Emily Henderson's Blog, page 64

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!

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The Link Up: Em’s Awesome Holiday Storage Hack, Arlyn’s $17 Vintage Styled T-Shirt, And A Great Affordable Art Set

Happy Sunday and Merry Christmas Eve to those who celebrate! As with every year, it came SO fast and we hope that regardless of your plans you have a happy and peaceful day. Here are this week’s links…

This week’s house tour is the happiest, coziest, most joyful Christmas 17th-century cottage we’ve ever seen. So in honor of it being Christmas Eve, please go check out this truly wonderful decorated home tour.

From Emily: Three years ago, I went full adult and bought the best storage specific to the holidays. As you know our ornaments are very important to me and this one (the big suitcase) can fit so many in these little compartmentalized trays that stack on top of each other. There are a ton of other pockets as well where you can fit tall bottle brush trees or ribbon, etc. It’s HIGHLY efficient and makes decorating and undecorating easier/ takes up way less storage space than just big plastic bins.

I also bought these wreath bags for my faux wreaths and garland and this faux Christmas tree storage bag with wheels (for up to a 9′ tree)! Obviously, you could store these in black plastic bags or in bins (if your wreaths and tree are small enough) but I love having them be red so that I KNOW it’s holiday and I don’t have to open them up to figure out what is inside. I do this with all of my holiday bins actually – they are either clear so I can see the holiday inside them or red so that I KNOW it’s Christmas. I also have orange ones for Halloween). It just makes our basement and garage WAY easier to navigate as I know that ALL RED means holiday and there is no confusion.

From Gretchen: Em and I (and Emily M) finished an awesome feel-good makeover this week–you may have seen it on IG stories–and boy, am I feeling good!! It was so much fun to have a part in transforming this space to create an environment that felt warm, inviting, and inspiring. At first, we were a little unsure of how it would all come together, but two last-minute trips to Target later and BOOM! The space came alive. We brought in a bunch of art to try out in the space and while not all of them were winners, this set of colorful, framed canvases really nailed it. Big box art is tough to get right, IMO, but this pair is dang good, especially for the price, and brought in the perfect burst of color to the space.

From Mallory: I’m about to embark on a VERY long journey from LA to New Zealand to New York and it will be SEVERAL hours of travel. Like multiple days of being on a plane lol. I keep getting recommended this neck pillow from friends and family members who are frequent flyers and I finally bit the bullet and ordered it!! It apparently props your head up perfectly so you can get lots of good sleep on the plane…plus Caitlin just recommended it in her last-minute gifts gift guide as well!

From Caitlin: If you’re the lucky recipient of some Airtags tomorrow, congratulations! They’re SO HANDY and you’re going to love them. But if you’re like me (you know, the type to misplace the Airtag box before you even open it), make sure to grab a few cheap keychains – they’re great for attaching to keys (obviously), but they’re also a nice alternative to just throwing a naked Airtag in your bag and hoping for the best! I like to attach my keychain to a zipper pull on the inside of my bag, so it’s always easy to find.

From Jess: So one of the most exciting things happened to me last week…I won the “BEST TASTE” award at my friend’s The Great British Bakeoff-themed birthday party. To enter, you just needed to bring a homemade pastry and y’all I am NOT a baker of any kind. But my friend sent me Athena Calderon’s Citrus Poppy Olive Oil Loaf recipe and it was so easy and DELICOUS. 10/10 showstopper.

Also From Jess: I know this is random but I was doing my bi-weekly makeup brush cleaning and I thought I recommend the cleaner I use! This cleaner is so easy to use, dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and safe for sensitive skin.

From Arlyn: As a petite, large-chested girlie with a lower mom tummy, finding a good T-shirt that looks like an actual “outfit” rather than something I threw on on laundry day is not easy. So I bought this vintage crew neck from Old Navy on a whim one day when I was picking up something else and I LOVE IT. It’s just thick enough without feeling stiff, hits at just the right spot that’s long enough to cover what you want but not so long that it covers what you don’t. It also can still be tucked in if that’s your look and has small slits at the bottom sides so it doesn’t cling. It’s on sale for about $17 now and I think I’m going to buy another one. 

OK, that’s all from us! Have a great rest of your day and Merry Christmas Eve!!

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Emily’s “Messy” But FULL Of Memories Christmas Family Room

The post The Link Up: Em’s Awesome Holiday Storage Hack, Arlyn’s $17 Vintage Styled T-Shirt, And A Great Affordable Art Set appeared first on Emily Henderson.

I’M BACK On YouTube And This Is How It’s Going! (+ All The Videos:))

This year I decided to re-invest in long-form video – I figured since we worked so hard on this house, we may as well give it the proper reveal on the big screen. We used to do a ton of videos, but with TikTok totally disrupting media I didn’t really know how to do it in a way that I felt aligned with. The goal wasn’t to turn into some sort of YouTube star or go viral – it was just to tell the farm makeover story for a different audience. I wanted to expand beyond just IG reels and am not currently interested in TikTok because I love long form (I like to read “articles” and enjoy long-winded substack). We hired a local videographer, shout out to Michael Raines, and had so much fun producing these 11 videos over the last year. We plan on doing more next year, although now that Brian is done with grad school he might get back into shooting these (like he did the last two). And yay for Gretchen who has stepped it up to become a great producer and story editor – helping me keep things straight and stay on track with the script. Per usual it’s way more work than it looks, with most videos taking about 20 hours of time but hey, we’re learning and growing. Emma Chamberlain watch out!!

I thought it would be fun to revisit them in case you missed any and get a little insight into each one:)

Farmhouse Living Room Layout

This was our first one to see if we really wanted to do this – we rearranged the furniture for hours, it I totally hurt my back but it was a fun video to create and watch 🙂

Farmhouse Living Room Makeover

This was the real (re)launch of YouTube, with the living room being a big reason to watch. This one got the most views and I think I can see why – there was just a lot of fun footage and it was such a huge transformation.

Farmhouse Kids’ Shared Bathroom Makeover

I used to shoot so many videos; if you aren’t organized they can be super chaotic, time-consuming, and draining (and you forget to get the right footage based on the script). So this year I tried to be super streamlined and write a script, shoot it more interview style, and then rebuild the room on camera (or restyle) where Michael would then have to “cover” the video by getting details of all the stuff that I’m talking about. This was so much easier for me than doing what is called a “walk and talk”, but it’s also a bit more stale so we are trying to shake it up.

Why We Installed A Mini Pool?

By far the most asked-about thing we’ve installed in our house – the Soake mini-pool. And yes, we have absolutely used it as a hot tub a lot so far in the fall/winter and the kids have been in it with many friends even on freezing days. IT’S GENIUS.

Farmhouse Backyard Transformation

An impressive before and after, with drone footage no less!!! I can’t wait for the landscaping to grow in more and I am still so grateful we aren’t surrounded by mud anymore!!!

Farmhouse Sunroom Makeover

Possibly my favorite room in the house (I’m sitting in it right now). We built it from the ground up and it looks like it was always here.

Farmhouse Primary Bathroom Suite

This was a long time coming (we styled and shot it multiple times). It’s a simple bathroom in a lot of ways, but my goodness I love being in here.

Our Rugs USA Collection LAUNCH!

This was a sneak peek into the first floor so regardless if you want to peek at the rugs or not, watch it to see how the first floor flows.

Farmhouse Family Room Makeover

Tied with the sunroom as my favorite room (mostly because of the design) the family room turned out better than I could have imagined (and I don’t say that about every room).

The One Month Bedroom Makeover

Kaitlin’s bedroom makeover was a fun respite from the farmhouse makeovers and I think turned out perfect for her and Corey. It was strangely easy (the wallpaper and headboard really helped) and we got it done in less than a month.

Birdie’s Farmhouse Bedroom Makeover

Last but not least, Birdie’s room that we are both obsessed with – full of butterflies, vintage, and a DIY corkboard. She begged for me to let her in the YouTube so you’ll get to see a little bit of her personality in here.

My big takeaway for YouTube next year is that they are fun to do and even if only 30,000 people watch, it’s still 30,000 people! It’s fun and it’s a different audience/an added bonus for you all. The biggest benefit of these is that we also produce 30-second cut-down videos for the blog (the little pop-up video ad) and while our YouTube revenue is still growing, these shorter cuts do totally cover production costs of the videos. So while I’m not the internet’s biggest YouTube star, we’ll keep doing them when they make sense because they are fun! Now go like and subscribe and comment and all those things that affect the algorithm!!!!!

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The Results Are In! These Were The Top 10 Reveals Of 2023 (Were They All From The Farmhouse??)

We had so many reveals this year – or I should say that I had so many reveals. 2020 – 2022 were light on the reveals for me personally (lockdown, no projects, moving, and mostly construction) so we had more EHD contributor posts during those years. But 2023 was a HEAVY farmhouse reveal year. And yet a few of the outside reveals actually made it in the top ten (bumping out a farmhouse room, which is rude, but telling). Some of these have been around longer (therefore have higher traffic) so it’s understandable that a couple of my more recent favorite reveals didn’t make the list (YET). If the year was so busy that you missed some of these room reveals we’ll link them below (and all the rooms that didn’t make it on the list). Drumroll, please…

10. Family Room Reveal – By Far The Coziest Room In The House And Here’s Why

I will never ever be able to predict what reveals will hit or not. I mean, it’s top 10 and the traffic/engagement was still high, but this room is so high on my favorites list that I’m shocked it didn’t make it further down. I love being in this room EVERY SINGLE DAY/NIGHT and if you haven’t seen all four corners of the room go check it out here.

9. Primary Closet Reveal! Our Functional And Beautiful Scandinavian Farmhouse DREAM Closet

People love seeing inside other people’s closets (me, too) and this closet, while never actually looking this clean, is incredible. Shout out to California Closets for this one, but the styling didn’t hurt. Spoiler – watering the plant up there lasted maybe 6 weeks before it almost died and I moved it to a different room. I think we all knew how that one was going to end. But check out this full tour of the closet if you haven’t yet.

8. Our Back Patio Reveal! (+ How Everything’s Held Up To 6 Months Of Portland Weather)

This feels like FOREVER ago, but it was only this past spring. The rest of the landscaping was still mud, but we had finished this patio in time to meet some partnership deadlines and publish it during patio season. Also shooting outdoor content in Portland has proved to be MUCH more difficult than in LA as our window is so much shorter, starts so much later and ends so much earlier. So we are planning way in advance this year for any outdoor projects to give us some rain days to work around.

7. The OFFICIAL First Farmhouse Christmas! (+ A Great Ribbon Hack And My Dream Color Palette)

Ah, I’m glad our holiday decorations made it in the top 10. I really love how our holiday decor turned out this year. It’s just really cozy and layered. That entry is my absolute favorite shot this year.

6. Our Soake Pool Review (And Reveal)

Turns out everyone is curious about a tiny pool-turned-hot-tub. And I can’t stress this enough – WE USE THIS IN THE FALL AND WINTER TOO. We can heat it up in hours and the kids and their friends get in like a pool, but it’s hot. There were times when we wondered if we were going to use it enough to be worth it and even after 6 months I can absolutely YES. And yes, it’s a splurge, but it’s one that we use and love so much.

5. How I Convinced My Friend To Paint Her Room Really Dark: A Kid/Dog-Friendly Basement Makeover With Article Furniture

YAY! I’m so glad this was so popular. This is a real win/win for the PNW EHD team. Kaitlin needed a new basement (had almost nothing) and we needed a room to makeover with one of our favorite furniture companies. Within 6 weeks we transformed this room and y’all it’s just as dreamy to be in as it is to look at. And lord knows so many people need help in their basements (we are working on a couple now, actually).

4. The Prettiest Green And Pink Kitchen Remodel That We Completed In 7 WEEKSdesign by emily henderson and sarah weldon | styled by emily henderson and emily bowser | photo by steven mcdonald

This kitchen partnership with Crate & Barrel was incredible. Their product is top-notch, the room turned out so pretty, and it was all under 7 weeks. Shout out to Sarah Weldon who helped project manage and co-design this kitchen in West Linn (and yay to the best antique dealer turned client ever, Julie).

3. Our Mudroom Reveal: A Dog + Storage-Focused Space That Is Possibly My Favorite Room In Our House

NUMBER 3!!!!!! I think unless you really NEED a mudroom you might not fully geek out on this like I do. I’m happy to say that now that we have farm animals, this room truly is the mud room (the shit-filled boots stay right outside). Every now and again I wonder if I should add wallpaper in here, but it NEVER looks this clean (obviously) and the idea of adding anything on those messy days seems ludicrous. I do wish I had styled it with more “stuff” though, to add more life. But as the owner of this mudroom, I’m so happy when it is this clean/empty.

2. The Reveal We’ve All Been Waiting For! Caitlin’s Mostly Thrifted, Postmodern Regency Deco Living Roomdesign by caitlin higgins | styled by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

CAITLIN’S LIVING ROOM!!! I’m SO SO SO happy that this room made it in the top 3. It really resonated with so many of you (and me). Caitlin has such a talent for curating vintage and the unexpected (kinda makes me miss my former self). What a treat of a room that is full of so much excitement.

1. The HIGHLY Anticipated…Farmhouse Living Room Reveal – Let’s Get Into It:) + LOOK! MOM! I’M ON YOUTUBE

Our living room really hit (which was lovely). Come January 2nd you are going to find out what I want to add/tweak in this room because it’s actually one of the only rooms that I’m still trying to figure out. It would be weird to say that I’m unhappy with it, but there are other rooms that I walk in and I’m like DONE NOT CHANGING A THING, and for this room that’s not the case.

Of course, we are missing:

The Sunroom (so dreamy, with my favorite tile work of all time)The Dining NookThe Powder BathThe Kids’ Shared BathBirdie’s BedroomOur Bathroom (the floor and vanity really get me)The EntryThe Front PorchThe Full Tour of the Outside

So that’s it for 2023! Can’t wait to see in next year for a whole new batch of awesome reveals. xx

Unless Otherwise Noted: Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post The Results Are In! These Were The Top 10 Reveals Of 2023 (Were They All From The Farmhouse??) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Arlyn’s Under $100 Roman Shade DIY (NO SEWING MACHINE REQUIRED)

Ready for a project you can do in under two hours that costs, oh…90% less than buying it custom-made? Well, I’ve got a good one for you today: my DIY Roman shade using a cordless mini blind. Yeah…those cheapo plastic things in every rental window you’ve ever had? That mini-blind! Pin this one for that dead week between Christmas and New Year’s when you’ve got nothing better to do than eat stale cookies and tinker around the house.

Let me rewind for a second. As I was working on the design of my rental kitchen, I knew immediately upon embarking on my makeover journey that the broken vertical blinds in my breakfast nook were going to have to be replaced. I didn’t want long window panels there, collecting dust and Cheerios crumbs on the daily, so my other option was a Roman shade. The size of my window is 70”x74” so it’s certainly not small or a standard size by any means. I searched all around the internet for something not exceeding $250 or so and it couldn’t be done. Not for that size, at least. I got a quote from a local seamstress that came recommended to me for $600. Then, a designer friend of mine gave me the name of a workroom to call and they quoted me $800.

And the scary part is those prices are actually pretty fair, at least compared to many others I saw upwards of $1,500…or even more. 

So I had to come up with another option. I’m fairly crafty and handy with a sewing machine, so I watched YouTube tutorial after YouTube tutorial on how to make my own. It seemed cumbersome but doable. The only problem was that I needed a cordless system for child safety, and all the cordless lift systems I found for my DIY curtain scenario were going for over $200, each (and I needed two). 

I kind of felt defeated, honestly. Until I found the easiest, cheapest solution of all! 

After deciding that I wanted to do two outside mount Roman shades, I ordered these mini blinds from Bed Bath & Beyond. You can get yours anywhere…Home Depot, Lowe’s, even Amazon. Mine were $35 each (my length is hard to find so it was a bit more “premium”). 

And for anyone reading who’s interested but thinking “Nah, I don’t have a sewing machine,” I’m here to tell you that I did this entirely with glue and iron-on hem tape. If you have an iron and scissors, you can do this DIY. Cross my heart. 

In a very silly move, I didn’t take any progress photos of the Romans I made for my kitchen, but when everyone commented on my reveal that I had to share a tutorial for how I did it, I decided it was for the best. I was a seasoned Roman shade maker at this point. I know all the places I went wrong and would love to redo on my own window coverings, so doing it *again* to show you how to do it was an ideal situation for the Internet at large. So I bought the cheapest mini blind I could find (it was $11 on Amazon), used the leftover sheets I bought for the pendant light in my kitchen as the fabric, bought some more glue, and got to work taking photos this time. 

So, by popular demand, I wrote out my step-by-step instructions for how to make your very own incredibly affordable, renter and homeowner-friendly Roman shades (I did this second take during my daughter’s nap start to finish while stopping to take photos so yeah, it’s easy and fast). 

design by arlyn hernandez | styled by emily edith bowser | photo by veronica crawford | from: arlyn’s rental kitchen reveal Jjust might have you wishing you had brown—or even cherry— cabinets (yes, really)How To DIY A Roman Shade From Mini Blinds

Project Total Time: ~2 hours

Supplies:

Decor-weight fabricLining fabric (if you plan on lining your Roman shade)Cordless mini blinds (or corded, your choice, sized to fit your window either inside or outside mounted)Fabric glue (I like Fabri-Tac but PLEASE test it out on your fabric beforehand to make sure it’s not visible through it once dry)ScissorsMeasuring tapePencil or fabric markerIron and ironing boardStep 1: Gather Your Supplies

First things first – round up your essentials. For the windows in my kitchen, I used lightweight linen from Tonic Living as well as a lining fabric since I wanted to line mine. It’s unnecessary to line your Roman shade depending on how well your fabric filters light. 

Step 2: Set Up Your Workspace

Depending on how large your Roman shade is going to be, you can either work on a table like your dining table, or on the floor. I worked on the floor as each of my shades was 75 inches long. It’s best to lay down either old cardboard, a tarp, or even an old shower curtain liner on the surface in case glue goes awry. 

Step 3: Ready The Fabric

Let’s prep that fabric. Measure your window (in theory, you should have already done this to buy the correct size mini blind) and add 4 inches to the width and 6 inches to the length to allow for a proper hem and seam allowance. Iron your fabric so it’s nice and crisp and mark the width and length you need. Cut fabric. 

Step 4: Iron Your Seamsleft: just under a seam inch allowance | middle: first fold, iron | right: second fold, iron.

I prefer the professional look of a double-folded seam. Here’s how you do it: On the vertical parts of your fabric (the left and right side), measure just shy of an inch, fold at that distance and iron. Then fold over another inch and iron again. Repeat that process for the top and bottom, but make your first fold just shy of an inch and a half and your second fold a full inch and a half for a total of 3 inches of fabric. Set your fabric aside.

HOT TIP: Before doing any gluing, lay your ironed fabric over your mini blind to make sure your fabric is wide enough to cover all the slats. If you overshot some of the seam allowances, you can always go back and iron again, but it’s much harder to fix after glue has been applied. 

Step 5: Glue The Seams You Just Created

In my first Roman shade attempt, I used iron-on hem tape for all my seams, but on my second go (here), I decided to just use glue instead. I gotta say, the glue is MUCH better and faster. Depending on the thickness of your fabric, the iron-on hem tape might not be strong enough to hold a double fold and will eventually start coming apart. 

Glue the first fold down, then the second. 

Step 6: Prep The Mini Blind

Now, onto the mini blinds – the unsung heroes of this DIY escapade. Lay them out fully open and pulled down on your work surface. Carefully (and I mean SO carefully), snip the ladder strings of the mini blinds. What you need to avoid is accidentally cutting the center string that operates the blinds. If you cut that, it won’t work. You’ll have to cut the ladder string off at the top and bottom. Discard.

Step 7: Decide On Roman Shade Fold Count

The whole look of a Roman shade is the folds in the fabric. I went with 8 folds for my Romans and think that worked nicely for my length (75”), but it’s totally a preference. Spacing of between 7-10 inches between folds is most common. (If you’re doing this alone, you may need to stack something heavy on the top and bottom of the mini blind otherwise it will try to close itself. Hence my books in the photo.)

Step 8: Remove, Cut, And Knot

The bottom bar of the mini blinds should have two to three plugs depending on the width. Pop those off (Gentle! We’ll be putting them back on) and set them aside. Grab that pull cord and slide off all the extra mini blinds you won’t need for your blind. Then tie a knot on the cord (if your mini blind is too long for your window, you can cut it to your preferred length here) and put back the plugs. 

HOT TIP: One version of the mini blinds I bought didn’t easily let me take the cord out of the plug, so I had to manually cut off every single slat instead. Consider that your Plan B if need be.

Step 9: Fabric And Blinds unite!

It’s time for the grand finale – fusing fabric and blinds. Lay those blinds on the wrong side of your fabric, measure the space between the slats you preselected, flip each slat over, apply a thin squiggly line of fabric glue on the rounded side, flip it back and gently set it into place. I found it helpful to mark the top of where I wanted each slat to sit on my fabric on both the left and right sides since things can easily shift. One sneeze and BOOM, all your measurements are off. Don’t forget to glue the top bar in place too (leave a quarter to half an inch of extra fabric above it for a clean look. 

HOT TIP: I made the bottom bar of my mini blind play the role of the final slat, leaving an additional few inches of fabric underneath it so I could slide a Roman shade weight bar into the bottom seam. For the record, this is the weight I used. 

Step 10: Let It Dry, Then Install And Marvel At Your Incredibly Budget-Friendly Roman Shade

Fabri-Tac dries very fast so you don’t have to wait long, honestly. From there, just follow the installation instructions that came with your mini blinds (or if you’re covering existing blinds, just pop it back in place!). 

design by arlyn hernandez | styled by emily edith bowser | photo by veronica crawford | from: arlyn’s rental kitchen reveal Jjust might have you wishing you had brown—or even cherry— cabinets (yes, really)

And that’s it! Again, I’d say you could do this in 1-3 hours, depending on the size of your shade, how focused you can be, and how many you are making. We love ours and they made such an enormous visual impact and difference in our kitchen without having to spend big bucks. 

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about the steps. Happy to help you troubleshoot anything. Good luck, and don’t forget to share photos of the Roman shades you made on Instagram and tag @em_henderson so we can see, too! 

Your friend in affordable design, 

Arlyn 

Opening Image Credits: Design by Arlyn Hernandez | Styling by Emily Edith Bowser| Photography by Veronica Crawford | From: Arlyn’s Rental Kitchen Reveal Just Might Have You Wishing You Had Brown—Or Even Cherry— Cabinets (Yes, Really)

The post Arlyn’s Under $100 Roman Shade DIY (NO SEWING MACHINE REQUIRED) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Our Pantone 2024 Color Of The Year FIRST Reactions…

It’s that time of year again when our future is predicted through a color…Pantone’s color of the year. It never ceases to create A LOT of opinions and this year was no different. But before we get into “Peach Fuzz”, yep, that’s the name of this year’s color, I thought we could take a tiny trip down memory color lane to see how we got here.

2021

In 2021, there was not one but two colors of the year. This was how this choice was described on the Pantone website: “Practical and rock solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, the union of PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating is one of strength and positivity. It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly.”

So while the colors don’t necessarily make your eyes light up with wonder, the thought behind them was obviously thoughtful.

2022 & 2023

Then the next two years were saturated and vibrant. Dare I say hopeful?? Here was the meaning behind Very Peri in 2022: “Very Peri helps us to embrace this altered landscape of possibilities, opening us up to a new vision as we rewrite our lives. Rekindling gratitude for some of the qualities that blue represents complemented by a new perspective that resonates today, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri places the future ahead in a new light.”

And here was the meaning of Viva Magenta in 2023: “This year’s Color of the Year is powerful and empowering. It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundaryless shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement.”

And then came Peach Fuzz…

Here is a brief description of why this soft hue was chosen for our 2024 color of the year: “PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others. It’s a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit enriches mind, body, and soul.”

Even Pantone was like “Maybe this is a year we take a step back and work on ourselves and help others.” And while we all have our opinions, I think we can all agree that some self-reflection to better serve ourselves and those around us is exactly what we need. Ok, here are our reactions!

From Emily: My first reaction is this: I love the idea of peach, but unsure I could commit to a whole room without it going lighter (but would that look fleshy?). But ultimately I’m drawn to a little more brown in it (think a lighter Dead Salmon by Farrow and Ball).  But I am typically a little behind these trends as I’m less of a color risk taker than others. So I’m excited to see how it plays out. I will say that once we get going on the other house on the property (the one we don’t actually live in) I want to take more risks. In FACT, my dream is to have every room be a different color so that I can tell all my friends and family to come over and experience the color in a room before you commit, because man, just a large swatch often doesn’t sell it (or does and then OOPS).

From Mallory: Peach Fuzz is certainly not the color of my year and I’m sorry to say it. To me, I am more of a neutral person, but if I’m going to add some color, I like something bright and poppy and quite honestly, something that looks a little less like my flesh. Sorry to be a hater, but this color is not for me. I could be convinced in the right room (I really do love Arlyn’s bedroom since it’s softer) but in my own life, I can’t see myself utilizing this color anytime soon.

design by arlyn hernandez | styling by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: 3 years in the making then an unexpected move: arlyn’s bedroom reveal is a lesson in the beauty of “unfinished” design

From Arlyn: Honestly, I was a little surprised by the Pantone Color of the Year. Pantone normally goes very esoteric with their picks and Peach Fuzz feels pretty in line with what I’m seeing as a trend toward warmth in design. If you followed my three-year bedroom makeover journey, you’ll know I’ve been into peach since 2020. Wait…am I a trend setter? Did Pantone read my post about picking a peach paint color all those years ago? Obviously I’m kidding, but it’s a happy yet soft shade that I hope to see paired with deeper, richer jewel tones or grounded earthy neutrals.

From Jess: When I first saw the announcement, it just felt too soft for how heavy the world currently is. Then after reading the explanation, I guess that’s the whole point. Now, as a color, I think it’s a bit too saturated and is almost the exact color I painted my bathroom at 10 years old. It was A LOT. Of course, it could look awesome in that exact hue with the right decor, but I prefer the lighter peach tones that Arlyn and Caitlin chose for their spaces. Those tones felt happy instead of overwhelming. I’m curious to see if this more saturated version really takes off this year.

design by caitlin higgins | styled by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the reveal we’ve all been waiting for! caitlin’s mostly thrifted, postmodern regency deco living room

From Caitlin: Is this a safe space? Can we talk a little trash? My hot take: these color of the year predictions have been duds since 2016. (What happened in 2016, you may ask? Well, the folks at Pantone picked a little shade called ‘Rose Quartz,’ which you may also know as, MILLENNIAL PINK. That was a SPOT ON color of the year, you know?) And let’s be real – I love peach! I spent 5 months (from November to March!) trying to find the perfect peach paint for my living room! But this shade just misses the mark for me in a way that’s a little eye-twitch-inducing. It’s just pulling a little too yellow or orange – I feel like the fleshier, glowier, pinker hues are actually what’s trending right now. So I guess my review would be, uh, it’s half right? It has the right spirit? But like…WHY DID THEY PICK THAT EXACT SHADE?

From Gretchen: This color of the year is a doozy for me. The name, Peach Fuzz, gives me flashbacks to discovering my upper lip hair in middle school. Yikes. While the name certainly doesn’t fill me with those “warm” feelings Pantone attributes to it, the color itself…sort of does? It reminds me of an old-school, mid-century tiled room, fairly identical to the current vintage bathroom tile of one of our very own (hey, Caitlin!). Now, I love a vintage-inspired color palette, so I could absolutely see it working and feeling warm in the right environment, but it just feels a little dated to me and definitely doesn’t capture “contemporary” the way the Pantone Gods proclaim, IMO.

Ok, so that’s what we think! What do you think?? Let’s chat in the comments.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Arlyn Hernandez | Styling by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: 3 Years In The Making Then An Unexpected Move: Arlyn’s Bedroom Reveal Is A Lesson In The Beauty Of “Unfinished” Design

The post Our Pantone 2024 Color Of The Year FIRST Reactions… appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The First Official EHD “Best Of Decor” List – 2023 Edition

Last week, we got to talking about “Best Of” design/decor lists and we thought it would be pretty fun to do our own version. Design and what is considered “best” is obviously very subjective, so we decided that instead of doing a collective list, we’d have each of our team members pick out a handful of products that came out this year that they LOVED. Like “hearts skipped a beat” when they saw it kinda loved. FYI this is not a “we combed the internet” kind of list and more just what really stuck in our heads over these past 12 months. Ok, come see what we chose…

Emily

I’m picky but as a stylist I love every style which makes this task extremely difficult. I was the one that pitched this post and now I’m super intimidated by the prospect of narrowing down my favorite new products of the year.  But there is so much out there and a lot of it good, so the only way I could get my mind around this was to choose what I either bought for my house or want really badly. 

JH X Tensira Keaton Bedcover | JH X Tensira Aubrey Bedcover

When I saw this collaboration between Jayson Home and Tensira I thought – how simple and well done. It’s a statement, in such a contemporary way (like all you need is this one thing and your bedroom will look pulled together). It’s also undeniably very me 🙂 

Handmade Ceramic Table Lamp

UGH, every time I see this piece on social I like it and want it so badly. It’s art in a functional piece and I have thought about all the things I would sell to justify buying this for myself. It is also one of those things that I feel would be impossible to rip off or duplicate, which is becoming more and more attractive to me these days. It’s just unique, feels full of so much energy, and would instantly make a room. 

left photo by kaitlin green | from: farmhouse family room reveal

Remi Blue Linen Table Lamp

Couldn’t be more perfect (for me): I feel like I have to call out these lamps. Not often does a lamp do something new (while being timeless), but the combination of the wrapped blue linen with the triangular shade and the brass pull chain makes a really fresh-looking lamp that feels classic, too. (And yes, Target came out with an almost identical one in white recently, too which is admittedly odd). 

Alba Sofa

Stopped me in my tracks: This sofa from SSS Atelier made us all spit out our soup, in a good way. I love what Sarah is doing on every level and am PSYCHED that I convinced a friend/client to purchase this sofa for their home (reveal coming in 2024). It’s incredible. 

Ginny’s Lulu and Georgia Collection

It makes me SO HAPPY that Ginny MacDonald’s line for Lulu and Georgia killed it so hard. Ginny worked for me for 5 years, we were so close and she is so wonderful, so to see pieces that I legit want to own badly come from her brain makes me so happy. The detail on the sideboard has old-world references and still feels fresh and exciting.

Jess

The Modular Launay Lamp

This lamp by Lana Launay was a more recent find and it nearly knocked me over. The shapes and the materials all just made my heart explode. What is also so incredible about it is that those shades are easily rearranged hence the three configurations above! This is a piece that needs to be commissioned so it’s very likely out of my price range but I will love it forever.

Dalton Brown Suede and Metal Dome Table Lamp | Zoe Lamp

Now, these are two lamps that are a bit more “affordable” and I also instantly fell in love with them. The burgundy and brass one I’m sure you’ve seen all over the internet because I was not the only one to see its perfection. To jog your memory, it’s from the Crate & Barrel x Jake Arnold collab. The colors and materials are so versatile yet special.

For that unreal green checkered cutie, it was also a heartstopping moment when I laid my eyes upon it. Sure, the checkered pattern might be getting tired (not for me) but the fact that each check piece is made out of wood makes it look SO special and high-end. I just think it would make the most unreal and cool visual impact in any space.

Mardones Sofa

I’m a sucker for a curve, sue me! I think this sofa just so perfectly balances between modern and traditional (ok it leans it little more modern). It’s elegant yet not fussy and also looks really comfortable. It was designed by Melbourne-based design firm, VUUE for CB2 and I just think it’s wonderful.

Rhinestone Cowboy

I don’t know what it is about this wallpaper print but I adore it. It’s not even something that works with my style but it’s so happy yet really cool. Oh, and it comes in peel and stick too!

Mallory

Bari Table Lamp

I think about this lamp constantly and I think it’s because of that amazing leather detail on the shade that perfectly complements the ribbed detail on the stand…it kinda gives an elevated Toy Story vibe that I’m very into tbh!

Mystic Rust Painted Candles

I purchased these hand-painted candles from Pierce and Ward’s amazing store in Los Feliz and have been obsessed with them ever since (like too obsessed to light them!!) I bought the green version but all of the options are sooo good and I can’t wait to put them on my wall candelabra in my New York apartment!

Also side note: I’ve seen a lot of people DIY their own hand-painted candles and if you’ve got the skills go for it!! It’s so fun.

Tortoise Shell Resin Tray

2023 was truly the year of tortoise shell and if you’re gonna lean in — I’m a huge fan of these resin trays. It wouldn’t be a “best of 2023” home decor round-up without at least one tortoise shell moment so here it is:)

Caitlin

Wavy Side Table | Drew’s Rattan Dresser

It’s been a rollercoaster few years for the team at Society Social (opening a storefront weeks before the world shut down? Can’t say that’s an experience I’d like to have!), so I was so thrilled when they announced their collaboration with the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach. It’s an iconic property (you’ve definitely seen shots of the lobby on this blog!) and it was such a joy to see its furniture updated by a small, thoughtful, female-owned business. Society Social designed the most whimsical, charming array of pieces – I was particularly drawn to the scalloped console tables, the dramatic mixed-material headboards, and the stunning rattan dressers – but the entire collection was a total triumph. I love a good story of perseverance – even more so when it involves furniture:)

Artisan Bar Cabinet

I’m sorry, but West Elm did not get enough credit in 2023. How did furniture pieces like this fly under the radar?! (I tried my best to call out some favorites in our big holiday sale roundups, but that can only drive so much awareness!) In any case – I cannot believe that a cabinet THIS GOOD is still on sale for UNDER $800. Let me repeat that again: under. eight. hundred. dollars! Similar styles go for 10 times (not joking) that amount…so today, can we please give West Elm their flowers for a job well done? Their take on classic-meets-modern deserves more applause.

Wooden Salt and Pepper Mills | Wooden Salt Cellar

OK, girl, I see you! We covered this launch here on the blog, but Molly Baz’s collection with Crate & Barrel was such a cheerful, punchy departure from the monotone collections traditionally released by celebrities. Pretty much everything has sold out now – for good reason! – but I have a feeling that there’s going to be a strong vintage market for these pieces. Did anyone here bring home any of Molly’s pieces? (And to that end, does anyone want to sell me their seafood tower?!)

Gretchen

Stillwater Floral Quilt

It’s the quilt I can’t seem to escape (and I never want to) from Schoolhouse! Em has it in “Juniper” but I first saw it in “Auburn” when I fell in love. The high contrast and playful, color-blocked floral shapes are so fun and I love that it reads well in any direction. It’s some kind of Scandi perfection! For an honorable mention, their stacking, colorful candle sets are also to die for and pair perfectly with the Stillwater quilt! Just so clever.

Beta Cypress Green Corner Sectional

So many incredible decor pieces this year, it’s hard to remember them all and definitely tough to narrow it down! So I’m cheating a bit and picking my favorite decor pieces we’ve used in projects this year. Starting with my favorite Article sofa from  Kaitlin’s basement makeover. The color, the texture, and the COMFORT LEVELS are off the charts. It’s simple and beautiful and affordable and I want it for myself.

Into the Woods Turquoise

Okay, this specific wallpaper I don’t think we’ve used in a project (yet) so I’m kind of cheating around my own parameters, but Em has a stack of samples I like to comb through every now and then, and when this one caught my eye, I couldn’t let it go. It feels like a scenic page out of a vintage children’s book or a paint-by-number of some very idyllic woods, but I like that it’s not too cutesy. I love the depth of the simple silhouettes and the colorway just feels so serene.

Ah! Isn’t design THE BEST?! Hope that was a fun read and we obviously want to know what your favorite 2023 product picks were. See you in the comments:)

Love you, mean it.

The post The First Official EHD “Best Of Decor” List – 2023 Edition appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: The Sweater Em Is Living In, A Skin Saving Moisturizer, And A Genius “Boob Light” Hack

Happy Sunday, everyone! Emily and Jess are officially recovered from the flu post “retreat” and Christmas is just over a week away. YIKES. Now, if you’ve still got people on your list, Caitlin wrote an amazing last-minute gift guide that will make you look like a star. But if you are really ahead and are all done then head straight to the links:)

This week’s house tour was one of those you couldn’t help but immediately click to see because when you hear the names Ray Ramano and Nate Berkus together who have to see the house, right? And what a house it is! A stunning desert oasis in La Quinta, CA. We are partial to the primary suite but there are so many gems in this home. Check it out here!

From Emily: This sweater from Target. It’s so soft and flattering (and very very warm). While not ugly it is 100% what I’ll be wearing all week. Oh, and it comes in other colors and styles!

From Caitlin: If anyone’s on the hunt for a great NYE dress, can I suggest this one? It’s strapless but it stays up (I promise – no problems as a 36F!), the length is awesome, it’s super on-trend (2024 is the year of the bow, mark my words), it gives a really nice shape, and it brings the sparkle without being TOO sparkly (no glitter will be dropped; your arms will remain scratch-free as there’s nary a sequin in sight!). If gold isn’t your thing, it also comes in a few more shades that you can check out right here. PS. IT HAS POCKETS!

From Jess: Suprise surprise! It’s winter and my skin is super dry…well, was super dry. I bought this Summer Friday’s mask for my trip to London a month ago (I wanted to land looking hydrated) but what I didn’t totally realize was that it could also be used as a regular moisturizer! I love a 2 for 1 and it has made my skin so soft and hydrated. I have the mini size and it has plenty of product to last you a while. It’s highly rated for a reason. I give it a 10/10.

From Arlyn: I’ve entered my oversized sweater phase for the season and this one I recently bought off a recommendation from a friend is the perfect combination of “feels like pajamas” and “can be worn with jeans or leggings and I still look presentable.” I love that it has slits on both sides near the hips so I don’t look like an inflatable snowman. It’s heavy, seems well-made, and an amazing deal. The sizing runs very large, so I’d recommend going down one to two sizes. If anyone has any other recommendations for cozy sweaters (that work with a large chest and a mom tummy), please drop those link babies in the comments for me! 🙂 

From Mallory: I’m deep into the moving process currently (NYC here I come!) and my life was saved by these bubble wrap pouches!! We put plates and glassware in these and it made the bubble wrap process so much easier and faster. If you’re moving soon do not skip these!!

From Gretchen: I’ve been on the hunt for a new apartment and boy is it dismal out there. The lighting especially. And I’m not even talking about lack of decent ambiance (that too) but all of the hideous fixtures that seem to come standard with rentals these days. We all know and loathe the boob light, right? Well, I was complaining to a friend about the sheer volume I’ve stumbled upon in my search and she told me that she’d come across a company that specifically makes boob light covers. I’m not totally sure what I think since I haven’t tried them myself, but I’m drawn to the gem shade and the reviews (and customer photos) look promising.

Ok, that’s it from us. Have a good rest of your weekend. xx

Opening Image Credits: Design by Emily and Elliot Henderson (and ARCIFORM) | Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Birdie’s Bedroom Reveal!! Designing WITH (Not For) Your Kids, And How We Exploded This Room With Color

The post The Link Up: The Sweater Em Is Living In, A Skin Saving Moisturizer, And A Genius “Boob Light” Hack appeared first on Emily Henderson.

EHD (One Day) Retreat + The Ornaments We Picked Out For Eachother

Last week Gretchen and I flew down to LA to visit the LA EHD team (after my family celebrated Charlie’s 10th birthday at Universal Studios). In a perfect world, we wouldn’t be so long distance but we are making it work as long as we try to see each other every few months (and now that Mal will be in New York we’ll be heading there in spring for our next retreat!). We went over to Jess’ (which is looking SO CUTE) and chatted for a few hours about strategy, scheduling and, definitely caught up a lot. We then went to lunch at a new spot called Highly Likely and cruised around Highland Park for a bit until 4 pm when we split up to have a break before dinner. 

4 out of the 5 of us got BLTAs (bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado because it’s California:)) and obviously, we needed some lunch wine.

Around 7 pm we met up for dinner and did our ornament exchange which was SO MUCH FUN. We ate at Bacari in Silver Lake which is a really pretty and delicious restaurant with a big tree in the large outside patio. What I didn’t know was that my kids (who left that morning back to Portland) had the flu and it was inside me, waiting to burst out which it did around midnight that night. So sadly we weren’t able to meet up the next day (I had already given it to Jess) and I was DOWN FOR THE COUNT. I haven’t had the flu in years and now I know why people talk about it so much (and get vaccinated). But the highlight of the trip was our ornament exchange which was strangely SO much fun. 

The whole ornament exchange was my idea (shocking) and I love that it was a low lift for everyone (ornaments can be cheap and you could DIY) and yet still personal. And the expectation is low – no one would feel like they were getting someone something that was better or worse than someone else – they are all just ornaments. So we figured we’d show you what we made/bought for each other. And listen, this isn’t for every company – we are small and know each other really really well. Now would it be weird for Dale from Accounting to buy you an ornament if you never had a conversation with them? Maybe! Or maybe it’s the perfect office gift for anyone and everyone (that is IF they celebrate Christmas). 

I, of course, was racked with indecision because I want this ornament to say A LOT about them and me and my feelings for them in 2023. So I went to like 4 different stores to come up with what I got below. Enjoy!

NOTE FROM GRETCHEN ABOUT HER UNREAL HANDMADE ORNAMENTS: Since it’s my first year on the EHD team, I wanted to go big and gift the team ornaments that were oddly specific (definitely dorky) and most importantly, it gave me an excuse to use glitter pens. Duh. So I opted to make everyone an ornament that’d ideally capture their work essence. Each ornament started with these ready-made wood cutouts. I glued two together because they came like 60 to a pack, plus I thought it’d make them feel a little more substantial. Then I designed one side to look like an opening image from this year’s collection of gift guides. (Surprise! That’s me drawing holiday hats on every child, boomer, and Brian imaginable. The EHD team simply can’t escape my Apple Pencil!) The “gift guide” side of the ornament sort of declares each person’s theme, and the opposite side drives home the point:)

Caitlin’s (Genuis) Ornament For Everyone

Anthropologie Mirror for everyone: True to Libra form, I picked the same ornament for everyone – it’s a miniature version of the iconic Anthropologie mirror! We’ve been so fortunate to partner with Anthro SO many times this year (including on a campaign for this very mirror – it’s been a dream!) and none of those projects would have come to fruition without the dedication of every lovely gal on this team. I hope that Em, Jess, Gretch, and Mal all remember both the hard work and the joy we’ve experienced together at EHD when they pull these out every year:)

Ornaments For Emily

Starburst Ornament from Jess: The local shop that I went to had these amazing vintage Starburst ornaments that I couldn’t resist. It was fun, playful, and in two of Emily’s favorite colors. I knew it would look perfect on her tree:)

Handmade Fabric Scraps Ornament from Mallory: If you’ve been following the farmhouse design progress for a while you know about Emily’s obsession with pretty Japanese Boro Fabric – it’s that vintage patchwork plaid and it usually comes in a variation of indigos. Well, we have a running joke about one of the comments about how Emily loves to play with her “ratty fabric” so when I was brainstorming which ornament to get Emily I figured why not attempt to make a ratty fabric ornament?? So that’s exactly what I did:)

Handmade Ornaments from Gretchen: The head honcho herself, our visionary, and the incredible woman who happens to sign my paycheck, Emily Henderson! I promise I’m not ass-kissing (now) when I say that working for Em is the most fun job I’ve had, probably ever. For me, this year truly has been one to remEmber so I wanted to make her something that really highlighted that! The opposite side of Em’s ornament has a collage of almost all of the spaces in the farmhouse we’ve revealed in 2023. To be honest, I should’ve made Em like 15 additional ornaments to remember the multitude of projects we’ve worked on this year–I started to list them here but there’s just too many. This selection of 9 felt a little more manageable! I printed everything out, Mod Podged each of them to the wooden pieces front and back, covered that sh*t in glitter, then looked on with nerdy glee, as each person opened theirs up. Was it all worth it? No. Next year I’m buying them from Hobby Lobby. Kidding. This is my bread and butter.

Ornaments For Jess

Spaceship Ornament from Emily: I owe her 6 years of back ornaments, but for 2023 I was so excited to find this one because I wanted something to represent our first product LAUNCH that Jess co-designed with me. It really has helped our business “take off” (LOL) and just felt so fun, special, and appropriate for 2023. Yay to future collaborations and more cheesy ornaments to celebrate:)

Power Drill from Mallory: Jess is one of those fearless DIY girlies and her creativity knows no bounds. From the banquette she DIY’d last year to the bench she DIY’d this year…this girl knows her way around a power drill (and we can’t forget that her amazing dad Les is probably the reason why). But also in a less literal sense, Jess is one of the hardest working people I’ve ever known, so I wanted to get her this to commemorate the amazing DIYs she’s completed, but also to acknowledge how she’s the real powerhouse of this team:)

Handmade Ornaments from Gretchen: Jess 4 Prez on one side and a close-up of the Rowena rug on the other, in honor of all the work she did with Em to launch her Rugs USA line (get it?) and because I’d vote for her in the next election. 

Ornaments For Caitlin

Slot Machine Ornament from Emily: With Caitlin (as with all my team members) I really won the lottery and feel so lucky to have her. Her expertise and passion is all about the numbers and she loves to talk analytics and data. She’ll tell us what is performing well and figure out why. So this lotto machine felt really appropriate for her and my appreciation for her:) CHA-CHING!!

Starburst Ornament from Jess: OK I know it’s the same as Em’s but it was too pretty, vintage, AND the colors were prefect for her. I regret nothing:)

CBD Gummy Ornament From Mallory: HA I didn’t think I would have to write about this on the blog but here we are lol. This was the first ornament I found…I stumbled upon this cute bookstore on the Sunset Strip and saw this and immediately knew Caitlin needed it. Look it’s no secret that Caitlin loves a CBD gummy (both for fun and chronic back pain!) so I thought this ornament was a hilarious one to give her. Caitlin, I love you and I can’t stop laughing that I just had to write a blurb explaining why I got you a CBD gummy ornament for Christmas on this blog!

Handmade Ornament from Gretchen: Caitlin is our Commission Queen, managing partnerships like a bo$$, so the backside pattern references her main domain, in Christmas colors of course!

Ornaments For Mallory

Suitcase Ornament from Emily: Mal is taking off this year to New York for quite the journey. As you know I lived in NYC all through my 20s and it was just such a formative time to be in the best city in the world. So this was for her journey, but also to represent how she’s already traveled so far in her career at EHD. It’s a real Bon Voyage moment for us and I have nothing but hope and well wishes for this new city for her. 

NYC Coffee Cup Ornament from Jess: Since our sweet Mal is headed to the Big Apple, when I saw this ornament I knew I had to get it to mark this exciting occasion! Plus it’s handpainted and so cute:)

Handmade Ornament from Gretchen: Mal-A-Million made a very viral video this year, and the back of her ornament displays a screenshot from it–a close-up of Em’s perfectly festive plaid shirt.

Ornaments For Gretchen

Glass Ball Ornament from Emily: Gretch is new to the team and I thought about so many ornaments for her (1st anniversary? Baby’s first Christmas? And even a firefighter ornament because she has saved my life, LOL). But when I found this one it felt appropriate because her artistic instinct is so well-honed and her use of color is soooo much better than mine is. She has taught me a lot about undertones and has such an eye that I’ve come to rely on. So this ornament felt really really painterly, artistic, and beautiful like Gretch (and I know she loves these earthier colors). 

Mushroom Ornament from Jess: Our Gretch is a gal about the indoors and great outdoors so this sweet little mushroom that clamps onto a branch was the perfect match in my head. It’s as sparkly and magical as she is;)

Boat Ornament from Mallory: The first time we really got to hang with our sweet Gretchen was a real epic day. The LA team came up to Portland for a retreat over the summer and Em booked us a Pontoon boat down the river. Well, we got the most EPIC tour guide (shoutout to Shane), consumed a large amount of wine, and immediately clicked as if we’d known each other our whole lives. The rest is history but I wanted to give Gretch an ornament of the place where it all began :’)

Emily again! So like I said, our retreat was cut short by the flu but Mal and Gretch hit Hollywood for night two! I’m so happy Gretchen got to have a little more fun so thanks Mal for showing her the way:)

I’m so grateful for these ladies and can’t wait for next year’s ornaments. 10/10 recommend!

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Em’s “Enhanced Natural” Makeup Look As Told By Her Makeup Artist (With Exact Products)

After almost 15 years of being on camera, I know how I like my face to look and I’m pretty darn assertive about it (which is much preferred by HUM artists – no one wants someone who doesn’t communicate clearly). So when I’m working with a new hair/makeup artist I usually show photos of me that I like and then give the following descriptors: 

I like to look clean, natural, bright and glowy (I also likely say the word ‘youthful’, too, LOL).I want my eyes and cheeks and lips to pop (I joke, like a porcelain baby doll).I don’t want to look tanner or bronzed (so no contouring) I understand this is ironic what with my self-tanning side profession, but on my face? NOPE. An unnaturally tan face looks cheesy and older IMHO. I don’t like eye shadow (and will likely take it off). Reflective is fine or very soft/neutral can be ok but I find that I very much don’t like the look of eye shadow on me.I like a clean line (not smudgy) of eyeliner on the top lash line but not the bottom (same with mascara but I’ve had lash extensions forever so I don’t wear mascara).photos by kaitlin green | makeup by alyssa fitchie | from: my favorite spot in the farmhouse: our sunroom reveal!

Danielle Walch did my makeup in LA for over 10 years (I love her so much) so we didn’t even have to think about it. I’m so happy to have found Alyssa Fitchie up here in Portland who is my go-to hire for HMU (which is usually three times a month). I find that I’m WAY more excited to be on camera if I’m feeling good about how I look (shocking) and so I’ll stack all my ad campaigns into one day a week and get HMU so I look/feel my best (and yes, I change clothes for every job). She usually comes 7-8 am or 8-9 am depending on how much we have to shoot (she doesn’t stay all day so is able to take other jobs during the day) and we bang out shoot after shoot (some for reveals, some videos, others for just social campaigns). I honestly wish I could have her come every day. So today we are showing you what she does and what products she uses on me (which are different than the seven things I’ve used for 15 years). 

photo by mark weinberg | makeup by alyssa fitchie | from: it’s here! our first ehd collection with rugs usa (+ why now? and why this?)

Ok, here we go!

1. Moisturize!

Before we start, Alyssa makes sure I’m moisturized. I feel like it’s pretty much common knowledge that skin prep is crucial for your makeup to look good and stay looking good on your skin. So don’t forget that face lotion.

2. Primer (Face And Eyes)

It’s so easy to want to skip this step but don’t. This is going to make your makeup stay on throughout the day (or night) and is really going to help avoid any creasing. Alyssa uses Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Oil-Free Foundation Primer for my face and Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion (Anti-Aging) on my lids. Oh, and she said to make sure to get the anti-aging one because the other version dries and flakes which is clearly not what we want:) The under-eye primer she typically uses is now discontinued (RUDE). She’s still on the hunt for her new favorite but in the meantime, she recommends Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Eye Base.

3. Color Corrector

Alyssa then uses a color corrector under my eyes. This prevents concealer from going gray. Alyssa uses the Bobbi Brown Under Eye Corrector. So you want to choose a contrasting color to your undereye color. This is how to find your shade: “Take a look at the discoloration under the eye. If it’s bluish-purple, choose a bisque shade. If it’s greenish-brown, choose a peach shade. If it’s a mix of both, choose a peach-bisque shade.”

PRO TIP: Add some corrector where the lid meets the nose for added brightness:)

4. Under Eye Concealer

This is the one I always use for shoots: IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer. I really love how it looks and feels.

5. Eyeshadow

As I said, I really hate wearing eyeshadow so Alyssa doesn’t put any on me. The eyeshadow primer she uses helps avoid “oily” eyelids (which I don’t really have) and helps the eyeliner grip. I did ask her what she would use if I did want wear eyeshadow and she recommended this matte Makeup By Mario palette because it’s neutral and really buildable.

6. Eyeliner

To keep a more natural, enhanced look, we go very minimal on the eyeliner. She tight lines (meaning she goes inner waterline of my eyes) with MAC’s Pro Longwear Fluidline in Blacktrack which is a soft black and this small angled brush.

7. Foundation

As all of you know I’m a die-hard Armani Luminous Silk foundation gal so that’s what Alyssa uses on me but I asked her what some of her other favorites were and she loves MAC’s Studio Radiance Face & Body Radiant Sheer Foundation for everyday and Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Wear Matte Foundationfor events. Her biggest reminder for a more “natural look” is to go for light to medium coverage. You still want to be able to see your beautiful skin:)

8. Highlighter

I don’t really use highlighters but I asked Alyssa about it in case you love it! She said, “The one that really rocks the show is the Hourglass Ambient® Lighting Finishing Powder. “It’s not “technically” a highlighter, but it’s a very glowy setting powder and it makes skin look amazing!” For the everyday, Alyssa uses Rare Beauty.

PRO TIP (for liquid highlighters): It looks really beautiful UNDER foundation:)

9. Blush

It’s a classic for a reason – NARS Orgasm. Apply with a flat round stipple brush. That brush will help build the blush so it goes on nicely:) 

PRO TIP: For a more youthful look, apply to the apples of your cheeks or C shape around the eye for a more adult look. Just don’t go below where your cheek crests to avoid aging yourself.

10. Eyebrows!

If you’ve been around for a while then you know I basically don’t have eyebrows. It’s super cool. To fill them in, Alyssa uses Benefit’s Precisely, My Brow Pencil Waterproof Eyebrow Definer to give little hair details and then Benefit’s Goof Proof Waterproof Easy Shape & Fill Eyebrow Pencil in 3.75 to fill in.

PRO TIP: For blondes go one shade darker than your hair color and for brunettes go one shade side lighter.

11. Mascara

Since I have lashes I don’t use mascara but if you do she recommends LancômeMonsieur Big Waterproof Mascara.

12. Lips

What can I say I love a drugstore lipstick. This Wet n Wild one (Bare It All) is my favorite.

13. Setting Spray

The last crucial step in long-lasting makeup! Alyssa uses MAC’s Prep + Prime FIX+ for a satin finish. This can bring makeup back to life after applying matte makeup. Alyssa also REALLY loves this setting spray by Urban Decay.

Hope this helped if you’ve been hoping for some guidance on “natural” looking makeup:)

*Makeup by Alyssa Fitchie
**Photos by Kaitlin Green

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