Emily Henderson's Blog, page 68
November 14, 2023
No More Scarves! The Ultimate, Non-Boring Gift Guide For Boomer Moms And Grandmothers (Sourced From The Woman Who Knows :))
Every year I ask my mother-in-law, Suz, for my annual favor – to crowdsource from her friends what Boomer moms really want for Christmas. When we first started this series I was shocked and enlightened at some of the answers (no more framed photos, yes to more experiences). Most Boomers are downsizing, have too much stuff and yet have finite dough (most are retired) so they are gratefully very specific about what to get and NOT to get them. Suz and her friends did it again which I can’t thank them enough. Ladies, I owe you a round of golf on me:) Take it away Suz!
Let me begin by thanking many friends who provided me with their best gift ideas and memories. All of us ladies over 70 agree that we don’t want cutesy vases or ceramic decorations as we are all trying to downsize and be rid of those things. Rather, we want experiences and new learning opportunities to keep that dementia devil at bay.
Here we go:
La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm AP+ Intense Repair Body Lotion for Dry Skin | Kate Somerville Dry Skin Saver | Augustinus Bader The Body Lotion
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50+ Sunscreen | EltaMD UV Lotion Broad-Spectrum SPF 30 Plus | Supergoop! PLAY Everyday Lotion SPF 50
We all suffer from dry skin. We go through body lotions by the gallon. Sunscreen creams too. Just check to make sure they aren’t heavily scented or too thin. These three are highly rated!
Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid Serum Ampoule | Dermalogica Super Rich Repair Moisturizer
We all need face creams and most are now using the Vitamin C serums. I love Dermalogica Super Rich Repair and ISDIN Vitamin C serum. I’ve even got Em hooked on that vitamin C serum:)
Baby Foot Moisturizing Foot Mask | Electric Feet Callus Removers
Most of us dread wearing sandals and flip-flops in the summer as our feet have become shriveled and crusty. We love good home treatments like hydrating foot masks and callus removers.
photo by kaitlin green | from: my winter workout gear – what i’m wearing and loving both indoors and out when it’s chilly (and even freezing)One year my kids treated me to six months of pilates at my favorite studio. One of my all-time favorite gifts. If they don’t love or do pilates, find out what activity your mom or grandmother does like and treat them to it. It’s a guaranteed winner.
Go-To Gift For Her | ASICS Women’s Gel-RENMA Pickleball Shoes
Pickleball is huge with our age group. I don’t play, but friends suggest paddles, balls, shoes & socks.
Ellen Merchant Bocce Ball Game | Bocce Ball Set | Bocce Ball Lawn Game
Bocce ball is all the rage too. If there is a club nearby that requires membership, that would be a good gift. But if they haven’t played before (or in a while) but you think they’d like it, consider grabbing them a set to play with.
Foliage Fine Art: Watercolor Workshop
Learning opportunities: In-person painting classes or even online virtual classes like a Foliage Fine Art Watercolor workshop looks like a good one.
Black Faux Leather Mahjong Game Set | Leather Bridge Game Set
Mahjong and bridge are very popular and lessons would be great.
I went kayaking for the first time in Whitefish, Montana with my best friend from college. Loved it and would love lessons. Paddleboarding lessons too! P.S. Check out Groupon for local options!
Callaway Women’s 2023 X-Tech Golf Glove | Callaway Golf 2021 Supersoft Golf Balls | Women’s Golf Ankle Sock 3-Pack
Lots of us golf and can always use balls, gloves, socks, golf lessons, and golf cart seat covers for winter when vinyl seats are cold.
photo by kaitlin green | from: my journey to find the most comfortable pajama set ever – and i found them
Snoozies Womens Slipper Socks | The Relaxed Pant 27.5″
Everyone loves cozy loungewear, PJs, nighties, or slippers. One friend loves slippers called Snoozies. They are washable which is always ideal.
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: an at-home spa day for the ehd teamWe’re always in need of mani-pedis. Or a really nice spa day… Massages are also very welcome. Who doesn’t like a massage??
Ticketmaster Gift Card | AMC Gift Card
Love outings and would appreciate movie tickets, tickets for local theatre, lecture series, or concerts. Remember, experiences are the best.
Luxury Stripe Dog Bed | Adjustable Rope Dog Leash | Adjustable Cushioned Dog Harness
So many of our friends are getting puppies or rescue dogs! I don’t get it, but any pet toys or gear would probably be a great gift.
Fun Size Burlap Wrapped Bouquet | Flowerbx Subscription | The Blouqs Co. Subscription
One of my friends receives a bouquet of fresh flowers each month from her kids. Love that idea.
photo suraya barbeeI had several suggestions from friends for capturing grandparents’ memories:
My Life Story – So Far Journal
“My Life Story – So Far” from Uncommon Goods is great. I like it because it requires writing out answers to questions. Bob’s parents did something similar years ago and I like seeing the actual handwriting.
Storyworth is very popular too. Requires weekly email exchanges where questions are selected and all answers are compiled into a book at the end. A gift for them and you:)
A game called “Life Story Interview Kit” is a game in which children and grandchildren draw cards with questions for the grandparents. I love that this is interactive.
7″ Digital Picture Frame with Mat Natural Wood | Aura Carver 10.1″ WiFi Digital Picture Frame
Digital picture frames are a hit with many friends. An easy way to experience your family and your adventures without the pictures taking over your home.
INNO STAGE 10 Piece Gardening Hand Tools Set with Garden Storage Seat
I love to garden and saw a cute gardening kit – INNO Stage makes a 10-piece gardening tools set with a storage bag and most importantly, a seat to save back strain.
Green Acres Gift Card (CA and TX)
A gift certificate to Green Acres or any local nursery would be loved by any gardener.
Helen’s Wine Club | Woman-Owned Wineries Wine Club
Membership in a wine club is a great gift for those who enjoy wine. These are great nationwide options but if they live by wine country, a local winery would be great too.
1000+ Sudoku Puzzles for Adults |
Color Me Jane: A Jane Austen Adult Coloring Book | Painter’s Palette Puzzle
For rainy days and plane trips: Magazine subscriptions, adult coloring books, jigsaw puzzle books, and Sudoku books. Helps to have something fun to do and keep your mind working.
working on my masterpiece
Poppy Flowers Paint by Numbers | Green Adult Paint-By-Numbers Kit | Simple Flower Oil Painting (Set of 6)
I still love paint-by-number kits, but not real complicated ones. There are so many great ones out there right now.
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: making mother’s (or grandmother’s) day memories with artifact uprisingI would love photo books of Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings over the years. Companies like Shutterfly, Artifact Uprising, Chatbooks, etc. can all do them.
Another great idea that came up while having lunch with high school friends was one of them said her favorite gift was photo book called “What I Love About Grandma” (or Sue Sue, or Yaya, etc). Under the photos were captions from grands like “because she reads to me, because she hikes with me, bakes cookies, dances, etc.
For those who like perfume, that’s always a nice gift. Be sure to ask what’s a favorite. Personally, I love Grace by Philosophy.
Parker Layering Set | Born Ready (Waterproof!) | Zenyu Fan Chain Necklace Set
2-Piece Watch Chain Necklace Set | Toggle Chain Necklace Set
Stylish jewelry is a great and thoughtful gift. My group and I like the layered chain look. It’s a big hit now.
One friend loved a gift of M&Ms with pictures of their grandkids on them. Great for someone with a sweet tooth.
me and my boysSeveral friends said that one of their favorite gifts was a surprise weekend trip with just their adult children and no spouses. (No offense, Ems!) Other friends said they loved destination trips with their entire families. One was surprised in Hawaii when the whole clan showed up in shirts that matched her dress. Obviously, these are big gifts but so incredibly special if possible.
our sweet grandkids! I love it when Brian and Emily fly the grandkids to our home for a week in the summer so Bobba and I can spoil them rotten. And last, but not least, we love handmade gifts and writings from our grandchildren. Also, for those of us who have grandchildren who live far away, a regularly scheduled, weekly FaceTime call would be great. It’s all about staying connected that means the most.
Thanks for reading and thank you to all my friends who gave their ideas. Hope this helps!
The post No More Scarves! The Ultimate, Non-Boring Gift Guide For Boomer Moms And Grandmothers (Sourced From The Woman Who Knows :)) appeared first on Emily Henderson.
November 13, 2023
Family Room Reveal – By Far The Coziest Room In The House And Here’s Why
I’m so excited to show you our family/TV room today. I love it so very much, as exemplified with my romantic cuddle session with Lady Buttercup. It’s dark and cozy and I honestly don’t think I’d change one thing about it. I love landing on that sectional in the corner, two kids piling on and watching TV (especially in the winter). This ended up being far more of a TV room, not really a family room as the kids don’t tend to play in here, but living in the PNW in the winter we sure do love to spend time in here at night and on the weekends.
We, of course, made a really fun YouTube video for this room! Go check that out HERE and for a little preview, watch below (just wait for the short ad to play:)):
If you are just popping by (welcome!) head over to the process post if you want to see how this room came together (it was a totally different color when we first moved in). This room is right off the living room, separated by a pocket door, and the perfect room to throw children in when we have friends over while we hang in the living room.
Wall Color | Sconces | Art (vintage) | Table Lamps | Sectional (no longer available but this is similar) | Solid Velvet Pillows | Striped Pillow | Patterned Throw Blanket | Faux Fur Throw Blanket
The sectional is incredibly comfortable (gets more comfy with more use – they are always on the stiffer side at the beginning). Sadly it’s currently unavailable. We added a lot of velvet pillows to up the cozy factor and two of my favorite throws – a pretty wool one and that faux fur blanket I won’t stop talking about. The lamps were pretty much made for this room – the dark blue linen is perfect, the shape of the shade contrasts so well with all the squares, and the gold detail just ties it all together. The sconces light the art so beautifully and are on a dimmer so we can keep them so low and create quite the vibe.
Dog (Butter) | Coffee Table (Unavailable) | Vase (vintage) | Rug | Rug Pad (similar)
The rug is so beautiful – it’s wool and has so much movement in it, with color variation, making it forgiving. Don’t forget to add a 1/2″ memory foam carpet pad for a lot of plushness. The coffee table I’ve had for over 10 years (originally from Anthropologie) and the striped pillow was a splurge from Lost and Found LA.
Let’s talk paint color – Stillwater by Sherwin-Williams is on the wall and it’s PERFECT. Now if you have a brightly lit room (natural light) you should know that it can be a really bold/saturated color (almost like a bright teal) but with our lighting and vibe, it goes super moody. I could not be happier with the level of saturation and color in here (any darker could look black and any lighter would be too bold or light).
Art (vintage) | Framer
I continued the thread of this vintage plaid Boro fabric that we have throughout the house (in the powder room and living room) and this time framed it as a piece of art on the wall. Dave, our framer, mounted it expertly preserving the edges and imperfections. We chose to not put glass or plexi on it because it would make the piece hard to see and would essentially just reflect the outside that it’s facing. I LOVE it.
In case you missed it, I did a whole blog post and reel about how to hang a gallery wall in this room. Those seascapes make me so happy and while I never say this (and likely shouldn’t) I don’t think I’m ever going to touch them.
On the opposite wall, we have one last seascape given to me as a gift from Julie, our antiques dealer/client of the kitchen we did last year for Crate & Barrel. It’s so perfect! The art light above it really shows it off (and contrasts nicely with the sconces over the gallery wall – both from Rejuvenation).
Wood Flooring | Bookcases | White Marble Tray (similar) | Vase (vintage) | Wood Bowl | Switch Plates
We didn’t need a ton of storage in here, just enough for games and puzzles really. But the real problem that we had was not having a surface for lamps or drinks. Since the sofa is slammed up against the far wall and there was hardly any room for a side table on this side of it, we needed a sofa table. Enter this bookcase from Pottery Barn that fits PERFECTLY along the back of the sofa and is where my wine or tea sits when I’m watching TV (as well as those gorgeous lamps). It looks fully integrated and almost like it was professionally designed!
Fireplace | Frame TV | TV Bezel | TV Art Store | Knitted Throw Blanket
The sofa faces the TV and fireplace wall, and if you missed my spiel about how that piece of art is actually our Frame TV (with an awesome Bezel around it) head to this blog post. If you are building or remodeling I love this configuration of a TV wall – with a stove fireplace next to it. We worked with Vermont Castings on this fireplace – it’s gas direct vent fireplace. It warms up the room quickly so we use it mostly on the chilly nights and that ambiance, obviously, is quite the mood boost during what we call “the long great dark” up here. While I truly wanted to stay off the grid with natural gas where possible, the electric fireplaces that were available at the time were aesthetically not something we could put in a 100-year-old farmhouse (they have since gotten better, btw, but it’s still tricky to make them work in all environments). It’s definitely a luxury and perhaps not something you need in all lower/warmer states, but up here it takes a dreary/depressing night and turns it into an event to look forward to.
That chandelier is from Rejuvenation and I’m so sorry I didn’t shoot it with the light on! We just did a reel about it, showing how it lights the ceiling in such a pretty and soft/glowy way. You can configure that fixture so that it lights down or up but we didn’t want to look up into a bulb (and we have recessed lights should we need more) so we faced them up and love how it gives the ceiling an ambient glow.
Striped Bolster | French Doors | Roman Shades | Picture Light (similar) | Art (vintage) | Door to Living Room (vintage)
Lastly, you’ll see the French doors to the patio, which I don’t really think that we needed but it creates nice exterior symmetry with the sunroom on the opposite side. What we didn’t predict (well I did but nobody would believe me) is that the afternoon summer light (that stays light til 10 pm) blasts through here and makes it impossible to watch TV (or perhaps I’m sensitive to that) so we put shades on the doors (from Twopages that are so lovely) and we ended up installing a swing door into the hallway that is also flooded with light. So you can truly shut it all out, like vampires, even on the sunniest days 😉
The detail of the rug really shows off the texture of it. I’m getting inspiration from Enkay for our next rug launch. I know that this kind of quality, weave, and texture is usually quite expensive (hand-dyed yarn, artisanal weaving) but my goodness it’s so pretty. Now for some good old-fashioned before and afters of this room. But wait, let’s go back in time to remind you what it looked like when we bought the house:
She has come a loooooong way. Here you go!
I can’t BELIEVE it was ever that light/boring and wrong. This room always wanted to be dark.
Here (above) you can get a sense more of the Ponder paint color, which I really did like for a lighter room but looked dead in here).
I hope you enjoyed this room process as much as I enjoy this room. If I could have you all over to experience this level of vibe and cozy I would. Thanks to all involved and don’t forget to watch the Youtube video of the whole process with really pretty reveals.
Family Room Resources:
Paint Color: Still Water by Sherwin-Williams
Wood Floors: Oregon White Oak by Zena Forest Products
French Doors: Sierra Pacific Windows
Roman Shades: Twopages Curtains
Entry Door: Vintage
Sconces: Rejuvenation
Chandelier: Rejuvenation
Table Lamps: Crate & Barrel
Switch Plates: Rejuvenation
Art: Vintage
Picture Light: Rejuvenation (similar)
Sectional: Rejuvenation (no longer available)
Bookcases: Pottery Barn
Coffee Table: Anthropologie (unavailable)
Rug: Enkay
Fireplace: Vermont Castings
Art Framer: Limitless Creations
Bench Cushion Fabric: Sunbrella
Bench Cushion Upholstery: Raleigh Hills Upholstery
Cushion Bench: Dinihanian Design Build
*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
**Photos by Kaitlin Green
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November 12, 2023
The Link Up: Mallory’s Perfectly Crafted Thanksgiving Dress Formula, Em’s New Show Obsession, And A GREAT Pair Of Jeans
Happy Sunday and Happy Diwali to those who celebrate! We hope it’s filled with so much love and of course, incredible food:) Over in the EHD world, it’s been all about dark cozy rooms. We started with Sara’s gorgeous primary bedroom (now with a baby in tow!) and then began the rev-up to our family room reveal. Did you see the recap, the “no mistakes allowed” seascape gallery wall how-to, and our incredible Frame TV Art Store post?? Well, check those out if you missed them and get ready for tomorrow’s reveal. But of course, today we have a great YouTube video for you! Go check it out!! But for a little teaser, watch below (just wait for the short ad to play:)). The full-length version is embedded at the bottom of this post, too…so keep scrolling 🙂
This week’s house tour is a video tour that Caitlin told us all about! It’s a home tour of Ganni’s creative director, Ditte Reffstrup, in Copenhagen. It’s colorful Scandi that is elevated yet lived in. You just need to go watch it!!
From Emily: I read the book, Lessons in Chemistry, and didn’t love it like the rest of the world (fine, I stopped about 40% through, probably for some fast-paced “Cliterature” which is hard to compete with at times). So when Lessons in Chemistry came out on Apple TV I figured I’d give it a go to understand what the hype was all about. It’s SO GOOD and I can’t WAIT til the next episode (much prefer to binge-stream, BTW). The production design, acting, story – the whole world they create is so fun and beautiful to watch. It also gives such a great peek into what it might have been like as a woman in science 70 years ago (horrifying) as well as a black homeowner living in the Pre-10 freeway in LA (building this freeway historically and infamously demolished black neighborhoods instead of white neighborhoods in Beverly Hills). I’m caught up now and waiting for the next one every Sunday, but I feel like it’s not getting a lot of hype so if you haven’t started it, give it a go.
THANKSGIVING DAY DRESS FORMULAFrom Mallory: I’ve talked about the art of the Thanksgiving dress for YEARS now because ever since Chase and I started handling the turkey and most of the main dishes, I needed something that was flowy (for obvious reasons), has pockets (ideally) so your phone and random things can be off the counter, and screams fall. I purchased a plaid dress from J.Crew a while ago (that many of you guys bought too!!) that fits all these requirements but it’s time for something fresh and new because afterall, Thanksgiving is almost always spent with the same people so I think they’re probably also over seeing me in that dress. Let’s take a look at the 2023 Thanksgiving dresses shall we???
Relaxed Tiered Flannel Shirt Dress | Wild Bergamot Floral Long Sleeve Dress | Fitted Denim Shirtdress
Like I said, it’s gotta feel like FALL, so these plaid and fall floral moments (top left and middle) are VERY cute. Sadly they’re the only two that I don’t think check the pocket box, but were so fall that I threw them in the mix anyway. I bought the black and white plaid one and it’s wildly affordable at only $35 –– plus how cute would it be if you layered a black sweater over it!? The denim one above is a great option (and is also insanely affordable) if you want something that could be worn everyday but also could work for Thanksgiving day –– just dress it up with some brown leather boots and maybe a bandana in your hair and BOOM it’s fall. It’s less flowy than the others, but is still roomy enough to fit all of the delicious Turkey, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes that’ll be consumed. Now let me show you 3 more options that are also SO cute:
Collection Cecily Dress | Chalet 2.0 Tiered Dress | Emilia Long Sleeve Tie Waist Minidress
If you want your Thanksgiving dress to work throughout the holiday season, this red plaid one above is PERFECT. It’ll get so much use November-December every single year and I highly recommend everyone invests in one very jolly dress to pull out year after year. The middle plaid screams Turkey day, has pockets, PLUS it comes in sizes up to 4x which we love!! For a sexy little number, I love the redish black dress on the right with a tall black boot. It’s got pockets (thank god) and can be worn again and again since it’s not too Holiday specific.
From Arlyn: A friend of mine and the EHD fam Sara just had a baby, so I brought over some hot food and snacks for her and her husband to have on hand during those rough first days/weeks. I know how much she loves pasta so I tapped my favorite Marcella Hazan bolognese recipe. It’s a feat, taking nearly 5 hours to come together properly, but it’s one of those things you feel like you’re nurturing all day. The house smells amazing and every bite you steal to “check the seasonings” along the way just keeps getting better and better. If you’re looking for a special sauce and have a weekend day to devote to it, give this recipe a try (this is behind the NYT paywall sadly, but if you just Google it, you’ll find some other sites that have the recipe, like this one).
From Caitlin: Wanted to drop a recommendation real quick for my fellow dry, lizard-skinned pals as we head into the colder months. I have eczema and KP and I’ve found a new (to me) grail-level routine that has totally transformed the skin on my arms and legs (and you can grab it at Target, or the grocery store, or Walgreens, or wherever!) – and it’s more affordable then the products I’d used previously, to boot! I use this body wash after my regular soap and follow it with this moisturizer after every shower. The patches on my arms cleared within 2 weeks (!!!) and after 4 weeks, all the bumps on my legs have disappeared. I prefer these to my previous products because they’re unscented, lightweight, and easy to grab when you’re running errands. (PS. To lock in moisture, I top everything off with a quick spritz of this sunscreen oil – it makes my skin look SO healthy and moisturized. The gals in my pilates class asked how much water I drink every day to have skin that looks this healthy and it was thrilling to be like, “way less than I should – this is just moisturizer and sunscreen!!“)
From Gretchen: I was recently insta-influenced to buy a multi-pack of no-show undies and I’ve gotta say, they are SO GOOD!! Seriously considering doing an underwear overhaul and swapping out all of my old pairs for these bad boys because they are just so buttery soft and dig in absolutely nowhere. They come in a ton of colors (I went with the Coffee variety pack, seven pairs for $20) and many different cuts. So far I’ve only tried the seamless thongs and they are leaps and bounds more comfortable than any other thong I’ve tried. I just put in an order for the hipster pack and hoping they’re just as comfy and no-show!
From Jess: Ok, so I might have made a BIG switch…Everlane might be my new go-to jeans shop. Look. I will forever love Madewell and continue to shop there but recently I’ve been finding less and less that look good on my slightly curvier body because of the new cuts and shapes. So when I was shopping last week, I remembered a while back a few friends raving about Everlane jeans. Spoiler! They were right. While I love a trendy cut, I still want to look like I have a butt and not a total plank of wood back there (an issue with recent jeans). Enter Everlane’s 90s Cheeky Jeans! The name gave me little to no hope when I went into the dressing room but to my surprise they were amazing! High-waisted (YES!), a relaxed fit yet still had shape, and just overall flattering. I bought these in the Vintage Mid Blue wash and also went a little crazy and got these patchwork ones. In terms of sizing, I would maybe go up one size from your normal Madewell size for the plain jeans and I then needed to go up two sizes for whatever reason for the patchwork ones. I truly love them both so much and their price is on par with Madewell.
As a reminder, Caitlin on my team reached out to many of our absolute favorite brands and asked them to be part of a special exclusive coupon code just for EHD readers of some of our favorite things. Some are just for a few days (because the discount is high) while others last the whole month. All VERY GOOD BRANDS. So if you aren’t part of our email list (that we don’t leak or sell, EVER) sign up right here to get the exclusive EHD discount. Happy gift shopping month!
Thanks for reading, check out that video, and come back tomorrow for the beautiful reveal photos!
Opening Image Credits: Design and Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | Styled by Emily Bowser | From: Sara’s COZY Primary Bedroom Reveal (+ Plus A VERY Sweet Added Bonus)
The post The Link Up: Mallory’s Perfectly Crafted Thanksgiving Dress Formula, Em’s New Show Obsession, And A GREAT Pair Of Jeans appeared first on Emily Henderson.
November 11, 2023
Brian’s “Modern Man/Cool Dad” Gift Guide (Tested And VERY Approved)
*Disclaimer! Brian Henderson took NO part in creating the title of his blog post:)
When I was in third grade, all I wanted for Christmas was a plastic Rambo machine gun with a tripod mount that had a hella cool grenade launcher attached below. Can’t really believe that they made kids’ toys based on an R-rated movie like Rambo III, but hey, it was the 80s. I wasn’t much of a gun guy, even back then, but something about Sly Stalone’s lubed-up biceps cradling that thing in the commercial really made me want one. So my parents (or maybe Santa) came through, and on Xmas morning, I found that hella cool toy gun waiting for me beneath the tree. I’m told I was elated. I’m told I couldn’t wait to play with it. But I have no recollection of that morning, because apparently, before I had the chance to play with any of my toys, I went out to the garage to grab something, orange juice, maybe? And when I came back inside, a full twenty minutes later, I was aghast to find that Christmas had already happened. I saw all the toys and wrapping paper strewn about and immediately went into a panic. “Was it Christmas already?” I frantically asked over and over again, my eyes in a dizzy glaze. My parents were understandably freaked out about my state and rushed me to the ER, where it was determined that I had somehow bumped my head while out in the garage and sustained a pretty bad concussion. We think that maybe our large Labrador had knocked me down to the concrete floor. But the result was a kid who couldn’t remember Christmas. All the joy and excitement that I’d experienced earlier that morning had been forever lost down a black drain of amnesia. Sad, right? Well, the moral of the story is to make sure you take videos of your kids opening presents so when they get concussions they can relive Christmas morning. And to give presents that people will really remember. I’ve composed this list of memorable gifts, which will hopefully help you with the man in your life. Personally, I’m going to add a football helmet to the top of my list and wear it all morning long. Okay, here we go.
Living in Oregon, layers are extremely important, as is a good weatherproof jacket. This one has become my go-to outer layer on those early fall days when the weather is starting to turn. It’s light enough to layer beneath but warm enough to throw over a t-shirt if that’s all you need. Big fan.
Speaking of Oregon, it’s constantly raining up here in the winter and demands some good waterproof shoes. It’s hard to find ones that both look good and get the job done, but these Danner boots pull it off. I really like the retro hiking boot vibe. Plus they’re very warm and comfy.
I spend most days typing away on a laptop and usually go between being too hot and too cold, so I’m a fan of zip-up hoodies. This one lives up to the name, it’s rugged but soft and very well-made. I think it could go 10 years, unlike some cheaper hoodies I’ve had in the past. Well worth the money.
I’ve always had fantasies of being a lumberjack, and this shirt helps me feel like I just might be one. The blue and white plaid is so good, and the fabric is so soft, it’s a contender for the “I’d wear this every day” award.
J. Crew is still one of the best. Always well-made and comfy, this shirt can last years and never go out of style. Excellent winter shirt.
Rugged Merino Wool-Blend Cardigan Sweater
Speaking of J. Crew, I got this cardigan last fall and I still wear it on a weekly basis. It’s so cozy, it’s like wearing a blanket. Sometimes I’ll just wear sweats and slippers and toss this on with my morning coffee and I feel like a super dashing professor of literature or something. And when I wear it out, I def get jealous glances from other dudes like, “Why can’t I pull off a chunky cardigan?” Well, you can! Just put it on and you pull it off!
Slippers have always bugged me, they usually get all floppy and flimsy after one month of use, but not these bad boys, these ones are keeping my footsies toasty all winter long. Sorel is known for making long-lasting shoes and their slipper game is pretty toight.
Not a robe guy. Never have been. Until I felt the sweatshirt vibe of this guy. Now I’m a robe guy.
Men’s Ankle & Calf Sock Gift Box 12-Pack
Socks are always a good gift. Well, not always. If they’re bad socks, it’s a bad gift. But I love Bombas and would happily receive many more pairs if Emily wanted to stock up my sock drawer.
I mean, just look at these. Classic, throw-back Jordans that aren’t too flashy for a lame dad like me. I get compliments on these from other dads all the freaking time.
I’ve made too many hats using this customizable hat company, it’s a problem. I made some with our dogs’ names on them, I made some with the kids’ elementary school, and even the local high school’s mascot for when we go to their games. I’m a fan of the “dad hat” version, it fits well and is super well made. I would love a custom-made hat for Xmas, you can write whatever you want on it, like “Superdad” or ‘My Wife Made Me a Hat” or “I Have Flatulence”… anything!
Quality pants for everyday use. And they have really good colors. I’ve been steering away from jeans lately and enjoying some classic chinos. These are some of the best.
This color of beanie is the best ever. Change my mind.
We’ve started to do more camping up here in the PNW, and have found that normal coolers just don’t cut it. You need the real deal to keep all those, ahem, sodas ice cold for the whole trip. YETI is pretty tough to beat in that department.
Spellbinder Parka Jacket | Caliber Parka
While camping, you’re going to want a warm jacket, and these two have served me well. First, the more lightweight Spellbinder parka from Howler Bros, which is THE coolest-looking parka ever. I’ve got the blue one and get asked where I got it all the time. And when it’s super cold out, I toss on my Caliber Parka from Flint and Tinder and I’m cozy and warm all day long. This is my go-to parka all winter long, it’s rugged and tough but has some stylish details that set it apart.
Winter is all about cozying up next to a fire, and this fleece overshirt is just begging to be worn beside some crackling logs. The pattern is cool without being too flashy and the brand has done well by me in the past.
Everyone loves upgrading their travel stuff, and this set is awesome. It’s masculine without losing style and the matching dopp kit makes any guy look like he’s got his stuff together.
Greenpoint Canvas BBQ Apron & Grilling Utensil Set
This one is a no-brainer. I love to grill, I love looking cool, and I hate when burger grease gets on my pants this offers it all. It’s a nice apron, with tons of nice little details, and it comes with some BBQ tools? Come on. It’s a home run.
Ooni Koda 12 Outdoor Pizza Oven
Staying on the cooking train, we recently got this Ooni pizza oven and had a blast making pizzas for a bunch of families. It’s simple to use, just hook it up to your BBQ propane, then make your dream pizza. It’s also a great family activity – keeps the kids busy and interested in cooking. The pies cook in under two minutes, which so cool, and they taste like they came from a fancy restaurant. It’s a big hit at our house.
BOGS Men’s Ultra High Tall Insulated Waterproof Work Rain Boot
This one’s for anyone who’s got pigs or alpacas, or just for some good old-fashioned yard work. I throw these Bogs on, sometimes even without socks, and they keep my feet warm and dry all winter long. They’re way more comfortable than I anticipated, which has made doing my chores much more pleasant – I’m stepping in pig poop all day with these things!
A Mustache, A Pipe & Pretentious Behavior Candle
As some of you know, I’m in the middle of getting my masters in creative writing, working on a novel that is (hopefully) approaching the finish line. I like to keep a candle burning at my desk when I’m writing, it makes me feel all artsy and pretentious, which is why I love this candle and its sense of humor. I’d love this in my stocking.
I think I’ve put these pocket tees in every gift guide I’ve ever written, but they’re still my favorite. They’re tight in the right places, loose in the others, and are super-duper soft. They’re literally all I wear, and they’ve expanded the colors so you can get one for every day of the week!
Red Wing Heritage Iron Ranger 6in Boot | The Original Stretchlace
This is a big investment for shoes, but well worth it I think. These boots are classics and they will last a lifetime. I’ve worn mine in the rain, the snow, the bright sun, and they look as good as the first day I put them on. I love these boots. And here’s a little hack if you get the boots – put in pre-tied stretchy laces so you can just throw them on without bending over to tie! It’s the best!
Portable Pickleball Net System
The Hendersons have officially jumped on the pickleball bandwagon. You may hate the sound of the balls being hit, but you’ll love how easy it is to learn and how quickly kids can pick it up. This is the net we have and it’s great, you can set it up in minutes on your driveway and get playing!
But you can’t play with ugly racquets, so get some good-looking ones here. I especially like the 70’s retro-inspired themes.
Hope some of these help and happy gift shopping!
Opening Image Credits: Photography by Sara Ligorria Tramp
The post Brian’s “Modern Man/Cool Dad” Gift Guide (Tested And VERY Approved) appeared first on Emily Henderson.
Brian’s”Modern Man/Cool Dad” Gift Guide (Tested And VERY Approved)
*Disclaimer! Brian Henderson took NO part in creating the title of his blog post:)
When I was in third grade, all I wanted for Christmas was a plastic Rambo machine gun with a tripod mount that had a hella cool grenade launcher attached below. Can’t really believe that they made kids’ toys based on an R-rated movie like Rambo III, but hey, it was the 80s. I wasn’t much of a gun guy, even back then, but something about Sly Stalone’s lubed-up biceps cradling that thing in the commercial really made me want one. So my parents (or maybe Santa) came through, and on Xmas morning, I found that hella cool toy gun waiting for me beneath the tree. I’m told I was elated. I’m told I couldn’t wait to play with it. But I have no recollection of that morning, because apparently, before I had the chance to play with any of my toys, I went out to the garage to grab something, orange juice, maybe? And when I came back inside, a full twenty minutes later, I was aghast to find that Christmas had already happened. I saw all the toys and wrapping paper strewn about and immediately went into a panic. “Was it Christmas already?” I frantically asked over and over again, my eyes in a dizzy glaze. My parents were understandably freaked out about my state and rushed me to the ER, where it was determined that I had somehow bumped my head while out in the garage and sustained a pretty bad concussion. We think that maybe our large Labrador had knocked me down to the concrete floor. But the result was a kid who couldn’t remember Christmas. All the joy and excitement that I’d experienced earlier that morning had been forever lost down a black drain of amnesia. Sad, right? Well, the moral of the story is to make sure you take videos of your kids opening presents so when they get concussions they can relive Christmas morning. And to give presents that people will really remember. I’ve composed this list of memorable gifts, which will hopefully help you with the man in your life. Personally, I’m going to add a football helmet to the top of my list and wear it all morning long. Okay, here we go.
Living in Oregon, layers are extremely important, as is a good weatherproof jacket. This one has become my go-to outer layer on those early fall days when the weather is starting to turn. It’s light enough to layer beneath but warm enough to throw over a t-shirt if that’s all you need. Big fan.
Speaking of Oregon, it’s constantly raining up here in the winter and demands some good waterproof shoes. It’s hard to find ones that both look good and get the job done, but these Danner boots pull it off. I really like the retro hiking boot vibe. Plus they’re very warm and comfy.
I spend most days typing away on a laptop and usually go between being too hot and too cold, so I’m a fan of zip-up hoodies. This one lives up to the name, it’s rugged but soft and very well-made. I think it could go 10 years, unlike some cheaper hoodies I’ve had in the past. Well worth the money.
I’ve always had fantasies of being a lumberjack, and this shirt helps me feel like I just might be one. The blue and white plaid is so good, and the fabric is so soft, it’s a contender for the “I’d wear this every day” award.
J. Crew is still one of the best. Always well-made and comfy, this shirt can last years and never go out of style. Excellent winter shirt.
Rugged Merino Wool-Blend Cardigan Sweater
Speaking of J. Crew, I got this cardigan last fall and I still wear it on a weekly basis. It’s so cozy, it’s like wearing a blanket. Sometimes I’ll just wear sweats and slippers and toss this on with my morning coffee and I feel like a super dashing professor of literature or something. And when I wear it out, I def get jealous glances from other dudes like, “Why can’t I pull off a chunky cardigan?” Well, you can! Just put it on and you pull it off!
Slippers have always bugged me, they usually get all floppy and flimsy after one month of use, but not these bad boys, these ones are keeping my footsies toasty all winter long. Sorel is known for making long-lasting shoes and their slipper game is pretty toight.
Not a robe guy. Never have been. Until I felt the sweatshirt vibe of this guy. Now I’m a robe guy.
Men’s Ankle & Calf Sock Gift Box 12-Pack
Socks are always a good gift. Well, not always. If they’re bad socks, it’s a bad gift. But I love Bombas and would happily receive many more pairs if Emily wanted to stock up my sock drawer.
I mean, just look at these. Classic, throw-back Jordans that aren’t too flashy for a lame dad like me. I get compliments on these from other dads all the freaking time.
I’ve made too many hats using this customizable hat company, it’s a problem. I made some with our dogs’ names on them, I made some with the kids’ elementary school, and even the local high school’s mascot for when we go to their games. I’m a fan of the “dad hat” version, it fits well and is super well made. I would love a custom-made hat for Xmas, you can write whatever you want on it, like “Superdad” or ‘My Wife Made Me a Hat” or “I Have Flatulence”… anything!
Quality pants for everyday use. And they have really good colors. I’ve been steering away from jeans lately and enjoying some classic chinos. These are some of the best.
This color of beanie is the best ever. Change my mind.
We’ve started to do more camping up here in the PNW, and have found that normal coolers just don’t cut it. You need the real deal to keep all those, ahem, sodas ice cold for the whole trip. YETI is pretty tough to beat in that department.
Spellbinder Parka Jacket | Caliber Parka
While camping, you’re going to want a warm jacket, and these two have served me well. First, the more lightweight Spellbinder parka from Howler Bros, which is THE coolest-looking parka ever. I’ve got the blue one and get asked where I got it all the time. And when it’s super cold out, I toss on my Caliber Parka from Flint and Tinder and I’m cozy and warm all day long. This is my go-to parka all winter long, it’s rugged and tough but has some stylish details that set it apart.
Winter is all about cozying up next to a fire, and this fleece overshirt is just begging to be worn beside some crackling logs. The pattern is cool without being too flashy and the brand has done well by me in the past.
Everyone loves upgrading their travel stuff, and this set is awesome. It’s masculine without losing style and the matching dopp kit makes any guy look like he’s got his stuff together.
Greenpoint Canvas BBQ Apron & Grilling Utensil Set
This one is a no-brainer. I love to grill, I love looking cool, and I hate when burger grease gets on my pants this offers it all. It’s a nice apron, with tons of nice little details, and it comes with some BBQ tools? Come on. It’s a home run.
Ooni Koda 12 Outdoor Pizza Oven
Staying on the cooking train, we recently got this Ooni pizza oven and had a blast making pizzas for a bunch of families. It’s simple to use, just hook it up to your BBQ propane, then make your dream pizza. It’s also a great family activity – keeps the kids busy and interested in cooking. The pies cook in under two minutes, which so cool, and they taste like they came from a fancy restaurant. It’s a big hit at our house.
BOGS Men’s Ultra High Tall Insulated Waterproof Work Rain Boot
This one’s for anyone who’s got pigs or alpacas, or just for some good old-fashioned yard work. I throw these Bogs on, sometimes even without socks, and they keep my feet warm and dry all winter long. They’re way more comfortable than I anticipated, which has made doing my chores much more pleasant – I’m stepping in pig poop all day with these things!
A Mustache, A Pipe & Pretentious Behavior Candle
As some of you know, I’m in the middle of getting my masters in creative writing, working on a novel that is (hopefully) approaching the finish line. I like to keep a candle burning at my desk when I’m writing, it makes me feel all artsy and pretentious, which is why I love this candle and its sense of humor. I’d love this in my stocking.
I think I’ve put these pocket tees in every gift guide I’ve ever written, but they’re still my favorite. They’re tight in the right places, loose in the others, and are super-duper soft. They’re literally all I wear, and they’ve expanded the colors so you can get one for every day of the week!
Red Wing Heritage Iron Ranger 6in Boot | The Original Stretchlace
This is a big investment for shoes, but well worth it I think. These boots are classics and they will last a lifetime. I’ve worn mine in the rain, the snow, the bright sun, and they look as good as the first day I put them on. I love these boots. And here’s a little hack if you get the boots – put in pre-tied stretchy laces so you can just throw them on without bending over to tie! It’s the best!
Portable Pickleball Net System
The Hendersons have officially jumped on the pickleball bandwagon. You may hate the sound of the balls being hit, but you’ll love how easy it is to learn and how quickly kids can pick it up. This is the net we have and it’s great, you can set it up in minutes on your driveway and get playing!
But you can’t play with ugly racquets, so get some good-looking ones here. I especially like the 70’s retro-inspired themes.
Hope some of these help and happy gift shopping!
Opening Image Credits: Photography by Sara Ligorria Tramp
The post Brian’s”Modern Man/Cool Dad” Gift Guide (Tested And VERY Approved) appeared first on Emily Henderson.
November 10, 2023
Our Family Room Focal Art Is Actually Our TV: The Samsung Art Store And How It Works
Six years ago I helped launch the Samsung Frame TV with quite possibly the most epic and creatively rewarding partnerships to date – four extravagant makeovers (a 100-year-old barn, a vintage greenhouse, a huge boathouse, and a floating barge). They still hold up and I’m still really proud of them (shout out to Brady Tolbert for being with me in New York for three weeks executing these extreme makeovers!). This product, as you know, revolutionized the TV in the home and I’m not just saying that as their former spokesperson – but as a mom, designer, and human being who is very particular about the style of tech she brings into her home. Before The Frame, we would have to design around our precious black boxes, but now we can design with them since our Art-looking TVs seamlessly enhance our room designs.
Well, good news – since that partnership six years ago these TVs, like all worthwhile tech, have only gotten better. The Frame continues to be the only TV I buy or recommend because it looks so darn good in a room (and obviously, has access to all the streaming services that we would ever need and more). The TV is very thin and sits flat against the wall like a piece of art and there are far more bezel options (sold separately) than there used to be (aka “the frame” of “The Frame”). Samsung sells many beautiful bezels and there are also third-party ones (such as the one featured here, from Deco TV Fames), so the sky is the limit in terms of design. The display art options are also incredible and growing. It’s a no-brainer decision for me (unlike most other design dilemmas) and one that I’m incredibly grateful for.
The Curated Art SelectionThe whole thing about this TV, the reason to buy it, is that it looks like a piece of art, but unlike a traditional piece of art, this one you can digitally change with just a few clicks on your remote. The Samsung Art Store team has partnered with so many artists, galleries, and museums to curate collections that span so many different styles, colors, mediums, and my favorite part – many emerging artists. So today, we are giving you a peek into our family/media room to show you not only the expansive collection but also what a difference changing the art on your TV can make to your room, lifestyle, (and mood).
How Does It Work?In order to access the expansive curated collection of over 2,000 pieces of art, you can subscribe for $4.99/month or $49.90/year so that you can change your art as much as you’d like (which as a decorator and mom is very fun).
Using the remote, you can search and then choose by artist, genre, medium, SEASON (that’s right), or style. The kids love doing it as well and while I don’t always agree with their choices (ahem) I feel like it’s actually a great way for them to get “screentime” and learn about the power of art and color. You can also set up a slideshow to rotate images automatically.
One Room, Three Ways
Today I’m going to show you our family room with three different styles of art (and coordinated styling) to give you a sense of what the art could do for your room. As you know I love every single style (leaning always vintage and happy) and I generally lean toward the architectural style of the home. So while this house is more Scandi farmhouse (both minimal and traditional), I thought it would be fun to play around to show you what your possibilities are, stylistically.
Style #1: Classic/Traditional – Many Of “The Greats”
While the Winslow Homer seascape in the opener photo is our favorite for every day (and works so well with the seascape wall behind the sofa) I love so many of their other classic/traditional paintings as well like this one by Caspar David Friedrich from the Berlin State Museum. Samsung’s Art Store has also partnered with The Met so you have access to many of the classics and not just the ones we’ve seen a billion times, a lot of more contemporary or unexpected pieces and artists. Our kids recognize many of them from their art class which makes us all feel good/proud (healthy screentime FTW).
Style #2: Eclectic/Bohemian
This was such a fun opportunity for me to dive into my prop house and play around with colors and styles (and no, you don’t need to do this – it’s just an exercise to show you the possibilities no matter what your style is). This beautiful piece of art by Kim Keever is wild and fun (Elliot LOVES it) and brought in so many colors that I love into the room. It’s like trying on different outfits for different occasions. When you have the subscription service you can change it daily if you want, literally. Our kids are not impressed with my more subdued art taste these days so they immediately change it to something really funky/weird/wild which I appreciate (and don’t battle).
Style #3: Contemporary/Modern
The modern, post-modern, and contemporary art collections in the gallery are sooo good and frankly educational. It’s a peek into a world that I don’t know too much about but is so closely linked to contemporary design. This awesome piece is by K’era Morgan in case you were curious:) I can’t tell which one I love more, honestly (Probably the Bohemian because it’s so not what I typically am these days).
The Samsung Art Store is super easy to navigate, select, and display. The curation is excellent – fresh and extremely tasteful – it doesn’t feel like stock imagery you could find anywhere. I had no idea the breadth of how the Art Store has evolved until I started playing around and it was super inspiring. They even curate for seasons and not in a cheesy “illustrations of Frosty the Snowman” kind of way, but more in ethereal winter art and yes, some that feel more festive and celebratory. The team behind the art selection and curation is super impressive and they care about making sure that it has a really diverse variety with a lot of independent artists.
But of course, you can still watch TV on your TV should you prefer normal screen time. With just a few clicks it goes from art to, say, the EHD YouTube channel 🙂
Thanks to Samsung for inventing The Frame and to the Art Store for taking what the TV is displaying to the next level. Click here to buy The Frame at Samsung.com!
This post is a sponsored partnership with The Samsung Art Store, but as you can tell all the opinions and words are my own.
*Art Store Art in Opening Image: “Northeaster” by Winslow Homer from The Metropolitan Museum of Art
**Styled by Emily Henderson (me)
***Photos by
Kaitlin Green
The post Our Family Room Focal Art Is Actually Our TV: The Samsung Art Store And How It Works appeared first on Emily Henderson.
November 9, 2023
How We Hung Our Seascape Gallery Wall… Without One Wrong Nail Hole!!
For the second time in my life, I attempted the “no wrong holes” strategy towards the always intimidating gallery wall. Sure, I’ll typically lay it out on the ground, and then try my best to recreate it on the wall, but there are always some hole mistakes (usually hidden behind a piece of art so I don’t stress about it). I’ve done maybe 80 gallery walls in my life and I feel more confident than most people, but it’s neither an art nor an exact science (it’s a combination). When we had clients, aka people who don’t love random holes in their walls put there by “professionals,” I would try much harder to be accurate, but still – there would be holes. In this room, with beautiful wood paneling… you can’t easily patch and touch it up and I really really didn’t want to look at my own mistakes in this newly gorgeous room. So I put on my “detail-oriented brain” (typically missing) and tried SO HARD to make this right the first time (with help from Emily M. and Gretchen).
left: photo by kaitlin green, from: my latest vintage haul including more pictures of dead strangers and a show-and-tell of our new dining chairs (not vintage) that bring me joy all day every day… | middle: from: my most recent vintage haul for the big kitchen reveal | right: photo by tessa neustadt, from: our classic modern master bathroom reveal
photo by kaitlin green | from: my latest vintage haul including more pictures of dead strangers and a show-and-tell of our new dining chairs (not vintage) that bring me joy all day every day…Ok first off, the biggest rule of the gallery wall is to collect things that you love, that work well together and for me, that means a cohesive color palette. I’ve seen this done a million ways – with random colors, mixed mediums, and totally different styles – and I think the thing that all great gallery walls have in common is unique awesome art. And it’s not as easy as that sounds. I don’t mean to be pretentious or intimidating, but where a gallery wall goes bad is when it’s just generic art thrown up to fill the space (in which case just do a diptych or large-scale readymade art – which we wrote about here and here). But if you want a dope, collected gallery wall (which by nature they should look collected), then ideally it should be full of unique, vintage, personalized, and/or straight-up good art. Again, I like a curated color palette because my brain appreciates cohesion, so all of my seascapes (which I’ve been collecting for years) are in the moody blue/green/dark world, nothing too bright or too midcentury this time. They all feel more like antiques than vintage (and yes, some were legit splurgy) most of the frames have some gold in them and are ornate.
STEP 1: Tape Out The Desired Wall Space On The Floor
I knew that I wanted to cover the wall, but have the shape be more of a square (not organic this time). So the measurements were driven by centering it above the sectional, and the height was driven by the sconces, obviously, and the top of the sofa – we wanted to stay in that visual blank space.
STEP 2: Missing Photos, I’m Sorry!Ok, so this is a crucial step that my team did while I was shooting something else in another room with Kaitlin and we forgot to get professional photos. But basically, you take paper (I have craft paper at my disposal) and trace each piece of art, then cut it out and LABEL EACH ONE (A, B, C, etc). Then use tape to write the coordinating label on the art. Don’t forget this next step – MARK with a pen on the paper where the nail hole should go so that once up on the wall you just nail, rip, and hang. And again, LABEL THEM. This is still not a perfect science, but it will get you farther faster.
STEP 3: Play With Composition On The Floor
There are a million ways to do this, but I always start with the largest pieces, balancing them out on the wall/floor. So big go first, then the medium and small act as the filler to balance out the big.
P.S. See the pieces of blue tape on the frames? Those are my labels!
For this one, we didn’t keep perfect “rivers” between the pieces, so it’s in between a grid and totally organic. But the shape and size isn’t the only thing you need to keep in mind – it’s the color balance. One piece might feel visually “heavier” because it’s darker even if it’s small, and vice versa. You really just have to stand and stare for a LONG TIME.
We finally got it to where we were 80% happy, knowing that it would still change. Then as you tape the corresponding pieces of paper onto the wall the imbalances become more apparent, and we changed before we nailed (when it was just taped).
STEP 4: Tape Paper On The Walls In The Same Configuration
Now you can measure exactly where each one was in relation to one another, but I think that’s a waste of time (and would make my brain hurt) so we just went for it, knowing that blue tape comes up easily should you adjust (which you will). Once up, again, you might tweak even more. It’s a combination of trusting and forgiving yourself – just like life!
STEP 5: Nail Into The Marks On The Paper
Remember those nail-hole pen marks you made? Time to take a shot, pony up, and hammer in your first hook or nail. We recently started doing two hangers instead of one because it keeps them from being tweaked. So that’s why you see two hangers (and again the marks are specific to where the wire would hang on the nails, not just where the center of the wire is on the back of the frame). It was SO FUN.
STEP 6: HANG THAT ART (And Rip Off The Paper)
As it came together we were all riding high on design dopamine – when things REALLY WORK!!!!! HALELLUJAH! Not only did this method create zero mistake holes, but my goodness we loved how it looked.
And if you have a really astute eye for reading this blog (thank you very much) you’ll see that we had to pull two of the seascapes from the kitchen (flanking the range) which I was sad to see go there, but they belong here, together with their friends and family.
I’m so happy with it. You can even see it from the living room and with the sconces on their lowest dimmer it looks so inviting and dreamy. The full reveal coming soon (and I know you think you know what it’s going to look like together, but please come back to see how it’s all styled (and the two walls we haven’t shown you yet).
For those of you wanting to recreate this look, we rounded up some of our favorite online shoppable vintage or printable seascapes in this vibe. I highly recommend copying this room – the whole blue-on-blue thing with these seascapes is quite the cozy vibe.
Vintage Rocky Beach Seascape | 2. Sail 3 | 3. Winter Bluff | 4. Baltic | 5. Seascape Painting | 6. Seafarer | 7. 1960s Maine Seascape Oil Painting | 8. Landscape Framed VI | 9. Deep Blue Waves*Photos by Kaitlin Green
The post How We Hung Our Seascape Gallery Wall… Without One Wrong Nail Hole!! appeared first on Emily Henderson.
How We Created Our Seascape Gallery Wall…Since We Couldn’t Make ANY Mistakes
For the second time in my life, I attempted the “no wrong holes” strategy towards the always intimidating gallery wall. Sure, I’ll typically lay it out on the ground, and then try my best to recreate it on the wall, but there are always some hole mistakes (usually hidden behind a piece of art so I don’t stress about it). I’ve done maybe 80 gallery walls in my life and I feel more confident than most people, but it’s neither an art nor an exact science (it’s a combination). When we had clients, aka people who don’t love random holes in their walls put there by “professionals,” I would try much harder to be accurate, but still – there would be holes. In this room, with beautiful wood paneling… you can’t easily patch and touch it up and I really really didn’t want to look at my own mistakes in this newly gorgeous room. So I put on my “detail-oriented brain” (typically missing) and tried SO HARD to make this right the first time (with help from Emily M. and Gretchen).
left: photo by kaitlin green, from: my latest vintage haul including more pictures of dead strangers and a show-and-tell of our new dining chairs (not vintage) that bring me joy all day every day… | middle: from: my most recent vintage haul for the big kitchen reveal | right: photo by tessa neustadt, from: our classic modern master bathroom revealphoto by kaitlin green | from: my latest vintage haul including more pictures of dead strangers and a show-and-tell of our new dining chairs (not vintage) that bring me joy all day every day…Ok first off, the biggest rule of the gallery wall is to collect things that you love, that work well together and for me, that means a cohesive color palette. I’ve seen this done a million ways – with random colors, mixed mediums, and totally different styles – and I think the thing that all great gallery walls have in common is unique awesome art. And it’s not as easy as that sounds. I don’t mean to be pretentious or intimidating, but where a gallery wall goes bad is when it’s just generic art thrown up to fill the space (in which case just do a diptych or large-scale readymade art – which we wrote about here and here). But if you want a dope, collected gallery wall (which by nature they should look collected), then ideally it should be full of unique, vintage, personalized, and/or straight-up good art. Again, I like a curated color palette because my brain appreciates cohesion, so all of my seascapes (which I’ve been collecting for years) are in the moody blue/green/dark world, nothing too bright or too midcentury this time. They all feel more like antiques than vintage (and yes, some were legit splurgy) most of the frames have some gold in them and are ornate.
STEP 1: Tape Out The Desired Wall Space On The FloorI knew that I wanted to cover the wall, but have the shape be more of a square (not organic this time). So the measurements were driven by centering it above the sectional, and the height was driven by the sconces, obviously, and the top of the sofa – we wanted to stay in that visual blank space.
STEP 2: Missing Photos, I’m Sorry!Ok, so this is a crucial step that my team did while I was shooting something else in another room with Kaitlin and we forgot to get professional photos. But basically, you take paper (I have craft paper at my disposal) and trace each piece of art, then cut it out and LABEL EACH ONE (A, B, C, etc). Then use tape to write the coordinating label on the art. Don’t forget this next step – MARK with a pen on the paper where the nail hole should go so that once up on the wall you just nail, rip, and hang. And again, LABEL THEM. This is still not a perfect science, but it will get you farther faster.
STEP 3: Play With Composition On The FloorThere are a million ways to do this, but I always start with the largest pieces, balancing them out on the wall/floor. So big go first, then the medium and small act as the filler to balance out the big.
P.S. See the pieces of blue tape on the frames? Those are my labels!
For this one, we didn’t keep perfect “rivers” between the pieces, so it’s in between a grid and totally organic. But the shape and size isn’t the only thing you need to keep in mind – it’s the color balance. One piece might feel visually “heavier” because it’s darker even if it’s small, and vice versa. You really just have to stand and stare for a LONG TIME.
We finally got it to where we were 80% happy, knowing that it would still change. Then as you tape the corresponding pieces of paper onto the wall the imbalances become more apparent, and we changed before we nailed (when it was just taped).
STEP 4: Tape Paper On The Walls In The Same ConfigurationNow you can measure exactly where each one was in relation to one another, but I think that’s a waste of time (and would make my brain hurt) so we just went for it, knowing that blue tape comes up easily should you adjust (which you will). Once up, again, you might tweak even more. It’s a combination of trusting and forgiving yourself – just like life!
STEP 5: Nail Into The Marks On The PaperRemember those nail-hole pen marks you made? Time to take a shot, pony up, and hammer in your first hook or nail. We recently started doing two hangers instead of one because it keeps them from being tweaked. So that’s why you see two hangers (and again the marks are specific to where the wire would hang on the nails, not just where the center of the wire is on the back of the frame). It was SO FUN.
STEP 6: HANG THAT ART (And Rip Off The Paper)As it came together we were all riding high on design dopamine – when things REALLY WORK!!!!! HALELLUJAH! Not only did this method create zero mistake holes, but my goodness we loved how it looked.
And if you have a really astute eye for reading this blog (thank you very much) you’ll see that we had to pull two of the seascapes from the kitchen (flanking the range) which I was sad to see go there, but they belong here, together with their friends and family.
I’m so happy with it. You can even see it from the living room and with the sconces on their lowest dimmer it looks so inviting and dreamy. The full reveal coming soon (and I know you think you know what it’s going to look like together, but please come back to see how it’s all styled (and the two walls we haven’t shown you yet).
For those of you wanting to recreate this look, we rounded up some of our favorite online shoppable vintage or printable seascapes in this vibe. I highly recommend copying this room – the whole blue-on-blue thing with these seascapes is quite the cozy vibe.
Vintage Rocky Beach Seascape | 2. Sail 3 | 3. Winter Bluff | 4. Baltic | 5. Seascape Painting | 6. Seafarer | 7. 1960s Maine Seascape Oil Painting | 8. Landscape Framed VI | 9. Deep Blue Waves*Photos by Kaitlin Green
The post How We Created Our Seascape Gallery Wall…Since We Couldn’t Make ANY Mistakes appeared first on Emily Henderson.
November 8, 2023
EHD Go-To, Article Furniture, And Our 15 FAVORITE Pieces We’re Eyeing For Black Friday
Y’all there are so many options out there when it comes to furniture and decor…SO MANY. I know I am easily overwhelmed and most of the time just want someone to be like, “Hey! This is what you should do! This is where you should shop! This is the best *fill in the blank*!” Today I want to be that someone for you. Especially if you’re already in sale cart planning and researching mode like we are. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you know we are real deal fans of Article. Emily has been using them for easily eight years and we’ve never been disappointed. Aside from their great decor pieces, they are one of the most reasonably priced retailers out there right now, ESPECIALLY for the quality you get and the beautiful modern designs they offer. And that’s even before it’s on sale…which 600+ pieces will be because it’s almost Black Friday time, baby (up to 35% off!!). And while this may not be a priority to everyone, they are also the nicest people we work with. Promoting them is easy and completely genuine.
So instead of showing you the countless times we’ve used their products, I wanted to take you through our 15 top wishlist items that we’re hoping will be on sale (don’t worry there’s a lot more to choose from:)) Let’s dive in.
photo by kaitlin green | from: how i convinced my friend to paint her room really dark: A kid/dog-friendly basement makeover with article furniture
Beta Cypress Green Left Chaise Sectional
Speaking of diving in, the way Emily has raved about this comfy sectional makes me desperately want it, too. First, I just need a bigger apartment. I love love that dark green corduroy fabric so much and it comes in other configurations too! But since I have yet to experience it in person here is what Emily has said about it: “So I will hereby swear on my children that this is one of if not the best cozy sectionals I have ever owned and sat on. The cushions are filled with some magic powder/foam that has give but remains in shape with the right amount of bounceback. Granted that we’ve only had ours for less than a year (and Kaitlin less than a month), so I can’t speak to longevity here. But having owned other Article furniture (remember this from the Glendale house?) for years, I have enough experience in the quality they bring to their offerings that I can extend that confidence to this sectional, too. Oh and the comfort is at 100%.”
So ya, if you need a sectional, this one should probably be at the top of your list.
When I first saw this ottoman when it came out I remember thinking “OK ARTICLE!”. They are known for their clean, midcentury lines but have been branching out a little while still maintaining that beautiful clean look. This ottoman could easily go in a living room, in a bedroom at the foot of the bed, or even in an office! (she says while using her ottoman as an underdesk footrest). Just on trend enough without looking too trendy. 10/10.
Woven cane is such a fun yet classic look. And did y’all see Mallory’s studio apartment reveal!? She has a similar-ish media unit and loves that she can access her electronics via a remote with the doors still closed because of the holes in the canning. What a design dream! Plus this is just a seriously beautiful piece that works with a ton of different styles.
Classic, simple, and a GREAT scale. This puppy is almost 5 feet tall! The style is so versatile and the perfect reading chair lamp. And with those slender lines, it would wonderfully contrast with an awesome chunky accent chair. Speaking of…
Midcentury and SO cozy looking! It has a Papa Bear meets Don Draper chair feel but for a MUCH more affordable price. Big fan.
We’ve used versions of this type of bookcase before but never one with this much open and closed storage! It’s so timeless, sophisticated, and my love for walnut only grows bigger with each passing day. It can go with lots of styles but if you are yearning for a “Mad Men” vibe…look no further.
Baarlo Oak Dining (Table for 6) | Baarlo Oak Bench
More cool new shapes! Emily used the coffee table version of this for Kaitlin’s basement and it was so pretty. So I can only imagine how gorgeous it would be in this dining table/bench combo. While I don’t have a dining room, this would be a TOP contender. Don’t even get me started on the desk version – the hidden storage? I just love some furniture chunk:)
Aster Natural Ash 2-Drawer Nightstand
I think this is such a stunning nightstand! I love the “simple but specialness” of it. Plus look at all of that storage! It looks super high-end to me:)
Almelo Sumac Red Queen Headboard
I mean what a headboard! That also comes with nightstands! Well, more like very cute shelves but wonderfully functional nonetheless. It’s not super easy to find such a large and special headboard on the market so this is SUCH a find if it’s the style you are looking for. Another 10/10.
I’ve loved this floor mirror from the first time I saw it. The details (brass caps, leather straps, etc) are so wonderful. It definitely looks like it should be so much more expensive than it is. And even not on sale it’s a great deal…so snag it while the deals are hot.
Vireo Walnut 2-Drawer Nightstand
Another perfect nightstand. Honestly, no notes. Again, I love love the walnut. I love that cute yet brutalist drawer pull. And I, of course, love the amount of storage.
design and photos by sara ligorria-tramp | styled by emily bowser | from: sara’s cozy primary bedroom reveal (+ plus a very sweet added bonus)
Lenia Walnut Underbed Storage Drawer Set
Beautiful rolling underbed drawers, that actually function well, aren’t easy to find. Currently, my mattress is on the floor (I know, SHAME) but if it weren’t, I would LOVE to have these. Did you see them in Sara’s primary bedroom that we revealed Monday? They look perfect!! Function and form:)
design and styled by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: emily bowser’s back unit yard reveal, 2022 musings, new year resolutions, and other meanderings…
Lubek Slate Gray Low Corner Sectional
If Bowser’s backyard reveal didn’t convince you that this is the chicest outdoor sectional out there I don’t know what will. The tones are sophisticated, the lines are clean and slick, and it just looks like the most perfect place to lounge outside with friends. Might not be a terrible time to think forward to those fun outdoor hangs in the warmer months and grab the savings now. Juuust an idea if you’re in the market.
design and photos by sara ligorria-tramp | styled by emily bowser | from: this yard makeover only took 3 weeks, some elbow grease, and a new (very good) seating area
Bowser has raved about them, Sara has raved about them, and now I’m about to. Like Bowser, I too went to one of Article’s Rooftop Cinema Club movie nights. This meant we ALL got to sit in outdoor Article chairs and I couldn’t believe how comfortable and roomy it was. This is a 10000/10 purchase if you need some, or even just one, outdoor chair. I can’t recommend it enough!
Well, those are 15 of our picks but like I said in the intro, a little Article bird told us there will be over 600 items on sale up to 35% off from November 13 – 27, 2023. I know we get most of their products gifted but we truly wouldn’t keep promoting them year after year if we didn’t truly think they made beautiful, quality things (and at great prices). Happy crazy sale month! We highly recommend checking out our picks, planning your cart, and to go check out these savings come the 13th!
Love you, mean it.
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: How I Convinced My Friend To Paint Her Room Really Dark: A Kid/Dog-Friendly Basement Makeover With Article Furniture
The post EHD Go-To, Article Furniture, And Our 15 FAVORITE Pieces We’re Eyeing For Black Friday appeared first on Emily Henderson.
November 7, 2023
Our Farmhouse Family Room Recap – How I Temporarily Let “Renovation Exhaustion” Win
This room, our family/TV room was a struggle until it wasn’t. The original vision was lost in my renovation haze (memoir title?) and then once I had some mental space I found it again. Phew. Once we fixed the problem (the paint color) it was like OK THERE WE GO. So let’s recap where we are and talk through what happened.
I love where it is in the house – close enough to the kitchen so that IF we were to eat in front of the TV we aren’t lugging plates far, but with a pocket door so that if the kids are watching something annoying and I want to listen to something or watch The Golden Bachelor on my laptop while cooking, I can shut them out. It’s an internal room (for the most part) so there’s natural light coming from the French doors and the hallway’s door, but no real windows.
Here’s what it looked like before:
At one point it was a community room, an adult foster care wing (I believe, no real confirmation but that’s what we were told). So this whole wing, from the 1960s, was once a big room (with a bathroom) and then broken up into smaller rooms once a family moved in during the ’90s (this is when they were moving out, not how they lived in it).
ARCIFORM drew it up, reimagined it and we came up with this cozy room – serving more as a TV room, than a playroom.
We designed the TV wall with a stove fireplace from Vermont Castings, and a huge TV next to it. There is a clear purpose for this room and it’s to snuggle and watch TV (and we do).
On Choosing The Paint Color…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I HATE choosing colors when you are still in the construction phase. In my perfect world, you have the house all drywalled and primed then you put up samples, stare at them for hours at different times of the day, and choose room by room. Maybe you bring in furniture or rugs that you know you are going to use. But in my experience that has NOT been possible because there are so many moving parts and unless you want to hold up the whole project, you kinda need the painters to get started in certain rooms that are sitting ready. But what happens is that the dry-wallers protect all the tile and window frames from dust and you are expected to choose the color without seeing those or the real amount of natural light. Anyway, this is just me complaining about something I can’t change, but that’s all to say choosing colors without context and when you are overwhelmed is dumb and sucks, It can actually lead to more regrets than just priming everything, living in it and, painting room by room (but yes, the taping off and prep-work is what is so laborious, so once it’s taped off and primed you feel pressure to just choose a color). I honestly think that AI could help us here (yes, Sketchup is obviously an option, but can’t account well for the light IMHO). Come on robots!
ARCIFORM paneled this room with the large-scale beadboard that was a custom run. At one point we were going to stop it at the lower ceiling line, but I think during the installation of it we decided to take it to the ceiling. Oh, and that’s another thing, we popped through the original ceiling to have more height. I love this but there are times when I wonder if this was necessary. Is a tall ceiling important in a room that is meant to feel cozy? I think at the time we were trying to recreate the sense of expansiveness that we had at the mountain house so we wanted to raise the ceilings anywhere we could. But there are a lot of financial and construction implications to doing this (mostly structural and HVAC). I’m certainly glad that we did, but I’m so excited when AI makes it easy to re-imagine a room instantly in a few different ways and do a VR walk-through. Now THAT’S a way that AI can positively affect my life.
Originally I wanted this room to be dark – a dark green, in fact. This was where we started regretting not putting in stain-grade wood because my goodness it was soooo pretty (this is poplar which is more affordable but doesn’t stain well – some parts are very green so we’d have to go very dark stain to make it look even).
So we chose the green and put it to bed (temporarily).
It felt kinda like a sad day when they primed, but we always knew it would happen. Now that it’s dark again I can’t IMAGINE it a lighter color. But I chickened out and chose a light color at the last minute thinking that having a dark color in this space would break up the house too much since it’s also a pass-through room.
The color I chose, Ponder, could totally be beautiful in a light room but (and I KNOW THIS) a room without nice natural light should never be a light color. What happens (or doesn’t happen) is that the light doesn’t pick up the pigment in the paint, rendering it kinda dead. How would a seasoned designer make this rookie mistake? Renovation exhaustion, that’s how. Not having lived in a house and not fully understanding how it flows and how the light works. You make a decision, it’s a bad one, then you have to fix it and move on. And y’all I felt CONFIDENT about Ponder when I pitched it to Brian. CONFIDENT. HA. It would be funny if it hadn’t cost us $2k to fix (painting wood is more expensive than drywall).
AHHHHHH. Stillwater by Sherwin-Williams. But y’all choosing this color was HARD. Getting it perfect was still unknown until the painter pulled off the plastic. It’s a real lesson that you have to choose the color in the light that you wish to experience in the room. AKA it’s so easy to bring the swatch into a brighter room to “see” the color, but it’s SO DIFFERENT. This color looks like a really bright teal in other rooms, but in here it’s the perfect amount of color, saturation, and moodiness. Any darker would likely read almost black when the lights are low, but any brighter would be too bright for the vibe of the room. I’m SO PLEASED to say that while it took an expensive mistake, this color has NAILED IT.
Choosing A Rug
So the goal of this room, the original vision, was always a dark tonal TV den. Now we were back on track. So for the rug, you could go different ways (and shooting the lighter rug for the Rugs USA collab certainly made a case for it) but I wanted to stick to the original vision and put in a darker rug, in the blue/green tones that we loved. But of course, I had to “audition” all the different rugs that I was considering and boy did we find the perfect one (spoiler – it’s from Enkay and it’s GORGEOUS and textural and has so many different thread tones).
What’s Next!!
Art, lamps, window treatments… Come back tomorrow to see how we executed the seascape gallery wall without ONE WRONG NAIL HOLE. First time in Bachelor history, folks. You gotta to see it to believe it. 🙂
*Pretty Photos by Kaitlin Green
The post Our Farmhouse Family Room Recap – How I Temporarily Let “Renovation Exhaustion” Win appeared first on Emily Henderson.
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