Emily Henderson's Blog, page 208

20 Incredible LGBTQ+ Owned Small Businesses We Love And You Should Know

Hiya, buddies. I’m here with a big piece of information: IT’S JUNE. RIGHT NOW. Does it feel like the 12th week of March? Yes. Do calendar dates have any meaning anymore? DEBATABLE. But there is something worth celebrating this June (which, just to reiterate, is happening right now) — it’s Pride month!

As EHD’s resident small business fangirl (not joking — I think today is my fifth small business roundup in 3 months — I *love* an entrepreneur!!!), I wanted to shine a light on some of my favorite queer-owned businesses across home, fashion, and beauty. Let’s ease into this Monday with some online window shopping (or maybe even real shopping!), yeah?

I have your new go-to rug and blanket source. I have affordable eyewear that will make you look like a million bucks. I have a face serum that will change your life (if, like me, you also have dry skin.) I even have a book recommendation buried in here somewhere!

And if that’s not enough, I chose to feature each of these companies based on what y’all are already loving from our site recommendations. Because in addition to being EHD’s resident small business fangirl, I’m also the person who analyzes our links to make sure we’re showing products that you’ll love! So basically, the odds are VERY HIGH that you are going to find a new favorite company below.

Anyway, buckle up, cause I’ve got some goodies for ya. HERE WE GO.

Home

MINNA

lines basket medium | marta throw blue | shadow pillow cream

OH BABY. I told you that you were gonna love these brands and I wasn’t kidding! MINNA partners with family-run workshops and independent co-ops to create ethically produced home goods. I’m obsessed with all the rugs, but have actually been saving up for this bold, geometric, minimal one. Other standouts include their abstract blankets (hunter green is my favorite, but indigo is a close second) and all their placemats. P.S. Team EHD loves placemats now — come back later this month for a post about it.

Otherwild

sigil series prints by tyler mathew oyer | red box top | hammered gold ring

OTHERWILD HAS EVERYTHING. Truly. They’re an LA stronghold (and if you’re based out here, they’re still offering curbside pickup!), but if you need the perfect gift or a final finishing piece for your room, YOU CAN FIND IT HERE. Example: if anyone would like to buy me a perfect gift, I’d take this orange and pink vessel, and I’m sure that this blush ceramic coffee press would look stunning in your IG post of your kitchen. DONE. Also, this pet bowl is VERY CUTE and modern.

Show & Tell

baule pillow | baule crop top | golden symbols quilt

Show & Tell is a Black-owned boutique/gallery/event space up in Oakland and while they stock a ton of incredible apparel, scarves, masks, and paper goods, I’m LOSING MY MIND over these hand-made quilts. This striped one is a stunner, but this $150 option would look awesome as a standalone piece on a wall.

BLK MKT Vintage

vintage bowie state letterman jacket | vintage south african ndebele ceremonial doll | elect fannie lou hammer shirt | reclaim blk

Another dual brick & mortar AND online shop worth bookmarking! BLK MKT Vintage carries Black collectibles and cultural artifacts. My current favorites include this framed knotted wall hanging (mint and orange and stripes? YES PLEASE!) and this hand-carved, multifunctional stool from Cameroon. OH, and some of BLK MKT’s curated pieces are also available through Ethel’s Club. I wrote about the latter earlier this month and it’s also worth a visit!

Queer Candle Co.

sage & cedar scented soy candle | reed diffusers | tea & herb scented soy candle

CANDLE LOVERS, I GOT YOU (Sara I’m looking at you). This one comes highly recommended from a few pals of mine (so they’ve been tried, tested, and loved!), and y’all, they are BEAUTIFUL. Each candle comes topped with dried herbs, dehydrated fruits, or salts that represent the scent (so pretty!!!) and 10% of monthly proceeds are donated to the Sylvia Rivera Law Project. My friends’ favorite scents are Sweet Grapefruit & Mint, Sea Salt & Orchid, and Teak & Leather.

Fashion

Matriarch

rute boot | root longwing brogue | marlen brogue

Hi, I’m about to ruin your savings goals for this month because THESE ARE SO FREAKIN’ CUTE. And they come in all-gender sizing, so you can literally get them for everyone in your family. Or you could get a matching pair for you and your friends, if you’re feeling generous. (If you are that kind of friend who buys shoes for your pals, please drop me a note down in the comments, okay?) But anyway, look at the soles on these beige brogues! And they come in a high-top style boot version! And this black boot is just timeless. WOW. I could literally link everything here. I LOVE MATRIARCH, FOLKS.

Coco and Breezy

iris | jene | amazonian

Coco and Breezy make the coolest (THE. COOLEST.) sunglasses and eyeglasses. The fact that Prince wore a custom pair of Coco and Breezy sunglasses really tells you everything you need to know. But y’all, these are affordably priced for premium eyewear (a lot in the $150-$250 range — if you wear glasses like me, you know that’s a GOOD DEAL for a cute pair!), they kind of give me an Ali Wong vibe (my glasses icon!), and I can’t pick which ones to recommend so here are all their sunglasses and here are all their eyeglasses.

Automic Gold

boss necklace | suspender earring | line bangle

Lovers of tiny, wearable, never-take-it-off jewelry, I SEE YOU! Automic Gold makes high-quality pieces without the markup (seriously — that is my real opinion and not a talking point that I’ve been fed!). Pieces are offered in yellow, white, or rose gold with a ton of inclusive options — you can buy one earring instead of a set; you can order rings between size 2 and 16; you can customize the length of your necklace or bracelet chains. As someone with a large circle tattoo on their forearm, I’m very into these open circle earrings, but I also love this zig zag gold ring. (Also, grab the line ring in a few sizes if you’re ready to invest in a good set of stacking rings that won’t leave green residue all over your hands!!)

Telfar

large dark olive shopping bag | small oxblood shopping bag | medium yellow shopping bag

IT’S THE BUSHWICK BIRKIN. Telfar’s under-$300 vegan leather bags are hugely popular — as of posting, the whole site is sold out — and for good reason. Instead of linking to more favorites, y’all should take a peek at this profile on how the business has fared in the age of COVID — it’s such a good read. (Like, what do you do when your business of 15 years takes off just as the world is ending?) Once you’re done, bookmark the site and wait for the next bag drop. YOU WILL BE SO COOL.

Makoma

poncho | short sleeve jumpsuit | oya

It’s no secret that Team EHD loves a jumpsuit — seriously, all of us do — and Makoma makes some GREAT, bright, printed ones for all occasions (everything from long sleeve button-ups to spaghetti straps! Jumpsuits for all!). This blue, yellow, floral/stripe hybrid is unreal!!! But if you’re more of the “I’d prefer to have those leg holes sewn together, thanks” type, there are a ton of equally beautiful dresses — I’m also in love with this dark indigo maxi.

Wildfang

empower sl blouse | pronoun pin | empower tartan trouser

Wildfang is famous for a couple things (you’ve for sure seen their Wild Feminist line out in the world and Emily wore a couple of their suits in the ), but today I’m here to extoll their slim crop pants — this one comes in such a cute floral! — and ALL of their overalls. They carry up to a size 20 and they actually shoot pieces with models of all sizes, so you can get an idea of what your future purchase will actually look like if you have a body that’s larger than size 4. P/S. Their sale section is SO GOOD right now — you can scroll for a WHILE and it’s kind of like the cooler version of Madewell. Happy searching!!!

Nicole Zizi Studio

denim coach’s jacket | military olive merino wool cuff beanie | raw recycled denim trench coat

This is like…the COOL, COOL stuff. Nicole Zizi uses ethical manufacturing processes to create iconic, gender-free streetwear pieces out of recycled, sustainable materials. Y’all, these are forever pieces worth investing in — I’m especially partial to this recycled plastic denim trucker jacket. (If streetwear is new to you, Nicole’s featured in this article about the business of investing in and flipping streetwear — it’s a HUGE MARKET — and it’s such an interesting read.)

Humankind Swim

navy sport swim top | limited edition tie dye | grey swim trunk

I see y’all looking for cute swimwear and I GOT YOU. If you’re like Emily and looking for something a little more modest for chasing around kids or for lounging around with family, look no further than these swim shorts — they’re super comfortable AND you can choose between a 4″ and 6″ inseam (also, consider getting a second pair for a friend, or partner, or husband, or whoever, because matching swimwear is CUTE). You can also grab a set with a swim top (or a swim shirt!) and a pair of swim shorts.

Beauty

Volition

hibiscus unspottable correcting oil | detoxifying silt gelee mask | screen time hydrating mist

THIS ONE IS SO NEAT, FOLKS. Volition makes products that are submitted by users. So like, YOU — the lovely person drinking your morning coffee with me (hi!) — can be a product designer. They put their best suggestions up for a community vote and manufacture the winners. Y’all — this leads to some GOOD skincare that’s made for real life. If you’re looking for a one-stop shop, this complete 6-product set has everything you need to get started for under $200 AND it comes highly reviewed. Also, they’re celebrating the one year birthday of this super hydrating celery mask and it’s almost 50% off, so you should scoop one while you can!

Sigil

amor fati | magnum opus | prima materia

If you’re the kind of person who’s like, “hey, I’d like to try and find a signature scent, but I have no idea where to start,” I’m here with a hot tip — you can start here!!! Sigil makes four scents and they’re all awesome — try this $50 sampler and take $50 off your purchase of a full-sized scent. (Worth noting that when I first discovered this brand, all my ~cool friends~ were already following on Instagram and had nothing but glowing reviews!) Also, Sigil is donating 20% of their revenue this month to 4 nonprofits (check out their home page — how many times have y’all seen a brand telling you not to buy their product and to donate instead?) so you can DEFINITELY feel good about making your purchase.

Dragun

dragunfire color corrector | face palette | dragunheart transformation face powder

Nikita Dragun is a famous YouTuber (3 million subscribers!!!) who created a makeup line — and this is a real quote — “for you to catfish everyone.” Nikita’s a trans woman who wanted to create the transformative products that she needed and she did a GREAT JOB because y’all, this stuff sells out in minutes every time it drops. Add yourself to the waitlist for the Transformation Kit here. (AND it comes in an egg! VERY CUTE.)

NOTO

the wash | ono ono multi benne stain stick | moisture riser cream

I discovered NOTO through Verishop (if y’all are not on this train, GET ON BOARD — the site is so well curated with free 2-day shipping. Amazon who?) before popping over to the NOTO’s site to see their full line. I’m a skincare newbie (I have complained about this on the site before — your girl needs HELP) but I read this glowing review of their Deep Serum and had to give it a whirl…and I loved it. If your skin is also dry, they have a whole section dedicated to hydration, really thoughtful customer reviews, and they’re super open about their sustainability goals and progress as a business. 10/10, worth supporting!

Hi Wildflower

mati rose gold illumination powder | ancients 4 oz candle tin | lipstick duo: dianthus & shona

First off, I just learned that Hi Wildflower was founded by the author of Bright Lines, which is a REALLY GOOD BOOK. Has anyone else read it? ANYWAY — Hi Wildflower is best known for their lipsticks named after botanics and wildflowers (hence the name!), but I’m here to throw some emphatic support behind the Matí Rose Glow, which you can wear as a lip gloss, cheek stain, or eye color. Plus, you can take 30% off everything in your cart right now which is a REALLY good deal.

Fluide

universal gloss in elysium | 7 free polish in riis beach | liquid lipstick in rosemont

I am IN LOVE with this brand’s origin story and I’m gonna share a (very) distilled, quick version — Isabelle was in her 20s and working at a creative agency when she met Laurie, a mom of Gen Z teens. Isabelle was looking for a more authentic beauty brand and Laurie was inspired by the activism and inclusivity of the next generation she was raising, so they teamed up and launched a makeup brand for everyone. THAT’S SO HEARTWARMING FOR SO MANY REASONS. Everything Fluide carries is beautiful and super pigmented (no need for a billion layers!) but you should check out their whole line of glitter products, which I look forward to one day wearing if I ever go out at night again.

Snacks (The Most Important One)

Five North Chocolate

cinnamon almond | pistachio sea salt | goji berry

FOLKS. I have been alive for 28 years and the concept of snacking chocolate is totally new to me. Have I been under a rock or is this new to you, too? I mean, I know that technically any chocolate could be a snack (and TBH, I will eat basically any chocolate at any time), but these are so well-portioned and pre-designed to munch on. Pistachio Sea Salt is a WINNER (trust me), but you can get 6 bags — two of each flavor, so you can figure out your favorite — right here.

WE MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER ROUNDUP. How did y’all like this format? (I took your feedback from the last small business roundup to heart!) Are there any LGBTQ+ owned businesses that you’d like to recommend? Did anything get added to your cart? Did you have a nice weekend? LET’S CHAT

View more on Emily Henderson's website »

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Published on June 22, 2020 01:00

20 Incredible LGBTQ+ Owned Small Businesses We Love And You Should KNOW

Hiya, buddies. I’m here with a big piece of information: IT’S JUNE. RIGHT NOW. Does it feel like the 12th week of March? Yes. Do calendar dates have any meaning anymore? DEBATABLE. But there is something worth celebrating this June (which, just to reiterate, is happening right now) — it’s Pride month!

As EHD’s resident small business fangirl (not joking — I think today is my fifth small business roundup in 3 months — I *love* an entrepreneur!!!), I wanted to shine a light on some of my favorite queer-owned businesses across home, fashion, and beauty. Let’s ease into this Monday with some online window shopping (or maybe even real shopping!), yeah?

I have your new go-to rug and blanket source. I have affordable eyewear that will make you look like a million bucks. I have a face serum that will change your life (if, like me, you also have dry skin.) I even have a book recommendation buried in here somewhere!

And if that’s not enough, I chose to feature each of these companies based on what y’all are already loving from our site recommendations. Because in addition to being EHD’s resident small business fangirl, I’m also the person who analyzes our links to make sure we’re showing products that you’ll love! So basically, the odds are VERY HIGH that you are going to find a new favorite company below.

Anyway, buckle up, cause I’ve got some goodies for ya. HERE WE GO.

Home

MINNA

lines basket medium | marta throw blue | shadow pillow cream

OH BABY. I told you that you were gonna love these brands and I wasn’t kidding! MINNA partners with family-run workshops and independent co-ops to create ethically produced home goods. I’m obsessed with all the rugs, but have actually been saving up for this bold, geometric, minimal one. Other standouts include their abstract blankets (hunter green is my favorite, but indigo is a close second) and all their placemats. P.S. Team EHD loves placemats now — come back later this month for a post about it.

Otherwild

sigil series prints by tyler mathew oyer | red box top | hammered gold ring

OTHERWILD HAS EVERYTHING. Truly. They’re an LA stronghold (and if you’re based out here, they’re still offering curbside pickup!), but if you need the perfect gift or a final finishing piece for your room, YOU CAN FIND IT HERE. Example: if anyone would like to buy me a perfect gift, I’d take this orange and pink vessel, and I’m sure that this blush ceramic coffee press would look stunning in your IG post of your kitchen. DONE. Also, this pet bowl is VERY CUTE and modern.

Show & Tell

baule pillow | baule crop top | golden symbols quilt

Show & Tell is a Black-owned boutique/gallery/event space up in Oakland and while they stock a ton of incredible apparel, scarves, masks, and paper goods, I’m LOSING MY MIND over these hand-made quilts. This striped one is a stunner, but this $150 option would look awesome as a standalone piece on a wall.

BLK MKT Vintage

vintage bowie state letterman jacket | vintage south african ndebele ceremonial doll | elect fannie lou hammer shirt | reclaim blk

Another dual brick & mortar AND online shop worth bookmarking! BLK MKT Vintage carries Black collectibles and cultural artifacts. My current favorites include this framed knotted wall hanging (mint and orange and stripes? YES PLEASE!) and this hand-carved, multifunctional stool from Cameroon. OH, and some of BLK MKT’s curated pieces are also available through Ethel’s Club. I wrote about the latter earlier this month and it’s also worth a visit!

Queer Candle Co.

sage & cedar scented soy candle | reed diffusers | tea & herb scented soy candle

CANDLE LOVERS, I GOT YOU (Sara I’m looking at you). This one comes highly recommended from a few pals of mine (so they’ve been tried, tested, and loved!), and y’all, they are BEAUTIFUL. Each candle comes topped with dried herbs, dehydrated fruits, or salts that represent the scent (so pretty!!!) and 10% of monthly proceeds are donated to the Sylvia Rivera Law Project. My friends’ favorite scents are Sweet Grapefruit & Mint, Sea Salt & Orchid, and Teak & Leather.

Fashion

Matriarch

rute boot | root longwing brogue | marlen brogue

Hi, I’m about to ruin your savings goals for this month because THESE ARE SO FREAKIN’ CUTE. And they come in all-gender sizing, so you can literally get them for everyone in your family. Or you could get a matching pair for you and your friends, if you’re feeling generous. (If you are that kind of friend who buys shoes for your pals, please drop me a note down in the comments, okay?) But anyway, look at the soles on these beige brogues! And they come in a high-top style boot version! And this black boot is just timeless. WOW. I could literally link everything here. I LOVE MATRIARCH, FOLKS.

Coco and Breezy

iris | jene | amazonian

Coco and Breezy make the coolest (THE. COOLEST.) sunglasses and eyeglasses. The fact that Prince wore a custom pair of Coco and Breezy sunglasses really tells you everything you need to know. But y’all, these are affordably priced for premium eyewear (a lot in the $150-$250 range — if you wear glasses like me, you know that’s a GOOD DEAL for a cute pair!), they kind of give me an Ali Wong vibe (my glasses icon!), and I can’t pick which ones to recommend so here are all their sunglasses and here are all their eyeglasses.

Automic Gold

boss necklace | suspender earring | line bangle

Lovers of tiny, wearable, never-take-it-off jewelry, I SEE YOU! Automic Gold makes high-quality pieces without the markup (seriously — that is my real opinion and not a talking point that I’ve been fed!). Pieces are offered in yellow, white, or rose gold with a ton of inclusive options — you can buy one earring instead of a set; you can order rings between size 2 and 16; you can customize the length of your necklace or bracelet chains. As someone with a large circle tattoo on their forearm, I’m very into these open circle earrings, but I also love this zig zag gold ring. (Also, grab the line ring in a few sizes if you’re ready to invest in a good set of stacking rings that won’t leave green residue all over your hands!!)

Telfar

large dark olive shopping bag | small oxblood shopping bag | medium yellow shopping bag

IT’S THE BUSHWICK BIRKIN. Telfar’s under-$300 vegan leather bags are hugely popular — as of posting, the whole site is sold out — and for good reason. Instead of linking to more favorites, y’all should take a peek at this profile on how the business has fared in the age of COVID — it’s such a good read. (Like, what do you do when your business of 15 years takes off just as the world is ending?) Once you’re done, bookmark the site and wait for the next bag drop. YOU WILL BE SO COOL.

Makoma

poncho | short sleeve jumpsuit | oya

It’s no secret that Team EHD loves a jumpsuit — seriously, all of us do — and Makoma makes some GREAT, bright, printed ones for all occasions (everything from long sleeve button-ups to spaghetti straps! Jumpsuits for all!). This blue, yellow, floral/stripe hybrid is unreal!!! But if you’re more of the “I’d prefer to have those leg holes sewn together, thanks” type, there are a ton of equally beautiful dresses — I’m also in love with this dark indigo maxi.

Wildfang

empower sl blouse | pronoun pin | empower tartan trouser

Wildfang is famous for a couple things (you’ve for sure seen their Wild Feminist line out in the world and Emily wore a couple of their suits in the ), but today I’m here to extoll their slim crop pants — this one comes in such a cute floral! — and ALL of their overalls. They carry up to a size 20 and they actually shoot pieces with models of all sizes, so you can get an idea of what your future purchase will actually look like if you have a body that’s larger than size 4. P/S. Their sale section is SO GOOD right now — you can scroll for a WHILE and it’s kind of like the cooler version of Madewell. Happy searching!!!

Nicole Zizi Studio

denim coach’s jacket | military olive merino wool cuff beanie | raw recycled denim trench coat

This is like…the COOL, COOL stuff. Nicole Zizi uses ethical manufacturing processes to create iconic, gender-free streetwear pieces out of recycled, sustainable materials. Y’all, these are forever pieces worth investing in — I’m especially partial to this recycled plastic denim trucker jacket. (If streetwear is new to you, Nicole’s featured in this article about the business of investing in and flipping streetwear — it’s a HUGE MARKET — and it’s such an interesting read.)

Humankind Swim

navy sport swim top | limited edition tie dye | grey swim trunk

I see y’all looking for cute swimwear and I GOT YOU. If you’re like Emily and looking for something a little more modest for chasing around kids or for lounging around with family, look no further than these swim shorts — they’re super comfortable AND you can choose between a 4″ and 6″ inseam (also, consider getting a second pair for a friend, or partner, or husband, or whoever, because matching swimwear is CUTE). You can also grab a set with a swim top (or a swim shirt!) and a pair of swim shorts.

Beauty

Volition

hibiscus unspottable correcting oil | detoxifying silt gelee mask | screen time hydrating mist

THIS ONE IS SO NEAT, FOLKS. Volition makes products that are submitted by users. So like, YOU — the lovely person drinking your morning coffee with me (hi!) — can be a product designer. They put their best suggestions up for a community vote and manufacture the winners. Y’all — this leads to some GOOD skincare that’s made for real life. If you’re looking for a one-stop shop, this complete 6-product set has everything you need to get started for under $200 AND it comes highly reviewed. Also, they’re celebrating the one year birthday of this super hydrating celery mask and it’s almost 50% off, so you should scoop one while you can!

Sigil

amor fati | magnum opus | prima materia

If you’re the kind of person who’s like, “hey, I’d like to try and find a signature scent, but I have no idea where to start,” I’m here with a hot tip — you can start here!!! Sigil makes four scents and they’re all awesome — try this $50 sampler and take $50 off your purchase of a full-sized scent. (Worth noting that when I first discovered this brand, all my ~cool friends~ were already following on Instagram and had nothing but glowing reviews!) Also, Sigil is donating 20% of their revenue this month to 4 nonprofits (check out their home page — how many times have y’all seen a brand telling you not to buy their product and to donate instead?) so you can DEFINITELY feel good about making your purchase.

Dragun

dragunfire color corrector | face palette | dragunheart transformation face powder

Nikita Dragun is a famous YouTuber (3 million subscribers!!!) who created a makeup line — and this is a real quote — “for you to catfish everyone.” Nikita’s a trans woman who wanted to create the transformative products that she needed and she did a GREAT JOB because y’all, this stuff sells out in minutes every time it drops. Add yourself to the waitlist for the Transformation Kit here. (AND it comes in an egg! VERY CUTE.)

NOTO

the wash | ono ono multi benne stain stick | moisture riser cream

I discovered NOTO through Verishop (if y’all are not on this train, GET ON BOARD — the site is so well curated with free 2-day shipping. Amazon who?) before popping over to the NOTO’s site to see their full line. I’m a skincare newbie (I have complained about this on the site before — your girl needs HELP) but I read this glowing review of their Deep Serum and had to give it a whirl…and I loved it. If your skin is also dry, they have a whole section dedicated to hydration, really thoughtful customer reviews, and they’re super open about their sustainability goals and progress as a business. 10/10, worth supporting!

Hi Wildflower

mati rose gold illumination powder | ancients 4 oz candle tin | lipstick duo: dianthus & shona

First off, I just learned that Hi Wildflower was founded by the author of Bright Lines, which is a REALLY GOOD BOOK. Has anyone else read it? ANYWAY — Hi Wildflower is best known for their lipsticks named after botanics and wildflowers (hence the name!), but I’m here to throw some emphatic support behind the Matí Rose Glow, which you can wear as a lip gloss, cheek stain, or eye color. Plus, you can take 30% off everything in your cart right now which is a REALLY good deal.

Fluide

universal gloss in elysium | 7 free polish in riis beach | liquid lipstick in rosemont

I am IN LOVE with this brand’s origin story and I’m gonna share a (very) distilled, quick version — Isabelle was in her 20s and working at a creative agency when she met Laurie, a mom of Gen Z teens. Isabelle was looking for a more authentic beauty brand and Laurie was inspired by the activism and inclusivity of the next generation she was raising, so they teamed up and launched a makeup brand for everyone. THAT’S SO HEARTWARMING FOR SO MANY REASONS. Everything Fluide carries is beautiful and super pigmented (no need for a billion layers!) but you should check out their whole line of glitter products, which I look forward to one day wearing if I ever go out at night again.

Snacks (The Most Important One)

Five North Chocolate

cinnamon almond | pistachio sea salt | goji berry

FOLKS. I have been alive for 28 years and the concept of snacking chocolate is totally new to me. Have I been under a rock or is this new to you, too? I mean, I know that technically any chocolate could be a snack (and TBH, I will eat basically any chocolate at any time), but these are so well-portioned and pre-designed to munch on. Pistachio Sea Salt is a WINNER (trust me), but you can get 6 bags — two of each flavor, so you can figure out your favorite — right here.

WE MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER ROUNDUP. How did y’all like this format? (I took your feedback from the last small business roundup to heart!) Are there any LGBTQ+ owned businesses that you’d like to recommend? Did anything get added to your cart? Did you have a nice weekend? LET’S CHAT

View more on Emily Henderson's website »

Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on June 22, 2020 01:00

The Link Up: IG Accounts To Brighten Your Day, Our New Favorite Artisan Marketplace & The Perfect Personalized Accessory

design by niya bascom | photo by david a. land | via corner compass

Emily here. Happy Father’s Day, friends. Yet another quarantine holiday is being celebrated a bit differently this year, but with an ample amount of pancakes, artfully made sandwiches, ice-cold beer, corn hole, and smothering by two kids who like to wrestle without warning at 6 am pre-coffee. Brian’s a good dad. Maybe even the best. Happy Father’s day Brian, Bob, and Bob (both our dads) and all of you out there. Now, here’s what EHD has been loving this week:

Niya Bascom (one part of the Ishka Designs duo) is responsible for today’s home tour. It’s a beautiful celebration of his culture and his love for design. His curation of art is insane. It’s inspiring to say the least. And you should see his insane record collection which he’s been giving samplings of on his Instagram.

From Emily: A really exciting thing happened this last week for someone I love and adore…Orlando’s HGTV show is coming back with a new name! It’s now called Build Me Up. It’s the same idea of helping people, but now instead of it being exclusive to the newly single, it’s going to include people who are going a big life transition. I can’t wait to see his face back on my screen and it is all happening July 22 at 9 PM ET. Congrats, Orlando!

From Julie: You guys one of my favorite ceramicists, Carmen Ellis, is doing a giveaway through Friday, June 26th. Enter to win for your choice of one of her amazing vessels in celebration of launching her new site. You might’ve seen one of her pieces, the Foot Vessel, in my bedroom MOTO earlier this year and I absolutely adore it. Check out her Instagram for her full collection!

From Sara: I’m pretty sure I need this basket for (future) summer trips to the beach, picnics, and Farmer’s Market mornings. Plus, it’ll be totally pretty to leave hanging on the wall hook by my front door when not in use.

From Jess: In my never-ending love for gold, everyday necklaces and charms, I had one of those heart-stopping moments when I saw this personalized monogram charm from EVREN on Etsy. I initially waited a couple of weeks but since I couldn’t get it out of my head, I decided to put around my neck:) It’s coming this week and I am SO EXITED. She honestly has so many awesome pieces so go check it out immediately. I think this chain is next. It’s been calling me for too long. See? Zero shopping problems here…

From Mallory: In researching the best places to buy hammocks for yesterday’s post, I came across this website that’s basically an artisan marketplace that helps to empower artisans all over the world! It’s SO SO cool. Peruse this site to buy anything from handmade jewelry to (as you saw yesterday) amazing hammocks. Check it out and never go back.

From Caitlin: Lately, I’ve been leaning on two of my all-time favorite Instagram accounts when I start feeling a little anxious or overwhelmed (it’s okay to feel those things!!!). They brighten up my day and get me back on track — I know it’s wild to be like “these IG accounts keep me from spiraling,” but AHH, these IG accounts really do keep me from spiraling sometimes. @plantkween is incredible — I discovered them via Clever a few months ago (maybe? What is time? It’s been a while, at least) and honestly, just reading about all the ~ green gurls ~ is more than enough make my day. Christopher’s energy is SO GOOD and the posts are SO CREATIVE and the captions are SO LONG (which I love if you couldn’t tell) and I swear that it’ll put a smile on your face. And if you’re not following @thelesliejordan, WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? One video a day. Truly hilarious. TRUE JOY. I also heard he’s supposed to be in the NYT Style section today (writing this ahead of time, obviously) and I can’t wait to check it out. ANYWAY, y’all, I spend a lot of time on Instagram and will NEVER steer you wrong.

From Sara: If you’re looking for a new TV show to watch, I really recommend Legendary on HBO Max. It’s a competition style TV show showcasing some of the best voguing houses in the world. But this isn’t the ballroom you’re thinking of. There is drama, emotions, performance, and so much energy. It’s an ongoing season and there are only 5 episodes out, so you can easily catch up, and then I promise you’ll want to keep up.

From Ryann: I recently received this book in the mail from my new favorite site and I am devouring it. I really think we need to start an EHD book club ASAP because I desperately want to talk to you guys about books!! Who is with me?

If you are looking for some important and beautiful photography to purchase then look here first. See In Black, founded by Joshua Kissi and Micaiah Carter, is a coalition of Black photographers who serve as storytellers of their own narratives and through a limited time are doing a two-week charity print sale (ending 7/3). A selection of 70+ images will be donated by See In Black where 100% of profits from the sale will support civil rights, education/arts, intersectionality, community building, and criminal justice reform. Purchasing one of these images helps support a larger mission to combat a system of oppression that disproportionately affects Black Americans.

Here are the organizations that will be donated to (and you can also privately donate to):

Know Your Rights Camp Youth Empowerment Project National Black Justice Coalition Black Futures Lab The Bail Project

Prints are $100 / print + tax + shipping and will be produced by Artifact Uprising, using the company’s professional-grade giclée print process with rich, true-to-life color on archival fine art paper. Artifact Uprising also will be donating the first 1,500-quantity Large Format Prints (11×14 size) ordered to benefit the initiative. Jess bought this one.

Okay, that’s all from us for now. Have a lovely Sunday, a Happy Father’s Day, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow. xx

Opener Image Credit: Design by Niya Bascom of Ishka Designs | Photo by David A. Land | via CornerCompass

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Published on June 21, 2020 01:00

The Shocking Relaxing Power of a Hammock + The Best Ones On The Internet

Hammocks feel like a tropical vacation in your backyard, full stop. Feeling suspended in mid-air, while being gently and slowly swayed back and forth is highly underrated. Anyone who has ever been born (yes, you) has an innate need and love for this gentle movement and if you are like me, you still “rock” back and forth with or without a baby in your arms. While we put off doing real work to this backyard, we put up a couple of hammocks and sometimes (read: often) I think between those and the fake stream that came with the house is all we need to feel like it’s “summer” up here. Don’t think you need a fancy hammock to reap the benefits. They can be humble, inexpensive and with a stand, so you tree-less folks can hang a hammock on a patio or even inside. Can you tell I’m pro hammock? So if you are in the market for this “summer vacation in a bag” we’ve rounded up a ton of our favorite hammocks, swings, and swinging porch benches from around the web. Complicated times call for some areas of our lives to be simplified. No summer vacation this year? Snag yourself a hammock (and please tell me in the comments that you want me to do some water feature content because I LOVE A WATER FEATURE). Take it away, Mal.

Thanks for the intro, Em! Hey guys, Mallory here. I’m pretty much in agreeance with everything Em stated about hammocks in the above paragraph because I, too, am extremely passionate about gentle movements and being suspended in mid-air. I actually own a portable hammock that I keep in the back of my car so I can be prepared to seize any hammocking opportunity that might come my way (haha funny joke Mal….no but guys I’m not kidding). It’s the best investment I’ve ever made and it makes for A REALLY AWESOME DATE NIGHT (especially right now!!) Oh and really quick, if you’re interested in going the portable hammock route like I did, you need these straps (DO NOT GET NYLON STRAPS. I REPEAT. DO NOT GET NYLON STRAPS THEY WILL STRETCH OUT AND YOU WILL BE ON THE GROUND). I learned the hard way.

Now, I found a bunch of goodies on the interwebs for you today, but before we get into that I’d like to briefly chat about the hammock and acknowledge the origins of these babies. Now I’m no history teacher, but I did do a bit of research on the topic and here’s what I found. Hammocks were originally designed and created in Central America nearly 1,000 years ago by the Taíno, Maya, and other indigenous peoples as a way to protect themselves from anything that might be crawling around on the ground while they were sleeping. The word originates from a Taíno Arawakan word, “hamaka” which means “fish net,” because these hammocks were usually netted as a method of ventilation in these warmer climates.

So now that I just taught a history lesson without my teaching credential, let’s chat about one more quick thing and then I PROMISE we’ll get to the hammocks. Now you may or may not have heard, but here at EHD, we’ve taken the 15% pledge, which means at least 15% of our links will be from Black-owned businesses. I’m gonna be completely transparent here, upon SO MUCH internet research for this post, I found very few Black-owned hammock companies or home furnishing companies that sell them. However, I did find A TON of amazing South and Central American hammock makers and artisans from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Brazil, and more. When you think back to that last paragraph about the origin and history of the hammock, it makes sense why there’s an abundance of these artisans (and I’m VERY excited to share them with you), but if you know of any Black businesses that sell hammocks or patio swings please mention them in the comments!

Okay now as promised, ON WITH THE HAMMOCKS.

HAMMOCKS

photo by melissa oholendt | from: a foolproof way to create an outdoor room

If you guys want to click around to find more hammocks from AMAZING artisans, check out Novica, which is the source for most of the artisan hammocks I found. They’re an awesome company that I recently found and am excited to shop from more since they help to empower artisans and makers all over the world!

Hanging Chairs

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: how to style out your outdoor space so you’ll actually use it (no matter how big or small it is)

Ah an ol’ classic. We actually used #5 in our latest shoot with Target (and we were all very obsessed with it). Click here to see a cute dog that also approves of the chair. Also, I’m pretty sure that #1 and #3 look like the decor version of a cozy hug.

Patio Swings

Now patio swings are not something we have used a lot of but in the right area, they are perfect for year-round enjoyment (ok unless you get snow where you live). A little less loungy than a hammock but still gives you that same healing rocking motion when you just need to take a breather. Plus if you are someone that would have a hard time getting in or out of a hammock or swing chair then this is a great alternative.

That’s all for this post guys. Thanks for reading, happy swinging, and see you tomorrow!! xx

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Published on June 20, 2020 01:00

Recognizing Juneteenth (Plus, Resources To Learn More & Take Action)

Today is June 19th, but for many Americans it is a holiday better known as Juneteenth. Even if you hadn’t heard of Juneteenth until this year, if you’ve been anywhere near social media in the recent days (or hours), there’s very little doubt that you’ve seen SOMETHING about this historically significant day. But just in case you’re still not sure what Juneteenth commemorates, here’s a short summary (via Juneteenth.com):

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation – which had become official January 1, 1863.

Just to reiterate, enslaved people in Texas weren’t freed until two and a half years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. But, as we’ve been learning, there is so much more to understand about this historic day. So we’ve rounded up five articles that explore and explain the true significance of Juneteenth.

This week, The Root published this video that gives a great overview of Juneteenth and it’s importance. Back in 2018, Journalist P.R. Lockhart interviewed professor of African-American studies, Karlos K. Hill, about why celebrating Juneteenth is more important than ever, in this article from Vox.This week, The Root published this video that gives a great overview of Juneteenth and it’s importance. We loved this article (published by Shondaland.com) about writer and director Channing Godfrey Peoples, and her thoughts on why Juneteenth needs to be a national holiday. Read this, and then stream her new film Miss Juneteenth, which was released today.Journalist Dianca London Potts interviewed 93-year-old activist Ms. Opal Lee about her dreams of a national Juneteenth holiday in this 2019 article, also for Shondaland.com.Lastly, to better understand how Juneteenth is resonating in new ways due to current events, and why its observance is especially important this year, read this article by Journalist Derrick Bryson Taylor, written for the New York Times.

In recognition of Juneteenth, the EHD team is spending today out of the office (aka our living rooms) and instead heading to some of the local marches and protests in the LA area. If you’re looking for different ways to get involved this Juneteenth here are a few suggestions:

Check out Essence.com’s toolkit for mobilizing around the #SIXNINETEEN Movement, with actions starting today and going through the weekend.Sign up for this virtual summit hosted today at 1 pm EST by Digital Undivided: “Undivided We Rise is a virtual summit that brings thought leaders and influential voices together to bring awareness to digitalundivided’s vision: A world where all Black & Latinx women own their work.”Keep up to date on all the protests and events happening in the LA County area by following this Instagram account.And, if you haven’t yet seen it, TV show Blackish has an episode dedicated to Juneteenth. And it’s streaming on Hulu right now.

Finally, here’s a list of just a few things protesting – whether that be in the streets, signing petitions, sending emails, or making phone calls – has accomplished so far (while also recognizing that many organizations had been working on several of the items long before the events of the last few weeks):

George Floyd’s murderer, police officer Derek Chauvin, was arrested and had his charges elevated from third degree to second degree. They’ve also arrested and charged the three other officers who were present, but did not intervene.Portland, Denver, and Minneapolis public school districts terminated their contracts with city police. has been passed in Louisville, banning “No-Knock” warrants (however there’s still work to do, as no officers have yet been held accountable for her murder – click here for a list of action items to keep the momentum on her case a priority!).In New York the State Legislature has voted to repeal Law 50-A, a law that has kept police disciplinary records unavailable to the public for 44 years.Officers in Dallas are now required to intervene if they witness another officer using excessive force. In Minneapolis, a veto-proof majority of nine council members voted to dismantle the Minneapolis police.The officer who murdered Rayshard Brooks has been arrested and charged with felony murder.Los Angeles Mayor, Eric Garcetti, has announced that the city plans to reduce the LAPD budget and reallocate the funds (visit The People’s Budget LA for more information). Statues and monuments with racists histories have been removed all around the world.Brands and companies are making serious shifts in their practices (such as companies like Sephora taking the 15% Pledge).

One more thing. If you are wondering if you can purchase the beautiful piece in the opening photo and aptly named Change, you can! Head to Melissa Koby’s Etsy shop.

Opening Illustration Credit: Melissa Koby

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Published on June 19, 2020 01:00

Grab A Drink And Come Explore This EHD Stylist Alum’s Treasure Filled Living Room Reveal

A couple of months ago, Sara mentioned she had shot Erik’s (EHD alum and stylist’s) apartment entirely for fun. As soon as we saw the photos we knew we had to run it on the blog (not that we were surprised). And if you can’t tell from his joyously designed home, he is a real-life ray of sunshine. It’s impossible to not be happy when he’s around and his talent has secretly graced many, many projects on this blog. So it is with extremely excitement that we get to introduce him to you, properly and completely in his element. Erik, take it away…

Hey Henderson Heads! (Is that a thing yet!?) Before we get started, I need you to grab a statement earring, pour yourself a cocktail (mine will be a dirty gin martini), and BLAST Diana Ross’ “It’s My House”. Because in order to fully understand my living room, you’ll need to live like me. Oh and honey, I do a lot of LIVING in this space.

Charmed to meet your acquaintance, my name is Erik Kenneth Staalberg (I think the middle name adds a little something don’t you?). You might not recognize me, but I have been a long time friend of EHD. Emily basically launched my career as an Interior Prop Stylist. I assisted her for many years back in my mid-twenties, and she absolutely taught me many “Secrets From a Stylist”

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Published on June 18, 2020 01:00

A Little One’s Mid-Century Magical Bedroom Reveal

Wow. Welcome to our first reveal since 2020 started airing what felt like “The world’s season finale episode”. A new reveal feels both inappropriate and, frankly necessary. This is one of my good friend’s daughter’s room – a “friends and family” makeover for Annie, Derik, and their daughter Violet. They were struggling with the design (as we introduced here and documented more yesterday) and it’s really hard for me to see my friends struggle with their rooms and not help. It would be like being a fashion stylist (or any decent human) and see a shirt where a button was skipped and not say something or fix it. The compulsion to help is unstoppable. Plus, I knew that they would let us (Julie and myself) really go for it – they love color, pattern, and risks.

Here’s a little video to enjoy first where you can meet the family and see a bit of the process (just wait for the ad to play):

We started this project in October and almost finished it in late February, all ready to shoot when the quarantine hit. We pushed off all our shoots, but then this hilarious thing happened – Annie and Derik found their dream house in Toluca Lake (the valley) and then despite our custom wallpaper, custom bed, and custom mural in their art nook and my general pleading as a friend – they had to sell and move.

EEK. How do we shoot it? We did this project to have a really fun reveal to show you and it turned out so cute, we couldn’t NOT shoot it. Annie and Derik own The Reckless Unicorn – a kids boutique in Los Feliz – and I knew they had decent styling skills because they have to merchandise their store. So we dropped off a ton of props we had bought, and via Facetime, they styled it out. Then the next day, two days before they packed up the room to move permanently, Sara snuck in the back sliding glass door with a mask and gloves (this was a few weeks ago as things were being lifted) and did a speed shoot for an hour while the family was out of the house. Then as Sara was finishing up, they came back so that she could get some shots of Violet in her room (with a safe distance between them). Julie and I never even got to see it in person!! But the photos turned out great considering it wasn’t our usual protocol, and their daughter Violet loved it for the few months she had that magical wallpaper and bed.

First off, I want to say that Julie was the lead designer on this project, with me checking in and saying, “Ooh awesome. Do that one!” pretty often. These “friends and family” projects are kinda perfect to let my team take ownership over a project (we have two more we are working on but the world has slowed us down quite a bit). So, GREAT JOB JULIE.

The Art Nook

Violet wanted her room to be “magical” and their parents wanted us to lean into Mid-Century and a little bit ’80s (they also have a very rock and roll vibe – listen to Derik’s album if you haven’t yet). We’ll talk about that wallpaper later, but we knew that the art nook needed to have something exciting that said, “I’m not a closet” but couldn’t have a busy pattern. So Julie came up with this awesome custom color block mural that she and Velinda painted themselves (see stories). Julie pulled all the colors from the wallpaper which was so smart to keep it feeling cohesive (all of the paint colors are linked up below). It took 2 days and I think it turned out SO AWESOME.

The desk was one that they already owned and since it was cut perfectly to size to fit in that space Julie had the idea to paint it one of the colors from the mural (it was wood originally) to give it new life. Then to make it craft-friendly she coated it with a matte paint sealer. That desk chair from Article brings in a bit more green to balance out all the pinks and purples and is a piece that Violet could use for years to come.

The Custom BuildLane Bed

We call her “purple ladyfingers” (you can see her more easily in the mirror). Not a lot of people want or can handle a bed like this. Julie wrote about it yesterday but the first iteration was more Star Trek-y, although I’m pretty sure “Nex Gen” is trending. The biggest challenges were that it needed to be a full-size daybed, and they wanted it to float in the center of the wall for energy purposes instead of in the corner under the windows where the first design was intended it to be. It’s big in the room but MAN it’s actually awesome. Violet (oh sorry, that’s why it’s purple – her name is Violet and she loves purple) wanted to take it to their new house so bad that while it technically doesn’t fit they might install it across a wall and in a corner (like the original design now that I think about it).

It was hard to shoot (again, she is big in a small room) but I love this straight-on shot. I was able to sit in it the day before we were quarantined and it is actually so magical to cuddle in – and they have two dogs and a cat so sometimes it’s all 6 of them snuggled up in there.

They really wanted drawers for storage at the base of the bed, which is obviously great for function, so Julie designed those two big drawers with the big brass drawer pulls from Rejuvenation on it. See yesterday’s post for all the details, but needless to say, we were SO RELIEVED to have BuildLane to help us figure out the design of this bed as it was kinda a beast to get right (and we didn’t on the first go).

Here is that cozy corner shot that we shared with you yesterday. Instead of a typical nightstand and table lamp we opted for a floor lamp for when they are all reading a story together at night.

The Rug

We needed a rug that would be A. easy to play on (not super plush for little toys), B. be kid-friendly (not white), and C. work with the wallpaper. Julie found this one from Loloi Rugs, it pulled all the colors together without being super busy and competing with the rest of the patterns. In a perfect world, we might have layered another one above, or maybe I would’ve styled it with a cute wicker rocking horse or something.

The Light Fixtures

They already had this light fixture which we LOVED. It’s from Sazerac Stitches and had the perfect “midcentury, magical, colorful, and a little glam” feeling. It was the jumping-off point for Julie and the colors of the fixture were the reason why that beautiful wallpaper was ultimately chosen.

Back in the art nook Julie swapped out the existing white sconce that blended into the wall for this Katy Skelton Lone Star sconce. It’s adorable and added a bit more unexpected whimsy to the nook area.

They already had that Mid-Century style bookshelf, we just moved it, repositioned it, and had them style it all out. That festive sign from Custom Neon that says, “Sparkle” created another magical moment. Annie and Derik love a good neon sign as they have a few others around the house.

The Wallpaper

We wanted the wallpaper to be the magical part throughout the room. And that May Meadow wallpaper from Rebel Walls did the job. It incorporates all the colors from the light fixture and the pattern goes up 3/4 of the wall so it’s not too overwhelming for a smaller sized room. It can easily be customized to the size of your room so Julie gave them the dimensions but this is something your wallpaper installer could do as well. Our wallpaper guy told us to add about 4-6″ to the height which helps to line up the pattern for a seamless install.

The Magical Swing

This has to be one of the coziest and magical corners we have done and a large part of that is thanks to the blush leather swing from Barnaby Lane. We have been waiting about a year to use this swing in a project and knew from the first meeting this was the one. It actually worked out that the bed was moved out of the corner because this truly was the best spot. And adding that faux garland and butterflies just made it all that much more magical. It works cause you can see the trees right outside plus the wallpaper so it feels like you could almost be out there.

Annie had originally wanted wall to wall carpet in the room so to cut on costs for install Julie instead got the largest rug size available and then layered our favorite go-to sheepskin rug from Article. It really warms up this corner by adding a layer of texture. When in doubt “put a bird (read: sheepskin) on it”.

When Sara was shooting and sending us all the shots via text Julie requested this close up shot of the swing which really shows how special it is. That leather fringe and wood ring details are everything.

Just wanted to share how sweet Violet looks in the swing with that lighting, wish we could’ve all been there that day. Sara asked her if she liked to use the swing and Violet responded that she, “likes to when I have feelings”. Ain’t that the truth.

The Dog Bed

Now for our other model, Penny, who really loves to cuddle with whomever or in this case whatever bed you put in front of her. Usually, when we try to get a shot with an animal in it there is a lot of coaxing involved to get them into the shot but Sara had the opposite problem. Penny was so cozy in that dog bed from Tuft & Needle that she had to slowly slide it out of frame.

Since she and their other dog, Monkey, are both little dogs the size small was perfect for them and that cushion is removable so it makes it so easy to keep clean. Penny also clearly loves a good ear massage.

There you have it, a magical room reveal that only one of us on our team actually got to see in person so we (Julie and myself) will just be staring at these photos, imagining what it would’ve felt like to be in the space along with the rest of you. But man this shot is so dreamy that it almost feels like we all were there. We can’t wait to chat with you all about it in the comments. xx

And if you are in the need to add some magic into your life we have linked up all the sources below:

***Lead Design by Julie Rose

**Photography by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

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Published on June 17, 2020 01:00

Are You Ready To Go To A Flea Market?? + Our New Favorite Face Masks

Hi, friends! Earlier this morning, Julie walked us through the ins and outs of both bedroom and furniture design and Y’ALL, it’s such a good post. MEATY. There’s SO much great info in there (and just WAIT til you see the full reveal tomorrow!).

So this afternoon, to balance it out, I’m just dropping in with a lil’ midday snack for ya — the online equivalent of a walk around the office and a water cooler conversation. Take a quick break and talk with me, okay?

This weekend, the Long Beach Flea Market is reopening, which has gotten me thinking: are you ready to go back to the flea market? Or, more broadly, are you ready to start shopping in-store again, period?

I’m just curious — what’s the vibe like in your part of the world? How are you feeling?

Here in LA, I’m in a confusing limbo. I spent more than 11 consecutive weeks alone, without any human contact, but that streak ended on May 30th. Over the past two weeks, I’ve spent time in crowds of thousands (or, in some cases, crowds of hundreds of thousands). And now, that’s left me spiraling a bit. Yes, it’s still a pandemic. Yes, our local government has given the green light for businesses to reopen anyway. And yes, it’s wild to process the sudden shift from self-isolating to marching in crowds to seeing lines outside of dine-in restaurants when nothing has changed.

Currently, some of my friends are now choosing to return to self-quarantine again for two weeks, which I think is smart. Some friends are relying on testing — we use the drive-thru site at Dodger Stadium, which employs a self-administered cheek swab over a nose swab — and are getting checked weekly, which I think is responsible. And some of my friends are just returning to life as normal, complete with brunches and weddings (YES, y’all, I know someone who attended a full-on, crowded wedding this past weekend).

I’m stuck, though. I still don’t know how willing I am to return to regular life. I’ve said on the site before that the only thing I’ve missed more than my mom over the past few months has been the flea market — y’all, I love a small business and I love a good vintage find — and while I was joking (I do love my mom MORE than the flea market, it’s okay!!!), the flea has always been my favorite way to spend a Sunday.

photo by tessa neustadt | from: our round top flea market trip!

I love that it’s outdoors. I love supporting vendors who don’t necessarily have the time, bandwidth, or funding to reach an online audience. I love negotiating. I love waiting in line at 5 AM and using a headlamp to search for goods as dealers unpack. (Yeah, I’m that nerdy, y’all.) And honestly, I JUST LOVE PICKING. I love snooping through stuff. I’M NOSY, OKAY?

And these are the thoughts that are rattling around in my head now as I think about the Long Beach Flea Market this weekend. These are real people who deserve support now, more than ever! Many have gone months without the income they’d formerly depended on to make ends meet. Plus, it’s outdoors, and we’re pretty good at wearing masks by now, right?

But also, it’s still a pandemic AND it’s still getting worse. I’m COVID-free (again, shoutout to the easy testing available at Dodger Stadium, highly recommended for any LA resident who’s been in a crowd over the past few weeks!), but I can’t trust that everyone has been cleared. Is it worth isolating for another week til I can be tested again? Did I really go from “I NEED TO SANITIZE ALL MY GROCERIES” to “hello, stranger, please let me pick through your belongings” in the blink of an eye?

I figured that since a lot of states (and countries!) are re-opening, maybe you’re having this dilemma, too. If you are, ARE YOU AS CONFUSED AS I AM? How are you handling it? Honestly, out of all the places I could go right now, the flea market does feel like the safest bet…but also, should I just wait a month? Do I really need to buy…something? (Cause y’all know…you can go with a list to the flea market, but the real finds are the ones that you just stumble on.) If I am healthy, do I owe it to my community to support those who are rebuilding after months away from an important revenue stream? I live alone and can self-isolate for a few more weeks (I’m a pro now!) — does that change anything?

LET’S CHAT, please. It’s gotta be a weird time for all of us, right? How are you balancing it? Catch me up on what’s happening in your neck of the woods. (I’ll be here, waiting.)

PS. No matter where you’re going or what you’re doing, please wear a mask. Two symptomatic hairstylists exposed 140 (!!!) customers to COVID, but no new infections were linked to their salon because both the stylists and clients were wearing masks. We’ve shared some of our favorites on the site before, but here are a few new ones from small businesses and indie makers that we love.

PLEASE STAY SAFE, y’all have kept me sane while I’ve been alone and I want you to be healthy!!! OK, now we can chat.

Opener Image Credit: Photo by Alanna Hale | via Real Simple

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Published on June 16, 2020 11:29

Designing a Custom Magical Daybed with BuildLane (A Designer’s Best Friend)

We’re slowly picking back up on the design/production side of things at EHD and wanted to share what we have been up to, but also wanted to take a second to acknowledge that we will never be done with the important conversations. Today, Julie is walking you through the design process for the project we’ll reveal tomorrow along with everything you need to know about building custom furniture easily, affordably, and on time. It’s a process that’s new to us, but we’ve found the ultimate resource and wanted to share with our fellow interior designers. Julie, take us away…

Julie here! So today, let’s talk about this magical bedroom design and going custom with your furniture. You might have seen the before photos of this project when I shared my new-found obsession with an updated color block paint trend and then again when we clued you all in on the design projects we’ve been up to. But in case you missed it, get ready for the full rundown on the design process and if it was worth it to design a custom daybed (spoiler: it totally was, but for one good reason).

Emily’s close friends, Annie and Derik, wanted to create a more cohesive room for their daughter, Violet, so they became our first design client for the ‘Friends & Family’ program. Emily initiated it in September of last year. I joined this and many other projects as the lead designer which you’ll see more of soon. From the moment we stepped into the space for our first meeting, it was obvious what her favorite colors (pink, purple, green, and yellow) and interests were — basically anything slightly magical. We had a clear design direction and I was excited to get started.

As with any design project, let the pinning begin!

image source 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

We found inspiration in rooms with pops of colorful furniture, bold wallpaper, and some 3-dimensional elements to turn up the playfulness of the space. Typically for a kid’s room, my advice as a designer is to keep your bigger pieces, like the bed and dresser, on the more simple side and to add in the whimsy through their toys and bedding so the room can evolve as the child grows up. But the rest of Annie and Derik’s house is full of pattern, color, and unexpected moments. Emily and I knew that doing something others would consider “risky” would actually be just what they wanted to complete their house.

The original layout of the space had the bed in the corner under the windows with the rest of the room open for a play area. The secondary closet was going to stay as Violet’s art nook but right now it still felt like another closet. Hence, the reason behind my color block obsession and I can’t wait for you to see the results in the reveal tomorrow.

image source 1 | 2

With the bed in the corner it made the room feel a bit off balanced because the full-size bed was the first thing you saw when you walked through the door and then it was pretty much empty, with the exception of the pink mid-century bookshelf that was going to stay and all of her toys. It also didn’t feel as cozy as it could be for a little kid (+ her two dogs and cat). So the initial idea was to do a DIY corner headboard executed by yours truly and to pair it with Violet’s current bed.

Inspired by the photos above, the first plan was to create some large scale scallops that varied in size and extended past the bed. The design iterations stopped there though, when we got a phone call from Annie letting me know that they had moved the bed further towards the center of the room for a personal reason.

Violet’s room is a great size, but the fact that it’s longer than it is wide (or you know, I could’ve just said “a rectangle”) makes the bed feel like it’s floating along that back wall. This is when I had the idea of rotating the bed to be parallel to the wall making it more of a daybed feel. This way, the area in front of the art nook would be a more open area for Violet to play. But you guys, finding a “cool” full-size daybed that would go with the rest of the design elements that were already finalized was quite the challenge — one that I didn’t complete (challenge denied). So instead, we decided to design our own daybed and start the dreaded custom furniture process. Dun Dun Dun…

While in design school and over the past few years at EHD, I have always heard horror stories of going custom for a client. Custom furniture can really make a room feel special but it takes a lot of time (anywhere between 6-12 weeks or more depending on the piece), money, and there are always going to be at least a couple of issues that you’ll run into along the way, so it’s helpful to hire a designer who has experience.

design by idol design

We found a new daybed design inspiration in the space above by Idol Design. Annie especially loved the photo on the right of the pink velvet scalloped bench so creating something similar as the headboard was an easy decision.

Now for the tricky parts: 1. It was still a full-size mattress so even in the SketchUp model the bed felt BIG. and 2. We needed to include storage drawers below since a lot of Violet’s toys and clothes were kept under the original bed. My initial thought was to keep the outside of the side panels the same material as the storage drawers so they wouldn’t stand out and then have an upholstered panel that was inset to tie in with the scalloped headboard. The side panels also had curved edges and sloped down to try and reduce their size and the overall large-ness the bed was becoming.

The final tricky part was figuring out who would actually build this beast of a bed since this was way out of my install / DIY skills. This is when our magical partnership with BuildLane began and they transformed an idea into reality.

We first worked with BuildLane when Emily was trying to find someone to restore and reupholster her Cherner dining chairs that she had scored at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. They reached out to us after that post to not only let us know that they could do the job but that they actually specialize in custom furniture working with interior designers.

When Caitlin told me this, I quickly took a look at their site and was thoroughly impressed with the user interface. I was actually excited to start this custom piece because it looked so easy to use and it truly was, let me show you below!

“I was previously a design consultant and project manager with an interior design firm, and was also a BuildLane client before joining this team. So, I can personally attest – doing custom just got a lot easier for you. You’re going to love it.” – Heather Zeilman

This was literally in one of the first emails that Heather, BuildLane’s Chief Operating Officer, sent to me and boy did it help lessen my custom furniture anxiety.

Let’s break down the process step by step…

Once you have your initial idea, you can create a new project in your account and upload all of your inspiration photos, sketches of the design, and notes about the piece under the “Inspiration Photos & Diagrams” tab. We included the photo of the pink bench from the photos above to show the BuildLane‘s team the style of upholstery we wanted for the headboard. You can share hand sketches of the design with them or use other programs like SketchUp, AutoCAD, Revitt, etc. to give the desired dimensions of the piece. Their team will then go over your idea and let you know if the scale feels off or if it needs to be adjusted for construction. For the daybed design, I had the side panels about 1.5 – 2″ thick, but they let me know that it had to be at least 3″ thick for them to support the rest of the frame. Something that small would’ve cost us more time and money had their team not caught that detail.

Once we finalized all of the dimensions, they sent over a professional shop drawing for review — all we have to do to approve is click a button. If you did see any issues with the drawing, you could easily message them below to fix them. The same goes for all your materials — once they arrive at the factory they will take a photo of it for approval. They even include the quantity and details of the material so there isn’t any guesswork. Such a dream.

Then you wait — but not for too long, since their system is pretty seamless with approving drawings and materials quickly. Let me tell you first hand, that really cuts out a lot of emails and opened up a ton of time during my workday to get other stuff done. And then that glorious day arrives when you get an email notification that your piece is ready for review! They take a lot of photos of the finished piece at the factory. I am talking about every single angle and detail shot that you could wish for. It’s as if you are there and walking around the piece. It was great and looked just like the SketchUp model. I was so excited to click the approve button and schedule the delivery.

Then we got it into the space and realized that my initial design had more of an 80s feel to the piece than intended or as Emily likes to call it “The Star Trek Bed”. I did watch a lot of Star Trek with my dad growing up so we can blame it on that fact. Those white side panels were just too stark in the room and ended up looking like a big white erase board. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…designing custom furniture is hard, there is a reason why people go to school for industrial design. Granted this was only my third custom furniture piece that I have designed/helped design so I didn’t give myself too hard of a time, only a little (read: a lot).

Everyone was very sweet about the accidentally designing a Star Trek bed thing, which made me feel a lot better about the whole ordeal. As Emily always says, “It’s just design, it’s not the end of the world” and BuildLane was more than happy to help with a redesign. Their founder, Frank Eybsen, jumped on the phone with us to figure out a new game plan.

Here are the options we came up with…

Options #1 & #2 were intended to be paired with Violet’s existing bed frame and custom pull out drawers. There were a total of 4 shallow drawers (2 on each side) under her original bed but one was more narrow than the other so the line of the drawers as a daybed would look asymmetrical with a very symmetrical headboard which ultimately would’ve felt a bit off.

Looking back, I am not actually sure what I was trying with option #3, why at the time did I think that extending the white on the side but only just a little would look good? Who knows, that was old Julie and we can forget about her past design mistakes (all of them).

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Published on June 16, 2020 01:00

Why Are Some Rooms Hard To Design and Others So Easy? A Personal Dilemma And Exploration…

Like children, no room is perfect but some are just so much easier. There are rooms I can envision instantly and generally their pieces fall into place and look good. Then there are the other ones. I’ve found myself so frustrated with the “problem room” while designing the kid’s room in LA as well as our living room (see only three versions above). But as I reflect on all the rooms I’ve ever done, I can now easily identify a few things that have made some rooms harder to design and make beautiful than others. These are more than “problem rooms”, they are taunting little pricks wanting to publicly embarrass you, provoke fights in your marriage due to your endless rearranging, and make you doubt your own abilities. Or so I’ve heard. So let’s identify WHY a room is hard to design so we can potentially get closer to solving these problems (if possible).

Let’s walk you through a couple of NON-problem rooms, first.

photo by veronica crawford | from: our bedroom update (also how I feel about having a tv in the bedroom)

My Master Bedroom: Even though we had to put the bed in front of a window it was still an easy room to design (HOT TIP – Bedrooms are so much easier to design than living rooms mostly because there is less furniture – bed, nightstands, dresser – boom, done – and less functional needs).

photo by tessa neustadt | from: a baby girl’s blush and green nursery

Birdie’s First Bedroom: Big source of light, pretty big mural, and a big wall to either put a daybed or a bed on (see full room here). Here it was as a guest bedroom when we staged it to sell – still worked:

photo by tessa neustadt | from: how we styled elliot’s room to sell

So why are some rooms SO hard to design? First, off I’d like to place the blame on old dead architects who built houses before the 1950s for not considering the not yet invented TV or king-sized beds, or the need for big closets and open concept kitchen/family rooms. Most modern/contemporary houses do not have the same challenges as say, a 1920s English Tudor, but they also don’t have the architectural charm (most likely). So you get one or the other. , dripping with natural light and architectural charm was harder to figure out than that was essentially a new build. We were able to place every window and wire for every TV. So let’s talk about the major problems and how to solve them.

Problem #1: MULTIPLE FOCAL POINTS

photo by tessa neustadt | from: our modern english tudor living room

When you have a singular focal point it’s so easy to orient a room, but with multiple focal points and no solid walls you have more options and you have to choose what to showcase. In this living room, we have the fireplace, bay window, large french windows – it’s an embarrassment of riches in the architectural focal point arena. We’ve tried it so many different ways and this is the way the room feels the best and is the most functional for our family, but often it feels like we should be facing the fireplace and opening up those bay windows for a table and chairs. In case you never saw this layout option post when we first moved in check it out.

We recently took our reader suggestions and rearranged it even more here.

Solution: Go with function and flow (and keep all focal points visually open)

Let function and flow guide you. Like in our case, it feels like the sofa should face the fireplace. But in order for it to be close enough to feel like it was even in a “conversation” with the fireplace, it cut the room in half. While we’ve had the sofa on the other side of the room (where the french doors are) for Christmas, this is the way that works the best for our family since we do use those doors so much and I love staring into the patio from the sofa instead of facing the street.

photo by tessa neustadt | from: our modern english tudor living room

And then just make sure that you have no furniture visually blocking a focal point – like chairs in front of your fireplace (instead try a low bench or pouf) and that is one of the reasons we are switching out our sofa – for one that has a much lower back to get those bay windows shine.

I’m so excited to show you our new sofa and the chaise lounge finally reupholstered in the most amazing floral. I haven’t seen it yet besides photos, but boy are we excited.

But the point is, I think this room is starting to really WORK, and I’m so excited to show you.

PROBLEM #2: LONG AND NARROW ROOMS

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

I’ll say this publicly, square rooms are easier to design. I can lay a square room in a second. Long, narrow rooms are just hard, especially if you add in doors and windows and fireplaces. Sara’s living room is such a great example of “long and narrow” done right, but it wasn’t easy.

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

SOLUTION: BREAK IT UP WITH ZONES

Velinda (Sara’s designer and EHD alum) broke it up into zones and used low back chairs between the zones to not visually stop the eye and yet keep it open. But this was a conundrum too and she showed up a bunch of layout options that you all voted on in this post.

To give you all a little blast from the past, here are a bunch of layouts that were put together for a “how to design a long and narrow living room” post that we did on the blog in 2016. Guys, it’s still hard four years later!

PROBLEM #3: NO CLEAR “FOCAL WALL”

from: a very exciting la update: our kids’ shared bedroom (vintage, pattern, tassels and a red zebra rug???)

Oh what I wouldn’t give for a big blank wall, maybe with two windows near each edge leaving enough room for a bed in the kid’s room (think Portland bedroom). So easy. Granted if I needed to fit one twin or even a queen bed, this wouldn’t be so hard. But since I need a king bed now and soon two twin beds it makes the layout super hard (and no, they don’t like bunk beds).

SOLUTION: CREATE A FOCAL WALL

I think maybe the I mean the word is FORCE. That’s right, force a focal wall like say, with a large visually impactful canopy. BY THE WAY, when I went down to check on the house I separated the beds and raised them and it’s starting to look good, I promise. Should I do an update post? It’s still not there, but you’ll be able to see that it is getting there. My iPhone shots just suck. Anyway, I think it’s going to work, guys. Maybe I should not have done such a loud focal wall, but she wants A LOT OF ATTENTION. You have our focus, lady.

Exhibit #2: The Downstairs Den Now Playroom

from: family room update (and a lot of changes)

Such a good example of what NOT to do – if a room is too open with the rest of the house like our playroom/den (making it parenting a dream), don’t stop your eye by making it dark (like an “accent room”). When we realized that we needed a playroom more than a TV room, we painted it the same tone as the rest of the entry and added that ship mural which I actually LOVE. The window is still where your eye goes, but the mural helps create that “art zone”. So we GAVE it a focal point, and the windows become a beautiful source of light but you want to stay in the first 1/2 of the room because there is something exciting (yet calm) happening on that wall.

photo by veronica crawford | from: our la playroom update with solutions that work for us + another diy fail

It actually really works right now functionally and makes parenting in this house easy because the playroom is so close to the kitchen. I think that if I could forego how we actually live here (aka having a kid-focused space) I’d put a pretty floating desk, with a chair and ottoman in the bay window and enclose the room with french doors, but for our life, this works so well.

photo by veronica crawford | from: our la playroom update with solutions that work for us + another diy fail

PROBLEM #4: IT’S A PASS-THROUGH SPACE

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: arlyn’s dark, moody dining room makeover takeover

What do you do when you also have to walk through one room to get to another? It’s hard. Arlyn had this problem with her dining room – she couldn’t float the table in the middle of her dining room so she came up with a genius solution – she shoved the dining room towards one wall, with a banquet instead of chairs that would need to float. SMART.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: arlyn’s moody dining room reveal

SOLUTION: Open Up and Shove Against Walls

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: how to design a pass-through room – reveal – the portland family room

Obviously this solution will depend on whether this room is a living room or dining, but with both of these examples, we shifted the furniture to allow the room to be more open, allowing for flow. For the family room above, by shoving the sofa against the wall, having an oval coffee table, and then choosing visually open chairs we were able to make this work. See the whole post about other ways we made it work.

PROBLEM #5: MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS

Let’s face it – unless you have a “tv room” often the location of the TV causes PROBLEMS. Maybe you have one of those perfectly laid out living rooms where it’s not a problem, most new houses, built in the last 50 years were designed for a clear “tv wall”. In our , there was no clear TV wall in that big bright living room, so we shoved it into the family room right off the kitchen, which was awkward but totally functional.

photo by tessa neustadt | from: how we styled our family room and kitchen to sell

I just realized that this room was ALSO a pass-through room – no wonder it was so hard to make it work (I didn’t like it until the DAY we staged it to sell and then I loved it – ugh).

photo by tessa neustadt | from: how we styled our family room and kitchen to sell

As you can see above, that TV was awkward just on that random wall, but it totally worked functionally for our family (it looks high but it was fine because sofa was deep and against the wall).

SOLUTION: Create Zones (Yep, Again)

photo by tessa neustadt | from: how we styled our family room and kitchen to sell

This is sometimes easier said than done depending on your space, but just remember that everything looks better when it has a specific place. It will feel more organized and less chaotic.

OK, those have been my biggest struggles, but here are some other ways that a room becomes “hard” to design –

A guest room that has to also be a TV room or an office is also hard unless it’s really big.

Lack of natural light – A bright room with lots of windows is easier to work with. But there are ways to help, which we wrote about here.

Long blank walls with nothing to break it up. We had that problem at the Atlanta show house, which we broke up with a big dynamic gallery wall and plug-in sconces.

Lastly, KIDS AND PETS – There is a “price of admission” when you have either kids or pets. They’ll ruin your pretty house and furniture and they’ll create messes in every room that will then need a ton of easy access storage. It’s possible, but if you are struggling to make your living rooms look beautiful with kids and pets you are not alone. We have written about kid-friendly tips here, and pets here and both here and if you are looking for good looking storage (our favorite) check out this post here.

If you guys have any other “problem child/rooms” let us know what they are and we can try to tackle them.

Opener Images Credits: From Left to Right: Photo by Tessa Neustadt | Photo by Ryan Liebe | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

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Published on June 15, 2020 01:00