash his hands which is no longer the case due to new restrictions. From Rocky: “On my route, I basically know where all the Targets are because I know I can stop there and use the restroom without being hassled”. While that’s a niche problem for sure, it’s things like this that us nonessential workers would probably never think of! And no, I can’t do much about the lack of restrooms, so I asked what are some small things that would make his and his coworker’s work/life a little easier during this time.

1. Compression Socks | 2. Gel Insoles | 3. Nike Cortez

1. Compression Socks: Compression socks can keep your legs from getting tired and achy. They can also ease swelling in your feet and ankles which is something probably every essential worker could use.
2. Gel Insoles: Yes, delivery drivers drive a lot (obviously) but they often have to walk around and lug packages too. GOOD gel insoles are an amazing stocking stuffer or gift.
3. Nike Cortez: Rocky has these sneakers and wears them to work often. They are just very comfortable and have great support, plus they look good.

1. Yeti Cooler | 2. Face Mask | 3. Bento Box

1. Yeti Cooler: Drivers often have to eat out for lunch because they are in their trucks/vans all day. A cooler lunch box would be a great gift so they can keep their perishable lunch foods fresh.
2. Face Mask: Apparently, this mask is great for working out which makes me believe it would be perfect for any essential worker. It is made with cooling technology which is ideal when you have to wear a mask for prolonged periods.
3. Bento Box: This is a bento box that would be a great gift for anyone who wants to start bringing lunch to work every day. It is great for leftovers and paired with a lunchbox or reusable water bottle would be an amazing gift!

If you don’t personally know a delivery driver, this year it might be nice to gift your postal worker or amazon delivery guy a little gift if you can swing it! Even homemade cookies or a gift card would make anyone feel seen and cared about:)

Retail & Food Industry Workers

Retail and food industry workers are unsung heroes. Think the cashier at your grocery store, the Postmates delivery person, the waiter or waitress at your favorite restaurant. All of these workers are putting their lives and loved ones at risk just so the rest of us can get the things we want and need. Additionally, with restaurants opening and shutting down constantly here in California, the emotional and financial whiplash is doubly exhausting. Another best friend of mine Fiona, (YES ALL MY FRIENDS ARE HEROS), works in a restaurant and over the course of this year I’ve been witness to the struggles she’s experienced in her industry. With customers on edge and at times noncompliant, customer service is extra difficult. Plus she’s forced to wear a mask for 8 hours straight which is uncomfortable and unpleasant, and it seems waiters and waitresses are just underappreciated and overworked. Fiona is seemingly ALWAYS working double shifts that are short-staffed and since seating is limited her restaurant is even busier than normal. I WANT TO JUST TAKE AWAY ALL THAT STRESS but can’t which is the worst. Instead, I asked her what gifts would bring some joy and relief for her and other food industry/retail workers.

From Fiona: “I really appreciate locally made items and I think others would too. A lot of people don’t realize there are so many cool items made near them or from places they’re from and it’s a fun surprise to find out that your gift is made locally. It makes it that more special!’

I love that idea so much so please do that if you can safely. But since everyone’s “local” is different here are some other options that you can buy online.

1. Heating Pad | 2. Massage Gift Card | 3. Foam Roller | 4. Bath Bomb

When you are on your feet all day your body suffers. Working at a restaurant or in retail somehow can make EVERY INCH of your body sore. A heating pad is great for lower back pain and a roller can help ease leg muscle pain and cramps. When massages are a thing again, a massage gift card is amazing but in the meantime, good bath bombs are almost as good as a relaxing spa day.

1. Robe | 2. Stripe Pajama Set | 3. Boyfriend Jogger | 4. Goodee Hoodie

1. Robe: When I worked in a restaurant, I would shower as soon as I got home to get that overwhelming grease smell off my body. I am sure I am not the only one, and nothing is better than putting on something uber comfy like this plush robe after a rejuvenating shower.
2. Stripe Pajama Set: I love matching pajamas so I may be biased, but I think pajama sets are so lovely to have and make you feel put together even after a hard day.
3. Boyfriend Jogger: I have these joggers and they are so soft and cozy. They also hold their integrity well and I should know because I am a very restless sleeper, but when I sleep in them they don’t stretch out as much as my other ones do.
4. Goodee Hoodie: I think this hoodie is so cute and it’s co-designed by Goodee and Kotn, which are both awesome sustainable brands.

1. Flowers | 2. Card | 3. Cocktail Kit | 4. Milk Bar Gift Box

1. Flowers: Sending flowers to someone, especially when you can’t see them in person, is such a special gift. Plus it’ll brighten up their day and home.
2. Card: A handwritten note letting them know you care and are proud of them is so special. I love this one that says “Until we hug again” on the front.
3. Cocktail Kit: A cocktail kit is always a fun gift. If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant or in retail you know a stiff one is almost required after a long shift.
4. Milk Bar Gift Box: This is a sampler gift box from Milk Bar who make the most delicious cookies, but an even sweeter gift is personalizing a gift box with their favorite drinks and snacks. Fiona and her boyfriend always do this for each other on birthdays and it’s very cute and thoughtful.

1. Blanket | 2. Eye Mask | Oil Diffuser + Essential Oil Relax Blend

1. Blanket: This blanket is so cozy (my mom has one and I love using it when I am over at my parent’s house) and blankets, in general, are great gifts because they can be expensive but you can never have enough of them.
2. Eye Mask: Eye masks are great for people who work late nights thus sleep in late and this one by Lunya is made with moisturizing silk AND doubles as a headband that you can use while washing your face.
3. Oil Diffuser + Essential Oil Relax Blend: Again, a diffuser and essential oils are so great to have when you are having a tough day (ahem, or year).

Last but not least, everyone I spoke with said they’d love Postmates, Doordash, or Grubhub gift cards. Working in such circumstances means cooking a meal is sometimes unthinkable but ordering food can be expensive, so these gift cards are always welcome.

These are just the few essential workers that I know and love, but of course, there are many more industries/workers/people in general that are working SO HARD not to mention those that have lost their jobs due to the virus. If you know other essential workers (or are one–we see you and THANK YOU) ask them what would make them feel loved this year and please, as always, let us know in the comments if you can.

Now I have to give a HUGE OVERWHELMING THANKS to my three best friends for first being goddesses and angels of this earth, and also for making this gift guide possible. I can’t wait to squeeze you all. xx

Opener Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: How to Bring “Winter” In (Without Going Full Holiday…Yet) With Target

The post The Essential Worker Gift Guide – If There’s Any Group That Deserves A Gift Right Now It’s These Heroes appeared first on Emily Henderson.