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The Colored Plumbing Trend Is Here To Stay – Would You Try It In Your Home? (+ 4 Tips For Pulling It Off Like A Designer)

Alright, color lovers. This one’s for you. Buckle up, because today, we’re going WAY back in time – all the way to the 1920s – and together, we’ll trace the trajectory of the colored plumbing trend over the past hundred years. You know – how it started, why it fell out of favor, and how it’s making its way back into our homes today (but like, relatively quickly and at a high level, seeing as this is supposed to be a “fun blog” and not “Caitlin’s unsolicited Thursday morning dissertation on the history of colored plumbing.”) But wait – WHY THE HECK ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS? Let me set the scene for you…

It’s February 2023. The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (or KBIS, more colloquially) has just kicked off in Las Vegas. And for the first time in recent memory, it’s COLORFUL. Instead of stark-white porcelain and stainless steel, KBIS is littered with a vibrant selection of jewel-toned ovens, cheery concrete sinks, bold faucets and fixtures, and then..this Kohler display. To a rational person, this may just look like a rainbow array of toilets. (Mainly because it is, in fact, just a rainbow array of toilets.)

But y’all, this booth honoring six of Kohler’s historic colored plumbing finishes flooded my brain with so much serotonin that it made me question my neural pathways. (Like, toilets? Seriously? Why can’t I get a boost from things like “going outside” or “chatting with a friend?” Why am I destined to love things like “plumbing fixtures?” Is anyone else in this boat with me?) ANYWAY – we’ve seen a resurgence in the popularity of colored appliances in the kitchen (remember Sara’s blue oven?), but there haven’t been a ton of new, mass-market options for the bathroom…until now. AGAIN, FINALLY. I haven’t been this excited about a trend in a long time – doubly so because of the historical roots.

From The (Very) Beginning

ZAP. It’s the 1920s and – as luck would have it – we’ve reached the “learning” part of this post. (You know how you have to sneak vegetables into your kids’ meals to make sure they’re getting all their nutrients? That’s me, shoving a little bit of history into every one of my dispatches here. IT’LL STILL BE GOOD, I PROMISE. Just try it! You’ll like it!)

In the early part of the 1900s, white plumbing fixtures dominated the bath market. (Sound familiar?) Here’s where Kohler ties back in: after over 50 years in the business (they were founded in 1873 – who knew?!), they wanted to elevate their plumbing fixtures from “functional necessity” to “key design element.” Their solution? Introduce a full bath suite in soft pastel shades, which allowed customers to design and customize their whole bathroom for the first time ever. (To be fair, colored fixtures did exist previously, but they had to be purchased separately and the color-match between pieces wasn’t great. Modern comparison: if you’ve ever bought wallpaper or a bridesmaid dress online, you might be familiar with the variance that can occur between dye lots – Kohler had to figure out how to standardize the process to guarantee a uniform color every time, which was an enormous achievement!)

As time went on, Kohler introduced some of the (in?)famous colors that we now associate with the 1960s and 1970s, like the iconic avocado shade from 1967. (Also introduced: the “bold look of Kohler” tagline, which is still used today. Who would have guessed that it was originally referring to day-glo neon toilets? A bold look, indeed!) This is an awesome timeline of fixture colors through the ages, if you’re also a big ol’ dork who likes thinking about which color tub they would have purchased in the 1930s. (I’m a Cerulean Blue girl, I think.)

Colored fixtures continued to dominate the plumbing market throughout the 80s – more than 50% of Kohler’s output was nonwhite product! – but over the last 40 years, the siren song of the stark white toilet lured homeowners and renovators back into the safe, sterile embrace of an all-neutral bath. It had a lot to do with economics – colored fixtures didn’t feel like a safe choice for those who may need to sell their home in a recession (again – sound familiar?), and the rainbow hued baths slowly began to feel more and more dated. Until…

A Trend Emerges

…the mid-2010s, when the punchy, graphic, vivid bathroom fixture started making a triumphant return. (In a small way, of course.) While color in the bathroom never totally went out of style (highly recommend checking out @vintagebathroomlove on IG for all your historic bath inspo!), we finally started seeing color being offered in new modern, streamlined silhouettes.

These bright faucets, knobs, and shower heads were a low-stakes way to bring color into the bath, and their mainstream introduction seemed to whet the appetite for bigger, bolder statement pieces of plumbing.

A Bigger, More Vintage-Inspired Footprint

We began to see more and more of our favorite designers sourcing entire vintage bath fixtures for their projects. This wasn’t just a knob or a faucet – this was the whole freakin’ shebang. Alternatively, those with deeper pockets were able to order vintage-inspired pieces – and for them, I am grateful, for they have paved the way to a mass market reintroduction of colored fixtures. Case in point:

The Next Wave

Andddddd we’re back to 2023. To celebrate their 150th birthday (!!!), Kohler has resurrected a few of their historic colors – that’s Spring Green (from 1927) on the top left, followed by Pink Champagne (1973), and Lavender (also 1927!). On the bottom, we have Peachblow (1934), Avocado (1967), and Sunrise (1953).

The best part? You can now purchase seven different plumbing fixtures – ranging from kitchen sinks to toilets – in Spring Green and Peachblow. (You can see everything here, if you’re interested – the utility sink in Spring Green is my absolute favorite. I think I prefer the vintage-inspired shapes, but how exciting to see some modern silhouettes in there! Word on the street is that there’s more to come with these heritage colors, too.)

design by jonathan adler | via kohler

Here’s a powder bath designed by Em’s former boss (!), Jonathan Adler. IT AIN’T YOUR GRANDMA’S BATH, THAT’S FOR SURE. It’s a really high-impact, manageable choice that totally transforms the look and feel of the room, don’t you think? A few cans of paint and some different art would take this space in a totally different direction – these colored fixtures are a design-forward, versatile way to bring a lot of interest into a space without spending a small fortune on permanent tile or a new vanity.

design by justina blakeney | via kohler

Same goes for this sweet and modern space designed by Justina Blakeney, a dear friend of EHD! I love the contrast of the graphic, modern floor tile with the antique-inspired sinks and tubs. The deco tile motif on the walls really bridges the gap to bring both styles together! Honestly, white sinks and tubs would have been just as beautiful in this space…but there’s something special about the Peachblow that says “I live here.” We spend so much time personalizing our living rooms and bedrooms – it’s so exciting that we’ll have an affordable, high-quality way to personalize our practical spaces now, too.

Make It Work: Stick to A Color Palette

SO. You’ve seen the inspo and you’re considering a switch to colored fixtures in your next remodel. Let’s just review a a few pro tips that’ll keep the space feeling like a time capsule (unless that’s what you’re going for, in which case I admire your commitment to preservation and I’d love to see pictures when you’re finished!).

First up: pick a color palette…and stick to it. Your plumbing is going to draw a lot of attention, so make sure to tie it in with the space via tile, wallpaper, paint, or decor (even your towels and shower curtains will make a difference here!). A restrained palette will make your space feel pulled together and intentional (even if said palette has a lot of color in it, like the bath on the left). More than anything, be sure to pick something you love – it’s about time we start designing our homes for us and not just for resale, you know?

Mix In Some Modern

LOVE THESE. Both baths feel vintage AND fresh, right? On the left, modern art and shelving balance out a classic cast iron tub. (That toothpaste-y mint and red is a really on-trend choice, too. Did you also see the geometric shapes on the tile towards the bottom right? It’s the little things!) On the right, plywood walls, modern pulls, and dynamic lighting placement take this mauve toilet from “ancient relic” to “I paid a designer big bucks to plan this bathroom for me.” Remember to mix eras and styles here – we’re not recreating a bathroom from the past with these fixtures; instead, we’re curating our favorite things in a bathroom fit for the future. 🙂

For Longevity, Pick a Muted Color

An alien has clearly possessed my body, because I can’t believe I’m about to say this: when it comes to choosing a color for your plumbing fixtures, keep it desaturated. Pastels are great, and so are the muted tones above. The tub on the right is one of my favorite examples – it’s deep crimson that’s rich, matte, and a little muted. (Far preferable to a glossy, fire-engine red tub, no?)

When in doubt, consider the earthier version of your favorite color – a sage over a lime; a Peachblow over a hot pink; a Spring Green over an aquamarine. These shades will be WAY easier to decorate around long-term, which is key for a big fixture!

Fake The Look

Love the look of a colored bath fixture, but not interested in a full-blown bath remodel? Consider cladding the exterior of your existing tub (and for extra points, paint your vanity to match). Be sure to choose water-resistant or waterproof materials here – there are tons of great DIY instructions and transformations on Youtube.

Where Can I Get Colored Plumbing Fixtures?

WOAH. That’s a lot of information to digest, huh? But the tides are changing, and I’m so excited to welcome in the next era of cheerful, personalized bathrooms that feel like the folks who designed them. If you’re excited about hopping on the colorful plumbing train, here are a few vetted suppliers that I love (no matter your style, budget, or continent there’s a resource for you here!):

Kohler Water Monopoly Kast Vola Thomas Crapper Villeroy & Boch Drummonds Nood Cielo Ruvati Konkretus Marmite Grohe Rubinet

And now, I gotta ask: what say you? Could you ever see yourself going for a green bath suite, or are neutrals more your thing? Are you worried about resale, or would you embrace these colored fixtures with open arms? Do you think we’re headed into a new 60-year cycle of nonwhite baths? LET’S TALK ABOUT IT. (Seriously, please, none of my friends care about which color toilet was released in 1927 – I need to be amongst people who ~get it~.) See you down there… xx

Opening Image Credits: via Kohler

The post The Colored Plumbing Trend Is Here To Stay – Would You Try It In Your Home? (+ 4 Tips For Pulling It Off Like A Designer) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

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Published on September 14, 2023 01:00

Our Sustainably Grown White Oak Wood Floors, One Year Later (Why We Love Them And What Makes Them Special)

I love our wood floors so much and today I’m going to tell you why and brag a bit about them. Wood flooring might be the most important “permanent finish” in your home. It’s clearly a very high-impact design element (you see it everywhere, all the time, from every angle, in so many rooms) and it also gets a ton of wear and tear so longevity and durability are crucial. “Fashion” and “function” should be really scrutinized here. I’ve always chosen fashion over practicality and am so excited to report that this white oak flooring checks both boxes equally (and more).

As you might know, we reached out to Zena Forest Products a couple of years ago when we first bought the property, thanks to a few reader suggestions. I really, really wanted Oregon-grown and sustainably-milled wood for our home. I can get really woo-woo about this stuff, but to me, it’s like buying lettuce from your farmers’ market (or better yet growing it yourself) versus packaged lettuce from the supermarket. Both work! But not only do you feel better about your purchase (which is a privileged one), but you get a better-tasting product, that lived a happier life and took less energy to get to you. It’s not always possible, of course, and maybe it’s not possible for a lot of things in your home, based on your budget. But I like to think that real wood brings so much soul, and soul makes a home feel just so happy. Zena Forest Products makes sure that the trees have a happy life and they only mill them when they are ready. And yet they are relatively affordable, family-owned, and – importantly – so beautiful. So today, now that it’s been installed for over a year, I’ll walk you through our flooring so you can see why we chose it and how it’s holding up to wear-and-tear from our family. If you are in the market for flooring please read the blog post about Zena Forest Products (outside Salem) where I show you the whole process of how our flooring was milled, soup to nuts 🙂

Family-Run, Locally Produced, Sustainably Milled

living room reveal | pantry reveal | kitchen reveal

I wrote a whole post about it, but I couldn’t leave this point out of this post because it matters. YAY to people/companies like this who despite increasingly challenging profit margins continue to care and do it in such a beautiful way. Ben Deumling (who owns and runs the mill) was raised on the Zena Forest property and knows every inch from working it as a child. He and his wife are now raising their two kids there and after spending the day with him and his crew, seeing how they are real stewards of the land and care so much, watching the whole milling process I can’t tell you how happy we were to be partnering with them on this. Listen, I like a lot of wood flooring out there and I’m not saying this is perfect for every project or budget, but boy I am so pleased with this flooring in every single way.

We Love The Natural Grain Variation, Knots, And Character

entry reveal

Our flooring is so darn pretty. It’s Oregon white oak (which is native to our area and has been here for hundreds of years, if not more). At Zena Forest Products, an actual 1300 acre forest outside of Salem, these trees grow to maturity before being milled, and when they are finally cut more are planted immediately. They live with many other flora and fauna – not like a Christmas tree farm that you might think of. White oak is a hardwood (cliff notes: hardwoods are from deciduous trees, softwoods are evergreen like pine and Doug fir). I love both, but pine or Doug fir can stain really yellow and dent easily (which is why they are usually used as building materials). In our white oak flooring, as you can see, there is so much variety in the knots and grain. We didn’t want the “clear” version (which is actually more expensive but available as an option) that eliminates knots and looks more uniform. Knots are actually where branches formed out of the trunk – and we were adamant to include them.

Various Widths And Lengths = Non-Uniform Yet Cohesive Look

living room reveal

We have various lengths and widths, allowing for it to again, not look uniform in the best way. While the wide plank is the current trend/preference, it either has to come from extremely old growth (thus very expensive) or is mass manufactured (which can be great, but not what we were looking for). So you’ll see anywhere between 4″ – 6″ widths and 2′ – 8′ lengths. I personally think this adds more character and you can barely notice – nothing jumps out, but it reads as natural.

Real Wood On Engineered Backing

from: introducing the most beautiful wood flooring in the world, by an oregon run, family-owned, sustainably sourced mill – (zena forest products) for the farmhouse

We have always preferred and installed real wood without it being applied to engineered backing and every time we’ve loved the look of it and yet had issues with it. We’ve had either extreme cracks (that collected crumbs and snagged toes), acclimation issues, or buckling if water sat for too long (which happened in all three houses). I LOVE our mountain house reclaimed wood flooring so much, but we have to wear slippers to not get splinters (Ross Alan fixed this after our install and now adheres it on engineered backing – we also did not have an experienced installer who neglected to put the filler layer, which we now know is crucial to smoothing out natural cracks, holes and gaps. It also keeps them from getting worse).

That’s all to say we really, really didn’t want to run into this problem again, and yet we wanted real wood that could be refinished multiple times over the next 100 years. When I reached out to Zena I was fearful that they would say they were solid hardwood, and that was a deal breaker for us (mostly Brian – that guy got more splinters than the rest of us combined). So when they said they had them sustainably adhered to engineered wood – wood that doesn’t move, swell, change size, etc – we were ecstatic. Fifteen years ago engineered wood flooring was a thin layer of veneer on faux backing and didn’t look as good. However, now it’s executed so beautifully and gives a better more long-lasting product with a thick layer of real wood on top – up to four refinishes which is a LOT. To be fair if you have old-growth real wood flooring – wide plank and from really mature trees, you are so lucky. But most wood from newer milled trees doesn’t have the same level of strength and density that the more mature trees have so engineering them truly elongates their life. I loved the white oak in our LA house, but every spring it would buckle in places with moisture (it was herringbone so maybe that had something to do with it). We just didn’t want to have to worry this time and my goodness it’s a solid, smooth floor. We LOVE IT.

Stain In Place, Not Pre-Finished

There are two types of wood flooring you can install and both can be good for different reasons – “pre-finished” or “sand & stain in place.” Pre-finished can be more budget-friendly and is a great option for sure. But our Zena flooring is “sand & stain in place,” which means your installer lays it (it’s tongue and groove and installs very easily) and then sands, fills, and stains or seals it. The install can be more expensive because of the process (which only takes 2-3 more days depending on your square footage), but the benefit is that you get a totally smooth surface without a micro bevel in between the wood planks. It just looks so beautiful, seamless, and high quality. You can also obviously control the color, too, as you choose the stain or sealant. We wanted white oak with a clear matte sealant to enhance the grain but nothing more and got just that. Of course, we could have gone darker but we LOVE this warm color.

I feel like right now what is “in” is a cooler version of this which I also love (and my brother chose it for their house), but this warmth is just so stunning, happy and I think unique. It looks so real and we get compliments on it every day when people come into our home. Also, it mops up so easily (which is my job on Sundays after Brian vacuums) and sparkles pretty darn easily (we use Bona wood cleaner, that’s it). I can’t speak to the longevity of the stain as I’m sure it will fade in places where the sun hits it more, but it’s just gorgeous and easy to maintain because it’s real, smooth wood.

The warmth of the natural color with the clear matte sealant works so well with all our blues and whites in the house. You can certainly tweak the tone (easily) but we didn’t want to.

Lastly, Affordability

We needed 2000 square feet of flooring including overage (just the first floor and not the tiled rooms) and it would be 10$/square foot – so it would have cost $20k (not including install which was basically another $10/square foot). This is, of course, more expensive than a lot of basic flooring, but it’s actually far less than some of the other wood flooring we were eyeing that I had gotten samples of. The price is actually so competitive with really good quality, sustainably sourced wood, and yet it’s sourced in Oregon/America, and it’s a small family company.

dining nook reveal

Custom Wood Vents

kitchen reveal | closet reveal

They also make custom wood vents that can be installed when the flooring is installed and stained along with them. You can order any size and they just integrate so perfectly into your flooring.

from: introducing the most beautiful wood flooring in the world, by an oregon run, family-owned, sustainably sourced mill – (zena forest products) for the farmhouse

from: introducing the most beautiful wood flooring in the world, by an oregon run, family-owned, sustainably sourced mill – (zena forest products) for the farmhouseWe Love Our Wood Flooring So So Much

I can’t tell you how happy we are. We all know what cheap flooring feels like, which has its place and is often a budget necessity (we floated laminate “wood” in our old basement – it was the right choice for the space) but for this home we wanted it to feel solid, grounded, smooth, and yet it’s still SO durable. It’s only been a year, but so far it’s beautiful and flawless. It’s so tightly installed that it feels unbreakable and impossible to dent. No pup nail scratches, either – we just don’t worry about it at all.

kitchen reveal

A huge thanks to Zena Forest Products for partnering on our flooring. Ben and his family are just so wonderful. Like I said at the start, the owner, Ben, was raised on the property and has worked the land since he was a child and is now raising his kids there. Maybe I’m getting sentimental in my old age (or just wanting purpose and meaning in everything) but that really matters to us. It’s a great high-quality product, so thoughtfully made, by great people that makes our home look so beautiful everywhere you turn. We feel very lucky. If you are in the market for wood flooring know that I wholeheartedly endorse this family, this forest, and our beautiful white oak flooring. xx

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

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Published on September 13, 2023 01:00

More Kitchen Palettes! 6 Color Schemes to Make Your Cherry Kitchen SO Much Better (I Promise!)

Attention, attention! The EHD universe cannot get enough color palettes to use for dated and tired kitchen cabinets! I’m back yet again (and fair warning, this won’t be the last post in this series) with moodboards full of products in very specific color pairings for cherry cabinets. This whole thing first started when I walked you through my cherry rental kitchen refresh plan, where some of you asked me to tackle honey oak next. That post blew UP, so we decided to go back to my original design pain point and dream up some more options for anyone with a similar cabinet hardship.

Just as in the previous post, all the inspiration photos require a bit of imagination. As you can probably imagine, there is not a wealth of beautiful cherry cabinet kitchens out on the internet to build this post around. I dug up spaces with darker, warm-toned wood that could easily still work within the space if it leaned redder. In some cases, I piecemealed a color scheme based on a few images since I prefer a more robust marriage of hues.

For the moodboards, as a reminder, what you see isn’t necessarily me saying “GET THESE PRODUCTS” but rather a visual jumping-off point for you to pull your own inspiration. There’s a barstool on every board, but that just represents the color of a piece of furniture you might have in your space. Maybe the exact tile doesn’t make sense in your kitchen, but you can use it as a muse for say, what color to paint beadboard you add instead. You’re all creatively-minded people, right? You’ve got this!

Before looking over some quick rules, I also want to say that floors and countertops (of course) play an enormous role in how any of these would render out. If you’re looking to refresh your kitchen but keep your cabinetry intact for now, perhaps you have the budget to update an old Formica or tile surface with white or gray quartz. If not, there are so many DIY fixes you can try (like painting old granite or covering your counters with contact paper). The same applies to floors.

7 Things To Consider When Revamping That Heavy Cherry KitchenBalance the cherry with a tone of red somewhere else in the space. Think on a dining chair seat fabric, window covering or rug, a piece of furniture, or plates on a shelf. Simplify the palette (keep the table and chairs the same color if you have an eat-in kitchen, or pick the same color barstools for an island as any shelving you may add if you take down uppers, for instance).Lighten the load of the cherry with another wood tone. If your space is small, opt for a cooler-toned neutral wood like a white oak. If you get good natural light and your kitchen isn’t closing in on you, you can push the boundaries with a rich wood such as walnut.Pick a hardware finish that’s anything but brushed nickel to keep it from going too “landlord” in vibe. Think polished nickel, chrome, unlacquered brass, polished brass, and even oil-rubbed bronze. Change the focal point. An interesting backsplash like a hand-glazed tile, a statement floor, fun pattern via your textiles, etc. Speaking of floors: If you can and have the option/budget, the right floors against cherry cabinetry would make ALL the difference. Avoid gray-washed or yellow-toned woods, or any tile or vinyl that feels dated.Match your appliances as best you can so your eye has to make sense of fewer variances.

Alright, let’s get into some color chat, shall we?

Color Palette to Try: Greige, Taupe, Cream & Chrome

The Inspiration:

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A post shared by Blanc Marine Intérieurs (@blancmarineliving)

There’s A LOT of color in this post, so I wanted to start with the easiest to swallow if you’re color-averse. Because cherry cabinets range in just how red they are, this one works regardless of whether your wood leans more subtly brownish-red (what I call “Mystic Pizza Julia Roberts”) or cherry Coke red-red (“Pretty Woman Julia Roberts”). While the inspiration photo above of a bathroom by Blanc Marine Intérieurs ⁠is a far cry from any cherry kitchen you’ve ever seen, I felt it was still a good representation of how charming and welcoming sticking with warm, natural neutrals could feel.

The Moodboard:

The key here is a mix of beige, greige, cream (not white) and taupe. I picked a creamy, interesting backsplash tile whose tone is mirrored in the Roman shade and lighting fixture. A greige on the walls and in the seating feels a bit updated and modern (same with the polished nickel hardware), while the darker but still neutral rug and walnut shelving grounds the lighter picks so it’s not too much contrast with the cherry.

1. Celine 4″ Hexagon Glossy Porcelain Floor & Wall Tile in White | 2. Cornforth White by Farrow & Ball | 3. Walnut Floating Shelf | 4. Signature Hardware Strasbourg 1-3/4 Inch Diameter Bar Cabinet Knob in Polished Nickel | 5. Signature Hardware Strasbourg 3-3/4 Inch Center to Center Bar Cabinet Pull in Polished Nickel | 6. Totora Oak Pendant Light | 7. Copley Upholstered Barstool – Project 62 | 8. Naira Handwoven Jute Runner | 9. Rustic Americana Roman Shades

Color Palette To Try: Sage, Burgundy, Natural Wood & Brass

The Inspiration:

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A post shared by Jenna Chused (@chusedandco)

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Anna Eleri (@annaelerihome)

photo by rett peek | design by meet west

For anyone following my own kitchen, you may recognize this palette (sort of…mine has the addition of blue). Red and green are complementary colors, so per the laws of the color universe, this just works. For me, though, it’s important to adjust the shade and pigmentation of both shades.

For anyone considering adding a Carrera-type stone, the bathroom above by Gachot Studios (shared through Jenna Chused’s profile) may be just the thing to get you to go through with it because WOW is it beautiful and makes me almost want a cherry-toned vanity like that. Anna Eleri posted a kitchen by one of my all-time favorites Ashe Leandro and while I’d be lying if I didn’t say that (superimposed??) duck didn’t play a part in drawing me to the image, I do think the space shows how lovely and timeless a cherry cabinet situation could feel if paired with the right elements.

And of course, this kitchen by Meet West Studio that I shared in my original kitchen post. What a triumph of marrying warm wood cabinets, a terra-cotta floor, a mahogany vintage island, and a gorgeous sage moment from the countertops up.

The Moodboard:

A chalky yet cream sage tile and paint is the perfect companion here, and a rich, deep burgundy in just a small moment like a curtain fabric is the balance you need to make the red cabinetry feel intentional. Blonde wood and soft matte brass work hard to modernize the cherry.

1. Vernici 2″x10″ Italian Subway Wall Tile | 2. SW 6177 Softened Green by Sherwin-Williams | 3. 5″ Sidra Brass Cabinet Pull – Thin Profile | 4. Pleso Solid Brass Round Cabinet Knob | 5. Hattchet 3 Piece Tiered Shelf | 6. Agnes 2.25″ Pendant – Natural Brass | 7. Rus Light Oak Counter Stool | 8. Athena Reversible Persian Rug | 9. Cotton Blend Striped Room Darkening Thermal Grommet Curtain Panels (Set of 2)

Color Palette To Try: Olive, Ochre, Blonde Wood, Cream & Brass

The Inspiration:

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Clever (@getclever)

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Nicola Harding & Co (@nicolahardingandco)

Here’s a situation in which I had to mentally stretch just a bit to create a color palette but I kind of love where it landed, tbh. Another take on red and green, but this time, we go with a green that has more yellow undertones (olive) combined with an orangey-goldish ochre. That first photo from Clever (a design by GRT Architects) really sold me on the buttery walls, the burgundy tiled island, and the ochre and white checkerboard floors (and you might miss it but there’s an olive bowl in the shelving that rounded out the combo for me). In the honey oak palettes post, I leaned on crisp white to lighten the load of the wood, but here, I actually don’t love a bright white with the cherry. I much prefer a non-yellow cream as a neutral like they used here.

I pulled this second shot of the seating corner by Nicola Harding & Co to show how the colors can work together to give modern or traditional/cottage-y vibes. It’s all in the textile and hardware choices.

The Moodboard:

As I mentioned, the previous board used a green with blue undertones, but here, we go yellow for a very different aesthetic. It’s super important to make sure whatever cream colors you bring in here do not turn yellow in the light of your space or else everything will look overly tea-stained and old. I picked a floral print curtain for some playfulness but I’d also love a simple, solid natural linen shade or cafe curtain if this isn’t your look. Again, we stick with balancing the cherry with more of a white oak in other wood furniture or finishes.

1. Reine 3″ x 12″ Ceramic Tile in Castle Moss Green | 2. Like Buttah by Clare | 3. Wall Shelf – Natural Oak Oiled | 4. Williamsburg Collection 3 in. (76 mm) Polished Brass Cabinet Door and Drawer Cup Pull (10-Pack) | 5. Williamsburg 1-1/4 in. Diameter Polished Brass Cabinet Knob (10-Pack) | 6. Danish Minimalist Cone Iron Acrylic 1-Light Pendant Light | 7. Latte Sarno Counter Stool in Eggshell | 8. Plaid Wool Rug – Tawny | 9. Amber Lewis for Anthropologie Rowena Curtain

Color Palette To Try: Dusty Blue, Walnut & Cream

The Inspiration:

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Anna Eleri (@annaelerihome)

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Heidi Caillier (@heidicaillierdesign)

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Anna Eleri (@annaelerihome)

On to blues, but specifically dusty, moodier blues with gray undertones. I first saw this color combo on Caroline Winkler’s Lazy Girl $500 kitchen makeover over on YouTube and loved it but knew it was a bit darker than I wanted in my own space. And because I couldn’t find a photo of it on Instagram, I dug around for some more inspo to show you how it could look here. Designer Anna Eleri went for a lighter French blue on the walls of a dining nook with a cherry-toned table and chairs and it feels happy, friendly, but storied. Heidi Caillier’s kitchen uses a slightly greener-toned slate but I included it to show you how powerful it could be if you really jump into the deep end here. And the sweet bathroom, also by Anna Eleri, reminded me how much I like some gray moments with cherry cabinets (like a gray and white marbled checkerboard floor, perhaps, or even a gray stone countertop!).

The Moodboard:

I’m really feeling this board, but I know in my own home, it just isn’t what I’m going for (though that bird fabric just might turn me…). Don’t let that stop you, though! Someone bring this to life, invite me over for afternoon tea and I’ll bring the plum torte to share. Isn’t that how this feels to you? Like the ideal space to sit and shovel jammy stone fruit desserts into your mouth. I went with a more ornate look for the fixtures like the milk glass shade pendant and the brass kitchen rail, but the walnut barstool and the small vertical offset tile stack on the backsplash keep things a bit more contemporary. At first, I didn’t love how the rug and the window covering fabric looked next to each other, but I trusted in my gut that IRL, they’d play nice (they just compete a bit here overlapping like that). As for paint color, the choice is yours how intense you want to go (a monochrome look would be nice if you prefer a more saturated design scheme) but I kept it light and airy with a perfect milky white.

Color Palette To Try: Salmon, Teal, Black & Silver

The Inspiration:

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Please do me a favor before reading and click the arrow on the image above until you get to the seventh photo of the wavy marble sink basin and the pink-y plaster walls. Are you there? Okay, let’s continue (I couldn’t get it to default to that in the carousel…sorry).

This palette was a bit of a wild card (as is the one below) and I almost didn’t include it but hopefully, it services someone here! Some reader at some point during all these kitchen posts of mine mentioned using a salmon-y pink as a complement to the cherry cabinet (or maybe it was honey oak, but either way, I made it work). I can see this palette being incredibly dreamy in a kitchen with warm, equally dreamy sunlight. It’s giving “golden hour” and I’m INTO IT! I plucked the rest of the palette from the tile used by Heidi Caillier but I shifted it to be a bit more on the teal end of the spectrum because I wanted to see how that would render out.

The Moodboard:

I was itching to try something with more pattern for a backsplash and stumbled upon this that isn’t exactly teal but isn’t really slate either. The paint color is peach-meets-salmon-meets-plaster-meets-sunset and it could be great in the right space. I own this rug and it’s so, so good in real life and has a mix of pinks, teal, blue, yellow and red which helps to make the rest of the choices here feel a bit more worldly. And because I used brass in the hardware of nearly every other moodboard, I went with a polished nickel here (it has a warmer undertone than chrome), but gold would be just as beautiful.

1. Casablanca 5″ x 5″ Matte Ceramic Tile in Gaza | 2. Portofino by Portola Paints 3. Sherice Floating Shelf | 4. Solid Brass 1 3/8″ in Polished Nickel | 5. 4″ Centers Pull in Polished Nickel | 6. Luca Small 13″ Conical Pendant, Matte Black | 7. Kody Stool (Set of 2) | 8. Chris Loves Julia x Loloi Jules Oriental Machine Made Polyester Indoor Area Rug in Terracotta/Beige/Black | 9. Conway Stripe Fabric, Parchment

Color Palette To Try: Mauve, Mustard, Emerald & Brass

The Inspiration:

Alright, I’ve asked you to be creative all along, and this last palette (bonus number 6 because I was feeling frisky) is no exception. I could not find an actual inspiration photo, but I was standing in my kitchen the other day and thought “Wait…what if I go purple, instead?” This is a thought out of absolute left field because #1: I don’t normally like purple, and #2: this completely upends my initial design choices.

But anyway, I have always loved purple, mustard and red together in my wardrobe, and figured…what the hell. How might it pan out in a kitchen design? I grabbed a photo of my kitchen and did a crude Photoshop overlay with a dusty purple wall, cream backsplash, mustard checkerboard floor and emerald dining cabinet. It’s definitely a look, but I think it works! I’m likely not going this route, but I needed to see it before ruling it out. Thoughts?

The Moodboard:

There’s a lot going on here, and maybe the emerald doesn’t even belong, but…I kind of think it does? A neutral-ish rug, curtain fabric and backsplash set the stage for all the other elements, especially that mauve paint (find one with red undertones rather than blue). Brass hardware plays off the warmth of the cherry cabinets, mustard floor, and camel leather dining chair.

Phew…there you are. SIX color palettes to try in your kitchen if you have cherry cabinets, wish you didn’t, but don’t have the time, energy, will, or budget to do a reno (or even paint them). I’m having so much fun with this and keep surprisingly myself with the color combos I’m finding and cooking up. I really REALLY hope this is helpful content and my explanations guide you to take my moodboards and make them work in one way or another for your own homes.

I’d love to hear from any and all of you in the comments…thoughts, other tips, other requests…give it to me.

Stay tuned for espresso cabinets next!

See ya!

Your friend in design, Arlyn.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Meet West | Photo by Rett Peek

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Published on September 12, 2023 01:00

Introducing A New Feel Good Makeover For A Very Special Group Of Women (And We Need Your Help!)

Ashley Newman of Bluestocking Interio r s here. Long-time reader, sometime commenter, and first-time contributor (squee!). The end of 2021 was something of a perfect storm for me. First, I read Emily’s post seeking volunteers to take Pen + Napkin national and knew I just had to be part of it – there could never be a more “me” volunteer opportunity than giving people beautiful homes. Then, I realized the level of anxiety I lived with wasn’t normal, and I finally got on medication. Between those two things and switching careers to interior design – something I’d been thinking about for probably a decade (I mean, why design endless imaginary rooms when I could design real ones?) – suddenly everything felt possible. In this career switch, I took a leap and started Bluestocking Interiors with the goal of making it possible for everyone to get the help they need to create a home they love.

But, even though I signed up with Pen + Napkin right away in 2021, I couldn’t find local organizations that wanted to partner with us (uh, what?!?!). Finally, one amazing woman introduced me to another amazing woman who introduced me to another… until I was connected with Oxford House, a nonprofit that sets up sober houses for people in recovery. They were opening a new house in my town, called Bellatrix House, which would house eight women… and they didn’t even have mattresses for people who would be moving in that weekend.

I tear up every time I read what these women have to say about the importance of Oxford House in their recovery.

Sabrina says, “Oxford House has saved my life in so many ways. Without Oxford House, I would not have a safe and stable place to call home.”

Lydia says, “It’s good for me to be around ladies that can keep me accountable. Oxford House helps save lives.”

Laura says, “I have been homeless, jobless, and emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. Oxford has been life-changing – for the first time in many years I have a safe place to recover. Oxford is such a beautiful thing. It has truly given me so much hope.”

When I first met these ladies and told them what Pen + Napkin was going to do for them, they couldn’t believe it – they said, no one had ever done anything like that for them, that people usually judge them and think they aren’t worthy because of their struggles with addiction. I can’t wait for us to band together and change that.

We even got on the local news, so you can see them say some of what this means to them in their own words.

Anyway, Pen + Napkin came to the rescue with an immediate order of mattresses, but now we need to make the rest of the house comfortable and functional. This includes turning an unfinished basement into a livable space!

before – and currently – i hung curtain rods and donated a few spare curtain panels i had so they could divide the space and have at least a little privacy, but we can do better than this!

One of the fun parts of this project is the mix of single and double rooms. The double rooms are for people who are new to sober living – often they have just been released from rehab or prison, and many own only one box of belongings when they move in. So the goal for these rooms is to create a neutral, cozy space that makes these women feel at home right away but gives them plenty of freedom to add their own personality as they settle in.

For the basement, that looks like this:

Surrounding the room with velvet curtains will feel super luxe while actually being a very affordable way to hide the ugly, and the string lights will add a lot of cozy ambient light without hogging too many of the limited plugs.

Adding some closet racks so they can hang their clothes is another thing that is going to make a huge difference for them!

For the upstairs:

One thing they’ve requested is inspirational word art, so I made sure to include that, especially in these rooms.

Then for the single rooms, we can really show off their personalities.

One woman wanted black and red, glam, crown motifs, and somewhere to do her makeup.

But another one wanted bohemian, with calm blues:

Having a space that really feels customized to each woman is going to make them all feel so much more at home, settled, and like this hard thing they’re doing is that much more achievable.

So, here’s where you all come in. Even though the house is being designed on a tight budget… well, six bedrooms for eight people, plus a downstairs hangout room, it adds up fast. I thought, “That’ll be like $4,000, right?” Spoiler: hahahahahahaha oh how naïve I was. Despite the biggest pieces are all under $200, by the time you do a bed, mattress, bedding, curtains and curtain rods, a dresser or storage piece, a nightstand, a lamp, and just one piece of décor, it comes out to nearly $1,000 per person.

We have some wishlists of specific items on Amazon and Wayfair if you prefer to donate an actual physical item, but campaign donations to cover things that have already been purchased, items for residents whose rooms haven’t been designed yet, or things sourced from other places, are helpful, too. Plus, if any extra funds are raised, they will be used for future Pen + Napkin projects – maybe even some future Oxford Houses!

Amazon Wishlist Link | Wayfair Wishlist Link | Campaign Link

Of course, we’ll come back and show you the final results so you can share in their excitement!

On behalf of the Oxford House ladies and myself, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Live beautifully <3

Ashley

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: New Reveal: A Colorful, Happy Home Makeover For An Incredibly Deserving Family

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Published on September 11, 2023 01:00

The Link Up: The Boots Em’s Been Wearing NONSTOP, A Cute Fall Dress Mal Found, And Our Great Org Hack

Happy Sunday everyone! Hope you had a great final “official weekend of summer” last week. Actually, we let those warm weather vibes continue into the week as we revealed Emily’s whole backyard. Did you see it?? If not, go now and make sure you watch the full YouTube video to really get the full scope! The transformation is wild. Then after you do that we’ll have all of our links waiting for you:)

Oh and if you want a teaser of the full video, watch this below! (Just wait for the ad to play)

This week’s house tour is a glorious design collaboration between the homeowner (model, actor, activist), Adwoa Aboah and one of EHD’s favorite designers, Beata Heuman. It’s welcoming, lived-in, elevated, cozy, colorful, all the wonderful things! It’s clearly a space that was designed with intention and for the person living in it. Go check it out here!

From Emily: So I really can’t stop RAVING about my new chunky Sorel waterproof Chelsea boots. I know I talked about them in yesterday’s boot review post but I think they deserve another special shoutout. They are as cool looking as they are practical and comfortable which is VERY. If you see me walking around town there’s a high chance I’ll be sporting these guys. 10000/10.

From Gretchen: Our recent Labor Day break gave me some extra time to overhaul my apartment organization. I live in an older place (built in 1925) with a lot of quirks. It’s one of those paint-over-everything-including-the-hinges sort of spots, which means I have more wiggle room to drill into things without my landlord noticing. With that in mind, I tackled my very narrow, ridiculously deep linen cabinet, complete with built-in shelves spaced too far apart to function. If I were to stand up a collection of shampoo bottles in there, I’d have about a foot above them unusable and a foot and a half behind them unreachable–just so much wasted space! My solution? I installed these ClosetMaid drawers and basically doubled (maybe tripled?) my amount of functional storage! I can fit so much in each basket and can finally reach things in the back without a struggle. I ended up buying the single versions for my kitchen too because adding a drawer inside a cupboard (especially a deep, lower cabinet) is truly transformative!

From Mallory: I recently was introduced to the cutest clothing store. One of my friends was wearing this dress and I immediately fell in love. It’s flowy but polished and has the cutest contrasting line details that make it more elevated than your standard button-down puff-sleeve dress!! Also, let’s have a moment for this top!!!

From Arlyn: I’m not big on decorating for the different seasons but there’s something about fall that makes my palms itch to sprinkle in some new decor. I’ve been eyeing these beautiful colored glass taper holders from Crate & Barrel for the last few weeks and I think I’m ready to cross that purchase finish line. My dining room needs a pretty little vertical moment that these would provide. Now the question is…green or amber? I’m thinking green… 🙂

From Jess: Another NY friend rec that I couldn’t stop using while I was there was this Everyday Oil. It smells so good and natural and can be used ALL over your body – I’m talking face, body, and hair. It’s one of those small luxuries that makes your day better. Plus who doesn’t love smelling good??

From Caitlin: It’s the last day to save up to $700 on a new Tuft & Needle mattress and if you’re on the fence about upgrading your mattress, I’m here to give my official RINGING ENDORSEMENT. I have one! Jess has one! Em has one! So do Bowser, and Julie, and Malcolm, and…you get the gist, right? We obviously have a lot of opportunities to try out and work with a lot of different mattress brands due to our job, but there’s a reason that we’ve all landed on T&N – they’re THAT GOOD. I’ve had mine for about a year now and it ROCKS – at first I was a little taken aback by the feeling of the foam and coils after 30 years of snoozing on classic innerspring mattresses (It’s so supportive? But also soft? How???) but I’ve literally never slept deeper or more comfortably. Beyond that, IT’S SO FREAKIN’ COOLING. T&N also has a great return process and a long test window if you’re on the fence…but I have a feeling you’ll find the perfect fit for you, too.

Hope you have a great rest of your day and see you tomorrow. xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: The Backyard Makeover: The Overall Layout – Our First Official Oregon Summer At The Farm

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Published on September 10, 2023 01:00

A Few Of The Boots, Oxfords, And Clogs I’ll Wear To Death This Fall…

As someone who likes to be on the more modest side of foot show and tells (few people want to see my bunion and short wide toes – ALL HEREDITARY, MY FRIENDS), I get very excited when it’s not so hot outside and I can don a cute (full coverage) shoe. So today I have a few of my favorites to show you – no tall boots yet, that’s coming later. But good day-to-day staples for most fall occasions.

The Janeen Platform Mule – Madewell

Blouse | Jeans (similar) | M u l e s

If you’ve followed closely you’ve seen me wear my Rachel Comey mules for almost five years (they are still available and just so good). Well, these are a wildly more affordable version that I love. AND good news, they are a lot easier to walk in (the Comey’s are still comfortable, but they are at least 2″ taller so less easy to walk in). These are way more “every day” and I could easily wear them all day. Also not shown here are my Nisolos that I had to reorder because my dog ate one of them – but they are EXCELLENT. They are light nude and therefore very flattering and elongating (and so comfortable – I opt for them every time I want the height of a heel but know I’m going to walk a lot).

Judgement Bootie – Bed Stu

Boots

Admittedly, I am NOT selling those in this shot/outfit. I wanted to just wear the same jeans and top. But I was so excited to order these boots. Now sadly I ordered my typical size (7) and they were definitely too small so I had to return them. Then I realized that I truly don’t need another pair of splurgey boots so I didn’t reorder. But point is – the style of this pair is so cute.

They remind me of Brian’s Redwing boots that he wears every chance he can. I love this mid-heel, how tight the boots get at the ankle, and of course, how you don’t really have to lace them and can use the zipper. Such a good patina on the leather, too. Anyway, I hope I don’t regret returning them but def size up. These would also be very cute with socks, longer shorts, and a fleece – more of the sporty/hipster/hiker vibe.

The Rain Boots – Everlane

Rain Boot s

I have no idea what I’m doing with my legs in that first shot – I i guess trying to show you how they look from the side?? These are GREAT, especially if you want rain boots that aren’t big old wellies (which I love, but less around-town friendly). I wouldn’t say these are great office shoes, but great for errand running, super comfortable, and obviously very cute.

Women’s Caribou™ x Boot Chelsea – Sorel

Chunky Chelsea Boot

Y’all, THESE ARE IT FOR ME. I LOVE these and have worn them so much already. They have that lug-sole look, but it’s rubber and not very heavy. They are Sorels (a brand I love so much) with a rubber base and waterproof leather on top. they look so cute with socks/shorts and tucked up into jeans. They are so comfortable, cute, and waterproof (so I can wear them around in the rain and mud and can just hose off). You’ll see me wearing these a lot this fall/winter.

The Dimes Kitten-Heel Boot – Madewell

Kitten Heel Boot

These are my other favorites and I’ve already worn them three times (and that’s a lot considering it’s still summer and I rarely leave the house). They are just really flattering and look so classy, but so simple. That little kitten heel is so cute.

I like wearing these with slouchier pants (think cargo or joggers), you know to comply with the “wrong shoe theory” (which I actually really like).

Classic Chelsea Boot – Nisolo

Classic Chelsea Boot

I’ve had these forever and I appreciate that Buttercup has left them intact. They are just so good, comfortable, flattering, in such a pretty rich color, and classic.

The Modern Loafer – Everlane

Loafers

These loafers are definitely on the less exciting side, but I’ve found myself wearing them a lot for shopping, errand running (or work if I had an office, obviously). They are really comfortable and slimming.

I, of course, found WAY more on the internet that I loved while I was shopping, but sincerely trying to not buy too many that I don’t need. So instead I just rounded up some other of my favorites. I do wish I had styled some of these for you with the right outfit because context changes the style so much but these are all just good, classic, timeless, comfortable, and guaranteed to look good with most outfits (IMHO). Happy fall to all our feet!!

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

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Published on September 09, 2023 01:00

Inspiration For Our First Farmhouse Halloween Front Porch (And More) + What Exterior Decor/Ideas We Love

Y’all, we’ve entered the Henderson Halloween era (or so I thought…keep reading). This should be no surprise to anyone considering my arguably inappropriate love of Christmas. We’ve never decorated the outside of the house for Halloween mostly because our neighborhood in LA wasn’t a huge trick or trick area and the kids were too little to want to be scared. Well, now they are almost 8 and 10 and I’m getting a lot of pressure/excitement from them (this front door doesn’t really count, fyi, i phoned it in with what I had during lockdown). Message received and mission attempted. I got so excited – ready to do another fun project for work with my kids.

But we weren’t on the same page. They wanted bloody arms, bloody zombies, double-headed terrifying monsters with no legs that shoot out of the earth when you walk by and scream at you. I should have KNOWN what would happen – that if I went that direction they would realize that they are too scared for it to be at their house. So after going super scary on my mood board and getting so excited, I’ve paired it back to just spooky and a little bit creepy and praying that they are on board (I’m showing them things as they arrive and so far so good.)

It will be less farmhouse chic and more spooky with a vintage/creepy farm-y/harvest bent.

We are starting from zero here – we have nothing for the outside and in order to become a Halloween house by October we have to invest and come up with some solid ideas (and buy before all the good stuff sells out). We are also only doing a small portion of the property (you could easily create a Halloween amusement park here every year – creepy barn, creepy tree-lined driveway, but we are taking it slow). So I treated this like a design project – creating a mood board, assessing look and feel, and then choosing products that would work for that. I also want to be clear that I’ll have help executing this – it’s going to be a lot of work and I don’t want other moms to feel the pressure of going big. If I didn’t have Gretchen I’d likely phone it in. So hopefully this gives some fun ideas and inspiration, but without any pressure.

Front Porch Inspiration – Farm-Style

We likely won’t get trick-or-treaters where we are (so set back from the street), but our neighborhood goes off and I still want to decorate the front porch for Dustin (our UPS guy who is so lovely) and of course, any guests that we invite over (and mostly for the kids).

For this, I’m thinking big spider webs (I’ve loved these from Target for years), a skeleton or two, big spiders, pumpkins, and a ton of black spray-painted branches foraged from the wood. I also bought some hanging light-up bats that are big and high-impact. Per usual, I’m not sure what will go where until I start playing.

Creepy Old House + Covered Walkway

The covered walkway is where the kids walk home from every day and it’s what you’ll see the most (far more than the front porch). So this felt like a great opportunity to cover it in spooky cloth or webs, hang ghosts or witches, or maybe zip-tie more black branches to each post. Not sure yet but there is an opportunity there for sure.

The older house on the property (from 1850 – likely a legit haunted house) is RIPE for some boarded-up windows and a cemetery in front of it. We are trying to figure out if A. we really need to do this (it’s so much work) and B. how to do fake boarded-up windows in a way that doesn’t ruin the facade of the house and get disgusting in the rain. But these inspirations are sooooo fun:

I also really wanted to do a cemetery somewhere and found great inspirational images for them. This could be in front of the old farmhouse or even better (but less noticeable) would be the orchard in the roundabout of our driveway. I think if I went all out it would be awesome, but not sure it will have enough impact to be worth the effort.

Spooky Farm Halloween Decor I Love

So I shopped and got some staples that I know I’ve always used and loved (spiders, webs, creepy cloth) and then added even a few animatronics which feels like a stretch for me. (I love the headless Victorian dress so much). Here’s what I’m either thinking of buying or have on its way.

Staked Ghosts with Lights (Set of 3) | Halloween Bats with Flashing Eyes (Set of 3) | Crows (Set of 4)

1 0 ‘ White Giant Spiderweb | 36′ Black Jumbo Spooky Fabric

50″ Plush Spider | 8.5 Ft. Wide Gigantic Spider

Light-Up Ghostly Dress | Scary Animatronic Sitting Scarecrow | Standing Ghost Girl (similar to the one I bought)

FYI I’m going to return that girl – she came and she’s pretty darn awesome, but the kids (AFTER APPROVING IT) said “NO WAY”. But the headless dress is awesome. The scarecrow hasn’t arrived yet so we’ll see (I think we actually got a different one that had no face – just burlap)

Mossy Bat Tombstone | Halloween Tombstones (Set of 5) | Welcome Stay Awhile Gravestone

5pc Skeleton Groundbreaker Set | Severed Plastic Skeleton Hands | Matte Black Skull Sculpture

Pre-lit Twiggy Trees (I got one of each size) | Twig Broomstick

Dewdrop Halloween Fairy String Lights Garland | Halloween String Lights.

I fear/know that it’s going to be a lot of work, but like decorating for Christmas, I’m hoping it’s worth it (now I’m sure de-halloweening can be extreme). We’ll see what we end up executing and if any of you have tips about doing this in the PNW (i.e. with rain) let me know. I’m VERY excited – having these touch-points throughout the year and reasons to celebrate (especially while the kiddos are old enough to help but young enough to still want to help :))

*Opening Image by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: My Spooky (And Super Simple) Kid-Approved Halloween Decor

**Farmhouse Photos by Kalitin Green

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Published on September 08, 2023 01:00

What Is A Natural Garden?? How Do You Create A Garden Color Palette?? All Your Questions Answered By Emily’s Professional Landscape Architect

Ya’ll, once again I was lucky enough to learn so much from professionals and experts – this time about landscaping. This job was massive and while a lot will thrive in Oregon (due to rain), I wanted someone who understood the vibe we were going for and I could trust to stay in line with that goal. When we met with Cali Pfaff from Studio Campo and she just got us – she has a very sophisticated and yet really casual approach to landscape design that felt so right to us. Our tastes were totally aligned which felt so good. Every presentation she showed us was so beautiful, and we had so little feedback because she just nailed it. So today she is going to share some of her expertise with y’all – it’s such an informative post. Thank you, Cali!

Hi there, my name is Cali and I run a landscape architecture practice, Studio Campo, with a focus on naturalistic design. Over the past two years, I have worked with Em and Brian to develop a farm master plan and am excited to share with you all some of the thinking behind the garden and tips for how to achieve a similar look at home. Throughout the process, we have had a number of amazing collaborators whose hearts and minds informed the design, including Yardzen, Northwest Native Landscapes, and ARCIFORM. Most critically, I want to thank Emily and Brian for trusting me with their garden. We will begin with a little garden psychology on how to craft a mood, provide some tips on assessing your site, and then dive into how we developed the plant palette at Em’s house and how to achieve a similar look in your home. I am happy to address any questions you may have in the comments.

Before we begin, you may be wondering what is a natural garden exactly? And what makes a plant native? In essence, a natural garden mimics the function and appearance of nature; it is designed with ecology in mind. For some of you, it may feel messy and it is, in certain ways. What we sought to do in their yard is balance naturalistic planting with moments of quiet (the lawn, the patio, the pool) and use a curated color palette to give a sense of cohesion and warmth. As for native plants, I find it helpful to think about the larger ecosystems that shape your location, rather than strictly going by what plants fall within state lines. Portland, for example, abuts the coastal mountains and the Pacific Coast temperate rainforest and resides along the Willamette River and its fertile inland valleys. For Em’s garden, we drew from both of those landscapes and used a mix of native and adaptive (non-native, non-invasive, climatically appropriate) plants; it is a both-and situation.

Crafting A Mood

Gardens are deeply personal spaces. Done right, they can invoke memories and connect us to a wilder world. When starting a garden design project, I ask clients a few framing questions to better understand what they find beautiful (and not beautiful), and how their garden can help them live the life they imagine for themselves.

What kind of landscape did you grow up in? What are your strongest memories of gardens and/or the outdoors? What does a perfect morning at home look like to you?

Often, people’s sense of beauty is rooted in the place they grew up or a “chosen home” they settled on later in life. When working with Emily and Brian, their answers to this first question were telling and shaped the layout of the garden as a whole. Brian had vivid memories of playing sports on a big grassy lawn as night set in. Emily’s childhood was a bit more woody, snacking on huckleberries in the woods with her siblings. So we knew we needed both pieces: the structure and formality of the lawn with loose, naturalistic planting and wild edges. Brian and Em also put a lot of thought into the type of childhood the farm would create for their kids and the overall farm plan was developed with a sense of adventure in mind. The combination creates a landscape that is very them and strikes a delicate balance between manicured and natural.

When designing a natural garden for yourself, one way to begin is to think on what kind of mood or feeling you are after. Moody, joyful, quiet, lush? Does your current garden capture this feeling? What feels inharmonious? There are many factors (program, budget, maintenance, climate, etc.) that impact a garden’s design but mood is often overlooked and can be a helpful bellwether for the design. For the Hendersons, key descriptors were natural, unfussy, and farmy, with an ongoing conversation on how to balance simplicity with a sense of abundance.

Garden Mood-Setting Tips:Create a mood board to capture the feeling of your garden (example above), then divide it out into spaces or elements you’d like to incorporate into the garden as a whole.Map out how you spend a typical day off at home and see if there are any tweaks to your routine that would prompt you or your family to spend more time outdoors (e.g. a shaded dining table, a great reading chair, an outdoor movie screen, a remote office space, etc). Design is habit forming, try putting a super comfy chair outdoors and see if it shifts your routine. Look out of every window in your house. What do you see? What do you want to see? Varying the foreground, middle ground, and background will make the garden more dynamic and allow for privacy from certain rooms, longer views from others. Journal on the framing questions above, ask a garden-curious friend to do the same, and discuss your answers over coffee.Understanding Your Site (And Yourself)

The more you know about your property and its local ecology, the better equipped you will be to design with nature. My suggestion to anyone starting a garden project is to map what’s existing and then test your soil. There is a tendency to add compost to any and all soil. This can be a mistake, particularly when working with native plants. Many native species (prairie plants in particular) thrive in nutrient-poor soil where there is less competition and deep root systems allow the plants to weather droughts. When we over-enrich the soil, we provide ideal conditions for weeds to thrive. For a natural garden, irrigation should ideally focus on allowing healthy plants to establish and weather extreme temperatures, rather than acting as continual life support.

Ultimately, your garden will be happier if you match your plant palette to the local climate (precipitation, sun, winter hardiness) and to your property (soil type, drainage, proximity to buildings and infrastructure, etc.). I know that this may seem a little heartbreaking if your taste is at odds with the norm in your area but you can truly create any style of garden using native and adaptive plants; it’s all about how you combine them, something we will cover in a bit.

Lastly, be honest with yourself on maintenance. Not everyone enjoys gardening and fewer love weeding. There is no shame in starting small with a single bed or a few pots to test out ideas. If you are committed to a more natural garden but are not crazy about maintenance, try replacing aging trees and shrubs with native species that can provide a broad range of ecological services (nesting grounds, winter forage, high-nutrient food) with little additional maintenance. Em and Brian made a maintenance-driven decision at their place to narrow the beds around their house and limit higher maintenance planting to those zones.

Site Assessment Tips:Consider a 6-month moratorium on landscaping when you move into a new place. Keep notes of areas that are thriving and those that need help before planning a renovation or engaging a designer. Test your soil! The more you can align your plant selection to your soil, the happier your plants will be. Most states have an agricultural school where you can send in samples or there are at-home kits available at Home Depot or garden centers. What you are looking for is info on soil type (sandy, loamy, clayey), soil richness or fertility, and nutrient deficiencies or excesses (nitrogen, potassium, etc.).Walk your neighborhood. You can get a ton of inspiration and granular data on what plants thrive in your area by going on a long walk. iPhoto has a great feature where you can identify plants by clicking the info icon at the bottom of your photo. If you live in an arid region, look up dry gardens and gravel gardens for ideas on how to pull off low water and lush. You can also search these terms alongside a garden style you are fond of (“cottage style dry garden”) to see what’s possible. Honing Your Color Palette

Not all landscape designers use color to structure planting but I find a dialed-in color palette can provide a sense of cohesion and helps to narrow the plant list. Luckily for this project, Em is a magician with color. The exterior paint selection for the residence ultimately settled on a palette heavy on white with dusty blue, copper, and black accents. Tonally, Em had a vision for the garden from the start, with shades of blush, white, copper, and burgundy. Something soft, layered, and rooted in the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. To balance the pinks and warm tones, we used accents of black, burgundy, and sage in the planting to give depth and interest to the planting beds. We used a triadic color palette (sage, copper, burgundy). The planting around the house is lush, diverse, and hedges on the wilder side. The constrained color palette and tidy lawn create a nice contrast to the lushness of the planting and act as visual cues to visitors that the overgrown feeling is intentional.

Garden Color Palette Tips:If you have a color in mind, search for abstract paintings of the color online to explore interesting color combinations. Abstract expressionists like Joan Mitchell, Mark Rothko, and Clifford Still are favorites of mine. If you already have your exterior paint palette selected, use a color palette tool (Coolors, Adobe, and Canva all have free options) to test out complementary, monochromatic, triadic, and analogous combinations for your plant palette.Visit a favorite regional open space and take photos with color top of mind. What are the color overtones? What tonality are the rocks and soil? What plants set the palette? This can change seasonally too. Curating A Natural Plant Palette

The Hendersons’ planting divides into three palettes: full sun, part shade, and native/unirrigated for the outer edges of the property. The idea is that the planting is more curated close to the house and gets softer and more natural as you move away. The full sun and part shade palettes align with the houses’s solar orientation and creates a nice alternating rhythm as you circle the house. The Henderson’s front door faces north and the part shade palette is more subdued, borrowing from the native coastal woodlands Em grew up in. As you move towards to back deck—facing West, the planting gets more wild, colorful, and is heavier on perennials, which provides a nice sense of movement and whimsy. The full sun palette is prairie-inspired and draws from a wider range of plants.

left: colorful flowers by deck (facing west) | right: prairie-inspired flowers (full sun)

The plant palette should build interest across seasons, provide enough structure for the dormant season, and have a range of blooms, forage, and habitat for wildlife. There are a number of great resources that I will include at the end of this article on naturalistic planting but here are some key design ideas: the first is that naturalistic planting is built in layers. The ground cover underlays a dynamic mix of perennials and grasses, seasonal bulbs pop up through, and shrubs and trees add structure, shade, and winter interest. Planting is dense and dynamic, as you would see in the wild. We planted Emily’s garden in May and the beds are beginning to take off. It will take another 2-3 years before they really hit their stride. While I promote density in grasses, ground cover, and perennials, it is important to provide trees and shrubs ample space to reach their mature size. You can underplant shrubs with other plants but leave enough space between shrubs and trees for them to stretch out.

Next, let’s talk bloom cycles. If you are musically inclined, the bloom cycle is like an orchestral arrangement of flowers colliding across the seasons. Ecologically speaking, the longer and more diverse the bloom, the more wildlife your garden can support. It is truly win-win. One mistake I often see in DIY garden design is that people go to the garden center, buy whatever is beautiful and in bloom, and end up with garden that only blooms for a short window. Here are some combinations to try at home that will span the seasons:

Full Sun

Echinacea, Ornamental Grass, Penstemon, Sedum, Ninebark

All these plants are common in nurseries and come in a vast array of colors, textures, and sizes. In the first row are the species used in Emily’s garden, followed by two variations to show the versatility of these plants.

Natural Plant Palette Tips:Skip the mulch. I know this may sound crazy but mulch is not necessary in all situations. Densely plant your perennials, grasses, and ground covers. As plantsmen Thomas Rainier says, the plants are the mulch. Double down. As your garden matures, double down on the plants that are thriving. You can do this by collecting seed, taking cuttings, or heading to the nursery. Repetition shows intentionality in the planting and if a plant makes you smile, grow more.Demand better. The nursery industry still has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to growing and supplying native plants. If your nursery or local Home Depot doesn’t have what you are looking for, ask them to order it. Consumers have the power to move the market. Explore nativars. Native plants are wild by nature, they spread, breed, and drop fruit. These are all beautiful things but not always next to your foundation and in a narrow bed. Nativars are nursery adaptations of native plants, some are bred for size, interesting color combinations, or sterility. They can often provide many of the same ecological services without the issues of a full-fledged native plant. Some we used at the Henderson’s are: “Tiny Wine” Ninebark, “Lynnhaven Carpet” Robin’s Plantain, and “Peewee” Oakleaf Hydrangea.

And with that, we close! Thank you for reading and if this piqued your interest, below are some resources you may find helpful as you plan your own garden. For those doubly curious about Em’s garden, we have included the full plant palette on our website.

Natural Gardening Resources

Planting the Natural Garden by Piet Oudolf and Henk Gerritsen

Natural gardening classic with images and recommendations on the favorite plants by the most well known plantsman in the world

New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden by Kelly Norris

I love this book. Beautifully written and touches on geology, ecology, and other forces shaping your garden, all while being accessible to the reader. Gah photos and plant guides.

Prairie Up: An Introduction to Natural Garden by Benjamin Vogt

User-friendly guide on how to transition your yard into a habitat area and not scare your neighbors. Best step-by-step book on the process of natural garden-making.

Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes by Thomas Rainer

This is the most technical of the recommendations but SO GOOD. Introduced new thinking into planting design on how to bring nature into built landscapes. Great diagrams.

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

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Published on September 07, 2023 01:00

What Is A Native Garden?? How Do You Create A Garden Color Palette?? All Your Questions Answered By Emily’s Professional Landscaper