Emily Henderson's Blog, page 212

Designing A Tiny Balcony? – The Post That Mallory Wishes She Had Read Before She Started

Do you have a balcony that’s so small you can hardly fit any people or normal-sized furniture on it? I’ve lived with these awkward spaces before (and usually just never get around to designing them) and now I’m dealing with it again, but this time is different. Now, if you’re lucky enough to have one of these spaces, they can be very useful, but designing it for function (well, and fashion, of course) is the tricky part. Let’s be honest, balconies are hard to design when they are small, but I’m a firm believer that if you do it right, it can be an outdoor oasis, morning coffee-spot, or the ultimate small entertaining space. If you’re part of the “unused, undesigned, small-balcony” club, don’t worry –– so am I and I’m going to tell you what I wish I had known thus far into the designing process (plus I want your input, so wait ’til the end)…

So, my studio starter apartment design saga continues as I attempt to figure out how to design our teeny-tiny balcony (If you missed the first two posts, you can check out my apartment plan here and feature wall ideas here). I’m really lucky to have a little outdoor space like this in a studio, and I’m desperate to use it to its fullest potential. When I first started this balcony design process, as a beginner, I was lost and really needed someone to tell me where to start and what to do. Every article I found on designing balconies had the same problem: they were real size balconies and my space was so much smaller that it just felt unrelatable. So, I thought I’d use the power of being on the EHD team to write the kind of blog post that I wish I had when first attempting to design my balcony from scratch (no seriously, I had no furniture to start with). I studied up on this “how to design any room” blog post (which you should definitely check out), and I’m going to show you how a beginner is actually implementing these steps & applying them. So consider this a step-by-step guide showing you exactly where to start when designing a small balcony (since that can feel like the hardest part) –– plus I’ll show you what I’m doing and where I’m at in the process. Let’s begin!

My balcony space is a 3 x 7 ft rectangle that fits 2-4 people max (and that’s without furniture). Well, even without furniture 4 people might be pushing it…I’m telling you guys this space is very small. So knowing this information, I took to Pinterest to see what sort of things I could do that would fit the space. This brings me to my first step in this process…

FIND INSPIRATION PHOTOS



Top row from left to right: Image Source | Unknown Image Source | Image Source
Bottom row from left to right: Image Source| Image Source| Image Source

P.S. if you haven’t gotten our obvious secret, we ALWAYS start with finding inspiration photos. Even if our final designs look NOTHING like them.

Now, I love all of these above photos and their fun vibes, but the same problem kept occurring, when I was looking for inspiration…these balconies are double if not triple the size of my own. Seriously, they could swallow my balcony whole and would definitely win in a fistfight with their non-dominant hand. However, these photos are an excellent starting point and are helpful to reference, so now I just need to figure out what elements to pull from them. Which leads to the next big question:

WHAT FUNCTION SHOULD IT SERVE?

This is the first big question we asked ourselves. Do we want to use this space as an outdoor dining area? Should we make it a lounge? OR do we set up a bar cart and entertain 3 friends? I think what we want is a little bit of everything (which makes things hard) SO…our MAIN priority is to make it loungey. We want it to be a place where we can comfortably sit and chat, maybe read a book, or have a glass of wine. We want it to be the “chillin” spot in our apartment. Our little hang. We felt that was the best option because, this really has the coolest view in the house, so we want to be able to relax and enjoy it.

MEASURE YOUR SPACE…IMMEDIATELY

I made the most classic beginner mistake here. We moved into our apartment and I took no measurements. Surely I could eyeball anything that came my way at the thrift store, right? Wrong. I was driving and came across a Goodwill, and at this point I still only had a mattress to my name, so I figured I’d stop by to see if I could find any good furniture deals since we were in great need for anything to sit on that wasn’t our floor. I strolled in and went straight for the furniture section and…DID MY EYES DECEIVE ME? TWO BRAND NEW OUTDOOR TARGET CHAIRS? STILL IN THE PLASTIC?? FOR $89 EACH?? These chairs are any outdoor space’s dream you guys. Emily has them at the mountain house and we’ve used them in Target shoots before, so I spotted them instantly. I quickly impulse bought them because wow they were a good deal. I then shoved one chair at a time into my VW bug (I had to make two trips), and drove slowly to my apartment with my trunk wide open and hazards on. I had a feeling when I couldn’t fit them in my car that they definitely wouldn’t fit all that great on my balcony (which ended up being true), see for yourself…

See? The door is completely blocked by this massive chair and now we definitely can’t fit more than 2 people on the balcony at a time. Velinda showed me an awesome tip that I should’ve used, so now I’ll share it with you. Take photos of your space, like your ENTIRE apartment right upon move in, and then use the edit function to draw each measurement on the photo, so there’s never any guessing when you come across that insane (but non-returnable) furniture deal that’s too good to pass up.

Ok now that you have your inspiration, know how you want it to function and have ALL the measurements…

TAKE A STAB AT THE DESIGN

Let’s take a look at my first go with the chairs that I tried to make work.

Design One – Why it didn’t work

We made this moodboard on google slides (tune in next week for a step-by-step process on how to do that), so we could try out different styles, color palettes, and layouts. I’m a very visual person, so for me I need to see everything laid out to make a call. When I first threw this plan together, I didn’t even know if I wanted it bright, colorful, & a little crazy or neutral with strong hits of black (we went with that option because we already have a terracotta toned wall and we want the apartment to be really colorful). Here’s the first design we came up with:

Chairs |Light | Rug | Side table | White Pillow | Throw Blanket | Yellow Pillow | String Lights

After sitting on this design, I realized it just wasn’t going to work. The plant probably won’t fit (again, I didn’t measure back then) and that light is a suede indoor light, which isn’t super conducive to the outdoors. I thought about DIY-ing something similar, but I might need to assess how many DIYs I’m ACTUALLY going to do in this apartment versus how many I want to do… this might be the line where I’m biting off more than I can chew.

The chairs were really the #1 problem though. We could hardly walk onto the balcony and it restricted any more than 2 people from going and hanging out there (which is REPULSIVE when you can CLEARLY fit 3). So, we wanted to maximize every inch (without having to make something custom). Here’s the thing I’m learning about designing a small area like this, your options seem endless, but they’re really not (which I found sort of comforting…) There are only so many pieces of furniture and so many things you can do that will ACTUALLY fit, so starting with the basics and adding more will probably serve you very well. For example, we figured the chaise below will look best and give us the most lounge we could aks for. Plus it’s modular which means we can keep it a single chaise for the perfect reading/hangout nook for one (or a VERY cozy two). Or we could separate the two pieces so we (or a guest) can sit apart. Here’s what I mean:

Design Two – Why it DOES Work



Setup Option One:

Chaise | Side Table | Circle Pillow | Throw Blanket | Yellow Pillow (similar) | Rug | Wall Planters | String Lights

When designing a small space, MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNITURE IS KEY. A modular chaise like the one above gives us the option two have two different setups, the one you see above, with the couch together, or this one below:

Setup Option Two:

Couch | Side Table | Circle Pillow | Throw Blanket | Yellow Pillow (similar) | Rug | Wall Planters | Rail Planter (not pictured but want) | String Lights

Does this option block the door when it’s set up like this? Absolutely. But you can always push the sofa back together so you at least have the option not to. Small space living usually requires “creative solutions.” As you can see, there are only 3 pieces of furniture here, so we have to make them count. The side table is small and narrow which is very helpful for setting down tasty homemade drinks (like the ones I photoshopped on here…it’s all about the details), but it can also double as a place for another person to sit if needed. See? Multi-function-al. Another reason this design is just better than the original is because we’re using a lot more of the vertical space. When there’s not a lot of square footage, you gotta go UP. That’s why we put these little succulent plants up on the wall instead of the giant plant option in the original design. However, after reading this post about small apartment gardens, I’m also considering getting a rail-planter so we can grow fresh herbs or something without taking up any more of our precious real estate (plus this will add some more of the greenery we so desperately crave).

So, this is where we’re at right now. Obviously, the next step is to kick this plan into action and actually start filling the space with the right furniture and decor. BUT I wanted to ask you guys what you thought thus far. Do you have any other small balcony design tips? Should I add anything else? Take anything away? I genuinely love getting your design advice, so please let me know what you think. TA-TA FOR NOW (when’s the last time someone said that to you??) See you in the comments

Our All-Time Favorite Storage Furniture (And Some Products) For Every Room In Your Home

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

I have written about storage an embarrassing amount of times because it happens to be one of my biggest design hurdles. I want a beautiful home and that starts with hiding my things that are not so beautiful. Nowadays I have been leaning into a more minimalist lifestyle as life has really had me considering what things are really essential, but I still have storage needs to be met (a small home with one closet for two adults will do that to you). I am sure a lot of you are in a similar boat and luckily we have years of EHD projects to guide us and internet shopping knowledge.

Hopefully, you are here because you are a person who loves reading about storage (because it’s riveting) or you are in need of some storage solutions. I mean who wants to look at clutter right now?? Well, whoever you are I hope you are ready for EHD’s favorite storage solutions and products. Guys, we are about to get organized as heck. Let’s get to it.

ENTRY



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: target’s new threshold collection is hitting the “elevated prairie” trend hard and good

Might as well start at the beginning:) I know I am not alone in the general “stuff dump” once I walk into my front door after I’ve been out. Shoes, purse, random purchases all have a non-specific, haphazard spot right on the other side of my front door. So to alleviate this for myself and, of course, you all here are our picks for our favorite neutral but special entry storage benches.

1. Acorn Corban Upholstered Drawer Storage Bench | 2. Bernadette Storage Bench | 3. Mid-Century Entryway Bench

Now not all of us have the luxury of having a coat closet. O man, I cannot wait for that day. So until that sweet sweet day arrives, a very cute coat rack is a very cute way to store your jackets and coats. These are our picks. But first, can we all stop and applaud #1?? It’s a coat rack with a sneaky show bin. Genius.)

1. Omera Coat Rack | 2. Barker Vertical Wall-Mounted Coat Rack | 3. Devon Coat Rack

No one wants mud, snow or general wet grime all over their clean floors. So a boot tray is your answer to “controlling the situation” and letting those boots dry/still look organized. Emily is a big fan of her’s at the mountain house and felt that it was very important to include in those post. And since she is the boss we did:)

1. Boot Tray | 2. Hole Punched Galvanized Steel Rolling Boot Tray | 3. Household Boot Trays & Scraper

Let’s move to the bedroom next…

BEDROOM STORAGE



photo by sara ligorria-tamp | from: new reveal: this organic, punchy bedroom might be our new favorite makeover

I have a question. Why are shoes so hard to store in your bedroom?? I ask myself this as I glance around my living room and spot six pairs of shoes “neatly” lined up against a wall. But I really want at least most of my shoes to live in my bedroom. I think I just need a better and bigger storage option. In a small space, vertical shoe storage is a good option and an over the door shoe organizer is great. But if you don’t have the right kind of closet door or prefer something more classic take a look at our favorites below. (Ok, #4 isn’t very classic but is a killer option if you don’t have a lot of closet floor space and don’t want your shoes out for display in you bedroom.)

1. Aramis 9 Pair Shoe Rack | 2. Two Tier Wire Mesh Shoe Rack | 3. 2 Tier 8 Pair Shoe Rack | 4. Baxton Studio Carson 5-Shelf Shoe Cabinet in Walnut | 5. 3 Tier 12 Pair Shoe Rack | 6. Black Steel & Wood Six-Tier Shoe Rack

If you have the space, a storage bench placed at the foot of the bed is a great solution for storing blankets, linens, extra pillows, sewing kits, yarn, coloring books, paint, paint brushes or any other tools needed for whatever hobby you have picked up during quarantine…or you know just extra clothes:) How pretty is #1??

1. Mod Storage Bench | 2. Coddington Upholstered Storage Bench | 3. Ronquillo Upholstered Flip Top Storage Bench

If you have the space please get a wardrobe so I can live vicariously through you. I first fell in love with wardrobes when we published this post and haven’t been able to get them off my mind since. That Leanne Ford wardrobe is something from my actual dreams and if you end up buying one you are my hero and can we be best friends??

1. Reeves Caned Armoire | 2. Wallace Cane and Oak Armoire | 3. Morrison Armoire | 4. Annie Natural Storage Cabinet | 5. Mid-Century Chifforobe | 6. Amelia Armoire

Let’s take a break from the grown-up stuff and dig into some fun kid’s storage…

Kids Room Storage



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a refresh of the kid’s room in the mountain house

To all the parents out there who are staying home with small kids and are cleaning up toys 24/7 you are saints and I salute you. But unless you are really on top of it in the org department, you might be looking for some storage to make you life “look” not as hectic as it probably is right now. Emily cannot talk enough about the wonders of toy cubbies. They make it so her kids can actually see their toys and are able to easily help clean up. So if you are in the market, here are the toy cubbies that we love:

1. Babyletto Tally Storage | 2. 9 Cube Wooden Organizer | 3. Stackable Pillowfort Storage

If open storage for kids’ toys stresses you out, a chest is a cute and whimsical alternative.

1. Mid-Century Toy Chest | 2. XXL Dorm Trunk | 3. Navy Blue Tox Box

Bookcases have become somewhat of a passionate subject around here. Emily firmly believes in bookcases with sides because they make the most sense for storing books. Yes, you can use bookends to keep them in place, but if you have a ton of books to store, that isn’t the best option. Stay tuned for a post on the bookworm’s guide to storing books coming to a screen near you.

Bookcases are a great workhorse for a kid’s bedroom. Not only will they store all of their precious books but can also display special trinkets (on the higher self). But probably more importantly with the help of cute baskets, they can house extra diapers, clothes, really whatever you need (except on #4 because that one is made for just books). Emily is planning to use the green cabinet in her kid’s shared room in LA. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind snagging it for myself.

1. Ellwood Mid Century Modern Bookcase | 2. Bly Kids Bookshelf | 3. Hampshire Olive Green Bookcase | 4. Sloan Bookrack | 5. Windsor Farmhouse Kids Metal Bookshelf | 6. Mini Library Bookcase

Ok, back to us big kids…

Living Room Storage



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a colorful, happy home makeover for an incredible deserving family

Living rooms are a great place to have some secret storage furniture weapons. Let’s start with ottomans. Ottomans aren’t just for kicking up your feet after a long day my friends. Nope, some of them have storage which makes them so much more lovable. I know, hard to believe that’s possible. Because of this, they can also store extra blankets, pillows, games, books, candy (kidding?) you name it.

1. Squad Storage Ottoman | 2. Alina Storage Ottoman | 3. Lemoor Mid Century Ottoman | 4. Duvet Storage Ottoman | 5. Quinn Striped Ottoman | 6. Upholstered Base Storage Ottoman

I am truly a fan of any piece of furniture that has secret storage, but you should never have to substitute style for practicality. One other easy place to get some extra space is a coffee table. Some can act like the ottomans above and some can serve as a secondary (or maybe primary:)) dinner table (looking at you #1, #4, #5) Here are some we love (including #4 pictured above).

1. Mid-Century Pop-Up Storage Coffee Table | 2. Drum Storage Coffee Table | 3. Wiley Coffee Table | 4. Lift-Top Lift Top Coffee Table | 5. Columbiana Lift Top Sled Coffee Table with Storage | 6. Turning Table

Shall we move to the dining room?? I think so.

Dining Room Storage



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

Console tables have sort of been kicked out by the bar cart, but I would like to see them make a comeback. I love a bar cart, but a console is nice when you require more drawer space, closed storage, or a thinner profile.

1. Industrial Storage Skinny Console | 2. Metalwork Console | 3. Wood & Cane Console Table

The best way to make up for insufficient kitchen cabinet storage is to invest in a bar cabinet. They are the stylish and dare I say the sophisticated cousin to the bar cart, and can free up your kitchen cabinets or just simply store liquor and cocktail glasses as nature intended. Sara has #2 in her dining room and guys it’s beautiful in person.

1. Berkley Bar Cabinet | 2. Dark Gray Bauer Bar Cabinet | 3. IDÅSEN | 4. Warwick Wood & Rattan Cabinet | 5. Cantina Bar Cabinet | 6. West Natural Cane Bar Cabinet

Let’s start to clean up…

Bathroom Storage



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: refreshing your bathroom with target’s project62 line

Extra cabinet storage in a bathroom is never a bad idea. I personally do not have a lot of square footage in my bathroom, so a over the toilet cabinet is a great solution. I am actually. considering buy #2, but am holding off because I am trying to focus on my living room at the moment. But writing these posts make this impulse buyer go nuts let me tell ya.

1. Wesley Over-The-Toilet Storage Shelf | 2. Over-the-Toilet Storage | 3. Free-Standing Over-the-Toilet Storage

You will see baskets are great for truly any room in your home (and feel free to use any of these baskets in them. They are not restricted to the bathroom). They are simply a great solution for adding more pretty storage in a room. Here are the ones we love:

1. Black Braided Basket| 2. Large Curved Basket | 3. Wire Bin | 4. Large Banana Delilah Tote Basket | 5. Tyler Square Basket With Rope Handle Low | 6. Decorative Coiled Rope Basket | 7. Gold Storage Basket | 8. Round Woven Basket | 9. Seagrass Basket with Leather Handle

In case you missed it, I sung my high praises for the towel hook in this post. I really do have a weird obsession, but that is mainly because hooks are a great small space solution. And okay fine, it is also due to my hatred of folding anything.

1. Triva Wall Mounted Robe Hook | 2. Massey Double Hook | 3. Trinsic Wall Mounted Robe Hook | 4.Latitude 2 Wall Mounted Single Robe Hook | 5. Townsend Wall Mounted Double Robe Hook | 6. West Slope Knurled Hook

Kitchen Storage



photo by sara liggoria-tramp | from: 8 steps to building a smart, organized pantry & mudroom

I never really realized that decanting dry foods frees up so much space until I saw what Emily did in the mountain house kitchen. It is so simple and probably the safest way to avoid touching boxes and bags that who knows how many other hands have touched. And bonus, your pantry will look a lot prettier.

1. Plastic Food Storage Container Clear | 2. 10-Piece POP Container Set | 3. Montana Glass Jar with Silver Lid 

Are you sick of hearing about how much I love hooks?? I get it, but look! They are so versatile and can be used in so many ways. So for my next trick, watch as I convince you that you need hooks in the kitchen, too. Think of the open counter space and freed up cabinets.

1. Enclume ® Steel and Wood Bookshelf Wall Pot Rack | 2. J.K. Adams Grey Wall Mounted Pot Rack | 3. Wall Mounted Pot Rack | 4. InterDesign 6-Peg Wood Storage Rack  | 5. Tosca Magnet Hook | 6. Under the Shelf Wire Mug Holder with 10 Hooks in White

Don’t think we forget about the VERY important office storage…

Office Storage



photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a home office makeover with threshold removable wallpaper

Is it even an office if it doesn’t have a bookcase? Ok yes, it can still be an office but we promise that if you have the space you won’t regret getting a bookcase. BUT, we think the trick is getting one some with drawer storage. It keeps those extra office supplies out of sight but still a chance to show off your fancy books. These are our favorites…

1. Industrial Modular Open & Closed Storage | 2. Carson 5 Shelf Bookcase | 3. Helix Walnut Bookcase | 4. Dunkelberger Ladder Bookcase | 5. Siegel Bookcase | 6. BILLY

You probably have important documents that need proper filing (at least I know I do) so I made it my goal to find the most attractive options out there. You are welcome.

1. Graham 2-Drawer Lateral File Cabinet | 2. Dahle 2-Drawer File Cabinet | 3. Inline Brass Filing Cabinet | 4. Penn Brass Clad Narrow File Cabinet | 5. Kendall Cream File Cabinet | 6. Vertical Filing Cabinet Overcast Hardwood 1 Drawer

And last but definitely not least, the laundry room.

Laundry Storage



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

In an editorial meeting earlier this week, Emily announced she might be anti-hamper, and I since then it has been weighing heavy on my heart and I must confess I think I am too. Why have a heavy, stiff hamper when there are so many other more stylish options out there?? Like a cute basket or a chic bag. Plus, I love the ease of a basket on wheels like #2.

1. White Ash Basket | 2. Steel Canvas Laundry Bin | 3. Cotton Twill Laundry Bag 

Okay, that is all I have for you today. I hope that our current storage woes will help to solve yours. BUT as always we want to chat and hear from you. Do you have any storage products that you can’t live without? Do tell. x

Opener Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Sara’s Living Room & Dining Room Reveal

The post Our All-Time Favorite Storage Furniture (And Some Products) For Every Room In Your Home appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Rules for Picking Barstools (+78 Favorite Picks for All Height & Back Needs)

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: target’s new see it in your space feature (+ 50 new product favorites)

Each week we have a meeting to review the past week’s most popular posts. It’s naturally important for us to see what hit (always exciting to see) and what realllly missed (not as fun but very important to know what you all are responded to). Most of the time we aren’t that surprised. BUT sometimes we get an interesting surprise star. This informative but otherwise simple post has been that star for weeks now! People want to know about all about bar stools. So we decided that if this was a post people wanted then we wanted to make it THE MOST useful. With that said we updated some photos (to keep it interesting:)) and gave you A TON of new stools to choose from. So let’s just say it’s “half-new”. Enjoy!

You might remember that below photo from a post Emily did earlier last summer about finding her dream dining room chairs. Well, something to come out of that post that we weren’t expecting was your reaction to the pairing of her vintage Cherner chairs and her existing Hedgehouse barstools. The TDLR feedback? They don’t work together. Hard stop. In fact, there was a 21-comment thread built off of the first comment of the day alone (not to mention the plethora of other standalone “ditch the barstools” snippets amongst the 242 total comments). Noted. So what now? She mentioned in that post that she’s gearing up to tinker with her LA home, so stay tuned for more updates at an EHD blog near you (2020 Updated: It’s really happening), but it prompted us to do a little “window shopping” for barstools to see what’s out there right now.

photo by veronica crawford | from: my updated LA dining room + my dream chairs (kinda)

A few things to keep in mind if you’re on the hunt for barstools for yourself:

If you’re looking for kid-friendly options, you’ll want something that’s a bit heavier and really solid. Imagine a little person clawing their way up a flimsy little barstool… a disaster waiting to happen. Look for something around 12 to 15 pounds. Anything too heavy and those tiny muscles won’t be able to move the chair to get into it, but anything lighter, and it would be a tipping hazard. If you have full-grown people in your house, heavier is usually better for sturdiness and stability in general. Another key feature to keep in mind with kids is to try to get something with a back and with a swivel (which could help with the in-and-out on a heavier stool). Though I totally get that an awesome vintage version (you know, like these from Chairish) might be stylistically enticing, you might want to ignore their siren call if pint-sized marinara handprints are of concern.

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

At the mountain house, Emily struggled with finding a barstool for her island that satisfied her form and function desires, and landed on these from Industry West that work both for long-sitting-tush-comfort and kid-friendly-ness.

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

On the other side of the kitchen on the peninsula, she used these from Article. Because they are used less often than the ones at the island, there was less of a concern for long-term comfort (though luckily, the cushioned seat on these happen to be nice for a good amount of sitting time).

Basically, think about what you’re looking to accomplish and how often your stools will be used (and by who). If you see yourself and your family using your bar stools every day (or say, it’s the only dining seating in your home because you don’t have a stand-alone dining area), something with a back and a cushion that’s easy enough to pull out and push back is what you’re going to want to look for. But if they are more a “visual space filler” that might get a perch from a kitchen visitor here and there, maybe keeping your pick more streamlined and architectural is the way to go. Up to you. You’re the boss, applesauce.

photo by alexandra ribar | from: an exclusive house tour from (design girl crush) leanne ford

That being said, there ARE some “rules” (well, more need-to-knows, really) to consider on your shopping journey. Fact: Stools typically come in two heights—counter-height and bar-height, but…how do you know what you actually need in your own home? Whether you’re pairing them with a taller table or adding them to an island, here is a quick “cheat sheet” to know what to use when:

Barstool Buying Guide Cheat Sheet

If your counter/table (the bottom of it, not the top, since it’s really about where the leg can comfortably fit) is…

roughly 35-37 inches high, you’ll want to go with a counter-height barstool that is typically anywhere from 23 to 28 inches floor to seat.anywhere between 41-43 inches high, a bar-height stool is what you need, which runs from 29 to 32 inches floor to seat.anything above 44 inches (likely something custom), this falls into the “extra tall” category of barstool, with a 33- to 36-inch floor-to-seat height.

Now, there’s also the question of HOW MANY barstools to use comfortably. Your mind might jump to “I need four people to be able to sit at this island” so hence you buy four stools, but if you want comfort (i.e. not being elbow to elbow when seated), you want to make sure to allow about 6 to 12 inches between the edge of each barstool.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the portland project kitchen reveal

Alright, now that you’re a barstool shopping pro, it’s time to put your expert knowledge to work. We rounded up lots of options in different styles and budgets, new and vintage, and both with backs and backless for both counter-height and bar-height needs. One thing to keep in mind is that a lot of big-box stores actually carry both heights in a style, so if you see something you like in counter-height, for instance, but need something a little taller, click through because you’ll likely find more options.

1. Hayden | 2. Perch Stool | 3. Cora Velvet Counter Stool | 4. Halifax Farmhouse Wood Counter Stool | 5. Campbellton Counter Stool | 6. Esse | 7. Iron Modernist Stool | 8. Ercol Originals Counter Stool | 9. Dalfred | 10. X2 Stool | 11. Skogsta | 12. Carlisle Metal Counter Stool | 13. Rhodes Metal & Wood Seat Square Counter Stool | 14. Kingscanyon Counter Stool | 15. Mid Century Aalto Counter Stool | 16. Dakota Adjustable Wood Seat Barstool | 17. Bebbia Pleated Velvet Counter Stool | 18. Gordon Stool

I’m really into the shape of #7 and the down-to-earth-yet-glam #1 with both brass and leather. If you have a HEALTHY budget, #2 has really special details and a unique silhouette. The subtle two-tone wood situation is also a nice touch. On the flip of that is #4 ($60), #11 which has a pretty small seat but is VERY cute IRL, and #13 which comes in at $55 a stool. The white metal frame on that one would be nice against wood-toned cabinets for a little contrast or even to blend in a white kitchen.

Now if you want a bit more support and like leaning back check out these puppies…

1. Meisel | 2. Wood & Steel Counter Stool | 3. Lenox Velvet Counter Stool | 4. Paton Black Oak Windsor | 5. Modern Retro Metal Chair | 6. Prouve Stool | 7. Rake Brass | 8. Janelle Counter Stool | 9. Ali Counter Stool | 10. Classic Café Walnut Counter Stools| 11. Cline Stool | 12. Karina Counter Stool | 13. Cosmopolitan Astor Upholstered Stool | 14. Parksley Rattan and Woven Counter Stool | 15. Naomi Dempsey Flannel Tufted Stool | 16. Fanbyn | 17. Dakota Adjustable Wood Seat Barstool | 18. Silas Seagrass | 19. The Camp Stool | 20. Mid Century Luna Stool | 21. Slope Upholstered Stool | 22. Portside Stool | 20. Modern Petal Stool | 21. Sylmar Counter Chair

We’ve long been a fan of the metal and leather strap thing going on with #1 from Jayson Home, but also the natural texture of #18 is also SO good. #6 was one of THE chairs of 2019 and still holds up beautifully, but also, #15 looks so comfy and that you could sit in it for hours.

If you are needing some more height lets move on up:

1. Cesta Rattan Bar Stool | 2. Amisco Monza Swivel Stool | 3. Malden French Barstool | 4. Cobb Bar Stool with Back | 5. Domino Bar Stool | 6. RD Bar Stool | 7. Seth Bar Stool | 8. Pecoraro Bar Stool | 9. Brunner Bar Stool | 10. Bowden Faux Leather Barstool | 11. Azalea Mink Bar Stool | 12. Jack Leather and Wood Stool | 13. Riviera Barstool | 14. YNGVAR | 15. Thor Wood Ladder Back Bar Stool | 16. NORDVIKEN | 17. Horsens Panda Bar Stool | 18. Era Barstool

We’ve entered bar-height stool territory now. A few favorites: #5 (always a fan of anything caned), #18 for its classic design, #11 for the glam yet cool shape and material, and #17 for its modern take on the wishbone chair.

And finally the classic, backless bar stool…

1. Veldhoven Bar Stool | 2. Shoemaker Bar Stool | 3. Jeanneret Counter Stool | 4. Mid-Century Upholstered Backless Bar Stool | 5. Tractor Contemporary Carved Wood Barstool | 6. Dakota Adjustable Stool | 7. Lindquist Swivel Solid Wood Bar Stool | 8. Shaw Walnut Stool | 9. Cane Bar Stool | 10. Lynn Bar Stool | 11. Pop Bar Stool | 12. Spot Barstool | 13. Carbon Loft Black Metal Bar Stools | 14. Peg Upholstered Bar Stool | 15. Shaker Bar Stool | 16. Good Thing 6063 Bar Stool | 17. Seagrass Bar Stool | 18. Flint Gold Bar Stool

HOLD THE PHONE! Did you see #12? Pricey? YUP! But man she’s so pretty and for anyone with the budget, we highly approve. Something like #6 is great because it’s adjustable up and down (I’m 5’3″ so I’ll always appreciate something that cranks me up higher than my taller counterparts), and the chunkiness of the seat on #4 and #14 look both cushy/comfortable.

*Looking for more design rules and shopping roundups?

Check out our Design Rules category and our Shopping Roundups page. May never a design question go unanswered. Ok well, you may have some others but we are doing our best to answer all of them one blog post at a time.

Opening Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Target’s New See It In Your Space Feature (+ 50 New Product Favorites)

The post Rules for Picking Barstools (+78 Favorite Picks for All Height & Back Needs) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The No-Reno House That Looks Completely Renovated

Remember two weeks ago when we shared the tour of this kitchen and laundry room? And everyone LOVED it (including us). WELL, that house is back, and today we’re sharing the rest of it.

If you missed the last post, you should 100% go check it out, but here’s the quick recap – Allison and Benjamin bought this cute home back in 2018. Over the course of a year they freshened the whole place up without ripping out any flooring or tearing down a single wall. And yet, through the magic of paint, wallpaper, new hardware, beautiful vintage pieces, and hard work, they managed to give new life to their home. I think what we all collectively love so much about this home is the fact that Allison and Benjamin worked with what the house already had, versus starting over. I feel like there’s this standard in the design world that when a house is bought the new owners are expected to have all these plans for how they want to change the property they’ve just purchased. But, not only is that not financially viable for every home buyer, it’s not always necessary. Some homes are great as is, and just need some tender love and care to really shine.

Allison was once again kind enough to chat we me, interview style, about her home transformation. And just like last time, I’ll be in italics (mostly for the cool factor, but also to make it clear who’s “speaking”). Let’s get into it…

I’ll start by saying that your home already some very cute features, and good bones (like the parquet style floor in the entry). But, even with those moments considered, you didn’t change much in terms of structure in the home. Could you elaborate on why you kept so much of the homes original architecture? Was that a stylistic decision to keep as much of the original character of the home intact, or a budgetary decision?

“Hot

“Old,

It was a bit of both! The house has so many lovely features that are original to the house that I wouldn’t have changed if you had paid me, like the scalloped vent over the stove in our kitchen that I am OBSESSED with. I had initially wanted to renovate the bathrooms. But to do them the way I really wanted to was decidedly out of our budget.

Let’s jump right into those next then, because they are two of my favorite moments in the house. Both bathrooms are really extraordinary – any story to deciding the stylistic direction behind either of them?

I think the biggest challenge in the home was figuring out how to give the original tile in the bathrooms new life

When we first moved in I looked into renovating both the master and guest bathroom, but realized it was not in the budget (and wouldn’t be for a while). I had wanted to open up the master bedroom to the master bathroom, which you have to enter via the hall, to make it en suite. But to do it how I wanted it would have been well over $50k. So I thought, “how can I make these beautiful, feel more functional, and bring new life to the original tiles?”

This is what the master bathroom looks like now (above). I almost put up chinoiserie wallpaper, which would have been gorgeous, but there is no exhaust fan in there so it would have been a mess (wallpaper and moisture don’t mix – but if you get a good fan you can do it). My sister suggested painting the walls blue to compliment the blue tile. It was a bold decision, but I experimented with it, and ended up using Farrow and Ball Inchyra Blue. I absolutely love it.

We think that keeping things tonal (with a moody element) was the way to go with that lighter blue tile. Now it looks sophisticated and modern but still looks like it belongs in her wonderfully vintage home.

I was not very fond of the yellow tile in the guest bathroom at first, but I really love it now with the red and white ticking wallpaper. I used Farrow and Ball Red Earth on the doors and molding and it is a very happy combination. I folded up a yellow scarf I found at St. Vincent De Paul’s thrift store and nailed it up to make a valance. I also had this one roll of vintage Schumacher chinois wallpaper that I was dying to use but didn’t have enough for the whole room so I put it on the wall behind the toilet, and it seems to work together!

These two bathrooms were my least favorite rooms in the house, and they took the most creative juices to get them right. But now I love them so much that I don’t think I’ll ever want to renovate!

Hot Tip

Mixing wallpaper patterns is the same as pillows or bedding - Make sure to vary the pattern scale so they don't visually compete. Allison did it perfectly with these two.

One of the changes that was made by the real estate agents to prepare for the sale was to remove the original sink in the guest bathroom (so sad) and replace it with an IKEA cabinet. I found a vintage pedestal sink with a gorgeous vintage brass faucet on Craigslist for $200, and it made all the difference in the world.

When you moved into the home did you have a budget in mind for any of the improvements you wanted to implement? And do you mind sharing what that was?

“Hot

“If

I did not have a specific number. In the end, I think we spent about $20k, give or take. That included the appliances in the kitchen, labor to paint and install wallpaper, all the hardware, and supplies for the entire home.

What aspects of your updates do you think made the biggest impact throughout the house?

Our house had been in one family since it was built in 1939, which is why so many of the original features were still intact (like the cute built-ins in the dining room). We didn’t want to lose those. In the end, I think putting colors and patterns on the walls made the biggest impact, without sacrificing any of the original character.

“Hot

“Try

I love color so much and it never ceases to amaze me how it can transform a space. Choosing the right color, though, is quite a challenge and can drive a person completely insane. But when you finally find the right one, it’s like angels singing!

Where did you source all your amazing wallpapers from, and what paint colors have you used throughout the house?

I looked at SO MUCH WALLPAPER. I was dreaming wallpaper by the end of it. wallpaperdirect.com and decoratorsbest.com are my go-to sources. They’ve got pretty much everything you could need, and sometimes at lower prices. I also bought a bunch of vintage wallpaper on eBay and Etsy.

Lastly, any favorite sources for vintage items in your home?

I live for estate sales. There is no greater joy for me than getting to explore beautiful old houses and finding treasures and seeing how people lived. I also spent a LOT of time on Etsy and eBay. I’ve found that most vintage and thrift stores in LA are either tapped out or too expensive (for what it is), so I don’t frequent those as often as I used to. 

One last BIG thank you to Allison and Benjamin for not only letting us into their home, but letting us take it over and shoot it for two days, and then annoy them with questions for this post. Their home is a true testament to “making it work,” which is something I’m going to putting into practice in my own kitchen VERY soon. And as always, if you’ve got any “make it work” or old home charm stories I love reading them endlessly in the comment section.

Credits: Home of Allison Pierce, styling by Velinda Hellen & Erik Staalberg, photography by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for EHD

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A Real Review of The Farmer’s Dog (Plus A Roundup of Actually Cute Dog Bowls)

Happy Monday, pals! Guess what: EHD is a dog blog now and moving forward, I refuse to write any posts that are not about pets. I’m just kidding, it’s not a dog blog (…yet, though about 200 of my close friends and I are attempting to change that) BUT this is a post about pets. Folks, today we’re talking about Boris, Emily’s most handsome neighbor and frequent EHD model. 

“HELLO, I’M BORIS” – Boris, probably.

Last month, we ran an Instagram partnership with The Farmer’s Dog, a fresh dog food delivery service, featuring Boris. (At this point, he’s worked his way into enough shoots that he’s an influencer in his own rite. Congratulations, little man.) We try to only partner with brands that we really believe in, so I texted Suzanne, Boris’ mom, to check-in and see if Boris was still loving his fresh, pre-portioned meals.

And guys, the reviews are in: Boris actually, truly loves it. Suzanne responded with a photo of him staring at the counter and wrote, “He won’t stop doing this. It’s like the jig is up and he knows what good food tastes like.” (I joked in Thursday’s post that we at EHD are weirdly involved in each other’s lives, and now recognize that it is deeply humorous to be in a group text with my boss’ neighbor.)

You thought I was EXAGGERATING for comedic effect? THESE ARE REAL TEXTS, PEOPLE.

So since this dog food has earned the permanent Boris seal of approval, and since it’s still kinda dicey outside in the general world, I got The Farmer’s Dog to extend their 60% offer for our readers. (It automatically applies through that link.) If you’re still minimizing the amount of time you’re spending outside or in retailers, this at-home fresh dog food delivery is a game-changer — it’s a great way to make sure that you can stay safe while your pup gets all the good stuff that they need.

In case you’re not familiar, let me run you through the details real quick:

You take a quiz and input all your dog’s informationThe Farmer’s Dog generates a plan with three recipes made of real meat and vegetables based on your answers (in this case, we were able to flag and avoid Boris’ allergens, which has been super helpful!)You receive pre-portioned meals straight to your doorPop them in the freezer, thaw in the fridge before mealtime, and fluff it up with a fork before serving Enjoy

The Design That We’ll Never Get to See in Person – AT’s Small/Cool Event + 5 Renter Hacks for a Small Space

Remember back at the beginning of March (what now feels like a year ago) when we showed you a Sneak Peek Into Our Current Design Projects? Well, today is the day to show you the “final results” of one of them. No, this isn’t our typical room reveal. A lot has shifted between then and now. And other things take priority as they should. But our ultimate goal here at EHD is to try to bring a little joy to your day and since it’s Monday morning fingers crossed this does the trick. This “room reveal” is one where neither you nor I will ever see a real photograph of but that’s okay since I stayed up late trying to recreate the space as realistically as possible for us all to enjoy by using my trusted confidante, SketchUp.

I bet by now you are asking yourselves, “Which project are you talking about?” If you didn’t already guess from the snippet above it’s our Eclectic English space for Apartment Therapy’s Small/Cool Event which officially went live (virtually, that is) last Friday. The event showcases 20 current home trends by 20 designers for the year 2020. Very clever AT team.

The Link Up: Sara’s Perfect $35 Summer Dress, The Most Useful Thing Jess Owns & The Workout App We Are Still Talking About

design by reath design

Happy Sunday folks. How is everyone doing? We hope you are hanging in there, staying safe, and finding as much joy as possible right now.

Speaking of finding joy, if you need a pick me up, might we suggest today’s home tour. We have sung Reath Design’s praises before (because they are SO talented) and we are doing it again (please hold while we clear our throats). This living room is somehow modern, sleek, vintage, and eclectic and extremely welcoming. Do yourself a design favor and check out this 1960s mid century modern gem.

From Emily: If there is anything else that needs to convince you of the extreme economic disparity of this country its this graph showing the wealth of Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon) and the 400 richest people in the world. Get ready to be a little depressed at the state of things. Keep scrolling. Don’t stop. I’m curious how he feels when he sees this – is he proud or like “geez I should probably pay my employees more, I should probably help the front line workers, maybe I should give my nanny a bonus” (not sure he even has kids if so, man, those kids are in for a weird life…) I’m with a lot of people who have said being a “billionaire” just shouldn’t be a thing. Once you get to a billion dollars, ya gotta share because too many people are living in poverty for one person to have that much wealth – more than he can ever, ever spend. Thanks, Cup of Jo for sharing this.

Also From Emily: It took me a while to embrace the “fire column” or any non-wood fire pit/table/column, really. Once we put gas ones inside I realized that ANY fire is better than no fire and honestly the easier it is the more often we’ll use it. Last summer we put this fire column (with four chairs) on our upper deck and sat up there almost every. single. night. around it with friends (oh, friends, remember those?). Everyone was always so impressed with how easy it was to turn on and off and yes, you just have to replace the propane tank like once a month from the gas station – no fancy natural gas hookups needed. If you have any small outdoor space right now I can highly recommend an affordable, easy to use “fire column” that makes your spring and summer nights a LOT more fun. Tonight we are doing ‘smores and the kids are VERY EXCITED. 

From Sara: Recently I switched to wearing all my flowy summer dresses during the day, instead of a pair of sweats. Something about it just makes me feel a little less “rolled out of bed already sweating” and more “Jane Austin Character On Summer Holiday.” I just got this maxi dress at Target, and I’m in love. At first, when I saw it online I thought the material was going to be really stiff and there was just going to be a lot of it, making it bulky and unflattering. But actually touching it in store while on a pharmacy run, the material is super soft and light, and the fit (for me) is really flattering. It’s kind of the perfect affordable summer dress that also makes me feel chic. It runs a little big, I’m usually a size S/M (29 in jeans), but the XS of this dress fits me fine.

From Julie: These semi-healthy-salty-herb-smashed-potatoes are my new french fry. We have probably made them about 8+ times in the past 60 days and by we I mean my boyfriend since he is literally cooking all the meals. I handle the baking and washing dishes so it’s even I swear.

Jess: These past few weeks have been nothing if not an emotional roller coaster that I am desperately trying to get off of but don’t really know how (I know I am not alone in that). It’s been increasingly hard to find things that bring me true lightness and a sense of joy. BUT man did I find one of the most special people on the internet, Tabitha Brown (via Crystal Anderson) last week. Now she has about 1.4 million followers so I have clearly just been living under a rock. But Tabitha, very accurately dubbed, “World’s Favorite Mom” (but is also an actress and vegan foodie), brightens my day so genuinely every time she pops up on my phone. Do yourself a favor and go follow her IMMEDIATELY if you don’t already. You are in for a serious treat. The world is better with Tabitha (and her family) in it.

Also from Jess: Last week, when I went to pick up dinner from our favorite local restaurant there was an hour wait because it’s that good. Ok, fine! I had the “genius idea” of getting Mexican food on Cinco de Mayo. I know, a rookie move on my part. But regardless, it’s amazing and if are ever in Sonoma in the future go to El Molino Central. Ok back to the story. So knowing that I couldn’t leave my car on while I waited because it would kill my battery, I sat in the heat. FUN FACT: That didn’t matter! It still died despite it being a not very old car (it likely happened from not driving it for 2 weeks). So in a panic, I called my dad to give my car a jump. Fast forward to this Friday when we both realized that he had gifted me this personal portable jump starter. Guys, this thing is amazing and I feel SO DUMB that I forgot I had it. Not only will you never need someone else to help jump your car but it can also charge any device because it has 2 USB ports and comes with all the adapters. It’s not cheap but it’s seriously probably the most useful thing I (now know) that I own.

From Mallory: If you saw the workout post, you probably saw that Emily and Sara really only care about one workout app, and one workout app alone. It’s called Aptiv and I think they’ve now convinced me to try it. I asked Emily basically why I should get it and she told me that it’s really great, 20 minute workouts and that I just need to trust her and try “Two Birds One Stone” with Akeem. She claims it’s the best workout EVER and that she gets sad when she tries anything else. So brb, I’m gonna try it this weekend…

From Caitlin: It finally happened, folks. I bit the bullet last week bought a Masterclass subscription after seeing what must have been my millionth targeted ad. (Why are those trailers so good?!) I’m thrilled to report that it is, in fact, worth the money. I’ve been watching a lesson or two at the end of the day, before bed, or sometimes I just run them in the background while I’m cleaning and it’s a nice alternative to yet another episode of The Office. My favorites so far are from Judy Blume (do I have interest in writing a children’s book? No! Is she super lovely and calming? Absolutely!), Ron Finley (the most personable gardener who I hope will adopt me one day), David Sedaris (my favorite for background listening — a nice NPR alternative), and Chris Voss (a former hostage negotiator). Have you guys taken any Masterclasses? Which one should I watch next?!”

From Ryann: This guy’s impressions have been getting me through a lot lately. They are so spot on and make me so happy and I just want to thank him and all the Instagram accounts that are distracting me from this crisis even if just for a minute. And on that note, please send me hilarious Instagram accounts and memes.

And lastly if you are interested, here are some really great sales happening right now from some of our favorite retailers:

CB2 UP to 30% off outdoor furniture

Crate & Barrel  50% off outdoor best sellers + 40% off outdoor entertaining

Pottery Barn Up to 50% off outdoor event

Wayfair Up to 65% off the big outdoor sale + 70% off bed and bath sale

West Elm Up to 60% off outdoor furniture and decor

That’s all for now, hope we gave you some welcomed distractions and see you tomorrow. xx

Opener Image Credit: Design by Reath Design

The post The Link Up: Sara’s Perfect $35 Summer Dress, The Most Useful Thing Jess Owns & The Workout App We Are Still Talking About appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Easiest Formula To Make A GREAT Cocktail (Using What’s In Your Fridge)

I am the type of person that really needs activities/new challenges to stay in a good mental space. So that’s what I have been doing…hard. Any of you in a similar boat? I have attempted the following: Playing the recorder, painting “masterpieces”, and trying to master the art of mixology (let’s just say the recorder is NOT going well). So let’s focus on mixology since it’s the most fun for a clear reason (read: alcohol). Now while I am grateful for my quarantine set up (with my boyfriend’s family) we really miss those delicious cocktails we used to consume. So we asked ourselves, “how can we make ourselves good cocktails while we’re stationed at home?” It’s a highly intimidating and confusing science, therefore, we did a large amount of cocktail research (in the name of the blog, of course) and here’s what we found works for us. It’s so simple, I promise.

Before I begin, I would like to say a quick disclaimer that cocktails to-go are a thing right now and you should support your favorite local restaurant if you’re able…some great So-Cal cocktails to-go are from Playa Mesa (Orange County), Little Doms (Los Feliz), HomeState (Hollywood)…name your favorite restaurants with to-go cocktails in the comments section below in your area!

I’d also like to note that I am not in any way a certified bartender, but rather just a mere 22-year-old girl that misses going to rooftop bars with frilly drinks (proof above). My boyfriend, Chase and I figured out this formula that changed our cocktail making lives (well Chase figured most of it out but I wrote the blog post about it…so I think that means I get credit too). It has lead us to making better, more interesting at-home cocktails AND has given us way less stress making them. So I thought I’d share what we’ve been doing. So consider this “a basic beginner’s guide to making drinks that seem fancy but are actually easy to make and taste great written by a beginner.” Woof. That’s a long title –– sorry. Let’s start with our go-to formula for most every cocktail:

OUR FOOL-PROOF COCKTAIL FORMULA

FEAST YER EYES. I’m going to break this bad boy down, but the first thing you need to know is that you can swap out anything in each category (I’ll show you examples below). The second is that you need to follow the golden bartender’s ratio: 2-1-1. That’s 2 ounces of liquor, 1 ounce of sweet, and 1 ounce of sour. If you do those things, you can get however fancy you want. Now let me walk you through step-by-step how to use this formula:

STEP ONE: Grab your cocktail shaker and muddle any fruit you want at the bottom. This can be blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, mango, blackberries, cucumber…THE LIST GOES ON FOREVER.

Hot Tip

If you're using cucumber: I highly recommend using pure cucumber juice instead of muddling it. After much trial and error we realized there's not much flavor if you just muddle it, so if you have your own juicer, go to town. If you don't have a juicer (like me), go to a grocery store or smoothie bar that can juice straight cucumber juice for you and the flavor will be MUCH better.

STEP TWO: Add Ice. And LOTS of it. If you think you added enough, add more. This makes your drink cold, refreshing, and balanced. It will taste 400% more delicious if you fill your shaker (and your glasses) to the tippy top with ice.

STEP THREE: It’s time for your 2-1-1. This is where the golden rule comes into play: 2 ounces of liquor, 1 ounce of sweet (agave, honey, etc), and 1 ounce of sour (lemon juice, lime juice, etc).

HOT TIP: We get tired of squeezing limes and lemons, so we buy pure lemon and lime juice (we usually get this brand) and it tastes the same as if we had spent hours squeezing each lemon into the jigger. It’s crucial to get pure lemon or lime juice (check the ingredients to make sure there’s no added sugar or it will mess with your ratios).

STEP FOUR: Add an herb, spice OR BOTH. For herbs, we usually use cilantro, thyme, or basil, and for spice, we usually use jalapeño or serrano peppers. It really just comes down to whatever we have in our fridge that day. Also, if you’ve been wanting to grow your own herbs and want to support a wildlife non-profit simultaneously, you can sign up to get The National Garden Life Federation’s guide to growing your own cocktail herb garden.

STEP FIVE: SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE for between 15-30 seconds (it will feel like forever). Shake hard with a firm grip so you don’t lose all your precious ingredients.

Hot Tip

If you are wanting to veer from the formula and add some carbonation (aka bubbles like soda water) DO NOT add it into your shaker. You will have an explosive science project on your hands. Instead, add your bubbles as a topper once your mixture is safely in your cocktail glass. No need to have an unnecessary emergency room visit:)

STEP SIX: Time to serve. Again, the #1 most helpful thing we’ve learned is that you should PACK your glasses with ice. We found that our drinks stay colder and our cocktails go much farther so we can serve more people in one batch.

Here are two VASTLY different drinks that both work incredibly well using our made-up formula:

The first one is a Blueberry Thyme Rye Lemonade and the second is a Spicy Kiwi Cilantro Margarita. As you can see here…EVERYTHING IS SUBSTITUTABLE. Use whatever is in your fridge, just be sure to stick with the formula. Here’s what our finished products looked like for each drink:

Blueberry Thyme Rye Lemonade | Spicy Kiwi Cilantro Margarita

Not too shabby for two 20-somethings that didn’t go to bartending school or bartend at a real bar (but Chase does read the Death and Co’s book OFTEN, so he does know more than your average cocktail-joe). If you want some more ideas of what we’ve tried and tested and therefore know will work, here’s a list of 10 drink ideas that we’ve made (not all of these were made in the last 2 months, don’t worry):

Rye, blueberry, honey, lemon, thyme (pictured above)Tequila, kiwi, agave, lime, cilantro, jalapeño (pictured above)Bourbon, cherry, honey, lemonGin, blackberry, honey, lemonVodka, cucumber, honey, lemon, lavenderTequila, strawberry, agave, lime, basilTequila, cucumber, agave, lime, serrano pepper, cilantroTequila, watermelon, agave, lime, chili pepper, cilantroTequila, pineapple, agave, lime, serranoTequila, grapefruit, agave, lime, sage

Wow that’s a lot of tequila…as you can see, we’re big margarita people above all else, but the formula works for vodka, gin, whiskey, YOU NAME IT, we’ve tried it and were very happy with the results. ALSO, please note, this formula is just the basics – let’s call it “a jumping off point” eh? – if you want to get really fancy by adding triple sec AND agave, or you want to add some special bitter, egg whites, or liqueur in your bar cabinet, by all means GO FOR IT. Then let us know how it is in the comments

How We Are Trying To Stay Connected To Our Partners During Quarantine

When planning this post I asked Brian if he felt we were more or less connected since quarantine. I, of course, thought asking while he was online shopping for his first shed was good timing – so he was SUPER into the conversation. He said “yeah, probably” and when I asked him why he thinks we are, his response was “because we give each other space”. He wasn’t trying to be funny. While that wouldn’t have been my response I don’t think he’s wrong. Generally, as a couple we’ve been doing fine, with 20 years under our belt we know how to speak to each other and how to avoid triggering each other but we still do. We’ve only gotten in one moderate argument. A huge trigger of mine is if he seems AT ALL annoyed that he has to do anything for the blog – write, shoot, edit, etc. He jokes that I require extreme enthusiasm, and perceive anything less than that is him being annoyed (which is absolutely true about me). 10 days ago when he said, “wait, what is the garage post?” I almost lost it, outraged that he hadn’t apparently taken notes when we had talked about it earlier in the week. He was baffled at my outrage and calmly told me that he’s sorry that he “looked at me wrong” and “asked a question”.  I forgave him of his crime. 

So besides “giving each other space” what do we do to stay connected? And how are other couples doing? Of course, I turned this question over to my team who are quarantining with partners and we chatted about it for a good half hour during our weekly happy hour zoom meeting. When this happens, we have an inkling that we should make a blog post about it so here we are. Here is what I and the EHD team have been trying to stay in tune with our S.O.’s.

Emily and Brian

I think it’s hard not to be connected when you do so many process-oriented things together – making meals, cleaning the house, putting down kids, parenting, board games, even working out. I think we used our friends as a crutch more than we thought to have “fun” and feel connected. So now it’s just us most of the time and it’s actually fulfilling. 

We don’t really have date nights, but a couple times a week we try experimental dinners that require us both to follow challenging recipes. We’ll start around 4 – 4:30 pm and have wine stretch out the process, trying not to rush the result. The kids sometimes help (which is fun?) and if not then we can actually have an adult conversation (TV GUYS THE TV). It’s like when we used to seek out the best soup dumplings in San Gabriel Valley or he would drive us an hour to the best lobster tacos – except we are making them now. 

The last few years we’ve been really good about giving each other a night totally off, whether in or out, and that hasn’t really changed. About once a week Brian will make some sort of excuse to go to LA to grab like a pencil or “Charlie’s shorts” from our house. It’s an hour and 45 minutes each way and especially since he is the main home school parent most days I know he really NEEDS that time. I think sometimes he just sits in his car, parked, listening to podcasts and that’s totally fine. It gives me one full day a week with the kids which means I can’t get any work done (not sure how two working parents are doing it – SERIOUSLY HOW ARE YOU DOING IT?) but he comes back in such a better mood, excited to see us and I’m sure he likes us more. So yeah, space. 

For my “space” I have a DIY “spa night” (aka a long-ass bath). We don’t have big romantic date nights but on Friday nights we make the kids watch movies on the laptop in a guest bedroom while we eat burgers from the only take out place in town, and watch a grownup show (Succession, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and we are starting Normal People this weekend). For those two hours we act like we don’t have kids or like someone else is watching them in another room (the TV, duh) and it’s awesome. 

The last two weeks we have dedicated Sunday morning/lunch as a date time, instead of nights, while the kids are zombied in front of the TV and we actually have energy and feel like talking. Whereas after they go to bed we are usually done talking for the day and just watch shows, read or pass out. 

I think it’s both easier and harder quarantining with kids. Having a buffer of these two really fun little friends to entertain us and keep the day FULL is great in many ways, but no, we don’t get the same marathoning TV time, as much personal time or “long walks” if we didn’t. All in all, we aren’t sick of each other yet and while it’s not perfect we certainly do really appreciate how much we still really like hanging out together. 

I just asked Brian if he had anything additional to say about feeling connected (it’s 6:45 am and he’s reading the news online with coffee with the body language that says, “I’m not really here”), he said “uh, no, I think we are good on that one”.

Sara Updates Her Backyard With A Hand-Me-Down Loveseat & $350

I’ve never really been an outdoor person. I mean, I enjoy being outside, but I don’t CRAVE it. Recently, though, I’ve been getting a little cabin fever. The temperature here in Pasadena is going up, and the possibility of a weekend beach trip is still far away. So a few weeks ago I decided I needed to enjoy my own outdoor spaces (mainly my backyard).

Here a quick video of me talking about the whole process (just wait for the ad to play first)…

Our front yard is decently cute, and my mom and I have spent a lot of time fixing it up. But it’s less than ideal to layout in as little clothing as possible slurping margs in the front yard where everyone can see you. The whole point of having a backyard is so you can have a private outdoor space (in my opinion). But my backyard is really just . . . a whole lotta cement.

First, let me get all the disclaimers out of the way for the people who are about to yell “YOU’RE LUCKY TO EVEN HAVE A BACKYARD!” Yes, I am very lucky. It’s a decently big backyard too! And one day I really hope that it will be beautiful, awesome, and given the attention and love it deserves.

Here’s how it looked when we bought our house:

It was mostly just cement and weeds. Along with the addition of my boyfriend’s vintage (old) BMW he refuses to get rid of. Even though he couldn’t drive it to work because of the distance, doesn’t have it insured so he actually can’t drive it at all, and has to keep it plugged into a power source almost all the time, otherwise the battery dies. It’s a whole thing. But he loves the car, and I love him. The point is, our backyard wasn’t really a space you wanted to hang out in. And for a lot of the last year it was literally a trash dump, during our renovation.

please note the very cute “forek” graffiti that came original to the cinderblock wall . . .

I’m lucky enough to have some outdoor space, so I wasn’t going to waste it, even if I didn’t have budget to jackhammer out all the cement and landscape the whole thing. So, I started thinking about what it’d need, bare minimum, to be enjoyable. After thinking long and hard I decided it was only two things. 1.) A place to lounge, and 2.) Some shade. THAT WAS IT.

I spent one weekend working on it, and after some sale shopping, leftover prop scavenging, and repurposing of already owned things, I pulled together a little outdoor space that I’m hilariously really proud of. Let me introduce you . . . .

Oh my god, she cute. Is it my dream backyard? No. But is it the backyard I have? Yes, and I really like hanging out here. And guess what, since it’s a BACKYARD I have a whole lotta privacy. NO ONE CAN TELL YOU NO IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD. ‘Buh bye tan lines ; )

I built everything around that loveseat, which is actually a hand-me-down from the spring patio brunch story we shot several months ago. For one reason or another we weren’t able to return it, and I became the lucky recipient of a loveseat in fairly new condition. It became the foundation for my backyard hang out, and it was huge in terms of reducing my spending on this space.

If you have a piece of old outdoor furniture, or two chairs, or WHATEVER, build around those! Even if it’s not the prettiest, newest thing in the world, a few new outdoor pillows, a pretty umbrella, and some glow-y string lights will give it a whole new life. Right now it’s all about working with what you’ve got or can easily find and afford.

The next thing I wanted to address was giving the space a sense of “area.” Because my whole backyard is just one sad cement slab, I definitely wanted to make this feel like it’s own “space.” I decided that an outdoor rug was the best way to keep my loveseat from feeling like it was just floating aimlessly on a cement sea. This cute and neutral one is mostly plastic, so it’s totally outdoor-friendly but still magically feels like a woven rug, and it was on sale for $56. Amazing, great, done.

Next I needed shade. The star jewels of my backyard are three citrus trees, but they don’t really provide much in the way shade until around 3 or 4 pm. EASY – a patio umbrella is the solution. Well, patio umbrellas it turns out can be surprisingly expensive. And you have to buy the base separately. WHAT? It’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard since selling bikini tops and bottoms separately.

The original umbrella I had wanted turned out to pretty far outside of my budget for this area, and all the $50 umbrellas were sold out at my local Target. I was feeling frustrated because I really wanted to enjoy my outdoor area THAT WEEKEND, and I wasn’t about to wait for one to be shipped to me (what hath the conveniences of modern living wrought on my soul?). But then I found this cute striped umbrella for $100, and this umbrella base for just $36. It changed the aesthetic I was going for (light, airy, boho), but sometimes you just gotta work with what you can.

Then it was time for some details. I started by bringing out a little side black table I had in our living room, and repurposing it as an outdoor table. Is it meant for the outdoors? Probably not, but a benefit of living in Southern California is that it rains very infrequently here and we’re lucky if we can get a drop of moisture to stick around. In general, the worst our outdoor furniture gets is a whole lotta sun.

I did buy a new outdoor ottoman, inspired by a tip from the “small space” vignette from this post.

Small spaces mean less furniture, so you’ll want to make sure that the few pieces you do pick are going to pull double duty whenever they can.

Well, the pouf I got (which is sadly not available online) works TRIPLE duty. Because of how sturdy it is, it can be a footrest, an extra seat, or a table. Though I’ll admit that footrest is my favorite way to use it. Lastly, I stole a few potted plants from my front porch, and brought them out back to hide the umbrella stand a bit, and just generally bring a little more life to this concrete island.

I found that little palm frond tasseled pillow in the Bullseye section at Target (the little area up at the front of the store when you first walk in), and it was only $5. I can’t find it online, but these are similar. The other cream and black pillow was on sale for $18, and yes, apparently it’s made for the great outdoors while also being very pretty.

But I know you’re all dying to know what’s going on in photo #2 up there. Oh, that’s just my private DIY lounging pool. Obviously. I live in Southern California, so remember it gets HOT. I don’t have a pool, and there were no kiddie pools in stock at the store, so I got creative. (Since then, I’ve ordered this one, and I can’t wait to use it this weekend like the adult I am.) That empty plastic tub is just big enough for me to sit with my legs crossed and my knees hugged to my chest. I do look ridiculous, but at least I’m enjoying life.

Oh, I’m sorry. Did you not think this post would have a day-to-night lewk?

Yes, it’s exactly the same patio. I’m not trying to fool you into thinking there’s some huge, dramatic reveal. But this IS how I use it day-to-night. Do I bring glasses of wine out here in the evening? Yes. Do I also bring the whole bottle? Of course. Do I bring snacks, too? No shame! Though, admittedly, they aren’t always so pretty (I’m looking at you, frozen grapes). And y’all already know I’m a fiend for a candle, wherever, whenever I am. Especially ones that are mosquito repelling, like this one.

In the evenings I’ll usually wear my favorite slippers, and bring a little throw out with me. It never really gets that cold, but I like to feel cozy. Plus it makes me feel like it’s harder for the mosquitos to find my legs when they’re wrapped up tight.

The more important star of this whole “evening look” though are those string lights. They’re only $12 a box, outdoor safe, and give the entire space a really lovely, warm glow. The best part about them though? You can buy replacement bulbs for them in packs of 2! Just in case one burns out. Or your dad breaks one (or four) of them while hanging them for you.

I really DO love spending time out here. And I really like doing it while listening to this playlist. Bonus tip: If you’re in the market for a portable speaker, may I suggest this one? Mac and I got it two years ago, and it works SO GOOD. Anytime we bring it with us somewhere, or people are over and we’re using it they’re also impressed. We’ve taken it camping, we’ve taken it to the beach, I turn it on every night while I cook dinner, and bring out back with me. It’s just a really well-made product that works.

Oh, and in case you’re curious. The rest of the back yard hasn’t changed that much. But the view isn’t so bad. Right above the house line is clear open sky, and the tops of some oak trees, so it makes for a really nice place to watch a sunset. And my mom and I planted some drought resistant flowers in the flower beds right behind the house, which really help the aesthetic.

side note – that sun lounger was only $26, and it goes down totally flat

Otherwise, we’re still waiting on a full backyard renovation. So there you have it, my tiny backyard update, on a budget. The total for my set up was $844, which I understand isn’t BUDGET and possibly not attainable for everyone. Myself included! Keep in mind I got the loveseat as a hand-me-down. But these are pieces that I know will not only survive the summer, but hopefully a few summers to come. And since it doesn’t really look like I’ll be going to many places this summer, I decided that investing a little bit into an outdoor space I feel safe in was worth the budget.

This is me, trying to look glamours in 90-degree heat, while also trying to direct my boyfriend who was photographing me. CUTE. Now if you’re into it, here’s a “Get The Look” for my set up.

1. Outdoor Pillow | 2. Throw | 3. Striped Umbrella | 4. Outdoor Loveseat | 5. Umbrella Stand | 6. Black Wood Accent Table | 7. 5×7 Outdoor Rug | 8. Woven Ottoman | 9. White Tray | 10. Outdoor String Lights

Not into my style? I’ll survive. I’ve pulled together two other looks (a modern aesthetic and a boho style), both under $800 total.

1. Navy Throw | 2. Outdoor Pillow | 3. Umbrella | 4. 5×7 Outdoor Rug | 5. Side Table | 6. Outdoor Loveseat | 7. Outdoor Ottoman | 8. Cork Tray | 9. Outdoor String Lights | 10. Umbrella Stand

1. Throw | 2. Outdoor Lumbar | 3. Tasseled Umbrella | 4. Outdoor Seating Set | 5. Umbrella Stand | 6. Outdoor String Lights | 7. 5×8 Outdoor Rug | 8. Tray

In case you are looking for a few more shopping options check out our very extensive outdoor furniture roundup post and our outdoor accessories roundup post