Emily Henderson's Blog, page 265

Pillowfort DIYs: Custom Window Treatments & Whimsical Canvas Tent

Hi All! Julie here, ready to dish out exactly how we (Emily Bowser & myself) managed to create/mostly troubleshoot all these cute DIYs for the mountain house kids room we revealed earlier today. First off, I will let you in on a little secret: these projects were my first DIY attempts…ever. I have some sewing experience from when I was in high school about *cough* 15 *cough* years ago but aside from that, I have never tried my hand at upholstering or making window treatments, let alone creating a whimsical tent for two little kids. So when Emily, Emily B. (going to refer to her as Bowser to make things less confusing) and myself were brainstorming the room and decided on the adventure theme, we went on Pinterest for inspiration and came across this similar window treatment idea which we eventually made our own for the space. Emily asked Bowser and myself if we thought that we could make something similar for the room, we paused, looked at each other, and said “we can figure something out.” Basically we rock, paper, scissored to see who would execute the window treatments and since I owned the better sewing machine of the two of us (hers was from IKEA, love you Bowser but we didn’t think that would get the job done) it was up to me and my 15-year-old sewing machine to make window treatments up to par for an Emily Henderson Designed room for Target, no pressure. Immediate internal panic sets in.

All in all, if you do have some sewing experience, a decent sewing machine, the proper needle and lots of patience, I think this window treatment is very doable. Especially since I threw away the first round and figured out a simpler way to construct them. I was pretty happy with how they turned out so much sew (pun intended) I am actually making the same window treatments for my space with a different fabric. Should I just open up my own Etsy shop at this point? I hope you all love them as much as we do!

The Window Treatments

What you’ll need to make them yourself:

Fabric of your choice (we used: 11oz Broken White Bull Denim “aka white canvas”)
7/8″ Leather Strips in tan color (currently out of stock, medium brown is closest in color to what we used)
3/8″ Grommet Kit (if you already own a kit, get some refills here)
1-1/4″ Cup Hooks
Blackout liner in white (especially if you are using a white fabric)
Sewing Machine
Denim or Leather Sewing Needle
White Sewing Thread
Cutting Mat
T-Square 24″
Fabric Rotary Cutter
Fabric Straight Pins

Step 1: First things first, exactly how big should you make these window treatments? We created one panel for each set of windows (61″ wide x 44″ long). We wanted the sides of the panel to overlap the outer edge of the window frame by about 2 inches on either side. We then determined that they should sit 6 inches above the header of the window (because that looked best to us so we went with it) and wanted it to overlap the sill of the window frame by 3-4″. Accounting for hemming the fabric (1″ hem for the sides in step 2) and 2-3″ on the bottom edge (in step…well I honestly forgot to take a photo of that step so I will explain that in detail later, sorry!) we cut a piece of canvas 63″ wide by 94″ long. Yes, that is correct 94″ in length (stay with me, I will explain more in steps 3 & 4).

Step 2: Using your Fabric Straight Pins, fold the long edge (94″ long to be exact for me) to create a 1″ wide hem. Once you have pinned the fabric, sew and repeat on the other side.

Step 3: You now should have two hemmed edges…you do? Perfect! Now go ahead and fold your fabric in half longways. When folded, mine measured 61″ wide by 47″ long, give or take a 1/4″ here and there for error. This about the time I regretted not taking Emily up on outsourcing this to a trained professional (note if Emily is reading this: just kidding, I was totally confident it would turn out amazing, of course). You want to make sure that when you fold your fabric, the edges align and lay as flat as possible. Starting on one side, line up your hemmed edges, then holding that in place with a lot of heavy books (told ya I was a professional), smooth out the fabric with your hands so that the other side lines up as close to perfect as possible, pin both sides.

Step 4: Pin a 1/2″ hem along the folded edge. I found out that our spare 1/4″ wooden dowel worked well as a guideline to pin the fabric in place. In the first round that I made (and eventually tossed in the trash), I had used my measuring tape and checked it every couple of inches when pinning the edge (raise your hand if you are a perfectionist).

Step 5: Once you have that folded edge go ahead and sew! Only 4 more hems to sew, told you this was easy, am I convincing you yet?

Step 6: Unfold the fabric along the hem you just did and lay it flat with the inside bottom layer of canvas facing up (as shown in the photo), then place your Blackout liner (I cut mine to be 60″ wide by 38″ long) approx. 4″ from the top of the folded edge hem. Make sure to overlap the blackout liner and the hemmed edges from step 2, you will be using them as guidelines to sew the liner to the fabric. Take your top layer of fabric that is currently folded back and lay it on top of the blackout liner so all three layers are as flat as possible (canvas, liner and canvas). Feel free to use that really professional & great technique in Step 3, I would recommend your grandfather’s dusty encyclopedias that no one including himself read. Once you have it flat, pin both sides first and then sew both sides using the first hem you did as a guideline to sew the liner to the two layers of canvas.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have now come to the part where I forgot to take a photo of the last step of the sewing process probably because I was so excited that I was almost done. Let’s not think about that whole other one I had to make…hahaha good times.

At this point you have done all of the hard steps, all you have to do is take the bottom part of the window treatment, fold a 1″ hem with all 3 layers of fabric. Pin and sew…and then repeat that with a 1.5″ hem. This might be why I would highly recommend getting yourself either the denim or leather sewing needles for this project. I sewed through 6 layers of fabric…yikes. I was just praying that my sewing machine wouldn’t break down on me since we were snowed in up there. If anyone has any recommendations on how to finish this off better, I am OPEN to suggestions…please, anyone. Help a lady out and thank you in advance!

Okay, last part of the construction. I promise. If you are a grommet expert then keep reading but if you are like myself who had never tried to use grommets before, check out this great step by step (thanks, Lowe’s). Pro tip: buy a grommet kit and not just the refills, no Emily we, of course, didn’t do that!

Step 7: Bowser and I had about a 45 min discussion troubleshooting how we would install these curtains and this is what we came up with. Again, we are far from professionals so we are open to suggestions! We determined that we would use 5 grommets per panel. The first would be 6″ in from the edge (same on the opposite side), then we measure and found where the middle one would sit. Then found the middle between the one 6 inches from the edge and middle of the full panel. Wow, I think that was the most confusing sentence I have ever written…hopefully you understand.

Mountain House: The Kids’ Room Reveal!!

ONE. ROOM. DONE. The kids’ camping/safari/pirate/astronaut—in short ADVENTURE—room in the mountain house is done and today is the REVEAL. In case those photos don’t portray it properly, we love it. But unlike most love stories, it was born out of challenges. Frankly, it was the most challenging room in the house. When Target said “We are launching a new Pillowfort collection, wanna do a makeover?” I thought to myself, this might be the ONLY way that I ever get this room done, and then when the very cute and fun product was aligned with what I wanted, I pitched this room back which gave me a deadline. You see, doing a kids room is usually FUN, but due to the challenges of this room (a wall of plumbing that needed to be accessible, awkwardly placed windows due to a roofline and the need for low twin beds, read more here) this room was full of design conundrums that were just more annoying than fun to think about. But thanks to my very talented and hardworking team, we DID IT.

Yesterday you got the back story, with the before shots and process, and today you’ll get the reveal with an extra post later in the day (BE SURE TO COME BACK!!) that breaks down the DIYs. What DIYs you ask? Oh just this simple (but not so simple to make) canvas, wood and leather tent and rolling shades.

Here’s how it went down: the goals of this room, stylistically, were to make it feel playful, interactive for the kids, yet still Scandinavian and not too busy. I wanted to stimulate their imagination but not their 8 pm energy level.

It’s so much easier to design a kids room with a theme, so that’s where we started. Julie, Emily Bowser and I sat in my studio and brainstormed how to use these awkward conundrums to our design advantage. Yes, it’s a mountain house but that felt too generic so we honed in on what our kids like to do up here…and that’s to create imaginary adventures all day and night. That means part camping, safari, pirate ship, bug hunting, space exploration, and general “get the bad guy” missions. And since they like to sleep basically on the floor near each other, we decided to make that look purposeful by putting them in a tent, like they are camping.

I shared our weird family secret yesterday, but in case you missed it, here it is again: What you might not know is that Charlie actually likes to sleep on a couch cushion (i.e. not an actual bed) in between the beds, thus us wanting the lowest beds possible.

What I’m about to say next is something you’ll relate to if you are a parent of young kids, but if you don’t have kids you will think we are crazy. Ahem.

When your kids are sleeping well, you get obsessed with their exact situation and you will, under no circumstances change it. You will give even the tiniest element unnecessary praise and value, crediting IT as “the” reason your kids are sleeping 11 hours straight (and thus you). This could include the make and model of their pajamas, the location in the room of the white noise machine, the thread count of their sheets, the opacity of window treatments, and, yes, the location and style of beds. Over Christmas break, they shared this room which at the time had two twin mattresses on the floor and guess what? Their nightmares were over, they slept all night and Charlie loved that he could be right next to Birdie, on his couch cushion, encased by the two beds. THEY ARE NOW FOREVER BETHROTHED TO THIS SLEEPING ARRANGEMENT.

So that’s the “why” behind the two low twin beds versus a bunk bed or two normal-height twin beds. We tried bunk beds for six nights of hell and after them each waking up four times a night (separately), Brian disassembled it and practically burned it (kidding, they were donated). So this is our solution.

Of course, Charlie STILL asked for the cushion back so unfortunately, we are back to the sofa-cushion-twin-bed-sandwich which begs the question—WHY CAN’T OUR KIDS JUST SHARE A BED??? It would make reading so much more comfortable. More on that later, but as for the LA house, I’m leaning towards one big bed for all of us. I fall asleep with them every night anyway. Okay, on to the design.

The Tent.

I’m OBSESSED with that tent. It’s what we call “quiet impact.” It’s made of just canvas with leather and wood detailing. We came up with the idea and my team figured out how to execute because they are “quiet impact” geniuses.

I love how simple it is and yet makes a huge statement. Of course, I was tempted to do a pattern or a color, and yes I was worried that the white wouldn’t pop but I reminded myself about the overall style of the house—neutral and simple, with a heavy dose of quirk and a less is more mantra. Thus, we landed here and I’m so glad we used restraint.

The Headboard Wall.

Take a peek at yesterday’s post if you don’t know about the plumbing that has to be housed behind the bed (and yet still be accessible). As our solution, we took the same canvas and upholstered a wooden box that slides over a frame (and can be pulled out if needed).

It stretches almost the whole wall and looks pretty intentional without garnering much attention at all. The single long headboard also helps our “simple yet impactful” mission for this house.

The Bedding.

The kids LOVE the treasure island print of the Pillowfort sheets as they are in a huge Peter Pan phase that is not waning. We decided to add in the green via the bedspreads to, well, not just have it be blue and white. The leather trunk (which we brought up from the LA house…it used to be in my living room) certainly warms it up, plus it speaks to the camping vibe as well as tying in with the leather detailing on the tent.

The cloud bookshelves are so cute (and house the books so the kids can see them) and the sconces are in the place that we originally had the junction boxes when we thought we were doing built-ins, so we had to find some that could articulate over to the new bed placement so it made visual sense (we found these at Schoolhouse…they’re awesome).

The trees are from Target’s holiday line because why would you not bring faux pine trees into your kids’ camping theme mountain cabin room? We might not keep them in there, but they were just so cute and really hit the theme home (and kinda did what a normal plant would do visually without us actually having to care for one).

We used that antique English pine dresser I bought a few years ago for their clothes storage and finally dug that blue pottery lamp out of storage (so glad I never got rid of those, plus they are from Charlie’s first nursery which will ALWAYS make me nostalgic).

Onto the other side of the room…

The Rock Climbing Wall.

Remember that awkward window placement due to the roof line? Well, we figured out that we needed to fill that vertical space in a way that didn’t intrude on the wall, thus a climbing wall. The kids (and the adults) love this new out-of-the-box feature.

We went for the natural wood which worked so well with the stair banisters. For anyone wondering why it’s on a box and not just the wall, well…if we were to just install the wooden climbing holds straight into the drywall, they would most likely have just ripped out upon first climb. So Sara’s incredibly handy brother Shade built this custom climbing wall (thank you, Shade) which attaches to the studs in the wall. He then created a pegboard-like grid which let us easily set our preferred climbing route for Charlie and Birdie. If you are interested in creating your own climbing wall, here is a link to a great video tutorial (though we did link to the footholds in the Get the Look below).

The Carpet.

The carpet in this room, with its 2-inch, 7-pound density memory foam underneath, is honestly one of our favorite things in the whole house. Sourced through Stark, it’s a high-quality tonal navy stripe and frankly, it’s so perfect. As my first foray into wall-to-wall, I wanted it to feel so much more special than the ubiquitous builder grade (which can be fine, too!), but is dark to hide dirt and mud, and refined enough to fit into our Scandi vibe but at the same time squishy and bouncy. Plus, it’s so soft though nothing in the world is softer than those two floor pillows. They are alarmingly squishy and I want 10 of them for obstacle courses and to play human frogger in there. I’d win.

Windows.

Welcome to the prettiest white oak windows you’ll never get sick of looking at. That’s right— there’s no casing (or baseboards) because we wanted the windows and the doors to be the star of the show, architecturally speaking. These are casements we got through Marvin that have child locks because well, children.

Now, while we love most everything in here, there are some regrets, including…

The Double Nook.

You might remember that we originally wanted to do a pull-out closet for that bottom floor nook under the stairs. Well, we didn’t. YET. Our contractor was like “I don’t think your well-thought-out idea that you spent weeks rendering is possible” and while we do, I also respect an expert when they are sending the clear message that maybe they aren’t the one for the job. So we plan on doing this later and have since gotten some good references. We are also debating how much we care. I mean, the kids love a double nook, I just think it’s visually messy but they are PSYCHED.

What I WISH I had done before the shoot is have Ross Alan Reclaimed Lumber (who did the amazing door here and throughout the house) build doors for that nook so it wasn’t nook in front of nook. IT’S JUST SO BUSY.

We do a lot of treasure maps over here with X MARKS THE SPOT being a sentence that is screamed often. So when we ran out of ideas of what to do in this SECOND nook while styling and shooting, we put in a bunch of vintage park maps, black and white photos of bears in the wild, hiking trails, a stump, and walkie talkies and created a moment, but ultimately I wish it just visually didn’t exist.

Let this be a lesson to you: never “double nook” yourself. It’ll just turn into a stressful moment of what to fill/style it with.

Those cubbies, however, are very cute.

The toy gods answered this year when Pillowfort launched the affordable cubby/bookcase combo. These are $60 each and they check so many boxes (PUN!). Kids need to see their toys in order to play with them, and yet bin after bin equals a lot of mess. These are perfect and we actually just bought them for our LA house playroom that I am finally designing.

The upper nook is pretty darn cozy and the kids LOVE going up there. The sconce, from Jones County Road as well as the two-tier wall-mount shelf help with reading time at night.

But yet ANOTHER REGRET:

We measured the seat based on the interior and had these custom cushions made (covered in a stain-resistant Crypton fabric) with those measurements in mind. But then when we put it in, we realized that we weren’t capitalizing on the real estate and the cushion could have extended out another six inches or so. We might redo it.

Mountain House Update: The Kids’ Bunk Room & A Genius Wall-to-Wall Carpet Hack

Progress has been made on the “bunk” room in the mountain house. Reveals are about to begin (TOMORROW!!) but don’t think you can just show up tomorrow without the back story of this room (above photo is just another progress, OBVIOUSLY). It would be like reading the fourth Harry Potter book without having ever touched the first three. You need the tale of woes and heartfelt plight in order to root for the room. Also how else are you going to learn about Brian and my second biggest “mountain house design debate” right behind the wood ceiling? One must read on…

The kids’ room started out as the “master,” below.

It was a big room, with the largest closet ever, no windows and a finished attic above it only accessible by a pull-down terrifying ladder in the hallway. We had to completely reconfigure the space, moved both doorways, got rid of fireplaces, added stairs, added windows, squared off all the corners, replaced the carpet…geez, I’m only now realizing how much work it was.

The Carpet.

I think it’s important to note that this is my first foray into wall-to-wall—the jeggings of flooring. Oh, folks. When you find the right wall-to-wall carpet (and then put 2″ memory foam underneath it) it’s like discovering that “pajama-level-comfortable” outfit that you can actually wear to your corporate job. You feel like maybe you just created the genius hack that no one else has ever thought of.

The house had all wall-to-wall carpet apart from the kitchen and some baths, and frankly, it was WONDERFUL. Once you experience that carpet comfort, it’s hard to go back to cold. hard. wood. So we chose to do carpet in the kids’ and upstairs guest rooms and then in our room, we have the biggest, thickest rug ever that I’m obsessed with. But the main rooms, living areas and hallways are all hardwood.

But the “debate” didn’t stop just on a “yes” or “no” to do carpet in the bedrooms. As you can imagine, the best carpets that fit our casual-mountain-Scandi vibe were low pile and more simple and expensive. We didn’t want a beige poly plush for this house (although we used builder grade in last week’s secret room reveal and it’s great). No. For my intro into wall-to-wall and for this house, I wanted something special that made my heart respond with a happy beat. I wanted low pile and sophisticated, Brian wanted our children to be able to walk on what felt like a heavenly cloud made of whipped cream and feathers.

So we put a 2″ memory foam pad underneath and it is indeed HEAVENLY. It does double the cost of the pad (and make sure your doors have clearance for it), but it’s basically like giving them a padded room, but it looks all sophisticated with nary a 70s shag vibe.

The Windows.

This room had no natural light and that’s unacceptable. So when we went to put them in, we had to place them awkwardly due to the roofline of the kitchen below. So as you can see, we have two high small ones, with two lower bigger ones (sharing the same sill height to help it look a little more intentional). These windows are casement with window locks, and to be placed between load-bearing studs, so while it was a bit tricky, I’m so glad we did.

The Stairs.

Well, one of the reasons this is the kids’ room (without a bathroom) and not just a guest room is the attic playroom upstairs. We had this fantasy that this would be where they sleep and upstairs is where they could feel like they had a kid headquarters. So we built these stairs where the closet was, with the intent of the underneath nook to be storage for them (not done yet, don’t get too excited about that).

The Built-Ins.

Do you remember when this was our intent? Do a big fancy built-in bunk room wall like you see all over Pinterest? Well, we got them a bunk bed for our LA house (after they begged to share a room) and well, it didn’t go well. It was six nights of hell, with both of them up 4-5 times each night because they just felt uncomfortable—Charlie up high and Birdie down on the bottom. Granted, we bought an inexpensive IKEA one that isn’t that big, so that could be it, but regardless, it just made us realize that we are spending real money on a huge built-in bunk bed that our kids might not actually want or need. And when we have more kids up here, we can always just roll out some mats because the 2″ memory foam is certainly comfy enough.

Plus, we were done spending money and this was going to be part of “stage 2” both for money and time. And then when we did our survey with you guys and you said that you wanted more approachable ideas and more of a “make it work” attitude, I was SO RELIEVED. I thought the world wanted fancy built-ins (and according to Pinterest, we do). Sure, there were hours upon hours of wasted design and rendering time, but it’s a sunk cost and we have since moved forward with a make-it-work plan. Besides, we can always do this plan. We have the renderings done, and in a few years, we’ll have a better grasp if the twin over full thing is really what we want in life. It feels so good AND FREE to push off some major life decisions.

The Awkward Half Wall That We Need Access To.

But we still had some challenges. BIG challenges. The plumbing to my precious steam shower and micro-bubble bathtub is housed in this room —it’s a long story. So that long white box you see up there has to be removable or accessible, it has to have some air vents, and it would be nice it if muffled the sound a bit in case I want to micro-bubble after the kids go down (prime micro-bubbling time).

Plus, both kids want to sleep near the ground. What you can barely see up there is that Charlie actually loves to sleep in between the two beds, on two couch cushions. As an “internet famous” interior designer, you can imagine how proud I am of his design choice. This is the same at our LA house. Two low twin beds, with a couch cushion in between. It’s because they want to be close. I’m just like “why can’t they share a big king bed??” It would certainly make all our family reading sessions easier…

The Sconces.

We originally had our electrician put in the J-boxes for all four bunks, but now that we are temporarily nixing it, we still wanted to utilize the bottom two, despite them being far apart (they were meant to be the power source for sconces at the heads of the bunks). So that’s a challenge.

So we had to come up with a design plan that addressed all of these trying bits. As a quick recap, all those challenges were:

An unmovable big box full of plumbing that we need access to (AKA we can’t just drywall it or even make it a full height wall).
Oddly placed and sized windows.
The fact that our kids like low-to-the-ground beds…

It doesn’t seem like that should be much of a challenge, but trying to make two short beds look cool isn’t that easy.

Wanna know what we did? COME BACK TOMORROW.

But here’s a sneak peek…

 

The post Mountain House Update: The Kids’ Bunk Room & A Genius Wall-to-Wall Carpet Hack appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Blog Awards, “Kidfluencers”, Genius New Home Decor

We made it to the best day of the week once again…the link up. This week was a little extra special because we welcomed a new member to the EHD team. Please welcome Veronica, our new photo assistant. We nicknamed her Mars (duh) as soon as we heard her name. Don’t worry, we are 99% positive she likes it despite not having seen an episode of Veronica Mars yet. That fact will change shortly if we have anything to do with it. Now please enjoy this week’s links, go watch Veronica Mars and don’t forget about daylight savings (we LOSE an hour) if you live in a place that recognizes it…why is this still a thing, California??

This article was terrifying for Emily, especially for someone like her whose business relies so heavily on social media (PS, it’s a piece on “kidfluencers”). She’s been drafting a ‘how I feel about my own kids in social media’ for almost 4 years now so let us know if this is something you actually want to be published. It’s a piece full of vulnerability so she told us she just wants the assurance people will actually read it in order to get it out there. Let us know in the comments.

Exciting news!! We made Domino’s Best Design Blogs of 2019. We are so honored to still be on their list.

As Emily and the design team are wrapping up the mountain house design, this mountain getaway designed by the multi-talented Brooklyn Decker is a true inspiration. It’s the perfect mix of rustic, classic and coziness.

Emily wants you to know about Rebecca Atwood’s new line. Yes, a new line of her textile genius. It’s evokes everything wonderful about springtime and will most likely have you immediately drooling upon first sight.

Our resident brow gal, Jess cannot wait to try this crazy affordable brow styling technique. All you need is a bar of soap and a mascara wand. Wait…huh? 

Veronica is coming in hot with her first recommendation, a VERY cute and affordable jewelry company she loves and wears basically every day.

Our EHD baker extraordinaire Sara swears by this super easy and SUPER TASTY chocolate cake recipe. All of us are waiting for the day she brings it into work. Sara? Does Monday work?

During last month’s trip to Target HQ, we got a sneak peek of some new releases. Arlyn’s favorites including Auden, a new lingerie line that looked SO great in person, and Stars Above which are pajamas and loungewear that were SUPER soft with lots of options in a wide range of sizes.

Dog owners, this one is for you. Velinda highly recommends Nulo Adult Grain Free Dog Food. It’s the only food her 15-year-old dog with skin allergies eats. She says it boosts his energy and keeps him from itching.

Julie is trying to take care of herself (finally). In her committed effort, she bought two products this week to boost her health. The first is Bulletproof Unflavored Collagen Protein (she doesn’t eat a lot of meat so it’s a great substitute) and Garden of Life Green Superfood because she is a self-proclaimed “forgetful human” who doesn’t eat enough veggies. She will report back in a month.

Favorite candle alert! Grace bought this Thymes Frasier Fir Pine Needle Candle last week while at a shop near the mountain house based on Sara’s recommendation (Arlyn has it, too, via Brady, and stands behind it, too). She used it Sat and Sun and says it’s SO GOOD! Woodsy, but kinda sweet at the same time. 

Michael loved this video interview with Selma Blair. He said it’s shocking, inspiring and powerful.

Juicers aren’t cheap but you know what else isn’t cheap?? JUICE. So Bowser bought a new juicer. A friend told her about the Omega and was sold when she said it was the easiest juicer she’s come across to clean. DUH. BOUGHT. She will also report back.

Arlyn has had this cable management box for a few months and while in her dream world, would prefer no wires ever in her sight, it DRASTICALLY improved the cordage bombardment around her TV in the living room.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and if you are local, don’t forget to head to Pen and Napkin’s Rummage sale today. See you tomorrow,

The post The Link Up: Blog Awards, “Kidfluencers”, Genius New Home Decor appeared first on Emily Henderson.

7 Things I might return + my new shopping mantra

It’s 3am on friday night. I fell asleep with the kids at 8pm and woke up realizing I forgot to write todays post. There is no “what I wore on my body” today because I wore such boring things all week, things you’ve seen 1 million times, that I couldn’t bear to show you. And not in a way that you would have appreciated the normalcy, more in a way that you might have been embarrassed for me. But I did do some shopping to try to rectify the situation, only to be unsure about these pieces (very excited about others which you’ll see next week). So instead of not posting my team took all the pieces that I brought to the office to debate, and threw them into a post. Next saturday will be full of some new spring pieces that I’m VERY excited by but this one is more a ramble about fashion and my body. ENJOY

Denim Puffer 

Up first, that denim puffer up there is SO CUTE. In theory. The reason it’s off her shoulder is because it’s so oversized that her frame literally can’t house the volume. I bought a small and it looks like I’m a 12-year-old wearing my dads coat. BUT both Julie and Sara bought it after they tried it on so they were apparently into the ‘wear your dads coat for the day’ look. I’m still of the old school notion that things should be somewhat flattering (or incredibly comfortable) in order to wear them. Mostly I just want my hands to be usable and not swallowed up by a sleeve.

Vintage Navy Oversized Surplus Jacket

In my constant quest to be edgier I buy things like this. It is cool, but far too big for this frame.

Carson Sherpa Fleece Jacket

The fleece is coming at us hard right now and I’m apparently trying to buy it, behind on a trend, but this guy again is oversized. I’m going to buy it in an extra small, but I’m not cool enough to rock the oversized. I love it when the body of it is oversized, full of volume, but the sleeves need to fit and be tight. Again, I like the use of my hands.

Love Boy Tee

You know that SMILE tee I’ve been wearing for months? Well, this was my attempt to wear a different shirt. I love Sundry clothes so much, but unsure this guy is worth it so for now it’s sitting in my office in the ‘return’ pile (which is wear my team pulled all of this stuff).

Floral Long Sleeve Top

I’m looking for a new gown, guys. If you haven’t noticed I have ONE ‘fancy’ dress – that navy blue ruffle number from Ulla Johnson from a year and a half ago and I still love it, but for every fancy occasion (premieres, weddings, etc) I pull that sucker out and even my kids are getting bored with it. So I bought this to see if it could be rotated into my repetoire. I fear its a bit too safe and sweet and I am NOT safe or sweet despite the hype.

But I have certain ‘gown’ requirements. I don’t like to show my arms, I don’t like super tight, I don’t like to show to much cleavage (listen I was raised LDS so modesty is just ingrained) so i’m always looking for something that might feel sexy without being too revealing. The way they styled that dress with those opalescent metallic shoes, I mean, NO. But picture it with a moto or a jean jacket and maybe?

Nope.

S hort Sleeved Collared Denim Jumpsuit

I’m not really proving my case right now. But I like a wrap jumpsuit, too. I forgot to tell you that I made a pact with myself that i will never, for the rest of my life, buy high waisted wide legged pants. The Kamm pant is not for me. I can pose uncomfortably in a photo and look fine but Its not flattering or comfortable. It’s not what I want to grab or wear on a daily basis. Only people that are teeny tiny are flattered by them, not to say that everyone shouldn’t be part of that overall intentionally unflattering movement.

So after a HUGE purge this week (are you going to the rummage sale on Sunday?) I looked at every piece that wasn’t “bringing me joy” and a lot of them were high waisted wide legged pants. My body wants a boxy top/blouse, a jacket and a skinny pant or baggy short-short, and when I try the boxy part on the bottom of my body its not flattering and therefore I don’t feel good.

But two days later, TWO DAYS,  I found myself buying a longer, looser version of those pants at a store, joking the whole time about my promise, but still buying them. I’ve subsequently returned them, emboldened even more now about my pact. I, EMILY HENDERSON, will never, NEVER buy another wide legged high waisted pair of pants. I know in the moment they are cool. I know that when you kinda push your butt back they look better and even flattering (in the mirror), that when you suck in you don’t look like you are in a perpetual first trimester zone. I can “pull them off”. But when you are just throwing on clothes in the morning you never ever ever opt for them. Do not, under any circumstances fall prey to this unflattering-on-you trend.

I shopped twice for clothes this week and I came up with a NEW pact – If its not a ‘HELL YES’, it a “NO”. Unless I’m doing the literal happy dance, I’m not buying them. I found a new pair of jeans after trying on 19 pairs and yes, I did a pretty epic dance because I felt so good in them, and my friend who I was shopping with said ‘that is how you need to feel every time you are about to purchase something’.

That might be obvious to you guys, but you know how after you’ve been shopping for a long time you really want to come home with something so if something is ‘cute’ you buy it because you’ve invested the time and you want something in return? Well, no longer. Say this to yourself, “if it’s not a ‘Hell Yes!’ then its a ‘NO'” it actually makes it so much easier. I purged a lot this week so I don’t feel guilty about buying, because yes you are about to see a lot of ‘hell yes” next week.

Vince Jesson Platform Sandals

Are we still wearing nursing shoes? These are from Vince, a brand that I trust is still kinda edgy but I’m not sure I can be trusted any longer because its in every mall now. That sounded like it wasn’t a hell yes, but I think it might be, I just want to put it on and style it out before the full commitment happens. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but I LOVE a nude shoe. These came in too big (order smaller) and we all loved them, but they were in my ‘return’ box because they are oversized. You know what piece of clothing should never be oversized? SHOES.

Yumi Kim Park City Jacket

Ok. I’m debating returning this because I live in LA and I don’t need a faux fur coat, despite a lot of you loving it (and buying). I’m also worried that I jumped on this train too late and since this is expensive I kinda don’t want to splurge unless i’m going to wear it a lot.

That didn’t sound like a ‘hell yes’ did it?

NO.

Well, its 4:30am. I should probably go back to bed or get up for the day. But its been nice “externally processing” with you. While this was a last minute post I actually think if we had more a ‘what is in my cart and why’ series would be fun. Stay tuned for better fashion next week where I can show you my new happy pants, my updated nude mules (FINALLY) and the sweats that I don’t want to ever take off my body.

The post 7 Things I might return + my new shopping mantra appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Best (Unexpected) Color Combo Trends of 2019

Just when I thought that I had figured out what makes a color palette timeless, Laurren, today’s contributing writer, proposes this: Perhaps the new “color trend” is actually unexpected and more about clashing or pairing together unexpected hues. I suppose like many things, creating tension can be what makes them exciting. Typically for room longevity, I’m a classic “opposite sides of the color wheel” fan, but when someone proposes new, dramatic color combos that I don’t have the guts to actually implement (permanently) I say “go for it”, like literally, YOU go for it, because I’m too scared.

BUT, it is fun to think about throwing blue caution to the wind and going for a peach-on-peach (wait, do we all know that peach is HUGE right now…it is, as is mustard) vibe. Anyway, Laurren dug deep and is going to walk you through 10 combos that, like I said, might be scary to anyone used to neutrals and safer palettes, but SUPER exciting to anyone ready for a little something new. Who knows, maybe by the end of this post, I’ll be convinced to paint something orange (ha!). Laurren, take it away.

Thanks, Emily. Hi everyone, I’m Laurren. Long time reader and freelance magazine writer and stylist. (Fun fact: I actually interviewed Emily for a story when I was an editor at Country Living which I haven’t even mentioned to her until now!)

We’re here to talk color. Let me first say that light, bright and airy will always have a place in design (and our hearts). But, after years and years of largely neutral spaces, it feels like the right time for a reverse palette cleanse of sorts. (Arlyn recently made her own plea for more colored walls in design here, and I offer her my full support!) If you, too, are in the mood to shake things up—whether you embrace color via paint or textiles or both—we hope these ideas will serve to get you moving in that direction. And look, most designers (including Emily) would agree that setting a color palette before embarking on a room design is the first (and best) thing you can do to usher decisions further and end up with a room that feels intentional and pulled together.

That said, it’s not always easy to know what to put together. What colors play well in the sandbox of design life? Some combos are obvious, but for anyone who’s tired of seeing the same three colors used again and again, that’s where this post comes in. After doing some initial research and then working to finalize with the EHD team, I think the 10 combos we’re about to share with you are exciting and fresh. 

Let’s just dive right into what I suspect might be the hardest sell for some of you, shall we? Are your eyeballs ready to party?

Peach + Coral
image source

I fully acknowledge that the above image is a lot—like a Flintstones Push-Up (remember those? RIP) and an Orange Julius (can you tell I like frozen treats?) melted together into a dining room. I get it. We get it. In fact, the EHD team talked about their reluctance to embrace the coral trend in this post here. (Now I’m wondering if maybe I should have named this post “8 Unexpected Color Palettes We Love Plus One That Maybe Only Laurren Loves?”) but I just can’t stop looking at it. Am I going to go out tomorrow and paint my living room all the shades of orange? Well, no. But in the right space (ideally not a bedroom or bathroom—feels a little energizing for those areas) it can be really, really pretty.

In the above photo via the February 2018 issue of Elle Decoration UK, a heavy helping of black—from the table to the artwork to the light fixture—adds the grounding, sophisticated edge that makes the whole thing just work (well, that and those wood floors). It sort of acts like the little black blazer of the room, taking a color pairing that could lean childlike and fanciful then BOOM—baby’s all grown up! Being able to see into that other room also helps a lot—the dark paint job and patterned flooring gives your eyes a place to regroup, which can be important in such a bold space.

image source

If the first example is just a little too Wild Wild Country for you, or if you’re into something requiring less legwork or commitment, allow your textiles and artwork to do the heavy lifting and skip the paint altogether. Or, use it sparingly, like in the above photo where the orange hue is almost celebrated more than it would be if the whole space were clad in the color.  

Terra-Cotta + Cobalt
image source | design by Giancarlo Valle

Peach was large and in charge in the ‘90s, so any Laura Ashley-induced anxiety over its return is 100% understandable. Strip away all the frills and pattern, though, and you’re actually left with a pretty versatile hue that is particularly sophisticated when you bring it down a notch and enter the earthier terra-cotta territory (this is Dead Salmon—lol—from Farrow & Ball). Pair it with black and warm wood accents and a heavy wash of rich blue (specifically that cobalt from the velvet pieces in the living room pictured above), and the controversial shade takes a moody and, dare we say it—lasting—turn.

Blush + Teal + Emerald
image source

While “millennial pink” may be losing steam, it’s not gone for good and goes a long way in softening up the dark blue and green that grounds this kitchen. In a smaller space with lower ceilings, we’d probably recommend layering in some lighter neutrals to add a little airiness, but this particular space can handle all the drama.  

Teal + Rust + Mustard
image source | design by Harding and Read

A wash of super-saturated teal (we’re pretty sure this is Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue) is the perfect backdrop for the burst of warmth coming in from this rusty headboard. (It just wouldn’t feel as special against crisp white walls!) The punchy pillows keep things from feeling too moody and prove that sometimes pattern is most impactful applied in small doses. By keeping the rest of the furnishings—from the lamp to the side table to the bedding—relatively simple in terms of color and style, this bold pairing commands allllllllll the attention. (And we’re not mad about it!)

Turquoise + Red-Orange
image source | design by Studiopepe

Historically, this combo is not my favorite, but after coming across the above image during a Pinterest dig, I’ve recently warmed up to it. Sure, it comes on strong and can easily lean more coastal or traditional, but when used in unbalanced quantities, with turquoise taking the lead and red-orange coming in as an accent, it feels very fun and fresh. That linen low-slung headboard and sculptural matte black sconce also help the cause.

It’s important to remember that even when your palette is this simple (as in, just two main colors), you need to layer in neutrals (like the bed) and don’t be afraid to take one of the protagonist hues and play with the tones. This could have looked a bit amateur had the walls, sheets and blanket been the same shade, but by varying them just slightly piece to piece, it feels more well-rounded and sophisticated.

Hunter Green + Pink + Yellow
image source | design by Angela Chrusciaki Blehm

2019 has promised a resurgence of bold primary colors, and I’ll be the first to admit: it’s a little intimidating. They just don’t feel all that special on their own—and would certainly feel jarring paired together—but, as seen in the above image, they can be a refreshing addition to a softer palette when used sparingly. Sign me up for those yellow chairs!

image source | design by General Assembly

Here, yellow comes in in a more buttercream way with the side tables, and set against a deep dark green and a light blushy pink artwork it could feel playful, but with the cognac leather and wood furnishings, it’s elevated and very adult.

Dusty Blue + Maroon + Wood Tones
image source | design by Atelier Abraha Achermann

Here, warm wood accents and maroon (wait…are these brown?) floor tiles lend a sophisticated edge to a soft blue that might otherwise lean a little saccharine. (It also helps that this particular blue has a lot of gray in it.) We’d pepper in some black accents to really round out the mix.

Peach + Persimmon + Teal
image source | design by Sella Concept and Wilson Holloway

You didn’t think I was done with peach, did you? (I can agree to call it terracotta if that will help you open up your heart.) Designed by Sella Concept and Wilson Holloway, London-based restaurant Omar’s Place, pictured above, makes a strong case for the controversial, sherbet-y palette. A smattering of teal provides an unexpected contrast in the largely monochromatic space while a cloudy-gray ceiling adds depth and dimension without stealing the show. It’s somehow bubbly and moody all at once.

Green + Green + Green
image source

We definitely have a thing for monochromatic tonal palettes and earthy greens are no exception. (Why settle for one shade when you can have them all?!) Green can be moody and dramatic but also somehow warm and fuzzy and soothing—it’s a real over-achiever and the EHD team’s current golden child. 

image source | design by Chan + Eayrs

Paired with lots of pale wood tones, stone and mixed metal finishes, the space above, which was designed by architects Zoe Chan Eayrs and Merlin Eayrs, is a great example of how you can use color to make a bold statement without sacrificing a light-and-airy feel. It helps that the green tones vary (from pastel to fresh and minty to deep and earthy) to keep things interesting and feeling intentional (not like you didn’t know what else to pair together). Also, I never thought I’d like a colored bathtub, but here we are.  

Mustard + Burgundy
image source | design by studio ashby

You might be looking at this photo (a room by Studio Ashby) and thinking, wait…where’s the burgundy, but that’s actually the magic of this. (BTW, it’s in the trim of the pillow shams and while one tiny detail does not a color palette make, feel free to amp it up yourself). As Emily mentioned in the beginning of this article, mustard and golden hues, specifically rendered in velvet textiles, are huge right now and while this would have worked just as well set against a base of white and black, the added oxblood from the pillow trim (and frankly, the book on the nightstand) is that little ounce of secret sauce that takes it to the next level.

Okay, you made it! I was afraid I lost you at “peachy pink.” How are you feeling? Did we convince you about any of these? Are there some you went “OMG YES DUH HOW DID I NEVER THINK OF THAT?” Are you on your way to buy paint RIGHT NOW!? What’s a color combo you’d be happy to never see again for the rest of your life? Tell me everything.

***Thank you to Laurren Welch, freelance writer and stylist, for helping to write and produce this post. 

The post The Best (Unexpected) Color Combo Trends of 2019 appeared first on Emily Henderson.

10 Unexpected Color Palettes to Try If You’re Bored of Beige

Just when I thought that I had figured out what makes a color palette timeless, Laurren, today’s contributing writer, proposes this: Perhaps the new “color trend” is actually unexpected and more about clashing or pairing together unexpected hues. I suppose like many things, creating tension can be what makes them exciting. Typically for room longevity, I’m a classic “opposite sides of the color wheel” fan, but when someone proposes new, dramatic color combos that I don’t have the guts to actually implement permanently) I say “go for it”, like literally, YOU go for it, because I’m too scared.

BUT, it is fun to think about throwing blue caution to the wind and going for a peach-on-peach (wait, do we all know that peach is HUGE right now…it is, as is mustard) vibe. Anyway, Laurren dug deep and is going to walk you through 10 combos that, like I said, might be scary to anyone used to neutrals and safer palettes, but SUPER exciting to anyone ready for a little something new. Who knows, maybe by the end of this post, I’ll be convinced to paint something orange (ha!). Laurren, take it away.

Thanks, Emily. Hi everyone, I’m Laurren. Long time reader and freelance magazine writer and stylist. (Fun fact: I actually interviewed Emily for a story when I was an editor at Country Living which I haven’t even mentioned to her until now!)

We’re here to talk color. Let me first say that light, bright and airy will always have a place in design (and our hearts). But, after years and years of largely neutral spaces, it feels like the right time for a reverse palette cleanse of sorts. (Arlyn recently made her own plea for more colored walls in design here, and I offer her my full support!) If you, too, are in the mood to shake things up—whether you embrace color via paint or textiles or both—we hope these ideas will serve to get you moving in that direction. And look, most designers (including Emily) would agree that setting a color palette before embarking on a room design is the first (and best) thing you can do to usher decisions further and end up with a room that feels intentional and pulled together.

That said, it’s not always easy to know what to put together. What colors play well in the sandbox of design life? Some combos are obvious, but for anyone who’s tired of seeing the same three colors used again and again, that’s where this post comes in. After doing some initial research and then working to finalize with the EHD team, I think the 10 combos we’re about to share with you are exciting and fresh. 

Let’s just dive right into what I suspect might be the hardest sell for some of you, shall we? Are your eyeballs ready to party?

Peach + Coral
image source

I fully acknowledge that the above image is a lot—like a Flintstones Push-Up (remember those? RIP) and an Orange Julius (can you tell I like frozen treats?) melted together into a dining room. I get it. We get it. In fact, the EHD team talked about their reluctance to embrace the coral trend in this post here. (Now I’m wondering if maybe I should have named this post “8 Unexpected Color Palettes We Love Plus One That Maybe Only Laurren Loves?”) but I just can’t stop looking at it! Am I going to go out tomorrow and paint my living room all the shades of orange? Well, no. But in the right space (ideally not a bedroom or bathroom—feels a little energizing for those areas) it can be really, really pretty.

In the above photo via the February 2018 issue of Elle Decoration UK, a heavy helping of black—from the table to the artwork to the light fixture—adds the grounding, sophisticated edge that makes the whole thing just work (well, that and those wood floors). It sort of acts like the little black blazer of the room, taking a color pairing that could lean childlike and fanciful then BOOM—baby’s all grown up! Being able to see into that other room also helps a lot—the dark paint job and patterned flooring gives your eyes a place to regroup, which can be important in such a bold space.

image source

If the first example is just a little too Wild Wild Country for you, or if you’re into something requiring less legwork or commitment, allow your textiles and artwork to do the heavy lifting and skip the paint altogether. Or, use it sparingly, like in the above photo where the orange hue is almost celebrated more than it would be if the whole space were clad in the color.  

Terra-Cotta + Cobalt
image source | design by Giancarlo Valle

Peach was large and in charge in the ‘90s, so any Laura Ashley-induced anxiety over its return is 100% understandable. Strip away all the frills and pattern, though, and you’re actually left with a pretty versatile hue that is particularly sophisticated when you bring it down a notch and enter the earthier terra-cotta territory (this is Dead Salmon—lol—from Farrow & Ball). Pair it with black and warm wood accents and a heavy wash of rich blue (specifically that cobalt from the velvet pieces in the living room pictured above), and the controversial shade takes a moody and, dare we say it—lasting—turn.

Blush + Teal + Emerald
image source

While “millennial pink” may be losing steam, it’s not gone for good and goes a long way in softening up the dark blue and green that grounds this kitchen. In a smaller space with lower ceilings, we’d probably recommend layering in some lighter neutrals to add a little airiness, but this particular space can handle all the drama.  

Teal + Rust + Mustard
image source | design by Harding and Read

A wash of super-saturated teal (we’re pretty sure this is Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue) is the perfect backdrop for the burst of warmth coming in from this rusty headboard. (It just wouldn’t feel as special against crisp white walls!) The punchy pillows keep things from feeling too moody and prove that sometimes pattern is most impactful applied in small doses. By keeping the rest of the furnishings—from the lamp to the side table to the bedding—relatively simple in terms of color and style, this bold pairing commands allllllllll the attention. (And we’re not mad about it!)

Turquoise + Red-Orange
image source | design by Studiopepe

Historically, this combo is not my favorite, but after coming across the above images during a Pinterest dig, I’ve recently warmed up to it. Sure, it comes on strong and can easily lean more coastal or traditional, but when used in unbalanced quantities, with turquoise taking the lead and red-orange coming in as an accent, it feels very fun and fresh. That linen low-slung headboard and sculptural matte black sconce also help the cause.

It’s important to remember that even when your palette is this simple (as in, just two main colors), you need to layer in neutrals (like the bed) and don’t be afraid to take one of the protagonist hues and play with the tones. This could have looked a bit amateur had the walls, sheets and blanket been the same shade, but by varying them just slightly piece to piece, it feels more well-rounded and sophisticated.

Hunter Green + Pink + Yellow
image source | design by Angela Chrusciaki Blehm

2019 has promised a resurgence of bold primary colors, and I’ll be the first to admit: it’s a little intimidating. They just don’t feel all that special on their own—and would certainly feel jarring paired together—but, as seen in the above image, they can be a refreshing addition to a softer palette when used sparingly. Sign me up for those yellow chairs!

image source | design by General Assembly

Here, yellow comes in in a more buttercream way with the side tables, and set against a deep dark green and a light blushy pink artwork it could feel playful, but with the cognac leather and wood furnishings, it’s elevated and very adult.

Dusty Blue + Maroon + Wood Tones
image source | design by Atelier Abraha Achermann

Here, warm wood accents and maroon (wait…are these brown?) floor tiles lend a sophisticated edge to a soft blue that might otherwise lean a little saccharine. (It also helps that this particular blue has a lot of gray in it.) We’d pepper in some black accents to really round out the mix.

Peach + Persimmon + Teal
image source | design by Sella Concept and Wilson Holloway

You didn’t think I was done with peach, did you? (I can agree to call it terracotta if that will help you open up your heart.) Designed by Sella Concept and Wilson Holloway, London-based restaurant Omar’s Place, pictured above, makes a strong case for the controversial, sherbet-y palette. A smattering of teal provides an unexpected contrast in the largely monochromatic space while a cloudy-gray ceiling adds depth and dimension without stealing the show. It’s somehow bubbly and moody all at once.

Green + Green + Green
image source

We definitely have a thing for monochromatic tonal palettes and earthy greens are no exception. (Why settle for one shade when you can have them all?!) Green can be moody and dramatic but also somehow warm and fuzzy and soothing—it’s a real over-achiever and the EHD team’s current golden child. 

image source | design by Chan + Eayrs

Paired with lots of pale wood tones, stone and mixed metal finishes, the spaces above, which were designed by architects Zoe Chan Eayrs and Merlin Eayrs, are a great example of how you can use color to make a bold statement without sacrificing a light-and-airy feel. It helps that the green tones vary (from pastel to fresh and minty to deep and earthy) to keep things interesting and feeling intentional (not like you didn’t know what else to pair together). Also, I never thought I’d like a colored bathtub, but here we are.  

Mustard + Burgundy
image source | design by studio ashby

You might be looking at this photo (a room by Studio Ashby) and thinking, wait…where’s the burgundy, but that’s actually the magic of this. (BTW, it’s in the trim of the pillow shams and while one tiny detail does not a color palette make, feel free to amp it up yourself). As Emily mentioned in the beginning of this article, mustard and golden hues, specifically rendered in velvet textiles, are huge right now and while this would have worked just as well set against a base of white and black, the added oxblood from the pillow trim (and frankly, the book on the nightstand) is that little ounce of secret sauce that takes it to the next level.

Okay, you made it! I was afraid I lost you at “peachy pink.” How are you feeling? Did we convince you about any of these? Are there some you went “OMG YES DUH HOW DID I NEVER THINK OF THAT?” Are you on your way to buy paint RIGHT NOW!? What’s a color combo you’d be happy to never see again for the rest of your life? Tell me everything.

***Thank you to Laurren Welch, freelance writer and stylist, for helping to write and produce this post. 

The post 10 Unexpected Color Palettes to Try If You’re Bored of Beige appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Portland Reveal: You’ll Never Guess What This Bookcase Is Hiding…

Oh, how we’ve been itching to reveal this super fun space. WHAT’S BEHIND BOOKCASE DOOR NUMBER ONE? Any ideas? I mean, it could be ANYTHING, right? From a hoarder-like stash of Christmas nutcrackers to a master bedroom no child knows actually exists (is that the secret to sleeping in?). But before we spill the secret, let’s talk about this upstairs landing on the second floor of the Portland home.

This second floor is a new addition to the . As a reminder (catch up fully on this house ), we reconfigured the floor plan, added the top story and shifted the stairs a bit so that all three floors (top, ground, basement level) would have a continuous staircase. We worked in conjunction with Base Modern to design the railings and banister (which we went into a little more in the entryway and stairway reveal), and the open metalwork work so well up here to bring in light from the ground floor as well as from the other rooms on the second floor (should the doors be open).

While this could have been treated like an open loft-like landing, we decided to make it a LANDING, designing this custom built-in cabinet as a showpiece for beautiful things (art, books, decor items…and as you’re about to find out, the entrance to a super top secret room). Craig Cowing from Crestwood Inc. helped to execute the work (he also did the cabinetry in the kitchen). To work with the color palette throughout the home’s permanent fixtures, we decided on a slate-like blue by Sherwin-Williams called Grays Harbor and it’s the perfect saturated yet moody shade.

We worked with Velux here (as we did throughout the home) to bring in some more natural light via skylights (at night that stunning organic yet modern Rejuvenation light—which is ENORMOUS and such a power piece up there—illuminates the area). Had the skylights not been installed, the only sunlight that could have potentially graced this space was dependent on the doors being open from the master bedroom and two guest rooms. That just wouldn’t do. This was an opportunity to flood in whatever light the dreary Portland skies would offer, so we had to think outside the window and Velux was a “light” saver here.

Since we’re talking about light, I think it’s time to pivot and move into what’s behind that secret passageway through the bookcase because it also involves natural light…

THIS PLAYROOM. Well, really it could be anything, but considering it’s only about 5 feet 5 inches at its highest point, we thought it would make perfect sense to be a little “hideaway lair” for the littles in the family. However, how badly would you want to commandeer this for your grown self and turn it into a full-on read-until-you-fall-asleep nook? Honestly, this could have been a throw-away space for Christmas decor of year’s past, but instead, we had some fun. It was actually just rafter space over the living room. There’s a breaker box in here that need some access so why not turn it into real usable space?

Because this was essentially a niche under the roofline, we knew we needed to bring in light, otherwise it’d literally be a tiny cave, which sure, is cool, but frankly, this is cooler. As we did out in the stair landing, Velux came in and positioned a skylight to provide maximum light. At night, there are cans in the ceiling for when the sun goes down.

Aside from the lighting, because it’s a really tight space (literally, the ceiling drops to about 2’5″ at the lowest point), it was important to make sure this secret room was comfortable. I mean, let’s get real…wall-to-wall carpeting, though not super desirable, is AMAZING. Picture yourself as a child…wouldn’t you want to be smooshing your tiny toes into plush carpeting? Roll around uninhibited? Think about what you’d want as a kid…then do that.

Let’s take a second to admire this insanely chic play kitchen by Milton & Goose. Play kitchens absolutely DID NOT look like this in the ’80s…right? The adults might have to duck and kneel to watch the cooking show or come over for plastic pancakes, but I think it’s well worth the spatial sacrifice.

Okay, coming back to the cabinet to talk art, because we had the pleasure of working with so many unbelievable artists and artisans for the staging of the whole . The vessels (the knobby white concrete vase and the tiered wood bowl atop the books) were loaned to us—the vase from by The Good Mod and the bowl from Mantel, both local Portland stores, which, if you’re in the area or traveling there, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t stop in. Both stores have GOOD stuff, folks.

The little blue geometric piece is by Jessica Poundstone, available through Chairish, the threaded work of the bridge (the detail in person is insane) is by Amy L. Frazer, and the small collage piece is by MaryAnn Puls.

On the opposite side of the cabinet is this really pretty vignette graced by the Annie Selke runner and that sweet wood stool via The Good Mod (designed by Spencer Staley). More local artist work dot the cabinet and boy do we love all these pieces. The large abstract with the colored organic shapes is by Mia Farrington (you might remember her work from the rumpus room we revealed last month), the embroidered mountain piece is by Annie O’Dorisio, the landscape by Von Stead Art on Etsy, the mixed media wood-like piece by MaryAnn Puls, and the botanical artwork by Kelsi Cross Studios. It’s a mix of price points (i.e. that wildflower is $28 while some of the other pieces are a bit pricier), but art doesn’t have to be all “collectors” pieces. As long as it strikes you, it could cost $1 or $100,000…

Lastly, the wood figure set (from McLauchlan Made) and the geometric sculpture by Aleph Geddis (which we borrowed from The Good Mod), bring in the warm tones of the Mangrove Ventura planks from Hallmark Floors. It’s important to balance cooler tones (like the blue of the cabinet and art) to get a well-rounded, welcoming look.

And there you have it! Below is the Get the Look with all the shopping resources, but let us know if you have any questions! Pop into the comments and let us know what you think!

1. St John’s Bridge Thread Painting by Amy L. Frazer | 2. Small Abstract by MaryAnn Puls | 3. Kinetic Lines 4 in Navy Blue Print by Jessica Poundstone | 4. Untitled by Mia Farrington | 5. Tim Lamp Pendant by Rejuvenation | 6. Wildflowers by Kelsi Cross | 7. Small Abstract by MaryAnn Puls | 8. Nature Painting by Von Stead Art | 9. Cabinet Maker | 10. Ball and Rod Sculpture by Spencer Staley via The Good Mod | 11. Cabinet Knob by Rejuvenation | 12. Vase | 13. Expand by Annie O’Dorisio (similar) | 14. Wood Sculpture by Aleph Geddis via The Good Mod | 15. Large Vase (similar, original via City Home) | 16. Small Sculpture Set by Elise McLauchlan via Mantle | 17. Runner by Annie Selke | 18. Wooden Bowl by Elise McLauchlan via Mantle | 19. Painting by Whitney Jordan | 20. Play Kitchen by Milton and Goose | 21. Table Lamp | 22. Wood Side Table | 23. Wood Stool by Spencer Staley via The Good Mod | 24. Bean Bag | 25. Soccer Ball | 26. Red and Blue Basketball  | 27. Storage Bin | 28. Sherling Rug | 29. Octopus Throw Pillow | 30. Alligator Knit Throw Pillow | 31. Striped Pouf by City Home | 32. Guitar | 33. Dot Pillow by City Home | 34. White Pillow (similar) | 35. Tebby Bear (similar) | 36. Cat Throw Pillow | 37. Deer Knit Plush | 38. Wood Train Set (similar) | 39. Skylight by Velux | 40. Wood Flooring by Hallmark Floors | 41. Oyster White by Sherwin-Williams | 42. Pure White by Sherwin-Williams | 43. Grays Harbor by Sherwin-Williams | 44. Baseboard by Metrie

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Our Ultimate Vintage Rug Resource Guide

***Written by Jess Bunge

In terms of decor, is there really anything better than a beautiful vintage rug to bring some serious soul to a room? They have a way of grounding a space instantly with personality and injecting a mysterious sense of “history.” Now, while I and the whole EHD crew are vintage rug fangirls, I realized I actually didn’t know anything about the types of vintage rugs I lust after daily. Even when I went to go buy my kitchen rug, I knew I wanted something vintage but I went in blind and crossed my fingers (knowing I could return for a refund). So when I was assigned this post after some talk in the office about new (vintage) rugs for the mountain house and where others on the team source pieces for projects—including Emily who shares her #1 rug sourcing secret at the end of this post so keep reading—I figured it was time to rectify my (shameful??) lack of knowledge for myself while also paying some research forward to you guys. Two birds, one kilim stone.

First, let’s start with some tips to know before you buy online so you don’t suffer from instant buyer’s remorse:

A rug is considered vintage if it’s less than 100 years old. If it’s more than 100 years old, then it’s an antique and usually very $$$$.
Imperfections are good but a rug that is falling apart isn’t (unless that’s your thing). Make sure to ask about any damages previous to clicking that “buy it” button.
Ask for more pictures if you are unsure about the color (or damage) of your dream rug, ideally in different lighting. Online photos can be deceiving so there is no shame in wanting some more visual confirmation. This is easier to accomplish on Craigslists, OfferUp, Etsy, etc.—basically where the seller can be directly
Check the return policy. Sometimes no matter how much you know about the piece, it may just be different than you thought when you see it in person. Make sure you are able to get your money back if you change your mind.
Double check sizing! Vintage rugs come in all kinds of sizes (which is especially awesome if you need an unconventional size) however lots of sites put their measurements in centimeters and will obviously be VERY different if you were planning them to be inches.
Vintage rugs are rarely inexpensive and if the dealer can prove some sort of authenticity then they really aren’t cheap. Basically, it’s hard to say what is a good price. Set a budget for yourself, look at the quality and uniqueness. Then decide how bad you want it. That’s where the value ultimately lies.

photo: by zeke ruelas for ehd | from: introducing my living room

Of course, shopping from e-commerce sites is not the only place to grab a gorgeous vintage or antique rug. Emily’s three in-person go-tos are Craigslist (she scored the blue rug from a previous home here for $75), estate sales (she got the 3 rugs from the for $1,000 total at a celebrity’s estate sale) and, of course, flea markets, but read to the end to find out what her most precious tactic of all is for finding affordable rugs.

Before diving into our favorite shops and picks, I wanted to make a little cheat sheet and break down the types of rugs you will most likely encounter on your search (though keep in mind there are SO many other varieties like Heriz, Serapi, Mashad, etc.):

Oriental Rug: This is just an umbrella term for a knotted-pile rug from North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and northern India.
Kilim: A flat-woven carpet or rug usually made in Turkey.
Beni Ourain: Shag Moroccan rugs that are are typically very soft and made from high-grade wool. The colors are neutral and the designs are simple and geometric. These have been king in the neutral boho world for a while now (like in the photo above of Emily’s old living room).
Boucherouite: Usually color and hand-loomed from “clothing fabric scraps” by the women of the Moroccan Berber tribes.
Tabriz: A type of Persian Rug from the city of Tabriz. They are very intricate and made from either cotton or silk.
Overdyed Rug: This is less a “type” a rug and more a treatment of a rug you’ll see throughout vintage and antique dealers. These rugs have been dyed one consistent color and are very saturated where only a hint of the pattern comes through.
Oushak: Their designs are usually geometric with a central medallion or smaller scattered medallions, typically with a border design of a similar medallion or scroll/vine pattern.

Now that the tips, trick and terminology are sorted, let me present to you our collective EHD online vintage rug resource guide.

photo by sara tramp for ehd | from: experimenting in my living room: trying to find “the” rug
Blue Parakeet Rugs

They have a BEAUTIFUL selection of heirloom-quality vintage and antique rugs. Emily actually used one of their rugs in her most recent living room update debate where she borrowed that beauty up there to test out for a bit (for sale here). Sheba, the owner, is such a lovely person and wonderful to work with, and we’ll always encourage the support of a small business like hers. We can absolutely attest to the quality of their rugs that include the perfect amount of patina. 

Antique Kazak Rug | Love Worn Kurdish Rug | Kurdish Runner | Tribal Wool Rug

Canary Lane

There was a time (not so long ago) when every vintage runner Arlyn stumbled upon while scrolling through Instagram was from Canary Lane. It was like a running joke for her, she said. She’d see a kitchen with the most perfect runner rug, wonder where it was sourced from, and see that it was credited to Canary Lane. When I went to their site myself, I saw why she was petitioning for them to make this roundup. Their rugs are vibrant and chic…but sell fast. Don’t stew too long or you will probably miss out.

Vintage Mini Rug | ‘Azure’ Vintage Persian Large Area Rug | ‘Aster’ Primitive Vintage Tulu Rug | ‘Carley’ Turkish Vintage Runner

Chairish

They are an EHD household favorite. Not only is their selection vast and varied but you can counterbid the listed price (as opposed to upbidding like you would on an auction site). My life changed when I started to use that tool. Deals, deals, deals.

Mid Century Modern Turkish Jajim Kilim Flat-Weave Rug | Early 20th Century Antique Blue Chinese Art Deco Rug | Distressed Oushak | 1960s Turkish Striped Kilim Rug

Coco Carpets

Coco Carpets is like the cool girl of vintage rug retailers. They have an awesome selection of colorful and bold rugs that have that effortless modern boho feel. If you’re on the market for stunning Moroccan rugs that break the mold (i.e. not just your standard neutral Beni Ourain), click through RIGHT NOW because you will not be disappointed.

Apocalypse Never Boucherouite Vintage Moroccan | Your Art is the Best Art Vintage Beni Ourain Moroccan | Poor Unfortunate Soul Vintage Boujaad Berber Moroccan Rug | Basic Instincts Vintage Berber Carpet

Ebay

The OG bidding site for vintage. Ebay can be an overwhelming place to navigate (and a lot of “vintage” rug sellers are actually just selling vintage-looking rugs that are power-loomed out of nylon and acrylic so read carefully). To give you a little bit of a headstart, be sure to check out the following sellers who have a ton of great options: RugSource, MiamiVintageRugs, BeniourainDirect and eCarpetGallery.

Muted Oushak Turkish Hand-Knotted Wool Rug | Vintage Persian Kilim Area Rug | Beni Ourain Style Vintage Moroccan Boucherouite Rug | Hand-knotted Turkish Melis Vintage Wool Rug

photo by tessa neustadt for ehd | from: brady’s bedroom makeover with parachute + shop the look 
Esmaili Rugs

If you want a WIDE selection of high-quality vintage and antique rugs, go to Esmaili. You may remember Brady’s Bedroom Makeover starring one of their neutral Beni Ourain rugs as well as Sara’s living room rug selection with that blush and blue beauty. They aren’t “budget” rugs but boy are they special if you have the funds.

4×6 Vintage Moroccan Rug | 6 x 9 Vintage Moroccan Rug | 5 x 8 Vintage Moroccan Rug | 6 x 11 Vintage Beni Ourain Rug

Etsy

Etsy has a special place in my heart because it’s where I bought my kitchen rug (RugToGo) and I love it. I feel like Etsy is your best bet for deals without the extra step of bidding (or having to deal with in-person pick up like Craigslist or finding a cool flea market). Again, it’s a real hunt but RugToGo, BerberArtisanatFine and EFESRug are all great vendors for you to start your search with.  

Vintage Distressed Beige Oushak Rug | Ben Ourain Rug | Small Vintage Kilim | Small Vintage Kilim

New England and Loom

I found this great resource on Jess Ann Kirby’s Instagram and thought their offerings were really punchy and beautiful. The owners behind New England and Loom are a super cute couple that is always on the hunt for beautiful rugs. All their sales are final so you are going to want to be sure before you buy.

Antique Hamadan Runner | Antique Persian Mahal Rug | Antique Heriz Serapi Rug | Vintage Turkish Rug

One Kings Lane

Gone are the days when One Kings Lane was a flash sale website. They’ve transitioned into a traditional e-commerce retailer, however, being a go-to for new and vintage goods for designers and decor aficionados, the latter is always prone to flying off the virtual shelves because it’s a GOOD stock, specifically their rugs. They are a great resource with an awesome variety of prices, sizes and styles.

Turkish Kilim | Antique Khotan Rug | Moroccan Zenefe Wool Runner | 1960s Turkish Tulu Rug

photo by sara tramp for ehd | from: an update on our family room
Rejuvenation

You may have forgotten that one of our favorite shops also sells amazing vintage goods… rugs included. Remember Emily’s family room? That rug still makes my heart skip a beat but not to worry because they have plenty more to choose from. Having the “Rejuvenation stamp of approval” makes purchasing a no brainer.

Finely Woven Striped Navajo Blanket | Avanos Turkish Rug | Modern Blue & Yellow Turkish Konya Rug | Kurdish Runner 

Rug and Weave

Arlyn found this great shop on Instagram and a find it was! They have a killer selection of traditional yet fresh looking rugs, full of color (you know that girl loves her color). They also have a handful of their rugs photographed in actual spaces which is SO nice and takes a lot of the guessing game out of a purchase.

Antique Persian Karaja Rug | Antique Caucasian Kazak Rug | Vintage Persian Heriz Rug | Vintage Persian Heriz Rug

Vintage Rug Shop

Brittany from Vintage Rug Shop has SUCH an eye for vintage rugs. Finding nicely muted and not over saturated vintage and antique rugs can be tough, but that’s just what this store stocks. If you follow them on Instagram, you’ll constantly be tempted to blow your savings on a new floorcovering…they’re that good consistently. Oh, and they are constantly adding to their curated collection so be sure to check often if you have something specific in mind.

Dune | Lark | Nash | Joplin

Now that you have all of our online vintage rug secrets, Emily wanted to share a secret she keeps close to the chest…until now. I’ll let her take it from here before I wrap it up:

Hey guys. Em here. I couldn’t let this blog post go up without sharing my most precious strategy that has helped me find my favorite (and most affordable) rugs. Here goes: Instead of going to actual rug dealers at flea markets, head to regular flea market dealers. Look on the ground of normal dealers (people selling furniture, etc.), because sometimes they’ve brought in their grandma’s old rug and just laid it over a chair or underneath all their other goods. Some of them have REALLY good vintage rugs and you get a great deal (steals even) instead of going to specific rug dealers. Just because it doesn’t have a “for sale” tag on it doesn’t mean they won’t be willing to sell it. Shoot them an offer…you might be surprised what you take home.

If you have anything to add to our research, please feel free to let us know in the comments. Also are there any other online resource guides you have been jonesing for? Let us know about that too. Knowledge is power. Sharing is caring. Happy Wednesday. Love you, mean it.

EHD ONLINE RESOURCE GUIDES:

Wallpaper Roundup

Fabric Roundup

Tile Roundup

Where to Buy Cement Tiles

 

The post Our Ultimate Vintage Rug Resource Guide appeared first on Emily Henderson.

House Tour: Original Woodwork, Moody Walls & A Gasp-Worthy Wallpaper

Written by Arlyn Hernandez

I first discovered Emily (Cosnotti, not Henderson) of The Sweet Beast as I feel like I have most of my new house crushes lately: via the One Room Challenge (for real though, a veritable gold mine of talent over there). One glimpse of her guest bedroom which she completed last spring, with those deep moody walls and those tone-on-tone DIYed curtains and I knew I wanted (needed?) to see more. Emily was gracious enough to share a peek into her Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home which she shares with her husband Andy and corgi pup Penelope with the EHD universe and here’s a spoiler alert: there’s so much character and personality to love here (just wait until you see the original wallpaper from her sunroom).

Emily always has some new project brewing over on her site (and I can’t wait to see if she does another space for the upcoming ORC), so be sure to pop over there and her Instagram to give her some love and check out what’s new with her and her home. But alright, you’re not here to listen to me blab surely, so I’m going to pass the keyboard to our protagonist of the day to introduce herself and her home. Blog, meet Emily, Emily meet blog.

Thanks Arlyn! Hi everyone, I’m Emily of The Sweet Beast. A little background on me before jumping into my house: I always thought I would work in a museum, but after finding myself working in e-commerce and later in content, I’ve made surrounding myself with beautiful objects my hobby instead. My husband and I shared an apartment in a historic building for seven years before purchasing our home, I broke all the rules in our lease there by painting the walls and even removed paint from hardware and marble. I knew each step honored the space and its history, and that’s the same approach I take with the home we now own. It can be scary to dive into renovating and restoring an old home, but often tell myself, “you can hardly make it worse.” Our home was well decorated by the previous owner but in more of a bed and breakfast style than one that supports comfort and living. I often say that I’m “undecorating” our home, as I remove extra frills and opt for a modern traditional home that feels lived in and loved.

Foyer

Vintage Kilim (one of a kind) | Jute Runner | Frames | Pendant

The best part of the entryway to our home is our round top door with its tiny window panes. With closets on both sides, we are blessed with storage space for all our coats, shoes, my vacuum collection, and whatever else I can hide in there when guests come over. Those stacked frames feature some of my husband Andy’s photography from our trips to New York and his hiking trips with friends. And of course, our home wouldn’t be the same without our corgi Penelope, up there sitting on our one-of-a-kind pink and blue printed kilim rug, waiting for her favorite person to come home (hint: it’s not me).

Living Room

Vintage Rug (one of a kind) | Record Cabinets (similar) | Swing Arm Sconce | Shag Rug (similar) | Coffee Table (custom) | Sectional | Paint Color

Our living room’s paneled fireplace is probably the fanciest touch in our whole home and is likely an addition and not an original feature. It got lost in a sea of warm yellow tones before we stripped the walls and painted. Removing yellow striped wallpaper from the largest room in our house in the hottest days of summer with no air conditioning was a task I will never forget. It took four of us (myself, Andy, and my parents) days to complete the task of scoring, steaming and peeling the wallpaper and then scrubbing away the paste. Painting this room afterward was a breeze compared to that task. I was inspired by Deuce Cities Henhouse to pair our unpainted warm woodwork with dark, moody cool-toned walls and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Floor Lamp | Throw Pillow | Chair and Ottoman (vintage) | Fox Print by Camille Engman

We divided the living room into two zones, one small sitting area that houses Andy’s record collection, vintage speakers, and an inherited turntable, and a larger area for lounging on our sectional and watching Netflix. The long shape of the room has presented some modern-life layout challenges—there is no good place for a TV in this room that doesn’t block either the windows or the fireplace, but it glows with light all day long and is the most comfortable spot in our home.

Art (DIY) | Copper Pillow | Dome Table Lamp | Chest of Drawers (vintage)

Dining Room

Table | Rug (vintage) | Chairs (vintage) | Pendant | Glass Vase | Abstract Screenprint by Jen Ray | Screenprint Framing | Paint Color

When we toured this house for the first time, there was so much furniture in this room that we nearly missed seeing the corner built-ins. The family before us used this as a living room and music room, so it was outfitted with quite a few sofas, chairs and floral patterns. I painted this room first when we moved in, anxious to cover up the yellow walls with a crisp white and to repaint the cranberry pink shelves of the built-ins a deep gray-blue. The dark paint inside the built-ins lets my white and black ceramics and serving pieces shine and also looks so good with our honey-toned woodwork.

We went with a simple woven pendant from IKEA (that replaced the chandelier that was existing), the bright kilim rug was an eBay find and the dining chairs were a Craigslist score. As for the table, we found it in the IKEA as-is section and had to disassemble it to fit it in my car…so worth it because it was a steal.

Credenza (vintage) | Lamp (vintage) | Small Footed Bowl

A vintage mid-century credenza stores our board games and extra table linens inside and our growing collection of cocktail ingredients on top. I like to display a few of my collected ceramic pieces here as well or put out snacks when we entertain.

Master Bedroom

Curtains (with DIY tweak) | Curtain Rods | Ceiling Flushmount | Basket | Vintage Rug (one of a kind) | Fireplace Insert | Fireplace Tile | Chair (vintage) | Drink Table | Paint Color

A refresh of our master bedroom came about with the fall 2018 One Room Challenge. The design for the space was anchored around my plans to install an electric fireplace where a wood-burning fireplace once was. I sketched up plans to build a Tudorish-Craftmanish-modernish fireplace surround and sent the plans and revisions back and forth to my dad. I spent my weekends traveling two hours away to his garage where we built, painted and tiled the surround, piece by piece, completing it JUST in time. Now, the fireplace adds a nice boost of warmth on winter days and is a cozy place to curl up in a chair and enjoy a cup of coffee. Just kidding, that’s just a clothes chair.

Bed | Nightstands | Lamps | Duvet Cover | Quilt | Large Lumbar Pillow | Small Lumbar Pillow

I had my eye on that beautiful spindle Rejuvenation bed ever since I saw it in Emily (Henderson’s) bedroom, and knew that if I was going to do this bedroom justice, I had to get that bed. Putting a bulky frame in front of a window can seem like a terrible idea, but not if you pick something that lets light pass through instead of blocking it.

Grid Art (DIY)

Terracotta Vase | Little Pink Vase | Spotted Vase | Ceramic Knots | Knot Necklace | White Lamp (no longer available) | Kent Coffey Dresser (vintage)

As for the rug, I struggled to find one large enough to fit this big, long room and even considered going with two rugs instead of one. All my Instagram friends encouraged me to keep searching for one big rug and, just in time (again), I found this overdyed vintage rug and it’s just so perfect. It adds age and texture to a room filled with newer pieces and cleaner lines, achieving that just-right mix of modern and traditional that I’m always striving for.

Guest Bedroom

Bed (no longer available) | Ikat Lumbar Pillow (no longer available) | Pink Lumbar Pillow | Boob Pillow Cases | Wall Hanging | Duvet | Curtains (color no longer available) | Curtain Rods | Blanket (similar) | Rug (similar) | Paint Color

I revamped this room as part of the spring 2018 One Room Challenge and I knew what color I wanted to paint it before I’d picked anything else for it (it was previously a bright green boys room, decorated in a space theme complete with a ceiling boob light with glow-in-the-dark planets). I’d been seeing deep rich greens in places like Chris Loves Julia’s reading room and knew that dark hues make the woodwork in our home glow. My biggest revelation in this space was moving the bed in front of the windows, which allowed for access on both sides, and room for a small, guest-sized dresser.  Previously, the bed had been against the short wall where the IKEA dresser is now, which left half the room oddly open and relatively unusable.

Nightstands | Nightstand Hardware | Black Lamps | Blanket Ladder | Brass Mobile Kit | Dresser | Mirror

For the curtains, I went tone on tone, adding inexpensive velvet IKEA curtains with a DIY pinch pleat. I get so many questions about where the headboard is from because rattan is so huge right now, but it is an IKEA piece that I’ve held onto for several years that has long been discontinued (sadly that bench is also unavailable).

Those nightstands were a budget Amazon find at $100 each and equipped with USB ports so guests don’t have to search for outlets. I upgraded them a little by replacing the stock wood pulls with brass hardware from CB2. Right before photographing the room for the big reveal, I realized the corner looked so empty and decided to craft the brass mobile from a Crafters Box I’d been hoarding.

The room is a perfect mix of pieces that go but don’t match. And no more boob light, just boob-print pillows.

Bathroom

Art Print | Sconces | Vase (no longer available) | Paint Color

Finding a classic bathroom with original features was on my wish list for a house—a line item I didn’t think would be crossed off. But then we found this house with this perfect bathroom with its original floor, pedestal sink, medicine cabinet, bathtub and shower. The previous owners had added layers of extra frills with busy wallpaper, three layers of window treatments, a skirt for the pedestal sink, and even ruffled covers for the shower curtain rings. We painstakingly removed the wallpaper (it was really on there and holding together some of the plaster walls), repaired the plaster, and painted the room a soothing blush tone. It casts flattering color on everyone and lets the tile really pop without standing by being boring.

Sun Room

Wallpaper (historic reproduction) | Vintage Rug (one of a kind) | Coffee Table (vintage) | Green Coil Plant Pot | Watering Can

These windows right here…they’re what sold us on this house. I’d never seen anything quite like them and fell in love. The wallpaper is not something I would have chosen for myself, but it is growing on me. I also can’t imagine removing wallpaper ever again. At the closing, the previous owners made sure to tell us it was expensive and to “think about that” before removing it or painting over it. I’m still overthinking this space and the best way to use it, but for now, it’s a place where our plants are thriving.

Sofa (no longer available) | Pillow

Arlyn back again. Thank you SO much Emily for letting us (digitally) into your home. Sharing the work of such talented bloggers and designers in our community brings us so much joy (plus it’s fun to have permission to peek through people’s windows). It’s like touring model homes on the weekend except 100 TIMES BETTER for so many reasons. Feel free to share any bloggers/designers/stylist you follow that you get the sense have amazing homes and we’ll take a look, too, for a possible house tour.

To take a “tour” of all our EHD-designed homes and spaces, don’t miss our BRAND SPANKIN’ NEW PROJECTS section.

***photography by Emily Cosnotti of The Sweet Beast

The post House Tour: Original Woodwork, Moody Walls & A Gasp-Worthy Wallpaper appeared first on Emily Henderson.