Emily Henderson's Blog, page 196

Our Backyard Evolution – The Changes I Didn’t Tell You About And How The Trees Are Doing After The 2017 Massacre

Four years in this backyard and many many memories made. The nature scavenger hunts, snow cone parties, but mostly just the kids having total freedom from us helicoptering since it’s just so safe. The things you want as a parent seem so boring, but once you become one you realize that all you/I want is a flat, fully enclosed, shady (in the summer) backyard that feels like a park so you never have to load the kids in the car to run around on grass. And this one delivered. With the slide, rock pit, and swing set, the kids have to much to do. I realized as we were shooting the backyard recently that there were a few things we changed since the original reveal that you simply must know about.

Here’s what it looked like when we bought the house. It was shady and flat (not tiered – very usable space) with old-growth trees and a swing set.

We loved it when we saw it. And fun fact, the cement pad to the right in that photo is actually covering over cement from 100 years ago because back then you just, yep, burn your own trash in your backyard. We thought it was a pond, but nope – trash pit!! Of course, back then their “trash” was like food, wood, and paper, before plastic or anything too toxic. Imagine if we all had to be fully responsible for our own waste and trash?

The Tree Saga

As a reminder, to those of you not fully stalking my mental health throughout the years… right after we closed on the house we had our wonderful gardener come “trim” the trees. It was 95 degrees in August. I had a 9 month old and 2-year-old – both wildly fair-skinned. We were moving from a house that had a deck overlooking a cliff (for a backyard) west facing and pretty vulnerable to the sun – we literally bought the house for the shade. I’m from rural Oregon where my childhood was surrounded by greenery and yes, so many trees. You know where this is going.

I popped by the house to check on the renovation and found the trees in the above condition. Butchered. And it felt like a sauna. I was truly horrified and the sounds that came out of my mind reminded me only of the last contraction of Charlie’s natural birth. I wrote a whole post about it here (the trees, not the birth but you can read about that here) but in short, I’ve never in my life had such a physical and emotional reaction to something seemingly so trivial – thus revealing my true level of privilege.

Our poor gardener (who we LOVED) felt HORRIBLE – clearly we hadn’t communicated well and he wasn’t the only one at fault. I learned the hard way what “tree trimming” means and you guys THAT PHRASE NEEDS TO BE REBRANDED. It’s truly more of a butchering to help future growth and health of the tree, but for about a year it looks like all the limbs have been cut off at the shoulder. Anyway. Because of that, I went ALL OUT on the landscaping. We planted like 4 trees (two of which have grown so big!) and a lot of plants.

So 3 years ago we revealed all we had done and I split up into a few different posts (this was when I realized how popular exterior design posts are as they were 3 of the top 10 posts of the year). I wrote about the castle, the landscaping, and of course the reveal.

Here she was in 2017 – after we landscaped and ready for her reveal:

And here she is now. There are a few basic changes – the trees on the perimeter that we planted grew much taller in the three years (which is great because it blocks a newer apartment building) and when we originally shot it it was early spring so it was more lush and flowering (opposed to our below august shoot).

You’ll notice that the trees are BACK. Not only were they back but our real estate agent told us we needed to TRIM (shaky/horror movie font please) them back substantially and lift all the canopies before it went on the market. Obviously, because of my previous tree trauma, I was very NERVOUS but they had grown a LOT and yes, it was mostly shady (thus making it hard for the grass to grow). I insisted on being there along with Howard, our real estate agent, and we carefully chose each branch. They would bend it so we could visually see how it would look without them and then I would nod or give it a thumbs up. It took a couple of hours and admittedly it looked WAY better than it did that morning. I think we could have even clipped more to make it feel bigger and brighter, but I was so nervous, truly, to go any further. By the end, I was being very liberal with my thumbs up and it made me realize how we need to do it at the mountain house because the canopies are like 3′ off the ground (which is actually a very dangerous fire hazard. Update: FIXED!

So yes everything grew taller and aged as they do – some plants overtook others, some didn’t thrive where they were planted (once the shade grew in they didn’t get enough sun – OH THE IRONY). But besides that, there were a few changes that I don’t think I officially blogged about.

We Painted The Castle



photo by jason frank rothenberg | from: 6 quick & easy tricks for a fun 4th of july party (that look like you tried)

A few years ago I had a partnership with Wood Naturally and they wanted us to show off the grain of the wood and so I left it stained, but later I realized that I wanted it to be painted the same trim color as the house (Down Pipe by Farrow & Ball). I liked it a lot more as it kinda just receded and didn’t pop out as much.

The Garden Bed

As my souping and general domestic homestead personality reared its apron, we built a veggie garden. I was able to use it for last spring/summer and my gardener put drip irrigation in it.

The Hammock



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our backyard makeover – the final reveal

We originally designed this stone pad as a sitting area, 1-2 chairs for reading. But the kids took over and the last year we had a picnic table here (from this shoot). We would do arts and crafts on it and of course, eat.

But Howard suggested that we make it less “kid” and so I brought down one of our hammocks from the mountain house and I cried tears of regret for all the years that I could have been gently swinging in a hammock (if you are in the market we did a big hammock roundup post here).

The last thing that we did that we were on the fence about was replace the sod. Because it was so heavily shaded (because I didn’t trim the trees in 4 years) it was patchy. So we spent $3k to replace it and it looks so green and fresh (although it needed a mow in these photos, but you can’t mow it for a bit).

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our backyard makeover – the final reveal

All in all, I still LOVE this garden/back yard. The kids still play in the rock pit and on the swings. So many naked sprinkler sessions, ninja moves, picnics, birthday parties, forts, and flower picking sessions. And the number of times our friends have said “this is the easiest yard to parent in” is uncountable. We just sit at the patio table and know they are safe without us needing to actually watch them.

Here’s a little trip down memory lane (many involve people together, without masks which is just so odd to see now!)

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our backyard makeover – the final reveal



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a backyard summer snow cone soiree

From our “back to school snowcone party“. It looked so cute!!!

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a backyard summer snow cone soiree



photo by jason frank rothenberg | from: 6 quick & easy tricks for a fun 4th of july party (that look like you tried)

Remember our 4th of July feature in Rachel Ray? So many scavenger hunts…

photo by jason frank rothenberg | from: 6 quick & easy tricks for a fun 4th of july party (that look like you tried)



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: charlie’s superhero birthday party

We had nearly every birthday party back here for the last 3 years because it was so much easier than schlepping to a park (Remember going all out for birthday parties? I actually think I might decorate a lot this year only because it’s so fun to do with the kids and without a lot of friends decoration feels festive and special).

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: charlie’s superhero birthday party

I never posted about birdie’s rainbow-themed party but it was full of white cloud clusters and rainbow streamers (so cheap, cute, and high impact).

Time for someone else to enjoy this place. We sure loved it HARD for four years and the kids talk about it all the time. Clearly happy memories were solidly imprinted, and not just on them

What Magazines Do You Love?

Growing up, I was obsessed with magazines. I was especially loyal to New Moon, a magazine for girls written by girls. At the time (the early 2000s), it was published in black and white — honestly, more like cream and sepia, if my memory serves me correctly — and it had no photographs, only illustrations, but I would sit down and devour it from cover to cover. I was a weird kid and had trouble making friends at school and New Moon was a lifeline for me. (To be fair, I’ve recently reviewed some photos of myself from that time, and ah, yes, I get it. Not gonna say it was deserved, but…)

ANYWAY. This is not a post about my embarrassing childhood photos. (Should it be, though?) Sitting down with this magazine every month was one of the few things that helped me feel less weird and less alone. I even flew down to Florida one year for New Moon’s summer camp, where I met a ton of other cool and smart girls who went on to do incredible things in adulthood. (If you’re a parent with a girl 8-12, I can’t recommend New Moon enough!!!)

The other thing that brought me solace every week? The People magazine crossword puzzle. I don’t know what it was about the crossword, but I loved doing it — even after I moved out, my mom kept back issues in a basket near the dining table so I could fill them out when I’d come home for the holidays. 

I think these magazines both provided a bit of a safety net — structured leisure time, where I could disconnect from the world and my seemingly-insurmountable tween problems — and BOY. Looking back, I WANT THAT AGAIN. (Except for, you know, turns out that my tween problems were surmountable and now I have adult problems.) So in the throes of 2020, I found myself re-engaging with an old love: I started re-subscribing to magazines. 

AND Y’ALL, I LOVE IT. After spending 6 months straight sitting in my dining room and staring at my desktop 7 days a week, the reprieve I get from getting into my comfy chair, grabbing some wine, opening a magazine, and reading it cover-to-cover — including the articles I wouldn’t have clicked on if I had seen them in the wild on the internet — has been downright luxurious. What was once relegated to an a la carte purchase in the checkout aisle or at the airport has been upgraded to a mainstay in my life…and I enjoy it so much that I’m making the time for *a few* more reads in my weekly schedule. 

The bonus kicker: I also literally just discovered that you could subscribe to magazines from Amazon and manage everything from your prime account, which was the final nail in my coffin — a year of Real Simple for $5! A year of Better Homes & Gardens for $5! A year of Martha Stewart Living for, you guessed it, $5! —  and now I need to know which ones are worth subscribing to. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITES? Here are mine so far…

Elle Decor ($10 Per Year)

I thiiiiink this may be my favorite design magazine that I’ve looked at because it’s a little more forward-thinking and bold. It feels a little bit quirky and kind of like a blog come to life, which is exactly what I love. (“Is Your Child a Decorating Dictator” is THE BEST HEADLINE OF ALL TIME.) I’m a pretty new subscriber but from what I can tell, I think it comes 9 times a year. They also just announced their new Editor in Chief, Asad Syrkett (formerly of Curbed), so I’m REALLY excited to see where they’re going.

Dwell ($49.99 Per Year)

Not through Amazon (sorry) buuuuut I originally subscribed to Dwell to get access to Dwell+ — it’s the only place I’ve found that’s published detailed renovation budgets in their Budget Breakdown series. This intel, to me, is absolutely worth the price of admission PLUS the print copy is beautiful and it only comes 6 times a year, so it doesn’t take up too much space.

The New Yorker ($99.99 Per Year)

MY OG. This is my longest-running subscription on the list. I know The New Yorker gets some flack for being dry, but I firmly disagree! It’s the only place where I can find actual news mixed with profiles and humor writing — there’s something for everyone in here. It comes weekly (occasionally biweekly) so this is the only one that’s really starting to pile up in my house. (Are y’all instant recyclers, or do you have a magazine rack set up? How do you wrangle these?)

House Beautiful ($15 Per Year)

House Beautiful was traditionally my airport magazine of choice — I used to fly monthly and I basically have the whole 2019 backlog in a still-zipped portion of my carry-on — but since that’s off the table, I had to subscribe. The photography is stunning, the content is actually timely, and 8 issues a year is an ideal amount. 

Architectural Digest ($29.99 per year) 

So extravagant and stunning!!! This one takes me the longest to get through because I spend a ton of time staring at the photos, then finding everything online, then pinning everything, THEN reading the actual copy. The homes are definitely all architecturally interesting — the whole magazine definitely leans more towards “rich and famous” than “making it work” — but WOW, it’s nice to dream about what my future home would look like if I were loaded and able to buy a beautiful fancy house. 

BUT OK. I think I have the time to dedicate to 4 or 5 more magazines on top of these, so what do you suggest???? WHAT’S GOOD?? I love news — I used to subscribe to The Economist, so I’m definitely considering that again — but what else is out there? Should I go for Em’s fav, The Atlantic? Grab 4 issues a year of my go-to inspo site, Domino? Is Reader’s Digest fun? Is Vanity Fair worth it? Bon Appetit? Wired? National Geographic? HGTV Magazine? What other home publications should I add to my reading list? WHAT SAY YOU???

PS. If you wanna triple down on your good work (since, ya know, you’re already supporting print journalists AND supporting the USPS), you can grab a carbon offset credit here for less than $5, which should offset the impacts of nearly 500 magazines

The Anatomy of an Entryway: 5 Foolproof Formulas AND Our Favorite Shoppable Picks

Sometimes a post really hits. And while we are ALWAYS pumped, we aren’t always sure what the exact magic sauce was (especially if it was a little unexpected aka not the mountain house kitchen). The latest of these was Emily’s entryway reveal. We looked at all of the data to come to the conclusion that maybe people are just really into their entryways right now. Which I actually get. A pretty entryway is psychologically important. Why? Well if it’s a mess when you leave then you are already bummed/stressed about seeing it when you get back. And when the first area you see when you get home is not the way you want it to look, it really can drag down your mood. Honestly, the world is in too much chaos to not have our homes bring us as much peace as possible, right? So while the boxes I need to put in the recycling dumpster and the large blanket I need to return to my dad are mocking me daily, when it’s clean, I LOVE walking into my apartment, seeing my entry and feeling a sense of calm (or as calm as 2020 will allow).

I want that for everyone. So I did the necessary EHD research, realized we have 5 favorite entryway formulas that we repeat ALL THE TIME, and then put together arguably too many shoppable options (I really couldn’t stop myself). So, no matter the size entry you have, you can come home, rip off that mask, take a deep breath, and feel peace because your entry is on point. No more clutter body.

But before we get into the formulas this is what we think every entry needs:

Function (because form is great until you have nowhere to throw your third pair of shoes that you can’t be bothered to take allll the way to your room)Mixed materials (for texture and visual interest)Varied levels (also for visual interest)



Formula #1: Bench + Basket + Wall Feature



photo by tessa neustadt | from: the 10 easy things in your space you could update this weekend

This one is one of the simplest because it only requires three elements and nothing electrical. However, it’s SO functional. I am a huge kick-your-shoes-off-the-moment you-get-home kina gal so having a shoe bin is imperative for me to have an “organized” entry. Emily is also very team shoe bin as shown above.

But first, let’s talk benches. The bench is your main piece and sets the tone for the rest of your house. So choosing the right bench will not only give you a great place to sit but also an awesome opportunity to show off your style (bonus points for cute pillows). These are some of our favorites:

1. Pax Black Natural Bench | 2. Wood & Steel Accent Bench | 3. Woven Rope Indoor Bench | 4. Askon Pill Shaped Wooden Bench | 5. Catch-all Storage Bench | 6. Walking Bench | 7. Shaker Dining Bench | 8. Georg Bench | 9. Skye Upholstered Bench | 10. Blue Upholstered Bench | 11. Verken Mid Century Modern Settee Bench | 12. küdd:krig HOME Capsule Bench

#1, #9, and #10 are awesome because their upholstered tops really make a bold and colorful statement. #5 is pretty great because it’s a bench and bin all in one so it’s perfect for smaller entries or simply for extra storage. But #4 (so affordable), #6, #7 and #12 take what could be a simple wooden bench and really make them into something SO special.

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | left from: how to bring “winter” in with target | right from: jess’ living room reveal

Large baskets are SUCH a good long term purchase. They can be used for a near limitless amount of things… heck, even as a pretty planter cover. I would just make sure for your entry, make note of the number of shoes that normally collect by your door and then adjust your basket size needs accordingly.

1. Garissa Khaki Basket | 2. HURRING | 3. Jaylin Blue Grey Round Sisal Basket | 4. Mercado Storage Basket | 5. Tall Striped Basket | 6. Big Sur Basket | 7. Large Banana Delilah Tote Basket | 8. Steele Canvas 1-1/2 Bushel Basket | 9. Tambo Basket | 10. Woven Seagrass Basket | 11. Silver Triangle Hamper | 12. Small Basket with Round Handles | 13. Seagrass Basket | 14. Merapi Storage Basket | 15. TAMADUNI

I LOVE #1, #4, #14, and #15 so much. But for those that don’t want to see any clutter, #11 with that cute lid is the way to go. However, #8 is the EHD classic and has multiple versions and colors (there’s even an option with wheels).

Hot Tip

Make sure your basket is a different height than the overall height of your bench... but keeping it shorter than the seat of the bench is our rec.

Formula #2: Entry Cabinet + Mirror + Sconce + Tall Vase



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

Next up, we have a formula with a bit more drama (and more closed storage). While a single basket is enough entry storage for some of us, if you have the space and want to up the storage, consider an entry cabinet. Sure you can’t sit on it. BUT it’s the ultimate catchall.

These are some great options…

1. Quinn Lacquer Entry Cabinet | 2. Delancey Accent Cabinet | 3. Clyde Mahogany Small Media Console | 4. Gabi Rattan Entryway Cabinet | 5. Houghtaling Accent Cabinet | 6. Libby Small Cabinet | 7. HEMNES | 8. Staci Buffet Table | 9. OSCURO | 10. Coles | 11. Industrial Storage Dresser | 12. Taberg Modern Wood Accent Cabinet | 13. Mid-Century Cabinet | 14. Nadia Display Cabinet | 15. Lap Credenza

You first want to think about your needs. Are you a drawer person where #7, #8, and #11 would be your go-to? Or would a cabinet with doors and bins inside be a better fit like, well the rest of these? I personally LOVE #3, #5, #9, and #15. Can you tell I have a hard time choosing my favorite of anything?

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | left from: bower’s living room reveal | right from: how we staged a house (to sell) with soul

1. Inman Venetian Accent Mirror | 2. Gold Rounded Tapered Mirror | 3. Corin Rattan Round Wall Mirror | 4. Palamos Rattan Mirror | 5. Round Decorative Wall Mirror | 6. Woven Mirror Artwork | 7. Beveled Hub Wall Mirror | 8. Yedinak Traditional Accent Mirror | 9. Perch Round Mirror With Shelf | 10. Wall Mirror | 11. MERON | 12. Acacia Wood Mirror | 13. Hub Modern and Contemporary Accent Mirror | 14. Victor Leather Mirror | 15. Gerald Large Round Rose Gold Wall Mirror

Mirrors and entryways are THE power couple. Art is wonderful and I will never vote against a beautiful piece of art. BUT a mirror is not only functional, so you don’t miss the fact that maybe you forgot to brush your hair as you hurry out the door, it also will reflect more light around your space. Also, you can easily “go big” without it looking overwhelming. For something classic and affordable, #5 is great. You may recognize #6 from this makeover we revealed this week:) I also have a real soft spot for #2 and #10.

design and photo by malcolm simmons

1. Berkshire Single Sconce with Linen Shades | 2. Base Sconce | 3. Double Cone Brass Bowtie Wall | 4. Krume Gold Metal White Glass Globe Wall Sconce | 5. Arney Sconce | 6. Leggero Champagne Pole Wall Sconce | 7. Claremont Milk Glass Cylinder Sconce | 8. Arc Mid-Century Sconce | 9. Wood Sconce | 10. Destello Sconce | 11. Arney Articulating Sconce | 12. Alabax Small Sconce | 13. Windsong Wall Sconce | 14. Black Vanity Light | 15. Matte Black Plug-In or Hardwire Wall Sconce

Now the sconces are probably my favorite part of this formula because I really love cool lighting. I mean look at Malcolm’s entry above! Those sconces are incredible. They are also nice for mood lighting at night when you only want some lights on (HOT TIP: install a dimmer if you can). But as for the roundup, I also love #2, #5, and #11 for something modern and #1, #10, and #12 for a more traditional look.

I didn’t include a tall vases roundup in this formula but I do later so get excited:)

Formula #3: Entry Cabinet + Table Lamp + Wall Art + Short Vase



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: sara’s living and dining room reveal

With this formula, it’s basically the little sibling to #2 but equally as great. You still have your wonderful cabinet but instead of a sconce you have a lovely table lamp (which personally is actually my favorite type of light) and instead of a tall dramatic vase you have a smaller more delicate one. Also, while a mirror is a solid go-to for an entry, you can’t forget about the power of art. You can choose something large, a few small pieces, or even a small gallery wall. No rules. That’s it so let’s shop!

1. Ivory Reactive Glaze Pedestal Vase | 2. Judy Jackson Tiny Stoneware Bottle | 3. Celia White Vase | 4. Large Stone Vase | 5. Sandy Mole Ceramic Table Vase | 6. Hand Turned Wood Bud Vase | 7. Beaded Bud Vase | 8. Little Gem Bud Vase | 9. Ceramic Vase | 10. Glossy Bottleneck Vase | 11. ORIGAMI | 12. Textured Ceramic Linework Vase

Vases (especially the shorter ones) are such a fun way to bring in personality to a design. #2, #5, and #7 are quietly bold which I love. Then #3, #11, #12‘s verticle ribbing is a fun but elegant accent.

photo by david tsay | from: my best friend’s los feliz home

1. Modern Totem Table Lamp | 2. Word Table Light | 3. Downbridge Table Lamp | 4. Bond Lamp | 5. Valencia LED Task Lamp | 6. O&G Jena Buffet Lamp | 7. Modern Wood Column Table Lamp | 8. Sullivan Table Lamp | 9. Hanna Pink Table Lamp | 10. Graduate Lamp | 11. Hayes Wireless Charging Table Lamp | 12. Rigdon USB Table Lamp

Hello, lover (in Carrie Bradshaw’s sultry voice)! #1 looks like it would give the most beautiful glow in the evening and for such a unique lamp, that price is not bad. #4 is one of Emily’s all-time favorites because well that blue lampshade is basically iconic at this point. BUT #11 and #12 both give off a beautiful light but will also charge your phone which seems GENIUS since you can charge your phone and easily grab it on your way out.

Formula #4: Tulip Table + Tall Vase



photo by christopher dibble | from: 12 tips to make a spec home, special…with max humphrey

This one is the most straight forward but does require you have a decent-sized entryway (and likely a mudroom to store your shoes). However in this photo, those stools might act as storage. VERY smart and sneaky, Max

Our Secret Closet Turned Play Nook

Today we have another reveal (a mini one), to cheer us up or at least distract us from the world right now – or perhaps the perfect place in which to crawl inside and stay til 2022! This hall closet had so much potential – it has the sweetest little window and a junction box for a sconce. We had a fantasy of putting in a secret bookshelf/door in the kid’s room that opened to this little nook, but we never did. Instead, we used it for seasonal coats with a rolling rack and just random storage.

I don’t think I ever took a “before” photo of this landing, but the original doors and doorframes were painted a dark brown, so we lightened them up with white paint, but otherwise, we didn’t really change this area too much.

Once we decided to make the former playroom into a den to sell the house, we realized that this would be the cutest little playroom, especially since it’s next to the kid’s room. So I brought the furniture that we already had up there. The play kitchen is from Pottery Barn and is SO CUTE, rocking horse from Target (Hearth & Hand 2 years ago) and of course our sheepskin from Article. All the kid’s pots and pans are Hearth & Hand, and my favorite wood food is here.

Sconce (similar) | Knit Banner | Play Kitchen | Rocking Horse (no longer available | Sheepskin Rug

The banner is from Lulu and Georgia but is no longer in stock there. Here it is from another source. I forget where I got that sconce years ago but it was super affordable (this one is similar). Fun/disgusting fact – the glass is clear, but the dust makes it look frosted in the photo. That’s where we are at these days…

Dollhouse

And then there is the dollhouse… that miniature building mocks me every time I see it because neither of my children want to decorate it with me. Maybe I don’t know HOW to play dollhouse with kids and need to reframe it, but they do not share the same miniature styling passion. In fact, when I threatened to give it to a our neighbor kid who would use it they both said, “Ok. We don’t like it” which if you have kids you know that generally the idea of giving away toys to another kid, even the toys they NEVER PLAY WITH is traumatizing and all of a sudden the previously neglected toy is “the most special thing to me”. So that’s how much they don’t want to play dollhouse with me. I even took Birdie to a dollhouse store in the valley and let her pick out miniature lamps, desks, and dolls to get her involved. Nope. Charlie made his opinion clear years ago when he used his action figures to destroy the living room and I got more upset than a mom should get about a 3 year old messing up my dollhouse fireplace vignette.

I’m sad that our kids likely won’t be able to enjoy this space for too much longer (they haven’t even seen it yet). But that’s how we turned our extra hall closet into a play nook (or would be a super cute zoom school – because that’s a thing now – our kids going to school in their closets!!). xx

In case you missed any of the other reveals so far check them out: The Living Room | The Kid’s Shared Bedroom | The Basement Guestroom/Office | Basement Bathroom | Elliot’s Room | Kitchen and Dining Room | The Entry | The Family Room | The Front Yard

**Reveal Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

The post Our Secret Closet Turned Play Nook appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Malcolm’s Deck Reveal: How He Created A Year-Round Outdoor Space

I’ve been…so excited…to share this. Summer might be coming to an end pretty soon, but that doesn’t mean that outdoor activities have to slow down! As a matter of fact, I prefer the autumnal months over the hot summer season. Cooler temperatures, slightly fewer mosquitos (did anyone else get EATEN ALIVE this year? sheesh), and beautiful foliage here in Virginia make autumn the season to beat. With that in mind, I’m excited to reveal the space that I’ll be experiencing it in from home!

If you recall allll the way back to July—which feels like a year ago—you might remember my grand plans for the back deck. I talked about a handful of components that I wanted to incorporate: zones, greenery, privacy, lighting, and layers. Let’s break down the “after” photos accordingly, shall we?! We shall.

ZONES

As a quick reminder, this is where I started out in July. A clean slate, a lonely fern, and some potting soil!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but pre-planning the layout of a space is CLUTCH. For clients and my own personal projects, I always sketch out a birds-eye view of a space as a baseline before picking out the fun details. I settled on this layout for my deck (after a few attempts):

…and for funsies, here is a birds-eye view of how the end result followed suit:

This layout allowed for three distinct zones—a lounging space, a bar cart/gardening zone, and a grill area—that feel separate, but connected. Let’s dive into the lounging space!

Lounge

I must say.

This bench. From Lulu and Georgia. Is EVERYTHING. I was counting on this piece to be the anchor for the entire space, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. It’s the perfect size for my small deck, but substantial enough to provide ample seating (and drama. I like drama).

The teak and brass details on this piece are immaculately intentional, and the seat—woven from hyacinth—is extremely soft and comfortable. This was the last piece I grabbed for the space, and it immediately brought everything together in the “collected and classic” style that I’m striving for throughout my home. I love design!

This little side table from Rejuvenation is perfect for this nook and provides an additional surface for when I’m entertaining friends. Or for when I’m cozied up here alone with a hot chocolate. Which is more likely.

An accent table and armchair from Article round out the seating area in a beautiful way. This is definitely an intimate space, and it feels as though it’s meant to be.

Bar

Moving on to the bar zone!

For my purposes on the deck, this bar cart from Article doubles as a libation station above, and a little gardening storage center below. I nabbed the amazing little gardening kit on the bottom shelf from Lulu and Georgia, and I certainly put it to good use while planting some greenery around the deck (more on that shortly!). Settling on the color for this piece was a happy accident. I initially wanted to incorporate a neutral colorway, but since it was out of stock, I pivoted to the green option. I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER THAT THIS HAPPENED. While I love a neutral moment, the green bar cart adds a necessary break from the black and brown tones throughout the rest of the space, while inherently speaking to the surrounding greenery in a very cool way.

Grill

Lastly, I’m digging this little grilling section on the other side of the deck. Some of you suggested that using a charcoal grill on a deck isn’t the best idea—thank you for that tip! It will live here when I’m not using it, but I’ll take it down to the ground whenever I do. Speaking of the ground…let’s talk about plants because I’m more excited than ever to discuss greenery.

GREENERY

Y’all. At the beginning of September, I had a very difficult week. I spent that Saturday outdoors—shopping for these plants and placing them in these BEAUTEOUS planters from Rejuvenation—and it was probably the best therapy I could’ve asked for. As I mentioned in my introductory post, I wanted the plants in this space to feel natural to the environment, and these planters support that concept to a tee. The big, gray, cement planters connect with the existing pavers and the gray tones in the ivy. Placing them amidst the ground cover makes them feel intentional and well-incorporated, and they give the entire backyard space a little more personality.

The black planter—also from Rejuvenation—fits perfectly next to my grill and gels with the neutral tones sprinkled about the space. I decided on coleus and creeping jenny plants for the planters. I love the vibrant punch of color that the coleus provides, and the “creep” of the creeping jenny feels like an authentic match for the ivy speckled throughout the yard.

Speaking of ivy! I decided to hang some on the privacy wall, since the horizontal slats were begging for some greenery as well.

PRIVACY

I mean. I could go on and on about this privacy wall. In fact, I have! Head over to that dedicated post to read all about how this wall came to be (side note: this view from my kitchen window makes me so happy).

It turned out better than I had hoped, and it really has provided the slight privacy that it’s intended to! It’s an interesting structural addition to the deck, but the mobility of it all makes it super versatile—especially for renters! 10/10 recommend taking the time to build this! If I can do it, you can do it! So much exclamation!

LIGHTING

Not only is the wall great for privacy, structure, and versatility, but it also allows me to hang up some lights! I grabbed these battery-operated string lights from Michaels, and honestly… they set things off in the best way possible. I was nervous about wires and cords messing up my clean aesthetic, so I was happy to stumble upon a battery-operated alternative. I used Command Velcro strips to attach the battery pack to the horizontal slats, and voila! Here is how they look in the evening:

Yes. That is all.

LAYERS

The last aspect of my design plan, but certainly not the least, is layering. I love an outdoor space that feels grounded in comfort, so it was important for me to incorporate rugs, pillows, and a lot of good visual texture. These pillows from Annie Selke and Lulu and Georgia are certainly doing a good job—and I love the repetition of horizontal lines that they’re enforcing in coordination with the slats of the privacy wall.

This is the first time that I’ve tried layering rugs, and I must say, I’m a fan! The bright tone of this rug from Annie Selke juxtaposes perfectly against the darker, larger rug underneath from Target.

Overall, I love this space. The great thing about choosing a mostly neutral palette is that it’ll last from summer to autumn without a problem, but I’m really digging this setting for cozy autumnal evenings this year. We should all still spending a ton of time at home these days, so why not make the most of it?

And there we have it! I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey with me over the last few months to makeover my deck—from planning, to a fun DIY project, to this final reveal. Do you plan on spending as much time as I do outdoors this autumn? Since this year is flying right on by, would you like to chat about winter storage solutions for outdoor pieces? Let me know!

Design and Reveal Photos by Malcolm Simmons | Portraits by Julie Chea

The post Malcolm’s Deck Reveal: How He Created A Year-Round Outdoor Space appeared first on Emily Henderson.

See How EHD Brings Fall Into Our Homes (And Yes, There Are *Chic* Pumpkins Involved … Target Does It Again)

Well, it’s almost fall, appropriately named for once this year

A Mid-Century Eclectic Living Room with Kilz Primer and Paint – The Dark Room Problem SOLVED

Today we have a much-awaited apartment living room reveal for my friend, Chandler. It was a space dripping with potential with a massive dark accent wall that created quite the challenge that was solved beautifully by our partner, KILZ. Julie safely took the lead on this design, by using a lot of what he had, mixed with some vintage finds, pulled from our prop inventory, and made this room SING. Without further ado… here… you… go.

Hi all, Julie here! I am so excited to share with you all the reveal photos of Chandler’s living room. It’s been a style rollercoaster journey from a 70s Brutalist aesthetic (which we quickly learned was more ‘s vision, Chandler’s sister) to a modern-day Mad Men feel. Now, let’s go back in time to January of this year when the world looked a bit different and so did Chandler’s living room.

The Process

When Emily and I met up with Chandler for the first time to discuss the design direction for his living room it looked like this…

He had just moved in (hence the piles of stuff) and didn’t have much in the way of furniture. Although cute, those two chairs don’t really look comfortable enough to binge-watch much of anything in. Speaking of, the TV looked massive on the credenza which also lacked the closed storage you can see he desperately needed in his life. The smaller rug actually made the living room feel more cramped because all of the furniture had to be closer together to fit onto it. This is why choosing the right rug size really is so important.

The Paint & More Importantly The Primer

Skip to…the day we talked about all things paint and then revealed the KILZ paint color Chandler chose here. As you can see below, some progress had been made but mainly we just gave him a bunch of hand-me-down furniture to start off with so he could comfortably hang out in his living room. We wanted to make sure he had a sofa during quarantine! So some of it stayed and others got swapped out in the end.

One of Chandler’s main concerns was how dark the room actually felt. This was partially due to the fact that the only source of natural light was coming from those original french doors and needed to be semi-blocked with sheer curtains to give him some semblance of privacy from the courtyard entrance that is right outside. The second factor was that DARK accent wall, it’s green but almost looked black in the room because there wasn’t enough natural light reflecting off it and honestly kind of made it feel depressing. A really dark accent wall color can also make your room feel a bit lopsided which can work if you have enough visual weight to help balance it out on the other side but that wasn’t the case here. Yes, there was a sofa on the wall opposite it but that vintage beauty that Emily scored for about $200 bucks is very low to the ground (the seat height is 14″ to be exact) and relatively light in color compared to the black hole of an accent wall on the other side… so the color had to go.

If you have ever tried to cover up any sort of dark paint color for a lighter option without using a primer then you know first hand how it can take approximately 2,367 coats of white paint to get the job done. Alright, alright maybe not that many but it definitely takes more than two or three. That is unless you work smart, not hard by priming first with KILZ 3(R) Premium primer.

I mean take a look for yourself at the photos below cause I am here to tell you that is only ONE COAT of primer. Are you shocked? Because I was.

After witnessing the primer power of KILZ I know for sure that when I eventually move out of my rental I am definitely using it to cover up my green door in my bedroom and the hand-painted purple stripes in my bath. I actually had to make a run to the store just to pick up some KILZ primer mid-painting. Let’s just say the paint stripe test run(s) (there was more than one) did not turn out as planned and my white paint wasn’t cutting it to cover up my paint mistake. I was elated when it covered it up so easily with the first coat cause my first attempt(s) were definitely not worthy to share with you all.

Now onto the good stuff…the reveal!

The Final Reveal

Here it is, the light and bright living room that it was always meant to be. I don’t think I will ever get over what a fresh coat of paint can do to transform a space. That Chalk Gray paint color from KILZ was applied to the walls, crown moulding, and ceiling to give the space a bright, clean slate. Since the color was so light (almost white) it made more sense to paint it all so we didn’t end up with 3 different color tones. The crown moulding has a beautiful design but it looked liked it was repaired and patched a few times over the years so this helped to camouflage the flaws.

Chandler really wanted to channel the feel of the Mad Men TV show without it feeling too dark and heavy which ended up being a game of balance since the era leans towards dark fabric and even darker wood tones. So, I decided to sprinkle them throughout and whenever there was a chance to add a pop of color, a bit of pattern, and something reflective I seized the opportunity.

First off, swapping out the ceiling light fixture made a huge difference. The original fixture was small in size, had only one light source and wasn’t really Chandler’s style as it was decked out with crystals. I scoured Etsy and eventually found this vintage beauty which worked so well with his MCM aesthetic (not Man Crush Monday, haha you all crack me up) It has 12 light sources which illuminates the area below and the ceiling above. This is important in a space with only one hardwired light fixture, now it disperses the light evenly throughout the rest of the room. I found a lot of fixtures in this style but only a few in brass so I clicked “add to cart” real quick.

As I said, there were a lot of hand-me-down items in this project, which is something you can easily do when designing a room for one of Emily’s friends. The sofa was an affordable vintage find, the rug was previously in the Mountain House living room, Chandler already owned that amazing coffee table, that wood side table you’ve all seen countless times in other shoots like this one but has finally found it’s forever home in Chandler’s abode and those side chairs were new but are an EHD staple because they are so versatile and very comfy. They were also borrowed by Emily to stage her living room to sell, Chandler will get them back one day.

Adding some pops of mustard, texture, and graphic patterns into the textiles throughout the space was key. It helps to keep the gray/blue color in the paint and sofa feeling fresh and modern.

As I’ve learned from Sara, a good smelling candle can really change the atmosphere and this one is goooood. We had it going all day of the shoot and I love it so much that I bought one that night but saving it for that “fall” LA weather when the weather dips below the mid-70s and is “cozy” enough for the smell of Oud wood and musk.

Let’s talk sconces, these brass swing arm ones are from One Forty Three, a company we love and have used before in the Mountain House upstairs guest bedroom. The brass ties in perfectly with the vintage ceiling light, they are plug-in making them very rental friendly and the swing arm design is not only functional but also very playful. Their simple yet geometric design pair well with the printable art triptych over the sofa.

Large scale art can be very pricey so to cut some costs I found these three prints on Etsy which came to a grand total of: $94 including the downloads, printing, and cost of the frames. There was a large blank space above the sofa since it sits lower than typical and although that Chalk Gray paint from KILZ is pretty it felt like something was definitely missing, the large scale art and sconces help to fill out the area without adding too much visual weight.

Finding the right-sized side tables was one of the more tricky aspects to the space. There wasn’t too much room on either side of the sofa for them to live and they had to be low enough to not break the “sofa arm/side table height rule“. The black metal and airy legs balances out all the wood in the space and the low slightly “heavy” feeling of the sofa.

And of course, the subtle lip on them make for a perfect spot to perfectly style your vintage ruler over George Harrison’s eyebrow.

The Link Up: Julie’s WILD/Amazing Foot Mask, Malcolm’s Boutique Hotel-Esque Sconces, and The Bath Towels We Have Told Everyone We Know About

To say the last week was an easy week would be a lie. Between the fires raging down the west coast and the 19th anniversary of 9/11 (oh and not to mention the pandemic), our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the vast amount of tragedies surrounding our world. We are sending our love to each and every one of you –– we know we’ll all get through this together.

On that note, let’s bring a little positivity into this week. Let’s start with something we all have the hots for: interior design. This week’s house tour is brought to you by Architectural Digest, whimsical style, and mainly EHD favorite design firm ETC.etera. It screams fun so loudly, you’ll need earplugs. PSA: You’re gonna want to buy a lot of wallpaper after seeing this…

From Emily (and also Sara kind of): The candles that my real estate agent made me buy are definitely helping in the house selling process. This candle is SO GOOD (Sara wants you to know it’s from her favorite candle brand), this one is also amazing, and this one is collectively one of our favorites. If you’re not in the mood to blow $40+ on a candle (we get it), this one from Target is my favorite for fall.

From Caitlin: OK SO, potentially gross confession time: I bought some towels from Target before leaving for college in 2009 and I’ve never replaced them. They’ve lived through 3 dorm rooms and 6 apartments and they still work fine BUT they are also the same age as an American sixth grader (fall birthday, obviously) so I figured it was probably time to upgrade. Last week we ran a post with Boll & Branch and they extended a 20% off coupon to readers (20EMILYH), so I decided to try a spa bath sheet set and OH. MY. GOSH. You guys!!!!! I was kind of conflicted about spending that much on towels but the discount softened it and now I CAN NEVER GO BACK. This is totally #notsponsored but truly, the bath sheet is SO soft and large and I love the pewter color and I think it changed my life. It’s such a little luxury that makes a huge difference in my mood!!! How many more sentences can I write about towels??? (Also it shipped within an hour and got here within a week. Everyone in my life is getting an a la carte towel for Christmas. I’m serious.)

From Jess: This year has made me rethink a lot of my old habits… or lack thereof and sending physical notes is one of them (well, one that I never did). But I have a couple of friends that do often and it never ceases to make my whole day better. So when I saw this new stationery collection by EHD favorite, Minted, that was giving 100% of the proceeds to help support the World Central Kitchen, “a nonprofit organization that uses the power of food to heal communities and strengthen economies in times of crisis and beyond,” I was in. Plus Lindsay Shookus, who is an Emmy Award-winning Saturday Night Live producer, collaborated on the collection to bring in the much-needed humor we all need this year. I ordered this set and customized it a little because you can! So not only does this help the World Central Kitchen but it also helps the USPS (get your stamps here) which we all know needs our total support.

From Malcolm: Like most design nerds, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for small, boutiquey hotels. They typically boast very intentional design choices—from the furniture to the lighting-—and I’m always looking for ways to incorporate that mentality into my own home. With that in mind, I was SO STOKED to recently find these wall sconces at CB2. Their slim profiles have been great additions to my ever-evolving entryway, and the little leather details give me that classic boutique vibe I’m constantly striving to achieve. I’ve struggled with this entryway quite a bit, but these lights have set me in the right direction!

From Julie: WARNING: If you are squeamish skip to the next link now. Some of you may love this and others will be grossed out by it but recently I did a foot peel mask and the results were disgustingly amazing. Essentially, you put your feet in these booties that have a gel and leave them on for an hour. Every day after you should soak your feet for 10 minutes in warm water to help loosen the skin and then 3 to 5 days later then fun stuff begins. SO MUCH SKIN CAME OFF! And my feet are super calloused after years of dance, hiking, and now rock climbing so they are ROUGH. I usually have to exfoliate them almost every other day and moisturize them nightly to get them to feel semi-soft. BUT NOW…they are sooooooo soft! This will now be a part of my beauty regimen and I shall shed my foot skin monthly. Told ya it was equally gross and GREAT!

From Arlyn: I’ve recently discovered that the “house dress” is the only thing I ever want to wear while at home living/working/surviving so I went on a hunt and bought up a ton to test out. THIS ONE THOUGH, oof, I LOVE IT. It’s nothing more than a simple T-shirt dress, but it’s $15, comes in great colors, fits my petite frame perfectly, is insanely soft and I know that one day, when I leave the house again, I’ll be able to dress it up and down however I want. I’m off to buy 4 more…(and you should, too).

Also From Jess: If you aren’t a fan or don’t know who Lena Waithe is GET YOUR LIFE TOGETHER. The first time I (and most of us) were made aware of her was in Masters of None and let’s just say that was just a drop of what she is capable of. Fast-forward to now where she and Rishi Rajani, founders of Hillman Grad Productions, are bringing incredible BIPOC stories by BIPOC creatives to the forefront. Now if you are wondering what their office looks like, then wonder no more because AD just featured their bold and beautiful space this past week. While I am so grateful to get to work from home it really made me miss the beautiful flow of energy that can only come from working with your coworkers in the same (inspiring) space. So check it out here and go watch some of her work. I finally watched Twenties and loved it.

From Mallory: We were talking candles in the beginning, so I thought why not round this out by talking more about candles. I’ve been a Target candle shopper for quite some time now, so yeah you could say I’m an expert in the “cheap but nice” candle area (it’s an important field of life we all need to navigate). So here’s what’s good at Target right now candle wise…this lavender eucalyptus one is amazing, and so is it’s cousin candle the vetiver & ceadarwood. I also just bought this Project 62 one and am wildly obsessed (plus it has cute packaging which we love). Okay, hope that’s helpful!! BYE!

Lastly, if you are in a position help, here and here are articles that have a bunch of ways to donate to those most affected by these horrific fires.

Thanks for tuning in and we’ll see ya around here tomorrow for a VERY exciting reveal!!

Opening Photo Credits: Design by ETC.etera | Styled by Rod Hipskind | Photo by Laura Resen | via Architectural Digest

The post The Link Up: Julie’s WILD/Amazing Foot Mask, Malcolm’s Boutique Hotel-Esque Sconces, and The Bath Towels We Have Told Everyone We Know About appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Hendersons Are Homeschooling… On Our Own (Here’s The “Plan” Or What We Really Hope Will Happen)

We truly didn’t know where we are going to live this school year since we are trying to move to Portland (clearly we are lucky/grateful that we have options). Charlie was still enrolled at the public school in our neighborhood in LA, but the Zoom learning did not go great last time (because of obvious reasons, the teachers did their best to adapt quickly but not ideal for anyone – especially teachers). So Brian basically took over and just taught both kids the basics. Then we thought well if we are going to be doing some screentime learning why not have my mom who is a teacher of 40 years homeschool while she’s homeschooling my sister’s kids that live with them in Portland, via the Portal. Just piggyback on that situation. Then once we decided to stay in the mountains for a while we decided a week late to enroll them in the local public elementary school HOMEschool program to have more flexibility, but it was full. How can a homeschool program be full? Well, because there is a teacher that does once a week check-ins and can only manage so many kids. Then all the charter home schools that we were eligible for were full, too. We felt like such idiots. So by late August, they were enrolled NOWHERE and we quickly enrolled them in the local elementary school’s distance learning (for those of you who don’t know the difference – “distance learning” is daily Zooms on iPads with the teacher you would have at school, “homeschool” is on your own time and with parent supervision/guidelines and likely some sort of online curriculum). Charlie started the distance learning program on day 4 or 5 which we felt pretty terrible about, but even worse Birdie isn’t updated on her vaccines which she needs to go to public T-K even though it’s all done remote this year! So she wasn’t even allowed to Zoom in on her classes which both the school and us knew was ridiculous this year but it’s the law (not ridiculous to have vaccines, ridiculous to require them in a pandemic when its remote learning). And get this – there are no pediatricians in our town and everyone drives down the mountain to get even basic vaccines. We felt like GREAT parents. No school and no doctor. We made an appointment but couldn’t get in for a month to our LA pediatrician. We made a lot of responsible excuses like “well, isn’t TK optional anyway?” and, “I mean, won’t everyone be behind next year?”.

Back to Charlie – he started his Zoom classes and despite the REALLY great job that the teacher was doing, 1st grade via an iPad is not ideal as every parent and teacher knows. We felt like we were just babysitting our kid while he looked at a screen and watched youtube videos.

I want to do a quick rant right now. Working parents and teachers are being put in an impossible position in the cities that are still doing remote learning. If you are in a family where both you and your partner work either inside or outside the home, I am here to say “I see you. I hear you. And just by trying you are doing an incredible job in an impossible situation”. I am not complaining for me due to my extreme privilege of having a flexible job working for myself and a husband who’s work has slowed down extremely due to the pandemic – we are grateful and going to manage fine. But I am still very outraged at this situation on behalf of all families right now – my friends and family, I see how they are just barely surviving this, emotionally. You are not alone. You are not set up for success. I want to give you a massive hug for even trying. YOU ARE A GOOD PARENT FOR EVEN ENROLLING YOUR KIDS IN SCHOOL! It’s more than we did…

Oh another rant – if you are in a leadership position at a company with working parents, think about showing some extra grace. I feel so badly for my friends who have 8 am Zoom corporate meetings that aren’t urgent. If you have any control over this kind of managing please step up and give working parents a bigger break than you ever have before. Ask them how they are doing and what your company can do to help. Give more time off and if your company is doing well, extra bonuses. Everyone is struggling to survive AND scared to lose jobs. So if you are in a leadership position go to bat for your colleagues who are trying to manage this impossible position and are likely crying a lot at home in between Zoom calls.

So what are we, the Hendersons, doing????

Homeschool. No, like, by ourselves. Not distance learning and not a pod. I realize how privileged this is, trust me, and I also know that many people might be in the same position of having one parent not working and able to stay home, so I’m hoping to have a conversation about it and share some ideas and resources AND ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS SO WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER.

But first, why are we homeschooling?



This year we might be taking many road trips (16-hour drives) to Portland to look for our future home and plan our eventual move. So we’d be missing a lot of school (maybe we’ll start flying it if feels safer with the kids). Since our plan is to move when schools reopen (hopefully) it started to not make sense to Zoom school in Lake Arrowhead. If we knew what Portland school we would be in we might have joined that, but we can’t (and don’t have the property to enroll yet). Our kids are so young (4 and 6) so it’s the age where we might be able to teach them – knowing that as they get older we may not be competent or have the time available. I would not necessarily do this for older kids personally, but at TK and 1st grade I feel like we can’t totally mess them up, RIGHT???To state the obvious – learning through screens is just hard for any age of kid, but especially this young, before they are competent readers. Our kids truly couldn’t do it on their own anyway, so as we were sitting next to them the whole time helping them with their iPads, we realized that we could be spending the same amount of time actually interacting with them. Brian was able to do it. With his production work at a big low (a shoot a month at best), it gave him some purpose and almost a creative outlet. He saw this as an opportunity to spend more time with the kids. So instead of sitting near them while they are Zooming, he’ll be interacting with them. We are unbelievably grateful that we are in a position for him to no have work right now. Truly. Our general education philosophy is pretty, well, casual/progressive …. aka relaxed. We care more about social learning, community building, and self-esteem developing (at this age) than about them being academically advanced or ahead. We want them to enjoy learning (at least at this age) and be challenged by the process, not necessarily caring about the outcome. We don’t really care about test scores or them being the smartest or best in the class. In short – we don’t necessarily care about them getting “The Best Education”. I know that not everyone shares this philosophy and it might change, but Brian and I were both raised this same way and we simply can’t shake it. Your value system is just that – YOURS, and Brian nor I were the brainiacs of our class and appreciated the lack of academic pressure from our parents and focus on other things (being well rounded, kind, happy, a good citizen, creative, hard-working, etc). We are both creatives with untraditional jobs. What can you do?







So what are we doing exactly for this “homeschool”???

Well. We are currently setting it all up and haven’t fallen into a routine yet, but below is the plan starting next week (we started in August, but took a two-week break and are amping it back up next week). Now, we likely will fail at some of these ideas, but here are some ideas we are trying to stick to:

Homeschool curriculum. Apparently the government wants you to, like, make sure your kids learn to read and write. You can do it on your own, but we knew we weren’t responsible enough so we sought out a program. We have downloaded a secular homeschool curriculum called Blossom and Root that is mostly nature and art-based (it was about $100). After doing a lot of research it seemed to be the program that fits best for our family and we really related to the philosophy. It’s pretty loose and more conceptual, less rigid, but with a lot of supplementary projects, book lists, and ways to document it all. Our kids are close enough in age so they are doing the same program, modifying a bit for reading/math. We downloaded it and printed it and had it bound at the local copy shop. We will start officially start this on Monday so I’ll report back! They say it’s anywhere from 1-3 hours a day. We have been doing a lot of Education.com worksheets – mostly math and writing. We print them out in the morning and spend about an hour on them. This is the most challenging part of the day, by the way. Brian is in charge of this hour… One of our kids doesn’t focus well on seated projects and we are trying to both teach the importance of that as well as not force it too much. We journal. We will write a daily “I’m grateful for…” journal with a picture and sentence and a weekly “what we did this weekend” journal. They did these at their pre-school so they are used to them. We forget frequently to do this but that’s the intent. We do a daily alphabet challenge where Elliot draws something that starts with the letter and Charlie builds the letter out of legos (and I take a photo of both). Somedays these are easy, other days they are a battle – I HAVE NO IDEA WHY. LIFE SCHOOL This is my personal favorite and guys, it’s the best parenting hack that no one told me – except every mom in the history of time. Now that the kids are 4 and 6 they are old enough to do everything that we do around the house, for themselves. All the stuff you think they can’t do? They can. I’m writing a whole post about it because I have so many tips and lessons learned already. Stay tuned (you can watch on Instastory, too). We let them choose crafts and science projects from books in “their library”. This is our favorite science book, this is our favorite craft book. Much to Brian’s horror we keep everything that can be turned into a craft or science – yogurt containers, toilet rolls, egg containers to have on hand (they are all in a big garbage bin in the garage, not organized but in one place). We are trying to dedicate some time to service and helping others. At least one afternoon they have to either write a thank you/miss you letter or make a craft/food for someone who they want to send love to or who they think needs it – this week we are going to make some cookies for the firefighters battling the fire up here. I’m currently trying to find a way to do a weekly 2-hour volunteer session and have reached out to everyone I know but have not come up with anything that feels safe due to COVID. We might just take a couple of hours a week to make and drop off a lunch at our local elementary school to support the teachers. One of my kids is pretty into this, for the other it’s more of a battle (thus making it all the more necessary). Scrapbooking. FINALLY. MY #2 HOBBY (behind souping) HAS COME IN HANDY AND IS REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT!!! So in addition to filling out an affidavit saying that you are creating your own home school you have to keep track of everything you are doing in order to enter the next grade and show that the kids are at that level. So I get to document the hell out of this year, our time together, and obviously save every writing/math/science project we do. At first, Brian was like, “we can’t homeschool – You have to document the whole thing!!! Both of us are so irresponsible!!” I agreed and was nervous enough that we almost bought a really expensive “private” homeschool program that helps us do it. But then I reframed it and realized that it’s just going to be a daily EPIC scrapbook!! I have this awesome photo printer that the kids love and they each bought their own binder. Let me be clear – I’m a TERRIBLE scrapbooker. I’m just super enthusiastic about hoarding memories. Our scrapbooks are messy, unorganized and we don’t have those cute soccer ball stickers or anything. I stick to the “done is better than perfect” motto. I have a huge tub in a closet that I throw things in weekly. For this, I’ll just keep them in a binder daily (I think). I’m pretty sure to get into public 2nd grade next year we just need to prove that he can read/write and do basic math and I know we can do that. Kid Class. They are very excited about this but we’ll see how long it lasts. Basically each kid takes a turn at being “the teacher” and they choose the lesson and gather supplies. Charlie taught “robot school” where he showed us how to build a robot out of recyclable materials and Birdie taught us all how to draw a unicorn (which took 5 minutes). It’s also a great parenting hack because you literally don’t have to do anything. I think this idea came from the LDS tradition of “Family Home Evening” where each child on Monday nights takes a turn coming up with and teaching a lesson to the rest of the family (usually based on doctrine or morality). The kids so far like being in charge and pretending to be a teacher so we’ll see how it goes.

Like I said at the beginning of this post, those are just the ideas. I can’t imagine we will be able to stick to all of them or execute them daily. Yes, they watch too much TV. Yes, they go hours just playing outside. And no, they don’t put vegetables in their lunch (as they are responsible for making their own now – cooking school!). So our expectations are LOW this year for both us and them and I think that’s ok.

Am I nervous about doing this on our own? YES. Here’s why…



Brian battled a lot with the kids last year and that morning fight was a challenge and stressful – AS EVERY PARENT KNOWS RIGHT NOW. I want to be able to share the responsibility 50/50 but simply can’t due to work. Every parent also knows that their kid listens to a teacher/any adult far more than their own parents so we are looking for a part-time teacher or nanny with some experience to help with this a couple of hours a day (or even 3 days a week – literally any time). This would probably help our marriage, too. Despite us trying to make it “fun” they still don’t want to go to “school” and one of my children does not like to focus on anything besides what they feel they are good at, so even getting them to do a “what we did last weekend” journal is a struggle and a big source of daily frustration. There are often tears and voices being raised – by kids and grownups. So yeah, we are navigating that situation. I’m nervous that our kids won’t be able to sit down and focus next year in a more rigid classroom structure. We aren’t big disciplinarians and don’t parent very punitively. I’m worried that they will HATE school when they go back, be unable to sit and focus on traditional worksheets, and just feel out of place. What I remind myself all day is that everyone will be at different places emotionally and academically next year (or whenever we return) so we’ll all go through whatever challenges as a world community. RIGHT? OUR KIDS WON’T BE THAT WEIRD, RIGHT??? I’m nervous that they’ll be behind on what they are “supposed” to learn and that might affect them emotionally. Don’t get me wrong, I’m far less concerned about what this does for them academically then what it does to their self-esteem. Feeling “behind” can be hard at this young age, so I just really want them to integrate back in with them feeling like they are “dumb” because mommy didn’t teach them what a compound sentence is (because she doesn’t know and clearly doesn’t care about grammar as much as the rest of the world). This is Brian’s biggest concern and why he prints out the worksheets every day. Should two laid back creatives really pretend to be “teachers”??

Finally, I’m nervous that we won’t be disciplined enough to stick to it. I’m a 7 enneagram. I like to have fun and do what I can to create it. I best thrive with a routine, sure, but I also LOVE playing hooky and I don’t like traditional rules AT ALL nor do I like someone telling me what to do. There is a reason I never could have an office job (or maybe why I need one?) The only reason I’m successful is because I found exactly what my brain wants to do and made it a career (and yes, have a very good/hard work ethic thanks to my parents). I’m worried that left up to me we’d just do projects or play all day because they are at this age that is seriously SO FUN to hang out with. When Birdie says, “mama do you want to play spa with me?” when we should be starting our alphabet challenge it will be hard to not say “uh, yea!” (I mean, how can you not? She wants to braid my hair and give me a manicure???)

I don’t know how it’s going to go. Here’s what I do know – that most of us dealing with schools shut down, we all have to give ourselves a break and know that our kids will be fine, filled with love from us, and an extra dose of grit and flexibility. I’ll get to hug them more this year, and make a lot of soup together. And if this homeschool doesn’t work then we’ll go back to distance learning or join a pod. WHO KNOWS.

So that’s us. When we were doing distance learning I gathered some tips from you guys – some of them really surprising. Lauren Gibbs is a teacher that sent through a lot of them (thank you!) and we added a few more to the list from others.

Helpful Ideas for Distance Learning and using Zoom from Teachers:



Routine – After 14 years of teaching in the classroom, in the homeschool setting, and as a virtual reading intervention teacher routine is beyond helpful! Create a routine that students can count on. Discuss the routine as a family, write it somewhere everyone can see, and set timers! Something like wake up, breakfast, get dressed, play outside, start Zoom, and so on. As a teacher, it took about a month to teach the routine but then after a month, the classroom worked in a beautiful flow. Try this out at home. Set up a personal space for your child to work and go to each day. Have them help you set it up. Think through the following – Is this space quiet and distraction-free as possible? Are there supplies ready – paper, pencils, markers, notebooks, textbooks? Setting it up with your student can create excitement and ownership. Add personal touches to help the student feel at home and comfortable, a picture or a stuffed animal can really help. It doesn’t have to be a big space, but a space that helps them feel like when they are there it is time to learn and focus. Headphones with a microphone are so helpful and relatively cheap. They make a big difference. Practice Zoom as a family. Discover together where the tools are and talk through troubleshooting problems. Making a list of what to do if… the internet goes out, the Zoom turns off, etc…Students are going to get fidgety and often not engaged after staring at a computer screen. Set a timer for students to simply orient to the room they are in: look around the room and name 5 things you see, hear, feel, etc.. Provide optional seating: standing, yoga ball, flexible seating. Also, fidget toys like a stress ball or silly putty can be helpful for their fidgety hands. Some students do well with a weighted blanket or something with weight around their necks. Even a reminder to simply wiggle their toes is helpful. A small trampoline next to their workspace can work wonders for a quick 1-minute jumping break. For the younger grades sit next to your student for the first couple weeks (or more if possible). This way you can help them troubleshoot and get used to what to do. This is a big commitment but after that you can be sure they will be more independent. For the upper grades be nearby to help when issues come up. Remember students do great with gentle reminders, a hand on the back can help redirect them, and ask intentional questions about their lessons. They will not be getting a lot of that in the virtual setting. Don’t have kids in a bedroom on a bed or in a bathroom and they need to have a shirt on. A few male teachers gave this suggestion specifically which was surprising but totally made sense! Take a breath! You do not need to do this perfectly. If you or your student need a break, take it! An organized regulated nervous system in the middle of a potentially traumatizing time trumps school.

Lastly, I know this is a long post … A couple of weeks ago Sara’s mom, a kindergarten teacher in a low-income neighborhood outside of LA, gave us a wish list of supplies that she was buying for her underserved families and you guys stepped up and helped SO MUCH. The idea that teachers who are already underpaid IMHO in this country have to use their own money to buy school supplies is just shocking and upsetting. Thank you to all who supported Sara’s mom. Here are more teachers who are struggling to cover school supplies in their districts – if you can support please do.

Ally Lam: “Hi I’m a 6th grade math teacher in a public school for newcomers and I and my school could really use some help

Sylvia’s Surprise Makeover: The Living Room (Get Your Tissue Box Ready)

Yesterday afternoon during our Thursday team happy hour, the mood was less “happy” and more worried/anxious as we all glanced outside at the orange haze filling up our sky. We know that we are not alone in these feelings and that all over this country and world we are being hit with one tragedy after another. SO we thought (actually credit goes to Caitlin) to repost one of the most happy-tear inducing posts we have… Sylvia’s home, my favorite makeover ever (watch the video!) from 2016. It’s so special. Sylvia’s home makeover was the true first Feel Good Flash Makeover, I just didn’t have the term yet:) She is an incredibly special person to not only our family but to many on my team that had the pleasure of spending time with her. At the bottom of the post are the links to all the other rooms we did so be sure to dive in. We promise it will help. xx

We do a lot of makeovers over here, as you know. But this one, this one is my favorite makeover I have ever done. It is for a family that I care about so much, that needed it so badly and that truly appreciates it. The client? My nanny, Sylvia, and her family.

Sylvia has been working for our family for over a year. We have two children under the age of three that are so lovely, but caring for both of them all day, every day is absolute insanity. Between both kids she survives 4 naps, 9 snacks, 2 super messy meals, 2 – 15 temper tantrums (depending on the day!), 4-5 meltdowns (hers or his), and 97, 428 things out of place that she (and the kids) help put away before we get home. We don’t have a yard so amidst all that she has to get them both out of the house, down 27 stairs to a car, and she takes them to a park or preschool/class where one of them probably isn’t so into it.

She loves them, they love her, and she stays positive all day. Every day when I get home my kids are happy, well taken care of, and the house is put together. That last part is baffling to me (HOW???) and yet it’s really the key to my sanity and marriage.

I know that it’s hard, and yet every day she says what a great day they had. I don’t think she is lying – I know they have fun. But she is protecting me. I know that she knows that hearing the horrible nuances of raising a 9-month-old and a 2 1/2-year-old together are not what I need at 5:30 pm when I’m DYING to squeeze my children, take over and feel like I’m the one truly raising them. Sure she tells me everything important, but she doesn’t just generally complain about them or act exhausted. EVER. I try to thank her every day, all day, but her job warrants so much more than my casual gratitude. What she does for my family, what all nannies do for any family, is so important, intimate, emotional, and personal on top of being such exhaustingly hard work.

So, I kept trying to think of how I could repay her. I would give her furniture after shoots that we didn’t need and she gladly took it, which made me think that maybe she wasn’t psyched about how her house looked. I kept thinking what if I could go in there and just surprise her?

But her being so amazing wasn’t the only reason why I was compelled to do this – she has had more than her fair share of challenges. I’m not telling you this so you feel sorry for her, or to somehow exploit her life, but it’s one of the reasons that I was extra compelled to do this. Sylvia moved here from Mexico by herself when she was 16, after her mother suddenly died (I’ll spare you that tragic story). She moved in with relatives but immediately was on her own. She met Riccardo, her husband, a few years later and they married and started trying to have a family.

Over the course of the next few years she got pregnant 4 times and miscarried in the 4th or 5th month every, single, time.

For anyone who has ever been pregnant or wants kids – hell ANYONE in the world, this is unthinkable pain. My eyes fill with water every single time I think about it. To think, each time that you were going to have a baby, start a family, create a future, and then every time have that taken from you. I just can’t imagine.

She was able to carry her 5th pregnancy to 25 weeks when her water broke, and she went into labor and thank God, baby Ricky was saved, born weighing 2 lbs, three months early. He was in the NICU for four months, and she and Riccardo were there every day, basically just praying that he lived.

When she told me all of this I was 7 months pregnant with Elliot, a perfectly healthy pregnancy (lucky me). I kept putting myself in her shoes and couldn’t imagine how stressful, emotional, and overall terrible that must have been for them. After Ricky, she went on to have two more miscarriages, again in the second trimester – six total. Six. Six. I can’t. I had one at 10 weeks and I was distraught. Six at 16 – 20 weeks?? It’s unimaginable pain. Over and over.

And yet she takes care of my kids every day. Happily. Her life has been far more challenging than mine, she has been dealt a much harder hand, and yet she has taken that hand, brought it back to the table, played it with a smile, and won.

Sylvia and her family remain such positive, happy people. Ricky is an awesome, smart, funny and kind kid who worships his parents, and Riccardo is hilarious and such a bright, happy light every time I see him. They have such a good marriage, close family, and an amazing outlook on everything.

In short, they deserved a better, happier home and like most hard-working people in this country they couldn’t afford what they wanted. They weren’t proud of their home, and she told me afterward that they were embarrassed by it. I’m a firm believer that your home is a reflection of your emotional state, and vice versa, and that state needed to change. There is a disparity in our two lives, we were born into different situations, and I have a job/passion that allows me to try and close that gap a tiny bit.

The best thing about my job is that I need/love to create content for you guys and makeovers are my favorite thing to do in the world. So I asked her if she was open to such a makeover and she quietly said, ‘yes’ but in a way that I knew was more like ‘what? really? are you serious?????????‘

I pitched the idea to Target with hopes that they would be one of many companies to gift items in exchange for link-love, (like we did for the shelter) and they said actually we’d love to donate everything. With my team taking care of design/labor and them donating the product we were gonna make this happen. She and her family would maybe get the home they deserved.

WIN. WIN. GAH. WIN.

Typically these makeovers are just 1 room, but once I saw the house we decided to do five – the living, dining, master bedroom, ricky’s room, and the bathroom.

Brian’s company shot a video of the whole thing. It was awesome having him there, too, leading up that team as it just felt so ‘our family for their family.’ We both love her so much, so having us both there was beyond special.

We, here at the Henderson household, are super proud to share this with you:

Gah.

Maybe it’s because I know her and love her and her family (we got so much closer during this process, too) but I cry every single time I watch it. Brian did such an amazing job and while it should be a 22-minute pilot, those 6 minutes are absolute gold to me.

Now, for the whole process:

Let’s break it down, room by room. Today, folks, we are starting with the living room.

The space itself is a decent size and it has some cute architectural things happening like the archway between the living and dining room and the moulding that goes around the top. But they needed all new furniture and they had virtually no accessories. They had blankets on the windows because the sun was too bright/hot and didn’t really know how/where to hang curtains. They had one fan and one flushmount fixture (and needed more fans). The carpet was ok and I had intended at first on keeping it but there was even worse linoleum in the dining room and I couldn’t bear it. They deserved something better.

The furniture layout cut off the two rooms from each other and gave the tv all the importance. There was that little heater in between both windows but they said they hadn’t turned it on in years so we didn’t need to worry about it. Riccardo had painted the top band between the ceiling and the moulding black which was making the room feel shorter. Essentially as you can see, it wasn’t a happy, colorful home.

So, I asked them to leave anything that they wanted to keep and they essentially got rid of every single thing. EVERY PIECE. I asked them what their style was and they didn’t know, and said over and over, “Do whatever you want – we just want it to feel warm, happy, inviting and not too precious with nothing too fancy.” I was starting from zero.

They all three liked the color blue, he loved black and she loved brown and pink, too (I didn’t hear the pink part til the week of the makeover). So yes, they knew that they were getting a makeover but they had no idea what was going to happen in their home and they wanted to be surprised. We put them up in an airbnb which one of our lovely readers Michelle emailed about and donated for 10 days (in exchange for some design trade) while we executed the project.

We created a mood board to work off of and shopped the heck out of Target.com – for all five rooms.

Things always change, but that was the general vibe of the living room. I was out of town when the construction started but Peter helped to project manage (All the designers on my staff were too swamped to take this one so I hired a freelancer to help me execute).

We started by having the carpet/linoleum removed and all the walls painted. We painted the ceiling and the top of the moulding white (Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore) and the bottom half is a warm gray (Stonington Gray by Benjamin Moore).

Now you might notice something that we didn’t until I saw this photo – there was original hardwood underneath the carpet. At this point, we had already contacted Floor & Decor who generously offered to donate the flooring and we had already gotten their landlord to choose what they wanted. The new flooring was delivered and ready to go down. The original flooring was extremely damaged with huge rectangles cut out in places – it would have needed to be refinished and in many places completely replaced. Had I known this before we started our really fast makeover process, we would have repaired/refinished the floor. But the truth is I didn’t even find out that the floor existed till I got back in town, on day 3, saw the process photos and the new flooring was already installed. We did have a hard deadline with this project due to everyone’s schedules so we couldn’t shove the timeline to rip up the new floor, nor did we have a labor budget to help cover the flooring in the first place, let alone to change it. The new flooring was a VAST improvement from the carpeting, certainly and walking into the space with the new floor and freshly painted walls was amazing.

So on day 5 we began the decorating/videotaping portion of the makeover which was obviously the most fun part (except for the reveal …. NOTHING was more fun than that).

This rug is part of the threshold collection, we bought a 9×12 and it’s GREAT in person. The blue has a lot of color variation so it looked high end and it’s busy enough to hide dirt/stains keeping everything from feeling too precious. I highly recommend it and everyone on set was impressed by it (also kudos to Target for starting to design/carry 9×12 rugs!!!).

We reoriented the room to center the sofa between the windows (again, they didn’t use the heater ever, nor did they know if it worked) and to create a conversation area. The TV is now on the wall opposite the sofa, to the right (on the left in that photo). It was a huge TV so those sitting on the sofa and the vintage club chair can easily watch it.

Here’s a fun gif of us building the room (fun fact, we wait until every single thing is put in exactly where we want it and then shoot us in stop motion ‘depopulating’ the space, backwards – video by Propeller, animation by Sara on my team):

So, are you ready to see the finished space?????

Yeah!!! Now it’s a happy, warm, pulled together space that feels casual and full of personality. When we were in the room we couldn’t believe the transformation – it’s such a different room and home. Everything is from Target (and linked up at the bottom of this post) except the vintage leather club chair and pouf that Peter found at a vintage store, the vintage map which we had in the studio and the pink blanket which I already owned.

There was a hiccup with the design that is worth talking about (and kinda fun). We finished the room completely on Thursday night around 7 pm, ready to shoot all the photos and the video beauties the next morning before revealing it to the family. Here’s what it looked like:

As I was leaving I looked at it one more time and thought this isn’t as fun or colorful as they are. It felt a little serious, traditional and safe, even though I really, really loved it. There was something about it that felt too formal which I was really afraid would intimidate them. So that night I made one more trip to Target and pulled a few accessories from my studio and my own home. Here’s a fun GIF seeing the difference just a few accessories can make:

I really really love both and even think that the first way was more “cohesive” but it didn’t feel right. We replaced the more traditional lamp with something more fun and glam. We switched out the matching pillows for some that felt more casual and eclectic. I replaced the pretty mud cloth with that pink throw to help bring in more pink for Sylvia and we added brighter, less serious flowers.

Everyone agreed that it felt more them. I knew they were already really nervous about this and since we had NOTHING of theirs to incorporate into the design (as they wanted to start fresh) I was terrified that they were going to like it, but not feel like it was theirs and be creeped out by it. It’s like if someone else dressed you for your own birthday party – no average pretty perfectly pulled together outfit would do. It was so important to me that they felt comfortable in it and that it represented them as much as possible. So adding the pink, more gold, and making it feel more eclectic felt right (and looked so fun).

The entrance is probably my favorite vignette – parsons table with the mirror and lamp created such a lovely vibe. What you can’t see is that super fun gold and white skull above it, which we added that morning, too. Sylvia rocks a lot of gold (she once said, ‘I thought I liked gold but you ….you, Emily REALLY love gold‘ in response to all my accessories in our house) so I knew she would love some extra glam in there.

My ‘deciding where to put the plant’ pose is one of my favorites. Also, I’m doing the flare denim thing apparently and it feels like 2001 on the lower half of my body. The lower half of my body is also listening to David Gray all night long (although I love those jeans and Brian is SUPER into them – probably it reminds him of me in college … and life before two kids… ha…).

Speaking of family… we need to talk about something really important – the family photos. Sylvia and her family had some, which we framed, but they have never had professional family photos of them taken. So I called up Stephanie Todaro, my favorite people photographer EVER (she shot us here, here, and most recently here) and she volunteered to spend an hour with them at a park taking their photo. The room seriously lacked ‘them’ in it, and I didn’t want to just buy random art to put on the walls. I had grilled them about their hobbies/interests/favorite places in the world and I got ‘golf’ from Riccardo, ‘Mexican wrestling’ from Ricky, and Sylvia said she really just wanted to look at pretty things. When we were shopping at Target together, Ricky and Riccardo both liked the globes there and I was desperate for a piece for above the sofa so I was so happy I had hoarded that vintage map. But still, we needed more of ‘them’. We had that vintage polaroid of Sylvia and Riccardo framed through Framebridge (who is an amazing online framer which we always use) which you see on the desk but we wanted some more personal pics to use in the room.

During the big install week I had Danielle do Sylvia’s makeup (who does my makeup for shoots) for the video interviews to help her feel as confident as possible (she was really nervous) then afterwards they met Steph and took family photos for the first time in years. Stephanie uploaded them that night and we had them printed within a few hours at Costco. When we brought them into their home it made a HUGE difference instantly. All of a sudden it went from being a Target catalog, to being a home of a loving family. THANK YOU, STEPHANIE.

How amazing are these???

There were so many good ones, we had such a hard time going through them all and narrowing it down to just a handful to frame.

We peppered them around all over the house, to the point that it became a bit too much so we put up some of that pretty art from Minted (leftover from another project which we linked up below) to help it not be so family photo heavy.

Many of you might be worried about how/where they are going to watch TV, but don’t worry – we got them all set up.  It’s on the black credenza (which was in their bedroom) in the corner making it viewable from the leather chair (when angled) and the sofa. It’s a huge TV so the blue chairs can definitely watch as well.

Here you get a peek into the dining room!! After living in the space for the weekend they determined that they for sure like the setup and we are going to mount it on an arm so that it comes out and angles for them (I didn’t want to do that until I was sure that they were sure, as mounting a tv isn’t cheap or easy to change). For the still photos, we angled the vintage leather chair so that it was completely profile, facing the matching chairs, but functionally it works better when its tucked a bit back and can see the tv (which you’ll be able to see in the video). Without the context of the tv in the straight on shot, however it looked weird so we moved it.

Let’s chat about the curtains. We gave them two different treatments on every window – the matchstick shades that go up and down and filter the light, and the curtains that can be closed or open (also filtering the light and adding more privacy). If both are closed it is VERY dark. We actually thought we were ordering the medium-toned matchstick (we bought ours on Amazon) but they came in really bleached so we had to make do (although I don’t mind them at all). We bought the 96″ curtains online and had them hemmed (which worked well in here but not so well in the other rooms … stay tuned).

Now the height of the curtain was controversial. Obviously you always want curtains to be hung as high as possible so the ceiling looks higher and the room looks bigger (see my guide HERE). But right above that picture moulding the ceiling started sloping in. I was out shooting the interview segments with Sylvia when they were being hung so Peter sent me photos to have me weigh in. Here is the slope and how it would look if it were above the moulding.

Here it is right at the moulding.

From the photos, I thought that we should still hang them higher as I don’t love curtains shoved at the moulding, but he text me ‘Everyone disagrees with you and thinks it’s super weird to hang them above the moulding’. Well, you can’t argue with that. After I returned I totally agreed and was glad that they didn’t let me dictate the height.

A quick note about the ceiling fans – these guys are WAY more powerful than ours in our home (which are nicer looking but are no longer for sale … probably because they weren’t as powerful as they should be which I didn’t realize until I stood under these fans). These have inspired me to either install these or get Haiku ones in our three bedrooms (they are magical in my friends guest room that we put them in). These seriously cooled down the room.

Ricky needed a place in the living room to do his homework, or at least to keep it organized since his room is on the smaller size – plus he likes being out with his family. So we set him up with a little corner desk area.

Fun fact, that desk has a pocket on top where you can plug in multiple computers or tech and then the desk itself has one cord that plugs into the wall. I hope all you ‘please don’t photoshop the cord out of your life’ folks are happy with that photo (I sure wasn’t psyched about it but have promised not to photoshop them away… why didn’t we just tape use black tape and adhere it down the back left leg????).

Man, that was a big, fun project followed by a not quite as big (but still epic) blog post.

It was an insane transformation and by the end of the week I barely remembered what it looked like before we came, so we figured some before and afters are in order:

I was so nervous and excited for the reveal, I can’t even tell you. They saw the living room first and their faces just dropped in shock and then instantly recovered in HUGE smiles and tears. This week we’ll be revealing each room to you every day but if you want to see each of the rooms now, go watch that video. I cry every time. Sure, she’s my nanny and I know personally how much this means to her and how much she deserves this so it’s a little closer to home for me.

A huge thanks to Target for gifting all these beautiful pieces of furniture and accessories for this project and helping to fund the production. I can’t overstate this enough – Target is a company that cares a lot about family and community (and society), and while that can sound super abstract I can tell you first-hand that they have seriously enriched the lives of my family, and Sylvia’s family. And happy families improve a community. I’d love to encourage other companies to think about creating content in this way as its effects are far more reaching on so many more levels than a traditional advertising campaign. Kudos, to Target for taking the risk and saying ‘yes’.

I’m so proud of this makeover. And not in the same way that I’m proud that Charlie is wearing ‘big boy underwear’ (although I am). I am proud that we did this. I’m so proud (and grateful) that Sylvia is who she is, that we were able to make her house look so beautiful, and that Target, a huge corporation, is the kind of company that was willing to put resources behind something like this.

This is how you help a community get stronger, how you make the members of that community become happier, and how you shape a new generation to be compassionate and empathetic to everyone in any community.

Meanwhile, if you want to support the company that supports a makeover like this or if you just like this design