Emily Henderson's Blog, page 259

The Link Up: The Beauty Buy That Changed Emily’s Skin, Three AMAZING Tours and The End of Instagram Likes??

image source | design by annie sloan

We made it to May in one piece, the sun is kinda shining (“Gray May” as us Southern Californians call it) but here are all the things we have been chatting, DMing and emailing about this week.

Emily wants everyone to know about the new Target private sustainable cleaning line, Ever Spring.  They just came out with 70 products that are said to be 20% cheaper than the competition. So better for the environment and better for your wallet.  Plus the design is so good.

Arlyn saw this living room (pictured above) and audibly gasped. Annie Sloan, chalk paint queen, featured her beautifully colorful and eclectic French farmhouse this week on House Beautiful and looking at it just makes your soul feel happy.

After seeing this article on an Instastory from Tessa Neustadt, our previous photographer, the whole office is VERY curious to see what the future of Instagram “likes” will be. Will this new feature help, not make a difference, hurt? Only time will tell…What are your thought??

This week’s music recommendation comes to you from Veronica. The Band Camino is one of her favorite bands who she absolutely thinks deserves to be heard by everyone. They are a mix of rock and pop and describe themselves as, “your mom’s favorite band,” which she thinks is such an iconic bio, and it rings totally true—her mom, for one, loves their music. Very lovely and talented guys making genuine songs that you can blast your speakers out and drive with your windows down to, cry to, and everything in between.

Manrepeller FINALLY decided to show off their new office just as we were finishing this post. Like about to hit the schedule button. But honestly, it’s too good not to include as soon as possible, a.k.a today. It’s bright, fun and full of personality which is why we all love them so much in the first place.

It’s a really special day because we are serving up THREE “home” tours today. Jess also had a shortness of breath when it came to design this week. This home tour by Corinne Mathern is Southwest modernism at it’s finest. 

Velinda is gearing up for summer which means amping up her stock of camping supplies. She found these pop-up trash cans and loves how easy they’ll be to travel with/store during the months they won’t be in use…though they’d also be great for parties. A solid $12 ‘garbage’ investment!

ANOTHER AMAZING CANDLE REC: Sara is OBSESSED with this candle from Tatine in Garden Mint. She says she is about to order three of them and already has one. She loves it so much she brought it up to the mountain house with her on a recent trip so she could have it in her room. “It’s the only gift I want to give from now on it’s GOOD, and it projects really really well, even when it’s not lit.”

Grace is sure that this is no surprise but half of Team EHD is very Harry Potter-obsessed (we have three Gryffindors, four Hufflepuffs, two Ravenclaws and once Slytherin in case you were wondering) so this episode on “This American Life” caught her eye—it’s about libraries and how it’s like a real-life Room of Requirement for us mere muggles! (She also used to read A LOT when she was younger so she loved the angle of people going to libraries needing something so specific, but not necessarily book-related and finding the fulfillment they need inside).

You may think this is so random but Michael can’t help it…he LOVES flavored sparkling water. And this Bubly blackberry one is his new discovery and tasty treat! Perfect for summer BBQs. Trust him, it’s so delicious, drop some fresh mint in it too if you want to be fancy. 

Ryann loves horoscopes and all things astrology (she finds it fascinating and informative) so she uses this app, Co-Star, to see what the planets are up to. It’s so fun. She is a Gemini Sun, Leo Moon, and Pieces rising for anyone wondering.

My New Insanely Comfortable “Mom-Friendly” Weekend Wardrobe

You all know that I am first and foremost a mom (duh) so my weekends are mostly spent rolling around with my kids, building forts, creating backyard adventures and scavenger hunts. We have come to find out that we will imagine up pretty much anything to keep those tiny people happy and entertained (good for them, good for me and Brian). So, being the “fun mom” that I certainly am, weekends almost always require outdoor activities and lots of physical exertion. That said, getting dressed/looking like a human on the weekends is low on my priority list and I’ve noticed lately I’ve created somewhat of a uniform… SO, welcome to my “weekend mom outfits” featuring lots of loose and stretchy pants, T-shirts, and comfortable shoes. That may be the most boring sentence ever written, but before you doze off, let me explain that mom life does require a certain amount of comfortability but that doesn’t mean I’ve completely given up. I try to at least assemble outfits that I think are live-able but also somewhat exciting. Let’s see how I did…

Shirt | Pants | Shoes | Jacket (similar)

First up, we have slouchy trousers paired with a very comfy and breathable tee, high-top converse, and a lightweight denim jacket. This outfit is ideal for both errand running and weekend mom-ing. The pants are low waisted and roomy enough that I can bend and move around no problem, but are still presentable and give the appearance of a put-together adult if/when I have to leave my house. You may have noticed I am usually not someone that wears sneakers, but sometimes it is absolutely essential that my feet are in flat shoes (especially if adventuring with my kids is on the to-do list) so Converse are a great go-to.

Shirt | Pants | Shoes

Here we have my absolute favorite pair of what I am coining “weekend mom trousers.” They are REALLY comfortable and I love the stripe detail on the side with the rope belt. And paired with that ship T shirt? Very nautical chic. My 5-year-old approves. This feels like an extremely casual outfit but the platform sandals (how do we feel about these?!?) elevate it just enough while still being practical for being on my feet all day long. They’re kind of ridiculous, but in a good way? Of course, anyone who has kids knows the key to getting through the day seemingly unscathed by marinara-slathered little hands is wearing dark colors, which is why I am drawn to these pants constantly. They are easy to wear and hard to dirty-up.

Shirt | Pants | Shoes | Bandana

Another white shirt/dark pant combo (are you seeing a trend here?) but this time I spiced it up with a bandana and henley tee. I definitely felt more “stylish” in this outfit while still maintaining the laid back mom look. Oh, and say hello to my first ever pair of Dr. Martens. At first, I was hesitant about them, but my friend Suzanne convinced me that I could pull them off so I went for it. And I actually LOVE THEM. I can walk around all day in those puppies, plus the color is great and goes with anything. The sherpa lining will make them hard to wear in the summer in LA (just say no to swamp feet) but I can’t wait to whip them out for cold nights at the mountain house.

Well, there you have it. Short and sweet go-to weekend mom/general comfy, casual outfits. If you are like me and ready to embrace the comfortable side of life, we rounded up some casual pants that will go perfectly with weekend shenanigans (kids or no kids):

1. Slouched Trousers | 2. Harrison Tapered Pants | 3. Linen Rope Tie Pants | 4. Luna Pants | 5. The Relaxed Chino | 6. Stovepipe Fatigue Pants | 7. True Love Le Soleil Pant | 8. Softstretch Linen Rope Tie Pants | 9. Contrast Trim Linen Trousers | 10. Stretch-Cotton Blend Straight Leg Pants | 11. Drawstring Knit Pants | 12. Dayla Cargo Pants | 13. Paper Bag Pants | 14. Side Panel Tailored Pants | 15. Cassidy Pleat Pocket Pants

What do you like to wear in the name of comfort? Comment your suggestions below…and HAPPY SATURDAY.

***photography by Veronica Crawford for EHD

The post My New Insanely Comfortable “Mom-Friendly” Weekend Wardrobe appeared first on Emily Henderson.

13 MUST FOLLOW Designers (i.e. The New Trendsetters)

photo source | design by arent & pyke

The good and the all too unfortunate part of social media (in terms of design) is that we are completely inundated with pretty photo after pretty photo, most of the time unable to really look and appreciate the work that goes into each space. But then it happens. You see a space as you are scrolling through Instagram, pinning inspiration or searching the web that makes your heart STOP and eyes bulge out of your pretty little head. It’s honestly one of my most favorite feelings because since I (very luckily) get to look at beautiful images all day for work and at night for myself I sometimes fear that because my brain is so saturated that it’s bound to stop having that experience. Well, that has yet to happen because of insane designers that keep me on my toes. SO when I/the team sees something that makes our heart sing, I/we take note. Emily and the team thought it was high time we share designers and design firms that we are currently crazy about. Now this list does not contain every person we love because that would be the longest blog post in the world so we narrowed it down to 13. Some are new, some have been around for a minute but all have been serving up those dopamine-induced serges to our brains. Get ready of an emotional design ride people…

Etc for Short
photo source | design by etc for short
photo source | design by etc for short

Etc for Short is the design child of Sally Breer and Jake Rodehuth-Harrison. I am sure that most of you are aware of Sally because Emily featured her home in her first book but you should also know Jake. They, along with their crazy talented team, create stupidly exciting work that is always pushing the envelope. Their recent design of the Firehouse Hotel was one of the most exciting things to happen to my eyeballs in a minute.

EyeSwoon
photo source | design by athena calderone
photo source | design by athena calderone

The aesthetic genius of Athena Calderon of EyeSwoon is unparalleled. While not new to the design scene the recent renovation of her Brooklyn brownstone was pretty much my dream home. I’m obviously not alone in that. Her way of mixing ultra high end modern and traditional pieces that still make you feel like you are in a real person’s home is truly out of this world. Plus, if you love food, her site and Instagram are filled with unbelievable (show-stopping) recipes that will make you look like a pro in the kitchen. Yes, she cooks, too.

Colin King
photo source | design by colin king

Colin King is just that…well, a king of styling I should say. I promise you know his work so now it’s time to know his name. Colin’s work can be seen in major publications like Architectural Digest, T Magazine, Vogue, Domino, Dwell plus many more. His aesthetic is a blend of sophisticated, moody and super unique. He even helped styled Athena’s home (above). Please enjoy his stunning feed.

13 Seriously Heart-Stopping, MUST FOLLOW Designers We love

photo source | design by arent & pyke

The good and the all too unfortunate part of social media (in terms of design) is that we are completely inundated with pretty photo after pretty photo, most of the time unable to really look and appreciate the work that goes into each space. But then it happens. You see a space as you are scrolling through Instagram, pinning inspiration or searching the web that makes your heart STOP and eyes bulge out of your pretty little head. It’s honestly one of my most favorite feelings because since I (very luckily) get to look at beautiful images all day for work and at night for myself I sometimes fear that because my brain is so saturated that it’s bound to stop having that experience. Well, that has yet to happen because of insane designers that keep me on my toes. SO when I/the team sees something that makes our heart sing, I/we take note. Emily and the team thought it was high time we share designers and design firms that we are currently crazy about. Now this list does not contain every person we love because that would be the longest blog post in the world so we narrowed it down to 13. Some are new, some have been around for a minute but all have been serving up those dopamine-induced serges to our brains. Get ready of an emotional design ride people…

Etc for Short
photo source | design by etc for short
photo source | design by etc for short

Etc for Short is the design child of Sally Breer and Jake Rodehuth-Harrison. I am sure that most of you are aware of Sally because Emily featured her home in her first book but you should also know Jake. They, along with their crazy talented team, create stupidly exciting work that is always pushing the envelope. Their recent design of the Firehouse Hotel was one of the most exciting things to happen to my eyeballs in a minute.

EyeSwoon
photo source | design by athena calderone
photo source | design by athena calderone

The aesthetic genius of Athena Calderon of EyeSwoon is unparalleled. While not new to the design scene the recent renovation of her Brooklyn brownstone was pretty much my dream home. I’m obviously not alone in that. Her way of mixing ultra high end modern and traditional pieces that still make you feel like you are in a real person’s home is truly out of this world. Plus, if you love food, her site and Instagram are filled with unbelievable (show-stopping) recipes that will make you look like a pro in the kitchen. Yes, she cooks, too.

Colin King
photo source | design by colin king

Colin King is just that…well, a king of styling I should say. I promise you know his work so now it’s time to know his name. Colin’s work can be seen in major publications like Architectural Digest, T Magazine, Vogue, Domino, Dwell plus many more. His aesthetic is a blend of sophisticated, moody and super unique. He even helped styled Athena’s home (above). Please enjoy his stunning feed.

Your Mom Deserves a Thoughtful Gift for Mother’s Day—Here Are 10 Tear-Inducing Ideas

Warning: This post is going to start out kind of sad but I promise it will end up happy and your heart will be full and hopefully even a little inspired. Okay? Cool.

Once you start reading this post you might think I was an odd choice to be its author (Jess, not Emily) but I feel I am actually the perfect candidate. My story is not unique but it’s a good reminder that future days are not guaranteed and showing appreciation to those you love should be at the absolute top of the priority list….duh. I lost my mom eight years ago. Well, I didn’t lose her, I always kept a very good eye on her (pardon while I laugh at my own jokes, humor is important). But when she died, it really put everything—including “things”—into perspective. Now I’m not saying all material things lost value (I mean I’m a Market Editor…I love things) but I definitely was able to look at them in a way that was much healthier. The value I thought they held, to my surprise, was not that much. She is a part of me and our memories doing special things together trump any gift she ever gave me or me to her (and she was a great gift giver). Time is truly the only priceless gift anyone can receive. Quality time is also my top love language so maybe I’m biased.

Our Kids Now Share a Room …With Layout Challenges and a New Gender-Neutral Theme

Today’s post really proves that I deserve to be an internet-famous PROFESSIONAL Interior designer. If you need to feel better about yourself and your home (and will keep judgement to yourself), then continue where you’ll enjoy a peek into my process, which is actually quite ugly and messy. I’m mid-re-design of FOUR of the rooms in our house. Here’s what is happening:

The kids moved in together so Charlie’s room is going to be their shared room and I have to redesign it for function (two beds), which gives me the excuse to change it because I never felt it was right.
Birdie’s room is now up for grabs. What should it be? It needs to be like four things—home office? Guest room? Yoga room? Craft/art room? Brian’s editing room?
In the dining room, I found my dream dining chairs and changed out the light, but a few decisions have to be made (fabric, mostly).
I’m FINALLY designing the downstairs playroom—YAY—which is actually coming along, although full of garbage because IT’S A PLAY ROOM.

See? It’s a lot. Almost every room, except the master bedroom and the bathrooms are in flux (the living room is always in flux) and if I carried the gene for embarrassment and shame, I would not let anyone into my house, let alone post it on the internet but lucky for you, I DON’T!

So here you go. Today you are going to see what is happening in Charlie’s old room which we’ll refer to as ‘the kids’ room for the immediate future.

You might first be wondering WHY are the kids sharing a room when they have their own room?

Well, a few months ago, they both said they wanted to share a room. Both were waking up with nightmares or just generally feeling scared to be alone, and at one point Charlie even said, “but mama, you get to sleep with daddy, you aren’t alone, why do I have to be alone?” He was trying to convince me to stay in his bed, and it was a good point. Up at the mountain house over the holidays they shared their bedroom and they loved it and slept well. When your 3 and 5 year olds ask to share a room because they WANT to spend time together, you just say yes even if you technically have separate bedrooms for them. It’s painfully sweet.

But nothing is easy in this house. The bedroom is a challenging shape for two beds.

It’s a rectangle with a niche into the closet making the windows not centered and one wall hard to use because the doors open into it.

Where do we put the kids’ beds??

Well, they begged for bunk beds after they had played at another kids’ house who had them and thought they were a blast. Great! But since the ceiling slopes where the bunk beds would go we couldn’t really have normal tall ones, nor did I want to invest too much in this, not totally convinced this would stick or that it was the right thing to do design-wise. So I did what any professional interior designer would do—I sent someone to IKEA and bought cheap bunk beds (save money!) where it took them like 6 hours to put together (whoops).

Sorry. It’s the only photo I took probably because somewhere inside of me I didn’t want to show you this. They LOVED it during the day time, but come dark, they were both TERRIFIED. I think we didn’t fully realize that this isn’t really a bunk bed – it can be kinda hacked into it, but it’s not meant for someone, let alone with their mama, to sleep on the bottom. We tried but I ended up sleeping on the bottom with Birdie and Brian sleeping on the top with Charlie (both disoriented and therefore scared), so I basically laid there terrified that it was going to break and the weight would crush us. Birdie and I had severe claustrophobia and Charlie was really scared up high. We tried to give it enough time, not be those parents that pull the plug quickly after, allowing for enough adjustment time but after nines nights of HELL, all four of us up ALL NIGHT LONG, Brian disassembled it while I was out of town and we called it quits.

For weeks, they had two mattresses on the ground with Charlie strangely sleeping on a couch cushion in-between the mattresses.

We had put the couch cushion in between for us to read (and yes, for us to sleep when we get called in) but Charlie liked the comfort of being snuggled in between and they started sleeping through the night again so Brian did what any parent in this situation would do: INSISTED that we keep it this way.

It was painful for me. So I at least bought those really low beds to put the mattresses on (above), as if that looked any better.

So over spring break while the kids were out of town, we started the larger parts of the redesign, including removing the beadboard that I regretfully installed two years ago.

I hired Spaulding Co to take care of it because we clicked really well, they are awesome people, know what they are doing and AREN’T FLAKY. We have other things we need to fix (severe water damage in kitchen cabinets, leaky roof in the playroom) so we are working on these things simultaneously in the house. They took down the beadboard and chair rail, which damaged the casing – but we knew that and it’s being replaced.

So when I came back from spring break, it looked like this (already so much cleaner, fresher, simpler and felt so much bigger):

The question is how do we arrange two beds in here?? Bunk beds are kinda out of the question as we are all scarred and Charlie and Birdie are still scared of the idea, and there really isn’t one good option. We played with different options and we THINK we have the best set up.

Option 1:

We tried shoving them together in front of the window but they wouldn’t be centered (because of the niche) and it would definitely feel like a big, low king bed so design-wise I wasn’t psyched.

Option 2:

We even tried putting them long-ways to help save some space (I had seen it on Pinterest).

While I think it can work, and certainly does open up the room, it didn’t feel ideal either. If you have a square room and if it also has to function as your playroom, I think this can be a great solution. I saw a few that were styled out a lot like a long daybed and it was cute and interesting.

Option 3:

Ultimately, we are thinking that we are going to do this L-shaped configuration:

This layout allows the following for a lot of space in the middle, a cuddle or reading corner, plus it kinda mimics the architecture of the room.

If you think this is weird, know that I did, too, but I found a few online and thought, wait, that could work…

image source
image source

Sure, they have a corner piece that separates the bed, but I think this could still work.

So now what? We have a potential layout, but what about the design?

Would there be a theme?

You betcha. The theme to the new kids’ room is…drumroll please…wait…be quiet because the theme is…

BEDTIME OR NIGHTTIME.

That’s right. It’s a super subtle hint to my two darling children to GO TO SLEEP and STAY IN BED. He wanted ninjas, she wanted unicorns but ultimately this isn’t a playroom, it’s their BEDroom and well, ninjas don’t say “sleep.”

So what does that look like? A tonal, blue calm-ass room.

image source

Yes, we might consider painting the window casings and the doors. This is a HUGE decision and I’m not sure why. I want to do it but I do fear that this is a trend that in five years I’ll regret but then what? Just paint back, right?

image source

Calm. Quiet. Cozy. And what about the ceiling? Our ceiling is coved so it would make sense to take the color up onto the ceiling. Would this be too cave-like? Possibly, but I hear people pass the hell out in caves, for even 12 hours at a time.

So “nighttime” or “bedtime” would be the theme, with elements of sky, clouds, stars with some whimsy but mostly calmness and softness.

image source

We might keep the same paint or paint it darker. At night, I LOVE the blue that it is and then I think, well, would I love it more if it were darker? Probably.

image source
image source
image source

I’m going to stay away from too much pattern or color, and lean into this direction, maybe there is some dark green or wood, but nothing busy.

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I DO want to potentially do a ceiling treatment like this below, but in tonal blues instead of a bright color. This room still has to be interesting, just not busy.

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In order to do a treatment like that, I might need to square off the room or at least give that niche (where the closet is) some purpose. Right now, I’m in the middle of trying to convince Brian to let me build some sort of corner secret fort that would visually make the room more of a square, but be less permanent.

image source

You know I love a castle theme. This could also be made out of wood like the original doors are so it looks more purposeful. The only thing is that we wouldn’t be able to access the reach-in closet as well, but right now there is NOTHING that we put in there except the toys that are being rotated. No clothes actually hang in there. So we could make it more toy storage that they have access to and then when they are older and it’s likely just one of their room’s again we’ll take out the castle thing and restore it to the normal closet that it should be. I’m also wishing that we had just reconfigured it to be a larger reach-in closet instead of a niche and a tiny closet if that makes any sense.

image source

But how wide could it be to have a big cut-out fort like that, above?

There are other elements we are playing with like a cloud-shaped upholstered headboard, a large cozy rug, new whimsical lighting, Roman shades…but right now, it looks like this and with all the projects that have actual deadlines (the mountain house, the Atlanta project), this room will likely look like this for a while…

And yes, it kills me. In case you are like Brian, confused why it bothers me so so much, I’d once again like to give you an analogy of a more “professional” career: it would be like me being a dentist, a pretty good one actually, and my kids walking around with disgusting dirty, neglected teeth. I really like looking at clean teeth in my house and it’s just hard to see the yellow plaque and say “we’ll get to you in June.”

But it’s not dental hygiene. It’s not even their first set of teeth (you parents know what I’m talking about, we care a bit less about their baby teeth than maybe we should because they’ll get new fresh ones around age 6). It’s just their bedroom and they are PERFECTLY FINE with how it is right now.

Here is the mountain house shared room, which actually IS done, if you actually came here for inspiration.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd

For now, we are working on our other more pressing projects while pinning and planning for this one. And just getting that beadboard down, having it all painted one color and moving the beds into what seems to be the best configuration is super helpful to keep going.

I do have a question for you, though. Up at the mountain house (see above) we’ve removed the trunk and shoved the twin mattresses together so we can all read together and because inevitably one of us is called in to cuddle in the middle of the night and there isn’t enough room in a twin bed. So at least temporarily we are going to buy one of those mattress joiners because all spring break (when Brian wasn’t there), I slept with the kids (because it’s a fun excuse to snuggle all night…gee I wonder why they call me in all the time….????) albeit HORRIBLY because I fell through the crack all night long. The question is, is the reason that more kids don’t share a king bed because it seems weird and potentially socially unacceptable? I’ve done some research (google) and most child psychologists say that it’s very bonding for, yes, even children of opposite genders when they are young. They say that it’s totally fine and healthy until they don’t want to anymore (usually around 8).

Looks like we’ll give it a whirl up at the mountain house, but I’d LOVE to know why this isn’t more of a thing. Have any of you ever shared a room OR bed with your opposite-gendered sibling while little OR are your kids sharing a room or large bed?

Very curious…

** and yes, feel free to weigh in on the whole shit storm of a design, too.

Our Kids Are Sharing a Room – Here’s The Where, What, How and Why…

Today’s post really proves that I deserve to be an internet-famous PROFESSIONAL Interior designer. If you need to feel better about yourself and your home (and will keep judgement to yourself), then continue where you’ll enjoy a peek into my process, which is actually quite ugly and messy. I’m mid-re-design of FOUR of the rooms in our house. Here’s what is happening:

The kids moved in together so Charlie’s room is going to be their shared room and I have to redesign it for function (two beds), which gives me the excuse to change it because I never felt it was right.
Birdie’s room is now up for grabs. What should it be? It needs to be like four things—home office? Guest room? Yoga room? Craft/art room? Brian’s editing room?
In the dining room, I found my dream dining chairs and changed out the light, but a few decisions have to be made (fabric, mostly).
I’m FINALLY designing the downstairs playroom—YAY—which is actually coming along, although full of garbage because IT’S A PLAY ROOM.

See? It’s a lot. Almost every room, except the master bedroom and the bathrooms are in flux (the living room is always in flux) and if I carried the gene for embarrassment and shame, I would not let anyone into my house, let alone post it on the internet but lucky for you, I DON’T!

So here you go. Today you are going to see what is happening in Charlie’s old room which we’ll refer to as ‘the kids’ room for the immediate future.

You might first be wondering WHY are the kids sharing a room when they have their own room?

Well, a few months ago, they both said they wanted to share a room. Both were waking up with nightmares or just generally feeling scared to be alone, and at one point Charlie even said, “but mama, you get to sleep with daddy, you aren’t alone, why do I have to be alone?” He was trying to convince me to stay in his bed, and it was a good point. Up at the mountain house over the holidays they shared their bedroom and they loved it and slept well. When your 3 and 5 year olds ask to share a room because they WANT to spend time together, you just say yes even if you technically have separate bedrooms for them. It’s painfully sweet.

But nothing is easy in this house. The bedroom is a challenging shape for two beds.

It’s a rectangle with a niche into the closet making the windows not centered and one wall hard to use because the doors open into it.

Where do we put the kids’ beds??

Well, they begged for bunk beds after they had played at another kids’ house who had them and thought they were a blast. Great! But since the ceiling slopes where the bunk beds would go we couldn’t really have normal tall ones, nor did I want to invest too much in this, not totally convinced this would stick or that it was the right thing to do design-wise. So I did what any professional interior designer would do—I sent someone to IKEA and bought cheap bunk beds (save money!) where it took them like 6 hours to put together (whoops).

Sorry. It’s the only photo I took probably because somewhere inside of me I didn’t want to show you this. They LOVED it during the day time, but come dark, they were both TERRIFIED. I think we didn’t fully realize that this isn’t really a bunk bed – it can be kinda hacked into it, but it’s not meant for someone, let alone with their mama, to sleep on the bottom. We tried but I ended up sleeping on the bottom with Birdie and Brian sleeping on the top with Charlie (both disoriented and therefore scared), so I basically laid there terrified that it was going to break and the weight would crush us. Birdie and I had severe claustrophobia and Charlie was really scared up high. We tried to give it enough time, not be those parents that pull the plug quickly after, allowing for enough adjustment time but after nines nights of HELL, all four of us up ALL NIGHT LONG, Brian disassembled it while I was out of town and we called it quits.

For weeks, they had two mattresses on the ground with Charlie strangely sleeping on a couch cushion in-between the mattresses.

We had put the couch cushion in between for us to read (and yes, for us to sleep when we get called in) but Charlie liked the comfort of being snuggled in between and they started sleeping through the night again so Brian did what any parent in this situation would do: INSISTED that we keep it this way.

It was painful for me. So I at least bought those really low beds to put the mattresses on (above), as if that looked any better.

So over spring break while the kids were out of town, we started the larger parts of the redesign, including removing the beadboard that I regretfully installed two years ago.

I hired Spaulding Co to take care of it because we clicked really well, they are awesome people, know what they are doing and AREN’T FLAKY. We have other things we need to fix (severe water damage in kitchen cabinets, leaky roof in the playroom) so we are working on these things simultaneously in the house. They took down the beadboard and chair rail, which damaged the casing – but we knew that and it’s being replaced.

So when I came back from spring break, it looked like this (already so much cleaner, fresher, simpler and felt so much bigger):

The question is how do we arrange two beds in here?? Bunk beds are kinda out of the question as we are all scarred and Charlie and Birdie are still scared of the idea, and there really isn’t one good option. We played with different options and we THINK we have the best set up.

Option 1:

We tried shoving them together in front of the window but they wouldn’t be centered (because of the niche) and it would definitely feel like a big, low king bed so design-wise I wasn’t psyched.

Option 2:

We even tried putting them long-ways to help save some space (I had seen it on Pinterest).

While I think it can work, and certainly does open up the room, it didn’t feel ideal either. If you have a square room and if it also has to function as your playroom, I think this can be a great solution. I saw a few that were styled out a lot like a long daybed and it was cute and interesting.

Option 3:

Ultimately, we are thinking that we are going to do this L-shaped configuration:

This layout allows the following for a lot of space in the middle, a cuddle or reading corner, plus it kinda mimics the architecture of the room.

If you think this is weird, know that I did, too, but I found a few online and thought, wait, that could work…

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Sure, they have a corner piece that separates the bed, but I think this could still work.

So now what? We have a potential layout, but what about the design?

Would there be a theme?

You betcha. The theme to the new kids’ room is…drumroll please…wait…be quiet because the theme is…

BEDTIME OR NIGHTTIME.

That’s right. It’s a super subtle hint to my two darling children to GO TO SLEEP and STAY IN BED. He wanted ninjas, she wanted unicorns but ultimately this isn’t a playroom, it’s their BEDroom and well, ninjas don’t say “sleep.”

So what does that look like? A tonal, blue calm-ass room.

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Yes, we might consider painting the window casings and the doors. This is a HUGE decision and I’m not sure why. I want to do it but I do fear that this is a trend that in five years I’ll regret but then what? Just paint back, right?

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Calm. Quiet. Cozy. And what about the ceiling? Our ceiling is coved so it would make sense to take the color up onto the ceiling. Would this be too cave-like? Possibly, but I hear people pass the hell out in caves, for even 12 hours at a time.

So “nighttime” or “bedtime” would be the theme, with elements of sky, clouds, stars with some whimsy but mostly calmness and softness.

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We might keep the same paint or paint it darker. At night, I LOVE the blue that it is and then I think, well, would I love it more if it were darker? Probably.

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I’m going to stay away from too much pattern or color, and lean into this direction, maybe there is some dark green or wood, but nothing busy.

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I DO want to potentially do a ceiling treatment like this below, but in tonal blues instead of a bright color. This room still has to be interesting, just not busy.

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In order to do a treatment like that, I might need to square off the room or at least give that niche (where the closet is) some purpose. Right now, I’m in the middle of trying to convince Brian to let me build some sort of corner secret fort that would visually make the room more of a square, but be less permanent.

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You know I love a castle theme. This could also be made out of wood like the original doors are so it looks more purposeful. The only thing is that we wouldn’t be able to access the reach-in closet as well, but right now there is NOTHING that we put in there except the toys that are being rotated. No clothes actually hang in there. So we could make it more toy storage that they have access to and then when they are older and it’s likely just one of their room’s again we’ll take out the castle thing and restore it to the normal closet that it should be. I’m also wishing that we had just reconfigured it to be a larger reach-in closet instead of a niche and a tiny closet if that makes any sense.

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But how wide could it be to have a big cut-out fort like that, above?

There are other elements we are playing with like a cloud-shaped upholstered headboard, a large cozy rug, new whimsical lighting, Roman shades…but right now, it looks like this and with all the projects that have actual deadlines (the mountain house, the Atlanta project), this room will likely look like this for a while…

And yes, it kills me. In case you are like Brian, confused why it bothers me so so much, I’d once again like to give you an analogy of a more “professional” career: it would be like me being a dentist, a pretty good one actually, and my kids walking around with disgusting dirty, neglected teeth. I really like looking at clean teeth in my house and it’s just hard to see the yellow plaque and say “we’ll get to you in June.”

But it’s not dental hygiene. It’s not even their first set of teeth (you parents know what I’m talking about, we care a bit less about their baby teeth than maybe we should because they’ll get new fresh ones around age 6). It’s just their bedroom and they are PERFECTLY FINE with how it is right now.

Here is the mountain house shared room, which actually IS done, if you actually came here for inspiration.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd

For now, we are working on our other more pressing projects while pinning and planning for this one. And just getting that beadboard down, having it all painted one color and moving the beds into what seems to be the best configuration is super helpful to keep going.

I do have a question for you, though. Up at the mountain house (see above) we’ve removed the trunk and shoved the twin mattresses together so we can all read together and because inevitably one of us is called in to cuddle in the middle of the night and there isn’t enough room in a twin bed. So at least temporarily we are going to buy one of those mattress joiners because all spring break (when Brian wasn’t there), I slept with the kids (because it’s a fun excuse to snuggle all night…gee I wonder why they call me in all the time….????) albeit HORRIBLY because I fell through the crack all night long. The question is, is the reason that more kids don’t share a king bed because it seems weird and potentially socially unacceptable? I’ve done some research (google) and most child psychologists say that it’s very bonding for, yes, even children of opposite genders when they are young. They say that it’s totally fine and healthy until they don’t want to anymore (usually around 8).

Looks like we’ll give it a whirl up at the mountain house, but I’d LOVE to know why this isn’t more of a thing. Have any of you ever shared a room OR bed with your opposite-gendered sibling while little OR are your kids sharing a room or large bed?

Very curious…

** and yes, feel free to weigh in on the whole shit storm of a design, too.

Our Ultimate Outdoor Furniture Roundup (130+ New Favorites)

photo by david tsay

Hi, everyone. It’s me, Laurren. For anyone who’s like “who are you?”, we first met when I brought you this post and this post about fun color trends. It’s good to be back. Last week, the EHD team did a post about budget-friendly outdoor hacks to try, and all the readers evidently pleaded for some furniture roundups, so I answered the call (well, Arlyn’s email) to put together this ULTIMATE PATIO FURNITURE ROUNDUP.

Whether you have a sprawling picket-fenced yard, a tiny balcony, or something that lands somewhere in between, there’s plenty you can do to carve out a stylish and functional outdoor oasis primed for soaking up all the sunshine and fresh air the summer months have to offer—and it all starts with furniture because cheersing sangria while sitting on a patch of dirt or half-charred grass just doesn’t quite have a nice ring to it.

While it may seem a little early to be sprucing up your backyard or patio—especially if you’re still shoveling snow—remember that outdoor pieces sell out quickly since stock is generally limited. You’re more likely to find the look you want if you start shopping early instead of waiting until the start of summer when everyone is scrambling to give their spaces a refresh. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up our favorite outdoor furniture finds—from sofas to chaises to coffee tables—that you can buy right now and, even better, have delivered to your door.

But before you click “add to cart,” there are a few things to consider. First, and maybe most important, is to think about how you’re going to use the space you have. For example, I live in a fairly small apartment with an outdoor area that’s pretty generous in relation to my home’s size (calling it a yard would be a stretch, lol, but by LA standards, I guess that’s what it is). I like to entertain but don’t have a proper dining room, so an outdoor table was a must for me. Since I can use it (almost) year-round in LA, utilizing my yard for eating gives me the dining room my small home lacks. See yourself lingering over cocktails and conversation? A sofa + coffee table combo might be right for you. Love roasting s’mores around a backyard fire pit? Pull up a grouping of cushioned chairs. You get the idea…

It can be tempting to buy a matching furniture set and be done with it, I know—especially if you’ve been cooped up all winter and are itching to get outside—but hang tight because there’s a lot to mix and match here for a space that feels lived in and not too catalog-y. You want to approach decorating outdoor areas the same way you would your home’s interior, and that means bringing in a mix of materials, shapes, sizes, prints, etc. For example, if you have a set of more rounded, ornate accent chairs, try pairing them with a boxier, streamlined sofa. Lastly, look for pieces that feel like a natural extension of your home’s interior style. Have a mid-century modern vibe going on inside? Your outdoor space is not the place to test drive a rustic farmhouse look.

Okay, now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get on to the good stuff.

First stop, sofas and sectionals (and a few love seats for those with limited space). The team used #9 in the Portland patio and can vouch for its quality and comfort. #1 is just so classically charming, #5 is a straight-up sofa but made for the outdoors, and the rattan set from IKEA at #15 is hard to beat in terms of price meets style. Oh, and the brass frame on #22 from World Market would be SO fun outside for a glam moment.

1. Parker Sofa | 2. Hand-carved Lotus Daybed | 3. Piedra Outdoor Loveseat | 4. Jasper Teak Sofa | 5. Denver Outdoor Sofa | 6. Tropez Black and White Stripe | 7. Breton Black Metal Sofa | 8. Howell Patio Sofa  | 9. Ora Sectional | 10. Lunes White Outdoor Sofa | 11. Laguna Loveseat | 12. Pacifica Bench | 13. Isola Sofa in Natural Finish | 14. Brusen Outdoor Sofa | 15. Mastholmen Conversation Set | 16. Brava Wicker Loveseat | 17. Pacific Loveseat | 18. Cache Outdoor Sofa | 19. Patio Sofa With Cushions | 20. Palazzo Shell Loveseat With Cushions | 21. Portside Outdoor Low 3-Piece Sectional | 22. Gold Laila Outdoor Sofa | 23. Suzanne Kasler Directoire 4-Piece Sectional With Cushions | 24. Arca Driftwood Sofa

Lots of favorites here: #3 (the price is for two) is that very cute boho style that looks so nice with a backdrop of nature, #7 well, isn’t a lounge chair at all but how sweet would that be on a dreamy balcony? #14 and #18 are so fun (who doesn’t want a rocking chair EVERYWHERE) and basically obsessed with the ’70s vibe of the hanging chair at #13.

1. Isola Lounge Chair | 2. Dog Days Outdoor Lounge Chair | 3. Natural Wicker Wailea Chair (set of 2) | 4.Dimitri Outdoor Chair | 5. Pool Party White Chair | 6. Erato Stainless Steel Patio Chair (set of 2) | 7.  Pia Chair | 8. Woven Malawi Chair | 9. Girona Outdoor Accent Chair (set of 2) | 10. Bayport Patio Teak Armchair | 11. Hee Lounge Chair | 12. Wrens Teak Patio Chair | 13. Hanging Wicker Egg Chair | 14. 1730 Grey Rocking Chair | 15. Bodil Kjaer Teak Chair | 16. Hot Mesh Lounge Chair | 17. Taylor Chair | 18. Eleya Chair | 19. Sundial Chair | 20. Sunset Teak Lounge Chair | 21. Bandera Woven Club Chair

BRB, going to pretend I’m writing this post stretched out across #2 or #5…or #10 for some extra wiggle room.

1. Alicante Chaise Lounge Chair | 2. Bizerte Outdoor Chaise Lounge | 3. Newport Chaise Lounge Chair With Side Table | 5. Canyon Indoor/Outdoor Lounge Chair | 6. Balmain Teak Daybed | 7. Marlough II Aluminum Outdoor Chaise Lounge | 8. Sling Chair with Tassels | 9. Daisha Outdoor Bag Sun Chaise Lounge | 10. Havana Daybed | 11. Breton Black Metal Sun Lounger | 12. Eldridge Wicker Patio Chaise Lounge | 13. Fullerton Recling Chaise Lounge | 14. Indio Chaise | 15. Oceans Wood & Rope Patio Chaise | 16. Perch Outdoor Sun Lounger | 17. Alfresco Natural Chaise Lounge | 18. Pacifica Chaise

We went with a ton of different materials for the roundup of coffee tables, from wood to concrete to stone to rattan. It looks like #3 has some storage, so would be a nice place to stash outdoor things you maybe don’t use super often (what would that be, exactly? well, it’s probably different for everyone). The black on black look of #8 is pretty rad but the organic nesting shapes of #9 is also nice for a really natural look.

1. Natural World Coffee Table | 2. Tempered Glass Top Table | 3. Deliah Storage Coffee Table | 4. Nimbus Graphite Table | 5. Sheridan Coffee Table | 6. Tambor Concrete Drum Coffee Table | 7. Pebble Coffee Table | 8. Darbuka Black Coffee Table | 9. Arleta Nesting Tables | 10. MLB Root Coffee Table | 11. Mosaic Tiled Coffee Table | 12. Pedestal Outdoor Coffee Table | 13. Boonville Coffee Table | 14. Cruz Coffee Table | 15. Nebu Table

Because we all need a place to set a drink or some apps during outdoor happy hour, of course. Lots of price points here, from the cute hairpin + rattan pick at #4 for $89 to the stone sculptural piece at #13 for $649. I’m loving the angular shape of #12 but also the richness of the carved wood of #10.

1. Twill Ceramic Side Table | 2. Square Folding Table | 3. Nimbus Table | 4. Gracia Rattan Side Table | 5. Tana Stool | 6. Bongo Side Table | 7. Atra Stool | 8. Adam Outdoor Side Table | 9. London Accent Table | 10. Artisan Teak Stools | 11. Beach Side Table | 12. Schmidt Accent Table | 13. Masson Stone Stool | 14. Pittard Glass Coffee Table | 15. Pure Curved Side Table

Let’s move along to the dining furniture section of today’s post. I pulled everything from large 6-8 seaters to little bistro tables, so regardless of how much room you have to work with, there’s a really great table for you to dine al fresco.

1. Kylie Navy and White Rattan Bistro Table | 2. Camas Outdoor Wooden Table | 3. Watermark Bistro Table | 4. Cassara Round Dining Table | 5. Fuze Grey Concrete Table | 6. Marina Teak Round Table | 7. Delphi Rectangular Wicker Dining Table | 8. Slab Outdoor Round Dining Table | 9. Iron Outdoor Door | 11. Adelaide Round Table | 12.Cafe Dining Table | 13. Pure Live Edge Dining Table | 14. Fairmont Steel Patio Dining Table | 15. Newport Aluminum-Top Dining Table | 16. Fermob Bistro Table | 17. Laguna Round Table | 18. St. Kitts Rectangular Dining Table | 19. Round Faux Cement Palmera Dining Table | 20. Two Tone San Remo Dining Table | 21. Britanna Patio Dining Table

And because your table needs chairs, I’ve got you covered. I know they’re REALLY traditional, but can’t you picture #3 with its unique rope design in some magical garden setting? Go ahead, close your eyes and try. Once you’ve come back from being transported, we can also talk about how cool and modern #7 is (and same goes for #16 in that bright blue). The whole set from #15 in the happy coral would be so wonderful in a space that maybe just looks out to a gray concrete parking lot to really liven things up, huh?

1. All Weather Wicker Dining Armchair | 2. Milan Black Modern Stackable Chair | 3. Miles Redd Bermuda Dining Chair (set of 2) | 4. Giardino Armchair | 5. Woven Geo Dining Bench | 6. Gracia Rattan Outdoor Chair | 7. Monforte Chair | 8. Jai Outdoor Chair (set of 2) | 9. Mesa Teak Armchair | 10. Malibu Chair | 11. Green Armchair | 12. Henry Chair | 13. Nikolaos Stacking Patio Chair (set of 2) | 14. Natural Teak Calero Chairs (set of 2) | 15. Betty Dining Chair (set of 2) | 16. Flux Dining Chair | 17. Bangor Swivel Chair (set of 2) | 18. Mini Outdoor Chair | 19. Antique White Avignon Dining Bench | 20.  Metal Hairpin Stacking Chair (set of 2) | 21. Britanna Wicker Patio Dining Chair (set of 4)

There’s a lot to be obsessed with up there, right? I tried to keep a variety of styles, materials and colors so there was a little something for everyone, and like I mentioned, I hope that whether you have a tiny patch of concrete or a sprawling backyard, there was something here that made your fingers itch to check out for yourself. Any immediate favorites, anyone?

The post Our Ultimate Outdoor Furniture Roundup (130+ New Favorites) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Mountain House Monday: An Update on the Dining Banquette + Ask the Audience

There is a new name for me that I read in a self-help book—I’M SORRY I GUESS WE SAY “SELF-IMPROVEMENT” BOOK—a “pre-crastinator.” I pull triggers almost too fast, making seemingly rapid decisions perhaps without all the information. No one is shocked here. It’s one of the secrets to my success and how I get so much done, but it also has produced mistakes, waste and thus anxiety. Using the mantra “if it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no” has helped a lot, but right now we are gearing up for the huge shoot at the mountain house, 6 weeks away and 2 of those weeks I’ll be in Atlanta. So most of the long lead stuff HAS to get done ASAP and decisions have to be made. Today’s big decision: the dining banquette.

My dreams of having the world’s most comfortable dining banquette are coming true. After thinking that we needed to “use the space properly” with the dining table floating in what is obviously the dining area, we realized that we really just want to be sitting by the window on basically a sectional sofa. This nook will get so much conversational use, in addition to the typical “eating” that it’s worth changing it all up.

Here’s how it was:

We put that dining table outside now, and we brought in the obviously too-small Tulip table while our custom table is made by Ross Alan Reclaimed Lumber.

But the question is about the cushions:

What style of cushion? Do we have a back cushion? Which fabric? Leather? Vinyl? Poly-linen? Do we have piping? Do we do something hip and cool (okay grandma) or something simple with more flexibility?

So let’s check out what we are working with here:

First off, the base and the table will both be built by Ross Alan, experts of the most wonderful reclaimed wood in LA, possibly the world (they did all that gorgeous wood you saw in the kitchen reveal from a few weeks back). In continuing with our seamless look, we basically designed the built-in seat to be continuous from the floor, in the same wood.

We have flip-top storage for seasonal things or boring things like extra cleaning supplies, but for now, the kids are hiding in them which I can’t blame them. We don’t really need the storage but seems crazy to not have the option.

If you are worried about the person in the middle, against the window, who will be trapped by 3-4 people, don’t be—we will choose only those with the largest bladders or willingness to crawl under the table without complaining. Listen, we know that this is going to be annoying for some people the few times that we have a large group, but we are choosing this anyway. The cozy, comfort is worth it to us on a day-to-day basis. It’s like how we chose a wall of windows versus the typical work triangle in the kitchen, it’s all about what you value and by the way, that is also not annoying at all and was totally worth the two more steps I have to take to get ingredients.

Stylistically, I want to do something cool and interesting, obviously, why not? But I’m kinda running out of time to design something that we’ve never seen before and I also don’t want to do something too trendy. But I’m inspired by the below:

image source | design by giancarlo valle

How awesome is that? But frankly I don’t know how to do that, nor do I think it’s necessarily right for the space but the idea is that I really WANT to do something amazing. One thing that I’m realizing is making the above slightly cooler is that the cushion isn’t exposed on the side – wood is covering it. Now, we would have to add that because ours isn’t built like that, so it seems kinda unnecessary. I also like how there is no top seam. Interesting…

But that cushion is taking up extra space due to the design and while ours is 24″, I don’t want to give up 8″, to do something like that. Additionally, what I’m compelled by is the two-tone aspect of it, something that I tried to convince my friend of two weeks ago while we were up there with fabric swatches, but that was before we found this inspiration shot…

image source | design by biasol

So cool, but lacking the comfort that I want. Now we did think about doing a larger version of this, with a wood frame or a double version of this and if you guys are like “YEAH DO THAT” I’ll reconsider. But it also might look silly and try-hard. It’s cool here because it contrasts so well against the dark wood and the chunky real wood bench.

image source | design by ware malcomb

Now this trend is still huge, but due to the height of the windows we don’t have the space for it, nor do I think that designing a hanging back cushion is right this late in the game (I still really really like it, but it’s certainly been seen a lot lately so seems silly to start now). But I DO like that once again, no top seam!!!

You really have to stare and analyze photos to figure out what exactly you like about them. It’s not just the hanging back, it’s not just the two-tone, it’s the lack of seams and that the bench cushion is floating in a bit and not too chunky.

image source | design by nam dang-mitchell design

Let’s just say we forego the back cushion in favor of pillows. When we were up there, I threw a bunch down and it was so cozy and allowed for a lot of flexibility.

image source | design by amber interiors

But am I as wowed by that idea? Not as much, but there is more opportunity for texture and pattern and styling and comfort. We made it deep enough that we can have large pillows to help anchor.

photo by tessa neustadt | from: griffith park sunroom reveal

We could also do what we did in this Griffith Park house: a big bolster in the back and then layered on more pillows. We could even do a version of this that is a tapered triangle pillow that leans back but adds some support.

I LOVE the one below, but fear that if we tuft it like that, it’s not washable, but maybe it is?

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That’s my issue with the French mattress style, too—I want to be able to zip off and wash.

image source | design by cm studio

So let’s talk fabrics that we are thinking about:

Leather: We would need a lot of hides and I’d likely only fall in love with the most expensive leather out there. The pros of leather include durability but as my friend David (from MidcenturyLA) just disclosed to me, the pretty matte leather actually stains REALLY bad and any oil becomes a very noticeable stain. Yes, it will patina but it might take years. The leather that wipes up really clean is really shiny. ALSO, we don’t think we want dark. My initial idea was a forest green leather but Brian Henderson nixed that hard and fast saying “dining banquettes are already kitschy, so doing it in a green leather could look really dated.” I don’t necessarily agree, I think he needs better inspiration references, but I like when people take things OFF the table. Once I put all the light tones up there I realized that I do want it to be relatively light, and I just can’t picture a light leather. That sounds scary to me, but maybe a light gray? So right now unless I found the perfect leather that I can afford, we are leaning away from leather.

image source | design by william smart

This is so pretty and even the light brown leather on the wood could be SO PRETTY. Oh no. I think I might have just convinced myself to at least shop for leather.

image source | design by marc houston

Vinyl: I mean, how rarely have you found a vinyl that you LOVE? Sure, it can absolutely be so functional and simple and therefore not bad, but it doesn’t feel totally right and not something that I’d love.

Vegan leather: Looking for sources and researching about options. If anyone knows anything about this— durability, cost, etc.—please weigh in in the comments.

A textile with pattern: Nope. I don’t really want a busy pattern to hide grossness. I want simplicity and calmness, at least for the base.

image source | design by gordana golubovic

A poly-blend stain resistant fabric like Crypton or others: I have a whole box of Crypton and have even made a few selections that are a medium gray with enough texture to hide a bit. Then we’d do the back pillows in a mixture of lights and mediums whites, grays and blues.

image source | design by jeremiah brent

There are just too many ways to skin a cat, especially when you are kind of in a rush. The simplest thing to do is to get the medium toned gray (with texture) stain-resistant fabric that is really pretty and cozy and have a bench seat made without the top seam, out of a cushy foam and feather mix (so it has some give and isn’t that really TIGHT look). Then play with a ton of pillows to see if A. that looks good (or just messy) and B. if it’s comfortable enough. I can alway ADD a back cushion later. Either way, I’d make it washable with a zipper. I’m even debating getting two sets made to have seasonal options and because I’M A CRAZY PERSON.

I’m new to the banquette world. I’ve never had two kids and a banquette before. Am I crazy to not splurge on leather that will be durable at least for the bench? Or is a washable stain-resistant slip covered fabric in a medium tone good enough? And will the pillows annoy me with the necessary daily styling or will they bring me comfort and joy because I actually love styling?

Please weigh-in. We have to at least have the design/style chosen by Thursday before my schedule gets insane for 2 weeks and I think that per usual you guys are full of ideas I haven’t thought of or at least some banquette experience…

HELP.

Sincerely, Emily “Pre-crastinator” Henderson

The post Mountain House Monday: An Update on the Dining Banquette + Ask the Audience appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: The Only Bra Emily Buys, Binge-Worthy Shows & The Perfect Travel Outfit

image source | design by Cortney Bishop

Happy last Sunday of April, where half our team was out sick, but we still managed to talk in depth about bras amongst other things.

From Emily: “I only wear one bra (three different colors) and have for YEARS. As I’ve mentioned before, my ladies are secretly big and while I’m by no means trying to reduce their impact, I also like them to be properly in their place. I got fitted a few years ago for this bra, Prima Donna Twist A La Folie Underwire Bra, and I’ve never gone back. It lifts, sculpts into a nice shape and is SO supportive but it’s still pretty with lace detailing!!! I just feel confident and secure in them, and my clothes fit FAR better than with most other bras that just don’t do the job. They aren’t cheap but they last for a few years (at least mine, do) and this specific one is the only one I buy.”

Sara’s current blush is the Olio E Osso Natural Lip & Cheek Balm No. 10 Tea Rose. The blush is really light and buildable. She wears it on her cheeks and lips and carries it in her bag for easy lip application. She says it feels like a chapstick but doesn’t feel sticky on her cheeks. It’s also non-toxic and cruelty-free.

While we’re on the topic of beauty, Ryann says she’s obsessed with this Origins GinZing moisturizer. Says Ryann: “I’ve been using it for a year now and any time I run out, no other moisturizer compares. It’s like having a giant glass of orange juice, but for your face.”

This week, Julie is the one to bring us a crazy cool home tour. This home has the perfect balance of weird, moody and ultra chic. I don’t think any of us have ever wanted to live in a dark and moody home more.

For anyone who prefers the bright and happy (yet calm and cozy) to moody, Arlyn is sharing a designer she’s started stalking on Instagram: Cortney Bishop Design. She manages to create rooms that are homey with just enough cool sprinkled in to not feel like your typical “Instagram” design fare.

Speaking of fighting off illness, Bowser and Jess both swear by Source Naturals Wellness Formula. It’s a herbal defense complex that you can take daily for maintenance but if you start to feel under the weather you just up the dosage. However, if you are taking it daily the chance of getting sick obviously drops dramatically. It’s a magical natural immunity tablet that you will be so glad you have.

A hedgehog goes camping…who doesn’t want to hear more? Grace has the cuteness overload factor dialed in this week. In this article, a tiny little hedgehog goes camping using all his miniature gear that will put an instant smile on your face. He’s apparently Insta-famous and has hundreds of thousands of followers (including both Grace and evidently Velinda who paused her diligent work to look up and say “Oh! The hedgehog they put in tiny canoes? I follow him, too!). It’s an account you won’t regret following. 

Michael was recently visiting Joshua Tree National Park and bought this candle, the Parks Candle Yosemite’s Cottonwood + Oak. It comes in such a cool, sleek vessel and it smells SO GOOD. It even has an awesome looking wood wick. Plus, proceeds go to protect our National Parks, gotta love that!

Jess binged the new show Ramy on Hulu in one night. This show is funny, at times hard to watch (in an important way) but is ultimately so beautiful and a total must see.

Blackout is the most recent podcast Veronica got totally hooked on. It stars one of her favorite actors, Rami Malek whose character is a small-town radio DJ fighting to protect his family and small-town of Berlin, New Hampshire, when the town experiences a rolling blackout. This podcast is an apocalyptic thriller filled with suspense a variety of different characters that she found herself wanting to know more about very quickly. She guarantees this podcast will have you as hooked as she is with a new episode every Tuesday (seven are available now), but she would not recommend listening at night…dun dun dun.

We talk a lot about gifts for ourselves but Velinda has the CUTEST cat toy recommendation. It’s a Knit Fish Taco Toy Set for $3. Your cat and eyes will thank you.

Julie and Jess went to NYC last weekend and Julie wore the actual most chic (and comfortable) matching sweater and skirt combo outfit from Mango in the world. Julie would never admit to how cool she looked so Jess needed to step in to make that known. However, Julie will say that she loved how comfortable she was and how perfectly the outfit transitioned from the plane to the city.

Jo Malone makes some of Grace’s favorite scents (she’s loved Blackberry and Bay, both the scent and body cream, for ages). But she found a new love from the brand: Red Oak and Currant. She finds that their more fruity scents don’t last as long on her (which is a huge bummer), but this slightly more musky scent stays on for the entire day and she loves how the scent even transforms throughout the day. Two thumbs up! (While Arlyn was reading this, she also had to interject that Jo Malone makes her favorite scent: Nectarine Blossom & Honey. She says it’s sweet without being cloying and agrees with Grace that it lasts ALL day.)

Jess stumbled upon this awesome online shop called Hotel Magique. She had seen a couple of their prints collaborations elsewhere but didn’t realize they had their own shop filled with very cool and reasonably priced art. She might need another gallery wall.