Emily Henderson's Blog, page 236

Affordable Party Outfit Ideas + The EHD Holiday Party

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We take any excuse to get dressed up, leave work early and hang out as friends (fine… I’m more like “the mom”, but I swear I‘m a super cool mom). Thus is the benefit/burden of working for someone who values the importance of happy hour and fashion. We always have a holiday dinner (secret Santa, awkward speech by me, inevitable tears) so we figured we’d multi-task our life and make it a fashion post. Like the “super cool” mom that I am, I gave everyone an allowance of $75 to pull together a holiday party look, and while most went over budget a bit (grounded) or used some pieces they already had (cheaters), these outfits are affordable and available if you like them. We make a small affiliate commission (more on that in the new year) from any sales of these pieces if you use the link, so I figured/hoped it would pay for itself. Win. Win. Win?

But first, like a mom, I’m endlessly sincerely touched by how good of friends everyone is here. They love each other, support each other so much, and they hang out together outside of work ALL THE TIME. They invite me sometimes, (thanks, guys) and if kids/life permit I go but I know it’s different when I’m there, despite how cool and “one of them” I think I still am. I imagine it’s a percentage of how I’ll feel if/when Charlie and Birdie hang out as adults, share a group of friends and travel together —we won’t be bummed that we aren’t invited, because there is this relief that you aren’t all they need anymore. Their relationship doesn’t hinge on you, and that through all your failings, you’ve helped create and foster friendships that will outlast you (or your company). I’m not dying. Just sentimental. They are all so amazing, every single one of them and I could cry because I feel so lucky to have them.

Knowing we were going to be all gussied up, we headed to a spot that matched our gussied-up-ness to celebrate: Five Leaves. It’s VERY pretty/”designer-y” and delicious restaurant, near our office building. If you’re in LA and haven’t been (there’s always one in NY), I recommend it, both design-wise, and food/drink wise. The team goes often after work because the atmosphere is awesome, everything is good, and the staff is so friendly. We are big fans of this place. If you come and happen to see any of those faces above, feel free to say hi (we like meeting readers more than anybody else, i promise).

But first, let’s talk about our outfits:

I wore the same red dress that you may have seen on social last week because IT’S VERY VERY GOOD. Literally everyone—in elevators, on the street, my babysitter—compliments me on it. When I tell them it’s from Target, their eyes light up, out of both shock and happiness that it can be theirs as well. It’s lined (who has time for slips?), falls/drapes really well and has that prairie vibe in the most holiday kind of way. I paired it with some snakeskin cowboy boots to dress down the “gown” a bit and embrace my inner badass. And then I added my red belt bag (which sadly doesn’t look like is available anymore but linking to something similar) to enhance and cinch the waist and edge it up.

Shop the Look: Dress | Boots | Bag (similar)

Now for the rest of the team’s party looks, starting with Veronica, Sara and Arlyn.

Shop the Look: Dress | Earrings | Shoes | Eyeshadow | Lipstick

From Arlyn: “Makeup notwithstanding, I got this whole outfit, head to toe, for under $80 (thank goodness for Black Friday, but still, super affordable). I tried this dress on weeks ago before I knew we were going to be having a shoot and loved that it was covered up but playful with some ruffly moments. It’s a nice sharp bright red which I think works on just about everyone and at 5’3″ it hits me right above the knee. It runs a little big (I got a Large but in retrospect should have gotten a Medium), but I can see myself wearing this throughout the year to come. I pulled the black out of the pattern for my accessories. Any excuse I get to wear a big statement earring, I’ll take, plus a tassel is just too much fun to not opt for in a holiday ‘look.’ As for the shoes, the second I saw these bow babies on ASOS, I knew they’d be just the thing to wrap up (ha) my serious festive vibes.”

Shop the Look: Jeans | Shirt | Blazer | Shoes | Headband (similar)

From Sara: “My #1 inspiration for this is the classic cinematic triumph, Clueless. Enter this amazing oversized blazer in festive green and red. I went for a velvet camisole underneath to keep things subtle but cocktail appropriate, then I dressed it down with ripped skinnies (because sometimes the holidays get crazy and you just haven’t shaved your legs…or it’s just cold). Next, I accented the hits of red in the blazer with bold red shoes and lipstick. And lastly, I added a bunch of gold jewelry as my “tinsel.”

Shop the Look: Dress | Shoes | Eyeshadow | Lipstick | Eyeliner

From Veronica: “I saw this dress at Nordstrom and thought it was really beautiful, but wasn’t sure how it was going to fit. Fast forward to trying it on and me falling in love! It falls really nicely thus shaping your body very well. It’s also super comfy. Those shoes are comfy enough to wear all day and are a great price + come in lots of colors.”

Next up is Jess, Ryann and Julie…

Shop the Look: Dress | Necklace | Shoes | Lipstick | Nail Polish

From Jess: “I love this dress. It’s classy, fun, feels holiday-y without screaming “Christmas” and has the right amount of sexy for any holiday party. And woo wee does the slit make the dress. I know this dress is $$$ (I got it 30% off on Black Friday) BUT Reformation is an awesome and sustainable company that I am happy to throw my dollars at because I will keep those pieces forever. I also wanted to mix up the classic “red and green look,” so I threw on my favorite (super comfortable) brick-colored suede pumps I already had.”

Shop the Look: Dress | Lipstick | Shoes | Wallet

From Ryann: “I felt like a prince in this dress in the best way possible. I literally walked in the office and exclaimed “The Prince is here!” as a true Gemini would. I love the puff sleeves and the length is perfect for my 5’8″ frame, plus the two slits in the front make the dress feel less matronly and sexier. In retrospect, I wish I would have worn higher heels, but those boots are REALLY good and I wear them all the time. They are a great everyday boot but a little more elevated because of the block heel, so you can easily wear with dresses and look pulled together. A dark red lip is my staple for any party look, but especially for the holidays, that NARS Velvet Matte Lipstick in Endangered Red is the perfect shade. Oh, and the wallet (from ABLE) became a clutch when I realized I didn’t have any accessories, but it worked out because I even fit my phone in it so I didn’t have to lug around my purse.”

Shop the Look: Dress | Bag | Shoes (similar) | Lipstick | Necklace

From Julie: “When it comes to dresses, I either like to be covered up top and show a little leg or vice versa. This dress definitely meets the criteria and I love the crushed velvet fabric because I am a big fan of anything that doesn’t need to be steamed. The little detail of the puff sleeve makes me feel like a fancy and trendy lady! I really wanted a mustard-colored purse to contrast with the deep blue color of my dress, so like a normal person, I went to eight different stores looking for one and at the last one, I found the perfect purse. This purse from Anthropologie is amazing and will be my new everyday bag, it’s a great size with two compartments to make me ‘organized.’ It also comes with three different straps, you can wear it as a belt bag, a crossbody or with the gold chain link for a night out. This is the first official lipstick I have bought for myself so I am taking baby steps into this makeup land with a lip color that just enhances my natural lip color by a shade or two. Maybe one day I will rock the bold red lip like many of my coworkers pull off on the daily.”

Velinda, Mallory and Caitlin, you’re up”

Shop the Look: Dress | Shoes

From Velinda: “I love that this dress is both fitted and flowy. The embroidered detail and design of the back sold me! It’s got a modern flair with just enough hippie vibes to be my cup of tea.”

Shop the Look: Dress | Shoes | Lipstick | Necklace

From Mallory: “When I first showed my boyfriend this outfit, his first reaction was ‘that’s a spring dress!’ I guess to his point, it technically could work year-round, but when I tried it on with these white boots and a lil’ red lip, we both agreed it’s the ultimate holiday look. It’s perfect for a Christmas Eve dinner or even church service! Okay, okay, I’m kidding. This is probably not the tamest look for church, especially since my dress is clearly the ‘nightclub’ version of Jess’ dress. But let me tell you, it’s now my new go-to holiday party look and the shoes have become my favorite way to dress up any everyday outfit. Lastly, since we all know how much I love a deal (pop back here tomorrow afternoon for my weekly sales post to see what I mean) I should share that this dress is only $30 and the shoes were $48. How’s that for some Christmas magic??”

Shop the Look: Dress | Shoes | Lipstick

From Caitlin: “Confession time: despite having 2.5 weeks to figure out what I was gonna wear for this shoot (and like, the holidays in general, ya know), I waited until THE NIGHT BEFORE to go find something. I went to The Grove in December (not recommended) and walked straight into Madewell (highly recommended). This is the only dress I tried on and I was in and out in under 20 minutes. It’s comfortable, it fits my boobs, and you can’t really tell that I ate a ton of tacos right before we took this picture. If you’re in a pinch and you’re like, ‘hey, I NEED A DRESS RIGHT NOW BUT I DON’T HAVE TIME TO TRY ON A TON OF THINGS,’ then BOY OH BOY IS THIS THE PICK FOR YOU!”

Et voila, our holiday lewks. It’s party time.

As I said before, myself and the team frequent Five Leaves and one of the things we always get there is their El Rey cocktail. If you are a fan of Palomas, this is the drink for you. Hot tip: if you are dining with four or more people, we recommend getting a pitcher because it just economically makes sense if you will all be having one cocktail a piece.

See, here we are happily sipping on our El Rey cocktails.

Pantone Announced Its Color of the Year and Here Is How We Feel About It

Styled by Bree Leech | Photo by Lisa Cohen | via The Design Files

Every year, the world awaits the Pantone “color of the year” announcement, despite it actually affecting zero percent of our lives. Ever since I’ve been in design, I’ve scratched my head not knowing WHY they chose what they did and rarely thinking it will work in interiors. BUT like most things controversial, I enjoy the discourse around it. As a recap, here are the colors of the last 10 years.

Image via brandchannel

If you are thinking “I don’t get it,” you aren’t alone. Those particular tones are shocking and random, but if they chose something so on the nose (millennial pink 3 years ago, dark green last year, etc) we’d all probably roll our collective eyes.

All of the controversies aside, our burning question is: HOW do they choose the color of the year??

Image via Forbes

Well, I did what any private investigator would do and Googled that question, and read exactly one article from the Miami Herald on it, here. The gist is that it’s a general trend for-casting, zeitgeist thing that doesn’t necessarily have to do with interiors specifically, but more an answer to what’s happening in the world (design-wise but also life-wise).

For “Classic Blue,” this year’s color, here is the reason they chose it:

“The Pantone Color Institute said it recognized similar feelings of instability gripping the world today, from the United States to the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Syria and across the globe. It settled on a shade that offers the reassurance, confidence and connection that people may be searching for in an uncertain global milieu.”

We love assigning feelings to colors for sure, and nobody can attest to the reassurance, confidence and serenity that blue brings to my house and life more than me… Exhibit A:

Photo by Ryan Liebe | From: Our Updated Living Room

So we thought we’d poll the designers and editors in the EHD office, and see how we feel about “Classic Blue” having its year in the spotlight.

Emily (me): “I usually can’t wait to kind of be shocked by the color, and my reaction has historically not been ‘oh that makes sense.’ I think that’s because traditionally, these colors don’t translate as well into designing the home as they do into art and fashion. For things, spaces and mediums that are more temporary, risk is more welcome and thus they shift more often. Sure, I like tones of purple a lot right now in the home, but not Ultraviolet (last year’s color of the year). And yes, we are VERY into green over here, but not necessarily Greenery (2017 color of the year). They don’t seem as pigmented and full of nuance as the colors that we usually like.

But Classic Blue, while perhaps a bit more primary than I usually opt for, is indeed a color that we can use, or at least a very close shade. I’m not opposed to cobalt right now and shove that shade a bit darker and it’s a great navy that I love. All in all, I’m not NOT into it. I’m pleasantly surprised that I do indeed like it and will try to experiment with it this year. Below, for example, I think it is used well.”

Julie: “Blue has and always will be a crowd-pleaser and while this particular shade of blue is much brighter I am a fan of it in small doses for interiors. I can’t say for sure that I would put it on my body but I thought the same of Ultra Violet last year and then the other day I caught myself almost ‘adding to cart’ &Other Stories new color block sweater…so only time will tell.”

Velinda: “Color of the year, brought to you by Papa Smurf.”

Design by Laura Fulmine | Photo by Michael Sinclain and The Modern House | via The Nord Room

Arlyn: “Okay, while a far cry from International Klein Blue, i.e. my favorite color on earth, it’s closer, and that makes me happy. Blue is always ‘safe’ especially this particular shade so I agree with Emily that I wish it were a bit more daring in terms of using it in design. I get the more “worldly” zeitgeist leanings of the COTY choice, too, and I mean, I guess I get it.”

Jess: “I’m pretty underwhelmed. It’s not bad but I’m bored. But then again almost anything can be cool if it’s in the hands of the right designer. I prefer the electricity of say a cobalt which is super close to Classic Blue but better and cooler. Maybe next year, Pantone.”

Ryann: “I might be the only person who is neither shocked or disappointed with Pantone’s decision to declare Classic Blue the reigning color in the year 2020. Maybe this is because historically I have never paid attention to Pantone’s color of the year so my expectations were extremely low. Look, I like blue and I especially like a bold color moment in the home (see photo below) and in fashion, it can be really fun and exciting to see bright colors played around with. I am not running out and painting my walls Classic Blue but the color does make me happy and I wouldn’t object to a classic blue lamp or art piece in my home. I am just happy it’s not maroon or magenta because those are the two worst colors (sorry I don’t make the rules).”

Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Arlyn’s Bright & Happy Rental Living Room Makeover

Despite some of our feelings about this year’s chosen hue, if you brighten it and put it in a luxe fabric like Arlyn did in her living room Makeover Takeover then I think everyone can get on serious board. As Arlyn beautifully put it in a Slack message this morning, “Blue can both be safe and bold.”

Okay now it’s your turn. How do you all feel about Classic Blue reigning in this new decade? Are you someone who lives by the Pantone rule or are you as underwhelmed as most of the staff? Let’s chat folks.

The post Pantone Announced Its Color of the Year and Here Is How We Feel About It appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Sara’s House: Her Awkward-Yet-Soon-to-Be “Downton Abbey” TV Room

Welcome to the post all about our future TV room. It’s not much now. BUT ONE DAY SOON it will be a cozy, intimate, moody room where we cuddle to watch TV and take afternoon naps. Because this room is so small, we decided it was a fun place to take a few risks, and trust me when I say we’re getting RISKY. But first, let me walk you through the room’s history…

This is what the room looked like when we bought the house, back in October 2018. There was a single bed in one corner, and it felt a little depressing. But those two big windows were pretty awesome and I knew this could be turned into something cool.

This room was added as a strange little addition either shortly after the original house was completed or sometime in the ’50s. We’ve gotten differing answers from different people and haven’t really done the research to find out the truth. Regardless, it was done in a baffling way that created a deep, sharp angle in one corner of the already long and narrow space which had be turned into a closet (below).

When we decided to reconfigure the layout of the house a bit, we had to make a big decision about this area. Technically, it did count as a bedroom. It had storage and two forms of exit (a window and a door). Apparently the bar is pretty low these days. But the only entrance to our master bedroom and bathroom was through the kitchen, which was not only weird but used up a decent amount of kitchen space in an already small and narrow kitchen (can you sense the theme of our house?). So we made a decision that I know not everyone will agree with, but was the right one for us: We closed up the entrance to the master areas from the kitchen, turned that space into a master closet, and opened up an entrance to the master from this small addition room, turning this “room” into a pass-through space. Already the layout feels so much more functional for actual life, resale decisions aside.

The truth is, having that third bedroom on the listing when we sell the place would definitely make it more attractive on paper. But once you saw the space in person, you would be BUMMED. On the other hand, all the renovations we’re doing (central heating and AC, new hardwood floors, renovated bathrooms, updated electrical and plumbing) will be FAR more attractive than one weird “third” room. That’s our thought process anyways. It also provided a great solution to our TV problem. This house was built in an era when TV was not everyone’s nightly ritual, so the living room really lacks a good piece of real estate for it. We were going back and forth about where to put that huge thing until we realized we could just…put it in another room. Sure, moving the TV into a smaller room means we’re not going to be hosting any huge movie parties anytime soon, but 99% of the time it’s just Mac, me, and the cats. Now we can have our living room laid out for entertaining and hanging out with friends, and our TV room as a cozy space to cuddle and binge Outlander.

It’s also going to serve as a bit of a library. I’ve always wanted a library, just like in Downton Abbey. A room where, on a rainy day, I can go lounge on a lush couch reading my regency romance novels until I fall asleep to the sound of the pattering rain outside all afternoon (not that there are many rainy days in LA, let alone ones on weekends when I have nothing else to do). This room is going to be my mini Downton Abbey, done Craftsman style. It’s not a big space, but we’re going to shove as much moody old library into it as possible.

The first issue we needed to address was that sharp corner now that it was no longer a closet, and I came up with what I think is a pretty genius solution (if I do say so myself…which I do). We’re going to build a cabinet and bookshelf in that space. The cabinets on the bottom will use the depth of the space so it’s not wasted but keep it all hidden behind cabinet doors, while the shelves on top will give the room that library vibe. It will also serve as a method to flatten that area out without putting all that wasted space behind drywall. I did the first rendering on InstaStories, and I’m proud to say it’s the version I showed Velinda to help her understand my idea:

You can totally understand what I’m explaining and would know exactly how to build this, right? HIRE ME FOR YOUR RENDERINGS. Sadly, this is not what we passed along to the cabinet builder. Velinda took this idea and ran with it, making it her own and bringing in a lot of nice details along the way. As well as adding things like “measurements” to the rendering *eye roll*. But you’ll have to tune into the post she’s writing about it to get the juicy design details. All I can tell you is that it’s going to be amazing, and there may be a hidden whiskey bar in the works (if we can swing it—literally. UGH, you’ll get this joke later if we can pull it off). Then I’m going to fill those shelves with my vintage oil paintings, vintage books, and vintage objects.

It’ll look something like this…

The next thing we’re doing to make this old library-inspired space feel cozy and moody is going for a monochrome look. It’s very much a trend right now, but one that I’m fully behind and excited to explore myself. And this room feels like the space to do it. We once wrote a post over here about why you shouldn’t paint your small rooms white, so I’m using that as my hard evidence to go dark and moody in this small area.

Image sources from left to right: Livingetc Magazine | Design: Emily Henderson, Photo: Tessa Nuestadt | Craftberry Bush | Mia Ahlskog

This means the shelves, molding, cabinet doors, walls, window and door frames, baseboards, and back door will all be painted the same color. EXCITING! We haven’t yet decided if the door between the master bedroom and the TV room will be painted this same color on the TV room side yet, and here’s why. If we DO paint it the same color, it would create a very seamless monochrome look in the TV room when closed. But because the door will swing into the bedroom, when we have it open instead of having a pretty stained wood door swinging inwards toward our bed we would have a dark green rectangle sitting inside our room…but not painting it on the TV room side and instead just staining the door does rather disrupt our monochrome lewk on the TV room side. Happily taking opinions in the comments below.

We also haven’t yet decided on what color to do, but there are some strong contenders (all from Sherwin Williams, because looking at more than one paint deck is emotionally exhausting for me):

1. Foxhall Green | 2. Olympic Range | 3. Rookwood Dark Green | 4. Rookwood Shutter Green | 5. Jasper | 6. Roycroft Bottle Green

Paint caterpillar at the bottom so you can really see how all the greens differ…

Paint is one of those tricky things that you really have to try in a room, and stare at over the changing light of the day to make a decision about. Our walls don’t have plaster on them yet, but I already have all my paint samples. So as soon as those bad boys/walls are plastered up, I’m going to be painting big swatches of each above color and then spending an entire day sitting on the floor of that room just staring. I want something deep, rich, and green but not swampy and not so dark that it appears black. It also has to compliment our couch, which is a slightly teal velvet. It’s going to be a tricky tight rope to balance on, but that’s what makes it fun.

And now, so you’re all on the same page as me and my brain (aka Velinda), here is the current TV room mood board:

Sofa from Article Modern | Rug from Neon Dove (Vintage) | Leather Pouf from Lulu & Georgia | Table Lamp From Target | Roman Shade from Decor View (Custom) | Ceiling Light from Schoolhouse Electric | Side Table from Chairish (Vintage) | Paint from Sherwin-Williams in Rookwood Shutter Green

This isn’t 100% complete because we are trying to source a lot of vintage for this room, and that takes time. But the vibe is there. Right now I have Rookwood Shutter Green as the wall color and I love it, but the computer screen can vary greatly from a real wall. We do have that couch (from Article Modern in Pacific Blue) already sitting in the back of the house awaiting its new home. Will we have TWO velvet couches in our home? Yes. Is this a good idea? YES. I have no evidence that disputes this, and it turns out performance velvet is actually a very pet-friendly fabric. You won’t be able to see both couches at the same time, so we decided that it wouldn’t be an issue (and by “we” I mean me). The vintage rug is from Neon Dove, and was a gut reaction order several months ago when I didn’t even know where it was going to go yet. We’ll be installing custom blackout Roman shades from Decorview in a dark charcoal fabric on both the window and back door (for optimal TV watching ability). And I just made my first ever Chairish purchase by way of that little side table. It’s a vintage French piece, currently painted a gray-blue. But we’re going to paint it black and polish up the hardware to bring in a lot of old-world charm in a cool way. Plus, the drawer will provide remote storage in this no-coffee-table room.

Why no coffee table? Because this room is too narrow for both a couch AND coffee table. We’re opting against a coffee table and instead bringing in our leather pouf for feet resting, and our vintage side table for drink resting. Speaking of TV and narrowness, what is our plan for the TV? This single photo really sums it up:

Design: Shanti Crawford | Photo: Heidi’s Bridge

It’s going to take some behind the wall electrical cord configuring and running, but we want to keep that wall as minimal as possible. Just the TV, wall-mounted, and a small custom-built shelf for a candle and some tchotchkes. We have one of those smart TVs that already has all the Netflix/Hulu options built in without requiring an AppleTV or Roku. But there are three things we’ll have to run to the TV: the power, the internet, and our PlayStation (which is how I play all my Harry Potter DVDs). The hope is to run all those wires behind the wall and either over to the side of couch or into our new cabinet. It’s still a work in process, but we’ll get there.

We’re going to be installing recess lighting on dimmers throughout the back part of the house, just like Em did up at the mountain house. But we’ll also have a ceiling light and fan, sconces on the bookshelf wall, and a table lamp in the corner so there will be lots of options for soft, cozy lighting. And we’ll be getting rid of the door between the dining room and the TV room, so it’s just a clean pass through. You’ll be able to see the living room and dining room from the back of the TV room and vice versa, so it was really important to Velinda and I that all three of these spaces feel like they can relate to one another. Even though this room is going to be dark and moody, the living room is going to pick up its green vibes through the couch and rug. And we’re bringing some dark hits into the dining room to help transition from a bright white space to a moodier one.

And that’s where we’re at! There’s going to be a LOT of work going into the room over Christmas break but hopefully, by February of 2020, I’m in this room living my moody romantic Downton Abbey dreams.

The post Sara’s House: Her Awkward-Yet-Soon-to-Be “Downton Abbey” TV Room appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Best DIY “Batch” Handmade Gifts

Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: How We Decked Our Halls For Christmas

Gift-giving happens to be a pretty big part of the holidays. Have you heard? Heck, we’ve made NINE gift guides this year alone. And while buying a gift for your loved one who “has everything” seems like an impossible mountain to climb, we find it can be even trickier finding gifts for the neighbors, teachers, coworkers crowd…that doesn’t break the bank. So to show that you care, why not make a gift that you can give ALL of those people? Say it with me…Batch Gifting. It comes from the heart, but you are saving time, money and a whole lotta brainpower. Today we have rounded up seven of our favorite DIY handmade (and thoughtful) gift ideas that will make your gift plate look muuuuuch lighter. Shall we?

1. Scented Candles
Design by Caroline Burke of Burkatron 

We genuinely did not know making candles could be so easy. You basically find a cute vessel, heat up some wax, add essential oils, and let it harden (definitely go to the tutorial for all the deets). So simple and a wonderful gift (and pretty gift) everyone will appreciate. No candle burning at both ends for you with this idea.

2. Homemade Flavored Salt
Design by Lauren Hendrickson via Popsugar

I’m pretty sure that if we took a vote in our office of what we could give up, either salt or sugar, sugar would win because everyone LOVES salt. These three handmade flavored salts are the cutest and I know that I would think this was such a fun and useful gift. So if you love to cook and your friends like to eat (I’m sure that’s at least 99% of your friends) then start prepping these babies asap.

3. Coconut Sugar Scrub
Design by Lea Johnson of Creekwoodhill

We are already a big fan of Lea Johnson (remember her stunning home we featured??), but now she’s teaching us how to make a beautiful scrub that would be a wonderful gift to truly anyone in your life. Who doesn’t need a little self-care every now and then (more “now”, less “then”)? She says this one is great for getting rid of dead and dry, itchy skin.

4. DIY Lip Balm
Design by Caitlin and Mandy of The Merrythought

This is another one that seems intimidating but according to the lovely ladies of The Merry Thought, it’s a breeze. They lay out all the steps and make it incredibly easy to follow. Then once you are done, you have an incredibly thoughtful and useful gift to give out. Say no to the winter chapped lip.

5. Color-Blocked Soap DIY
Design by Laura Gummerman of A Beautiful Mess

Sara actually gave us beautiful handmade soaps a couple of years ago and I loved it. It was so nice to be able to display a really pretty bar of soap and these ones are so fun. EHD approved!

6. Homemade Infused Olive Oil
Design by Luci Petlack of Luci’s Morsels

These puppies are perfect for those in your life who like to cook or dip bread.

How to Style Your Dining Table for Everyday Living

photo by zeke ruelas | from: ginny’s dining room reveal

Earlier this year, while working on my , there was one area where I felt like I had a little bit of a blind spot. I had a pretty good sense of the style I wanted to achieve, the blue velvet sofa was dialed in, but when it came to figuring out what to do with the top of my dining table, I was stuck. In the grand scheme of the design, it felt like an afterthought…because it kind of was. On an everyday basis, it’s normally the spot where my piles of junk mail land (until they topple over and I have to deal with it) and where our Amazon boxes collect, well, the smaller ones. It’s a bit of a “life” wasteland, so I didn’t want to super fake it with anything too set. I wanted to do something that, post-shoot, could still work for how we live. So I dug through our archives for inspiration and it was super helpful. So helpful, that now, months later, I think it’s time to share with you guys in case you’re tabletop-challenge like I am.

Read on for six different approaches to the “everyday” dining table, though leaving it clear is also a very real option…so let’s call that style #1. Now, for style #2:

Centered Vase
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: arlyn’s bold rental dining room reveal

I figured let’s start with where I ended with my dining table: the “centered vase” look. Yes, I also have a candelabra and some plates, but really that was more for styling the shot. In real life, you’ll mostly find just one thing sitting right there in the middle of my table (absolutely NOT surrounded by a bunch of other junk like my husband’s headphones or a random sweater and clutch I threw there one night after going out)…

photo by tessa neustadt | from: sara’s living room reveal

I went tall (it was a vase I had on hand from Target years ago), but you could also go much shorter, like Sara did here in her old apartment. You can go the fresh florals route, or, for something much lower maintenance, pick a potted plant (as long as your room gets the right light to keep that thing kickin’).

photo by tessa neustadt | from: the griffith park dining nook reveal

This is maybe my favorite dining space from our archives because BOY THAT WINDOW IS GOOD. But besides that, the one centered vase with organic, asymmetrical greens feels so liveable and laid back, and isn’t that exactly what you want in a breakfast nook like this?

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: jess’ DIY-filled rental kitchen reveal

When you have just a little surface to work with, like in the dining nook (which she DIYed people…incredible) of Jess’ rental apartment, I personally think simple is best, so all hail the subtlety of the “centered vase” for spaces like this.

Collection
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the portland dining room reveal

For larger tables, I’m ALL about the “collection,” like Emily did in the Portland dining room. It’s an 8-seater, so there was a lot of table surface area to cover and empty, it might have felt a bit bare and unfinished.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the portland dining room reveal

Something to note with the “collection” of things is how it looks from all angles. You’ll want to make sure you’re spacing things out so that whether you’re seeing it head-on or from the side, it doesn’t end up looking like the bargain table at your local thrift store.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a modern organic dining room reveal

In Portland, they went with a set of same-colored sculptures, but in this “organic modern” dining room, it was a mix-and-match collection of vases and vassels. Note the tight color palette and variety of shapes and sizes to keep things interesting. Always remember, just because your “collection” has 10 things in it doesn’t mean they all have to be displayed together. If it works, great! But you can always split things up if you’re after something a little more curated and edited down.

Grouping of 3
photo by stephen busken | from: a modern yet warm loft reveal with project 62

The “grouping of 3” is a close cousin to both the collection and the centered vase. All the same ease as the centered vase, more of the visual interest of the collection (but without thinking too long and hard about the set up). Three candleholders in varying heights is a great option (and typically are sold in a set just like this).

photo by tessa neustadt | from: sylvia’s surprise makeover, dining room reveal

If you don’t want to go the candlestick route, there’s always the three-vessel route, like they did in Sylvia’s dining room for that surprise reveal. I think the key here is the varying heights like I mentioned previously. That way, you can more casually cluster things in the middle of the table, though if you have three things of all the same size, I’d go with something a little tidier such as lining thing up across the long-way of the table.

High/Low
photo by melissa oholendt | from: the curbly family dining room reveal

Here’s another option that I really love (I tend to like the more non-symmetrical stuff because it gives the eye a lot to play with). This one I’m calling the “high/low” because, well, there’s one high or tall thing (ideally with some greenery to exaggerate the height even more), and one low and wide thing (in this case, a footed bowl of produce…I think).

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: mountain house dining room reveal

You can either go the way of putting your high/low goods in the center of the table, or off-setting them to one side if you are casually placing anything else on the table if you find yourself entertaining.

Tray + Gather
photos by zeke ruelas | from: ginny’s dining room reveal

There might be a chance you found yourself thinking anything up there I showed you previously felt a little too “floaty” so you, my friend, are the “tray + gather” type. You’ll want to be sure your tray is on the larger side (about 1/3 the wide of your table is a good rule of thumb) or else you risk things looking a little dinky. Now, what exactly do you put ON that tray? Well, that’s up to you. Ginny did a high/low thing with florals which I think feels really nice and not overly stiff, a low bowl of nuts and a small carafe, but you can go with a candle, a small collection of things…there are no rules!

photo by mike garten | from: my house tour from good housekeeping

In Emily’s previous Glendale house, she went with the tray + gather, too, but in this case it was styled out more like a refreshments/snack tray with a drink pitcher, some glassware and, again, a bowl of nuts (never underestimate the power of a bowl of nuts for styling, ha).

Casually “Set”
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: mountain house dining room reveal

And lastly, our final category here…the “casually set” table. This one is less for everyday, I think, and more for “company’s coming over and I have a few snacks but not a full sit-down dinner happening.” You can use all the same ideas for the main anchor pieces, but shift them a little to make room for a stack of appetizer plates, napkins, glassware and anything else you want to set out.

photo by zeke ruelas | from: casa soria dining room reveal

Hopefully that was helpful for you all. I know it can be easy for us to forget to talk about these little everyday styling questions and conundrums that come up for EVERYONE, design novices all the way to the pros, but the key is to tap into inspiration, see what you think would work best for your life (and you like, of course) and play with what you have to get there.

Please let me know in the comments what other “no-brainer” type styling ideas you guys might feel stuck on and we’ll round up that inspo to help you out. Thanks for stopping by and see you this afternoon.

For more styling ideas, head to our ROOMS page for all the scoop and help you need!

The post How to Style Your Dining Table for Everyday Living appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Our DIY Ornaments—Some VERY EASY Ideas and Some Pinterest Fails

I’ve started crafting. It’s could be part of a larger post titled “My Shocking Shift into the Parody of a Domestic Housewife” that I’ll write later, but for now, I’m very happy to report that my crafting blood has been ignited by a 4 and 6 year old. FINALLY, they are old enough to participate and enjoy it. The weekend craft sessions are truly living out a fantasy that I didn’t really know I had.

Now I want to be very clear, this is a hobby, I love the process far more than the result. I have decent taste, but lack skill and attention to detail, as you’ll see. I won’t be setting up a booth at an artisanal market anytime soon. I’m more doing this with the kids to have something that we can do together that we actually ALL enjoy (plus I get adorable mementos for trees or scrapbooks that will help memorialize this time together).

Sitting at that table together, creating garbage ornaments feels incredibly bonding. The energy is so happy, the creative freedom has no restrictions and there is ZERO pressure on the results.

I went on the Pinterest and found some ornaments that kids could make, some inspired from the mountain house, others just looked like fun.

Top Left to Right Clockwise: | | Design by Handmade Charlotte | | | Design by Naptime Buttons

Then I popped over to Michaels early on a Saturday morning and trolled the aisles for inspiration. The first time, I brought Birdie with me, accompanied with a fantasy that we would get creatively inspired together, that she would be drawn to the same colors and finishes that I would. I was brought back to reality when she somehow found the only Frozen related everything in the store and then tantrumed when our “craft” wasn’t coloring in Elsa’s hair on an already drawn ornament. Shockingly she wasn’t impressed with my raw wood embroidery hoops that I envisioned as wreaths or my white buttons to make snowmen.

The next week, I did a solo mission that was wildly more productive. I hadn’t gone to a craft store in forever, to just look for me, in a leisurely way. Up and down every row I felt a rush of serotonin that screamed I’m back.

So here we are. Currently joining the ranks of domesticity by way of haphazard DIY ornaments that I’ll cherish likely for the rest of my life.

I’ll show you the ‘inspiration’ first and then ‘what we did’ – although it will be obvious.

Self-Portrait Dioramas
Inspiration:

There really wasn’t much of an inspiration out there for this, but our preschool has them do self portraits all the time as art, so I figured why not have them do it on a little wooden person, instead. It turned out SO sweet, if not a little janky.

What We Made:

We used plastic jars (so they are cheap), mini bottle brush trees (that you can buy in bulk), cotton for snow and wooden bead letters for their initials. I did the bulk of the assembling but the kids chose the trees and colored in their faces and clothes. You might think they are creepy, with little charlie leaning almost dead-like against the side of the jar, but I will always remember the afternoon that we did this together and as I look at them on the tree, I feel very happy. (I used hot glue to secure the ribbon, its kinda messy but that’s okay).

Button Ornaments
Inspiration:
Design by Naptime Buttons

There were a lot of inspiration on these and I liked the simplicity of just one material, stacked. I thought that the kids could do it…

What We Made:

I literally made all of those because despite using a low heat glue gun they still hate getting burned by hot glue (boring) and inevitably you do get burned when using a glue gun. We had to buy a decent amount of bags of buttons from Michaels (here) to have enough that really stacked so this isn’t the most cost effective. But we all know that crafting with kids is rarely about saving money and more about creating something together. So much hot glue all over that top snowman, but again, I love the process and memory not the result.

Please note that I signed and dated mine making it clear that while it looked like a child crafted this masterpiece, it was indeed the “skills” of this mama, in 2019. That one has broken a couple times as its fell (the hat coing off the body) so I would stick to the stacked ones.

Embroidery Hoops/Wreaths:
Inspiration:

How sweet are these? I thought that they would be great for the mountain house, so Scandi and pretty. They currently live on this tree but when we go up for actual christmas we’ll bring them up.

What We Made:

I actually LOVE how these turned out. The kids found their initials and chose the tree, but I did all the hot glue-ing. I don’t think they’ll last for long with the cotton being so fragile, but I think I’ll just rip it off and replace it when it gets gross. Easy peasy. I did one for “mommy” and “daddy” to practice before we did the kids’ ones, and it turns out having a custom ornament that says “daddy” feels totally creepy for unknown reasons.

Shrinky Dinks
Inspiration:
Design by Handmade Charlotte

Sure, I thought it would be fun but I had no idea how much my kids would love shrinky dinks. Hours, HOURS of drawing on different occasions.

What We Made: 
photo by veronica crawford

The biggest hit by far. At first, these turned out way too small to even be readable, but then I had them do larger ones that took up the whole page and once shrunk down were big enough for ornaments. 100% the most fun for them. Watching them curl up and then flatten out in the oven is always nerve-wracking and then so satisfying. We use colored sharpies or paint but please let me know if you can use other mediums to do this. We are ever-expanding our shrinky dink portfolio.

One night, when they were out of town, I took some of my favorite drawings of theirs from this year and traced them to memorialize them as ornaments. They didn’t see the fun in that when I first proposed it, but once I showed them how a drawing could be a hard permanent ornament, they felt very special, like artists whose work was worth the effort.

You really have to use one big page for each shrinky dink. We made so many the size of our hand which turned into tiny ornaments the size of my fingerprint. If you want a white background get the matte white paper, but if you want to color all of it then get clear. Google how to do it, but I set my oven for 340 degrees and do it for about 3 minutes until they flatten out. Darker colors go even darker so stay light if you want bright.

When the kids saw the above ornaments, they were sooooo happy.

Nordic Style Ornaments
Inspiration:

These wood circles are at every craft store and are incredibly cheap (or you can saw your own, obviously). The potential is certainly huge, but I kept it simple as this was our first one and just put their initials and the date on them. The letters were readymade and just used hot glue and ribbon.

What We Made:

So easy. Not very impressive, but so pretty. Next time maybe I’ll do the date on the back or in something more intentional.

So here they all are…

This is just a snapshot from my iPhone of all the ornament types we made together this year and they all make me (and us) so happy. If you go back and look at my living room holiday reveal here, you’ll absolutely see these on my more “personal” tree and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We are moving on to snowglobes next weekend and the kids are VERY excited.

We’d love to see yours so DM us on social (or tag #showemyourholiday) especially if you try any of these “ideas” that we can repost on stories.

I know ornaments can be a big tradition for some families, and I’d love to hear about yours in the comments…

Our Living Room, Dressed Up for the Holidays (With a ‘And How I Feel About It’ Running Commentary)

In my constant internal (yet playful) battle between “low-maintenance mom of two” and “internet stylist,” “mom” is currently in the lead, as she should be. Meanwhile across the street at the sofa battling arena “traditional navy blue” sofa has won for the month of December. Typically we DRIP over here in holiday decor, on every surface (mostly to give inspiration/ideas) but I tried to pull it back while still feeling festive and fun and VERY COZY. This Christmas, I made the shift towards A. More personal and sentimental pieces (let the ornament obsession begin!), B. Using what we already had (you’ll see a lot from years past), C. Easier maintenance (yes I used a real garland and tree, but less cedar everywhere) and didn’t replace/store as much art and accessories, and D. cozy, cozy, cozy (thus the return of the dark sofa and those big gray chairs).

I was in New York for work last week, and, as I wrote this, I had like 30 minutes to get it all down, so I approached it with an old school blog style “brain dump.” Hopefully, you’ll glean some tips and get some inspiration throughout said dump.

The Link Up: A Romantic Comedy Emily LOVED, Ryann’s Secret To Sleeping Well & A Mimosa Recipe Perfect For Christmas Morning

image via Rue Mag | design by Louisa Roeder

Are you all knee-deep in your holiday decorations whilst watching your favorite holiday movie? We sure do hope so. It probably needs no reminding that December is FLYING by, so we suggest taking your mind off decorating and gift wrapping, to check out what team EHD has been gabbing about this week. Let’s giddy on up.

Today’s home tour is brought to us by Rue Mag, and if those side chairs are not reason enough to click on over, you should know that this space has MULTIPLE colorful and wonderful wallpaper moments that are worth your eyeballs’ time.

From Emily: “I watched Plus One while writing on the plane and I LOVED it. A really relatable romantic comedy that made me laugh and cry, with great actors and so many authentically funny moments. TWO THUMBS UP. Oh, and I didn’t know it but my friend Cristine plays who they credited as ‘passive-aggressive maid of honor’ (and it was hilarious, by the way).”

We are all very excited to share that Block Shop has officially opened their first retail location within their studio in LA’s Atwater Village. The store will be open Fridays from 12pm-7pm and Saturdays from 11pm-7pm. Go check it out because not only are their things really beautiful, but they are the nicest people. If you pop in, say hi from us.

Like many of us, Julie has been trying to cut down on the amount of single-use plastic that she buys/uses throughout the week and a helpful reminder for her is this Instagram @plasticfreefridays. Their posts showcase alternative plastic-free products and highlight why this movement is so important. Give them a follow and go plastic-free on Fridays.

Speaking of plastic-free, Sara has a new lotion alternative to share. “I just got this solid lotion stone and am pretty happy with it. Since I started ceramics, my hands have been so so dry and I rub this into them every night before bed (and also use it on my whole body when I get out of the shower). I really appreciate that it’s a plastic bottle-free option to body lotion (they even have a refill subscription option so you don’t get a new container each time you purchase a new one).”

Ryann recently read this article on why everyone should go to bed at 8:45 pm and she is SO pleased that someone is spreading this good news around because she has been saying this for years. Go to bed early, friends! You won’t be missing out on anything that is more important than 8 hours of sleep.

From Arlyn: “I have a new healthy soup recipe to share. Now that we’re in that limbo between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I try to squeeze in as many easy to make and also not glutinous meals during the weekdays as I can and this soup fits that bill. I’ve made it three times already in the last month. I add a few glugs of balsamic vinegar to the pot at the very end, then a little more to the bowl when serving—plus parmesan, duh—to really round out the flavor (oh, and I’ve used both fresh and frozen corn and both were great but frozen corn was WAY easier).”

Velinda was at a friend’s when she tried Bitchin Sauce and couldn’t believe it was dairy-free (therefore, safe for her wife to eat). “What to say about it? It’s all in the name, really.”

Veronica bought this cardigan in burgundy and cream over the weekend (and will be buying the charcoal soon). Super soft and cozy, and perfect for layering!

From Mallory: “Now that my sister and I are both old enough to party with our parents (which is in fact, very fun) I’m making these cranberry mimosas for the fam to celebrate Christmas morning in a festive manner.”

Lastly, on Friday December 13th from 10am-6pm and Saturday December 14th from 11am-4pm, The Streicher Sisters are kicking off their STRIIIKE Holiday Market that will feature all their favorite brands to shop under one roof (some brands include: Beautycounter, Dosist, Eriness,  Fleur Marche,  Lady & Larder,  Livana, Makers Mess, Mille, SALT, Stephanie Anders piercings,  Olive + June). Click here for all the details.

That is all for now, chickadees. We hope you have a lovely Sunday, and hope to see you back here tomorrow. xx

The post The Link Up: A Romantic Comedy Emily LOVED, Ryann’s Secret To Sleeping Well & A Mimosa Recipe Perfect For Christmas Morning appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Highlighting A Brand We LOVE (Plus My Thoughts On Ethically Made Things)

In all the insanity of consumerism, and knowing full well that we contribute a part to its perpetuation, we love knowing about and promoting a new brand that is using consumerism to do something. It’s a larger, layered conversation I know, but today I’m happy to partner with ABLE, to showcase some of their well-made, high-quality basics—in clothing, shoes, jewelry and bags.

But first, things you should know about the brand and what they are striving to do:

It started with scarves. In Ethiopia, they met with women coming out of the commercial sex industry who asked for help finding jobs. They trained them to make scarves and after selling over 4,000 of them in 2 months, they knew they were onto something. People understood that if you’re committed to ending poverty, you must create jobs, and do so for women. ABLE has grown from hand-woven scarves to a lifestyle brand with leather bags, clothes, shoes, and jewelry.
Women comprise 95% of the staff at ABLE, but globally women who work in fashion often hold the lowest-paid, least-secure jobs. Yet we know women invest twice as much of their income into their families compared to men. When a woman is economically empowered, her children and community thrive, making her crucial to eradicating poverty. ABLE is committed to ensuring every woman receives treatment and compensation reflective of her immense worth.
Fashion is one of the largest industrial employers of women worldwide, yet only an estimated 2% of fashion workers are paid a livable wage. They want to change that but know one of the quickest ways companies will change their practices is if their customers demand it. They published their lowest wages in order to give consumers a clear choice to protect the people making their products, and they want other companies to do the same.

I really love that they publish their lowest wages to prove that they are really walking the walk. That’s impressive.

In fact, while I have you talking about this, five years ago, I did help produce, design and curate The Mercantile, the gift show for brands just like this—C-corps who have it in their business model to give back. It was a bit ahead of its time and fizzled out, ironically not very sustainable, but man do I wish it existed now. ABLE would have definitely been featured.

Get The Look: Jeans | Shirt (similar) | Sweater (similar) | Boots (similar) | Purse

Now let’s talk about the goods. This bag is GREAT, far greater than I thought it was when I first unwrapped it or saw it on their site. But that’s how it goes with basics. They are not meant to be showstoppers and don’t “wow” you until you realize that you are opting for it every day because it’s done right. I started using this bag the day after this shoot and am now sitting at a bar in New York, writing this post, with it on the hook next to me. It is extremely lightweight (good for travel) but sturdy (I loaded it up). It fits a laptop easily and has nice side and inside pockets for phone, wallet, etc.

It’s already getting a really pretty patina and is understated but looks expensive. It’s not your holiday bag, it’s not your statement purse. It’s a good basic that I’ve been opting for since I opened it.

The jeans are black skinnies that you see on the site and think, “yep, those are black skinnies.” But once I put them on, I felt supported without being suffocated, an important distinction in skinny jeans. And I am not sure if you know, but hole-less jeans are back in (this will delight my father-in-law that delights in his oft-told joke about maybe one day I’ll be able to afford new jeans).

I liked the black buttons, too. Again feeling supported without being uncomfortable.

Next up, some really great wide-leg large-hemmed jeans.

Get The Look: Jeans | Shirt (similar) | Blazer (similar) | Mules

How cute are these jeans??? I didn’t know this type of wide structure could truly exist. They have such a good cut that keeps its shape, regardless of how you are standing. I haven’t washed/dried yet to be honest, but we were all shocked at how no matter how I stepped or stood, the straight shape of the leg persevered.

I, again, opted for these jeans the next day and on the plane. They are so comfortable but have some style unlike the typical high waist, wide leg that tells your lunch “no vacancy.”

You might be thinking what I am: the last thing Emily Henderson needs is another pair of mules. This is true. But these are also really great. They are pointy (and thus elongating your leg) and come up higher on your foot which makes it look edgier, plus the heel is big, wide and COMFORTABLE.

They are headed in a timeless version of the cowboy/gaucho trend but easier to pull on and off (literally, you know how I feel about laces…who’s got the time?).

And if you are looking for a simple yet beautiful gift to give your mom, daughter, sister, secret Santa or what have you, here you go:

Necklace | Earrings

A pretty necklace that says “mama” (I have it and it’s so cute) and extremely delicate gold hoops that I tried to put on but the left ear didn’t cooperate (apparently it’s closed up, despite my 20-year-old nose ring hole still gaping).

Wallet

The wallets are a great gift (and at $60 I think it’s a good price for such nice quality). I need a zipper to imprison my chaos, but if you can handle a snap then these are so pretty. They were nice enough to gift my entire team wallets and they love them.

Lastly…I get casual. And happy. And also, we need to talk.

Get The Look: Pants | Shirt (similar) | Sweatshirt | Jacket | Necklace

That’s a cute hoodie with white ties, a jean jacket with pockets and a big mouth of laughter. Why? Well, I have some thoughts.

If you believe that objects like furniture, accessories or clothing carry energy (like I do) then you’ll agree that when they are thoughtfully and ethically made, that happiness can be felt by those around those pieces or wearing those clothes. There is little scientific proof of this, YET, it’s more of a spiritual thing for me—believing that all energy transfers, but yes, I believe that a (truly) pasture-raised chicken is better for my family because it hasn’t, well, been tortured its entire life. Its negative energy and hormones aren’t transferred into my or my kids’ bodies. It’s a larger conversation and one that I’ll likely get a lot of push back for, but the gist is that I do care about where things come from.

Sure, with chickens, we are literally consuming it into our bodies, bloodstream, and digestion. But most of you here might agree that antique or vintage furniture and original or handmade art brings soul to a room. That’s “energy,” people. The history of the piece, who crafted it, where it was 10 steps before you ate it affects its energy. Thus, my belief that ethically made fashion makes us feel good when we wear it. Proof, in that photo above.

I realize I’m a walking paradox, contradicting myself at all turns. We create our gift guides, promoting consumerism, then chastise its wastefulness. We love affordable mass retailers because it democratizes design and makes people of all budgets feel proud of their home (thus raising children in warmer, happier homes) but then we tout the benefits of more expensive ethical brands.

My current point of view is truly to offer the best options for all knowing that everybody is in a different place in their life, whether that be in their budgets, style and how they see the world. We support companies that do good things, whether it’s big ones that support our economy and give generously to public education, or small ethically made fashion brands whose mission it is to empower women to end poverty, like ABLE.

I think you know the point here and we are truly trying our best: If you can afford to buy or gift ethically and sustainably with companies like ABLE, please do. The world needs you/us. And if that’s not your budget, we still got you.

Below are some of mine and the team’s favorites, or you can also visit my special landing page over on ABLE with all my picks. Oh, and don’t forget to use code EMILY25 for 25% off your purchase (valid today, 12/7, through 12/9). xx

1. Perez 90mm Booties | 2. Chaltu Top Zip Crossbody | 3. Olga Breton Striped Tee | 4. The Carla High Rise | 5. The Axian Wide Leg Crop | 6. Rojas Western Boot | 7. Navya Dolman Tee | 8. Emnet Foldover Tote | 9. Sonu Feminine Sweatershirt | 10. Celina Ankle Boot | 11. The Adreina Sherpa Jacket | 12. Emerson Scarf | 13. | Alem Continental Wallet 14. Bali Hoops | 15. Postino Earrings 

***photography by Veronica Crawford

The post Highlighting A Brand We LOVE (Plus My Thoughts On Ethically Made Things) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Friday Finds: The Good Kind Of Left Overs From Cyber Monday

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

According to American tradition, last week was the week to be thankful and this is the week to buy stuff. I don’t know who made this up and to be honest, I’m utterly confused by it so I did some Wikipedia research (which I know is hardly real research) but hear me out. Black Friday has been around since 1952 but its name back then was “Oh snap! It’s officially the holiday season and I should start buying gifts.” Then retailers started catching on, began to lower prices to attract shoppers, and shoppers really leaned into the idea (who wouldn’t!?). Then fast forward to now where the digital world has taken off and cyber sales are on the rise. Thus: the birth of Cyber Monday. Okay, I know you probably didn’t click on this post for a history lesson and I’m definitely not qualified to teach one. So let’s get on with it. Much like leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner, the sales from these holidays are still here and they taste even better than they did the first time around.

We used a boatload of great things from Lulu and Georgia in the Mountain House. Not to name names, but this platform bed we used in the guest room and this coffee table in the living room are 20% off. Wait. Everything on their site is 20% off right now! Use code: CYBER20

The Anthropologie gods have spoken. They’re having a MASSIVE sale on tops and sweaters and I’m just about ready to cozy up in every single one. This sweater, in particular, piqued my interest because it’s super versatile and only $59.

One of our favorite furniture brands, Industry West has extended their Cyber Monday sale to run through December 8th. The sale is 25% off sitewide and you get free shipping with the code IWCYBMON. Do these stools from this post jog your memory??

I’m a big fan of over-the-knee boots and a big fan of snakeskin boots and these kill two birds with one stone. But I’m not alone guys, all of DSW’s tall boots are 30% off right now.

We’re planning a really fun top-secret shoot next week and all I can say is that a lot of the team got some deals from ASOS up to 50% off party dress sale.

Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: 9 Personalized & Targeted Workouts You Can Do at Home

If you didn’t know, Emily is a Nike loyalist since she’s from Portland and two of her best friends work there. Her favorite running shoes are 45% off, but since there aren’t many sizes left for those we thought, you should know that all Nike is up to 45% off at Nordstrom Rack right now.

This sweater AND this cardigan Emily LOVES for winter are 30% off. P.S. you might recognize them from the Small Business Saturday post.

If you’re in need of kid gifts, Target is having a sale where toys are up to 50% off. If your kids/nieces/nephews/etc. are like Birdie and are wildly obsessed with Frozen (and now Frozen II) here’s what you need to know: Disney toys are buy 2 get one free (which is perfect for buying gifts for multiple kids). Here’s an Elsa doll Em has her eyes on that’s perfect for any Frozen-obsessed child that now wants to be an ice queen.

I’ll leave the sales section with this: if you haven’t started holiday decorating (which most of EHD has except for me and a few stragglers) don’t worry because it’s not too late. There are still cool and affordable decor ideas out there and we’re here to help. For example, here’s a cute little Christmas ornament from West Elm that’s 40% off (and since it was $10 originally) it’s only $6 now! Start with that and we’ll have more Christmas coming your way SOON.

New Brands We Love

ZZ Driggs is a company that’s doing things the sustainable way. They have a community of craftsmen that make high end, gorgeous and incredibly unique furniture that you can rent or buy. (If you rent it means you basically never have to move furniture yourself again since they deliver it and pick it up). The only current catch with this one is that you need to request an invitation to enter the site. But trust us IT’S SO GOOD. What do you guys think about renting furniture month to month? There’s a new wave of furniture rental companies popping up and I’d love to hear your thoughts.