Emily Henderson's Blog, page 210

It’s Time To Get To Work

There is no “before and after” when it comes to growth. No big “I’m done! Fully formed human (or blog) here! I hope you like the finished me!!” like there is in room designs (although even that is questionable). The anti-racism work we have to do is more than just a single list of actions we need to take in our personal lives, or at this company. Creating equity here at EHD, in the design industry, and throughout our entire society will come from a conscious shift on every front, every platform, consistently, and permanently.

We are still a design blog, but we will be a better one. One that drives change, awareness, and strives towards equity in our field for Black designers and makers, and everyone else who hasn’t felt accepted or seen in the design world. We will have more Black and POC voices, designers, makers, writers and bloggers on our site and platforms, in our industry, and on our team. Diversity will be included daily and thought about consciously (but I will also be hiring a diversity consultant to guide us, because we aren’t going to be anti-racism and equity experts in just one week).

All of this is going to take daily practice, and we won’t get it right all the time but as you guys know the fear of not being perfect has NEVER held me back from talking. Being scared to make mistakes is counterproductive. Tomorrow we will continue to share design and style content, because that’s what we do, and it’s hopefully why you’re here. But we won’t go back to” business as usual” or “normal”. Ever.

This quote, from a video I saw this weekend, is what I’m now telling myself every morning: “Glad you are awake. Time to get to work” – Sonya Renee Taylor. And so we will.

Black Lives Matter.

The post It’s Time To Get To Work appeared first on Emily Henderson.

A Pause To Act, and Plan For Action

As a team, we’ve decided that the blog and our social media accounts will continue to be mute of design content this week in order to create digital space for the Black activists, content creators, and organizations who are sharing important information, and to amplify their content on our own platforms. This country doesn’t need design distractions or escapism from us right now. We are using this time to LISTEN, learn, unlearn, and understand how to be better role models for racial and social equity within the blog and design fields and our own lives. We are also using this time to be more active in this fight for justice (keep an eye on our Instagram stories for information about protests and marches as we hear about them, as well as ways you can help donate supplies to support local LA protests).

If you’re looking for more information on who we are listening to, what we are reading, and a list of just a few of the Black designers and makers you can follow to take your own first steps in the fight for racial equity, please head to Sundays post. Then head to our Instagram stories for some of the accounts we are following to continue our anti-racism and ally education.

To our Black readers – We stand with you. And we apologize it’s taken us too long to make racial equity a consistent priority at EHD. We appreciate your comments, feedback and constant engagement – seriously. We know that you are holding us accountable to making permanent changes, and we are putting together an action plan for what is to come. Right now it’s important for us to listen to our fellow designers in the Black community, understand what will create effective and equitable changes, and take more immediate actions in other ways. Black Lives Matter.

Beautiful art by Artist Danielle Coke, of oh happy dani (whose prints are currently sold out, but you can sign up for her newsletter to find out when they will be back in stock!).

The post A Pause To Act, and Plan For Action appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Anti-Racism Resources, Content To Diversify Your Feed, & More Ways To Support The Black Community Right Now

design by brigette romanek | via romanek design studio

Today marks the end of a month that has been painful and traumatizing, yet sadly not an anomaly for so many people. Yesterday we shared a few resources and ideas for anyone who needed some starting points to either begin or further their anti-racism education (including ourselves). It wasn’t a perfect post, and there were moments where we fell short. We might fall short again today, but we have to keep trying.

First, we’d like to thank everyone who used their time to share their feedback and perspectives with us. We can imagine that even on the best of days, finding the energy to engage with and educate someone can be draining. These have not been the best of days.

Secondly, we wanted to take today to share more – More resources we’ve been directed to, more ways we’ve researched to support the Black community, and more of the information that was generously shared with us in yesterday’s comments. Let’s get into it.

One way we can begin to possibly better understand the perspectives of Black Americans is to watch, read, and listen to the content they are already creating. In this way we are able to avoid putting the burden of our own anti-racism education back on them, while also supporting them as journalists, authors, filmmakers, and artists.

PODCASTS TO LISTEN TO, A DOCUMENTARY TO WATCH, AND BOOKS TO READ

Pod Save The People is an award-winning podcast hosted by activist DeRay Mckesson in addition to Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Sam Sinyangwe, and writer Dr. Clint Smith. They cover everything from the news, culture, social, and political issues and specifically how they affect people of color.

From our reader Kristy: “Here’s a recommendation for another podcast: NPR’s Code Switch. All of the episodes talk about race, but one of their most powerful discusses race and friendships. It was so moving and powerful, and spawned a great discussion between myself and friends, who all could relate.”

Sooo Many White Guys is a podcast hosted by Comedian, Actress, and Author Phoebe Robinson that Jess really loves. There are 4 seasons of incredible dialogue on topics of racism, tokenism, and everything in between with humor beautifully woven in.

If you haven’t seen the Ava DuVernay directed documentary “13th” on Netflix, consider watching it. It explores the prison system in America which, because of the 13th Amendment, is the only legal form of slavery. The documentary examines how this Constitutional Amendment was exploited by incarcerating (and re-incarcerating) the Black community, and how the prison system then became a billion-dollar industry.

This is an amazing list of anti-racism resources, and here are even more books to read.

Yesterday reader Michelle, recommended this children’s book for kids ages 5-9: A Kids Book About Racism by Jelani Memory

MORE CREATORS & BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT

If you’re in the market for a new piece of art, this beautiful print by Cleo Wade serves as a reminder that thoughts and actions always start at home. The full proceeds of each sale will go to The Antiracist Research & Policy Center.

ShoppeBlack not only has endless resources for all of us to discover black-owned businesses, but here is a list of bookstores you can purchase online when you’re ready to order some of the books from the lists that have been linked up above.

Goodee, owned by twin brothers, Byron and Dexter Peart, have created an incredible store that only carries products from designers that are making a strong social or environmental impact.

Sara has been on the delicate jewelry hunt recently, and just purchased this perfect single initial earring from Etsy shop Nolita Diamonds. If you’re looking for something beautiful, take a peek at all the different pieces this shop has.

IF YOU CAN, DONATE

Consider donating somewhere in lieu of exchanging money for something in return. Many of us reading (and writing) this post have some unearned resources at our disposal. Our government and institutions will not redistribute them. But we can, and we should. This article published on The Cut has a long list of places where donations can be made.

ALGORITHM DIVERSITY

A quick note before jumping into this section – Much of the content created by the activists, authors, content creators, and educators that are linked in this section is free (like a podcasts or the information someone might share on their social media account)! But we – the EHD team – know first hand how much work it takes to create high quality content you are proud of. As always, if you’re able, consider financially supporting these creators by buying their books, online lectures/classes, purchasing their services, or supporting them via a patron style monthly payment or one-time payment. This is a reminder to ourselves as well!

One account to follow on Instagram is that of Ericka Hart (@ihartericka) a sex educator, model, writer, and racial/social/gender justice disruptor. She shares her perspectives on being black in America alongside important information about racism, sexism, and a myriad of other important topics. She also has two online Racial and Social Justice classes that you can purchase, a podcast you can listen to, and an extensive list of books to read in this highlight on her stories.

Yesterday, reader Danielle put together and shared this incredible list of Black creators, designers, shows, and movies for us all to support and enjoy. We want to be clear that we did not create this list, and truly appreciate the time, effort, and generosity on Danielle’s part. We hope that by sharing it again here, more people can use it as a resource.

From Danielle: “Change your algorithm on streaming platforms with Black entertainment movies, shows, and documentaries. This supports Black artists, Black tastemakers, and Black businesses. While also making you laugh, smile, learn, and binge watch Black lives in all complexities and layers. If you search for some and even add a few to your watchlist your algorithm will change and you will see whole swaths of Black entertainment that never popped up for you before.”

FAMILY CONTENT

Fro Babies – Family LoveBlack Fathers – Family Love

DESIGN CONTENT

Carmeon Hamilton – Interiors Gail Davis  – Interiors 54kibo – Design Decor Coco Cozy – Lifestyle & Home Decor Brown Bohemians – Lifestyle, Fashion, & Decor Shavonda Gardner – Interiors Justina Blakeney – Interiors Studio Mucci – Artist, & Decor Influencer Yaël & Valérie Fabrics – Home Decor Textiles

ART

Fabiola Jean-Louis – Artist Painter Benny Bing – Artist Tilly The Artist – Artist Surrealist Kayla Mahaffey – Artist Surrealist Nick Davis – Artist Painter Lina Iris Viktor – Artist Painter Andre Woolery – Artist Painter Harmonia – Artist Painter Kervin Andre – Artist Painter Afroscope – Artist Surrealist Terry Joshua – Artist Painter Tawny Chatmon – Artist Painter

COOKING CONTENT

Tabitha Brown – Black Vegan Cooking Angela Davis – Black Cooking Darius Williams – Black Southern Cooking Shea Butter Village – Beauty and Wellness

CONTENT CREATORS

Janelle Marie Lloyd – Fashion Influencer Onyi Moss – Lifestyle Editorial Vanessa Oblinsky – Fashion & Lifestyle Blogger Jackie Aina – Beauty Influencer Signed, Blake – Attorney & Content Creator Aurora James – Fashion Designer & Influencer Lee Litumbe – Travel Influencer Beauty & The Blog – Beauty, Fashion, & Lifestyle Highlowluxxe – Style Expert Prissysavvy – Fashion & Lifestyle Blogger Chichiromeoandme – Kids Fashion Guru

CULTURE CONTENT

Pubby Longway – Black Culture ComedyBecause of Them We Can – Black CulturePush Black – Black CultureBlack Thought – Black CultureJennah Brittany – Black Culture Situational HumorFashion Bomb Daily – Black CultureThe Shade Room Teens – Black CultureBaller Alert – Black CultureDaquan – Black Culture ComedyBleacher Report – Black Sports Culture

INDUSTRY CONTENT

Zuri Hall – Emmy-Winning TV HostBozoma Saint John – LeaderElaine Welteroth – Black Fashion LeaderCRWNMAG – Black Beauty PublicationSam Fine – Beauty GuruJason Bolden – Fashion GuruCandice Marie – Influencer

CLUBS

Black Bloggers Club – Compendium of Black InfluencersBlack Interior Designers Network – Compendium of Black InfluencersBlack Girls Who Blog – Compendium of Black Influencers

TV – DRAMAS

Queen Sugar The Wire Scandal Bold Type Snow Fall All American Dear White People Sex Education Black Lightning The Good Fight

TV – ROMANCE

Four Weddings And A Funeral High Fidelity

TV – COMEDY

Family ReunionAtlantaBlackishBlack AFGrownish

TV – DOCUMENTARY

Trigger Warning With Killer Mike – DocumentaryMarching Orders – Sports DocumentaryStyling Hollywood- Reality TVRhythm and Flow – Music ShowHip Hop Evolution – Music DocumentaryQuincy – Music DocumentaryBlack God Father – Music / Hollywood Documentary

TV – INTERNATIONAL

Blood & Water – African TV ShowShadow – African TV ShowQueen Sono – African TV Show

MOVIES – HORROR

Get OutUs

MOVIES – DRAMA WITTY / COMEDY

BlackKlansmenDopeThe Last Blackman of San FranciscoGirls TripDolomite Is My Name

MOVIES – SPORTS

High Flying BirdCreedFirst Match

MOVIES – SCI-FI

Raising DionFast ColorSee You Yesterday Spider Man Into the Spider Verse Black Panther

MOVIES – ROMANCE

LovingBelleBeyond the LightsBeen So LongLovebirdsIf Beale Street Could TalkQueen & Slim

MOVIES – DRAMA

Sorry To Bother You Jinn (the movie with Zoe Renee)

MOVIES – DOCUMENTARIES

Becoming – Michelle Obama Personal DocumentaryHomecoming – Beyoncé Music DocumentaryGrace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami – Music DocumentaryAmazing Grace – Aretha Franklin Music DocumentarySerena – Personal DocumentarySavage Fenty – Fashion Documentary

Reader, Herselfindublin also left a comment on yesterday’s post about how our platform algorithms shape our world views, along with more suggestions: “I’d just to add two things. A lot of streaming services and things like Instagram use powerful algorithms that track your choices and recommend new stuff based on them. So if you’re white you’re almost definitely being recommended mostly, if not exclusively, white content. But it’s really easy to hack this, and have the algorithm adapt to make more varied suggestions.

On Instagram try and find Instagrammers who are not white. You don’t even have to change the types of accounts you follow – I pretty much exclusively follow design accounts and can recommend @designaddictmom, @iamkristabel, @malcolmsimmons, and @aphrochic for starters. Also look for and pass along recommendations of other POC on these platforms.

And on Netflix etc., just search for a show or film you know to have a predominantly black cast – it doesn’t have to be “heavy” or “educational”, you can search for “Blackish” or “Black Panther”, add them to your favorites and the algorithm will then suggest more.

This is also incredibly important because it tells the content creators that white people have no problem watching POC in films and TV programs, and that will in turn make projects by POC more likely to get commissioned, and to be commissioned in a variety of genres. A film I really enjoyed recently that has a predominantly black cast is “Uncorked” about a man expected to take over his family’s barbecue rib business but who has dreams of becoming a barista. It’s on Netflix, so if you haven’t heard of it yet then search for it and start changing your algorithm.”

To both Danielle & Herselfindublin’s recommendations we’d like to add a few more from ourselves and other comments from yesterday’s post: Author Ijeoma Oluo, author Layla F Saad, actress Indya Moore, actor & comedian DJ (also known as Shangela), writer Kendriana Washington, actress Mj Rodriguez, designer Kelly Finely, designer Ariene Bethea, designer Veronica Solomon, Geeky Glamohemian, interior design enthusiast Miki Carter, designer Kelly R. Collier, furniture designer Nicole Crowder, and Pinterest coach and designer Christina Willis.

If you are not Black, and choose to follow any of these suggested accounts, please do so respectfully. Start by listening. Spend more time listening. And then listen some more – something we are continually striving to do better at ourselves.

A FEW MORE NOTES . . . .

Let’s not forget that while George Floyd’s murderer has been charged (though the other officers have not), Breonna Taylor’s killers haven’t. She deserves the same support and justice. Click here to sign the petition and make phone calls to support this fight. Thank you to our reader Anne who gave us this link. While these specific cases have been brought to media attention, there are hundreds of other horrific incidents just like these that don’t make it to our newsfeeds or timelines because there isn’t video or photo evidence. These are not isolated or rare events.

One very important way white allies can support the anti-racism movement is by showing up to protests and marches. This instagram post by Jen Winston does a good job of explaining why. If you are able to attend a march or protest, checking to see if your local Black Lives Matter chapter has any organized plans could be a good place to start. You can search for a local chapter here.

Lastly, reader Jessica shared this article titled “5 Racist Anti-Racism Responses “Good” White Women Give to Viral Posts“. It’s an article written for White women by a White woman. It’s a good read, and gave us a lot of moments of self-reflection. Especially after yesterday’s post.

That’s it (for now). Thank you to everyone who commented on yesterday’s post and shared their perspectives, knowledge, and resources. And thank you in advance to everyone who will continue to share today, while also respecting that some people may be too drained, overwhelmed, and tired to share anymore. To those people we say, your voice and story are important and we are ready to continue listening if ever you are ready to share again.

Opener Image Credit: Design by Brigette Romanek | via Romanek Design Studio

The post The Link Up: Anti-Racism Resources, Content To Diversify Your Feed, & More Ways To Support The Black Community Right Now appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Tragedy Of George Floyd And My Responsibility In The Anti-Racist Movement

When recent racist events happen – like the tragedies of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd happen – I don’t know how to write about them. Sitting safely in my bubble, I’m horrified and ashamed. I turn away from the videos, unable to watch – the truest evidence of my privilege – and can only imagine the deep psychological impression that these videos must have on the Black Americans who have seen them. And yet these videos amplify the evidence and justifiably enrage a country, including myself. It’s a sad fact that it takes these types of videos to mobilize such a large response.

I started writing this on Wednesday, but was having a hard time “finding the right words/tone” that didn’t feel like pure virtue signaling or entirely defeated. Our Friday design post got pushed due to client’s approval process, so we scheduled a post already written about “Brian’s Happy Escapism Music,” a post aimed at highlighting upbeat music to help lift a little bit of the quarantine blues. So yesterday morning it went up per usual at 1am. I woke up at 6am, and realized my idiotic mistake, scrambled for my laptop and hit “un-publish” but not before I read the comments where I (rightfully) got called out. The fact that that post went up in the first place did nothing except highlight to me my true privilege – the ability to escape.

One thing I can do is look at myself, ask myself hard questions, and reflect on what I’m doing or not doing that is contributing to racism. Human beings, White human beings especially, can be so cruel. We’ve really f*cked this. Shame on us. To let fear, faux masculinity, posturing, poor modeling, bad education, violence and latent or overt racism ruin your brain enough to kill a man simply by not removing your knee? I’m feeling like we have a pretty terrible government in general if “protection” is their main function. What a fail, on so many fronts.

The powers that be, such as our government, aren’t doing enough – likely because they too are privileged, old, and White to feel an imminent threat to themselves. It’s just like how a lot of politicians don’t really care about public education – They have no vested interest in the success of the education system because their children (or grandchildren) don’t attend public schools. They lack the motivation, the true drive, to make it their cause. Similarly, White politicians (and White Americans as a whole) have rarely taken it upon themselves to take actions that would truly lead to dismantling racism in America. In case I haven’t made it clear, I am not exempt from this.

I am not a cop or politician. I am an enraged, disgusted, and full of shame citizen. I don’t know how to write about macrame or soup today. I don’t feel like it at all. But I do have a platform, and a responsibility to use that platform to amplify causes like anti-racism.

Ijeoma Oluo writes “Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward.” Cup of Jo wrote a great article about this on Thursday that I found so helpful, filled with a lot of great resources.

In an effort to take steps forward in this moment, my team and I pulled together a few simple ways to take action today (and we’re always open to adding more if you have suggestions to add in the comments):

Use your technology – Sign the petition at www.justiceforbigfloyd.comUse your voice – Call 612-324-4499 and demand that the county attorney Michael Freeman hold ALL four police officers accountable for the death of George Floyd – update, he’s charged with murder which shows progress in the perception of these cases, but there is still more action needed. If you’re able, use your financial privilege – Donate to the Minnesota Freedom Fund: www.minnesotafreedomfund.org/donate.

We’re not experts on anti-racism, but we wanted more so we pulled together a few other ideas from some internet research and social media accounts we follow –

1.) Read about Black history and read literature by Black authors. Do it often. Become educated so when you do talk to others about the racism in our society and government, you are armed with facts and data to support your arguments about institutionalized racism in America. Here’s a great list to start with.

2.) Look around and see what changes you can make in your own industry to be more inclusive. The interior design world, for example, is a heavily White-dominated industry. We are going to be doing more work to actively support, amplify, and bring attention to Black designers and makers, and will be making a concerted effort to bring different and diverse voices and experiences to this blog.

3.) Listen to Black people and their experiences. Don’t rely on your Black friends or family to answer your questions about race (unless they openly share with you, or have expressed their willingness to be a resource for you). Instead, use social media and the internet to seek our articles, videos, and podcasts produced by Black artists, activists, and journalists who have already done the emotional labor of sharing their experiences. This is great Instagram account to start with, and the podcast 1619 by The New York Times was an incredible listen.

4.) Use your financial privilege, if you’re able, to seek out and buy from Black-owned businesses. Tomorrow we’re going to share a few that we know of, but would always love to hear of more that we can help bring attention to.

5.) Use your vote to help put Black people and other POC in higher positions of power and demand reparations from your local, state, and national governments.

If you want one resource to start with, this book, How To Be Antiracist by author Ibram X Kendi, was recommended to us via an Instagram comment this morning.

Edit: Originally in this morning’s post we had suggested White Fragility. I’ve listened to author Robin Diangelo on a couple of podcasts, but need to read the book. However, it was brought to our attention via Instagram that we should be recommending a book written by a Black author. In recognition of our blind spot here, we’ve amended this post to instead recommend How To Be Antiracist. Thank you to everyone who continues to use their energy in order to share their perspectives with us xx

Here are some other great ideas that we love:

images via good good good

I can’t do anything to bring back the lives of Ahmaud Arbery, or George Floyd or any of the MANY OTHERS, but if I truly have any sort of voice or influence, then being ANTI-racist is what I want to share on my platforms. Admitting privilege, and feeling disturbed and enraged isn’t enough. It’s long past time for me, and all of us who haven’t yet joined this fight, to be actively anti-racist. Let’s do more. Black Lives Matter.

If you have other ideas or ways to contribute, help, causes to donate to, honestly any good suggestions to do or not do, please leave them in the comments. Even if it’s a good inspiring quote. We’d love to read and I know we aren’t the only ones. xx

**P.S. My team is pulling together posts highlighting black American run small businesses in the design/lifestyle/fashion world. If you have any you would like to recommend, please do so in the comments.

The post The Tragedy Of George Floyd And My Responsibility In The Anti-Racist Movement appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Brian’s Secret Guaranteed Happy Mood Playlists (And Why They Are So Important To Him)

When I was young, like between the ages of 8-10 years old, I had a tactic I would use on my parents to try to get out of doing chores, or out of trouble. If I got caught using let’s say a blinds twister – you know those long, clear, ribbed plastic wand things that you twist to close blinds? A blinds twister! If I got caught using one of those as a katana blade on my mom’s daffodils in the backyard (which was very satisfying by the way, you can cut clean through the stem if you swing hard enough) and I got dragged inside to explain myself, I would try something that had a low success rate but I would try anyway –  I would play dumb. I would do my best innocent, put-upon face and say, “I didn’t know.” Even though I totally knew that I shouldn’t have been Ninja Turtle-ing the flowers. 

It didn’t work in most scenarios, and I would have to spend the weekend planting new flowers, or maybe cleaning the back of my closet wall after getting caught throwing homemade “ninja stars” at it. I was into ninjas, ok? But sometimes, just sometimes, I could sneak one past Bob and Suz, and they’d buy my fake oblivion hook line and sinker. I was pretty convincing sometimes, which may have been the early seeds of me heading towards being an actor. Which is actually terrifying to write, let’s hope all of our kids are bad actors so we can catch them cutting our daffodils!

Oh God, I also just realized that this bad habit may have followed me all the way into adulthood – Emily accused me the other day of being “intentionally obtuse” when I was trying to get out of folding laundry by saying I didn’t know where her things went in her drawers. “Intentionally obtuse” is the adult way to say “playing dumb”, which is totally what I was doing.

Anyway, as bad as this tactic is, it is actually helping me through these tough q’tine times when I use it ON MYSELF.  Let me explain and start at the beginning. I’ve had lots of ups and downs through the pandemic – I started out great, seeing it as an opportunity to spend more time with the family, but I don’t think any human can be stuck inside with the same people for two months and not start to lose it a bit. I was noticing myself getting really short-tempered and annoyed with everyone. I felt put upon and was looking for little excuses to escape to my laptop, like that was going to help me, when in fact all I was doing was looking at Facebook or depressing news. I would pull out of it in the evening when I had a glass of wine and watched Nailed It with the kids, but it would start up again every morning. 

I think a lot of it was coming (and is still coming) from having all of my creative outlets completely shut down. I worked hard to get back into acting in the theater, which I wrote about here, and I had just wrapped one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had right before we had to stay at home. I was playing a great role in a great play which was extended so many times that I was able to work on it for like 5 months. It was scratching every itch that I could possibly have artistically. I was so excited to see what was next. But staying at home and all theater disappearing was next. Bah humbug.

So I found myself without an outlet, and without a job since all the videography (my day job) had dried up too. So I was basically unable to do anything that I felt ownership of. Sure, I could try to be the most kick-ass homeschool teacher there is, and I have some tricks for that to feel fulfilling, but I’m human and I can only go so long without feeling down about the whole situation. I would go from getting the kids fed and ready for school, to school, to making them lunch, to getting them outside for some sort of activity, to dinner, to picking something that the whole family could watch, to putting them down, to falling asleep because I apparently fall asleep at 9 now? The whole day was engaged with the family, which is awesome, but I’ve got an id (like Freud, not a license) and my monkey brain started to revolt, which in my case resulted in Grumpy-Brian.  

I know that this is the routine for a lot of people out there, especially a lot of moms, and I have nothing but respect for those who’ve been doing it the whole time, but it’s a big shift for a lot of us and I think some of us are getting hit hard by it. It sounds selfish I know, and it probably is, but I know myself well enough to know that if I don’t feel some ownership of at least some part of my day the depression starts creeping back in. 

I’m lucky enough to have a wife who knows me well and allows me to take the time I need to figure things out. She suggested that I drive some stuff down to LA  because we needed to clear out the garage, but also because she knew I needed a few hours of alone time. And it helped a ton. I drove with the windows down, listening to music and singing to myself. Boom. The endorphins snuck in. 

I realized something on that drive – I had tricked my mind into releasing the chemicals that made me feel better. It wasn’t just driving, I still drive a bit here, it was the freedom to sing like an a-hole to the Hamilton soundtrack at full volume. It wasn’t for my kids or for the family, it was because I needed it. And it paid off. So I wanted to see if there were other ways to trick my brain into giving me more of those sweet, sweet endorphins. 

I’ve started forcing myself to “play dumb” about the whole pandemic thing. I essentially treat my brain like my parents and see how much I can get away with before I get caught and pulled back to reality again. It’s a form of denial, I know, but I’m fine with that for now. I think it’s better for me to be mentally healthy than an informed citizen at this point. That basically just means staying away from the 24hr news cycle. Don’t worry we are still being very careful to keep our and everyone else’s family safe. But for my current mental health, I like feeling dumb and just following the fun, wherever I can find it.

Play dumb, follow the fun.

I listen to my happy music when I go on solo-drives, when I go on runs, when I’m in the shower, anytime I can dumb down. The pandemic doesn’t exist when T. Swift and I are belting out “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” together. Life isn’t monotonous when I’m harmonizing with my girl Mariah on “Always Be My Baby”. The endorphins get to come out and flood my dumb brain.

So I’ve put together my Emily Henderson.

Home Tour: How This Designer Built A Beautiful Modern Traditional Guest Home For His Dad To Age In Place

Today is your lucky day ladies and gentlemen. Rarely do we post two reveals in a row, but we are feeling generous and, well, VERY inspired by both designers we are featuring today. So get excited for another beautiful home tour because we’re about to dive right in.

Long Beach based Interior Designer, Shaun Crha, did what many of us hope to do for our parents one day. He built a guest house for his dad to move into when he is ready, so he can age at home and be close to him and his twin brother.

Shaun and his husband originally built the guest house (that they adoringly refer to as The Casita) because his Dad retired and moved from California to Arizona and they wanted to have a place for him to stay when he travels back and forth to see his grandson (Shaun’s twin brother’s son). But although it is a temporary place for him for now, Shaun was thinking ahead when he built and designed this guest home. When his Dad gets older and is going to need a place to live, the Casita will be move-in ready. He’s in perfect health now, but they wanted him to have a place that allows him keep as much of his independence and dignity as possible as he ages. So, Shaun designed the guest house to be an easy to maintain studio apartment for his dad. Are you ugly crying yet?? Me too.

But the story behind the design is not the only wonderful thing about it. The Casita is 340 square feet inside and 378 square feet if you include the covered front porch which he says gets a lot of use in the evenings (scroll down to see why – it’s BEAUTIFUL). So, not only is the space specifically designed with his dad in mind, it is also packed with small space hacks and solutions.

Small space and studio apartment dwellers, you are going to want to bookmark this one. Let’s start with the modern traditional kitchen that really displays his combined strategy of function and style.

The Stylish And Functional Kitchen

Refrigerator | Stove | Cabinets | Faucet | Sconce | Cheese Board | Tea Kettle | Utensil Holder

First things first, we must talk about the obvious show stoppers (those cabinets). We absolutely love the neutral color palette and how the black cabinets with the brass hardware make the whole space pop. We are all about dark moody cabinets in kitchens (hello Portland kitchen) and Sara recently discussed in her kitchen reno design plan that she is considering going to dark, too. But as I said, style was not the only consideration for the design. He also thought ahead and installed levers on the faucets and door handles that are easier for someone with arthritis to open and use and opted for lower cabinets to make everything more accessible.

Shelving Unit | Tumblers

Shaun also explained that he didn’t want to use upper cabinets since it could close in the space and make it smaller. Instead, he kept everything low to the ground except for the shelving unit that is custom made by RadWeld Customs. It keeps the space open but offers additional storage and opportunities for open shelving styling.

Kitchen Island | Pendant

Are you ready for more hacks?? Great. Let me introduce you to the kitchen island that serves double duty which ultimately saves on space. It is a cooking work surface but just add a couple of bar stools and it quickly becomes a dining table. We love this hack for a small space or studio that doesn’t quite have a dining area (because eating on the sofa should be reserved for special occasions, right?).

Now let’s move on to the next multi-purpose yet SUPER stylish area.

The Combination Bedroom/Living Area

Blanket | Rug | Bed | Sconce | Iron Doors | Cabinets | Loveseat

This combined bedroom/living area is peak small space innovation. In lieu of a bench at the end of the bed, he went with this loveseat which visually lets you know that this is mean to be two different areas. Doing this is hard to pull off, but we think what really makes it work is the large vintage area rug from Blue Parakeet Rugs. Shaun explained it was the biggest investment but so worth it because it was big enough to use under the bed and into the living area space too. It’s a beautiful piece of art that introduced character, color, and texture into the neutral space plus allows the areas to flow naturally into one another.

Instead of bringing in a bunch of small furniture and cluttering the space, Shaun installed these Ikea cabinets to frame the bed. This is a great way to utilize height and wall space to keep a small space open. It’s basically extra storage, but make it ~stylish~.

Side Table | Coffee Table | Ceramic Tray

The Bright And Airy Bathroom

Towel Ring | Sconce | Faucet | Vanity Cabinet | Medicine Cabinet | Floor Tile | Rug

You all know I am a huge advocate for the towel hook, and I love that he installed a vintage bar with three hooks to give more storage and provide some visual interest. Again, he maintains the neutral color palette with a dark and moody vanity cabinet which makes the space feel bigger. Lastly, the floor tile and vintage rug bring in some personality and color.

Function wise, Shaun decided that a walk-in shower would be easiest for someone to age-in-place, and it ended up being one of the most beautiful parts of the whole project. There’s also extra framing inside the bathroom walls so he can install a bench in the shower, or handrails and grab bars that will support someone’s weight when they need that extra help one day.

Now let’s move on to the outside space that just might be my favorite part (and the sole reason why I have converted to team gravel backyard for life).

The Multifunctional Outdoor Space

Before they built the Casita the backyard was all grass. Shaun explained, he “wanted to create a more relaxed courtyard for the Casita with the gravel, something that felt like a mix of the Mediterranean, South of France, and Morocco”. He definitely hit the nail on the head and an added bonus is it is inexpensive, saves water, and the gravel releases heat faster so the courtyard isn’t as hot in the Summer.

The backyard is also a great example of creating “zones” in order to make the most of the space. They set up chairs and a table for outdoor dining, a place for everyone to gather around the fire pit, and a bench perfect for sipping coffee in the early morning. As intended, looking at the photos transports me to another place that feels so relaxing and calm – like an actual oasis.

And there you have it. I don’t know about you, but I am feeling very inspired to make the most out of every inch of my apartment, with function AND style in mind. Of course, big thanks to Shaun for letting us feature his beautiful project and story.

Now, let’s chat in the comments. I’d love to hear what your favorite part of this space is because I have PLENTY of favorites. See you in the comments section, friends. xx

Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | Design by Shaun Crha

The post Home Tour: How This Designer Built A Beautiful Modern Traditional Guest Home For His Dad To Age In Place appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Looking For A Home “Update” Project? This Home Has 5 Ideas That Will Inspire You HARD

I think that small reno or “update” projects are on a lot of our minds since the weather is nice (read: already extremely hot) and these types of projects help to keep boredom at a minimum thus sanity at a maximum. Thoughts like, “How can I make my home feel more special?” or “What are some easy ways to add character?” have likely been floating around your brain. And to be honest there is A LOT you can do if you are willing to pick up some tools and get to work.

Last week we showed you Alison Pierce’s stunning home where she mostly worked with what she had when it came to updating. And while there are SO MANY tips to take from that post, she also had the blessing of a home filled with endless architectural vintage charm. But what if you live in a new build (like this one originally was in 2019) or your older home just doesn’t have those special details? You create them yourself. I know sounds intimidating but it’s SO worth it in the end.

With that said let me introduce to the very talented Shanty Wijaya of Allprace, the developer and designer of this incredible home you are about to dive into with me. She purchased it with the intent to give it some real soul, more usable square footage, and then sell it to a lucky buyer (With the help of our favorite staging company A 1000x Better. Remember this Craftsman they also staged?). So when I was looking at the photos of this home I thought to myself that there are A TON of great ideas for people who want to upgrade their homes beyond some new furniture and maybe tackle a reno project. So let’s start this house tour and get you inspired to use some power tools (or just a paint brush:)

MIX UP THE PANELING ORIENTATION

One of the first things that caught my eye was the accent paneling and that Shanty chose to install all over the house. We are huge fans because it just adds instant architectural character. But what she chose to do (that I LOVE) was to keep it visually quiet with the light warm gray paint color. It feels like a secret. Like you don’t know why it feels so cozy despite the mostly light-toned neutral palette.

Now the main sneaky yet genius detail (and the real point of this “idea”) was that she mixed the orientation of the paneling in the same line of sight. I mean talk about a perfect way to have the traditional feel of paneling in a modern way. It feels fresh and keeps your eye moving while also helping to “separate” and designate each room in this open plan.

Here is what Shanty said about the paneling plan:

“Yes, did that in purpose to add depth and interest to the overall look while still subtle to the eye.

First, I decide to do the horizontal paneling in the den room by the front door. Horizontal direction following the same direction when you enter the home, so it flows in the same direction with your eyes, making the space feels bigger and longer.

This also purposely to draw the eyes to the kitchen wall and living room (fireplace room), the main focal points in this home.

Instead of continuing the horizontal direction, the eyes then stop on vertical paneling on kitchen and living room walls (fireplace room), it further accentuates and emphasize both room as the main focal points. It also makes the room feel taller and bigger and highlight the kitchen skylight.
Vertical shiplap also adds modern vibe to balance the vintage fireplace and British classic kitchen look.“

HIGH COLOR CONTRAST MOMENTS

There really just isn’t an easier way to highlight a design moment like a bold color against a mostly light surrounding. It helps to focus your eye and bring some personality to a room. Plus who isn’t a fan of navy blue cabinets? But what really makes this kitchen stay away from feeling cold is that vintage island. It adds the perfect amount of warmth while still letting the blue cabinets shine.

Now dark cabinets, while classic and beautiful, aren’t necessarily a new idea. However, Shanty used the same blue to highlight that killer built-in bookshelf. So not only does that color make the room cozy and interesting but to make sure that wall didn’t look like a blue hole she chose natural wood shelves to contrast perfectly. I love this look so much and it would be so easy to DIY with an old bookshelf if you wanted to.

Also, that reading nook looks like actual heaven.

ACCENT WALLPAPER

The accent wall was HUGE in the early ’00s. You would have been hard-pressed to find a home without one (mine included). But then the designed world decided the accent wall was out and we were left needing to paint or wallpaper our other three walls. However, for the past year or so the tides have been turning back and Shanty is proving it. But if you want to hear more about it we actually wrote a post about it.

In our opinion, she nailed it in this house. What she did so beautifully was that she chose wallpaper that had a white background so looks seamless with the rest of the wall color. Also, she chose to “double accent wall.” What do I mean? Well, each of these three wall have both paneling and wallpaper so it feels even more intention and not as loud.

I do have to say that this plaid/shiplap combo is my absolute favorite (it’s SO GOOD, right?). I love her choice to put the wallpaper on the bottom because A. It’s different and B. It doubles as a cool headboard. This is giving me some real good ideas for an upcoming project I have in store;)

BOLD TILE FLOORING



tile source

Guys, a bold tile pattern is always a good choice. Emily is a big believer in this too. But I mean come on. The tile choices in all of these bathrooms take them from pretty to STUNNING. Now what I also love (and is very smart of Shanty) is that all the other elements are fairly traditional. This way (especially for resale) you aren’t going to need to renovate your entire bathroom if your potential new buyers aren’t as cool as you are and don’t like your tile awesome choice.

I would also like to take a design moment of appreciation for that rainshower/skylight masterpiece. It looks like you are actually showering in a warm winter summer storm. “I want to go to there.” Smart design really pays off.

tiles source (similar)

Here is another awesome bathroom with great tile. Again traditional wall paneling and fixtures but the tile, glass shower wall, shower niche and vanity mirror bring it perfectly into 2020 without looking too trendy.

Also, skylights forever. They are magical and we will never stop singing their praises. If you have the budget, they aren’t as expensive as we thought they would be. If you have a dark room, consider one. You will thank us later.

tile source

Is there anything sweeter than a light pink cement tile? Probably, but it’s a close second. For this one, the sink and the mirror are more on the modern side but the wall tile, wood accents, lighting, and toilet are very much traditional. Plus get out of here with that beautiful ceiling! So good.

ALL DARK MONOCHROME EXTERIOR

Painting the exterior of your home is no easy feat and if you pay someone then it’s $$$$. But if you are in the market for a new coat of fresh paint on the outside of your home, then we want you to consider an almost 100% monochrome look. It’s so clean, modern and yet timeless. They used Wrought Iron from Benjamin Moore.

And if you install french doors then please consider these light toned ones. Look at how they pop against that dark charcoal colored home when they are open. It’s too good.

Shanty also took the high contrast look to the front with that light wood trellis and her unstained dutch door. It all makes for a striking house. Talk about curb appeal.

But let’s look into what’s behind those garage doors…

(BONUS IDEA) ADD SOME NEEDED USEABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE

A guest suite! Yep instead of using this as a garage (because in CA, where this house is, the weather permits year-round uncovered car storage). Adding square footage to any home, as long as its been approved by the city, is a GREAT idea. It’s just a lot of work so it may be a little harder to DIY… but not impossible:)

This one, in particular, is great because it’s a full functioning studio apartment with a cute kitchen, bathroom, and a separate entrance.

Also, I will never tire of that Serge Mouille ceiling light fixture:)

I mean how cute are these details??

But another bedroom isn’t the only way to add usable square footage. A backyard office is the best. I can tell you from my current situation staying with my father, who has a little backyard office, that being able to work and then close the door behind you at the end of the day is life-changing. I am going to really miss it when I go back to LA. Anyway, do it if you can!

Since this is separate from the main house, Shanty stayed within the color palette but installed these plywood walls that look so Scandi and clean. I don’t think any of us would be mad about working in there.

Ok, that is it for this BIG tour, I have kept you long enough. I hope that if you were thinking of starting a bigger home project that this got you very inspired. I know I am.

Also thank you again to Shanty and A 1000x Better for letting us share this home!

Love you, mean it.

Photos by Jessica Alexander

The post Looking For A Home “Update” Project? This Home Has 5 Ideas That Will Inspire You HARD appeared first on Emily Henderson.

You Don’t Need A Pool To Cool Off in Your Backyard: All Of Our Favorite (And Still Available) Hot Tubs, Inflatable Pools and Water Toys)

I don’t know if the heat has hit where you live but I can tell you that it has hit California hard and the idea of dipping into a (not too cold because I’m a wimp) pool is what I need. But alas, I have no pool where I am but have decided that I will purchase some kind of “water thing” to help make this already not normal summer a bit more enjoyable. BUT if you are like me and are apparently “late to the kiddie pool party,” we have to act now (like today). Kiddie pools, hot tubs, even non diy slip and slides are selling out like HOT CAKES, and finding them to round up wasn’t easy. So while Sara’s incredible creative “crate pool” was sufficient, even she has moved onto greener (read: larger and more comfortable) pastures (see below). So in an effort to not waste any more time, I think we should jump right in so we can get shopping.

HOT TUBS/SOAKING TUBS



design by bri moysa

Let’s start big with the most “permanent” option, hot tubs. Now I know saying “hot tubs” feel counterintuitive to cooling off but they can serve you in both ways. You can take a refreshing soak during the day and then warm up in the cool evening if you are so compelled (you just want to time it right so it has time to heat up). Hot tubs are also NOT cheap but if you are wanting one it might just be worth it. However if you don’t care about the “hot” part in “hot tub” there are ways to DIY! Remember our #ShowEmYourDIYOutdoor post where the very talented Bri Moysa showed us hers and it only cost $650? Well, if you don’t it’s that VERY cute soaking bath in the photo above. Again it’s not a hot tub but it is a far more affordable option.

But if DIYing isn’t your thing, here are the ones I found for purchase. Some of the ones I found are “plug and plays” (which sounds almost too easy), some are inflatable and some are a traditional hot tub that require more than just a plug. However they are all above ground and require zero construction (YEA!). And let’s not forget that the great thing about a hot tub is that they are amazing year round (and day round? no, Jess that’s not a real term)…

1. 5-Person 20-Jet Plug and Play Hot Tub | 2. Cedar Soaking Tub | 3. Cypress Spa 34-jet | 4. Select 300 2-Person 20-Jet Plug and Play Hot Tub with LED Waterfall | 5. Coleman SaluSpa Portable 4 Person Outdoor Inflatable Hot Tub Spa | 6. Dundalk Wooden Oval Hot Tub | 7. Portable Outdoor 4-Person 114-Jet Inflatable Hot Tub | 8. 7-Person 30-Jet Premium Acrylic Bench Sterling Silver Spa Hot Tub | 9. Contour 7-Person 25-Jet Plug and Play Hot Tub

Now let’s get into the more affordable options…

INFLATABLE/KIDDIE POOLS



summer at its finest

As someone who would love nothing more than to cool off in waist-deep water with a cocktail in hand while her favorite tunes delighting her eardrums, a kiddie pool is THE ANSWER. Sara, as shown in that stunning above photo, would also agree. Luxury at its quarantine finest. But I guess that kids apparently really love kidde pools too. So whether you are 5, 35, or 65 years old, an inflatable pool is a great summer cool off option. But guys, I am not joking when I say these are selling out fast. These were basically the only ones I could find that could feasibly fit at least one grown adult. So if you are thinking about it, don’t think too long.

1. FUNBOY Mini Inflatable Pool | 2. Play Day 120 Deluxe Family Pool | 3. Intex Kiddie Pool | 4. Intex Swimming Pool | 5. Heart Mini Inflatable Pool | 6. FUNBOY Mini Inflatable Pool | 7. Wading Watermelon Pool | 8. Sunset Glow Inflatable Pool | 9. Fruits Mini Inflatable Pool | 10. Summer Cool Stars | 11. 3-Ring Pool Watermelon Style | 12. Inflatable Leisure Swimming Pool

Now, to avoid our lungs collapsing here are some air pumps…

1. Electric Air Pump | 2. Portable Hand Air Ball Pump Inflator Kit | 3. Electric Air Pump for Inflatables

Ok so now that we have the “pool” in place, let’s talk water toys…

WATER TOYS



also, summer at its finest

Now while I personally may stop at with a simple kiddie pool, water toys are one of the true joys of summer. What kid (or adult) doesn’t love a slip and slide, or a unicorn sprinkler? Only ones that hate fun. But just to be clear, you don’t need to buy a water toy to have fun but they sure do help and will likely keep your children (and you) happy for hours. Here are the ones that we thought were the raddest:)

1. Ginormous Rainbow Tunnel Sprinkler | 2. Grand Slam Baseball Water Slide | 3. Max Liquidator 2pk Puts | 4. Wet & Wild Hydro Twist Pipeline Sprinkler | 5. Inflatable Tropical Pineapple Sprinkler | 6. Rainbow Slip Slide Play Center with Splash Sprinkler | 7. Water Blaster 2Pack Water Squirts | 8. Unicorn Sprinkler | 9. Sprinkler Inflatable Ball | 10. Blobzter Water Slide | 11. Inflatable Palm Tree Yard Sprinkler | 12. Wet N’ Wild Mega Melon Ball Jumbo Sprinkler | 13. Automatic Garden Water Sprinklers | 14. Squirt Gun 6 Pcs Water Blaster | 15. Splash Bombs Water Toy 4pk | 16. Inflatable Rainbow Sprinkler | 17. Slip’n Slide | 18. Tidal Storm Hydro Swirl Spinning Water Sprinkler

So, in conclusion, here are the things I hope you got from this post:

This summer can still be SO FUN even if it’s contained mostly to your back yard.A DIY soaking tub is possible.Kiddie pools are not just for kids.BUY NOW so you aren’t sorry and end up in a storage tub like Sara almost did:) #SarasNewHeadshotWeAllVoted

Now if you still need some outdoor shopping resources, we have GOT you: The Outdoor Furniture Roundup Post | The Outdoor Accessories Roundup Post | Kids Playhouse Roundup

Love you, mean it.

The post You Don’t Need A Pool To Cool Off in Your Backyard: All Of Our Favorite (And Still Available) Hot Tubs, Inflatable Pools and Water Toys) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

We Discovered the Easiest Way to Mock-Up a Room Design Plan (It’s Not Photoshop)

When I was 16 I decided I wanted to start learning about interior design for the same reason everyone wants start to learning about interior design: my room was ugly and I wanted to redecorate. So I bought two interior design books: Domino’s Book of Decorating and Elements of Style (obviously because Emily’s book wasn’t out yet, okay???) and googled “what computer program do professional interior designers use?” The Google led me straight to a program called AutoCAD so I immediately downloaded the free trial. My thought process was: if I could teach myself photoshop, so how hard could it be to teach myself this? Well, after watching hours of free tutorials online and playing around with it, I realized it was VERY HARD, so I used an old fashioned sketchbook to draw out my room design. Flash forward 6 years later, I landed a job working for an interior design blog –– neigh –– THE INTERIOR DESIGN BLOG –– and I have a confession to make: I walked into the EHD office STILL not knowing what computer programs interior designers actually use.

So I’ll start by answering that million dollar question: what program do interior designers actually use?? Here at EHD, we use a bunch of different programs. Julie (who went to real interior design school) uses SketchUp and AutoCAD, but the vast majority of us use Photoshop and Google Slides. I’ll say that one more time in terms that are more relevant for this post. The EHD team uses 3 professional programs that cost money AND GOOGLE SLIDES. I couldn’t believe this news. This is a FREE program most people already have on their computers and know how to use. If you don’t know how to use it, it works the same way as PowerPoint or Keynote, and IT’S VERY EASY TO LEARN. So, when it came to designing my studio apartment, I revved up my Google Slides skills and got going. Here’s what I ended up with:

Now I have a couple of things to say here. First off, if you’ve been following my studio apartment saga at all, you may have noticed that this mood board looks completely different from the two versions I’ve shown you before. That’s because I’ve designed and redesigned this mood board probably 300 times. I know I just said “probably” but 300 is actually not an exaggeration. But THAT’S one of the main benefits to doing something like this on Google Slides, it makes switching around furniture pieces SO easy and it allows you to see the entire evolution of a room, so if you want to go back to where you started you can. I’ll get more into the details in a bit, but how we typically layout a room with Photoshop and Google Slides is by “wall” or “perspective” since these aren’t 3-D renderings. As you can see above that’s my bedroom wall or the perspective from the living room. Now let me show you another wall in my apartment where I took it from real life to a real design plan:

REAL LIFE ROOM:







DESIGN PLAN MOCKUP:

I’m sure you get it at this point, but you can make as many of these as you want. I have almost every wall from every angle, but that’s just because I’m very visual and I want to see every detail laid out before I make any big design calls. So, now that you understand what it is exactly that I’m going to teach you how to do, it’s time to actually show you! I made a video tutorial if you’re into that sort of thing (note: it will play after the ad) but if not then, just skip it because I’m going to outline it all too.

START A NEW GOOGLE SLIDE PRESENTATION

Google Slides is free and easy to use. Like I said, it’s basically PowerPoint or Keynote (which you could use instead if you’d rather), but Google Slides is a little easier to share with others and have them edit (which is especially helpful if you’re designing with roommates or a significant other that cares). So, the first thing you need to do is start a new presentation –– it should look something like this when you begin:

I like to give it a title and a title page, but obviously, you don’t have to. Click the little plus sign in the top left corner and make a new blank slide (not text boxes), then you’re pretty much set up to start adding in the goods (yup, it’s that easy).

START BUILDING YOUR SPACE

The next step is to start creating your space from the ground up (literally) so start with the floor. Take a photo of your apartment, OR…

Hot Tip

If your house or apartment or whatever you're designing has EVER been listed online, just google it, and find those professional real estate photos to pull from.

So, I found a professional picture of my apartment listing and took a screenshot of the floor. If you can only screenshot one small section of the floor because of furniture and what not in the photo, don’t worry. Just screenshot as much as you can, then drag that jpeg into your google slide presentation, and then copy and paste your image a bunch of times (like I did below) until you create the whole floor. This will apply to a lot of things once you start adding in furniture pieces (like wallpaper, tile, etc), so just remember that it’s more important to get the scale of your floor (or wallpaper, tile, etc) right than to stretch and morph your photo to try to make it fit across your screen.

If you don’t know how to take a screenshot on your computer, here you go (this is important). If you’re on a mac, press ‘SHIFT’ ‘COMMAND’ and ‘4’ all at the same time, then drag and select the area you want to screenshot. If you’re using a PC or iPad or something else, here’s an article that teaches you how to screenshot on any device, or you can just search for a YouTube tutorial for your specific device. Once you’ve taken a screenshot, it will usually automatically end up on the desktop of your computer and you can access it there.

So once you know how to screenshot (and where to find your screenshot), you can do the same thing you did with the floors with the walls (my walls are white, so I just left the background blank). Then, the next thing to do is to add any architectural features into the space. So, for example, if you have a window, take a photo of the window, (or again, screenshot your apartment/house’s online listing photo), upload it to your computer, then drag it into your google slide presentation, crop, and adjust the size to scale it to the room. You can also use the “shapes” tool on Google Slides to add in any walls, poles, smoke detectors, trim (don’t forget your trim), etc. Then once you have that basis, it should look something like this (but obviously, it will look more like your space, not mine):

Now you have the foundation, so you can fill your room with WHATEVER YOUR LITTLE HEART DESIRES. Sounds easier than it is – trust me, I get it – and I’m going to give you some VERY helpful tips for how to do this (and make it look good). We made it to the fun part, guys!

SCREENSHOT ONLINE FURNITURE PIECES

First, I’d recommend starting with the furniture you already have/want to still use in your space, which, you can either take photos of your items in your apartment, OR if you have anything that’s sold online, you can screenshot the furniture pieces there (the second option will look cleaner and better). For example, we have 2 pieces of art and a World Market dining set that we got off Craigslist, but luckily they were all still being sold online, so I just took screenshots of each item from their respective online stores. Here’s what our current dining chairs look like online (ooh, by the way, they’re on SALE if you’re into them. They’re very comfortable and I highly recommend). Then I’ll ONLY screenshot the chair on the grey background (not the whole page):

Hot Tip

I HIGHLY recommend finding pictures that have the most MINIMAL background possible, before you take your screenshot (like this plain grey background in the above photo). This will make the next step MUCH MUCH easier.

So now you should have a screenshot of your furniture item on the desktop of your computer, but it’s not quite ready to go into your Google Slides presentation just yet, here’s what you have to do next…

MAKE THE BACKGROUND TRANSPARENT

“How do you take the backgrounds out of the screenshots?” That is yet another million dollar question, people. You may be shocked to find out the answer is NOT Photoshop (although you can use photoshop to take out a background –– and I often do), this option I’m about to show you is actually EASIER and FREE. These are the instructions for mac users, but if you have a PC, you can follow this video to achieve the same thing

Sara’s Kitchen “Update” Spirals Into A full Renovation (Plus – Help Her Choose A Design Plan)

photo via deVOL

Recently, I decided that I was going to put all my #shelterinplace energy into one room – my kitchen. I spend most of my free time in there these days after all. And last week I shared my initial plan for a $3k budget, kitchen UPDATE. Last week feels so long ago. Almost as if it was a different lifetime. A different life. Remember in that last post when I said I pull triggers fast and impulsively? Well, I’ve really done it now. Let me fill you in on what’s transpired since that last post went live.

the current situation . . .

So many of you commented with some amazing suggestions – “Rip out all the top cabinets and just do open shelving!”. Love it. “Why not invest in new lower cabinets at least?” Why indeed! And then a few of you shared your own “update” stories. Most of them went something like, “we did a kitchen update so we could enjoy our kitchen until we could afford a full renovation . . . that was 25 years ago.” I can see how that could easily happen – you put a little effort into the kitchen, and it becomes functional. Suddenly everything else becomes more of a priority than fully renovating a room that is already good enough.

Finally, while talking through plans with my dad, we realized that it would be easier to take care of a few things now – like moving electrical, getting rid of the back door and centering the window, and picking permanent flooring (to save money we’re going to install some of the leftover pre-finished hardwood that’s been sitting out in the garage, which we used throughout the rest of the house). Which kind of made us wonder if it was just worth it to do . . . everything. The first part of our renovation took almost a year and half because my dad was going back and forth between here and NY, where he works. But right now, he’s kind of stuck here. So it makes sense to take advantage of that uninterrupted time. Plus, he’s really, REALLY excited for something to do. Like me, my dad is a bit of a workaholic. Must be genetic.

So, WE’RE BITING THE BULLET AND FULLY RENOVATING THE WHOLE KITCHEN. Now I know that there’s going to be a lot of you out there that will be bummed with the change of plan, and trust me, I was really excited to take on a simpler “update” project and document it. But I also really want to take advantage of the fact that my dad is here and happy to help us. And it makes more sense to hustle and get it all done. It’s a really small kitchen, and he thinks it will only be a 5 week project. Don’t worry though, it’ll still be a DIY project. And this time I don’t have a full-time designer taking care of all the hard stuff for me (I will forever be grateful to Velinda for designing our living room and dining room. She also happened to do her own amazing little budget kitchen reno, and built a super cute mini kitchen in her basement). Folks, I’m about to learn how to install my very own sink.

We’re also going to try and keep the budget down where we can as well. Besides using leftover flooring to save money, we’re going to go with Ikea cabinets (but hopefully get Semihandmade cabinet fronts to elevate the look), I already bought our sink on Craigslist for half of what it would have cost new, and doing most, if not all of the labor ourselves will certainly keep the cost down. But I also want to keep in mind that this is the only kitchen renovation this house is going to get.

In preparation, I spent most of this long weekend binge-watching the most recent season of Riverdale (a show so extra that you can’t NOT watch it), pinning design ideas, bugging Julie to help me with a cabinet layout plan, and putting together different kitchen design options. So now that I’m on a tight schedule to design my dream, forever, permanent kitchen – WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? Let’s get into the options . . .

OPTION #1



photo via oakstone homes | photo via the identité collective

Part of me wants to go in a light, neutral direction. With a gray or oatmeal lower cabinets, and light uppers. There’s something very traditional, elegant, and timeless about this direction to me. And I’m really considering splurging on stone countertops. It’s still nice and smooth for rolling out doughs, but won’t compete with the warmth of the wood on the floors. Plus, stone will keep butter very chill for biscuit and pie dough making (yes, this is a serious consideration for me when designing my kitchen).

Which leads me to Option #1 – Taupe/gray lower cabinets, white upper cabinets and walls, light colored appliances, stone counter, and a warm organic window treatment. I love how light and traditional this design feels. It makes me think of lazy Sunday mornings baking bread and drinking tea. My biggest concern with this option? Mac won’t like the light lower cabinets.

OPTION #2



photo by tessa nuestadt | design by amber interiors | photo via farrow & Ball

Next up we have the idea of going for dark, dramatic lower cabinets in BLACK. I have a feeling this is going to be Mac’s favorite option. There is something really elevated about the look. It’s cozy, while still feeling high end. And dark lowers might be a tad easier to keep clean in a kitchen, right? My concern with this option is that it’s going to be a lot of DARK in the house. The TV room is dark, the kitchen would be dark, and I have design ideas for the front bathroom that are dark. I don’t want the house to feel too heavy.

So here we have design Option #2 – dramatic black lower cabinets, dark appliances, and a gray and white striped window shade. This design makes me think of hosting Saturday night dinner parties, and mixing up cocktails for our guests in this kitchen.

OPTION #3



photo by lauren miller | design by ashley montgomery | photo via kelsey leigh design co.

Moving right along. There’s a part of me that’s still really interested in bringing in a color to the kitchen – namely green, which is the overall theme for the whole house. Green in a kitchen feels very English countryside, and I think the green still plays really beautifully with brass accents and a marble counter.

Here we have Option #3 – Green cabinets, dark appliances, and a more traditional blue striped window shade. The green is very saturated, but that’s the only option that Semihandmade has in a green tone. Truth be told I don’t mind it – I love how rich it is. Plus this kitchen (below) from deVOL makes me really want a GREEN kitchen.

photo via deVOL

Semihandmade do make customizable doors that come unfinished so you can lacquer them yourself whatever color you’d like, but I don’t have too much faith in my dad and I being able to give the cabinets professional-quality lacquering. And I want our cabinets to be well done, so they last. My concern with this design is that the green will be too saturated, and will feel like too much color next to our TV room.

OPTION #4



photo via jenna sue design | photo via a beautiful mess

Stone counters aren’t going to come cheap. There’s a big part of me that wants to go for them anyways. You know, splurge on one aspect of the kitchen that will make a big impact. Plus I spend a LOT of time in the kitchen, so I might as well make it the room of my dreams. But there’s another part of me that knows how much more affordable wood counters would be, and they would still look beautiful.

So for my final option, I’ve thrown in wood counters instead of stone, and nice neutral window shade to bounce the warmth around. This could work with dark or light lower cabinets, but for the sake of a design board I’ve popped in a lighter option. But maybe I go part stone, part wood? Best of both worlds?

Now the question is which is my favorite. The truth is I’m really torn. PLUS, it’s not just my kitchen. Mac needs to sign off on the design plan, too (as soon as I get him to sign off on a full kitchen renovation, which I’ve already decided we’re doing, but he may or may not know is happening yet).

But I’m also desperate for the opinion of my fellow EHD team and YOU. This is the first time anyone is seeing my design boards, and I’m waiting with bated breath for advice. What direction do you think we should go in? Because there’s nothing like peer pressure to help you make a permanent decision about your home