Emily Henderson's Blog, page 263

How to Pull Off “Quiet Maximalism” With Target’s New Opalhouse Spring Line

A big part of our job as designers/editors/writers is to sniff out new trends, not because we live and die by them, but because they’re palate cleansers. The new kid at school everyone has fun whispering about because you’re bored of the same people you see every day. And what we’re seeing come down the pike lately is a serious shift into maximalism. This is not to say minimal, neutral rooms are “out” (hello mountain house) but color and pattern seem to be making a fast and furious swing back into our homes, and we’re not mad about it.

The aesthetic isn’t for everyone nor is it effortless to pull off in a sophisticated way, but guess what? We reinvented it using Target’s new spring Opalhouse collection (read: budget-friendly) to make it more relatable and so much easier to recreate yourself. It’s a look we’re calling “quiet maximalism”…you can even refer to is as “maximalism lite”…all the same flavor of the original, half the calories!

It’s like when someone goes FULL THROTTLE with their makeup, and while you applaud the confidence and boldness, you kind of want to pull them aside and give them a “make-under.” You’d use all the same products, just…not as much of them and with less pigmentation. That’s this look. Fully made up face but in a no-makeup-makeup natural vibe that makes you think “whoa, you must have just come from a two-week beach vacation where you had no cell service and definitely never checked your email.” (Boy do we love an analogy around here, huh?)

We’ll walk through each of these elements in every vignette we created below, but while maximalism embraces a general more is more mindset, quiet maximalism is like ::whispering:: more is sort of more. The key elements of the style include texture (and lots of it), a mostly neutral/curated color palette, a sprinkling of natural materials, a touch of glam and, of course, layers of plants and greenery. It’s about being restrained and balanced but visually lush and inviting. Alright, let’s do this…

How to Pull-Off “Quiet Maximalism” in Every Room
Bedroom

As you’ll quickly learn, texture is a HUGE component of quiet maximalism, especially in the bedroom. Here, while there isn’t a plethora of color, the room still feels layered, interesting, inviting, and that’s all thanks to your friend texture. We brought it in floor to nearly ceiling, starting with that amazing rug. The tassels, the nubbiness, the patches of shag…it’s so good it’d make anyone want to leap out of bed in the morning to plant your feet on.

At the opposite end of the floor is our DIY star of the show: the canopy. Have you noticed we’re really into canopies lately? We created a canopy “tent” in the kids’ room at the mountain house we outfitted with Target’s super fun Pillowfort collection recently, and we didn’t stop there. It felt right to bring one in here, IN THE NAME OF TEXTURE, of course. There’s a Pinnable DIY at the end of the post with all the information you need to recreate this, but in short, we used a sheer curtain fabric instead of a netting because we wanted it to feel refined and organic. The bells added that touch of whimsy every maximalist room needs.

The next stop on the texture train is all that bedding, which also plays into the “curated color palette” aspect of this style. While this could have been a flat cotton duvet, it wouldn’t have really spoken to the look we were going for so instead, we went with a crinkly, casual textile here. The blush hue is subtle and picks up the pinky tones from the rug and the velvet pouf (which you’re not seeing here, but is present in the first shot in this post…our touch of glam in this specific vignette).

Let’s stop and take a moment to talk about this amazing lumbar. It’s SO good and looks so much more expensive than it really is ($30, though on sale today only for $21). The raised shaggy texture creates a pattern that plays off the throw at the foot of the bed, the tassels are a fun, eclectic detail, but the tonal white plays down all those elements and keeps it as a textural element instead of a blatant pattern. SO GOOD.

Also, how sweet are these sheets? We love a delicately patterned sheet to level up a bed, plus the hint of black from the speckling and edging touch is grounding to the airy palette and instantly modernizes the room.

Bringing in some natural materials and tones is crucial to the breezy quiet maximalism vibe. That hanging basket planter from the new Opalhouse line is so fun and draws the eye up (as does the canopy, of course). Part of maximalism is engaging the eye wherever you look, so this was how we thought to fill the space top to bottom but in a way that wasn’t overwhelming or suffocating. A mix of seagrass (via the handled tray on the bed), rattan from the hanging planter and headboard, and caning in the nightstand make things feel cohesive without being too matchy-matchy. This new Opalhouse line makes it easy to keep things varied.

A touch of brass (or a metallic) is integral in quiet maximalism to layer in a bit of glam. We brought this in via the frame and the lamp, which is so dimensional and perfectly whimsical here. It’s a great counterbalance to the streamlined and natural caned nightstand.

And, as the final must have, we sprinkled plants (both faux and real) throughout at different levels (like we said, all about filling out the space from bottom to middle to top).

Sunroom Swing Area

We’re officially obsessed with hanging swing chairs in interior spaces from this point forward. The price point on this one is excellent ($60) and it adds an unexpected moment to any room it graces (it would be particularly nice in a sunroom or even a living room). The off-white macrame brings in just the right amount of texture and is a nod to ’70s style, an old friend of maximalism.

For our curated, tight palette, we went with a base of cream and white but brought in a happy yellow in the curtain details (how fun are those tassels?) and grounded it with a deep teal throw. The hammered brass side table, with its interesting silhouette, feels worldly but adds to both the texture of the space and ups the glam factor.

Like in the sheets from the bedroom vignette, the black from the rug here adds so much depth and grounds the space, while the leopard-like pattern keeps things playful.

Bathroom Beauty Cart

There’s a certain loftiness that comes along with maximalism, and what’s more indulgent than a “beauty cart” or vanity area in a bathroom? It takes a purely utilitarian spot and turns it into a spa-like luxury. It’s downright Victorian, and you know how I feel about Victorian leanings (it gets all the thumbs up). To create our beauty cart moment, we actually repurposed a rattan bar cart (which would also be SO GREAT as its intended purpose) and borrowed that amazing velvet and fringe pouf (glam, check) from the bedroom. Can’t you just see yourself perched there, brushing your coif the recommended 100 strokes every night before slipping on a silky floral robe and sauntering into the parlor for a nightcap? This is a life I want to live on the regular.

And because the size on the cart (which ticks off the natural requisite here) is compact, it would be just right for a smaller bathroom or apartment.

While you can certainly add other greenery, we loved these faux flowers. They played so nicely with the curated blush-and-green palette in this vignette, and, even better, they’ll never wilt on you.

While there’s tons of texture in this whole space (velvet, nubby rug, palm fronds, rattan), to create a true “spa” environment, you gotta bring in the towels. We love plain white towels normally, but we couldn’t pass up the textural and fringed details on these to really drive home the “quiet maximalism” vibe.

Desk Space/Office

Quiet maximalism doesn’t have to be just for bedrooms, bathrooms or living rooms. Bringing this highly textural, special style into a home office space or desk area actually works really well because it’s soft and tonal enough to not cause distractions, but layered and textural enough to stimulate.

Here’s how we checked off all the elements in this space:

Texture: The caning of the desk, the fringed, woven rug, the lace and fringe curtain details and the seagrass basket/planter.

Curated Palette: The majority of this space is neutral, but the plants, hanging ceramic and vase prevent things from looking too one-note.

Natural Materials: Most of the textural elements pull double duty here as well.

Subtle Glam: It’s not an EHD space without a touch of brass, which comes in in the edging of the picture frame on the windowsill.

Plants: We went faux here (seriously into that paper cactus), but using two different types of plants at different levels keeps things interesting and the eye moving.

Window Seat Reading Nook

Our final vignette we created in the quiet maximalist aesthetic is probably the most vibrant out of all the spaces, but it still follows all the rules. The palette is a bit more varied but there’s still really only three main colors happening here: yellow, blue and coral/pink. But because most everything is rooted in a neutral, isn’t doesn’t feel like a rainbow explosion.

Texture is everpresent in nearly every element here, from the pillows to the wreath to the blue basket tray.

It’s important to stop a moment and talk about this mix of pillows, because it’s a question we get asked all.the.time. To get that effortlessly thrown together yet awesome looking combo, here are some good guidelines to follow:

Rule 1: Vary pillow shapes and sizes. Here, we used a big squishy Euro size (normally around 26″x26″), a smaller 20″x20″, a chunky lumbar and a super skinny lumbar.

Rule 2: Mix up your patterns. For this vignette, we did two solids and two “prints”…one a stripe and the other delicate embroidery.

Rule 3: Introduce quiet texture. What is “quiet texture” you ask? Well, it’s a texture but done in a solid, like that mustard lumbar with the shaggy trim and the white lumbar. If these had any pattern AND all that tactile detailing, it’d be a little too much to take it. Pick your power moment.

I do realize that maximalism is not everyone’s style, but we think this “quiet” toned down version is so much easier to swallow and frankly, we’re crushing hard on it. For anyone who wants to amp it up, the new Opalhouse collection has so many more amazing products in bold colors and patterns, so if this is too subtle for you, be sure to check out the whole line.

So…what do you think? Which vignette could you see yourself recreating in your home? Are you into “quiet maximalism” or want to turn up the volume? We can’t wait to hear what you think.

For all the shoppable products, we put together the below Get the Look with everything we used here, but you can also find everything from each vignette directly on Target.com:

Bedroom | Swing Chair Area | Office Space | Beauty Cart | Window Seat

Happy shopping!

1. Textured Planter | 2. Tumbler | 3. Tassel Throw | 4. Pom Throw Pillow | 5. Hammock Chair | 6. Artificial Palm | 7. Rattan Planter Stand | 8. Woven Mules | 9. Accent Table | 10. Leopard Spot Rug | 11. Lace Trim Panel | 12. Ceramic Bird Feeder | 13. Writing Desk | 14. Tufted Velvet Chair | 15. Faux Cactus in Basket | 16. Utility Jacket | 17. Colored Pencils | 18. Stripe Woven Rug | 19. Artificial Lotus | 20.  Artificial Anthurium | 21. Artificial Protea 22. Textured Vase | 23. Memory Book | 24. Frame 25. Rattan Bar Cart | 26. Sea Salt Air Dry Spray | 27. Weightless Shine Air Dry Crème | 28. Unisex Perfume | 29. Jewelry Tray | 30. Accent Towel | 31. Bath Rug | 32. Brush | 33. Fringe Ottoman | 34. Hair Clips | 35. Necklace | 36. Earrings | 37. Floral Robe | 38. Pink Robe

1. Artificial Palm | 2. Faux Cactus | 3. Wastebasket | 4. Bell Garland | 5. Headboard | 6. Duvet Set | 7. Macrame Window Valance | 8. Lamp | 9. Nightstand | 10. Parrot Frame | 11. Zebra Jar | 12. Jewelry Tray | 13. Bell Chime | 14. Round Hanging Planter | 15. Rug | 16. Lumbar Pillow | 17. Sheet Set | 18. Moroccan Throw | 19. Green Fringe Ottoman | 20. Pink Fringe Ottoman | 21. Napkin | 22. Woven Tray | 23. Marbleized Mug | 24. Candle | 25. Orchid Wreath | 26. Round Basket | 27. Square Textured Pillow | 28. Orange Stripe Pillow | 29. Velvet Fringe Lumbar Pillow | 30. Looped Stripe Lumbar Pillow | 31. Contrast Stripe Curtain | 32. Throw Bed

Wait, before we go, for anyone interested in the canopy DIY, we put together this Pinnable materials board and step-by-step. Let us know if you have any questions!

*Photography by Sara Tramp for EHD, design and art direction by me, styling by Emily Bowser with assistance by Julie Rose

***This post is in partnership with Target, a brand who we support completely and love partnering with.

 

 

The post How to Pull Off “Quiet Maximalism” With Target’s New Opalhouse Spring Line appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Inside All Our (Super Organized) Drawers & Cabinets in the Mountain House Kitchen

I’m pretty sure there is a support group for those of us who get an unnatural thrill from staring at the perfectly organized pantry. Previously I have only done so in the magazines (please read like on the internets) or at the . But thanks to my genius design team + NEAT Method + Target’s Made by Design line, we are dripping with tips on how you can design, organize and style your kitchen, including how to store EVERY SINGLE THING in the most efficient and frankly beautiful way possible. Or if you just want to know where I hide my kids’ sippy cups, we got that covered, too.

We’re going to go into every area and every drawer, but before that, we wanted to get all the deets from Krisztina Galambos, owner of NEAT Los Angeles, about her top five expert tips that anyone can use to get a super organized kitchen, regardless of how much space you have.

Tip 1: Take inventory, purge, categorize. Our process at NEAT Method is to start by taking everything out of a space, sorting into categories, measuring the space for bins/containers, purchasing products and then implementing them into the space. For the pantry, we recommend tossing expired items first to free up space. From there, create your categories for like items: baking, spices, snacks, pasta, canned goods, etc. If you can see everything you have, you are less likely to buy duplicates which means eliminating clutter. Decanting also helps with seeing everything, and as long as you find a brand with tightly sealed lids, it will preserve your food longer, too. 

Tip 2: Find your flow. Think through how you move in your kitchen on a daily basis. You’ll want to place items in areas that create efficiencies so you aren’t walking in circles! There are obvious things like wooden spoons and spatulas near the stove, oven mitts near the oven, cleaning supplies near the sink, etc. but there are also questions we like to ask our clients about how they function in the kitchen that helps us understand how a space can be customized for them. For example, having sweet treats stored out of reach from the kiddos or storing serveware up high because it’s only used once a year when your mother-in-law is in town.

Tip 3: Win the war against tops. Where possible, keep bottoms and lids together (storage containers, pots/pans). If space is an issue, use drawer dividers and stack bottoms on one side; lids on the other in order vertically filed by height (we like to use bamboo dividers like these).

Tip 4: Help your kids help themselves. For those of you with families, we love creating a kids drawer of plates, cups and bowls (we did that here in Emily’s kitchen). Having said drawer where your kiddos can help themselves at mealtime is a great way to teach them independence in the kitchen. If there are any drawers you do not want them getting into (such as fragile items), consider child locks.

Tip 5: Conquer the “junk” drawer. We typically don’t like to recommend “junk” drawers, but there definitely needs to be a place for multi-use items like pens, scissors, batteries, keys, post-it notes, etc. A drawer divider tray is a great solution in a spot off the beaten path in the kitchen, and we try not to leave empty space for “stuff.” It’s best to decide what to do with an object right away instead of delaying the decision by “dealing with it later.”

I know you’re just itching to see the inside of all my drawers, but first, we asked Krisztina what her can’t-live-without kitchen org products (and what to skip) and here’s what she recommended: “Our must haves definitely include bins/baskets, lazy Susans, risers for canned goods, drawer dividers and labels! If on a budget, maybe skip decanting as this can add up quickly.”

Okay okay, let’s open up those drawers and cabinets now:

Cooking Central

There have been so many soups cooked here, guys, and since everything is SUPER organized and exactly where I need it to be when I need it, that souping has been nearly effortless. We labeled where it all goes in this area above, and it’s really so great not having to run around the kitchen to find the top to a certain pot or containers to put away leftovers. Three cheers for kitchen org!  

I knew I wanted a window here, which meant less uppers, so it only made sense to put in deep drawers for pots and pans, dishes, etc. We toyed with having this be a cabinet front with drawers you pull out, but that was a two-step process to get what you needed, while this was just one: pull open the drawer you need and boom, done.

To the left of the cooktop are all the pots and pans (with every lid that belongs to each pot paired so there is no digging around) as well as our “tech” drawer (this is NOT a junk drawer…yet).

Our cabinet maker built in a charging strip so our phones, laptops and tablets could be tucked away here (away from cooking splashes and spilled juice cups), and if you’re currently renovating, THIS IS THE WAY TO GO FOLKS. The left side of that drawer has a removable top compartment, so the top part is where we keep all our “office-y” stuff and down below is a handy tool section. NEAT Method kept it all organized with Made by Design clear dividers. My goal was to come in, drop off my phone and laptop and not touch it over the weekend and my theory was that If I didn’t see it, I wouldn’t check it mindlessly.

This house was meant to be minimal, and the kitchen’s focus was just all that beautiful wood and crisp countertops, so I didn’t want to get clutter body by having a utensil canister up top, hence the pull-out drawer to the left of the stove that has different “cups” to hold all our whisks, spatulas, ladles, etc.

The above photo was taken before the drawer-within-a-drawer was inserted above the utensils. If you are thinking “geez, that’s a lot of wasted space,” you are right and our cabinet maker simply forgot about it but it’s now installed, don’t worry.

The downdraft of the stove takes up a good portion of the left side of the cabinet underneath it, but on the right side, we took a pan organizer and used it for all my cutting boards, and added small hooks to the door frame for pot holders and trivets.

Hold on…I want to ask everyone: are you a butter on the counter or refrigerator person? I know this is polarizing, and both have merits (soft, spreadable butter 24/7 vs. you know…food safety??) but please tell me. We are VERY warm, spreadable butter people over here and believe strongly in butter dishes (though note, we kind of just grabbed this pretty container for the shoot, but it’s a bathroom organizer, and not sure whether it’s food safe).

Okay, back to org lust. The pull-out two-tiered drawer to the right of the stove is where we keep all the spices, oils, vinegars, shelf-stable sauces and below. There’s plenty of clearance on the bottom shelf for anything that might be super tall (this was intentional because we are sauce and oil heavy over here). Decanting is my life mission, forever and always, but I’ve never done it with spices before, thank you NEAT Method. Those come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, so getting cohesive containers keeps it all visually pleasing, plus the labels on the tops make it super easy to find what you’re looking for. I think it’s not as necessary as other decanting, but for me it’s more about the labels on top. Why don’t all spice companies just put labels on top, too?

Moving over to the far right are all the drawers with kitchen tools, baking sheets and tools, and food storage.

The knife holder, again, keeps things off the counters, which makes me very very happy. FYI, all these things (the can opener, garlic press, masher, etc.) are all from the Made by Design line, and I love how they all coordinate and are all similar in size (makes putting them in a designated divider so much easier). The price point on these are SO great and work really well/feel solid. I splurged on the cabinets, I didn’t need to splurge on the tools (and while I do have a budget at Target for these posts, I had actually bought most of them in December because I knew we would be living up there). My goal was to match and not be expensive.

We didn’t really have storage near the oven for all the baking stuff, so it went here, but because I’m not using this stuff every day, it works just fine for my “kitchen flow.” Also, can I recommend something that will make your life so much easier hence happier? Get yourself coordinating sets of food storage, instead of all those rogue repurposed takeout containers or mix-and-match stuff that’s all different colors and shapes. When everything can be stored together and properly, you’ll avoid that inevitable avalanche of tops. And I much prefer glass over plastic because I can heat up leftovers without transferring.

The Wall Unit

I knew I wanted a full-wall unit like this one, where all the appliances were hidden away and I had an actual pantry (our LA kitchen doesn’t really have a pantry…it’s just a cupboard with random empty granola bar boxes).

Before we reveal that glorious pantry, let’s start over on the left:

Backstory: we actually intended this to be at least 12 inches wide with pull out drawers for more food storage (you might remember from this kitchen functionality post) except there were some things we didn’t plan for and had to make some adjustments. We were left with this sliver which isn’t ideal, but it actually works for keeping oven mitts, extra cookie sheets and “auxiliary” things like cupcake liners and sprinkles. Extra storage is extra storage, so we made it work but the proportion of that cabinet is HILARIOUS.

Directly to the right of the double oven (which is hidden behind all that beautiful Ross Alan Reclaimed Lumber cladding) is the coffee and tea bar. There’s a built-in outlet so there’s no need to pull out the coffee maker when we want to use it. The doors tuck back in, so we usually just leave this open all morning while we’re up here, then close it up when we move on from caffeine to adult happy hour.

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Under the coffee bar is our small appliance storage and while some people might think it’s odd to have a microwave this low, it doesn’t actually bother me. Plus, if the kids want to make popcorn, they can reach (with adult supervision, of course).

Oh man. I think we all know I didn’t do this alone. NEAT Method really delivered here and I just want to sit and stare at this all day. With all the constant grabbing of food and snacks (and kids’ hands), it doesn’t always look like this, but it’s kind of fun to try to keep it this organized. All the drawer dividers, lazy Susans, cereal and snack sealed containers and baskets make it MUCH easier though to get it all back to tip-top shape. I have SUCH pride for this pantry cabinet, I force all my guests to sit and have me show this off to them when they visit (you’ve been warned).

We’ve never thought to use lazy Susans like these and they are a game changer. Everything is so easily accessible, the kids can spin them to grab their snacks and everything is visible. Same goes with the air-tight storage containers from Made by Design. I LOVE THESE THINGS. I’m not great at clipping bags and boxes to keep things fresh, plus I always just forget I have stuff, so I end up with four bags of open almond flour, half tipped over. Yes, buying containers to decant can add up fast, and it’s an investment, but I find that I buy fewer multiples of things because I can SEE things. Plus, they keep food fresher longer (LOVE the cereal containers), so there’s less food waste. I want to start buying more in bulk to also reduce packaging in general, so it’s an initial spend but will eventually spend less by buying in bulk.

Next is the dry bar which we outfitted with a dark stone from Bedrosians. I typically keep a small cutting board in here to cut citrus for cocktails, pretty bar tools, pretty bottles and all the glassware I need for “happy hour.” Should I need to bring in a blender to make something frozen, there’s an outlet (with that amazing bronze Forbes & Lomax) here, as well as that super sexy dimmer switch.

We went back and forth between whether to do a bold tile back there (which you can see through the glass cabinet doors here and in the coffee bar) or a simpler textural brick, and ultimately landed on the brick (from Bedrosians) and I’m so happy with it. It’s just enough texture to keep it interesting without stealing attention from the wood.

We didn’t get a great photo of it, but the drawer under the double oven cabinet is where I store bigger bowls, serveware and linens for the nearby dining room and the drawer under the bar is for larger bulk bottles of drinkies and bar tools.

The Island

I spend so much time hanging out at this island (there are barstools on the other side where people perch all day) mindlessly tidying anything that ends up in the sink as I chit chat with guests so I love how visually simple it is with the hidden dishwasher and the trash bin compartment (instead of having a trash can against the island, hiding the special ebony stained wood).

We had trash bin and recycling compartments built in with a side section to hold all the bags. There was enough room to put up a hook for a small brush and dustpan.

Under the sink are all our kitchen cleaning supplies (dish soap, sponges, brushes, cloths, etc.), a towel rack for a hand towel and a higher up little shelf for more brush storage. I don’t normally keep the dish pods that accessible because with little kids, that can be a hazard, but if you don’t have small children, this is a great way to further decant and know at an instant glance if you’re running low on anything.

The Peninsula

The last “arm” of the kitchen is the peninsula, which is part adult and kid plate storage, part drink storage (there is my dream nugget ice maker in the middle and refrigerated drawers for snacks, juice boxes, beer, etc. at the far left).

Like I said, there are no traditional “uppers” in this kitchen, so drawer storage was the way to go for us in terms of plates, bowls, etc. To prevent things from banging around inside and breaking, our contractor installed this peg system which we love. You can move around the pegs based on the size of your dishes or what you’re storing and they’re awesome.

And while I love a mix of vintage and handmade plates, they can either look messy or just waste space generally. This simple set from Made by Design keeps everything looking cohesive, plus they are super light and stack SO well and tight, so it takes up very little space. It’s affordable, durable and works really great for our family up here.

That bottom drawer is where we keep the kids’ plates/cups/silverware and napkins and it’s so convenient. They can help set the table, help unload the dishwasher because it’s all easy to reach and feel like they’re contributing.

And now you’ve seen inside everything (well, except for the refrigerator and oven…more on appliances soon).

Thank you again to NEAT Method who did such an incredible job getting me organized and maximizing space in this kitchen. There’s a place for everything and everything tucks away into its space. I feel like the luckiest person on the planet.

If you’re ready to tackle your cabinets and drawers, seriously check out the Made By Design line from Target. Also, a quick tip is don’t just look in the kitchen section. We hit up the bathroom storage section and general home storage and org collections, too. Get creative and just find the shapes and functions you need, regardless of the room.

As always, let us know in the comments if you have any questions, and browse through the below Get the Looks we put together with all the product we used (and loved).

1. Two Tier Server | 2. Metal Wire Basket | 3. Black Mug | 4. Tall Tumbler (set of 6) | 5. White Mug (set of 6) | 6. Wine Glass | 7. Coupe Glass | 8. Moscow Mule Mug | 9. Wood Tea Cup | 10. Travel Mug | 11. Champagne Flute | 12. Glass Straws (set of 8) | 13. Japanese Style Jigger | 14. Cocktail Shaker | 15. Tea Cup | 16. Cocktail Picks (set of 8)| 17. Old Fashioned Glass (set of 8) | 18. Stemless Wine Glass (set of 6) | 19. Long Coffee Spoon | 20. Expandable Drawer Organizer | 21. Vessel | 22. Cutting Board | 23. Canister | 24. Black French Press | 25. Drawer Organizer | 26. Black Flatware (5 pc) | 27. Spoon Rest | 28. Book Easel | 29. Bowl | 30. Salad Plate | 31. Dinner Plate | 32. Pasta Bowl | 33. Tall Storage Container | 34. Small Storage Container | 35. Pot Holder | 36. Spinning Organizer | 37. White Tumbler | 38. White Square Plate | 39. Organizer Set | 40. Terry Dishcloth (set of 6) | 41. Shelf | 42. Drying Mat | 43. Pot Holder and Oven Mitt | 44. Cabinet Turntable | 45. Tea Towel | 46. Food Storage Container (12 pc) | 47. Pan Organizer | 48. White Basket | 49. Spice Jar | 50. Spice Jar Label | 51. Bathroom Tray | 52. Knife Dock

1. Tongs | 2. Pasta Server | 3. Serving Spoon | 4. Slotted Spatula | 5. Solid Spatula | 6. Electric Tea Kettle | 7. Pour Over Coffee Maker | 8. Coffee Maker | 9. Strainer | 10. Can Opener | 11. Measuring Cups | 12. Mixing Bowl | 13. Toaster | 14. Dutch Oven | 15. Measuring Pitcher | 16. Cooling Sheet | 17. Box Grater | 18. Jumbo Cooker | 19. Skillet | 20. Jumbo Cookie Sheet | 21. Pizza Pan | 22. Cookie Sheet | 23. Rolling Pin | 24. Wood and Silicon Spatula | 25. Wood Turner | 26. Wood Slotted Spoon | 27. Wood Slotted Spoon | 28. Loaf Pan | 29. Muffin Tin | 30. Garlic Press | 31. Masher | 32. Scrub Brush | 33. Round Cake Pan | 34. Dish Brush | 35. Dutch Oven | 36. Sauce Pan | 37. Sauté Pan | 38. Hand Broom and Dust Pan | 39. Cake Pan

***Photography by Sara Tramp for EHD

*Catch up on all mountain house posts here, and don’t miss the first reveal of the kids’ bedroom here or the kitchen here.

The post Inside All Our (Super Organized) Drawers & Cabinets in the Mountain House Kitchen appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: We Are Getting Serious About Summer Prepping and Soul Cleansing

image source | design by Elizabeth Roberts and John Erik Karkula

This week we thought a good ole fashioned checklist would be a nice way to check in given that it’s the last day of the month…

Weather: Great. (happy dance) Perfectly springy, plus California is (mostly) no longer in a drought!

Shoots: Lots and great. (all the thumbs up)

March Blog Posts Recap: Such an amazing month full of posts we’re really proud of and you guys seemed to enjoy. (THANK YOU!!!!!!!!).

Serious Plans to Relax: Already in motion.

We are great and hope you are, too. This week, we are all VERY excited about our 15 recommendation so let’s get to it.

-Everyone has been DMing Emily like crazy the last few weeks asking about her “glow” and skin in general, and she says it’s all because of this Pixi Glow Mist. From Emily: “I’m almost out of this stuff because I use it a few times a day. Sometimes I blend it in with my foundation but many times I just refresh my face with a spritz and yes, it makes me glow.”

-Another Emily favorite this week comes from the Goop Podcast, which she loves, but a recent episode with Dax Shepard really got her good. They talk all about triggers and self-esteem. Topics we all can relate heavily to. She wants you to go listen now. 

-Arlyn said she DEVOURED Catastrophe on Amazon Prime a few weekends ago, and the new (and final) season just came out earlier this month (she finished it in a day). It’s hysterical, SO relatable for anyone who’s ever been married or in a long-term relationship, and she’s so very sad it’s now done.

-Michael bought the most delightful, light and airy cologne. He knows scents are a very personal thing and they smell different on everyone. But this one just makes him so HAPPY whenever he smells it. It’s unisex and here’s the description they have (how fun does this sound): a fragrance inspired by the salty air and fresh waters from boating trips outside Trekroner Fortress at the entrance to Copenhagen’s harbor. 

-This week’s house tour is from our dear Grace and it’s of the one and only Maggie Gyllenhaal’s home. She basically obsessed with the bathroom in this home tour (that mirror! And all the tiles!). She’s pretty sure that she’s saved it on Instagram three different times by now. I think we all have “that room” in our saved section.

-Veronica bought the NYX Ultimate Eye Shadow Palette a few weeks ago and she is in LOVE. It comes in six different options—Brights (the one she owns), Warm Neutrals, Cool Neutrals, Smokey & Highlight, Phoenix (fiery reds and corals), and Ash (cool grays and blues). She can only speak personally about the Brights option, but she said it makes getting ready in the morning so fun!! It’s great for everyday wear as well as nights out with friends or date nights.

-Ryann takes Natural Factor’s Stress Relax supplement every day and she says it has really helped with stress and anxiety + it increases mental focus.

7 Items I Bought Recently (and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE)

photography by veronica crawford for ehd

Trucker Jacket

I’ve been purging my wardrobe lately but also maybe doing some shopping, mostly because I felt like I was in a rut, but also in the name of these Saturday fashion posts. So today I want to share with you guys a few things that I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I recently purchased, starting with that Levi’s jacket (above). It is the perfect year-round (nighttime) coat that makes me feel a little bit like a badass. I’m pretty sure I had it in high school, too. It’s just cool and despite the sherpa lining, it’s very slimming because of the crop cut. I am a BIG FAN.

photography by veronica crawford for ehd

Romper | Clogs

Next, I got this romper from Urban Outfitters and as you can tell I feel very pleased with myself. It’s super comfy and it’s just one piece of fabric, which mentally makes my life easy. There is no outfit to put together. It’s just THAT. It does run super small so size up (I’m wearing a medium).

photography by veronica crawford for ehd

Dress | Shoes

Then we have a dress I am really happy I got. I’m doing an Easter dress post (you know, for my return to a church, as one must embrace any ritual to dress fancy) and some of the dresses I ordered came early. I am telling you guys, I absolutely LOVE this dress. I think I’m going through a baby doll/generally dressing like a small toddler phase but I swear I’m not alone. It’s a thing. In retrospect, I don’t like those shoes with it (I think). But here is why the dress is great: It’s slimming in the shoulders and arms, but crazy voluminous everywhere else. There is a slip lining that falls more straight so even when you twirl (as you do) the slip stays put to avoid any, ahem, embarrassing moments.

I admittedly like wearing short dresses but this is really only possible because of the invention of the spray tan. I want to give a shout out to Brittany (my spray tan expert) because that tan you see up there lasted OVER a week. I normally go to a local place and do Versa spa (level 2 with bronzer if you want to know) but it usually only lasts 4-5 days (and comes off unevenly). I’m normally cool with it because its affordable and fast (for reference: I have a membership for $60/month and I go weekly and I’m in and out in 5-6 minutes.) But then my friend was going on vacation so she wanted the real deal so I had Brittany spray me, too. The second day I was super tan, like VACATION tan, but as it mellowed out it looks pretty darn great. Anyway, if you are in LA she just opened up a store in West Hollywood called Be Bronze Studio. Tell her I sent you.

Alright, moving on. These last four products I didn’t get a shot with me in them, but I’m including them because I bought them, I DO love them, so I want to recommend them.

1. Ray-Ban Sunglasses: I finally bought new glasses which I am very excited about. I decided to veer away from my usual aviators and I am loving these guys. I think they are a good frame size for my face and they are a nice mix between classic wayfarers and aviators.

2. Ruffled Embroidered Blouse: I posted an IGTV video the other day and a LOT of you asked where I got the blouse I was wearing. It’s from Zara and like most tops, I love that it’s boxy (shocking) but also very flattering in the arms and shoulder. Plus, it has this lovely embroidery that feels very appropriate for spring/summer.

3. Sundry Le Soleil Pant: I am really loving these pants that I recently got from Sundry. They are a super cute boyfriend straight-leg cut, and extremely comfortable. The stripe on the side and rope belt add a little extra flair but otherwise, they are very casual and cozy. Weekend mom pants, FOR SURE.

4. Carla High Neck Blouse: Let me introduce you to one of my all-time favorite shirts. It’s safe and easy to wear (blue! stripes! blouse-y!) but those ruffles and the Victorian neckline are special. I do a half tuck and it’s super flattering and I feel really good in it. It is, however, a splurge.

Alright, that’s it folks. A short and sweet Saturday read. But before I go, we are gearing up for Earth Day and want to feature brands that care about the earth, whether beauty, fashion, farms, home, basically any that considers the impact it has on the earth and treatment of animals. So if you know of any that you can vouch for, please comment below and let us know so we can research and feature!

The post 7 Items I Bought Recently (and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Power Couples: How to Expertly Pair Curtains & Rugs (+ 30 Combos to Try)

designed by courtney bishop

Apparently, I have a pretty intense fear of pattern combo-ing (outside of a classic grid, of course). This was profoundly brought to my attention when Arlyn assigned this post to me. After my momentary panic (clearly marked by my eyes opening as big as possible while I exhaled a “sure, no problem” in a medium pitched squeak) was over, I thought that what better way to get over this insane “fear” than to dive in head first into as much pattern combo-ing as my little plain white linen heart could take. I’m sure you feel super safe in my hands now. But I think my initial hesitation only works in your favor because I have rounded up options that both the patterned obsessed and patterned avoider can both love as I am more or less in the middle…as any true balanced Libra would/should be.

Let’s first go in hard with the pattern on pattern combos. Ready to see what I came up with???

photo source | designed by pierce and ward

WAIT. First, in true EHD fashion, let’s talk rules or, better yet, guidelines when it comes to pairing patterned rugs and curtains.

1. Scale, scale, scale. Mix them up! This is probably the most important guideline. If you have a large scale pattern on your curtain, you’ll want to choose a rug with a small scale pattern and vice versa. This way, your eyes won’t be in visual overload and it will give your space dimension.

2. Consider your color palette. This is kind of a no brainer and is a rule for all three of our categories today but just make sure your colors at least talk to each other. Choosing a bunch of random colors won’t look cohesive and will probably be visually overwhelming.

3. When in doubt, just go for it. Okay, so this isn’t a “rule” more than a good piece of advice. Pattern on pattern can be intimidating, but as long as you love what you’ve picked out and considered the previous two guidelines, then just do it.

4. Don’t be too matchy. If you have a floral curtain, avoid going floral in your rug. Same goes with geometrics. You can pull it off if the scales are different enough and you have more going on in the space, but you want to side step being too matchy-matchy here to feel natural and not forced/amateur.

Okay, now let’s get into the EHD-approved pattern on pattern recommendations:

1. Light Floral Curtain // Blue Plaid Rug | 2. Embroidered Border Curtain // Diamond Wool Rug | 3. Striped Curtain // Blue Grid Rug | 4. Blue Patterned Curtain // Diamond Wool Rug | 5. Diamond Curtain // Lattice Rug | 6. French Toil Curtain // Black Plaid Rug | 7. Tassel Curtain // Leopard Print Rug | 8. Embroidered Curtain // Multicolored Rug | 9. Vines Curtain // Circle Rug | 10. Pink Florals Curtain // Blue Rug

My personal favorites are #1, #2, #5 and #8.

photo source | designed by billy cotton

That last category was like a peaty scotch that smacks you in the face (in a great way) but now let’s take it a little easier with some easier drinking. If that just went right over your head I am now taking you onto the pattern + solid combos. Still fun but a little more palatable to the pattern adverse. But first, rules…

1. Pick your moment. We typically love a bold patterned rug and solid curtain but if you have patterned furniture then a patterned rug might not be the best choice. However, a fun complimentary curtain might be. It’s always about balance.

2. Keep it interesting. You don’t need to always go for the safe white curtain. I’m also talking to myself here. Pick a color, even in a textured fabric like velvet. A great way to choose a color is to look to your rug for one of the more subtle colors. It will be more of a visual surprise and also bring it out in your rug.

Combo time…

1. Forest Green Linen Curtain Panel // Wool Cotton Boucle Rug | 2. Linen Curtain Panels (set of 2) // Color Block Tufted Rug | 3. Aina Curtains (set of 2) // Scale Natural Jute Rug | 4. Tasseled Moira Curtain // Bella Rug | 5. Velvet Curtain Panel // Stockholm Flatwoven Rug | 6. Honeycomb Light Filtering Curtain // Pamela Wiley Zigzag Rug | 7. Belgian Linen Curtain // Alrik Rug | 8. Fringed Linen Curtain // Mosaik Teal Rug | 9. Concentric Squares Curtains (set of 2) // Raymie Rug | 10. Tie Tab Window Panel // Patchwork Design Rug

Yikes, I don’t know if I can choose a favorite. But if I HAD to then maybe #1, #3, #6, #10. But as you can see, each one has a dominant piece (mainly the rugs) and most of the colorful curtains were chosen by the least assuming color of its rug buddy.

photo by tessa neustadt for EHD | from: the design milk family room reveal + get the look

This last roundup was unexpectedly challenging because how does one make a solid rug and solid curtains interesting without the furniture and decor getting involved??? Well, I figured it out and here are my secrets…

1. Vary up the texture. It’s the quickest and easiest way to keep it solid and visually interesting. This works particularly well if you’re going with neutral on neutral. For instance, a velvet curtain paired with a chunky woven rug, or a textural linen drapery combined with a raised tonal tufted pattern on a rug.

2. It doesn’t have to be all neutrals. If you don’t want a lot of different textures then have fun with color. Whether it’s high contrast (two very different colors) or tonal (two very similar colors). It’s an easy way for the space to look very cool and pulled together.

3. Follow all the rules at one. Doing both of the above rules together (texture and color) is also totally great.

How We Staged a House (To Sell) With Soul + Some Sneak Peeks

The EHD team just wrapped a staging/styling project in Eagle Rock (goes on the market tomorrow) that we are so proud of and today we are giving you sneak peeks and talking about how to give a house some soul, even while trying to sell it to the masses (though they can absolutely apply to any house that needs a little styling love). There are some pretty special things about this house and I wanted to shoot it for the book (those photos are to be kept a secret) so we teamed up with The Platform Experiment (an actual staging company) as well as some of our favorite vendors—Article, Lulu & Georgia, Serena & Lily, MidcenturyLA, The Citizenry, Shelfology (those super thin and awesome steel shelves up there are by them), and Lost & Found—to design, style, stage and shoot the entire house over two months. It’s not typically our business model to work for free for weeks just for pretty photos of styled out spaces, but we got a lot out of this special house that we are excited to show you so IT WILL BE WORTH IT (what we chanted throughout the whole process).

How to Stage a House With Soul to Sell

There are a lot people out there that will opt for, even fight for, a house with personality, style and soul and they will sacrifice space and function for it. Hell, have you met my closets? Our  FULL of soul and charm has the tiniest closets ever and I knew it and didn’t care because I wanted that house. But what if your house doesn’t have that much innate charm? Can you still style it with soul? YOU BETCHA. Here are some tips to help you stage or style whether your house has an inherent charm or not:

Give Your House a Muse.

A muse is kind of a more romantic (if not pretentious) way of saying a “theme” but more in the scope of a city an actual person. In this case, it’s a Modern New Orleans with a California bent. This means more old world antiques, deeper jewel tones, warm pinks, greens, and blues (carpet and a room you’ll see) and some drama throughout. But we’ve chilled it out with a lot of neutrals to give your eye a rest and some more streamlined pieces with hits of black to make it feel edgy and cool.

You might recognize that living room from the Target fall shoot we did there, where we rented out this house (how I learned about the location), and here it’s transformed with my favorite sectional from Article (I have the linen version up at the mountain house). The owners William and Amanda already had that pretty rug, and then we recovered their vintage chair from MidcenturyLA in a white Crypton fabric (those lines! so pretty). The wall sculpture is a collection that he found on a set he was working on and we, well, just hung them on the wall. Remember, a collection has a lot of impact when it’s displayed the right way like this. It’s just wood blocks, but it looks so cool.

Mix in Vintage and Antique Pieces.

Nothing groundbreaking here, just your daily reminder that vintage and antique pieces have good, storied energy that will make your house feel more like a home and give it soul. Where a piece of furniture or rug has been provokes an emotion in us that a new piece just can’t. Between The Platform Experiment, the rug dealer (CorreMarie) and our own collection (plus what William already had), this house had SO much beautiful vintage. We borrowed that chair from MidcenturyLA and I want that painting SO BADLY (perhaps a gift for designing/styling your house for free?).

Balance That Vintage With More Streamlined Pieces.

In order for a house to feel balanced and therefore be attractive to as many people as possible (what you want when you are staging), you want to hold the reigns on having too many decorative details. That antique lamp needed to be balanced out with a modern, streamlined side table and a simple upholstered bed (both from we borrowed from Lulu & Georgia). William found that textile tapestry at a flea market and hung it to draw your eye up (I’m still on the fence about it, wishing that the black parts weren’t so high contrast though I understand that traditionally, Kuba cloths are), but also please note the pendant, in the original style of the house. By the way, that exposed turret ceiling you see (round, so special) was previously just your average 8-foot ceiling. ISN’T THAT CRAZY? They busted through and exposed it and it’s just stunning. I know you are dying to see more of this house, I’m sorry!! We have to have a lot of original photos for the book so I have to hold them (and it’s hard to do, folks).

Rethink Your Dead Zones.

This “home office” is actually just a basement that we turned ad hoc studio/office space and it’s soooo cool. William and his team had worked down here at some point, but it was a storage room when we started the project. They put in a window a while ago, but mostly they just painted the ceiling black (to disguise the pipes, etc) the walls white and poured new concrete. We will be doing a whole reveal of this room as it doesn’t really fit in the book so stay tuned for that in the coming weeks. We borrowed those desks from Lulu & Georgia (so great, with a lot of hidden side storage) and warmed it up with the chairs, also from Lulu & Georgia.

For this space, we used William as our “muse” and styled it out with drawings and props from his career. Again, more on that later. Okay fine, ONE MORE:

MAN. I love that shot. That was wasted space (a “dead” zone) so they put up wood with what seems to be venting but how insanely cool does that look? VERY. The dining chairs (from Article) bring in that cool edgy matte black via the leg frames and leather seat.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take Some Risks.

A pink room to stage and sell a house? IT’S OKAY. At this point, whoever buys this house will likely be REALLY into it and it will be an emotional purchase. It will be someone who gets this style and normally people who “get style” also know how easy it is to repaint a room.

But this room color is SO pretty so we couldn’t bear to paint it back to white (it’s Benjamin Moore’s Odessa Pink). We had an abundance of eclectic art so we went with a gallery wall up over that antique style daybed from Lulu & Georgia (which fit perfectly in this smaller room). We let the gallery wall be the focus and kept all the textiles more simple and neutral (all of those are from The Platform Experiment as is the side table—they have such great pieces with a lot of character and soul).

So yes, we took a risk and added even more drama to a pink room but it’s an absolute JOY to be in and has so much depth and interest, even though it’s on the smaller side.

And we didn’t stop there…

It’s Okay to Be Bold.

I’m still under the impression that almost everyone loves blue so I think this is not only okay to do but actually something that can really add value. We will be doing a whole post about how to create a super chic moody bedroom and why this works (versus just looking like a cave), so again (sorry), stay tuned. But I had to show you this shot because it’s so editorial and dreamy (as is that chair we borrowed from Lulu & Georgia, draped with that tasseled throw from Serena & Lily).

There is so much more that I can’t wait to show you but I have to hold on more photos for the following reasons:

A. Not all the images are edited (but we wanted to announce the sale) so those of you in LA could go to the open house.

B. We are saving some posts for full reveals coming soon!

C. We have to save bathrooms and kitchen for the book. We don’t want you guys buying the book and then being like “wait, I’ve seen ALL OF THIS.” As someone who is notoriously bad about keeping a GOOD secret (I can keep your bad ones), this is hard for me.

If you live in LA and want to take a peek at in person, or if you are in the market for a very family-friendly, beautiful, special house with a view and a flat back grassy yard, head to an open house this weekend they’re having (we’ll link up the information as soon as it’s live so come back later today for that). I have nothing to do with the sale, just proud of the EHD Team + Platform work here.

For anyone interested, the house is a combined 1,940 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths with a basement office (with a bathroom), is in one of the most desirable school districts (Dahlia in Eagle Rock) and has views of THE Eagle Rock. It’s not huge but it sure is special. Contact listing agent Lauren Reichenberg at 310.503.0580 for more information and be sure to check back later today for the listing link for all details (including price, floorplan and open house hours).

***photography but Sara Tramp for EHD, art direction by me, styling assistance by Velinda Hellen and Erik Staalberg

 

The post How We Staged a House (To Sell) With Soul + Some Sneak Peeks appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Before & After: How We Took a $20 Thrifted Chair & Made it Cool Again

Earlier this year, when we did our reader survey, literally thousands of you begged us to do more simple projects (or what we call internally “micro projects”). You also requested in hoards that we do more vintage and second-hand-focused blog posts so that’s what we’re here for today, folks. Double whammy. You might have noticed that I’ve been deep in the thrifting and flea market-ing game lately (hope you didn’t miss this past Saturday’s post) partly as a result of what you guys asked for but mostly because it’s ALL I actually ever want to do.

So today, we’re trying something different we hope you’re into. We picked up that safari chair up there for $20 last month at the St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles thrift store because that is a steal of a deal. Sure, the high-gloss cherry finish on the frame screamed 2002 and made the black canvas seat and back look faded and dingy (which, to be fair, it was…nothing a little wash couldn’t fix, though), but it was in great shape and pretty clean…it just needed a little kick in the tush in terms of style and bringing it into 2019.

[image error]

Did I mention this was $20?!? For a chair that, in the right finish, could go for at least a few hundred in a retail boutique in LA? I’m no chump. So it came home with me and myself and Emily Bowser from my team helped to give this lady a refresh. We love a good cheap makeover around here.

It was a pretty simple process (which is outlined below), and in my usual fashion, there were some mistakes made that we learned from along the way and will share with you. But ultimately, we just hope seeing what can be done with a little vision, a little cash and a little sanding/staining will make you want to run out this weekend and see what you can find to make your own. I’m your official flea market and thrift store ambassador…just go hunt. You never know what you’ll find or what you can turn it into. Okay, PSA over. Let’s get into how we rehabbed this baby and what everyone wants to see…the “after.”

Step 1: Find a chair that has solid bones-slash a silhouette you’re into. If this is your first DIY rodeo, we don’t recommend spending a fortune here, so the twenty buckeroos I spent on this felt like a worthy investment should things go south (though I’ve done this enough, I knew it wouldn’t).

Step 2: We knew we wanted to get rid of that shiny cherry finish, so we went to town sanding the frame once we took it apart. (Quick note: take pictures of the process of taking something like this apart because it was actually a little bit of a puzzle putting it back together, more than you would think). We used 100 grit sandpaper for the bulk of the job and finished it with a finer 220 grit we put on my trusty DeWalt orbital sander. For the harder to reach areas, we used angled sanding blocks. Definitely use face masks and protective glasses! Was there purple-y dust everywhere during the process? Yes, but we persevered because we were confident in the final prize of a rad chair. We sanded…and sanded…and sanded.

Step 3: You might see this photo and think…”wait, why is this all of a sudden a weird red? Did someone spill their Kool-Aid all over perfectly sanded wood?” No my friends, we just couldn’t leave well enough alone. The purple tone persisted so we decided to try a paint stripper. In theory, this should have worked. We used a paintbrush (make sure you wear protective mask, glasses and gloves!) to apply and let it sit overnight, knowing this situation was INTENSE. In the morning, we used a scraper to remove the stain and remove it did…except somehow it was worse?? It was even more purple. Here is the part of the post where I say DO AS I SAY NOT AS I DO. Maybe we needed to do it a few times, or maybe the wood was too raw, or maybe this wood was just TOO stained?? This whole step could have been skipped. Just go straight from sanding to staining (well, wipe down after sanding, of course, to reduce sawdust).

Step 4: Stain that puppy. Stain it dark enough to cover any undertones, like, literally stain it black. We used Minwax Ebony which required two coats. I highly recommend you do this outside because of the fumes and definitely put down a cloth to avoid transferring black onto everything you own. Wear nothing precious, protective glasses, face mask, oh, and WEAR GLOVES unless you want black fingertips for two weeks. Also, as we were doing this, Emily Bowser and I kept saying “wait, why don’t we stain things more” as in, instead of painting. We will forever just stain everything black now. You’ve been warned.

There are a few more steps you’re not seeing in the last grid (we had to take the chair apart to fully sand, strip and stain the dowels that held the canvas seat and back, plus we cleaned the canvas which left it looking worn but in a cool, purposeful way), including the moment between stripping the wood and staining it where we thought maybe we’d leave it oak colored, but it was just too pink. Hence why we stained the whole frame black, and we’re happy we did, because here’s the finished product…

Maybe we’re all biased, but no one here thinks this looks like a $20 chair…what do you think? It could ABSOLUTELY be at least $300…so if you think about it, we just saved $280…that’s how it works, right?!? Styled in this corner of my living room, with my new antique oil lady, it’s such a cool juxtaposition. Throw in an ottoman for ultimate lounging, and you’ve got yourself a little reading/podcast listening nook. (Oh, and for anyone who might ask, the dress is vintage and these are my absolute new favorite sneaker).

Here is the before and after side by side because that’s the real fun in these kinds of projects. Like seeing a poorly lit frowning face next to a professionally photographed and made up face advertising a “miracle” serum in a late night infomercial. Except there’s no asterisk here or trick of the eye. Just a genuine refresh of something that was already pretty great…a make-under really.

Thanks to Emily Bowser for helping throughout the process, and like I said earlier, I hope you’re inspired to get your hands busy in the near future with a thrifted treasure. Have fun, and tag us using #ShowEmYourDIY if you finish something this weekend.

The post Before & After: How We Took a $20 Thrifted Chair & Made it Cool Again appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Unexpected Trend We’re Seeing That Makes Any Room Instantly Timeless

Hi, everyone. It’s me, Laurren, here again to talk color. More specifically, brown. A few weeks ago, when we first met and I brought you this post about fun color combos, we didn’t once discuss brown. I’m going to right that wrong today by devoting a whole post to the hue because… IT’S BAAAAAAACK!

Well, maybe it’s not fully back, but its bags are packed and it’s headed this way.

If you’re thinking “But Laurren! Brown has been back for a while as evidenced here and here and here and here…” You’re not wrong! Things have warmed up over the years. We’ve seen a shift from painted furniture and cooler color palettes to spaces that include blonde-toned woods and earthy textiles and paint choices.

But I’m not talking the golden-hued teak credenzas or camel-colored leather sofas of recent years. (That’s all still great though.) I’m talking brown brown…deeper, darker, richer hues, from terra cotta and mahogany to walnut and chocolate and everything in between.

If you never thought this day would come, where we’re taking a deep dive into brown and, dare I say, actually kind of crushing on it all…I didn’t either, despite knowing that in the world of design—both in interiors and fashion—things are constantly cycling, with most trends emerging as a counter-reaction to another. Sure, brown is always around in some capacity. Furniture is, after all, most often made of wood, lol, but shades and tones and the way and quantity in which it’s used certainly fluctuates. I mean, literally everything can come in brown—furniture, floors, walls, upholstery, textiles, cabinetry—and in the ‘70s, everything kinda did.

Things were generally pretty drab before the 1950s. Not devoid of color completely, but it was expensive to dye textiles and plastics had yet to be invented, so things took a VERY colorful turn in the ‘50s and ‘60s as new materials emerged. In the ‘70s, folks were like NO THANK YOU and the motto became “wood panel it all!” The retina-scarring ‘80s ushered in the ‘90s country kitchen shortly followed by the all-Tuscan-everything that shook the early 2000s (SO.MUCH.BEIGE). We’re still recovering from that last one. For a good decade, painted furniture and the all-white kitchen/bathroom/everything have dominated homes and Pinterest boards around the world, so it seems only natural that a big shift is on the horizon.

image source

How do we know it’s happening? We’ve seen some retailers like CB2 beginning to carry darker wood pieces, but fashion is generally the best indicator of what’s on the agenda decor-wise since trends often trickle down from there. And lately, fashion has been all about brown…

image sources, top row: left | middle | right. image source, bottom row: left | middle | right

As you can see in these images from recent fashion weeks, tone-on-tone is definitely a thing and you’ll never go wrong pairing brown with red, but it’s that brown/teal/red combo at bottom left that really has my heart going pitter patter.

You didn’t come for the fashion, though, so let’s move along. Furniture seems like a logical place to start…

image source | design by alison davin

In the above image, mismatched pieces in varying wood tones pair with woven accents to create a rustic-boho space that feels decidedly different from the wood-heavy minimalist vibe currently dominating Instagram.  (You know the look: matching light wood furniture, sunset hues, ceramics galore.) Not that we don’t appreciate those spaces—we do—but, there is something about exclusively outfitting a room with pieces in a singular tone, material or style that, no matter how carefully chosen, can feel a little “done-in-a-day,” if ya know what I mean. The dining space above might not garner all the internet “likes,” but its sophisticated, collected-over-time feel will definitely help it hold up in the long haul.

image source | design by katie de stefano

From the walls to the furniture to the textiles, the chic bedroom pictured above, in all its dark, chocolate-y glory, is a glaring style contrast to the more casual dining space discussed at top. It can be hard to get away with SO MUCH of the same hue, but it works here in large part thanks to the visual counter courtesy of that white upholstered headboard. (Imagine, for a moment, if the whole bedframe was iron? Very different story.) The wood finish on that French nightstand is very similar to the grasscloth-clad walls but that sliver of white from the table’s marble top is what keeps the piece from getting lost in the shuffle. It’s the little things in design, you guys.

image source | design by barlow and barlow

If you worry about darker wood furnishings—particularly antiques—feeling stuffy or visually heavy, consider repurposing a piece in an unexpected way. Set against glossy tiles and topped with a bubbly vessel sink, the strong and stately console-table-turned-vanity pictured above tones down the playfulness of the room’s chipper pink-and-green palette.

image source | design by mandy reeves

If you’d prefer to dip your toes back into brown rather than dive head first, take a cue from the bathroom above: there are a lot of pretty things happening here (That pendant light! That claw-foot tub!) but, upon first glance, your eyes instantly land on that beautiful mahogany china cabinet, am I right or am I right? That’s thanks to the space’s all-white color palette—it provides the breathing room needed for that beautiful antique to become the strong focal point it was always meant to be. (FYI the wall paint is Montgomery White by Benjamin Moore.) I think it’s also important to note that, though an unconventional choice for a bathroom, that Turkish rug goes a long way toward making this whole thing work. (The cabinet is pretty big and could feel a little jarring as the room’s only flash of warmth.)

image source | design by norm architects

It’s not all about wood pieces, though. Here, a not-quite-terra-cotta sofa teams up with cooler shades of gray to warm up this stunningly stark office space designed by Danish studio Norm Architects for Kinfolk magazine. It’s a surprisingly versatile brown—lighter and redder in shade—and would lend itself to a range of design styles. We particularly love how well it plays with the thread of royal blue found in the two (very different) rooms pictured below.

image source | design by studio esteta
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With the popularity of all-white interiors came, perhaps, the most asked and agonized over question in all of design: should you paint original wood-toned trim/moldings/doors? We get why the thought ruffles feathers, but we also get why someone would want to do it. (Sometimes you just don’t want that much contrast between trim and walls okay?!) If that last sentence made you say to yourself “who let this lady in here??!!!” then you’ll be happy to know times may be a changin’, as we’re seeing more and more folks embracing original finishes and sometimes even choosing to install wood-toned trim where it once wasn’t. And we’ve gotta say: it’s pretty darn dreamy.

image source | design by case design

Here’s an example in a more minimal design scenario. A big part of why this works is that there is no molding where the wall meets the ceiling to detract from the sleek aesthetic and the gray plaster walls balance all the warmth with a hit of cool.

image source | design by peter benson miller

Moving on to the topic of flooring, I don’t know that brown patterned floors are a thing, but this space—well, actually this entire home—is so, so beautiful I couldn’t not include it. So let’s just call it…brown patterned floors…they’re happening…ish.

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What makes the room pictured above different from all-wood spaces of years past—outside of the fact that it’s, you know, actual wood—is the shift in pattern between the flooring and wall molding and the fact that the wood doesn’t lean particularly warm or cool in tone. A palette of three very “now” hues—terra cotta, blush, and lilac—help to soften the serious, minimally furnished space and the white ceiling lifts everything.

image source | design by int2 architecture

The kitchen above takes the wood treatment allllllll the way up to the celling—and man is it good. Again, this is in large part thanks to the change up in pattern—it just wouldn’t feel as special or as current without the herringbone design wedged in the middle to break things up. Plus, this is likely real wood (even if just veneer), unlike the faux wood paneling of decades past. Clean, modern finishes in pastel-y hues provide the contrast needed to keep things from going in a more rustic direction.

image source | design by park & oak

For your noncommittal folks, the kitchen above is a stunning example of how to tiptoe into the wood wall treatment. (Doesn’t it feel like whatever goes on those shelves just instantly becomes EXTRA special?)

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Of course, we’d be remiss to talk color without talking paint. Here, deep brown walls with an almost chalky finish amp up the drama of simple bedding and furnishings.

image source | design by charles rutherfoord

While the furnishings in the dining space pictured above aren’t something the EHD team typically gravitates toward, the lighter, more cocoa-toned wall color is no doubt very enticing and could definitely translate to a variety of design styles. (The paint is Vicalvi’s Havane in a matte finish, which might be hard to get in the States. Maybe try something like Log Cabin by Benjamin Moore.)

image source | design by ferm living

Here in the living room of “The Home,” the Copenhagen show apartment of the Danish Brand Ferm Living, moody blue-gray walls are topped with a is-it-brown-or-is-it-burgundy? celling. It’s a bold, beautiful treatment best suited for larger spaces. (Though it could feel super cozy in a smaller bedroom.) The blue and gray furniture really perfects the room’s color palette.

image source | design by dimore studio

Shades of brown + green + steely blue-grey with a hint of pink—I guess I’ll have to file this color combo under missed opportunities, as evidenced by the two-toned space pictured above. It’s both cozy and dynamic.

image source | design by jdp interiors

We can’t forget about wallpaper! A busy brown print like the one pictured above might be a little much in a larger space, but in a powder room, it feels just right. We’re on board with the neutral palette used here but also wouldn’t hate to see how a bolder pop of color would pair with the print.

image source | design by kelly wearstler

The color of this abstract graphic wallpaper—it’s Graffito by Kelly Wearstler—is called “salmon” but definitely feels like more of a light cocoa in this photo, so let’s just go with that, okay? The use of color, texture and pattern makes the room feel delightfully rich and layered.

image source | design by edward bulmer

Because I don’t know where to fold in a discussion about this brown wood-topped bathtub, I’m just going to leave it here as a parting gift to you. : )

Almost 2,000 words later…whew! We made it. Thanks for hanging in there. Are you convinced yet? A brown convert? I just realized I didn’t really touch on cabinetry, but you gotta stop somewhere! Tell me your feelings—do you think brown is back? Do you think it never really went away? Do you have horror stories of brown rooms past? Spill it because while tons of these rooms sell brown hard, we know it works in very specific instances, and all of you aren’t currently running out right now to brown up your spaces.

The post The Unexpected Trend We’re Seeing That Makes Any Room Instantly Timeless appeared first on Emily Henderson.

It’s Finally Here: The Reveal of the Mountain House Kitchen

I feel like I’m about to give a wedding toast for my daughter who after four mediocre boyfriends/wedding attempts has now found and married the love of her life. There is a lot of emotion, relief, happiness and SO MUCH PRIDE wrapped up in this kitchen—and you know that’s not that easy for me to say. I pushed myself, ran into obstacles, almost gave up on the dream (remember when the cabinets were going to be a classic shaker?) was rescued (by these folks) and now get to make so much soup inside this rustic-modern-Scandinavian-contemporary-minimalist-kitchen. I feel like the luckiest person on the planet.

There is a lot to get into here and you might just be scrolling past this to see the rest of the photos, but STOP AND RESPECT YOUR FORE-FATHERS/KITCHENS:

Our first inspiration were these:

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And then we thought we had a plan but as you can see from this post, there was a lot of design work before we even got to those final two.

For the I Design, You Decide, we had it down to two versions, here:

After you all voted for the white cabinet/black island combo, there were tons of comments about how all the little ridges would turn into grease and grime traps and you were right, so we made some adjustments and went with a plain white shaker:

There were a lot of “PLEASE NO!” but also a lot of “YES LOVE IT” but ultimately, it wasn’t what we really wanted. Then…I was SAVED by Ross Alan.

At the last minute, we were able to make it our dream kitchen with their real reclaimed wood on the cabinets and it turned into what it should have been all along:

So after a 3-week renovation and with a budget of $5,700, we turned it into our dream mountain house kitchen!

JUST JOKING WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS PROPERTY BROTHERS??? FLIP OR FLOP??

This kitchen, the whole house, took a YEAR, with one lead designer (me) + three design support/project managers (Julie, Grace and Velinda), a GC + many subs and while I don’t know how much it cost, I would say it’s anywhere between $50-$75k just for the kitchen. Yes, I’m very lucky I had some help with product placement (brands we love that we reached out to for product in exchange for exposure) but labor is labor, which is your main cost. Paying licensed, experienced craftspeople what they deserve will simply add up (and it should). I’m only telling you because perpetrating the lies of renovation costs and quick construction timing does nothing good for humanity, your marriage/budgeting nor your general mental health.

They say you can’t have “fast, affordable and good.” You can often have two out of the three, and in this case, ultimately what we got was just the one: GOOD, but to be fair, I love it and will even go as far to say it’s “VERY GOOD.” Our contractor Jeff Malcom (of Malcom Enterprises), and architect John Lyles, did a fantastic job, full of high-quality workmanship. But high-quality takes time, especially when you are working with such custom finishes and appliances.

But enough! Let’s talk finishes…AS A WARNING, there is a lot to breakdown, especially with wordy-mc-wordy here writing it, so today’s post is just about the finishes, and we’ll cover how we integrated all the appliances and the coffee bar/dry bar very soon, as well as all the interior organization of the cabinetry.

The Reclaimed Wood Cabinets & Flooring:

I have to immediately start this with Ross Alan Reclaimed Lumber, a young family-owned custom reclaimed wood and furniture builder in Los Angeles who made our kitchen (and ceiling/floor) dreams truly come true. We had the layout all done and even some of the boxes built when they came into the picture. This was the original intent for the house, but I had never done wood before nor did I know how to do it, so we ultimately had settled on a classic shaker.

They said “calm down, of course we can put our beautiful reclaimed wood on the cabinet fronts.” What we used here is a 200-year-old reclaimed beechwood from a barn in Ohio and we were able to work with our local cabinetmaker to get them installed and looking, frankly PERFECT.

Ross, pictured below, happened to be up there the day that we were shooting so we got him in a photo (we missed you Georgie!):

But I don’t want this to just be a post of TADA HERE’S OUR NEW FANCY KITCHEN without respecting the process, the design agonies, the decisions, and give you tips on how it works. We touched base with Ross and Georgie so they can walk through the steps you should know about what went into making this dream kitchen a reality (with a big grid of photos of all the “ugly” stuff before it had it’s makeover montage and turned into a prom queen):

Find a local reclaimed wood dealer (or work with Ross Alan, if you’re local—highly recommended). If you don’t want that more typical reclaimed wood (like us), they will need to mill off the top and bottom pieces to get the fresh middle. This is usually out of beams that are really thick and have been de-nailed, and then they use the offcuts for paneling or other projects.
For the cabinet fronts, they planned 1/4″ veneers which were then applied to 3/4″ baltic birch plywood doors (this yielded a 1″ finished product). To create that continuous flow of wood grain from floor to ceiling, they had to take a sample of each piece used when they were installing the top portion of the cabinets back to the shop and find pieces with the same characteristics, coloring and sizing to line it up perfectly with the doors so it looked like one solid piece was used from ceiling to floor. It was tricky, but they made it happen.
As mentioned, the 1/4″ veneers were applied to the plywood doors using glue and 23-gauge pin nails with a nail gun. They then filled in the cracks and crevices with a walnut wood filler.
After the doors were assembled, they were sanded down and received two brush-on coats and two wiped-on coats of a water-based matte finish polyurethane (they sanded between every coat applied). At this point, the doors were ready to be installed onto the cabinet boxes.
All the trim was done on site and applied the same way.

According to Ross Alan, the cost for material ranges between $9-$12.50 a square foot (depending on the accent material chosen). To clad, finish and install the cabinet doors, it was $65 a square foot, and the island cladding installation was $14 a square foot (in addition to the material costs).

For the island, we used Ross Alan’s corral and snow fence boards which were milled to 5/16″. Because that wood is naturally grayish with a lot of variation, we went with an ebony stain so that it would be more refined. The photo on the bottom left was actually us testing out what a heavily textured wood would look like in black, but for the finished product, it was NOT painted.

The wide planks are FULL of texture and character (I wish you could see how great they are IRL), but in all black, juxtaposed with the lighter beechwood throughout makes it SO special and modern. We finished it off with a few coats of water-based matte polyurethane to keep it from losing color and also to protect it from water, kids, etc.

That matte finish means there is NO shine, so all you see is the beauty of the reclaimed wood, and there was barely any color change from unfinished product to sealed product.

The Countertops:

We had a marble all picked out when we thought we were going to have shaker painted cabinets, but once we went to this reclaimed wood, we felt that we had enough texture so we switched to Cambria (in their matte Cliff White) and I literally couldn’t be happier. I know that stone is a lifestyle choice and it’s one that we made for our but I’ll say it again: things that age look better in older style homes (unless you have a full staff to maintain and clean up after you). So for this house, which feels mid-century/brand new, going with a quartz which is far more durable felt like the better move. With the plain cabinets, I was concerned there wouldn’t be enough visual texture, but like I said, once we made the switch to the wood, that opened us up to go with something simpler like a quartz.

This Cambria quartz is so beautiful and far more durable than a natural high-maintenance marble (it’s a composite stone, which makes it stronger). Plus, it looks so clean and refined.

The faucet from Kohler is beautiful and brought in one of three hits of brass in the room (which is just enough for a mountain house). That bridge shape is just so pretty, and I love the Vibrant Polished Brass finish. As a reminder, as part of my partnership with the brand, I was able to preview their finish to order program which means I can personalize select faucets by first choosing a style I really loved and then bringing it to life in a finish of my choice, which is then made to order (you can visit your local Kohler Signature Store or Kohler Experience Center to learn more about the program).

For anyone wondering why we put the sink (also from Kohler) in the island, take a minute and read our kitchen layout post but I will tell you this—it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and here’s why:

THE DISHES ARE ALWAYS DONE…mostly because I’m always standing there waiting for my soup to cook, talking to whatever guests are sitting on the stools. So I keep the kitchen clean. all. day. Whereas if it were along the window wall, I would put it off because I wouldn’t be able to talk AND do the dishes at the same time.

The Lighting:

The island pendant is the Ellis Light from Katy Skelton (please note the leather wrapping) and is so beautiful and everyone, LITERALLY everyone, I know wants it. It isn’t meant to give off all the light in the world so we have track lighting for the island and the window wall counter. The sconces are The Urban Electric Co. and bring in that super modern lantern vibe that I love.

The matte black ties in with the island pendant and the brass plays well with the brass plate on the Allied Maker flushmounts over the peninsula (and that Kohler faucet). Because there were a lot of “lighting moments,” keeping everything linear or smaller was important as to not overwhelm the space. Those little mini dome ceiling lights were also great as not to block the view between the kitchen and the living room.

The Window & Door:

The window and door are both white oak, from Marvin and yes, as beautiful in real life as they look in these photos. You will be hearing a lot about them this year because what those windows did for the house was nothing short of transformative. The style (the pretty wood!), the different functions, the insulation, the amount of beautiful natural light in there is just insane because of the windows.

The door (this is a side door that opens up to a set of stairs leading to the driveway) was custom designed by us (which is easy to do with Marvin) and as you can tell, it’s STUNNING.

Speaking of light, look up and you’ll see two skylights (from Velux) bringing even more much-needed light into the previously very dark kitchen. They were covered in snow a week before this shoot but don’t worry, they are absolutely designed to withstand all the elements and when you are standing at the cooktop (more on appliances in another post, but this is from Viking with a built-in, pop-up downdraft that we got via Build.com), it’s the most perfect soft light ever.

The Seating:

The final mix of stools ended up being PERFECT. They both “go away” in the most perfect way, keeping the space feeling as big and open as possible but at the same time, they are BOTH so comfortable! People sit for hours and hours and hours at the island while I cook soup after soup after soup.

Had I gone with a natural wood color at the island, it might have taken away from the wow-factor of the ebony-stained wood, but with the black-on-black stool (from Industry West), they blend in seamlessly. Same goes for the Article stools are the peninsula. The tan leather (which is buttery soft, FYI) and the light wood frame work so, so well with the reclaimed wood cladding.

All the Details:

The Light Switches:

The light switches and outlets are from Forbes and Lomax and I never knew how cool I could feel dimming the lights. It’s not a necessity but if it’s in your budget, it’s lovely to look at and functions so well.

The Hardware:

We used a combination of small and large handles, knobs and ledge pulls that we sourced through Schoolhouse. They are all in the same matte black finish and the mix makes it feel so custom, special and still streamlined.

I think the big star here is Ross Alan and the integrated appliances we sourced through Build.com, which you’ll learn about next week. This kitchen is a warm modern dream of a room and I feel utterly unworthy to be cooking soup in it.

I know the work that went into it was intense. The time and budget weren’t nothing and the help was extreme. So I want to give a huge thanks to Julie, Velinda and Grace for working so hard on this project. It was such a learning curve for me, and I hope to impart all of our lessons to you, if you are interested.

I hope you guys know me well enough to know that when I say I couldn’t love this kitchen more, it’s 100% the truth. I walk into this room and breath a larger breath than I thought my lungs could hold. Nothing is perfect in life but when you get close to it, you would be remiss to not recognize how lucky you are. I can’t wait for the winner of I Design, You Decide to come up here and let me tour you around this house for hours. Speaking of which we are now opening that up to many more winners (not for a full 5 days but for a day visit/party…we’ll reveal more as soon as we start to lock logistics down). I’m just so grateful that this is my job. I kinda want one big EHD reader house party/rager. Stay tuned…

Meanwhile, I know there is a lot to cover so please ask all questions in the comments and if you are so inclined, please share. And if you want even more of the mountain house kitchen reveal, hop on over to House Beautiful who ran an exclusive interview and story on the space.

Resources

Finishes:

Pure White by Sherwin-Williams | Cambria White Cliff Matte Quartz Countertop | Dry Bar & Coffee Bar Countertop by Bedrosians Tile & Stone | Brick Wall Tile by Bedrosians Tile & Stone | Reclaimed Beechwood Flooring by Ross Alan Reclaimed Lumber | Reclaimed Beechwood Cabinetry Cladding by Ross Alan Reclaimed Lumber | Island Black-Stained Reclaimed Wood Cladding by Ross Alan Reclaimed Lumber

Appliances (all via Build.com):

Viking 36″ Built-In Natural Gas Cooktop with 36″ Built-in Downdraft Ventilation | Viking Panel Ready Dishwasher | Viking Panel Ready Ice Maker | Viking Panel Ready Refrigerator | Marvel Panel Ready Refrigerator Drawers | Edgestar Wine Cool | Viking Double Electric Wall Oven

Lighting:

Ellis Pendant Light by Katy Skelton | Vic Sconces by The Urban Electric & Co. | Mini Dome Sconce in Brass and Opal by Allied Maker

Furniture:

Esse Counter-Height Stool in White Oak by Article | Sling Counter Stool in Black Leather/Black Metal by Industry West

Fixtures & Hardware:

Purist Faucet in Vibrant Polished Brass by Kohler | Whitehaven Apron Sink by Kohler | 4″ and 8″ Ledge Pulls by Schoolhouse | Knurled Knob by Schoolhouse | Edgecliff Pull by Schoolhouse | Edgecliff Appliance Pull by Schoolhouse | Switches and Outlets in Antique Bronze by Forbes and Lomax

Windows & Doors:

Sliding Picture Window by Marvin | Custom Side Door by Marvin | Skylight by Velux

*Catch up on all mountain house posts here, and don’t miss the first reveal of the kids’ bedroom here. 

The post It’s Finally Here: The Reveal of the Mountain House Kitchen appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Summer Is Coming…They Said As They Drooled Over Emily’s Life-Changing Swimsuit

image source | design by michelle nussbaumer

Happy spring folks! Now that it’s after the vernal equinox, we’re basically required to talk about it as often as possible until it gets so hot, we just roll over into complaining about it instead. Example: After a big ole sunny tease of a weekend (last weekend when it was 85), we were immediately brought right back to reality with the need for sweaters and umbrellas. WEATHER TALK IS FASCINATING, HUH? Anyhow, a happy bright (SPRINGY) spot in our week was the celebration of three EHD team member’s birthdays and us reaching 780K Instagram followers (THANK YOU!). It was great because we were finally ALL together. With all the recent shoots, we’re all damn near strangers with half of the team being out of the office multiple times a week. Needless to say, it was a very happy reunion.