Emily Henderson's Blog, page 264

My “Casual, Comfortable, Cool” Spring Weekend Wardrobe

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The first round of spring fashion is here and while I’m not ready to go all out with florals yet (but will be so soon), this feels like a good transition from winter to spring, with a few staples that I’ve never tried (MOTO JACKET! HIGH TOP CONVERSE!). I wanted this post to showcase some outfits that would be somewhat of a stretch for me, because let’s face it, chambray-all-day habits are hard to break. Luckily, my super stylish friend Suzanne Thune helped pull together some looks that I felt good in and could actually see myself wearing in real life.

Let’s start with my first moto jacket (above) which is a big hit with the French bulldog contingent. I’ve never been that into moto jackets mainly because they never fit me well. I have secret boobs and they always felt so constricting, but this one has more room (but is still tailored) and I have worn it three times since. It edges up any outfit especially a more casual one like this (but I am sure can be easily paired with a dress for a really cool date night look).

Those shoes are my new go-to sneakers and they really up the coolness factor with the platform and I also love how long and narrow they look. Dr. Scholls also has a great pair that is much more affordable (and very comfortable, I own those, too).

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These shorts are THE NEW SHORT for me. I love them so much I need to buy a backup pair just in case I lose them (or they fall apart…although I still have two pairs from last year that I will wear all the time, too). The top is my new favorite one from Ulla Johnson and while it is a splurge I have a strong feeling it will be like my red one from two years ago that I ended up wearing 100 times and STILL wear. It’s the right amount of boho for me and has that boxy blousy cut that I love. It’s also easy to care for because it never looks wrinkly so all I have to do is throw it on, no ironing necessary, AND works as a casual look with shorts, or a nighttime look with skinny jeans and heels.

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These overalls are very easy to wear, they don’t hug tightly in the belly (in fact, they fall in a really flattering way) and with the boxy blouse it feels so effortless, comfortable, but definitely looks put together. Plus, it’s not denim colored which is a change for me.

The shoes are new, from Frye, and I LOVE THEM. They are headed into the western trend but not too far (no studs or decorative doodads) and have the perfect amount of heel. Hot tip: pointy toes = longer leg, if you are into that (I am).

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This blouse is special. It’s from The Great where everything can seem a little basic and the prices are high and you think why would this be this much? but then you put it on and you are like oh, I see. These are actually the best sweats in the world. The shape and fit of everything they make are just so good. So this shirt may not look like much, but it IS. It is triangle shaped (so it’s even wider than the boxy cut—yay for me!) and the detail around the neck is lovely. Suzanne works at The Great so that’s why you’ll see a few of their pieces here (and yes I get a press discount but I do GENUINELY love the clothes and the women behind them). The brand is full of the casual, comfortable, flattering yet modern pieces that I am addicted to. So, if you like a drop crotch as much as I do, then head over to their beautiful store in WEHO and try everything on and tell me what you think. Oh, and ask for Suzanne.

Faux Florals & Plants: Yay or Yuck? Let’s Discuss…

Am I the only one that shudders at the mere mention of silk flowers? Look, I’m a child of the ’80s, with most of my formative “childhood home decor” years being in the ’90s, and those decades, for whatever reason (someone, please explain if you can) had a love affair with artificial plants of all kinds. Florals, indoor trees, topiaries, even outdoor plants. I seriously remember visiting some people’s homes in Florida (where the weather is mostly hospitable to greenery year-round, mind you) who had plastic flowers in their window boxes and “planted” along walking paths…WHY?!?!? Just thinking about this makes me sneeze…all the dust that accumulates in those petals. I have a very clear scent memory about that very specific dusty, plastic-y scent that’s hard to shake.

But guess what everyone? We’re now living in 2019, and faux florals and plants have gotten SO MUCH BETTER. Emily told us all a story recently that proves this point, plus had us all in stitches. I was going to regale you with her tale, but actually, it’s just better if she shares it herself:

“Last year, when we were visiting Brian’s parents, I was super impressed with the health of her orchid that she had for two years. When I asked her what the secret was, she said she kept it in the perfect light for orchids and that every time they went out of town, they brought it over to her neighbors to care for it, water it, etc. I felt it. It felt so real and healthy. I rethought the orchid once again, historically not loving it mostly because when it’s dormant it looks like sticks and yet you still have to care for two sticks so that it’ll rebloom eventually. I have two young kids and no time to care for sticks. The next time we were up there, she made the announcement to the family that indeed we had all been the fool of a faux flower conspiracy and that while it looked real and felt so real, it was in fact TOTALLY FAKE.”

I’ve seen plenty of artificial trees that are pretty passable (more on that in a bit), but this begs the question, just because you can, does it mean you should? If you asked me a few years back, I would have given faux plants (especially flowers) a hard pass. Veto. No thank you. But, you see those flowers up there? In that pretty wallpapered room that Emily designed last year? THOSE ARE FAKE. Would I be able to tell in person? Hmm, maybe?? But also…so what? (WHO AM I?). When I was prepping out this story, I asked Emily her opinion on it all as I tried to find my own words for the very important matter, see where she stood on so real vs. faux real (considering the orchid controversy), and here’s what she said:

“My 25-year-old self would look at me with such ‘you’ve changed’ shame. As someone who has historically been more obsessed with flowers than most, it seems quite absurd to be okay with the imitation taking the place of natural flower and greenery. While I historically have hated anything that was faux trying to be real, I’ve been convinced time and time again that IF DONE WELL, the faux can be better than the real: vegan leather is starting to look so good, polyester can absolutely look like linen, we use faux logs in our fireplace. If a fake plant or flower looks actually real then I say it’s fine to use, saves money in the long run and stress trying to keep it alive.”

While I don’t necessarily disagree, I do want to state very explicitly here before carrying on that nearly nothing can replace the delicate beauty of cut florals or real greenery. NOTHING. No one is arguing that here. But…is close enough good enough in some instances? I think my answer is yes. Because WHAT?!? THOSE PEONIES ARE FAKE UP THERE. Stop it. I would have bet a week’s worth of nitro cold brews that that arrangement up there was real. Usually the leaves give it away, but being so densely packed hid a lot in this instance. The slimming black outfit of the floral world?

So…what exactly are those instances, you might be wondering. Let’s dive in…

Here is TOP SECRET, BEHIND THE SCENES information: the roses in Emily’s vines up there…fake. Even the buds. Fake. They were brought in for last year’s 4th of July shoot for Rachael Ray Every Day and unless you looked up close, you’d never be able to tell. Honestly. Now, I’m not telling you all to run around, shoving silk roses and peonies into your bushes and vines, but if you’re after a more lush look in some of your existing plants and maybe having a party of some sort, there’s no shame in helping things along (like false lashes!). The key is using florals that would naturally occur. This is not the time to throw in some Birds of Paradise in a vine they clearly do not belong. It would be like adding hair extensions to a dog. Could you? I mean I guess…but why on earth would you?

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Both of those photos above are FULL of faux plants. The bookshelves…nearly all artificial, and the lesson here is, it’s totally okay to go faux in areas of your home that are either hard to reach (high open shelves in the kitchen or the top of bookcases, etc.) or you don’t spend a ton of time in but want a natural pop of green for looks. Could all of these potted plants have been real without much fuss + all the benefits living plants offer? Yes, probably, but another thing to think about is pets. So many house plants are actually quite toxic to our cats and dogs (you can find out more about which ones those are here), so this is a good solution if you want the boho jungle vibe without the worry.

Another EHD-approved time that faux florals and greens are 100%A-Okay is when the plant is OBVIOUSLY fake, but in a playful way. Last year, in staging out this bedroom for Target, they had some papier maché-esque cactus and they were very, very cute. These weren’t trying to fool anyone. They were purposefully quirky and such a fun decor piece that would be great in kids rooms or on a “shelfie,” for instance.

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Like Emily mentioned, when the real version and the faux versions are, at least from afar, very passable, and you happen to be a hopeless, negligent plant parent (no matter how much you try), go ahead…go plastic. Hot Tip: Don’t put two of the same faux plant too close together because they likely won’t be varied in shape or drape (they are mass produced, after all). Two same-same arrangements side-by-side would stand out as plainly as a palm tree in Alaska.

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The last instance I want to talk about where artificial plants are perfectly great is with hard-to-care-for varieties. If you’re a master green thumb, by all means bring in air-purifying natural beauties, but some plant species are notoriously finicky, especially if you’re a newbie or just don’t have the right indoor conditions for them (dark rooms, for example). The ever-popular fiddle leaf fig tree…not the most low-maintenance house plant out there, folks, yet people are obsessed with their looks and try regardless. There are actually some really good faux offerings on the market (Apartment Therapy did an in-house test and the most real-looking one they found was from World Market—the second one from the left…it’s pretty darn good).

Do note that you typically get what you pay for here. If you want artificial florals and plants that would fool even Emily, be prepared to spend, typically, several hundred dollars. Like I said earlier, poor quality leaves that look papery or too much like fabric with super plastic-y veins will hardly ever be passable for the real thing (if that’s what you’re going for).

I didn’t want to leave this post without discussing things to avoid when sourcing faux plants, and while the below are mostly extreme examples, there are still lessons to be learned.

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-Okay, so let’s start at the top left orchid arrangement. In general, I’d say avoid an “arrangement” to begin with, especially one that is so decorative. Simple is always best as not to attract doubt. The faux artichoke, sticks, wood ball thing…red flags that you’re dealing with a fake.

-Next up…ROSES ARE NOT KOOL-AID BLUE. If you’re considering a faux floral and it looks like it could match a popsicle, step away.

-So…vines like ivy are also tough. There’s something about them that feels especially stuffy and hard to pull off. The print on the leaf usually is just not spot on and there are too many opportunities to spot plastic stems.

-And finally, in the bottom right shot, while the flowers themselves are not offensive, you don’t have to stare too long to tell this is a plastic situation. As per usual, the leaves and stems are a dead giveaway. Florals with much denser petals are easier to pull off because you can pack them together, but with something airier like this…it’s so much harder to pull off.

Again, thank you 2019, because you have brought with you a plethora of very good and convincing artificial plants…

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With all these plants, I played a fun little game of “real or fake” with some of the team, and no one passed. Muahaha. Mission accomplished.

-The king protea at the top left of the above grid is such a great faux floral. That flower basically always looks fake, even when it’s real. I’ve literally stared at one recently, convinced it was FAKE (oh how the tables turn), and turns out it was REAL. So…solid choice if you want some “natural” vibes without going through cut flowers every week or two.

-The top middle sedum plant from Magnolia is also so so good. I could see it in a dark bathroom, bedroom or a spot like a laundry room where having a plant might be tough, but it just adds that movement so needed in some vignettes.

-That fern from West Elm (top right) has great texture for the faker that it is.

-In the bottom row, the jade plant on the left is probably the most convincing one of this whole bunch. Jade plants are so waxy and, like the protea, already look kind of fake, even when real, while this fiddle leaf fig—the World Market pick Apartment Therapy reported on—has a thick cluster of leaves that are varied with passable veins.

-The snake plant (which is actually a very easy plant to care for, though toxic to cats) fooled me, owner of many snake plants over the years.

Now, it’s time to hear from all of you. There really is no wrong answer here, but I’m itching to know where you stand on this front. Would you let faux florals and plants into your home, or are you staunchly “real or nothing”?? Can’t wait to see what you all think.

The post Faux Florals & Plants: Yay or Yuck? Let’s Discuss… appeared first on Emily Henderson.

7 Big Design Lessons (Ahem, My Mistakes) That Can Apply to Every Renovation

In every renovation (or large design project), you have to make 459,000 decisions at the same time and statistically not all of them can be right. Some of them you might notice in the moment, or soon after you move in but there are the things I’m writing about today I didn’t notice for over a year OR TWO. So obviously these aren’t a huge deal, but a huge part of having less regrets is simply experience, and the last three years with three renovations taught me a lot and it’s stuff that I want to share (so you can at least have the knowledge to avoid those same mistakes). Some aren’t a big deal, some are. Some are worth changing, some aren’t.

So here are the seven lessons, with the level of regret, level of annoyance/cost to fix and whether I am going to change it or not.

Lesson #1: Watch the Scale of Your Lighting

I have an issue with scale, which I didn’t realize until recently. The semi-flush mount lights in my master bedroom, the kids’ shared room and the playroom are all too big. While I like the simplicity of these lights a lot (and I would absolutely use them in a different project), they are too big for these rooms mostly because the height of the ceiling is standard and these hang down about 16″ and are 20″ wide. Their presence feels too big when you are in the room and visually they really stop your eye thus making the room look almost smaller. Had they been glass or a fixture with arms instead (essentially less “visual weight”) the size could have worked. I also fear this is trend-driven as smaller light fixtures are trending right now…but I just wish these had less presence and didn’t stop my eye when the windows are really what you want to look at here. We need the light, but I don’t want to see it as much.

Level of Regret (1 being low, 10 high): 6

Level of Difficulty to Change: 3. It’s the cost of the light, of course, + one handyperson labor which would probably be 1/2 hour each light. Hot life tip: BECOME A HANDYPERSON. Boy are good ones few and far between and at this point the going rate in LA for a GREAT one is $60/hour. I’m desperate for one that is actually available if anyone knows anyone. I will NOT share this info if you give it to me, I promise.

Will I Change It? Yes. We are redesigning Charlie’s room right now to be a shared room with Birdie so I will likely switch it out and I’m FINALLY designing the playroom that I’ve put off (much to my own embarrassment because it’s the first room you see when you walk in).

And yes, the sconces are too big so they will also be reconsidered. I will donate everything to Pen + Napkin who will install them in a home of a family who is transitioning out of homelessness. They will go to a good home, I promise.

Lesson #2: Don’t Mix Too Many Flooring Materials…

…thus chopping up the space and making it feel smaller. Let me put a huge caveat on this: older homes with tons of charm have different finishes on floors and in a way, it’s what makes them feel more custom and charming. However, when you have an open floor plan a house will feel more seamless and thus bigger if you reduce anything that stops your eye and chops up a space. Now, does that mean you shouldn’t have tile in a powder bath? Nope. Go for it. But you don’t need to and wood is fine in a powder room as there is no bath/shower. I learned this at the by our contractor because we were going to put tile in the powder room and he asked “Why? It will only chop up the first floor, cost more in labor and materials, and it’s not necessary.” All good points. We didn’t and yes it makes everything just feel more seamless. Do not rip out your 70-year-old vintage tile that you love, but this is something to consider if you are renovating.

In our house, you can see THREE different flooring finishes from the front door—the wood flooring, the penny tile in the powder and the cement tile in the laundry room. After two weeks up at the mountain house, I came back and this house felt small and messy, chaotic somehow and I realized that this is one of the reasons. It could have been more simple. The penny tile is fine but yes white grout on a first level bathroom wasn’t my smartest move. Then in the laundry room, the cats (RIP) would relieve themselves on the floor all the time despite our custom cat box and the porous cement floors are kinda ruined (don’t put cement floors in high dirt/traffic areas unless you really love the aged/stained look).

Level of Regret: 5. I want it all to be the same floor but since I didn’t notice this “mistake” for almost two years, it must not have bothered me that much.

Level of Difficulty to Change: 9. It’s the inconvenience of construction + days or weeks of labor with multiple subcontractors. It requires demo, removing the toilet, vanity, washer/dryer and closet system to put down wood flooring of which I don’t have so not only would I have to buy then stain to match OMG I JUST FELL ASLEEP.

Will I Change It? Nope. It would require so much money, time and annoyance. Besides, it’s just not that big of a deal. But it’s something I think is good for others to consider. Again, also know that if you do the same floor throughout your house and the same tile in every bathroom, it will look contractor grade and basic, so you want to consider all your finishes and make sure you are renovating to get a custom home. But changing the flooring in an open floor plan isn’t always the way to do it.

Lesson #3: Believe in the Pocket Door

I have NO idea what the reasoning was here and maybe we didn’t have space to shove the pocket door all the way back before the support beam, but guys PLEASE make sure that you are using a pocket door whenever possible to save space. And be careful what styles of houses you put a barn door in. I really don’t think that we were allowed to do a pocket door, but I wish that I had come up with some other solution.

Level of Regret: 6

Level of Difficulty to Change: 8.5

Will I Change It? Nope. If anyone can come up with a different solution, please let me know. That whole area is just so awkward. The first thing that you see when you walk into the house is that barn door, the laundry room and the super awkward and always messy playroom. I want to close it all up, straighten out the architecture, add French doors into the playroom and then you are automatically directed into the living room when you walk in and not even tempted to go the other way but Brian Henderson is staunchly opposed to reducing the flow and light of the house. I get it, but I just want it to be less awkward. I can’t really invest the time/money (and honestly the stress) into figuring it out. MOVING ON.

Lesson #4: Don’t Add (or Mix) Unnecessary Finishes (Unless You’re Doing the “Modern” Version of It)

I know that I have overdecorating tendencies (really reigning them in on mountain house). Now, I love paneling, but these walls were plaster and so pretty so why did I put basic cheap beadbeard over it? And when it’s all styled like that, it looks cute, but as many of you know, I feel the 2″ beadboard + powder blue + drapery made it lean more ’80s than I had intended.

Level of Regret: 10

Level of Difficulty to Change: 6. I’ll need to get a team of people to demo it out without (hopefully) damaging the original door and window casing. Then, we’ll see what condition the plaster wall is in underneath because surely it was glued and nailed to it. Then it will have to be repaired, patched, painted, etc. Now, this could be done over spring break so it won’t be too annoying and I think it’s only one contractor (for some reason when there are multiple subs involved, it amps up the annoyance/stress so much).

Will I Change It? YEP, unless you can convince me to just paint it all one color (white…I now know that I don’t love a dark room in this house) and then maybe I’ll calm the eff down. Since I have to design this room for our kids to share anyway (right now there are two twin mattresses on the ground), I want to actually see if I can get to a place where I’m, you know, PROUD of my design and not making excuses for it.

Lesson #5: Consider Exposing Your Original Ceilings Or Utilizing the Height (When Possible)

As you can see, our bedroom is where all those windows are and the roof is peaked (technically it’s considered a “half-hip” roof and not a traditional gable). At the mountain house, we busted through the ceiling in the master bed and bath and BOY DID IT CHANGE THOSE ROOMS. I hadn’t thought of it and our architect suggested it and I’m so glad he did.

Back in the day, the architecture of the exterior was one thing, and the space inside didn’t always utilize it. Or maybe they just liked creepy attics.

Now, this is expensive as you likely will have to move your HVAC ducting, vents, and potentially insulate and re-clad (unless you find that you have amazing original exposed wood, but if so that means you can’t insulate. didn’t have insulation in favor of the exposed ceilings and man was it hot in the summer.

But as you can see, the room isn’t huge and that height would have made it feel so much bigger, although I’m not convinced it would have been worth the cost. The point is I didn’t even THINK about it and that is the lesson. The house we finished shooting this week had an exterior turret (like a castle) but inside it was a flat 8-foot ceiling. So the new homeowner broke through it all and it was just 15 feet of empty space just sitting there ready to be exposed. So if you are renovating, look at your roofline and get into your attic to see if you can use any of that height to make your ceilings taller.

Level of Regret: 3 I really like that room (and barely anything has changed) and its good enough.

Level of Difficulty to Change: 10. It sounds like major construction to me with multiple subs and at least a month of inconvenience.

Will I Change It? Heck no. If I could go back in time, I would have just gone up into the attic (which I’ve never been) to explore and see what we were working with and what the possibilities were. THAT’S the lesson here: just think about the possibility of a higher ceiling and figure out if it’s even possible before getting too far along.

And if not? Do this:

Lesson #6: Add Skylights If You Can (and It’s Appropriate)

The kids’ bathroom doesn’t have a window but I could have put a really pretty (and architecturally interesting) skylight up there. And no, this is not because I have a partnership with Velux so I’m dropping a “you should get a skylight” anytime I can. I just really really love natural light and wish we had put either a window or a skylight in this room, but since we had already dug into the house and the ceilings were so low, a window might have been weird, but a skylight would have helped. A reader pointed that out two years ago, post construction, and I was like SHE’S RIGHT. 

Level of Regret: 5

Level of Difficulty to Change: 5 (I think). It’s mostly just a framing issue (one contractor) and then, of course, you have to order and pay for the skylight. My contractor up at the mountain house gave me an estimate of $500 – $750 for framing and installing each skylight (skylight not included) so I don’t know if it’s the same here, but that’s a general ballpark (that didn’t seem too high to me).

Will I Change It? I don’t think so, not because I don’t want it but because I’m so swamped that unless it can just happen without one decision to make from me then I think I should wait until at least after the book. I do think there is something magical about laying in a bath and seeing the sky, but since it’s not MY bathroom and not MY bath, I just have to de-prioritize this project and focus on the kids’ rooms that need my attention.

Lesson #7: Consider Outlet and Lightswitch Placement and Style

The LA house renovation was three months from start to finish (with a month of planning/drawings) which is INSANE but it also means that a lot of opportunities were missed because we didn’t have the time to think or prep for them. Not a big deal, but one of them was outlet placement in the kitchen. The two on the island and the garbage disposals all could have been at least prettier if not relocated to be less noticeable and most of the outlets on the backsplash could have been under the cabinets.

Up at the mountain house, we have these from Forbes and Lomax and boy are they wonderful. I wish that I had done under cabinet outlets instead of the white outlets on our tile, and then for the switches, I wished that we had splurged on prettier versions. Now, I think this is actually a perfect example of something that you can update later and in the midst of so much cost of a renovation, don’t worry about this and know that you can switch it out.

Also, Brian only recently switched out the island outlets to have USB outlets, too.

And yes, I could probably keep going (for instance, not putting a tub in the master bathroom when we had the space, etc.) but those are the biggest seven things in my home that hopefully will help you in your future renovation. We’ll probably work this year on some of the things I noted I’d likely change, so stay tuned for Los Feliz house 2.0 (sort of).

But before we go, I want to know…for anyone who’s ever renovated a home, what things did you step back and look at after the fact and think “ugh! I should have done this instead?” in terms of functionality or better interior architecture? See you in the comments to hear all about it.

The post 7 Big Design Lessons (Ahem, My Mistakes) That Can Apply to Every Renovation appeared first on Emily Henderson.

How to Design a Dream Teen Bedroom on a Budget (That Even Grown Ups Will Love)

image source | designed by athena calderon

It may be the fact that I am now in my 30s and am out of the “teen scene” but it REALLY feels like teenagers these days have stepped up their style game, right? Real life 13 Going On 30. 16-year old puka-shell-wearing Jess would not have stood a chance/is beyond grateful she doesn’t have to. But man do I remember my first “grown-up” teenager room. It is a big deal and feeling stylish is of the utmost importance no matter how uncool you actually are (or feel, because we’re all cool in our own way. It’s one of those moments where you feel like you get to reinvent yourself as the person you want to try to become. Now, back in the early 2000s, young Jess went from a baby pink and zebra print (leopard was too basic for me…HA) themed room to a VERY “sophisticated” pale yellow/ black-and-white toile design. It was my moment to show the world I was grown. But I clearly didn’t do it alone. My mom was instrumental in helping to guide me while at the same time not taking over. She was the best. Designing my rooms (umm through college) are some of my favorite memories with her. It’s such an awesome bonding activity…if you listen to your teenager and consider what they want, too. Otherwise, be prepared for endless eye rolls and tears.

So with all that said, redesigning a room, while incredibly fun, isn’t cheap. I know we have said this 378,943,890 times before, but it can definitely feel extra pricey when it’s for someone who will be leaving the nest in a few years. Don’t cry at that thought just yet because I have three pretty great rooms to show you to help you forget. Great, now I’m rhyming. And wait, if you’re not a teen (or have a teen) and about to click away, STOP. Stay. Make yourself comfortable, because all of these could easily also work for budget seekers, young adults, first apartments, fifth apartments and beyond. Something here for everyone, really.

Let’s start with a simple, modern yet bold design.

Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree | Basket | Bed | Rug | Lumbar Pillow | Bird Art | Bird Art Frame | Sheets | Duvet | Nightstand | Lamp | Throw Blanket | Chair | City Art | City Art Frame | Dresser | Black Bowls | Ceiling Light | Basketball Hoop with Dry Erase Board | Bookshelf | Desk | Desk Chair | Wood Hand | Hourglass | Alarm Clock | Mirror | Laundry Bin

When I put this look together, I was thinking of how I would design my brother’s room in high school if I could design it now. This is by no means just a boy’s room though. This room is great for any teenager who likes darker colors, clean lines and a wooden hand.

Mountain House Mondays: How I’m Making Neutrals Work in the Upstairs Guest Bedroom

Welcome to another session of “where we are” in the mountain house, this time up in the guest bedroom. This is the room I was going to do something interesting in because, you know, of its “guest” appearance and while it’s not done, it’s not really showing signs of that right now so it’s time to start thinking about it. But first, one must revisit the past.

This room is upstairs, opposite the kids’ room with a bathroom (now) where that door is above which used to lead to a closet. It had orange peel walls, an odd bump out on the wall on one side and two new-ish but not ideal windows. The closet was MASSIVE and it begged to be a bathroom (suite) instead.

It was carpeted which we secretly loved but otherwise had nothing noteworthy about it. The bedrooms were where we thought we could do some moodier colors. A hilarious story that happens to me twice a year could be titled “You have months to pick a paint color, wait I need to know it right now because the painters are coming tomorrow so what is it?” I knew it was coming. I knew that a decision was going to have to be made. But I pushed it off, and I was out of town when my team picked this blue which I have historically loved.

One of our first posts about the design of the mountain house was talking about moody colors and I did really want to paint some of the bedrooms a tone. But BOTH rooms that we painted are already painted back to white. This one was painted Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue which I love but it felt SO WRONG. Every time I turned the corner and saw it I thought “oh no. no. no. no.”

Why was it so wrong?

A. The wood doors (from Ross Alan Reclaimed Lumber) and windows (from Marvin) were so gorgeous that I just wanted to stare at them and the darkness really detracted from the beauty of the wood.

B. The rest of the house has such an airy and bright vibe and all of a sudden that felt like a dark cave.

C. I have used that color too much at this point and it reminded me of past projects.

D. It was too dark, and in an eggshell finish, it was too shiny. Plus, with the white ceiling, it was too high contrast which made it feel too chopped and busy.

If you can’t tell, I was REALLY not into it. Brian and my team tried to convince me to live with it for a bit, but every time I walked in there I HATED it.

Plus, we had the flooring issue. If you are wondering if mixing flooring finishes in a bedroom is a new thing, rest assured IT’S NOT. The wood that we used on the flooring throughout was a beech wood from a 300-year-old barn in the midwest and we flat out ran out of it. We could have pieced this room together from off cuts or waited for a similar barn to fall and reclaim. But over the holidays, we didn’t know what to do so we had them put the leftover carpet from the kids room in this room so that it was usable for now. People were SO CONFUSED and I had to explain every time that this is not a “new thing.”

Running out of the wood (temporarily or permanently) was my excuse to carpet this room. After having the kids room in wall-to-wall carpet sold us on the concept for comfort reasons. So we chose a lighter version of the same Stark carpet for this room.

A hilarious behind the scenes insight is that we THOUGHT we ordered the light gray version of it, not this more wheat toned carpet. When I first walked in, I was like “I like it, but DID I JUST LITERALLY PUT BEIGE WALL-TO-WALL CARPET IN A ROOM???” I looked nice, but it wasn’t the plan.

As you can see above, the room is NOT done and no, there is no base moulding for now but will likely be a quarter round. Also, I have a product request for all you wood mills out there: make a squared-off version of a quarter round. I want the function of it (to hide wobbly house seams/gaps) but be more modern than the rounded version.

I’m not really selling the beige here but in person, it’s actually strangely pretty. When I walk into that room, it feels like a winter wonderland. The light is so pretty. The windows and doors are the star. And the carpet makes the room feel really big and bright and soft.

So what is the intent for this room?

Well, everything up there is mostly just a stand-in for what we need (the gold is far too glam for the mountain house). The daybed is from the Portland project by Katy Skelton and while it looks really big I also really love that it provides another twin bed in a room. We have so many friends with a small kid or two, many of which would want to sleep with mama so this would be a room for three or four. Plus, I love that daybed so much, but I MIGHT use it in the play loft instead. We’ll see.

Before I went on my weekend with my Oregon friends, I asked my team to pull together neutrals (if not beige) rooms that I could get behind (and in) and so what you’ll see below is some imagery pulled for me. I’m still not totally sure of the direction, but you’ll get the point.

image source | design by leanne ford
image source | design by leanne ford
image source | design by leanne ford
image source
image source | design by kathleen walsh
image source | design by lisa przystup
image source
image source

Can I make a beige and white room interesting? When you are in the room you don’t NEED any color, it truly is so pretty and simple as-is, but I want it to be special and to tell a story.

So that’s where we are with the upstairs guest room. I literally haven’t had a chance to even THINK about what bed, nightstands, lighting, etc., are happening in there but writing this post certainly helped. And yes we designed the windows to perfectly fit a king bed in between so it makes sense to put something tall and important in there.

So that’s where we are with this room.

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

I already know that you guys are going to want to know if we put the thick memory foam under this carpet as well (like we did in the kids’ room) and I’ll tell you YES. I will forever put in bouncy memory foam underneath my future wall-to-wall carpet. Wow. That’s not a sentence that my25-year-oldd self would have EVER written or felt proud of. WELP. Life. xx

The post Mountain House Mondays: How I’m Making Neutrals Work in the Upstairs Guest Bedroom appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: An Instagram Feed Refresh, Holy Grail Jeans & Viral Pineapple Hacks

 

image source | design by peter benson miller via T magazine

It feels like lately, we’ve been starting every one of these Sunday emails with a “whew what a week!” vibe, and well…WHEW, WHAT A WEEK. So. Many. Shoots. You guys, we have so many fun projects in the works (furnishing and trying to shoot and reveal mountain house rooms, styling and shooting amazing homes for Emily’s upcoming book, designing a handful of reveals for MOTOs…we’re not tired, you’re tired). It was a fun week of blog posts for us, too, so be sure you didn’t miss the kids’ room reveal for the mountain house, Orlando’s parent’s family room makeover, or Friday’s big roundup of DIY ideas we got from YOU. Anyway, no need to ramble, it’s Sunday Funday after all, so let’s get to some fun…

-Want some inspirational “hipster minimal” design goodness?? Sara loves Sight Unseen for the newest and coolest on the scene.

-LA is still deep in its rainy season (don’t let anyone tell you it never rains in Southern California…it does) and Emily is thinking of scooping up these Chelsea rainboots from Target that are as attractive as they are affordable.

-So, so many thoughts on this whole college bribery scandal, and this article from Time about social media influencers and whether they have a better chance of admittance to university based on their following is…thought provoking to say the least.

-While we’re on the subject of footwear, Michael is urging you to run out and grab his new favorite Nikes (so cool and timeless). He said they sold out last year and people were selling them on eBay for double their price but THEY’RE BACK. Hurry, hurry!

-We’re all about geeking out over anything astrology, so smoosh that together with decorating, and we’re yours forever. Last month (though we’re just seeing it now…whoops), Refinery29 came out with this fun “colorstrology” piece that claims using colors related to your birth month can bring harmony home. Hmmm…

-Velinda coming in hot with gift ideas (a few weeks back, she recommend this great teen pick and frankly, we want it for ourselves). This week, she’s sharing this under $20 item her wife got from a friend they both really love. “It’s really simple, unique and pretty, plus it opens both beer and wine bottles…just good design.”

-For a new read, Ryann recommends Chasing the Scream. “It’s fantastic. It chronicles the way on drugs and will absolutely change the way you think about addicts and addiction itself. The author, Johann Hari, is insanely smart and even though it’s non-fiction, it reads like a novel.” 20/10 would recommend.

-We’ve all been pretty obsessed with Lostine as of late, but we have extra heart eyes for some of the pieces we’ve used in some recent styling projects, including these swoon-worthy wood boards (those handles…wowza).

-This home tour made Jess’s heart stop (those tiles and antiques!) and was a serious source of inspiration for her .

-Who out there has had a long affair with Nars Orgasm blush? Well, Arlyn said she found a SUPER inexpensive dupe she’s basically obsessed with now after moving away from Nars once they were no longer cruelty-free. This one is from Milani (cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny Certified), about $7, and has great controllable pigment. Save yourself $30 (perhaps to buy this decorative bowl Emily owns that we all still very much love?).

-Instagram feed feeling a little stagnant? Here are some of our new favorite follows: artist Lauren Mckenzie Noel for her striking artwork that feels so fresh, Arielle Estoria for her body positivity and general inspiration, Yellow Brick Home who are always working on some things at home and The Makerista for her constant flow of smart thrifting ideas.

-Another great follow (both on social and in the blogosphere) is Wit & Delight, but did you know they also sell great, affordable prints? Arlyn worked with them recently for art for her home makeover she’s working on. 8x10s are around $40, their paper quality is great and they also have framing options.

-For anyone looking for new “holy grail” jeans, Sara recommends these “wedgie” Levi’s. They’re her new favorite for that “essential ’90s” straight leg look. 

-And for a little fun…thoughts on this new “viral” way to eat pineapple?

See you all tomorrow! Xx

 

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On My Body This Week: Trying Out a New Maximalism Thing + Some New Favorites

Due to my weeks of travel + pajamas lately, even I was relieved to find that this week I actually put on clothes that I really liked. What I have to remind myself is that most days, I’m on set, styling or checking in on projects so whatever I wear has to be comfortable, moveable and not precious (nary a dress) but I also had five photo shoots this week (three on camera) so I had my hair and makeup done. We also shot a fun spring fashion piece but you’ll have to wait for next week to see those lewks. Today, it’s all about real-life, what I actually wore on my body outfits.

Monday:

Jeans (similar) | Jacket | Hat | Boots

My new favorite spring jacket that I find flattering, comfortable and useful (big pockets). My Nisolo boots have become my go-to “utility” shoe and they work really well with skinny jeans. Insert new hat for my not-dealing-with-my-hair Monday look.

Tuesday:

Shirt | Jeans (on sale!) | Mules | Necklace (similar)

This was a moment where I tried color this week and I’m not actually sure about it…not convinced I like red. I like florals. I like ruffles. But do I like RED FLORAL RUFFLES all together? Not sure. This is however what is happening right now…maximalism in fashion. I know this because we’ve been talking about it and literally Googling what 25-year-olds are wearing in New York and what you’ll find is CAH-RAZY. I’m sure I’ll be on board soon, always slightly behind the nutty trends. Meanwhile, though I’m not selling those clogs there (I think they are wrong with the jeans), I LOVE THEM and I’ve worn them a ton since I bought them last week.

Wednesday:

Shirt | Shorts | Mules

Hello SUMMER SHORTS. I’ll still rock last year’s Levi’s but pretty psyched about this year’s although they are going even shorter…I’m wearing these right now while in Ojai on vacation with my friends. Also, that top was my attempt at BROWN. Are you guys dipping your mule in the brown color fashion trend right now? I’m still on the fence.

Thursday:

Shirt | Jacket | Pants | Shoes

All my friends are here: drop crotch, casual shoes with a heel, a simple button up and my new amazing chambray coat. You might not be impressed with the innovation here, but this is my favorite outfit of the week.

Friday:

Jeans | Shirt | Mules

What an awkward thing to do with your leg, but I do love my new boyfriend cut jeans. Those mules are my first attempt at an animal print, and since it’s small enough, I can do it. The button up is still my favorite oversized one from Target.

And there you go. We’ll have an actual fashion post next week…meanwhile HAVE THE BEST SATURDAY EVER. I’m at the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa with my best friends from Oregon and the only thing that would make me happier is if Brian drove my kids up for a 15-minute squeeze, only to leave post-hug. Have a lovely one. xx

All Our Fashion Favorites In One Place: Shop Emily’s Go-Tos on Our Shop Page

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Cancel Your Plans: 12 DIYs You’ll Want to Try This Weekend

***Written by Jess Bunge

Happy Friday everyone! You may remember about two weeks ago, Emily did a call out on Instagram (are you following us yet??) to ask all you talented folks to send through your DIY projects. BOY did you all deliver. We love a brilliant DIY project and have been really trying to experiment a bit more with it lately. And as suspected, we have so many talented readers in our little community that we thought what better way to finish off the week than to show some of you off. There were so many more we wanted to include but didn’t want to make this post too overwhelming. However, if you guys like this post, we can/will share more at some point. Sorry to be a tease.

My New Interior Design Secret Weapon + Win a Room Refresh by Me With Velux Skylights

I learned very early on in my career as a prop stylist that for photography, natural light truly is the #1 element that you need for a room (or shot) to look alive. Before the wonders that is of Photoshop, photographers used to get booked and paid based on their ability to replicate natural light with strobes, etc. It simply makes a room. Before we get into today’s FREE “Brighten Up Any Room” MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY with Velux Skylights, we need to talk natural light—all the whys and hows. You might already be convinced about the benefits of natural light in your home, but I was, too, and I still missed opportunities during renovations of our current house. So really, this isn’t just a post talking about why I love natural light and how it’s a key element of design, but rather all the places you can bring in that sweet sweet sunlight that maybe you’re overlooking (hint: it involves looking up). Perk up if you are currently—or are going to soon—renovate to ensure you maximize your best friend, natural light, before you close up the walls.

Here’s a weird secret: a lot of the most “successful” bloggers and Instagrammers live in SoCal…did you know that? It’s not because “Hollywood.” It’s because of the light. We have beautiful light all year for more hours of the day. The winter light is even more beautiful here than the summer light. We don’t have to chase it or find it, it’s normally outside and full of blue (sky) and green (tree) accents. I’ve literally met people who moved here because “there is so much more daylight here” which of course makes sense but even three years ago, I was shocked by the fact that people relocate from New York or Portland for the use of natural light in their work.

But we aren’t talking about taking selfies. Who cares. What I care about is how natural light affects the interior of your home. Now obviously, windows are a big factor, but what happens when you have windows that face close buildings or with big overhangs outside (or mature trees) or can’t have windows because it’s an interior room? Is your room fated to forever be selfie-less? How will your room grow its Instagram following?

Combining Furniture Styles in The Casa Soria Family Room

***Written by Orlando Soria | Photography by Zeke Ruelas

As I get ready to start shooting my upcoming HGTV series, it’s more than appropriate that I keep sharing my work with my OG clients, my parents, Ormomdo and Orlandad. I’ve been helping them decorate their house since I was about seven years old. And the home they moved into in 2012 (after moving out of my childhood home) is no exception. As with every other room in their home, this room brought with it significant challenges: odd architecture, weird angles, pre-existing furniture my parents weren’t willing to part ways with, and its inherent multifunctionality (it’s now fully open to the kitchen, which we recently renovated).

Today, the topic of conversation is combining furniture styles and how that can aid in decorating a house like my parents’, a house that has multiple architectural styles and lacks a cohesive look. But before we get too far into TIPZ N TRICKZ, let’s take a walk down memory lane and see what was happening in here before we got started.

This is pretty much what it looked like when my parents moved in. The floor was carpeted, the fireplace was ugly, and literally everything in the whole house was 1999 Beige (not cool, chic 2019 Beige which I’m actually into). The only remnants of beige left in the house are the bathrooms (which are next on my to-do list and we’ll get to once my parents get over the trauma of their extremely expensive, year-long kitchen renovation project we did last year).

The fireplace caused a considerable amount of questions for my parents when they moved in. Their initial idea was to just rip the whole thing out and not have a fireplace, which I advised against because I thought it would decrease the value of the house. I wanted to square it off and put it on the wall (where that console table is in the before pic) but that was going to be super costly. I’m not a fan of the caddy corner fireplace so leaving it as is wasn’t ideal, but turned out to be the best decision when we thought about all the options/costs/etc.

The simple solution to covering up that dated brick was to paint it white. I know this is a controversial move, but I have to say I love the look of painted brick, especially in a chic matte white or black. I also removed the brass/glass fireplace door (which is shockingly easy to remove FYI – I did it myself and was only moderately filthy when I was done!) and styled the fireplace with some logs I got which will literally never get burned because my parents never ever want a messy fire again after living in a fire stove-heated house in Yosemite for 30 years. This is why I’m such a baby about being cold now, I was literally raised in a freezing house heated by a fireplace and I think being freezing cold for 18 years is enough, k? Normal parents will be like “PUT ON A SWEATER” to their kids if they whine about being cold. In our house, it was like “WHY AREN’T YOU WEARING A PUFFY JACKET???” Anyone who has ever tried to keep their house warm with a fire knows it makes the biggest mess ever so I totally don’t blame my parents at all for never wanting to have a fire ever again, even though sometimes during the holidays we beg for a fire and feel like The Little Match Girl when they say no. In related news, their house is still freezing. I think they’re just not used to being comfortable inside so the idea that they could just turn up the thermostat and not see their breath is too much for them to handle.

One of the first improvements my parents made to their house was replacing the gross carpet (which was literally everywhere throughout the house) with solid hardwood maple flooring. This immediately brightened up their house and made it feel a lot cleaner. Initially, I wasn’t fully on board with this flooring selection because my dad wanted a really traditional vibe and this color looks inherently Scandinavian/modern to me. But once it was installed, I loved how pretty and luminous it was and it added to the home’s beautiful style ambiguity.

This vase weighs like 4,000 pounds and Ormomdo’s friend made it. Her name is Susanne and she doesn’t have an online shop but I feel like I need to make her make one because most of the pottery in my parents’ house comes from her and I’m always getting questions about it. Another artist I’m obsessed with named Jonathan Cross makes similar pieces which are more readily available, but cost like forty thousand million dollars (and are worth every penny).

And now, A TRULY SHOCKING PROCLAMATION. One of my biggest pet peeves is a TV above a fireplace. I know this is controversial because above the fireplace is maybe the most common place to put a TV. HOWEVER, I hate it for many reasons. Firstly, the TV is too high. You’re not meant to crane your neck looking up at a TV like that. Second, since most rooms are oriented around the fireplace, it makes the TV the focal point of the whole room. While I want you to never turn your TV off ever again once my HGTV show comes out, I don’t want you to be watching my show in a badly designed room. So please do your best to avoid putting TVs over a fireplace whenever possible (I realize that sometimes there is truly no other option). One of the blessings of my parents’ fireplace being an annoying corner fireplace is that there’s a logical place to put the TV.

This room is HIGHLY trafficked and very multifunctional. One of the must-have items my parents listed was toy storage for their three grandkids who live nearby. The solution was this INCREDIBLY beautiful custom piece from Hedge House. The four bottom drawers are all full of toys while the upper portion is reserved for cookbooks and pretty objects. The upper shelves are no longer styled like they are here, because my nephew Camilo is now a year old and his favorite thing is ripping things off shelves and throwing them on the floor (my other niece and nephew are 4 and 7 and old enough not to rip things off shelves anymore). Usually, the first thing the kids do when they come over to this cabinet and open all the drawers and throw everything all over the floor (and the entire room) immediately. It’s really cute to watch and also I feel sorry for my parents that they’ll eventually have to clean it all up (though it’s amazing to have a place to put it all so it looks neat again).

A lot of the small objects scattered around the room come from my Orgrando (my mom’s mom. She’s dead now THANKS FOR BRINGING IT UP). My mom spent part of her childhood in Japan which is why there’s so much Japanese stuff in my parents’ house. The Native American objects are a nod to our family’s Yosemite past, though only some of them come from the local Miwok tribe.

To maximize seating, I added a mid-century inspired loveseat from Article. This section of the room demonstrates how we mixed furniture styles in here to create an eclectic look. The loveseat is mid-century, the side tables are contemporary/beachy, and the hutch is craftsman. The reason I wanted to combine furniture styles in here was that A) the style of the home is ambiguous perhaps nonexistent (sorry Casa Soria), B) my parents have conflicting styles, and C) I wanted the room to feel cozy and casual. The reason that it worked is that I selected items in contrasting finishes that complement each other. For example, I knew I wanted light/bright side tables to pop off the dark color of the sofa. But I knew I didn’t want to do a light wood because I also had the wood coffee table and the china hutch to contend with, so I selected a lacquered white.

There wasn’t much room for side tables, so these 12″ wide beauties from Serena & Lily were perfect. They’re pretty much still styled like this but Ormomdo has to hide everything on them when Camilo comes over. Luckily, he’s the cutest baby in the world so it’s all worth it (see evidence here).

The rustic coffee table provided a great opportunity to add warmth to the room (sadly, it’s from a company that no longer exists and I could not find the vendor online). The beautiful Richard Carter ceramic tray is one of my favorite things in their house (it used to be mine but there’s no room for it in my apartment, also it was a gift from my ex so I was like GET OUT OF MY HOUSE speaking of my ex HAVE YOU HEARD I HAVE A NEW HGTV SHOW CALLED “UNSPOUSE MY HOUSE”???). The accessories are all things I found in Ormomdo’s studio (those woven boxes contain tons of buttons which my niece and nephews love to dump all over the floor while yelling). And, of course, no coffee table is complete without a copy of my book, Get It Together! (available at finer bookstores everywhere, don’t even bother going to the garbage ones). Sorry, this whole paragraph has been self-promotion.

My mom has quite an extensive dish collection, which I restyled a bit for this shoot. One of my favorite pieces is that hand-painted Japanese cook pot (also from Orgrando, who is still dead, WHY DO YOU KEEP BRINGING THIS UP???). JK Orgrando passed away when I was 12 so now I just like to use her death as a way of making people uncomfortable and guilting them about bringing it up when I was totally the one to bring it up in the first place. I totally loved both my grandmas but they’ve both been dead forever so it’s ok for me to joke about it now, okay? OH MY GOD STOP JUDGING ME WHY AM I STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS.

The very pretty window coverings from The Shade Store are one of my favorite additions to the room and one of the only places I brought in pattern. My mom and I picked out this fabric together on a sunny day in Marin County (where the nearest Shade Store location is) and it was the best day of my whole entire life. We immediately fell in love with it that gorgeous pattern and the simplicity of the shades’ design. It was also a great way of bringing the pretty aqua color from the kitchen tile into the family room space.

This large hutch, a relic from our Yosemite house, was previously tasked with holding the overflow from the previously-tiny kitchens my parents had in both houses. Now that we’ve added so much storage to the room, more space was freed up to display pretty dishes.

These poufs from Article are definitely a favorite with the grandkids, who love rolling all over them (or sitting on top of them to watch TV with PapaGramma). Good thing these poufs are sturdy. They definitely get the grandkid beat down regularly.

Opening up the room and creating one great entertaining space has completely changed the way the room functions and made it a cozy place for everyone to hang out. The added storage makes it much easier to keep everything neatly stored away when not in use (which is important in a space that already has so much going on visually).

The room taught me quite a bit about mixing furniture styles. I’ve always been a fan of that eclectic, naturally-collected-over-time, California casual look. But I never really thought about what actually makes it work. And what I learned from this project is that if you keep a consistent color/material palette, you can really get away with pretty much anything. The furniture styles here include contemporary, mid-century, Craftsman, country, coastal, and more. But I tried to keep the color palette in the ivory, gray, blue, green, woven, and wood world. Combining all these different styles gives the space a very cozy feel that doesn’t feel too fussy.

My goal with clients is always to give them a look that their guests won’t question they did themselves. I want it to just look like they knew what they were doing. And my parents’ house looks like something they might have done themselves. And that makes me happy because A) I think they are cool people and would wanna hang out in a house they designed and B) that means I did a good job interpreting their style into their house.

DID I MENTION I HAVE A NEW TV SHOW COMING OUT SOON???

OKAY BYE.

Black Side Table | 2. Beige Sectional | 3. Floor Lamp | 4. Rug (similar) | 5. Coffee Table (similar) | 6. Seagrass Ottoman | 7. Throw Blanket | 8. Custom Roman Shade | 9. Table Lamp | 10. Face Candle | 11. Round Tray | 12. White Vase | 13. Sconce | 14. Custom Bookcase (similar) 15. Embroidered Tassel Throw Pillow (similar) | 16. Moroccan Wedding-Style Throw Pillow (similar) | 17. White Tiered Side Table | 18. Teal Loveseat | 19. Printed Ottoman | 20. Media Cabinet | 21. Round Shelf (similar)  | 22. Small Rattan Lidded Basket (similar) | 23. Leather-wrapped Rock

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