Emily Henderson's Blog, page 30

The Link Up: Em’s Favorite Christmas Storage Hack, Caitlin’s Beautiful Dress, And A Great TV Show To Binge

Here we are, the Sunday after Christmas and before New Years. The week typically nothing is really happening. Hope your Christmas and the beginning of Hanukkah were filled with as much joy and laughter as possible. And if this week you are having to do things, may they be easy and/or very fun:) We’re all on break so no real updates here but we hope you all have a great New Years! Here are this week’s links…

This week’s house tour is a collector, secondhand lover’s dream! Ben Mooney, who owns Ma House Supply Store in Melbourne, lives above his shop and it’s an absolute treasure trove. There are about a million things to look at in every photo and it’s impossible to not fall in love with the charm, history, and mix of styles. Go check it out here!

From Emily: Not to yuck all our yums but at some point, we have to put these ornaments and decorations safely away, and every year I’m so glad that I invested in two of these that can fit almost all of our decor (outside of the faux greenery, wreaths, garland, etc). There are “drawers” that have dividers in them for more fragile ornaments or you can take out the dividers and have more space. the side pockets hold our tree garland and all our tabletop tree sculptures, etc. You’ll be SHOCKED at how much can fit in one of these (let alone two – we have a TON of ornaments). If you don’t already have your system, these bags/suitcases are awesome.

From Gretchen: I don’t know about you, but in these days just after Christmas and right before the New Year, I love sitting down to quick binge a show before the ball drops. Two of my friends have recently recommended the same one for me to watch. So I did and now it’s my turn to tell you to add it to your TV binge list! It’s called Based On A True Story and it’s on Peacock. Is it a little dark? Sure, but if you like crime, comedy, and Kaley Cuoco, you’re going to love this. It’s a pretty fast-paced show about a couple struggling with their finances right before baby arrives. Cuoco’s character is obsessed with true crime podcasts and when she and her husband discover their plumber is–SPOILER ALERT–actually a murderer, instead of turning him in, they convince him to start a podcast with them so together they can rake in the big bucks. It’s twisted and far-fetched but hilarious, and the cast is really what makes this show work in my opinion. Two seasons so far and both are definitely worth a watch!

From Jess: So I finally did and bought another pair of these pants from Anthro during Black Friday. Yes, we’ve talked about them a million times but that’s because we actually LOVE them. This time I got the corduroy ones in bronze and they feel so much like pjs that I wore them 3 days in a row immediately after they arrived in the mail. FYI, I’m just shy of 5’4″ and the standard “cropped” length isn’t cropped on me which I kinda love but a warning if you want that look, go petite. I simply can’t recommend them enough.

If you missed Black Friday and wished you had cashed in on the Article sale, well, today is your lucky day. They are having their New Year’s Day Sale, offering up to 60% off a ton of products (like 500). We truly love their products so much and that is the only reason we work with them so much (well, they are extremely nice people too:)). So if you fell in love with Birdie’s new green velvet bed, or Gretchen’s woven headboard, or the cozy chair in Emily’s brother’s primary bedroom then you are in luck. These and MANY more items are on a great sale. Go check it out!

From Mallory: I’ve been hosting lots of dinner parties this holiday season and I love myself some candlelight so I snagged some extra votives and I’m VERY impressed. They’re only $20 for a set of 12 and they have a great weight to them. I have them in the brown/amber color and they’re awesome but they have green, red, and multicolored too which are all really fun

From Arlyn: I used to be known for my red lipstick. It was my go-to power color for all occasions. And while I still love a red lip, don’t get me wrong, I was on the hunt for something a little less intense and I found it! Ilia’s Lip Sketch Hydrating Crayon in Night Bloom!! It’s such a gorgeous mulberry color that I think would be super flattering on every skin tone. Not to mention how much I love the application of this thing. It’s essentially a lipstick that goes on like a lip liner so you can get a great outline. The website says it lasts 12 hours, but my experience isn’t quite so long-lasting, though still perfect for outings, parties, dinners, and long work days.

From Caitlin: G’day, mates! How was your Christmas? It was over 80 degrees here in Australia, so I broke out a new favorite dress to celebrate. I’d been eyeing it for months (I even linked it in this post last summer!), but the words “drop-waist” had long inspired fear in my heart. “Drop-waist dresses make you look like a cardboard box,” my intuition said. BUT MY INTUITION WAS WRONG. I finally took the plunge on Cyber Monday, and I am SO GLAD I DID. I love the boat neckline, the fitted bodice (but not too fitted, you know?), the cut of the back (low enough to be flirty, not low enough to show my rolls), and the skirt is SO pretty. I’m usually a 12-14 (closer to the latter these days) and grabbed a large, though I could have sized down to a medium. I’m glad I had an excuse to wear it in December – I can’t wait to style it all spring and summer!

Have a great rest of 2024 and see ya next year:)

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: How We Decked Our Halls for Christmas

The post appeared first on Emily Henderson.

These Were The TOP 25 Bestselling Products This Year (#1 Was Our Biggest Seller EVER)

I think my favorite comments on the blog are the ones that say something like, “Are y’all listening in my house? I just said that I needed (insert item here) and I came to the blog and you’ve found it for me.” And while we aren’t listening in your houses – we have neither the budget nor technology to make that happen – we are using a sweet bit of data to help figure out which categories/products/styles are trending in an attempt to bring you the best pieces at the best prices. So today, to conclude our weeklong 2024 wrap-up, I’m bringing you the creme de la creme – the top-selling items from the entire year. We linked them, you loved them. Wanna see if anything you clicked on made the list? (There are definitely some familiar faces here, I promise.)

25. A Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

Em worked with Elsie Green, a small furniture maker in the Bay Area, to create a custom version of this reclaimed wood dining table. “The design of it is perfect – classic and timeless, but casual. That turned leg is so pretty, with a scale that is delicate yet big enough,” Em said. “We ordered it without the middle leg so we had flexibility with chairs, and changed the dimensions to 11′ long, 40″ deep, and 30″ tall.”

24. Snuggly-Soft PJs

It’s a sleeper hit (pun intended). We published this pajama review in September of 2023, but its traffic skyrocketed over a year later in November of 2024. The slow burn of the internet never ceases to amaze! But if you’re in the market for a good pair of winter pajamas, these SKIMs PJs are a hit: “Oh my goodness the fabric was ribbed and so soft, with stretch and still really drape-y (it’s weightier so it drapes really nicely),” Em wrote. “They are thick enough you can’t see bumps underneath and so soft that the kids were begging to snuggle with me.”

23. High-Waisted Chino Pants

In 2024, the EHD team fell deep (back) in love with Old Navy. And who could blame us? “I found these trousers at Old Navy which again, look so much more expensive than they are,” Em said. “They are your basic cool, straight-legged, boy-cut with a cuff situation which I like to dress down, but could easily be worn with a cute blazer for an office job.”

22. A Hand-Knotted Rug

If this rug doesn’t ring a bell, don’t fret – you’ve only seen it in progress shots! Em sourced it for her friend Robyn’s home, which we most recently shared in October. (How good is it against that timeless William Morris wallpaper?) It’s a beauty – 100% wool, totally hand-knotted, and the perfect jumping-off point for any room in your home.

21. A Stoneware Sink Caddy

This luxe sink caddy made its first appearance in Arlyn’s inspiring rental kitchen makeover – can you believe it’s only $14.99? “Something like this was a game-changer for us,” Arlyn wrote. “We would teeter the Dawn bottle on the ledge by the window and it was always goopy with old soap. And the spray for the counters was just…around. Anyway, corralling is always the best approach to org (after decluttering, of course).”

20. Reasonably-Priced Sunglasses

Let’s be real: Target’s budget-friendly sunglasses are the eighth wonder of the modern world. (Too far? Yeah, okay. I see your point.) These aviators can add a bit of 1970s cool to your look, but I love that they’re easy to wear atop your head – there’s no annoying metal nose pads to catch in your hair!

19. Em’s Living Room Sofas

What’s better than one lounge-able sofa? TWO lounge-able sofas. “We have two of these in our living room and I love them so much,” Em said. “They check the ‘traditional’ and also the modern box really well. The turned legs obviously read classic, but the single bench and back are simple and modern (see a pattern here?). If only our silly dogs would stop sitting on the TOP CUSHION as if they are birds and it’s their nest. PUNKS!”

18. A Budget-Friendly Bathroom Vanity

If you’re sitting there and thinking, “holy crap, how did a vanity end up in the top 25 bestsellers?,” let me surprise you even further: THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW that this plug-and-play option has landed on our list. (Pro tip: swap out the hardware and faucet for an even more custom look, like Priscilla Frost did in this affordable basement bathroom makeover!)

17. A Chunky, Retro Platform Sandal

Every year, I’m pleasantly surprised by a few entries on this list – these Sorels are no exception! They made two appearances on the blog this summer – in Em’s poolside dress review and in her dresses with sleeves review – but they seem to have outshone their dress counterparts. (PS. They’re currently on sale for $51, down from $130. You know, in case you’re also dreaming of summer.)

16. Textural Storage Bins

Target does it again! “These three baskets have SAVED US,” Em wrote. “Two are for shoes and one is for our day-to-day sports stuff that we are ALWAYS scrambling to find (basketball shoes, cheer shoes, ultimate frisbee gloves, frisbees, basketball, cleats, etc).” The herringbone weave and faux-leather handles make these look far more expensive than their $45 price tag.

15. A Sleek & Functional Kitchen Faucet

Chefs and home cooks, rejoice – this stunning Rejuvenation faucet is here to make quick work of any kitchen messes! It’s crafted from solid brass (which is naturally antibacterial!), designed, assembled, and finished right here in America, and it’s offered in everything from polished chrome and brushed nickel to satin brass and stainless steel. She’s a splurge, but she’s worth it.

14. Cute, Comfortable Pajamas

You’d be forgiven for believing that we’re a pajama blog. (We’re not, but it sure seems that way.) These Gap PJs came out on top of Em’s aforementioned PJ review – she raves about their comfortable fabric. “It’s just so buttery soft, falls, stretches, drapes and breathes. It’s so lightweight you feel like you aren’t wearing anything,” Em shares. She also offered a pro tip: “They are always on some sort of sale so don’t buy unless you get at least 30% off.”

14. Classic Brass Bin Pulls

Confused about cabinet hardware? You can never go wrong with a bin pull – especially when they’re this beautifully crafted. Em sourced these in oil-rubbed bronze for her pantry and in unlacquered brass for her kitchen. (Repeating hardware is a subtle, simple way to create cohesion in your home – it doesn’t hurt that these are the perfect mix of utilitarian function and timeless style, either.)

13. Caitlin’s Wedding Guest Dress

I bought this dress at Nordstrom the day before leaving for a black-tie wedding. It was under $120, it (miraculously) did not require shapewear, and it somehow was able to fit both my large chest and even larger behind. It was a revelation. Let this be a lesson to us all that stepping out of our comfort zone is (occasionally) rewarded.

12. Gretchen’s Giftable Cookbook

Say hello to a last-minute entry! Gretchen recommended this cookbook at the end of November, and it quickly leapt to the top of our sales charts. “By no means am I a natural-born chef, so having a step-by-step guide, complete with delicious pictures and a hardcover so cute it could double as a coffee table book, just really checks all my boxes,” she wrote. “A beautiful cobalt blue cover, soooo many delectable recipes inside with photos I could flip through and gawk at for hours. The recipes are anti-inflammatory-focused and seem pretty approachable.”

11. A Smart Storage Solution

“Since the sofa is slammed up against the far wall and there was hardly any room for a side table on this side of it, we needed a sofa table,” Em explains. “Enter this bookcase from Pottery Barn that fits PERFECTLY along the back of the sofa and is where my wine or tea sits when I’m watching TV (as well as those gorgeous lamps). It looks fully integrated and almost like it was professionally designed!” (Confession: I’m eyeing the same bookcases to pair with my new sectional!)

10. Wide-Leg Jeans with Wearable Proportions

Some wide-leg jeans can be a little too overpowering – but not these! They’re a great first step into the world of non-skinny denim. “They are medium-rise (not crazy high) and the waist is the perfect amount of constriction and comfort,” Em said. “They hold their shape really well and the wash is a great color. I like to wear them with a little heel versus chunky cross-trainers (which I know is in, but again not my thing).”

9. A Throw-On-and-Go Blouse

Run, don’t walk – it’s your last chance to score Em’s favorite blouse at 40% off! I started collecting Farm Rio blouses in 2020 and will happily sing their praises – they’re easy to style, ultra-flattering, breathable, design-forward, and fun to wear. Dress them up with leather trousers; dress them down with ripped jeans. You can’t go wrong!

8. An Affordable Summer Top

I have to laugh when I reread how we presented this matching set from Target (dorky dads, rise up!): “I know this is very in and trendy but it’s hard for me not to see them as a pajama set or a dorky dad set (which I know is in, I read the news and “Kramer chic” is everywhere but it’s not for me),” Em wrote. “If you are into looking fashion forward, like a cool dorky dad, and being really comfortable, this is a great set.”

7. Fresh, Updated Denim

If you also loved Madewell’s iconic Cali demi-boot cut jeans (RIP), this updated cut is right up your alley. (They’re also on sale from $29.99, if you want to give them a whirl without breaking the bank.) “Y’all this new cut is SO GOOD,” Em testified. “I feel so great in them and they are slimming through the leg (which skinny jeans did so well) but they are cropped and kick out into a bell at the bottom thus giving it a more modern shape…they have a really good constriction/comfort waist which flattens without being so uncomfortable (like Levis that have no stretch and you can’t really sit down in them).”

6. An Heirloom-Quality Blanket

ICYMI, this Pendleton blanket made Em’s Best Of 2024 list! “I was specifically impressed with this wool blanket, which has the most vibrant and fresh color palette and pattern,” she said. “I actually sent it to our potential graphic designer as inspo for future colors for the website rebrand. Is it just a blanket? Sure. But if you love color and pattern but you don’t want to wallpaper or paint your walls, a throw can totally change your room (Kaitlin’s living room is the perfect example of that).”

5. A Shaping Swimsuit

I need to be honest with you: this swimsuit singlehandedly changed the way I felt about wearing swimwear in public! (I’ve admitted it before, but I keep a TA3 suit in my car for swim emergencies. It’s LA – you never know when you might score an invite to a pool or hot tub!) Designed by a mom from Silver Lake, these suits are ultra-compressive and flattering – you’ll feel smooth, supported, and ready to swim. I have 3 different cuts and I adore each – if you haven’t tried this brand yet, you’re in for a treat.

4. The Mainstay

I thought that this would be the year that the sauna blanket would fall off our bestsellers list…and I was sorely mistaken. For the 4th year in a row, Em’s now-iconic sauna blanket has landed itself in our top 5 bestsellers. Our sauna blanket reviews (one and two) continue to top Google’s search results, thus we continue to sell a mind-boggling number of sauna blankets to strangers who want to sweat in a bag. Have you tried one yet? What do you think? (Their red light face mask is much more my speed, TBH. I hate being hot!)

3. A Familiar Favorite

You’ve seen her in LA. You’ve seen her in Lake Arrowhead. She’s not a celebrity – she’s this classic, neutral, work-anywhere armchair! She’s a little mid-century, a little organic modern, and SO easy to mix with your existing pieces. Looking to balance a bold, rich, deep Persian rug? She’ll provide a resting place for your eye (and your butt!). Hoping to warm up a cooler room? She can do that, too, with her pretty wood arms. But wait, there’s more: she comes in 7 different colors…and they’re all on sale now, starting at only $199.

2. Our Very Own Rug

I couldn’t be more proud to see The Merrick in our #2 slot. A huge THANK YOU to each and every one of you who have supported our Rugs USA collaboration over the past year – it’s an honor to be a part of your home (and it’s a real delight to see my talented coworkers flexing their design muscles, to boot!). “This is my FAVORITE rug and I love it so much that I switched out our bedroom rug and enjoy this in there,” Em said. “It’s SO comfy, cozy, and pretty.” (If you have any shots of the Merrick – or any of our rugs – in your home, I’d love to see! Show and tell, please?)

1. The Perfect Spring/Summer Dress

I struggle to find the words to describe this Target dress, so please, allow me to let the numbers do the talking: for every 100 clicks on this simple summer shirtdress, 75 dresses were purchased. OUR CHARTS WENT PARABOLIC. (Our industry peers average 1 sale for every 100 clicks, as a point of reference.) This dress was our best-selling item of the year by an order of magnitude – in my 5 years at EHD, I’ve never seen anything like it. The clicks were out of control (over 4 times higher than the next most-clicked item). The sales were out of control. (I am left to believe that every single person who purchased this dress did so via EHD.) As I write this, I am still simultaneously bewildered and floored. Sisterhood of the traveling dress, indeed!

Thank you again for another wonderful year. Did you bring any of these pieces home?! I’m all ears. xx

The post These Were The TOP 25 Bestselling Products This Year (#1 Was Our Biggest Seller EVER) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

These Were The TOP 25 Bestselleing Procducts This Year (#1 Was Our Biggest Seller EVER)

I think my favorite comments on the blog are the ones that say something like, “Are y’all listening in my house? I just said that I needed (insert item here) and I came to the blog and you’ve found it for me.” And while we aren’t listening in your houses – we have neither the budget nor technology to make that happen – we are using a sweet bit of data to help figure out which categories/products/styles are trending in an attempt to bring you the best pieces at the best prices. So today, to conclude our weeklong 2024 wrap-up, I’m bringing you the creme de la creme – the top-selling items from the entire year. We linked them, you loved them. Wanna see if anything you clicked on made the list? (There are definitely some familiar faces here, I promise.)

25. A Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

Em worked with Elsie Green, a small furniture maker in the Bay Area, to create a custom version of this reclaimed wood dining table. “The design of it is perfect – classic and timeless, but casual. That turned leg is so pretty, with a scale that is delicate yet big enough,” Em said. “We ordered it without the middle leg so we had flexibility with chairs, and changed the dimensions to 11′ long, 40″ deep, and 30″ tall.”

24. Snuggly-Soft PJs

It’s a sleeper hit (pun intended). We published this pajama review in September of 2023, but its traffic skyrocketed over a year later in November of 2024. The slow burn of the internet never ceases to amaze! But if you’re in the market for a good pair of winter pajamas, these SKIMs PJs are a hit: “Oh my goodness the fabric was ribbed and so soft, with stretch and still really drape-y (it’s weightier so it drapes really nicely),” Em wrote. “They are thick enough you can’t see bumps underneath and so soft that the kids were begging to snuggle with me.”

23. High-Waisted Chino Pants

In 2024, the EHD team fell deep (back) in love with Old Navy. And who could blame us? “I found these trousers at Old Navy which again, look so much more expensive than they are,” Em said. “They are your basic cool, straight-legged, boy-cut with a cuff situation which I like to dress down, but could easily be worn with a cute blazer for an office job.”

22. A Hand-Knotted Rug

If this rug doesn’t ring a bell, don’t fret – you’ve only seen it in progress shots! Em sourced it for her friend Robyn’s home, which we most recently shared in October. (How good is it against that timeless William Morris wallpaper?) It’s a beauty – 100% wool, totally hand-knotted, and the perfect jumping-off point for any room in your home.

21. A Stoneware Sink Caddy

This luxe sink caddy made its first appearance in Arlyn’s inspiring rental kitchen makeover – can you believe it’s only $14.99? “Something like this was a game-changer for us,” Arlyn wrote. “We would teeter the Dawn bottle on the ledge by the window and it was always goopy with old soap. And the spray for the counters was just…around. Anyway, corralling is always the best approach to org (after decluttering, of course).”

20. Reasonably-Priced Sunglasses

Let’s be real: Target’s budget-friendly sunglasses are the eighth wonder of the modern world. (Too far? Yeah, okay. I see your point.) These aviators can add a bit of 1970s cool to your look, but I love that they’re easy to wear atop your head – there’s no annoying metal nose pads to catch in your hair!

19. Em’s Living Room Sofas

What’s better than one lounge-able sofa? TWO lounge-able sofas. “We have two of these in our living room and I love them so much,” Em said. “They check the ‘traditional’ and also the modern box really well. The turned legs obviously read classic, but the single bench and back are simple and modern (see a pattern here?). If only our silly dogs would stop sitting on the TOP CUSHION as if they are birds and it’s their nest. PUNKS!”

18. A Budget-Friendly Bathroom Vanity

If you’re sitting there and thinking, “holy crap, how did a vanity end up in the top 25 bestsellers?,” let me surprise you even further: THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW that this plug-and-play option has landed on our list. (Pro tip: swap out the hardware and faucet for an even more custom look, like Priscilla Frost did in this affordable basement bathroom makeover!)

17. A Chunky, Retro Platform Sandal

Every year, I’m pleasantly surprised by a few entries on this list – these Sorels are no exception! They made two appearances on the blog this summer – in Em’s poolside dress review and in her dresses with sleeves review – but they seem to have outshone their dress counterparts. (PS. They’re currently on sale for $51, down from $130. You know, in case you’re also dreaming of summer.)

16. Textural Storage Bins

Target does it again! “These three baskets have SAVED US,” Em wrote. “Two are for shoes and one is for our day-to-day sports stuff that we are ALWAYS scrambling to find (basketball shoes, cheer shoes, ultimate frisbee gloves, frisbees, basketball, cleats, etc).” The herringbone weave and faux-leather handles make these look far more expensive than their $45 price tag.

15. A Sleek & Functional Kitchen Faucet

Chefs and home cooks, rejoice – this stunning Rejuvenation faucet is here to make quick work of any kitchen messes! It’s crafted from solid brass (which is naturally antibacterial!), designed, assembled, and finished right here in America, and it’s offered in everything from polished chrome and brushed nickel to satin brass and stainless steel. She’s a splurge, but she’s worth it.

14. Cute, Comfortable Pajamas

You’d be forgiven for believing that we’re a pajama blog. (We’re not, but it sure seems that way.) These Gap PJs came out on top of Em’s aforementioned PJ review – she raves about their comfortable fabric. “It’s just so buttery soft, falls, stretches, drapes and breathes. It’s so lightweight you feel like you aren’t wearing anything,” Em shares. She also offered a pro tip: “They are always on some sort of sale so don’t buy unless you get at least 30% off.”

14. Classic Brass Bin Pulls

Confused about cabinet hardware? You can never go wrong with a bin pull – especially when they’re this beautifully crafted. Em sourced these in oil-rubbed bronze for her pantry and in unlacquered brass for her kitchen. (Repeating hardware is a subtle, simple way to create cohesion in your home – it doesn’t hurt that these are the perfect mix of utilitarian function and timeless style, either.)

13. Caitlin’s Wedding Guest Dress

I bought this dress at Nordstrom the day before leaving for a black-tie wedding. It was under $120, it (miraculously) did not require shapewear, and it somehow was able to fit both my large chest and even larger behind. It was a revelation. Let this be a lesson to us all that stepping out of our comfort zone is (occasionally) rewarded.

12. Gretchen’s Giftable Cookbook

Say hello to a last-minute entry! Gretchen recommended this cookbook at the end of November, and it quickly leapt to the top of our sales charts. “By no means am I a natural-born chef, so having a step-by-step guide, complete with delicious pictures and a hardcover so cute it could double as a coffee table book, just really checks all my boxes,” she wrote. “A beautiful cobalt blue cover, soooo many delectable recipes inside with photos I could flip through and gawk at for hours. The recipes are anti-inflammatory-focused and seem pretty approachable.”

11. A Smart Storage Solution

“Since the sofa is slammed up against the far wall and there was hardly any room for a side table on this side of it, we needed a sofa table,” Em explains. “Enter this bookcase from Pottery Barn that fits PERFECTLY along the back of the sofa and is where my wine or tea sits when I’m watching TV (as well as those gorgeous lamps). It looks fully integrated and almost like it was professionally designed!” (Confession: I’m eyeing the same bookcases to pair with my new sectional!)

10. Wide-Leg Jeans with Wearable Proportions

Some wide-leg jeans can be a little too overpowering – but not these! They’re a great first step into the world of non-skinny denim. “They are medium-rise (not crazy high) and the waist is the perfect amount of constriction and comfort,” Em said. “They hold their shape really well and the wash is a great color. I like to wear them with a little heel versus chunky cross-trainers (which I know is in, but again not my thing).”

9. A Throw-On-and-Go Blouse

Run, don’t walk – it’s your last chance to score Em’s favorite blouse at 40% off! I started collecting Farm Rio blouses in 2020 and will happily sing their praises – they’re easy to style, ultra-flattering, breathable, design-forward, and fun to wear. Dress them up with leather trousers; dress them down with ripped jeans. You can’t go wrong!

8. An Affordable Summer Top

I have to laugh when I reread how we presented this matching set from Target (dorky dads, rise up!): “I know this is very in and trendy but it’s hard for me not to see them as a pajama set or a dorky dad set (which I know is in, I read the news and “Kramer chic” is everywhere but it’s not for me),” Em wrote. “If you are into looking fashion forward, like a cool dorky dad, and being really comfortable, this is a great set.”

7. Fresh, Updated Denim

If you also loved Madewell’s iconic Cali demi-boot cut jeans (RIP), this updated cut is right up your alley. (They’re also on sale from $29.99, if you want to give them a whirl without breaking the bank.) “Y’all this new cut is SO GOOD,” Em testified. “I feel so great in them and they are slimming through the leg (which skinny jeans did so well) but they are cropped and kick out into a bell at the bottom thus giving it a more modern shape…they have a really good constriction/comfort waist which flattens without being so uncomfortable (like Levis that have no stretch and you can’t really sit down in them).”

6. An Heirloom-Quality Blanket

ICYMI, this Pendleton blanket made Em’s Best Of 2024 list! “I was specifically impressed with this wool blanket, which has the most vibrant and fresh color palette and pattern,” she said. “I actually sent it to our potential graphic designer as inspo for future colors for the website rebrand. Is it just a blanket? Sure. But if you love color and pattern but you don’t want to wallpaper or paint your walls, a throw can totally change your room (Kaitlin’s living room is the perfect example of that).”

5. A Shaping Swimsuit

I need to be honest with you: this swimsuit singlehandedly changed the way I felt about wearing swimwear in public! (I’ve admitted it before, but I keep a TA3 suit in my car for swim emergencies. It’s LA – you never know when you might score an invite to a pool or hot tub!) Designed by a mom from Silver Lake, these suits are ultra-compressive and flattering – you’ll feel smooth, supported, and ready to swim. I have 3 different cuts and I adore each – if you haven’t tried this brand yet, you’re in for a treat.

4. The Mainstay

I thought that this would be the year that the sauna blanket would fall off our bestsellers list…and I was sorely mistaken. For the 4th year in a row, Em’s now-iconic sauna blanket has landed itself in our top 5 bestsellers. Our sauna blanket reviews (one and two) continue to top Google’s search results, thus we continue to sell a mind-boggling number of sauna blankets to strangers who want to sweat in a bag. Have you tried one yet? What do you think? (Their red light face mask is much more my speed, TBH. I hate being hot!)

3. A Familiar Favorite

You’ve seen her in LA. You’ve seen her in Lake Arrowhead. She’s not a celebrity – she’s this classic, neutral, work-anywhere armchair! She’s a little mid-century, a little organic modern, and SO easy to mix with your existing pieces. Looking to balance a bold, rich, deep Persian rug? She’ll provide a resting place for your eye (and your butt!). Hoping to warm up a cooler room? She can do that, too, with her pretty wood arms. But wait, there’s more: she comes in 7 different colors…and they’re all on sale now, starting at only $199.

2. Our Very Own Rug

I couldn’t be more proud to see The Merrick in our #2 slot. A huge THANK YOU to each and every one of you who have supported our Rugs USA collaboration over the past year – it’s an honor to be a part of your home (and it’s a real delight to see my talented coworkers flexing their design muscles, to boot!). “This is my FAVORITE rug and I love it so much that I switched out our bedroom rug and enjoy this in there,” Em said. “It’s SO comfy, cozy, and pretty.” (If you have any shots of the Merrick – or any of our rugs – in your home, I’d love to see! Show and tell, please?)

1. The Perfect Spring/Summer Dress

I struggle to find the words to describe this Target dress, so please, allow me to let the numbers do the talking: for every 100 clicks on this simple summer shirtdress, 75 dresses were purchased. OUR CHARTS WENT PARABOLIC. (Our industry peers average 1 sale for every 100 clicks, as a point of reference.) This dress was our best-selling item of the year by an order of magnitude – in my 5 years at EHD, I’ve never seen anything like it. The clicks were out of control (over 4 times higher than the next most-clicked item). The sales were out of control. (I am left to believe that every single person who purchased this dress did so via EHD.) As I write this, I am still simultaneously bewildered and floored. Sisterhood of the traveling dress, indeed!

Thank you again for another wonderful year. Did you bring any of these pieces home?! I’m all ears. xx

The post These Were The TOP 25 Bestselleing Procducts This Year (#1 Was Our Biggest Seller EVER) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Top 15 Reels of 2024 (+ How Many Views Each Of Them Got!)

Hi friends!! Welcome back to my yearly post where I take you through just SOME of the reels we made and posted publicly on the internet! It was a jam-packed year full of MANY reveals (19 to be exact) and we’ve got lots more for you coming in 2025. There’s so much that goes into the making of one of our reels – for example, we’ll often start a project months prior to the video going live and we’ll take weeks or months of footage during the whole design process, then we’ll spend hours concepting what the video could be and how to break it down in a clear and concise way. Oftentimes we’ll comb through hours of video footage, select the best clips, and splice them together to make a video that’s less than a minute long. So it can take A LOT to produce these viral videos. Or we’ll have a quick and wild idea, shoot it in 10 minutes, edit it in 15, and post it that same day and it can go viral (social media is the Wild West after all). This list has a mix of both and we had a lot of heavy hitters this year (yay!) Let me show ya:

TOP REELS HERE WE GO!

Starting off strong with one of the “quick ideas that took 2 seconds to make and everyone loved” reels:

15. River House Sneak Peak (The Princess Diaries Edition)

This GORGEOUS room at the river house was the one that had the last-minute addition of putting excess wood flooring on the walls (and to answer your question yes, you can put wood flooring on walls! See more here ICYMI). We were chatting in a meeting one day trying to decide how we could show off this incredible room (pre-reveal) on Instagram and the whole team freaked out over the idea of doing a lip sync to this Princess Diaries sound. We decided it would be best if Em’s brother Ken was involved which turned out to be a hilarious and great move.

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14. Sunroom Before/After (442k)

I created this reel at the veerrrry end of December 2023 so it didn’t make it into last year’s post, but I had to give her her moment in the spotlight! Em’s sunroom is just so pretty that the room really speaks for itself, but I did really like this format of seeing the befores in a flashy way before the big reveal. I had a lot of fun pulling this one together and was really happy with how it came out (so I’m glad you guys were too!)

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13. Not Your Average Sink (454k) 

This reel makes me chuckle because I cosplayed Emily in it (LOL). We were shooting the mudroom, guest bath, and kids’ bathroom at the river house all on the same day, so Em had to be pulled away for portraits. Gretch and I decided we could shoot this reel if I put on Em’s sweater and just had my hands in it and it WORKED. This Kohler sink really is so cool, so I was happy that we could highlight it in a way that was entertaining for everyone. This video also went through a lot of different sound renditions, but I love where we landed with the music. If you haven’t seen this already then enjoy this video of my hands chopping and washing dishes:

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12. Thrifted VS Styled (531k)

This is a fun trend that’s been going around IG for a little while now and Em has such good vintage that I knew we had to participate. I asked if she could find the OG Facebook marketplace listings/photos of her vintage items in store and then we took videos of how those items look now in her house. Safe to say it ended up being a hit! Should we do a part 2?!

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11. House Walkthrough (538K)

Em had a Velux shoot happening at her house so the entire space was clean at once and I got a slack one day that said “My whole house is clean (which rarely happens) should I shoot a walkthrough?” I quickly replied “YES!” So Em went around her house, grabbed a video walking through the entire house and you guys LOVED IT. It’s truly so cool to see how a house flows, so this was a really fun one to edit and watch. We also did a part 2 of the upstairs if you’re curious!

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10. Amazon Workout Hack (543k)

If there’s one thing the internet loves, it’s an Amazon hack. So when there’s an Amazon product that’s well-designed, affordable, and can significantly improve your life (ie: this dumbbell to barbell/kettlebell attachment) why not share it with the world? When Em told me about this genius product I was like “WE HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT’S THE SMARTEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN!” so I’m not surprised this one did well – the product is genius and can save you both space and money if you’re crafting a home gym!!

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9. Mini Gym Process (553k) 

This one was a real labor of love to edit as you can probably tell! It was weeks (maybe even months) of process footage that I combined into one video, then I wrote a little script about how this all came to be and had Em do a voiceover which really helped tell the story (and it was a good one!) The mini gym might be one of my fav projects of the year, so I was happy that you guys loved it too!

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8. How Designers Hang Art (601k)

Now THIS ONE is exciting because this reel was on our list of “fun things to shoot when you get a chance” for a WHILE. Once Em and Gretch got a free second to shoot this, I pulled it together and posted it and BOMB. It took OFF! It was pretty hilarious, I got a few good laughs out of it myself

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7. Best Blue Paint Colors (658k) 

We had the idea to do this for a while and I’m so glad we eventually did! Em loves blue (in case you didn’t know), so chatting through paint colors she’s used in the past was really really fun (and hopefully super helpful!) Should we make this a series and do more??

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6. Cold Plunge (659k)

Who doesn’t love a cold plunge?? Em is very into her cold plunge (and they’re trending a lot right now) so I wasn’t surprised to see this one hit the top reel list! Also, that suit is pretty cute and Em looks fab so I’m glad this got the attention it deserved

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5. Unexpected Red Theory (670k)

This was a fun trending sound that I knew we had pretty solid examples of (because Em’s been using the unexpected red theory for years!) I used the sound and then played it over photos of rooms from EHD’s past that had unexpected pops of red, and then I photoshopped the red in and out so you could really see the impact. I think it really drove the point home and made me definitely want to add more red to my home (hopefully it did the same for you too!)

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4. Caitlin’s Hallway (1M)

This was another one that didn’t make last year’s list because it was too late in the year, so I’m including it here! Caitlin’s long dark hallway got a glow-up a while ago, but it never got the social love it deserved imho, so I made this reel and was stoked to see it pop off!

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3. Where To Place Cabinet Hardware (1.1M)

In 2024 we learned that you guys and everyone else on IG LOVE to learn about where to place hardware on cabinetry (and we get it…it’s confusing). This guide is so helpful and really breaks it down in a clear way (which is why it got a lot of saves!) Safe to say you’ll likely be seeing more hardware content in the new year since everyone seems to love it!

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2. Gretchen’s DIY Fabric Wallpaper (1.9M) 

When Gretchen first told me that she was going to put fabric on her walls as wallpaper for her bedroom makeover I had so many questions. First off, HOW? Second, is it renter-friendly? What kind of fabric? Is it easy to install? She breaks down every single question in this reel and shows ya how it’s done. Major shoutout to Gretch for this genius idea and for making this reel! WAY TO GO GRETCH!!

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AND OUR HOTTEST REEL OF THE YEAR WAS…

…DRUMROLL PLEASE…

1. Riverhouse Shower (5.1M) 

5 MIL! Now this is one famous shower…and I get it. It’s SEXY. The triple shower heads, the hand shower, the bathtub, THE VIEW? Everything about this bathroom is awesome (did you know on the other side of it there’s a sauna?!). Truly one of my favorite spaces if I do say so myself. It’s JUST so pretty. Also, way to make some great shower heads, Kohler!

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Well, that’s all for this year. I hope you are feeling fresh and ready for 2025, I have a feeling it’s gonna be a good one. Thanks for being here, for following, for engaging, and for all of your support. We appreciate you so much and are so grateful that your eyes actually watch the photos and videos we are so lucky to create. We couldn’t do what we do without you all so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you, and have the happiest new year! xx

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It Was A REVEAL Year, Y’all – Emily Recaps All 19 EHD Makeovers

This annual blog post is good for my self-esteem, TBH. I mean I feel like we are super busy, but when you see it all together I realize what my incredible team can accomplish together (and this doesn’t even include our almost 100 partnerships this year, a rug line, and prepping for a different fun/big line next year). 2024 was another “reveal year,” meaning a year where I’m not in the throes of a construction or renovation project. Instead, I get to decorate, style, and shoot (and spend my brother’s money LOL). And listen I LOVE renovating, but boy is it nice to have that firehose of cash turned off for a bit to “earn and learn” (and save for whatever comes next – which we’ll talk about in early January). I’m so excited to show you

Farmhouse Primary Bedroomphoto by kailtin green

I actually don’t love starting this one because while I like so much about this, the bed was always meant for our guest room (I designed it specifically to fit in between the windows, but our bed didn’t arrive in time for the big Real Simple shoot so we used this for that shot and canceled what we had ordered). And yes, I still think about painting the room (at least the ceiling) but I got a quote and it was $6k, which felt like a LOT.

photo by kailtin green

In case you are just catching up, the paint color is gorgeous, it just needs to be in a less brightly lit room (it’s intense when it’s a full sun day, but on cloudy days it’s beautiful).

photo by kailtin green

So happy and grateful we have a fireplace (and tv:)) in our bedroom though!

Birdie’s Closetphoto by kailtin green

Lucky little lady got a closet upgrade (and yes, those yellow scallops are just stickers I got on Etsy). SO FUN AND CUTE.

Gym Revealphoto by kailtin green

This reveal was only this year???? It feels like years ago. My goodness, life is both so short and so long. Update – yes, we still use this gym 3-4 times a week (both of us) and yes, I still plunge most days after working out. In fact, I do it more in the winter because I need the dopamine hit to help me combat seasonal depression.

photo by kailtin green

The plants were all on their deathbeds in here, BTW. They couldn’t handle the heat in the summer so we moved them out of here. I love this gym (and shout out to those leftover windows we had – so beautiful!).

Farmhouse Guest Bathphoto by kailtin green

Officially the favorite bathroom in the house – designwise. And I don’t disagree – that wallpaper is so stunning and the color combination is incredible.

photos by kailtin green

Such a sweet little lady. It feels totally vintage, too. Not like you are stepping back in time, but just full of charm.

Gretchen’s Bedroomphoto by kailtin green

While I actually had very little to do with this, Gretchen revealed her bedroom which is so dang awesome. It was a partnership with Article (yes, these are the perks of working here) and was a real win/win for all.

photo by kailtin green

Gretch also did the most genius thing and used fabric as wallpaper!!!! Way more renter-friendly and has such a pretty texture (the fabric is from Spoonflower, y’all).

Bay House Deckphoto by kailtin green

Now we didn’t design this, but I helped style out the Bay House (ARCIFORM‘s weekend home). I took my Portland team here for a little retreat (3 days, 2 days of shooting) and it was so much fun.

photos by kailtin green

So dreamy!

Farmhouse Deckphoto by kailtin green

Our sweet little deck that we used a ton of with friends last summer. I’m very positive the tray and copper mugs are still out there on the coffee table, LOL. I don’t sit out there much in the fall/winter but we use the dining table all the time when it’s nice out.

photos by kailtin green

I love both of these views so much.

Outdoor Living Roomphoto by kailtin green

This is the real sleeper hit – we sit here ALL THE TIME. Mostly when the kids are in the pool and we want to hang out with them without sitting on rocks.

photos by kailtin green

This also launched our partnership with AllModern (more to come in 2025).

My Niece’s Closetphoto by kailtin green

Hilariously, this was the first reveal of my brother’s River House – you know, my 9-year-old Niece’s closet We had deadlines and this closet was easy to execute early on so we did. I LOVE how it turned out.

River House Patiophoto by kailtin green

We moved outside before finishing the furniture and decor inside because they wanted to spend the summer out here. It turned out so beautiful.

photo by kailtin green

I will say that Ken did NOT have enough parties here last summer, which will be mandated in 2025.

photo by kailtin green

I mean look at that view!!

River House Mudroomphoto by kailtin green

The real inside reveals began – starting with the mudroom (and our Harvey Rug). It was hilarious that this room was fully styled, like the plants and folded towels while there were moving boxes and literally no furniture in most of the rooms.

photo by kailtin green

At least it’s a very hardworking room:)

River House Guest Bathphoto by kailtin green

This was a sleeper hit for me – it’s so dreamy to be in this bathroom – calm, neutral, full of texture. However, if I’m honest, I was so worried their desire for neutrals would be boring (it’s not!).

photo by kailtin green

The texture of the tiles, that beautiful neutral wallpaper, it all just works so perfectly together.

River House Kids Bath

So playful and fun – I love how this turned out!!! It’s just joyful but not too “little kid”. With some eventual towel swaps (aka no more hooded dog towels) this room will easily grow with them.

photos by kailtin greenRiver House Primary Bedroomphoto by kailtin green

I love the color combination in this bedroom so much – the greens, blues, and hits of deep burgundy. Big shout out to Article and the artist Charlie Salas-Humara for that incredible painting.

photo by kailtin green

I’m also so happy that it feels textured and colorful without being too bold which isn’t something any of us wanted for this room. Oh, and that Pollack bench seat fabric is so so good.

Art Barnphoto by kailtin green

And then we headed back to crazy town – a totally different vibe than the river house (which is why I probably did it – I needed a heavy dose of color and pattern in my life). I LOVE this art barn/craft shed so much.

photos by kailtin green

It’s cold and wet right now so the kids aren’t out there as much (has a heater, but takes 20-30 minutes to heat up). But everyone is pretty obsessed with it.

River House Primary Bathroomphoto by kailtin green

This hotel-style bathroom was a huge hit on social (the reel racked up like 5 million views). True luxury and just so quiet and pretty.

photo by kailtin green

Who wouldn’t want to shower (or bathe) in here??

photo by kailtin green

Also, they have a small two-person infrared AND dry heat sauna. LUCKY DUCKS.

Art Barn Muralphoto by kailtin green

I felt so lucky to be able to commission Racheal Jackson (aka Banyan Bridges) to paint this mural. We are landscaping around it this spring so I can really show it off.

photo by kailtin green

As of now, the alpacas and pigs love their barn upgrade:)

Kaitlin’s Living Roomphoto by kailtin green

Not going to lie that this might be my favorite room of the year – I think because all of these colors just speak to me so much. Greens, blues, leathers, woods – that fireplace!!!

photo by kailtin green

I love that shot so much. Kaitlin – we are so lucky to have you shoot all of our projects and I’m so happy that we get to keep decorating (bathrooms are next??).

photo by kailtin green

One more time for the fireplace! It was a risk that completely paid off.

Kennedy’s Bedroomphoto by kailtin green

I really did love how my now 10-year-old niece’s bedroom turned out. So much color and personality, while all the furniture is so simple.

photo by kailtin green

And pretty proud of that very fun DIY corkboard!

photo by kailtin green

So much time, effort, and money go into these reveals so a big thanks to all of our partners (AllModern, Article, Kohler, Rejuvenation, Stuga, Sherwin-Williams, Spoonflower, Ann Sacks, Decorview, Rugs USA) and of course my team for styling, shooting, editing and publishing them all. An extra big thanks to Kaitlin Green, our photographer and friend, who shoots every Thursday with us and makes our rooms look so great while we laugh all day long. When looking at these all I’m reminded how much fun this can be (and I somehow block out that Ken’s house has four flights of stairs from street level so it’s also a LOT OF SCHLEPPING) LOL. xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Farmhouse Guest Bath Reveal

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Merry Christmas And Happy Hanukkah From The Hendersons And The EHD Team

Another year has FLOWN by, a whirlwind of projects and parenting, which leads to extreme gratefulness that I get to be here, with you, my team and my family doing this version of life. It’s not perfect, but nothing is and I’m surrounded by such wonderful people (and they say the quality of your life is the quality of your relationships) I so appreciate that I can still exist here, 15 years from this blog’s birthday (January 1st, 2010 – FIFTEEN YEARS!!!). This one, the year of 2024 year was full of appropriately moderate challenges (i.e. lessons) and new opportunities to navigate. We have a lot of fun stuff planned for 2025, and every time I think “Is the internet tired of me yet?” I look at my calendar and see that it’s booked up, which I’m so grateful for. I can see the next generation of content creators coming, and they are doing such a great job in a way that is so different than us first gens. It’s honestly thrilling to be a part of.

My beloved EHD crew is taking two weeks off – a much-needed break after an extremely busy and fun Q4. But we have a lot of posts already prepped and planned (fun year in review/best of posts) for those of you who want to keep following along and like to take trips down memory lane, with me.

As for us, well I’m hosting Christmas Eve with my family and Brian’s parents, then presents and Mufasa on Christmas day. And then my family is off to Colorado for a snow/ski vacation (aka “crash and cry” for me if you saw my recent Instagram stories) for a few days. Telluride recommendations are welcome. Then with the break being so long I get to come back, de-Christmas, organize the hell out of my house while I listen to all my inspiring self-improvement podcasts. The kids have promised that they’ll help me organize and update their scrapbooks (you can take me out of the Mormon church but you can’t take the scrapbooking enthusiasm out of my heart). We might even finally tackle the memory photo wall going up our stairs together. Or I might just read a bunch of romance novels and watch the Lindsey Lohan (2.0) holiday movies on repeat

Thanks for being here, always. I know that it’s an investment in your time to stop by, read, comment, etc. I also know that the blog has changed so much over these 15 years so I thank you so much for still being here. My wonderful EHD team (which is expanding in January!!!) and I feel so grateful for you. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays. xx

Opening Image Credit: Photo by Kaitlin Green

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The Link Up: A Charity That’s Very Important To EHD, Caitlin’s Plumping Lip Gloss Codependency, And A Great Puffer Jacket

Happy Sunday and happy almost Christmas and Hanukkah! We are technically out of office but there will be posts (most of the days up until New Year’s:))! We hope everyone has as wonderful a week as possible, filled with love in whatever form that takes. The holidays mean different things to different people but we want you to know how truly grateful we are to have you as readers. So without further ado, this week’s link up…

This week’s house tour is SUCH a gem. If you’d like (and you should) you get to peek inside the legendary, Gloria Steinem’s NYC home. When she called up designer, Jane Hallworth (remember her work with Kirsten Dunst??), Jane almost didn’t want to touch it because as she says in AD, “‘To be honest, when I walked in, my first thought was, What are we doing even touching this?’ she admits. ‘Shouldn’t we just be getting out some quick-dry glue? Because it just felt so personal, and aged to perfection. But the reality was that the infrastructure needed fixing.'” Needless to say, this home is collected, warm, colorful, and must be seen. Enjoy!

From Emily: If you are looking to give this year (and happen to live in Portland, too) then Family Promise, the family shelter (that houses 72 families and helps them transition out of homelessness) is such a wonderful organization. We will be decorating many of the spaces next year (1/2 of the renovation is done, phase 2 just began) but for now, they still need funds to help support these families (especially during the holidays). If you have some extra budget and want to know for sure that it is going to a great organization that is affecting so many lives (and therefore future generations) then might I suggest donating to Family Promise. They are incredible people serving families with kids in the most traumatic time of their lives.

Also From Emily: If you are in the market for a new mattress I have an excellent one for you. We partnered with Leesa on a social campaign and I ordered the Sapira Chill Hybrid with the quilted pillow top. MY GOODNESS ITS SOFT. Now I know that not all like soft, cloud-like mattresses like we do but goodness if you do, this one is incredible. I’m sure their firmer ones are good too, but I haven’t tried them. Currently, they are 20% off and an extra $50 off with code Emily50. We love this one A LOT.

From Caitlin: Help! I’ve developed a codependent relationship with this plumping lip gloss. I bought the clear formula on Halloween after noticing that the display at Sephora was nearly empty (“must be fine,” I thought), but OH MAN – this might be my all-time favorite. I love the way it feels (peppermint oil and chili pepper extract, for the plumping fans) but I really love that it contains hyaluronic acid, which leaves my lips moisturized for hours. I haven’t clocked any shimmer or sparkle in it (thankfully – some of the reviews seem to think that’s a flaw!) and I love the simple, glossy finish. (PS. Anyone have any lip gloss recs that don’t come in a plastic tube? It’s the only drawback here!)

From Arlyn: Please, someone out there give me recommendations for their favorite press-on nails. As much as I’d like to say I could be a “nail girl,” I’m just not in that phase of my life right now where it’s sensible or feasible. But I’ve heard press-on nails have come a really long way, and I’d love to try some out for the upcoming holiday festivities. I keep seeing Glamnetic nail kits but the reviews are hit or miss. Target sells Olive & June, whose nail polish I love. Does anyone have experience with these or have others to share with me? Thank you in advance!

From Mallory: A splurgy but AWESOME sweater rec – I snagged the last one of these on a Black Friday sale (they’re VERY popular and I can’t even believe I found it in stock since it’s out of stock at 3 other stores!) I’ve been seeing the “apres ski” trend everywhere and this sweater is now back in stock, super high quality, has a vintage vibe, and is SO WARM it’s crazy. Highly recommend – it would be super cute on a little ski trip or lodge experience:)

From Jess: There is an artist I’ve been obsessed with, Sandrine Torredemer. Her embroidery scenes are nothing like I’ve ever seen and I love each one more than the last. How does she do it?! I think I probably discovered her through the art newsletter I subscribe to. But regardless of how I found her work, I’m so grateful I did. I know you’ll love it as much as I do.

From Gretchen: Happy holidays everyone!! I’m in Bend staying with my parents for Christmas and it is much colder here than it is in Portland. Luckily, I packed all of my cozy essentials: thick but squishy socks that keep my toes nice and warm, my favorite Columbia beanies I have in just about every color, and my ridiculously puffy winter jacket from Quince. The last two are both items I’ve linked up before but are FOR SURE worth mentioning again because they’ve held up so well! The jacket is like a walking sleeping bag in the best way and keeps me perfectly toasty, and the beanies I wear literallyyyy every day in the fall/winter—I cannot recommend them enough! But the socks were a new addition to the cold weather arsenal from Old Navy’s Black Friday sale. I love them so much that (spoiler alert, mom) I bought a pair for both of my parents for Christmas. They are super inexpensive but don’t feel like it on your feet!

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas to all who are celebrating this week and see you all tomorrow! xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: The OFFICIAL First Farmhouse Christmas! (+ A Great Ribbon Hack And My Dream Color Palette)

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Ugh. I Told My 9-Year-Old Daughter The Truth About Santa, And I Really Regret How I Did It

My daughter was not just a Santa enthusiast, no, she was a Santa extremist. She truly believed in the magic of Santa, that he could bring her ANYTHING she asked for and she was hilariously willing to believe all the “flying around the world going down chimney stuff” from the movies. This was funny/cute when she was little, but as her fantasy wish list grew to things that cost thousands of dollars, we were getting ready for her to know the truth. We were battling about what Santa can and can’t bring way too often and then last year she was disappointed on Christmas morning that he didn’t build her the gymnastics gym that she asked for (that we told her repeatedly he couldn’t do). I also genuinely felt bad for her – she really thought he could do that! Brian and I both hoped this was the last year. Charlie had found out two years before – he straight up asked, realizing that the “facts” were impossible. We told him his hypothesis was right and he moved on to be part of the magic for Elliot, which he loved. But Elliot was simply not willing to consider that Santa wasn’t this Christmas God who could deliver whatever she asked for. Her love for him was so extreme, adorable, and very fated to not end well.

Brian and I both agreed early on that we wouldn’t lie to them re: Santa (no judgment if you took a different path). As the fourth child in a Mormon household, Santa wasn’t a thing by the time I came around (Jesus was more of the focus). I don’t have nostalgia for Santa magic, but we wanted our kids to. It’s a rite of passage! Whenever our kids asked us if Santa was real (starting at 5), we deflected with the “Well, I sure hope so” or “What do you think???” When Charlie asked the last time (at 8) we could tell he already knew and he needed his parents to affirm his logical thinking. It was easy and we didn’t regret it. I knew that Elliot might take it harder, but I didn’t predict what would happen.

So we started letting things slip a bit, getting a little sloppy on purpose. They found the Easter candy bags the day before Easter and she discovered her tooth fairy notes in our nightstands. Little clues in hopes of her figuring it out on her own. It’s not like I wanted to tell her and strip her of her innocence, but the battle was exhausting and it just felt like she was old enough anyway. I didn’t need Santa to love Christmas, would it really matter?

In August we were snuggling in bed and she must have been thinking about Christmas (a real enthusiast, like her mama) and she turned to me and asked, “Mama, are you and Daddy pretending to be Santa? Is Santa real?” I deflected at first – “Why are you asking right now? I mean, how could we bring all the toys for everyone in the world,” etc. But she pushed one more time, “Mama, seriously are you and Daddy the ones actually giving us gifts from Santa?” So I did it. It was a split-second decision that I didn’t discuss with Brian but again, we had both agreed that another Christmas of her asking for a $2k tumble track and then being disappointed that she didn’t get it was not ideal. So with a wink and a whisper, I said, “Girl, you figured it out! Now you get to be part of it!” She smiled at first, probably feeling clever.

She came down a 1/2 hour later, besides herself bawling. It all fell into place (which is common) – The Tooth Fairy? The Easter Bunny? The one time during Covid we leaned hard into St. Patrick’s Day with green poop in the toilet bowls?? She asked question after question, crying, and genuinely angry – so sad and sooooooo betrayed. We were both crying – I felt TERRIBLE and all of a sudden Brian questioned what I did, placing a tiny bit of blame on me, even though we both had agreed on the plan!!! Mother of the year over here.

For the next three months, aka “Our Santa Grieving Period”, she brought it up 2-3 times a week. In the car. Before bed. While watching a movie. Legitimate tears. She’d lament out of nowhere, “There is no joy in Christmas now”. Other times she was actually mad, accusing “Why do all the grownups lie to all us kids??? How is that OK???” Of course we talked through how she gets to be part of the magic, blah, blah, but none of her friends know the truth yet so she actually just feels really burdened with this HUGE LIE that they are victimized by, too! It’s very existential to her – and she is TOTALLY RIGHT. She says over and over that she is glad that I didn’t lie to her face (I have apologized profusely for the egregious societal lie). We’ve both cried about it – me feeling terrible that I ruined her sense of wonder and innocence around what was our favorite holiday and her grieving the passing of Santa Claus, a jolly soul that she genuinely loved the idea of.

I’ve thought a lot about what I would do differently. I’m glad I didn’t lie to her (and she might be even more angry with me in 2 years if I did). She was thinking critically and asking me, her trusted caretaker, a really serious question. I just wish I had deflected and evaded the truth for one more year. Why didn’t I pretend I had a bathroom emergency and then come back with a new topic? Just one more year might have made the difference as her friends (in 3rd grade) will likely find out soon and she wouldn’t have to carry this secret for too long.

A couple of weeks ago she told me that she is still looking forward to Christmas, excited even. I almost cried in relief. I asked her if she has always had a really fun Christmas and she said “YES!!” so enthusiastically. I reminded her that it was always us, always about family, and will continue to be us – “we got you, I promise!” And in case you think we are all monsters, of course, we talk about the real reason for the season, how it’s not just about presents for us, the spirit of giving, helping others, etc. But listen, they are kids and Christmas is a lot about presents at their age. So I’m trying to just validate the feelings and move on to creating magic in other ways instead of lecturing about privilege (which we all know doesn’t work, thanks Dr. Becky).

I know that I’ll laugh at myself later for feeling so badly about this, I know that in the scheme of things this is nothing and she won’t be scarred forever. But if I had to do it again I wish I had simply deflected (not lied) and evaded the full truth for one more year.

I’m pretty sure this is one of those dumb topics that works us all up – I know many parents who kept the lie up til high school, most where the kids never asked and it just faded away (my dream scenario), and ultimately it’s not a huge deal. But I was really, really sad for a while that I had stolen her sense of wonder around the holidays and now I have to/get to create it in other ways (you don’t have to ask me twice!!). Hopefully hearing another perspective can be helpful if you have younger kids and are managing this precarious Santa situation. xx

Opening Image Credits: Kaitlin Green | From: The OFFICIAL First Farmhouse Christmas! (+ A Great Ribbon Hack And My Dream Color Palette)

The post Ugh. I Told My 9-Year-Old Daughter The Truth About Santa, And I Really Regret How I Did It appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Last-Minute USEFUL (But Fun) Stocking Stuffers That Will Get To You Before Christmas

One thing to know about the Bunges is that we are stocking people. We love them. They’re almost as important as the “real” presents and opening them is equally as much of a production – one by one, oldest to youngest. And no, they aren’t filled with expensive treasures but they are thoughtfully curated with things we’d really like and use. Years ago I spent Christmas with my ex-boyfriend’s family and they did stockings a little differently. It was more uniform and the same every year (or so I was told). Everyone got a toothbrush, gum, an ornament, and a few other things I can’t remember (of course so grateful they included me). That said, both ways are wonderful and totally a family preference. In both instances, I love the idea of filling a stocking with things the receiver will actually use. But in the spirit of “The Bunge Way” here is a varied list of useful, fun gift ideas perfect for a Christmas stocking (especially if you’re running a little behind:)) PS. Candy and gum are always included because it’s the law!

Left Center Right Dice Game | Rubik’s Cube

Does anyone “need” a fun game to bring everyone together in a joyful competition? No. But LCR is SUCH a fun game for a family or any group to play together. It’s extremely easy and the winner gets money:) Our family likes to play with single dollars. Then a Rubik’s cube is just a classic that will be fun nostalgia for the older bunch and a retro (nonscreen) challenge for the younger ones. Can’t miss with either of these.

Jay’s Mech Battle Pack Adventure Toy Set | Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon Deep-Sea Animal Toy

I’m not a monster and think that toys aren’t useful so shouldn’t be included in a stocking. Having a fun activity on Christmas day is kinda essential. And if you have a LEGO lover in your life one of these smaller and less expensive ones are so great.

Screen Cleaner | 10 ft Apple MFi Certified Lightning Cable Charging Cord (Pack of 3)

You really can’t go wrong with a small and useful tech gift. Let’s start with a screen cleaner. It’s one of those things that I always mean to get but never do…making it an ideal stocking stuffer. I love how sleek this one is! Then who doesn’t have a need for a lighting charging cord? Most of us. I prefer the extra long ones since an outlet isn’t always close, especially when traveling.

Disposable 35mm Camera | Cell Phone Selfie Light

Another gift most people would love is a disposable camera. The younger kids are obsessed with “the retro-ness” of them and for those of us who grew up with them would love to go back in time a little. Then if you have an aspiring content creator (or someone who likes good light 100% of the time) in your life then a little iPhone light would be such a great gift.

Gel Car Cleaning Putty Kit | The Original Toilet Bowl Night Light

Anyone who has a car has those impossible-to-clean nooks and crannies. I know I would be SO down to get this gel cleaning putty. You get to feel like a kid (playing with putty) while actually making your grown-up car look so much better. The other gift idea is for the nighttime bathroom user in your life – this toilet bowl night light. My dad raves about his because he uses the bathroom at least a couple of times a night but doesn’t want to turn on the big bathroom lights to fully wake him up. Game changer.

LMNT Zero Sugar Electrolytes (Variety Pack) | Professional Massage Ball

For the health-conscious (and/or big partiers) in your life, I’m a big fan of LMNT. All the flavors in this pack are great (I use half a pack per my 30oz water bottle because they are strong) and it isn’t packed with sugar which is my biggest issue with other brands like Liquid IV. Of course, if someone needs to keep their sodium low these might not be great for them. Then this little spiky ball was recommended to me by a massage therapist for my back pain! There are a bunch of ways to it but I was told to simply roll my foot under it. 10/10

Fidget Spinners (Pack of 5) | Peppermint and Eucalyptus Shower Steamer

While I’m not of the fidget spinner generation, the kids love them. This does lean more into the “useless” category for me but will likely be a hit! Another way to calm the nerves (in a more adult way – no not wine) is an aromatherapy shower steamer. Perfect for the person who isn’t a big bath person (me – don’t tell my bath-obsessed boss). You get all the fun aromas of what a bath usually provides without have to sit in a hot tub of water…bored (I said it!)

Star Pimple Patches | Gua Sha

Pimple patches are a killer stocking stuffer! For the younger cool kids (I sound 100, awesome) these star patch ones are a favorite. But if you have people that are more in the millennial+ group. I really love these plain round ones And since we are on the topic of skin, if you have someone in your life who loves skincare and doesn’t have a gua sha, I am here to tell you it works. I once did a little experiment and only did one side of my face, and that side was noticeable lifted. This was the tutorial I used. Of course you have to keep it up but if you do it’s pretty awesome.

Press-On Fake Nails | O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream for Extremely Dry; Cracked Hands

Now onto the hands. First up are press-on nails. I know these Olive and June nails are good ones since a friend of mine uses and loves them. And in case you haven’t been up on your nail trends, short nails are very back (I will be on my long nail game until further notice though). My 8 and almost 11-year-old cousins love them too. A great option for a wide range of ages. Then for the people in your life that are really hard on their hands (like my dad who promises to start wearing gloves when he works which I’ll believe when I see it), a great and intense hand cream like this one would be awesome.

Satin Heatless Curling Set

I’m pretty close to ordering this for myself! I’ve used socks in the past which worked pretty well, but a set like this would be ideal. What I also love about this for stockings is that you can take it out of the box and wrap the roller and scrunchies separately. More bang for your stocking buck!

Bow with Pearls Hair Twister (Set of 3) | Medium Hair Clips

But maybe just some hair accessories are better for your loved one/s. These scrunchies are a little extra special which I love and perfect for the younger ones. Then for the teenagers plus, I have and love this clip. Probably not great if they have super thick hair and want to put it all up. But aside from that, these are simple, cool, and really affordable.

Lightweight Ribbed Striped Crew Socks (Pack of 3) | Vintage Style Crew Socks (Pack of 4)

A great sock is another stocking standard! Personally, I’m not a big lover of holiday socks. They’re too specific and just take up space in my sock basket until I might wear them the following year. Call me Scrooge, I don’t care! But a sock I would love to receive is a cool vintage inspired sock that I could wear year-round. Emily always makes her striped crew socks look so cool and these Target women’s ones are awesome. But these plain vintage style socks are awesome. As you might have heard no-show socks are out (not with me though!) so the trendy people in your family will especially appreciate these:)

Field Notes: Original Kraft (Pack of 3) | Smiley Notepad with Pen Set

I have loved this Field Notes notebooks forever. They are small to throw in a bag and just look cool. Perfect for any kind of note taking or thoughts you want to get down immediately. But for a more fun and playful notepad, I love this one from Target. The matching pen is also so sweet.

Maldon Salt | Luxardo The Original Maraschino Cherries

Finally, a couple consumables that aren’t candy or gum:) Maldon salt for any cook is home run. It’s the best for a reason and they will love you for it. Another “luxury” food gift is a jar of Maraschino Cherries. They are also THE BEST! Perfect for the cocktail maker in your life or anyone who loves delicious things, ha.

I hope this was helpful as I’m sure so many of you are scrambling to get everything together for the big day! While I made sure that all of these would arrive before Christmas (or at least that’s what they said), you can also just take these as ideas and head to your Target, the mall, or the local shops in your area. This is the official last gift guide, we promise, and see you tomorrow for a personal and relatable Emily post.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: The OFFICIAL First Farmhouse Christmas! (+ A Great Ribbon Hack And My Dream Color Palette)

The post Last-Minute USEFUL (But Fun) Stocking Stuffers That Will Get To You Before Christmas appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Wow – I’ve Really Went For It!! How I’ve Decorated For Christmas Over The Years

This year I decided not to shoot and “reveal” our Christmas decor because it was the exact same as last year – I loved it that much and felt zero need to do something “new” (in fact. loving what we have used for years because nostalgia is so attached to it, you know…like normal people). I think I’ve reached a turning point which feels so good and I get to look back and LOL at how I used to behave. Pre-kids, super sponsored and while I have zero regrets, I’m pretty sure “cringe” is the word for the first few at least. This post is fun for me because it feels like past versions of me that really, really cared about doing something “new” for the internet. Holiday styling can be more experimental, especially as a content creator (did you see Marco Zamora’s new “tree” which many are commenting is actually a chandelier but I love the creativity risk!). I was literally hired to do this, first by HGTV and then by Target (for 8 years). But I can’t seem to bring myself to do the October decorating anymore, in fact, I think we’ve reached peak “starting too early”. I didn’t decorate til after Thanksgiving this year (except a few small vignettes for the gift guide photography and the art barn for a quick social campaign – ok fine, I guess I did a tiny bit) and that’s just too “late” to shoot/reveal which was fine by me. Even I was done seeing Christmas inspiration by December. I realize I’m a huge part of the marketing machine/problem that promotes/pressures us all to decorate for the holidays so early (no content creators really want their house decorated for 3 months, BTW). Cut to me next year putting a life-size blow-up Santa and sleigh on the roof (we are shooting my house decked out for an 8-page magazine spread next year), so I’m not totally immune to this desire to create wild holiday content if being asked. I guess I just took a break this year and let me tell you, it felt soooooo goood.

ANYWAY, let’s revisit when I was a truly unhinged Christmas lady.

2011: Holiday Special Behind the Scenes

This was an episode of Secrets From a Stylist and we did like 190 different DIYs for it. Orlando came up with the stencil of Joy To the World on the vintage map (yes, both vintage maps and globes were sacrificed for this shoot). Even the trees on the mantel were vintage atlas pages that we decoupaged (I think?) on cones.

I mean, it was for a literal one-hour Christmas special so we had to go all out – but ye,s we drilled into those awesome vintage globes to stack them into snowmen, then we made stands for them to keep them stable. The whole thing is just WILD. Please also note the vintage novels turned into stars (photo on the left) and huge bows out of newspapers (on the right). I think this is all just NUTTY, but I still enjoy remarking on all the wackiness we did (with like 12 production assistance, LOL).

2012: Behind the Scene of Celebrity Holiday Homes

Remember the time I did another HGTV special for Cheryl Burke and I brought in a GROVE OF HOT PINK TREES? The real winner here is the nutcracker lamp – I found it in Palm Springs, but it was super beat up so we gave it a coat of white paint (I would do anything for that lamp now – it’s so awesome).

I found a bunch of plates and bowls and spray painted them colors as pedestals (on the dining table) as well as painted dance figurines (Cheryl was on Dancing with the Stars). It looked totally nutty, I can’t even really say “good” and we obviously didn’t have a professional photographer so it’s very cringe in all the ways when I look at it now.

2012: I Decked My Halls: The Hendersons Go Holidayphotos by david tsay | from: i decked my halls: the hendersons go holiday

OOF, again we really went for it this year (although I still love that wacky outfit I was wearing), It’s JUST SO MUCH. Thank you all for sticking with me through these years. I LOVE CHRISTMAS (this was also the time in media history when everyone was stealing our photos and using them all over the internet so we started watermarking them, LOL).

photo by david tsay | from: i decked my halls: the hendersons go holiday

That pink art in the back says, “Ho Ho Ho, Ho”. LOL. Get it? It gets worse…

photos by david tsay | from: i decked my halls: the hendersons go holiday

I probably spent (no joke) $300 making that wreath with peonies in December. Who does that????? And it lasted like 2 days. So dumb. And then we have the pyramid of fake presents, many of them handpainted wrapping paper. Just to look at! So much work and money!!

photo by david tsay | from: i decked my halls: the hendersons go holiday

Admittedly I do really like this sweet little vignette with trees. My version of a holiday village (which I truly wish I had started collecting when the kids were young – so sweet).

2013: My Super Easy Holiday Cocktail Partyphotos by tessa neustadt | from: my super easy holiday cocktail party

This was a Christmas shoot we did at the Fig House (I think I was pregnant and moving that year). I LOVED how this turned out and I think it’s actually really timeless and still beautiful.

photos by tessa neustadt | from: my super easy holiday cocktail party

This is when I started decorating with so much copper/rose gold (well, me and the rest of the world). I still love it.

I had my first baby, Charlie, on December 7th and we had moved in 2 weeks before. So we didn’t do much for Christmas that year. We had this huge tree with lights and some simple ornaments, as it was before my ornament collection passion that has yet to wane.

2014: California Winter Wonderland Glamphoto by jayme burrows | from: california winter wonderland glam

Ok, so this was year one of my Target partnership and my job was literally to go all out so that it could be picked up by more press outlets. As a reminder, Instagram had just launched (pre-Reels or TikTok, obviously) so brands really relied on larger press outlets to help get eyeballs on their product (whereas now TikTok or IG influencers can get the same amount of eyeballs in one quick story). My job was to do something fun and wild so that like AOL or Domino would run the story.

photos by jayme burrows | from: california winter wonderland glam

Can’t say this looks that good, but I did go “all out” like the brief asked. I miss that house (and still have almost all of that artwork). I remember that year there was faux snow, like EVERYWHERE and I was so happy to pack it all up.

2015: 12 Days of Instagram With Targetphotos by tessa neustadt | from: 12 days of instagram with target | photos by

This year I decided to “restrain” myself a bit, but working with Target I still wanted/needed to show their new product. I was clearly into hot pink.

2016: Decorating For the Holidays – Family Friendly Stylephoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: decorating for the holidays – family friendly style

This is still one of my favorites ever, and we actually still have a ton of these cuter kid-like holiday decor that the kids put in their rooms. I LOVED how this turned out (and man I miss that green vintage rocker). I kept that handmade wood horse rocker, though. Still hoarding that for one of our kids someday.

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: decorating for the holidays – family friendly style

So cute. I miss that house a lot:)

2017: Our Living Room Holiday Revealphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our living room holiday reveal

Then we moved into and my life was so overwhelming at the time that I wanted the design to be way calmer – clearly just blues and greens, with hits of blush). I liked it at the time, but admittedly it’s a bit boring.

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our living room holiday reveal

It was fun and sweet but not too visually chaotic, which was what I was going for.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our living room holiday reveal

This was the year that I decided that I would do real garland outside, faux inside. Part of it was because I had to hang them so early (likely in early November or even late October) so as you can imagine the mess from the pine needles was out of control. Also, admittedly, I didn’t need quite so many! I also hated that tree, LOL.

2018: My First “Refined Traditional” Holiday Look…Target Stylephoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: my first “refined traditional” holiday look…target style

A quick trip up to Portland where I shot that year’s Target content. Turned out pretty darn cute, but maybe a bit too curated for me, now.

2018: How We Decked Our Halls for Christmasphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: how we decked our halls for christmas

Back to LA that same year where I found my dream real tree (so wide, perfect for that big window).

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: how we decked our halls for christmas

I really loved how this looked – I used a ton of twinkle lights everywhere which made everything glow at night.

2019: Our Living Room, Dressed Up for the Holidays (With a ‘And How I Feel About It’ Running Commentary)photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our living room, dressed up for the holidays

I forgot about this one! This was right before COVID, BTW. I like the darker hits everywhere. This was fairly livable and at this point, we were going up to the mountain for Christmas break (renovation had just been completed and it was a white Christmas up there so I remember it being very magical).

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our living room, dressed up for the holidays

Yah, I’m still into this one – not as joyful as I like now, but I like how it’s styled and shot. This was our last Christmas here before we moved to the mountain house for COVID, sold this house, and moved to Portland.

2020: Our Scandinavian (And Easy, Mess-Free) Holiday Living Room Revealphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our scandinavian (and easy, mess-free) holiday living room reveal

This was our lockdown Christmas and yet the debut of this house for Christmas. So I did a more restrained Scandinavian tree in the living room which I loved. It was really warm and cozy even though it was so neutral.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: our scandinavian (and easy, mess-free) holiday living room reveal

I loved this version (and this is how it’s styled for our Airbnb guests, for the most part).

Also 2020: Emily’s “Messy” But FULL Of Memories Christmas Family Roomphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: emily’s “messy” but full of memories christmas family room

Why I didn’t put Christmas art on The Frame TV is beyond me This room was where we watched every holiday movie during lockdown (and where I and the rest of the world re-discovered the joy of the generic and predictable holiday movie).

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: emily’s “messy” but full of memories christmas family room

This is the year where I really really leaned into turning our tree into a scrapbook of our lives – buying ornaments for every trip, for every milestone, for every hobby, every tooth lost. My ornament collection is worth more to me than anything else we own, TBH.

2021: Rental House Year…No Photos:)

LOL. I was depressed this year, living in the rental house was hard so we didn’t even pretend to shoot it.

2022: Holiday Around Our Farmhouse – This Year “Done Is Better Than Perfect”photos by kaitlin green | from: holiday around our farmhouse – this year “done is better than perfect”

Our first year on the farm was fine but I didn’t nail it – just felt ok but a little cold and sad.

photo by kaitlin green | from: holiday around our farmhouse – this year “done is better than perfect”

I realize that my “phoning it in” is a lot of people’s extreme effort, so I don’t want to give this Christmas any shade, it just was kinda cold in person so I vowed to try harder the next year.

2023: The OFFICIAL First Farmhouse Christmas!photo by kaitlin green | from: the official first farmhouse christmas!

By 2024 we had our sofas, which helped, and I brought in way more sparkly lights, greenery, and color (blues and greens and a ton of pops of deep reds and purples).

photos by kaitlin green | from: the official first farmhouse christmas!

And that’s where we are at this year, too. By next year the fireplace will be painted, there might be a couple of new pieces of furniture that I’ve designed and maybe even I’ll get around to painting a scandi pattern on the beams in the living room. But without any real changes, these photos look almost identical to how it is this year.

I hope you enjoyed going down memory lane like we did. I feel soooo lucky to have these photos of each year because it really was a snapshot into my life – both stylistically as well as where we were living, what my mental space was like, etc. We’ll be a little spotty for the next couple of weeks (posting many days, but the whole team is taking two weeks off to enjoy our lives :)) Come back Saturday to read how I told our kids about Santa (it didn’t go well). Parenting regrets abound this time of year!! xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo Kaitlin Green | From: The OFFICIAL First Farmhouse Christmas!

The post Wow – I’ve Really Went For It!! How I’ve Decorated For Christmas Over The Years appeared first on Emily Henderson.