Emily Henderson's Blog, page 63

The Other Projects We Are Tackling In 2024 (It’s An EXCITING Year)

This what I’m calling an “earn and learn” year – where I take a break from any personal MAJOR renovations of our own, giving our bank accounts a chance to recover, and me time to get my head around what I want to do next (outside of major renovations). I love taking a break to look more closely at our numbers and see if we can do it better next time before we jump into the second house on the property. I’m really excited about this year because of this – it’s a year I get to fill the well instead of deplete it. I get to enjoy our property mostly without construction AND I get to hang out with my friends and family while I help them with all of theirs. Here’s what we have happening… 

My Brother’s River Housethe front of my brother’s river house

This is our big projector for the year (outside of finishing the farm which I wrote about here). For those of you paying close attention (thank you!) we introduced my brother’s new build on the river in this post on March 21, 2021. That’s almost 3 years ago. We have shown a bit here and there, but what I’ve learned is that with all the noise on the internet showing multiple large construction projects at the same time doesn’t work well – construction just looks like construction. I’ll write a more detailed recap and timeline but let’s just say that the fun stuff is happening like NOW (tile, flooring) and we have been recording and capturing content to roll it out in a way that is easier to follow (rather than mixed in with the farmhouse, and having it drawn out over four years). 

Fun fact, creating the content around design is almost as time-consuming as the design process itself and I was still building my team up here so we figured we’d start fresh and relaunch the project – In less than TWO WEEKS with all my learnings thus far and where we are at in the process. You will likely see reveals in late spring (bathrooms first) and then room by room as we decorate. What I can say is that it’s such a dreamy, warm, open space full of so much natural light and surrounded by the prettiest views of the river and trees. It’s definitely mountain house 4.0 and a big departure from the farmhouse. But it’s hard because a lot of it we designed over 3 years ago!!! So I’m in the process of pushing my brother and SIL a little to add more color, more pattern, etc (it’s working). I’ve learned A LOT which I can’t wait to share. 

The Garage, Carriage House, And Sheep’s Barnthe garage, carriage house, and sheep’s barn before we started ANY work on the house

We finished major construction on our farmhouse in September 2022, but then the outside landscaping took until June (and it was intense). While I’d love to continue taking a break from construction there are multiple projects on the property that we should tackle, starting with what looks like the 3-car garage. It’s 150 years old absolutely falling apart, but we can’t just demo and build new because it’s likely too close to a property line. While this project will likely still cost a lot and of course, we’ll have construction again on the property (I’ve loved the piece and quiet of a post-construction home!!), I don’t think it will take a lot of design brain space on my end. Plus where it is on the property (near the edge, far from the backyard) we can still enjoy the the backyard without it being disrupted at all by machinery and crew. Our thinking is that if we can get the garages done to be finished, safe, and with concrete, drywall, and basic electrical then we can move the prop storage into there and then in 2025 we’ll have saved and planned for the other house on the property. While I’d love to push it off as it’s going to be a less fun way to spend money, in order to continue to rehab the whole property this needs to happen. I hope you like garage content!!!!!! The truth is I was not really going to make this content, because the second that I do I end up spending so much more money on it. I truly just want this to be where we do something super basic and functional and not blow through our savings with details that just aren’t necessary for a garage interior. Let’s see what happens!!

Portland Friends And Family Projects! one of my best friend’s home I’m helping with and it’s looking SO good

It PAINS me not to be able to help my friends and family when I’m super busy (but I just can’t, I’ll simply disappoint them which creates stress for me) and obviously couldn’t really help when I didn’t live here. So this year, I’ve “carved out time” (LOL) and I think it’s doable because I have a couple of friends with new homes, big jobs, and a lot of questions. One of the main reasons I moved up here was to be closer to my best friends (30+ years of very close friendship) and my family/siblings. So as I take a break from my major renovations (fine, besides the garage) I’ll spend time with them and help them spend their money LOL. Also, we are all so busy with our jobs and kids that are different ages so I love that this is an excuse to see them more frequently.

another one of my best friend’s new homes that we’re starting on:)

In order to do these they have to be low stakes and low lift for me – just decorating, furnishing, painting, etc, but no remodeling (and no stressful deadline). I can’t volunteer my time for renovation – it’s just too stressful and too high of stakes. So if they remain easy, fun, and without deadlines, then I try to just charge just enough to cover the cost of blog production in hopes that the blog posts will produce some revenue to pay for my time. If they become like a “job” then I’ll revisit the deal so that it makes sense for everyone and the relationship stays healthy. This year we’ll be decorating two of my closest friend’s homes (both traditional, but one wants to go more “Soho House” and the other more “rustic lodge”). And then as the year rolls out, I’ll also be helping my sister finish up a renovation that was halted for years due to permitting and budget issues and hopefully provide some relief for her (she’s already fully designed and has all materials so I’d likely be more of a consultant). Squeezing these in has been harder than I thought it would be (the weeks go by so fast!) so they might be a slow rollout (that hopefully doesn’t drive them nuts), but right now they are super fun. I work on them on the weekends in the mornings and then text, “Hey, buy this mirror” with a link. I’ll also get things partnered up where it makes sense. I’m trying to leave Fridays open to work on them as by Friday my brain is ready for just the fun stuff.

Family Promise of Tualatin Valley Family Sheltera common room for the shelterone of the family rooms

In September the dream service project fell into my lap. For those of you who remember, almost 9 years ago I did the San Fernando Rescue Mission, a family shelter in LA. It took about two years, we raised money, we got it all partnered up and myself (and Ginny and Brady! OG EHD!) Furnished the whole thing. It was incredibly rewarding and fun. While I want to continue to do these feel good flash makeovers for individual families (we did one over holiday break that was so fun and fulfilling,) I wanted to do something larger, that I can really sink my teeth (and business) into for a while. What I love about doing these shelters is not just how they make the spaces so much better for the families that are staying there (some for months) but also how it really changes the morale of the space for the people who have dedicated working and volunteering there. Social workers are real angels and I want them and the families to walk into a nicely pulled-together warm, uplifting environment. I’m also learning a lot about trauma-informed design which has been interesting. 

I’ll go into more detail soon, but we are definitely looking for partners. It’s a 75-room hotel, purchased by the nonprofit (through grants and government funding) and they need to renovate the main floor while updating the rest of the floors. So we’ll start with the other floors (family lounges, staff offices) and then as the construction finishes help furnish the main spaces downstairs (while of course trying to tackle each family room). Currently, we need like 60 bunk beds if anyone has those :)) We had a partner lined up, it felt PERFECT, but then they laid off the whole marketing team, and the project got canceled for now so we are looking for others to help bring this to life. If interested reach out to gretchen@emilyhendersondesign.com!

Our Second Rug Line

I’m so happy to say that our first drop did so well and we are on to the second (coming out in the fall). I have some requests of my own that I hope you’ll see come to life and Jess has some awesome ideas, too. This process has been way more streamlined than I predicted because Rugs USA is a huge support and has the right infrastructure, so we are excited to keep it going as long as it makes sense for everyone. The success of this one has made us think about what other lines we can do while keeping the company (and my mental state) healthy (i.e. not overstretching and then disappointing everyone). While I’m always looking for new revenue sources to reduce our reliance on social media, I’m taking a pretty slow and thoughtful approach to it all (a benefit of 15 years of hustling I suppose) to avoid some mistakes I’ve made in the past. So we’ll see. We make lists of holes in the market all the time because that’s where I want to put my energy.

Makeover Takeover Reveals (AKA EHD Team Home Projects)jess’ living room that already has a MAJOR update she can’t wait to show youtwo more of jess’ rooms that will be done this yearremember these from caitlin’s apartment? well they’ll be done this year too!arlyn’s powder bath will make it’s renter-friendly debut

This year we’ll be revealing Jess’ apartment, Caitlin’s dining room, kitchen and bedroom, and maybe an Arlyn space or two. Gretchen (my PDX assistant in all things), also moved into a new apartment that we are hoping to get going on but these MOTOs take at least a year so that’s a late 2024/early 2025 reveal. Mal has a NYC apartment and Kaitlin has a few rooms left in her house to furnish and shoot – all happening behind the scenes. I’ll help with Kaitlin’s but otherwise, these are no lift for me (besides producing the photo shoots, providing some of the budget, social media for partners, and styling) – but fun for you to expect to see on the blog in 2024 (and 2025 LOL).

Oh And A TV Show

Oh right! I’ve signed on to do a TV show this year which I’m excited about, and yet also know that if it doesn’t happen that’s ok (a lot in flux in LA right now). I’ve promised I wouldn’t go back on TV unless it was the right situation (AKA not 60 hours a week, away from my family, spending my own money on the design, etc.) but this one is different and the producers totally get it (and are making it work within my life). Non-scripted design shows famously don’t pay a lot (read Orlando’s blog post about it here) and yet they can cost a lot, so you don’t do it for the money and I don’t necessarily want to become more well-known so I’m not doing it for the fame. Most people sign on to do a TV show to grow their brand and awareness in order to get partnerships (that do pay well). I’m lucky to have partners I love so the reason I’m doing this is because I’m highly motivated by the premise of the show and I think it’s going to be really fulfilling, fun, and without the stress of carrying the show by myself. But let’s just say that Hollywood and streaming are VERY tumultuous right now and while it’s fully cast and the pilot has been bought anything can happen. If it’s meant to happen it will

Of course, now that I’ve written that all down I’m like WOAH THAT’S A LOT (including the farmhouse stuff) and that doesn’t include blog posts and other larger partnerships in the works! But listen, the only real deadlines we have are the river house bathrooms, mudroom, and kitchen (all need to be revealed by end of 2024). The rest are up to me, just the way I like it.

So We Are Hiring…

We are looking for a part-time social media producer/assistant in Portland – someone who loves design, is obsessed with social media, and knows how to shoot/edit for social. Gretchen and I are trying to stay on top of it, but we need more help (and someone who is social media-specific). We juggle multiple cameras a day to capture stuff WHILE we are doing it and it’s far harder than it looks (which makes me admire so many people who do it by themselves – HOW???). I don’t care if you went to college, where you went, or where you “trained”, I’ve always hired on potential, great attitude, willingness to learn and do anything, bringing good ideas, and work really hard. Sure you need to have basic media skills (editing, some graphic design skills) and you have to LOVE design in order to engage in our projects. It will start part-time hourly, and likely grow. And we have fun

Hope y’all are ready for a fun year. xx

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The Best Non-Alcoholic Beer, Wine, And “Liquor” I Am Into… And What Alternatives I Opt For To Help Cope Through The Winter

I, like many people, overindulge during the long and hectic Halloween-to-Christmas months and then like to hibernate in January/Feb to reset (and undo some lifestyle damage). I don’t really opt into NA drinks except when friends are over and they are drinking because then I want to feel like I’m on the same plane with them. While all “experts” agree that abstaining from alcohol completely is best for your health, with “moderation” coming in second, for some of us (ahem, me) I find that moderation isn’t my strength, and restricting myself with boundaries and discipline is an enjoyable and effective way to reset after the holidays. Last year, I was fully dry in January (fine, barring one moderate night with my MIL while Brian was out of town for 10 days) and y’all I found that with the right tools (delicious soups, good books, baths, some gummies, the sauna blanket, a lot of yoga, walks, and some NA drinks) I actually really enjoy and indulge in the reset. I want to be clear, being strict about most things isn’t necessary and is a specific personality type, of which I fall into – it is more of a personality flaw, but one that I have learned to manage in a healthy way. In the name of finding some substitutes (mostly on the weekends should we have people over), I tried all of the above. And while more has come out in the last year I figured I’d share which ones were my favorites.

1. Best Day Brewing Kölsch Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer | 2. Wellbeing Non-Alcoholic Intentional IPA | 3. Crux NO MO Non-Alcoholic IPA | 4. Athletic Brewing Company Craft Non-Alcoholic Beer

I didn’t mind most of these, but the No Mo Hazy IPA was hands down our favorite. I actually continued drinking these through spring even when I was back to having drinks on the weekends (a fun hack is to go back and forth between normal beer and NA beer, especially through long day drinking bbq days). I did reach out to one of my best parasocial friends, Dax Shepherd to see if I could get some Ted Segers sent my way but they were out, (Dax and Best Friend Aaron Weakley just created this NA beer that is meant to be awesome).

5. Recess Mood Magnesium Supplement Drink Calming Beverage | 6. Giesen Dealcoholized Sauvignon Blanc | 7. Leitz – Zero Point Five Non-Alcoholic Pinot Noir | 8. Greenbar Distillery Organic NA Un Gin + Tonic | 9. Leitz – Eins Zwei Zero Rose Can

I really loved the Leitz brand and that sparkling rose was delicious, with Recess coming in second. One of my closest friends who is solidly sober was so impressed with the Leitz brand drinks and took a photo of it so he could buy it back in his hometown. And if I’m being totally honest a diet tonic with a splash of grapefruit juice is my favorite NA drink, with a kombucha on ice coming in second. I have tried the NA spirits, and many do taste good but I don’t know – having a faux old-fashioned is only fun if you are at a party, but at home, I found myself not wanting it.

Most nights I opt for a long weighted walk around 6 pm and any desire for a glass of wine is deleted. Then after the kids are down I make a hot tea, sit in the sauna blanket, or chew on 3 MG of an indica gummy and take a bath with my romance novel. It’s legal here by the way and while I absolutely do not like being stoned, I have found that taking a very very small dosage sends me to sleep with zero of the negative side effects (munchies, paranoia, anxiety). Now, if/when I’ve accidentally upped to 5MG (which is 1/2 of a gummy) I will eat the entire carton of ice cream or a bag of Doritos – SO DELICIOUS. I’m only saying this as someone who formerly HATED weed and I still do not want to get truly stoned, like ever again. It’s clear that my body chemistry doesn’t feel compatible with it, but during lockdown, Brian and I experimented very slowly and in tiny doses and found strains that simply helped me relax at night in a healthy, moderate way. To be honest, I think there should be way more laws around it and I wish there weren’t a dispensary on every corner in Oregon. But I feel that nibbling on a gummy is a really nice alternative to a glass of wine and is totally harmless (and is a positive in my life). However, speaking from experience I only imbibe after the kids are down – I tried it before dinner a couple of times and let’s just say putting the kids down felt so long and hard as they “needed my attention” and “didn’t listen” (aka they were totally harshing my buzz!!).

For me, it’s all about replacing the bad habits with the good and in my late 30s (6 years ago when the kids were both toddlers and I felt like I was drowning). I found that consciously opting for a healthy fun thing to do to replace the wine was actually really lovely and totally doable. We all have our tools and mine are podcasts while cooking cozy soups, reading romance novels while taking a bath with or without nibbling a gummy.

Anyone else have any rec or fun new habits you’ve adopted??

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post The Best Non-Alcoholic Beer, Wine, And “Liquor” I Am Into… And What Alternatives I Opt For To Help Cope Through The Winter appeared first on Emily Henderson.

How We Custom Made Our Guest Bed That Ended Up In Our Primary Room (And WHY???)

What feels like 8 months ago, we were about to shoot the house for Real Simple magazine, but I didn’t know which rooms so I kinda had to prep for all of them, including the guest room. This room (the guest) was the first room ready after we moved in, actually, with furniture that we owned already except for a bed. You see, while we did plan for the windows to be far enough apart to fit a king bed, it really only fits a king mattress – not the side rails and headboard (as you can see below). So we knew/figured we’d have to customize the bed there to make sure that it doesn’t go in front of the windows.

photo by kaitlin green | from: a *first round* farmhouse reveal – readying our guest room for family to visit

First, here is what the bed looks like without a headboard.

As you can see if we had an upholstered bed with side rails and took the headboard straight up, it would be in front of both windows. A big deal? Not really but certainly not ideal. Around the same time, we started working with a local upholstery team that could turn things around quickly (which is dangerous/tempting for me). So something custom was around the same price as the bed I had my eye on (without our special fabric which you’ll see). We drew it up, with the bed gradually coming into an arch, thus not obstructing the view of the window at all. GREAT.

This was the general idea.

The Inspiration…

Odele Platform Bed

Now this bed (above) is from Lulu and Georgia (and comes in a lot of different colors) and the shape of it served as the inspiration that I thought could work between the two windows. Originally, I was just going to order it but I put it off and the lead time was too long. But the shape (a simple arch) is what we were going for, just in a more fun pattern. (P.S. I don’t typically like to just take a piece of furniture and make my own, but I don’t feel weird about this because it’s just an arch – which nobody has propriety ownership over, LOL, and I didn’t even really do the piping details). But if you are in the market for a bed like this, just order from L&G – their pieces IMO are well-priced for very high quality (and a lot of options). The overall dimensions would be 75″W x 87″D x 58”H (for a king).

The Fabric…

Scattered Dot Fabric

I had ordered a bunch of fabric samples from Rebecca Atwood and fell in love with this one in the guest room. The pinks and blues and the small print felt so appropriate in that room.

See the vision?

The week before the shoot we found out that the bed we were waiting on for our bedroom was delayed. We had ordered this one from Crate & Barrel (Jake Arnold’s collection is incredible). So then we had to make the decision – do we put this bed, designed for a different room, in here for the shoot just to have something more editorial? And if so, do we then move it afterward to the guest room?

That was the plan – to shoot it here and then move it. But then Ivan and the Raleigh Hills Upholstery team came to install the bed and we realized it was A REAL THING. It is extremely heavy, well-made, and doesn’t just slip together. It took two guys an hour to put it together.

So come back Monday to see how we made the whole room work together. It’s still a room I have some hesitations with but I LOVE being in it so much that it’s hard to motivate myself to change it. Let’s just say IT’S A CHOICE and not a super farm-oriented choice.

*Pretty Photos by Kaitlin Green

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Wait…What Is Happening In Our Main Bedroom?? A Pre-Reveal With A Lot Of Ranting Because Even Though It’s 2024 I’m Back To Ranting Like It’s 2011 :)

Some rooms are easier than others and y’all I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – BEDROOMS ARE THE EASIEST ROOMS TO DECORATE. Why? Because there is mostly one singular function (or two, LOL). You don’t need to worry as much about flow or multiple uses for multiple people (well, depending on your lifestyle, no judgment here!). Also, there is a clear focal point and most importantly – it’s where you can easily employ symmetry, flanking said focal point (so less decision and shopping time). But for whatever reason this bedroom has been HARD. It’s now done and if I could snap my fingers I’d change a few things, but I’ll get into that in the reveal post coming up. Today I’m going to remind you where we came from and how we got here before you see it all shot and wearing her fancy clothes. Also, I get candid about some $$$ stuff below so if that’s not your thing click away.

As a reminder, there is the original house from 1910 (the tall one) and then there is the 60s addition that was used mostly as a group home meeting space. We ended up adding 8 feet to that wing to fit what we wanted. Now I’m not sure I would have done that again – BOY can 8 feet be so expensive when you are talking roofing, foundation, HVAC, an additional electrical meter, and even a new dug-out basement to house the HVAC for this wing. ANYWAY, now that we have a spacious bed/bath and mudroom I’m of course psyched about it, but I will not be so cavalier next time to just “add on”. So our bedroom is in there

Here is how the house was laid out before our almost 3-year renovation:) For the sake of ease, picture where the brick patio was (on the right) being what we added on. I guess we were reacting to having a really nice sized spacious bedroom from the mountain house (where we lived and loved during lockdown). And as much as we tried and tried, Anne from ARCIFORM couldn’t fit what we were requesting in the square footage we had without greatly compromising the size, function, or flow of the rooms. Now that I think about it, our bathroom isn’t that big at all, the family room literally couldn’t be much smaller or we wouldn’t be able to fit a big sectional (the sole purpose of the room), so could our bedroom and mudroom have been smaller? I think so. But our rationale was that we were already spending so much money that to not get the rooms and space that we wanted felt NUTS. Like why go through this entire rather painful process and then afterward have regrets (and not be able to add on later, obviously)? That’s all to say that I’m glad we added on that 8′ to fit this room – NOW – but let’s just say next time we’ll think about it more as it likely added $75k to the whole already ludicrously high budget (and no, I still haven’t added it up). I find that I need years of perspective before I can crunch the numbers, which also allows the blog to create revenue from the content from the renovation which eases the pain of course.

For that I did with my brother, as you might have read here, I lost so much money. But after years of the posts being on the blog, accruing ad dollars, I think I might have actually made a little bit of $$. It’s a lot like Mr. Beast (wait, what??) where he spends like $100k on many of his individual videos with the hope that eventually the views will be there to profit. Content creation is a gamble, where you have to invest in the project to get the views, but the views are what pay for the project and if the views aren’t there then you lose so much money. So…ya, waiting is a healthier move (and I realize I’m very privileged to not have been forced to know by a dire financial situation – the sale of our LA house saved us financially). It’s also tricky when your job is like mine and some of the expenses can be written off – but only very specific things, some of it covered by partnerships that I hustled to pitch (and then some of it directly paid to vendors, etc). I wrote about the Portland $$$ I think 3 years after it was over, so maybe in 3 years I’ll come to terms with what this monster of a renovation costs – THAT WE ARE SO LUCKY TO DO AND LIVE IN. But no, not yet. I need more space from it, TBH, lest I should puke

This was how that wing looked before we renovated, BTW. It was super chopped up with a lot of temporary walls so the family that lived there before us could use the space.

This is where we landed with the layout for a million reasons. If I could go back in time I’d likely swap the mudroom and the bathroom, but I’m pretty sure we didn’t want our bathroom to be facing the backyard like that for more privacy (which is hilarious because it faces the entry now, LOL, with way more foot traffic). But now that the kids have to feed the pigs and alpacas twice a day in literal shit-covered boots, I’m glad that we have that mudroom there with the covered porch for their disgusting boots. In Oregon, I just wish we had a mudroom at every entrance (the kitchen is our everyday drop zone – not ideal).

The Construction Phase

ARCIFORM did such an incredible job, y’all. Jamie (that man in the overalls) has to know so much and have so much experience to execute a project of this scale so well (he’s been with them for over a decade). I truly marveled at how he seemed to know everything about all aspects of building a home. Anyway, we added a bunch of windows, a fireplace, skylights, and even an exit (didn’t need that).

We laid it out just like we did at the mountain house – bed facing the fireplace, with a TV above it this time (despite Orlando’s disgust – read that post here).

from: farmhouse update: the current state of our bedroom

We figured that we’d clad the fireplace in brick and paint it, similar to the original one in the living room. The windows are all white oak on the inside (aluminum clad on the exterior) from Sierra Pacific and ARCIFORM designed this pretty custom millwork for all the window and door trim. They are gorgeous. the floor is from Zena Forest Products (and they got so busy after this project so thank you all who supported them – way to help a small family-run business grow).

Move-In Dayfrom: welcome to our bedroom + all the upholstered beds we considered and what we chose

We had like 15 minutes to shoot the whole house before the moving trucks loaded in so here I was. DAY ONE (that was 15 months ago, FYI). I had it painted white during construction because I didn’t have the creative bandwidth to design the room and I just wanted a blank slate. Creative bandwidth is a real thing BTW. it’s not just about time, it’s a specific part of your brain that gets tapped and depleted. When that happens you literally can’t force it. You just have to sit down, work on yourself, give yourself some time, and wait for it to come back.

Y’all, if I weren’t in the business of revealing idea-provoking, well-designed rooms with clear points of view I might have kept it white. I like a white bedroom and I really like my bedrooms to be simple and less “designed” (mostly because my life can feel chaotic and here I just want it calm and to send me to sleep). In short, I like bedrooms that are easy for your eye to understand (thus the symmetry). It can be perceived as boring for sure, and I like it more now painted, but for the record, a clean white bedroom isn’t the worst.

from: farmhouse update: on painting our fireplace (again)

We painted the fireplace Smoky Blue by Sherwin-Williams which ended up being too light and bright (but we loved the color enough to put on our stairs).

We brought in a lot of leftover furniture (and a new/old vintage lamp that still hasn’t landed anywhere). This is how we lived for 8 months or so. And no one died!

We had chosen this bed months before we moved in, from Maiden Home and admittedly I chose a too simple fabric for this room. I played it too safe (not to blame Brian but he might have encouraged me to be safe and he loved this gray). Lesson learned re Gray in Portland – just don’t do it. This bed is also really low – we had to add another mattress underneath ours. This low of a bed is fine in certain rooms with certain vibes, but with the fireplace being so tall it just felt so off balance. To fix it, we added a leftover king mattress underneath our mattress to raise it up a bit. Also, this is where Brian used to work out (thus the dumbells).

from: we painted our bedroom blue and here’s how i feel about it…

While I ordered a new bed (after apologizing profusing to Maiden Home because it was such a pretty bed) I decided we did, in fact, need to design this room to be really good, not just simple. So I painted it Debonaire from Sherwin-Williams (after so much debate). I had looked at no less than 30 blues and decided this one was it. Do I love the color? YES. Do I think it’s right in here, NOPE.

Wait, Why Doesn’t This Color Work In Here?

I think the depth of the color is too intense for the amount of natural light in here. I think had we not put in skylights it would be fine and feel like a cozy box. However, with the 4 windows and 4 skylights, it just feels like it should be lighter. The saying is right – paint light rooms light and dark rooms dark. But what about medium tones?? I thought I could paint a light room a medium color, but it gets so saturated and intense with all the natural light so I just wish I had gone lighter (but I LOVE this color and plan on using it again in rooms that are meant to be darker and cozy).

from: we painted our bedroom blue and here’s how i feel about it…

This week you are going to learn about the custom bed we made for another room, that landed here, and then you’ll see the first real reveal of the room without repainting it light (LOTS to talk about). And again it’s beautiful but just not 100% there yet. But isn’t that the “fun” of design? The journey? Ha. At least you can keep tweaking until you get it just right:)

*Pretty Photos by Katlin Green

The post Wait…What Is Happening In Our Main Bedroom?? A Pre-Reveal With A Lot Of Ranting Because Even Though It’s 2024 I’m Back To Ranting Like It’s 2011 :) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

What’s Left To Design, Reveal, Fix, And Tweak At The Farmhouse – A 2024 List

I really love what I now dub “A reveal year” – and that’s what 2023 was for me, usually coming after a “renovation/construction year” which let’s just say is FAR less fun. Perhaps the extreme financial drain, the public pressure, and the permanence of the construction process creates some stress (and ironically the traffic and engagement aren’t as high in a renovation year as in a reveal year so the payoff is delayed/painful). So with the move to Portland and a few other big things that wer going on, it makes sense that both personally and professionally 2021 and 2022, “the farmhouse construction years”, were very challenging. And look, that’s ok, not every year can be your best year (a mantra I chanted for two years LOL). But 2023, well she was a good one because styling, decorating, shooting, and publishing each room, slowly, on mostly my own terms, was such a relief from the stress of a renovation, and that euphoria permeates everything in such a happy way. I just feel so lucky and happy to live here. I remember telling Brian that I don’t think I’ll have similar farmhouse challenges again, FOR YEARS. Sure, I’ll take on projects and some of them might be our own, but they won’t be our primary residence, they won’t be so financially draining, and they won’t have the same desperate deadline to move in. Once I realized that the stress of this project was truly behind us, I have been floating around feeling just so incredibly grateful.

I was committed to revealing this house slower than in the past with the intent to enjoy the process, more room by room over months than all at once, (a la “shark week” which is what we did for ). So while we are done with so many rooms (see this year-end roundup post if you missed any), we actually still have a lot left to do. But it’s all fun stuff and I am purposefully spreading it out so I don’t rush decisions or not have time to enjoy the reveals, myself.

Reveal: The Primary Bedroomfrom: we painted our bedroom blue and here’s how i feel about it…

We finished this room in November, but decided this is a perfect cozy January room so this is coming at you this week and next:) It’s quite possibly the least farmhouse “farmhouse bedroom” ever.

Reveal: The Family Photo Wall Up The Stairsfrom: the case for the quiet neutral wallpapers

I have been dying to tackle this one since we moved in but there are just so many other priorities and I wanted to print out more current photos. But this month I’m going to hang a pretty epic family photo/gallery wall up the stairs.

Reveal/DIY: The Landing Stenciled Floorfrom: the challenges of our upstairs landing (aka our kids garbage storage room/play space) + how to design long term for rapidly growing kids

I’m so glad I put this off because as the house has evolved I realize I want this to be bolder than I had previously thought. The original idea was a quiet floor pattern (maybe a checkered or diamond but with a border or a third color). But with how much I love the sunroom floor I think I might go bolder up there and of course, still add the border. I have some ideas and plan on tackling late January/early February for an early March reveal.

Reveal: The Guest Bath

This is done, but not styled our shot (and she looks SO CUTE). Wait, I might end up painting the window and ceiling, but otherwise wallpaper is up and she looks so cozy and fun.

Tweak: The Guest Roomfrom: a *first round* farmhouse reveal – readying our guest room for family to visit

This room is pretty great, but we are so conflicted about whether we want it to be a proper guest room or more of a den for the kids (especially as winter approaches and they spend so much more time with their friends inside). I had customized a bed to fit perfectly between the windows and let’s just say it ended up in a different room.

Design And Reveal: Charlie’s Bedroomfrom: designing with an almost tween boy: charlie’s room update/progress with a thrifted 80s vibe

My 10-year-old son isn’t too enthusiastic about me decorating his room, so I’m trying to figure out how much we want to do beyond more decorating. Part of me wants to do something nutty to the walls and ceiling, but the other part of me is like, “just make it cool and focus on other things”. He’s scared I’m going to add butterfly wallpaper like Elliot’s. I’m obviously not going to do that but I understand the fear.

Tweak: The Living Room Walls Or Ceilingfrom: farmhouse living room reveal

I’m not 100% happy with our living room and I still don’t know how to fix it, but I know the walls are the problem. This room isn’t a work priority but as a mom/designer who passes through this room 1500 times a day, I just want to love it more. I also know that it’s totally fine as is…

Tweak/Fix: The Living Room Fireplacefrom: farmhouse living room reveal

I do however know that I really want to lime wash the fireplace a darker color. Now obviously this would be in conjunction with what we do on the walls but this might be where I start. I ordered a bunch of samples and I think I might just go for it.

Add: Wallpaper In Our Water Closet (Primary Bath)from: farmhouse primary bathroom reveal

I think I was pretty restrained in a lot of ways for the hard finishes – which I love. But there are some rooms that I think I want to add a pattern via wallpaper. It’s pretty hard to prioritize our bathroom’s toilet room into my schedule, but I also really think it’s a perfect opportunity to add a pretty pattern (that literally no one will see but Brian, me, and all of you).

Add: Wallpaper In Ante Room

This was something we were supposed to do before we shot the bedroom but we didn’t. This is the room BEFORE you enter the bedroom. It’s just a cute little mini hallway with two junction boxes that are currently covered with a plate. I don’t know if I want it to be a subtle wallpaper with a lot of art in there or just put up a really pretty patterned paper.

Add: Wallpaper Above Tile In Kids’ Bathfrom: farmhouse kids’ shared bathroom reveal

I don’t know. It just seems like a missed opportunity to not wallpaper above the tile. The bathroom is pretty as-is, but there are times when I don’t love the buffalo check fabric in the tub nook and wish it were something simpler (or no curtain at all) and instead add wallpaper above the tile. I think I’m still confused about who I want to be – quiet and minimal Mountain House Emily or eclectic English grandma Emily (a poor man’s Heidi Calliere) and layer pattern on pattern on pattern (I love both so much). I love how calm our house is for the most part but I think I can add a paper that will fit the vibe…

Design/Reveal: Back Porchfrom: farmhouse back porch reveal

It’s empty except for some dead plants and dirty pots. Still figuring out how we want to use it and honestly, it might just be groupings of Adirondack chairs, but that’s a fun spring project for us to figure out.

Design/Reveal: The Home Gymfrom: the full before and after backyard makeover

We are almost done with this space, using it 4 times a week at least. It’s the pool house (that we once called the greenhouse) that we decided to put Brian’s Fight Camp and my peloton in (and our cold plunge). But currently, it’s bare bones and I want to finish it.

Design/Reveal: The Art Barn/Kids Clubhousefrom: farmhouse backyard update: all about our new sports court

Ok, by next summer I’m going to have turned the right half of the barn into a kids’ summer (and hopefully winter) clubhouse. The left half is for the animals and feed, etc, but the other side is empty and if finished out could be a really fun clubhouse for the kids and all their friends this summer. I’m picturing this being somewhere they can get super super messy and trade garbage pail kids.

So that’s the plan! Excited to get started so hope you’re excited too:) We have a lot of other projects, too and in 2025 we are starting the second house on the project but this is what I call a ‘earn and learn’ year, where we try to not spend so much money and learn about the digital landscape more before entering in another massive renovation. Excited to show you all the other projects we are doing this year soon. It’s A LOT (and we are full up for the year which feels good). xx

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post What’s Left To Design, Reveal, Fix, And Tweak At The Farmhouse – A 2024 List appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: A Home Tour Em LOVED, Jess’ Awesome $25 Battery Organizer, And A Pretty Kitchen Caddy

Wow! Last week’s Link up was on Christmas Eve and now it’s New Year’s Eve. Talk about big days! Well, we’ve been off this past week, and hope that you’ve had some downtime too before we all ring in a new year. Hug your loved ones tight and see you in the next year with a pretty exciting reveal to start us off!

This week’s house tour is the most iconic house we could have chosen as the last one of the year…Barbie’s Dreamhouse Jungalow style. That’s right, the year that Barbie took over the world now has a Jungalow-designed dreamhouse, and as you can imagine it’s incredible! Justina absolutely nailed it. The colors, the patterns, the joy. It’s the perfect house tour to close out this wild year. Enjoy!

From Emily: I rarely watch a full-length YouTube video house tour, but I LOVED this one of Beata Heuman’s Swedish farmhouse. It’s likely because I’m just such a fan of hers and her work feels so special. I know that she has mad design skills and yet this house feels kinda normal at the same time. If you are bored and want to watch someone I admire a lot here you go.

From Gretchen: Happy New Year!! What a whirlwind 2023 has been, in the absolute best way. I’ve never been busier and I’ve never been happier. But ’tis the season to look ahead, and wave goodbye to old things, which in this case is my beloved apartment. Thankfully, this bittersweet goodbye is only because I’m moving into a place that has everything I could ask for, namely, more space. So I’m spending this first week of the new year moving my many things from one place to another. To keep track of it all, I’m doing what I do best: labeling like a lunatic. Box of kitchen tools? Labeled. Suitcase full of books? Labeled. Clothes, toiletries, shoes, candles, tchotchkes, cleaning supplies, medicine, memories?? All labeled. Last year I was obsessed with my Dymo Embossing Label Maker (still am) because it made everything in my apartment feel vintage and cute and most importantly, organized. I still use it religiously, but for this move, I decided to implement the classic Sharpie and tape combo, except I still have to be an aesthetic weirdo about it and use this brown painter’s tape instead of blue. Whatever makes the packing process more enjoyable, right? I just really like the look of it, plus it’s usable for a number of things. I might switch to organizing with it in my new place–just don’t tell the Dymo I’m cheating on him!!

From Mallory: I was at my gym the other day and this cute company was doing a promotion and giving away free B-12 shots. I was skeptical but ultimately have been wanting to understand more about the B-12 craze and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised!! Now NOTE I am not a doctor so please do your research before to see if this is right for you, but after this shot I felt IMMEDIATELY more energized and serotonin was certainly boosted. It was wild. Now I’m not the type to go get a B-12 shot every week but I might snag some supplements to try to incorporate it into my life more because WOW I love the health benefits!!

From Caitlin: If your New Year’s resolutions include “wearing more sunscreen,” then boy, do I have the product for you! I’ve been obsessed with this dewy moisturizing sunscreen for the last few months – it’s about half the cost of Supergoop’s Glow Screen and I actually prefer the finish! (It’s a little less sparkly.) It does smell like sunscreen which I didn’t expect to love, but it’s actually a nice visceral experience every morning! It absorbs so quickly, it doesn’t leave any weird cast, and it works for all different types of skin tones. Let’s all start 2024 off with the right sun protection

From Jess: I found the most incredible Christmas gift for my dad JUST in the nick of time! When I was at my best friend’s house in her garage, I saw this amazing battery organizer on their wall. I know it doesn’t sound that exciting but I promise if you click the link you’ll see what I mean. I feel like I’m always either looking for or wondering if I have the batteries I need. So when I saw this organizer (that comes with a battery tester) I thought, “OMG they always know where their batteries are AND if they are running out!” I know my dad will think this is VERY cool. Oh, and it’s under $30:) Now I just need to figure out what to get him for his birthday in two weeks…

From Arlyn: If your kitchen sink doesn’t have a landing spot for soap, counter spray and brushes/sponges, stop right now and grab this kitchen caddy from Target. Something like this was a game-changer for us. 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, corraling is always the best approach to org (after decluttering, of course). Just make a note that it looks white online but it’s a bit more gray in real life. 

See you all back on January 2nd and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: This Primary Suite Was Designed Around An Arched Stained Glass Window – See How They Made This New Room Feel Vintage

The post The Link Up: A Home Tour Em LOVED, Jess’ Awesome $25 Battery Organizer, And A Pretty Kitchen Caddy appeared first on Emily Henderson.

7 SUPER Easy, Delicious & Nutritious Meal Ideas To Make When You’re SO OVER Holiday Leftovers

If you’re anything like me during this time of year, specifically this week, you are SO tired of eating indulgent food but also kind of stuck in the hamster wheel of reaching for leftover cookies, some dried-out mac and cheese and just waiting on the New Year to “start fresh.” I know, I know…

But I’ve got something for you today. Something to either help you plan for that first week back to work or RIGHT NOW. I’m sharing my favorite super easy, fairly nutritious but also very satisfying recipes perfect for lunch or dinner. I’ve made these on repeat for years and they always hit. Even my toddler eats most of these happily, vigorously signing for more (especially the lentil soup). So family friendly + filling + around 30 minutes to make = a win in my house.

Let’s start with that lentil soup I mentioned that I’ve kind of doctored up myself from many recipes I’ve tried over the years. Here’s where I landed after making my own tweaks. One note is that I’m not a recipe writer, and I also rarely measure anything so forgive me if anything here looks off. I took note of how much I was throwing in while I made it this time for the photo for the post and yeah, my 22-month-old ate her bowl, half of my bowl and half of my husband’s. 🙂

Arlyn’s Lentil & Kale Soup

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive or avocado oil, divided1/2 large white or yellow onion, chopped small3/4 cup carrot, chopped small3/4 cup celery, chopped small3-4 garlic cloves, minced1 cup green lentils (rinsed and picked through well)14.5 oz crushed tomatoes32 oz chicken or vegetable broth2 dried bay leaves1 teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, cumin1/2 teaspoon salt A few scrunches of freshly cracked pepper2 cups kale, taken off stem and chopped (I prefer the dark, flat kale over the lighter green curly kale here)1 lemon cut into quarters, for serving

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven on medium.Add chopped carrot, celery and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes, until onion is translucent.Add garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lentils and stir for another minute or two. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the kale and lemon). Increase heat to medium-high. Stir to combine and let it come to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium (or whatever temperature allows the soup to simmer/bubble without boiling). Cook for 20-25 minutes until lentils have softened. Turn off the heat. Remove bay leaves, add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and, using an immersion blender, pulse the soup 4-5 times. This will make it a little creamy but still textural. (Note: If you don’t have an immersion blender, simply add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a blender and about a cup of soup. Blend but be careful because hot soup in a closed blender creates a lot of pressure and you risk the top blowing off and burning yourself. I speak from experience…) Once blended (and recombined if you used a blender), add in kale. The residual heat of cooking will wilt the kale just enough. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Plate the soup and add a drizzle of fresh lemon

Depending on if you want a little carb to finish it off, you can serve it with a crusty roll or baguette. Even though this has tons of veggies in it, I also occasionally start with a simple greens salad drizzled with olive oil, sharp balsamic and whatever herbs I have going bad in the fridge.

Pinch of YumAvocado Mojo Bowls

Recipe: via Pinch of Yum

Pinch of Yum is one of my favorite food accounts to follow. I’ve never made a bad recipe from her. This one uses the magic of a store-bought rotisserie chicken, a quick avocado mojo sauce (IT’S SO GOOD I tend to go overboard in my bowl) and some seasoned sweet potato wedges which is a great balance to the savory nature of the sauce and protein. I like to steam some green beans to throw on the side and it’s the perfect, wildly yummy and wildly easy dinner for when you have nothing left to give. (Note: the recipe link actually includes chicken meatballs which I’ve never made, but she shared the sauce and wedges recipe on her Instagram with rotisserie chicken and that’s how I always did for the dish.)

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La Scala Chopped Salad

Recipe: via Danielle Moss

A version of this salad exists in nearly every corner of the Internet. The original is from a restaurant here in LA called La Scala. For having a fairly short list of ingredients, it’s just so dang satisfying and well-balanced. I usually use Danielle’s recipe because it’s the first one I tried and I’m loyal since it hits the spot. She uses deli turkey, but I usually use salami instead (the restaurant offers both versions and I enjoy them each for different reasons). Sometimes I add in chopped tomatoes if they’re in season, red onion, shallots, or even hard-boiled egg, but it’s honestly perfect as written.

No Crumbs LeftWeeknight Whole30 Chicken Burger

Recipe: via No Crumbs Left

There are very few times when I can tolerate a burger-like meal in a lettuce bun. Stop. That’s just a salad. But I have to tell you. There’s something about the combination of the outstandingly juicy chicken burger with the dreamy remoulade (sounds fancy, is SO easy), marinated red onions, pickles, and crunchy iceberg lettuce that is pretty magical. All of Teri’s/No Crumbs Left’s recipes are. I usually put it in a bun for my husband but I gladly eat this—with extra pickles and sometimes a slice of melted white cheddar—as shown. UGH, it’s so good my mouth is watering thinking about it. I usually make a double batch and freeze what I don’t eat fully cooked for another day. They reheat great in the air fryer. If you’re feeling like you need something else, throw in some sweet potato fries on the side.

Pinch of YumSalmon Tacos W/ Mango Cucumber Salsa

Recipe: via Pinch of Yum

Tacos are always a hit and with so many options for tortillas these days (corn, flour, casava almond flour, etc.) you really can tailor them to your dietary needs and preferences. These salmon tacos are a hit in my house. They’re beautifully spiced, easy to throw the salmon in the air fryer or even toaster oven for about 10 minutes, and you can make the salsa while that fish cooks. Boom, done! I was a little skeptical of the corn/mango/cucumber combo but it works, trust me. Fresh, crisp, sweet. And it’s all rounded out with a drizzle of honey which you can leave out if you’re watching your sugar but if you’re okay with it, it takes it all over the top. I found that the recipe for the salsa makes a bit too much, so feel free to scale back…or just make more salmon. 🙂

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Cod In White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce

Recipe: via Baker by Nature

Of all the recipes on this list, I’ve been making this one the longest. If you’re ever looking for a fast recipe, white fish or shrimp is usually the best base because it cooks in minutes (like…in under 10 minutes). This is SO DELICIOUS. The white wine tomato basil sauce is something I could drink. I lick it off the spoon while I’m cooking (unless I’m cooking for other people because I’m not rude). I’ve even made it without the wine for the whole family and it was still great. A little less punchy but still satisfying. To round it out, I make asparagus that I throw in the oven while this cooks and if I’m feeling fancy, some little potatoes I prep in the air fryer.

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A post shared by Colu Henry (@coluhenry)

Creamy White Beans With Herb Oil

Recipe: via New York Times Cooking (similar recipe here via Coco Et Sel)

Okay look, I know I’ve written the words “THIS IS SO GOOD” in nearly every recipe here, but THIS IS SO GOOD. I’m heavy in a bean phase right now, so this is likely representative of that, but honestly, it’s a world-class recipe made from a can of white beans and herb oil that’s very similar to a pesto without the parm (though a bit of premade pesto would be fabulous here, too). Sometimes I simply just eat a bowl of beans, other times I throw in an acidic salad and crusty ciabatta and IT’S THE PERFECT MEAL. I’ve never had the patience to make this with dried beans but I guarantee it would take it over the top.

And that’s it! A week’s worth of dinner recipes for you (or lunch and dinner if you make double portions or are only feeding two people). I really hope you try some of these as they truly are some of my top go-to’s and I always feel great after eating them. Never heavy or heartburn-y, though I recognize everyone is different when it comes to food.

Have a WONDERFUL New Year everyone, and see you in 2024. 🙂

Your friend in design (and easy dinner recipes),

Arlyn

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The Top 25 Bestselling Products Over THE ENTIRE 2023 Year (Did You Buy Any Of Them??)

Welcome to our fourth annual Top 25 list! Every year, my mind is blown a bit by the scale and influence of the business Em has built. In 2023, we tracked millions of clicks; hundreds of thousands of items were sold; and today, I’m here to lift the curtain – below, you’ll find a wide variety of the clothing, furniture, decor, and more that our readers purchased en masse over the past 12 months. But wait, it gets better: this year’s list featured three repeat bestsellers for the first time (hooray!) – will you recognize them? Let’s kick it off with a personal favorite of mine…

25. A Classic Barn Coat

Spoiler: If you feel like J. Crew really upped their game in 2023, you’re not alone. This year, they were our reader’s go-to destination for modern, classic, wear-everyday basics. Case in point: this timeless, easy-to-layer barn jacket in a fresh and cheery olive hue – it’s simple but special, don’t you think? (PS. It’s also currently 50% off, if you’re in need of a high-quality, lightweight coat! It comes in a few other colors, too.)

24. Em’s Cropped Jeans

This year, you eschewed your skinny jeans in favor of a fuller, more updated silhouette. (Will we go full wide-leg in 2024? Time will tell.)

23. The Iconic Anthropologie Mirror

She’s an internet icon. She adds a bit of vintage-inspired soul to every room she enters. She’s the Gleaming Primrose Mirror from Anthropologie! Earlier this year, we partnered with Anthro to extend a massive 40% discount (!!!) on these mirrors, and I’m thrilled that so many of you were able to take advantage of the savings. (Literally – it’s why I bought the entire team mini mirror ornaments for !)

22. Brian’s Merino Sweater

I cannot tell you where I last placed my driver’s license (I’ve been using a fortuitous mix of CLEAR and my passport to fly for the last 2 months!), but I can tell you the brief history of this sweater! This cardigan shot straight into our Top 25 back in November after it appeared on Brian’s gift guide, but it’s actually the second time it’s appeared on this list – it was our eighteenth bestselling item last year after we documented Brian’s mall trip and in-store try-on! Gotta love a fan favorite. 🙂

21. A Rug That We Designed

BRB, shedding a happy tear! I’m so proud of this rug line for so many reasons – it was designed by Jess and Em, two of my favorite people; we got to work with the incredible, innovative, smart team at Rugs USA; and more than anything, we were able to make an awesome product at a really fair price point (this 10’x14′ wool rug for under $900? YES, PLEASE!). It’s been a total joy supporting the team through the release of our first-ever line – can’t wait for you all to see what else we’ve been working on 🙂

20. Em’s Family Room Bookcases

These low bookcases have a secret: they’re the perfect height to work as a sofa table, as seen in Em’s family room. They’re a functional, practical, on-trend storage solution (and did we mention that they’re modular?! They’re a part of the Pacific collection, which includes a variety of shelving, desk, and closed storage components – you can build your dream living room or office setup in minutes by mixing and matching corresponding pieces!).

19. A Sweater Jacket That Only Looks Expensive

Another J. Crew winner – I love seeing how these classic staples have been reimagined! Like, you could totally imagine Bunny MacDougal (SATC throwback!) wearing this sweater jacket, but it also looks SO CUTE on Mal (our resident fashion expert). If you’re also interested in the “looks luxe, but won’t break the bank” style of dressing, be sure to check out this post for a few more under-$150 suggestions.

18. These Easy-to-Wear Pants

These wide-leg crops are DEFINITIVELY my favorite purchase of 2023. For the last 10 years, I’ve exclusively purchased my hard pants (read: anything with a zipper) from Madewell, and I felt like I’d never be able to fit into any other retailer’s pants. Reader, I WAS SO WRONG. I grabbed these in my normal size and I was blown away. I have wider hips and large thighs and thought they’d cling or gap…but guys, they look like they do on the model. There’s a reason Anthro makes these in every fabric, pattern, and weight under the sun – they’re THAT GOOD for every season. Emphatically recommend.

17. The Shoe of the Summer

We shared a lot of great footwear options this summer – a bunch of Tevas! Em’s favorite Reef sandals! – but nothing can hold a candle to the waterproof Arizonas from Birkenstock. They’re just under $50, they last for years (I’m still getting near-daily wear out of 2 of my pairs from 2016!), and they come in a variety of neutral AND punchy hues. What else can you ask for?

16. A Plug-and-Play 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 SECOND YEAR IN A ROW that this plug-and-play option has landed at #16 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!)

15. An Essential Jumpsuit

The comfortable cotton jumpsuit is the most underrated piece of clothing in the world, IMO. This one is perfect for chores or laundry day (you can bend over without fear of showing any plumber’s crack), but it’s also a great pick for bridesmaids (it’s easy to remove without messing up any hair or makeup, and far preferable to posing for photos in a too-small robe!).

14. A Modest (or Not!) Swimsuit

Em had this to say: “I’ve had this Andie swimsuit for a year and it’s what I want to wear most swimsuit days because it doubles as a tank top – meaning you don’t feel super exposed and can easily pair it with jean shorts or my favorite nylon shorts that I swim in. In my opinion, it looks cool, the buttons come low (so it can be sexy), it has a support shelf (I literally don’t understand one pieces that don’t), and has a double compression layer (so it hides the small bumps). I burn easily so I like that it’s more coverage without it needing to be a full rash guard Two of my friends have it too – all different body types. I’m sure if you are smaller up top this might not be your go-to but for those of us who don’t mind showing off some cleave, without putting it all out there (and covering our armpit areas), this is one to check out.“

13. *The* Denim Romper

You saw Em wear it in Real Simple, and in the living room reveal, and, well…everywhere! (We actually got more DMs about this romper than anything else in 2023, which is saying something.) “This is a splurge (#ipaidforthis), but it’s the best short jumper I’ve tried,” Em wrote. “This is flattering on any day and I always feel pulled together. It’s the perfect cut.”

12. A Throw-on-and-Go Summer Dress

The Somerset dress took on a life of its own in 2023 – Anthropologie now makes it in an endless variety of lengths (this is the midi!), fabrics (everything from poplin to velvet), and patterns. Em had this to say: “Here she is ready to attend literally any daytime event that includes champagne, ladies, Jesus, or tea (it’s also the perfect wedding guest dress). I felt GREAT in this dress – she’s pretty and pulled together.”

11. Em’s Take-Anywhere Bucket Bag

This tote bag was the standout piece from Em’s 2023 gift guide – it’s sturdy, perfectly sized for schlepping laptops and other daily essentials, and simple enough to complement every outfit in your closet. (I got this bag in 2016 and it’s still going strong despite some severe travel abuse, so I wholeheartedly co-sign this recommendation!)

10. A Timeless, Parisian-Inspired Bar Cart

OMG. GUYS. It makes me so happy to see pieces from our Black Friday roundup on this list! Those posts take so much work (like, so much) and so it means a lot when I see evidence that they were actually helpful in navigating such a massive, overwhelming shopping day. ANYWAY. This is a no-fail bar cart – you can imagine it holding court in a traditional home against a Persian rug, or it could bring a little sparkle to a minimal, glam, deco-inspired space. (No wonder it’s a bestseller!)

9. Some (Aptly-Named) Perfect Vintage Flare Jeans

WELCOME BACK, OLD FRIEND. What a joy it’s been to see flared denim return to the mainstream! Take it from Em: “I tried on over 30 pair of jeans the other day. THIRTY. It was not fun. The styles out there right now… I just don’t feel good in! I know that skinny is out, but that’s what works on my body and that’s what makes me feel good. But I found these fit and flares from Madewell and once paired with a heel I felt so GOOD. They are extremely flattering – hugging the hips butt and thighs in a good way (the shading of the denim and the seam placement makes it really flattering). Then it pops out at the bottom, balancing out the hips and it looks SO GOOD. They make me want to go out, they make me feel young and frankly just more “hot” than a “mom”. Sometimes we all need that y’all. Thank you, Jeans. I’m BACK!“

8. Our Go-To Coverlet

This blanket made its blog debut in a 2019 Portland Project reveal and it’s been a fan favorite ever since. (For good reason, too!) We love the graphic, reversible design – you can take your room from winter to spring by simply flipping over your coverlet. It doesn’t get much easier than that! 🙂

7. The Living Room Lumbar Pillow

Long live the long lumbar pillow. Sofa and bed styling have never been easier – just throw a good bolster on there and you’re good to go! I love how this muted, neutral buffalo check lended a more casual, homespun feel to the velvet sofas in Em’s living room.

6. Em’s Keep-Forever Denim Dress

“I wore this dress three times last week because it’s just so good and I feel so great wearing it. I bought it last spring (or the spring before, it’s all a blur) but it’s always available as a staple (and yes a gold-plated staple, she is expensive). It’s a perfectly cut, perfectly distressed layerable piece that can span all four seasons and handles all my fluctuations,” said Em.  

5. Sweet Plug-In Sconces

This bestselling sconce comes from our top-trafficked basement makeover! That transformation was our #5 most viewed reveal of the year (!!!) and I love that these plug-in sconces were a standout piece. They’re beautiful and stylish, but I’m so glad that our photographer Kaitlin will also be able to move them around her home as her needs change over the years! (And for the record, they come in a ton of different colors – and in a wired version, too – so you’re guaranteed to find sconces that are perfect for your space.)

4. A Classic Faucet

What do polished nickel, satin brass, chrome, and matte black all have in common? They’re all finish options for the Poetto pull-down faucet!

3. A King-Sized Sleeper Sofa

We owe this placement to Google – turns out that a lot of people have been searching for a not-ugly, king-sized sleeper sofa for a long time! We usually don’t see instant sales from furniture roundups – it takes people a minute to save up for their key investment pieces! – but I was BLOWN AWAY by the immediate response to this sofa. (If you’re in the market for something a little smaller, I have 21 other great sofa bed recommendations here!)

2. My Favorite Swimsuit

I said it at the start of the summer, and I’ll say it again: this is the only swimsuit I’ve ever found that makes me feel EXCITED to be in a swimsuit. I keep one in my car for swim emergencies (which is a thing in LA – you never know when you’re going to end up in a hot tub or in the ocean!)…but to that end, do you know how confident a swimsuit has to make you feel so that you’re ready to change into one at a moment’s notice?! The folks at TA3 are doing the lord’s work with these shaping suits, I swear. They’re worth EVERY DARN PENNY.

1. The EHD-Famous Sauna Blanket

LADIES AND GENTS, WE HAVE A THREE-PEAT! Em introduced this sauna blanket to the blog in November of 2021 and it’s been topping the charts ever since (seriously – it was our #2 bestselling item in 2021 and our #1 item in 2022). That’s what happens when you’re one of the top Google results for “sauna blanket review,” I guess! (But seriously – who knew that so many people enjoyed relaxing in a hot bag?!)

And with that, I bid you adieu! I’ve had so much fun this year and I feel so lucky that I get to spend my days doing work that’s genuinely enjoyable. Thank you for all of your support of our business – I wouldn’t have a job without you! See you in the new year. xx

The post The Top 25 Bestselling Products Over THE ENTIRE 2023 Year (Did You Buy Any Of Them??) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Top 10 Instagram Reels Of 2023 And #1 Is Our Most Viral Video EVER

Ho ho ho happy holidays everyone!!! I hope your Christmas was wonderful if you celebrate and now I hope your New Years plans are all set!! Your favorite social media girlie pop is back to talk through the fun reels we pulled together this year that HIT HARD. Like really hard. Spoiler alert our top reel of the year got 8.5 million views!! But you’ll have to wait until the end to see what it is 😉 Alright, enough dilly-dallying. Let’s get to it.

10. Drawers In My Kitchen That Just Make Sense

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Coming in hot with number 10 and there’s no surprise why this one did well: Y’ALL LOVE EM’S KITCHEN AND ALSO LOVE SEEING WHAT’S INSIDE THESE PRETTY CABINETS. It’s a theme that will come up again in a bit (sorry for so many spoilers in the first 10 sentences lol). But this reel was a REEL fun one to put together (HA PUN INTENDED). The “things in my house that just make sense” trend has been going around for a while but I really wanted to apply it to inside Em’s strategically planned kitchen cabinet drawers. AND IT WORKED. Happy to see this one on the list. Hope y’all loved it.

9. Soake Pool Going In

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Yo. The Soake pool installation was such a crazy time and I’m SO glad that we got such amazing content out of it. It was only a crazy time because a. it was heavily raining in Portland and b. the Soake pool was incredibly heavy (like not as intense as a normal pool installation, but not NOT intense). There was a crane involved and I’m just glad we were able to timelapse it (thank you Emily M!) and post it for all of you to see. It was an amazing sight that’s for sure!!

8. Secret Medicine Cabinet

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The secret medicine cabinet was something I had wanted to post about since the day it was designed in Chief Architect (and yes, I was there that day!) This moment was a fun one. I knew that all the troubleshooting and everything they had to go through to retrofit that medicine cabinet wasn’t for nothing. It was for an Instagram reel, blog post, and an amazing real life that the Hendersons are living so that they could fully enjoy this little spa retreat escape of a bathroom that meant and still means so much to them.

7. Mountain House Before And After

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Aaaah the mountain house never disappoints. These before and afters are just too satisfying and clearly, we all can’t get enough. It’s just the prettiest house and who wouldn’t want to stay here?? It’s avail on Airbnb for anyone who wanted to know…

6. The Farmhouse Living Room Layout

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This reel did incredibly well view-wise but more importantly it had over 4k comments!?! So fricken amazing, so happy to have you guys giving input –– it really is appreciated!!! I swear you guys have solved so many design dilemmas it’s amazing and I’m just happy that we get you all as a loving community. YOU’RE ALL THE BEST!!! Because of you, Em ended up with the best layout possible. XOXO!!

5. We Bought Our Dream Home

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This reel really takes you on the journey. We created it because we wanted to tease the “front of the house” reveal and BOY did it do just that. The adventure of getting this home from point A to point B was a long one, so we’ve always struggled with how to bring everyone along when there was a big reveal that MEANT something. This one meant something big time and we were just happy to get you all along on the ride. We hope you loved it!!

4. Mudroom Ladder And Cabinets

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This is where that spoiler alert from earlier comes in!! We always knew the inside of cabinetry was a big deal for you guys –– but when I told Em to get on this ladder and expose the contents of her top hidden cabinets, the natural answer was, “Huh that’s random but okay I guess?” Then when the reel came through (thank you Kaitlin and Gretchen!) I immediately knew it was perfect and would place in the top 5!!!

3. Kitchen Dimensions

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Em had this idea to lay out all of the dimensions of her kitchen so if someone technically wanted to recreate it they could. OR if someone was renovating a kitchen from scratch they could get an idea of how high a shelf should be or the clearance between the stove and the island for example. Well, we originally thought this would be very niche for the real design nerds out there and either a. there are a TON of design nerds (same) or b. this content really was for EVERYONE.

2. Soake Pool Cover

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Soake Pool strikes again on this list!! In case you don’t know the Soake Pool is a small plunge pool but can also heat up to be a jacuzzi! We had the chance to swim in it this summer and BOY was it a blast. It takes up much less space (which was ideal since it’s mainly used for the summers in Portland and the rest of the time it chills with this cover on it) and it also is more cost-efficient since it’s a small ready-made pool rather than a huge custom one. The cover sliding on and off is definitely oddly satisfying so it makes sense why this reel performed so well. I watched it like 3 times just while writing this 🙂

now for the grand finale…

1. Dishwasher To Dish Drawer Layout – 8.5 MILLION VIEWS!

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The big kahuna!!! This reel absolutely crushed harder than we ever could have anticipated!! Like I said earlier, you guys love kitchens and seeing what’s inside these pretty drawers and this dishwasher-to-dish drawer design is absolutely genius. Em did something similar in the mountain house so the kids could easily grab plates and bowls (and also put away their plates and bowls) and the peg system inside these drawers works wonders. Clearly, you guys thought it was smart and fun and cool too!! 8.5 mil AH!!! Thank you all for supporting and for being here!

So that’s all we have for the reels folks!! Hope you all have the loveliest day and rest of your holiday season!! Here’s to an incredible 2024!!!

The post The Top 10 Instagram Reels Of 2023 And #1 Is Our Most Viral Video EVER appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Top 10 Posts You Spent The Most Time Reading in 2023 (Spoiler: A Lot Are Personal!)

Welcome to my favorite end-of-the-year roundup post! Sure, as the editorial/creative director (It’s me, Jess) I’m partial to talking about which blog posts you all spent the most time diving into. But truly, it’s such a joy to walk down memory lane and click back into those really big and/or juicy posts that you (and me) really took the time to read and comment on. Understandably, they tend to be more personal but isn’t that what’s so great about a blog like this one? A place where you can follow along with people’s lives to see what they are up and why? So with that said, let’s see what the top 10 posts you spent the longest time on (so not necessarily the highest traffic which is always fun to see the difference:)).

10. 3 Years In The Making Then An Unexpected Move: Arlyn’s Bedroom Reveal Is A Lesson In The Beauty Of “Unfinished” Designdesign by arlyn hernandez | styling by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

This beautiful and warm makeover was a long time coming, looked incredible, and ended with a heartbreak! I don’t want to give anything away but man, UNREAL. Arlyn knows how to take you along with her design process that makes you feel like you are talking to your best friend and this reveal was no expectation. If you missed this one, it’s a must-read to get the full picture of what she went through and where she is now! I am not surprised in the least that this one made the list.

9. Farmhouse Guest Bathroom Update (And How I Feel About The Tonal Grout Choice)photo by kaitlin green

This bathroom is undoubtedly a room all of us are very excited to see officially revealed. But this boldly colorful space has been a little bit of a journey for Em. In this post, she goes into a big update and a choice that she may have some regret about. And not for nothing, people LOVE posts that involve grout and I get it. Grout is one of those things that tend to be a decision you don’t think about needing to make until you have to. I think was super helpful for that exact reason. Oh, and the 251 comments also probably helped the amount of time people were staying in the post:)

8. Emily Bowser’s Back Unit Backyard REVEAL, 2022 Musings, New Year Resolutions, And Other Meanderings…design by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

Ah, our Queen of the annual “most engaged” post list. Look, Emily Edith Bowser is a COMPELLING writer because she doesn’t hold anything back. How can you not appreciate someone giving you information like the real cost of things and New Year’s resolutions?? She’s also not shortwinded which is fine by all of us because she’s so entertaining. Plus she is a wildly talented designer and stylist. This back unit backyard makeover made us all wish we could be her tenants. Go read for a great time.

7. Emily Bowser’s Kitchen REVEAL! Plus The 8 Ways She Really Maximized Her Galley Kitchen Storagedesign by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

Of course, Bowser’s kitchen reveal was going to be on this list too! While this wasn’t the first makeover this kitchen had been through, it was the one Bowser had been wanting from the start. It’s SUCH a fun journey that she takes you on as well as giving so many great small space kitchen storage tips. We all love her posts!

6. Where Are We With The Farmhouse – A Big Update! With What’s To Come, What Is Changing, And How I’m Feeling About It…XXphoto by kaitlin green

I mean what a year it’s been with revealing the majority of the farmhouse! To think where they started versus where they are now is WILD! But this post was published in May so it was a perfect time to go room by room where Emily could talk about what she wanted to tweak, what was left to do, etc. It’s a real “inside Emily’s brain” post which is so fun to dive into.

5. What Orlando Has In Store For The Londo Lodge Kitchen And 5 Debates He Wants Your Feedback Onstyled by orlando soria | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

If you’ve been around for a minute then you know Orlando’s Yosemite homeowning journey has been A ROLLER COASTER and this kitchen might be the windiest area to date. So getting to see his design plans and weigh in on some of his debates was clearly so fun. It’s no surprise that people really took their time to dive into this post and got into the comment section.

4. The Great Livestock Debate: Which Animals Are Best For Our Farm?

OOOh baby was this comment section on fire! So aside from the exciting news that the Hendersons were thinking of getting some farm pets, people really wanted to give their opinions on what they should do. The comments are so passionate. The good news is that all the alpacas and pigs are thriving at the Henderson farm:)

3. Jess (And Her Dad, Les) Take Paris! Get All The Vintage Recs, Design Goods, And See Her Haul

I was SO excited that this post made the top three!! I knew that writing about a trip I took to see my dad in Paris wouldn’t be a global hit but was so happy that our tried and true daily readers really enjoyed it. This trip was just the most special and I always love getting to share my dad with the EHD world. I’d like to think it’s partly posts like these that set our site apart:)

2. Dreams Do Come True! The Londo Lodge Is Now A Vacation Rental (See All Of The Fun NEW Updates + Tips On Renovating With A Small Budget…)design by orlando soria | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

What a fun post!! The work that Orlando has done on the Londo Lodge, with mostly his two bare hands, is UNREAL. I’m so happy that y’all really wanted to take your time to take it all in. The progress from before to now is why I think design is so amazing. Plus any Orlando post is a fun time:)

1. After A Year And A Half In Portland Here’s How It’s Going – Is It Everything We Predicted Or Expected? It’s A Long One…

Once I saw that this post was the one that y’all spent the longest time reading I thought, “Of course!”. I mean it was JUICY! But actually, I think what everyone (including myself) loved about it was that it was really honest. Big decisions are scary to make, especially when you are doing them so publicly. So answering the hard questions that she’d been asked over and over in such a real way was very special. Plus it was also nice and long as well as there being a lot of comments. A real personal blog post. What’s better?!

Well, there you have it. Did you agree with the list? Did any of your favorites not make the list? Interested in going back to any of these? I just think what makes all of these so special is how personal they are. Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your lives and reading our words.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: The HIGHLY Anticipated…Farmhouse Living Room Reveal – Let’s Get Into It:) + LOOK! MOM! I’M ON YOUTUBE!

The post The Top 10 Posts You Spent The Most Time Reading in 2023 (Spoiler: A Lot Are Personal!) appeared first on Emily Henderson.