Emily Henderson's Blog, page 83

Arlyn Interviewed A Gen Z Design TikTok Star – Here Are 5 VERY Unexpected Takeaways

I’m just going to say it: Young people intimidate me. Gen Z, in particular, makes me feel beyond uncool (she says, wearing her Kirkland Signature leggings). So when Jess proposed I talk to a Gen Z design content creator for a story, I was trying to sound excited but was, understandably, a bit daunted.  

Two years shy of the big four-oh, I didn’t even know what I would ask someone in their 20s, but I’m a trained journalist, damnit, and it was time to polish off those J-school interview skills I went into student loan debt to acquire. “Take a look through his videos, and let me know if it’s something you think you want to tackle,” Jess suggested, maybe hearing the slight hesitation in my voice I was poorly trying to hide. 

left: marco, the gen z creative added this painted wood door frame to add some character to his kitchen entrance | right: then seen here with his amazing hair and his diyed stained glass transom

The creator in question is Marco Zamora, a 26-year-old here in Los Angeles who shares his love of design as well as his uber-chic rental DIYs on TikTok and Instagram. Upon first scroll, I recognized a project of his that Jess had shown me a while back—a retrofitted wood doorway frame with a handpainted stained glass transom. I recall thinking it was so charming and elevated but didn’t make the effort to go into my own phone and follow the brains and the brawn behind it. Then there is the modern kitchen that he took from perfectly nice (especially by rental kitchen standards in LA) to inviting and sweet in order to better match the 1920s Parisian aesthetic of his building. The video I was most taken with, however, was one in which he talked about “sad beige” decor and how he broke up with it in his own home by layering in his Mexican heritage instead of going the route of trendy decor that Pinterest and Instagram condition us all into thinking is “good” design.

Maybe this wouldn’t be so formidable. Maybe, in fact, it would be enlightening. Talking to the younger generation of design lovers; figuring out what makes them tick(tok), what they’re into, and where they think this is all headed. Besides, how was I ever going to figure out what he puts in that glorious head of floppy, shiny, voluminous hair?!? 

Post-phone call, I immediately texted Jess: “Marco is a DOLL!” 

Before our call, if I had to put into words what I thought Gen Z “design” was, I’m not sure I could summarize it with words. I’d be better off sharing a movie reel of what my mind envisioned: flashes of squiggle mirrors, plastic vines taped to walls, string lights, Oreo-cookie side tables (look them up), bright colors, and just a constant whiplash of flipping through trends that end in “-core”. Honestly, not too dissimilar to my own bedroom circa 1997. I know my assessment isn’t fair, especially for someone who spends very little time following anyone under the age of 30 in the design world, and (gasp) doesn’t even have TikTok downloaded on their phone. But it wouldn’t be the first time one generation looks down their nose at the one that follows, whether they are mean-spirited about it or it’s just par for the course. 

left: his kitchen “before” affordable diy transformation | right: marco’s warm and inviting reimagined kitchen

What was I scared of? My conversation with Marco instilled so much hope in me about Gen Z and beyond and inspired me in ways I wasn’t expecting, from why they do what they do to the care and the thought they put into their spaces. They seem leaps and bounds more mature than how I approached interiors when I was their age. I truly found myself pleasantly surprised as I sat and listened to Marco discuss his perspective on responsible design, on trends, and on access to inspiration. 

So, what exactly did Marco share with me that made me flip my youth angst on its head? Let’s explore the most surprising takeaways…

[BUT WAIT: Marco and I spoke for nearly an hour about many things, including how he got to where he is. I edited down the conversation for the sake of brevity and readability but I don’t want to skip out on his impressive resume. Quick intro: Marco, 26, lives in LA. Wanted to be an architect his whole life, got into UC Berkeley but then switched directions after getting a full-ride scholarship to a school in Long Beach because he was his high school’s valedictorian; Long Beach didn’t have an architecture school so he studied civil engineering; graduated and got a coveted internship at Disney; moved on to work at Amazon; still didn’t feel like he was doing what he loved so after sharing his home on TikTok and people being drawn to his projects and aesthetic, he went full-time content creator. Phew! That was a lot, but *now* we’re ready get to it.]

Takeaway #1: Gen Z Puts Environmental Impact & Financial Responsibility First When Decorating

I’m leading the charge with the one learning that, honestly, was the most surprising to me, in the best way possible. Maybe it’s because my generation grew up recycling, sure, but the whole “reuse” part of the equation definitely wasn’t the star. I recall many times buying second-hand and most of my friends and peers just called it “used” and “old.” There was a subsect of vintage lovers I can recall, but it certainly wasn’t the norm. I can almost guarantee the majority of my generation wasn’t thinking of “environmental impact” as we filled our car trunks with flat-pack boxes from IKEA. I do not write this with pride; sadly, the opposite. 

Also, keep in mind that I’m the same generation that would get lured into signing up for multiple credit cards on my college campus with the (incredibly predatory) trade of a cheap, size XXL T-shirt that said “College” on it (or the one time I got a new credit card just to get a free $7 Jimmy Johns sub…true story, and thank goodness this is now illegal). All that to say that financial literacy and responsibility were something you had to work hard to seek out. It wasn’t the standard to just know you were better off not opening up numerous lines of credit with no job. 

left: marco in his dining room, which, like most other spaces in his home, he’s constantly tweaking and experimenting | right: a cute little vignette he’s playing around with

“I think my generation really just isn’t into ‘new’ things,” says Marco. “We’re more about thrifting and finding unique things with character. I think that’s a natural shift in the design world in general, though. I think within the last five years, there’s just so much overproduction of trendy items. Take white furniture, for instance. White couches, white chairs, white beds, so much bouclé, but I think that’s actually the opposite of where I see myself and people my age leaning towards now. We’re trying to understand what we’re buying, and what environmental impact it will have. If all your stuff is brand new, especially if all of it is one trend or one style, how much waste is going to be created when you decide to flip styles?” 

“I have a white couch, but I thrifted it, and even when I bought that white couch, I had to think ‘Okay, if this gets dirty or scuffed beyond repair and I can’t resell it, what does that mean? Waste.’ I feel like that about a lot of home decor in general. There’s so much mass production, and you can look at something and just know that about it. You can tell there’s not much history in it. Just…generic. There’s a lot of beauty in thrifting and finding something that’s unique and has a story. I think that’s something my generation prides itself in and looks for.” 

left: playing around and swapping out a rug in the dining room | right: marco’s thrifted white sofa

So does that mean Gen Z (or Marco) doesn’t ever buy anything new or shop at stores like IKEA and Target to grab a vase or tray? Not necessarily. 

“Obviously, in a home, you’re going to need to buy some new things. But it’s about the mix and the balance. For me, I’m in an interesting place where I want to be able to provide recommendations that people can actually go and get. A lot of the time, if I find a very unique coffee table or stool, maybe it’s not something everyone can purchase or find. What I do try to do is find specific products at bigger box stores that are higher quality or have a more timeless design. I do like to meet in the middle. Nothing super trendy and ideally, well made. I try to collect good pieces that will hopefully have multiple lives and multiple homes. If for some reason something didn’t fit, I would find it a new home with someone else. But I think I like my pieces enough that they would work anywhere I go.”

Takeaway #2: They Actually Don’t Care How Their Homes Look On Social Media

Look, I know that this header is kind of contradictory to the idea that someone would share their home on the internet for a living, but when I asked Marco about the “why” behind what he does in his home, it felt like the thought of making his home beautiful *only* for the internet had never even crossed his mind. I don’t have to expand much on the truth that we all lived over the past 10-12 years: how to make your spaces “Instagram-worthy” or “Pinterest-worthy” consumed a tremendous percentage of both the number of articles circulating the web and what feels like the DNA make up of the Millenial age set. We were the first generation to really put our lives and our living rooms on a 24-hour feed to be consumed by everyone. But by now, those in Gen Z and younger don’t seem to have the same need to “fit in” and fake perfection that was so prevalent 10 years ago. 

“I think at the end of the day, it’s a little bit of both. I think that’s true for all generations, really. You want a beautiful home for yourself but also you want other people to enjoy it with you. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it needs to be beautiful to show off on social media, per se, but inspiring others is always nice. My goal with the content I create is to make elevated design accessible to everyone. It’s not about being gimmicky or showing off, at all.”   

Takeaway #3: Trends Don’t Matter. Experimentation Does. 

Could have fooled me. Truly. Again, back to my original thoughts of Gen Z…I would have put money on the fact that they are ruled by trends, but in fact, that’s not the case. They’re the trend-setters, and if they are buying into a trend, it’s to get to the next, better, version of themselves. Deep. 

marco aimed to respect the parisian aesthetic of his apartment building by leaning into that style for the pieces he’s collecting. the fireplace (right) is a retrofit feature he created with a salvaged stone mantel and detailing

“There is a lot of negative energy around the word trend, but there are some positives, too, specifically experimenting and learning. When I first started decorating my own homes, I was very much about neutrals. My Pinterest boards were all very Wabi-Sabi, natural, and of course, that’s been on trend for a while now. My style has since evolved and will continue to evolve. That will only happen by experimenting. The key, however, is to dabble responsibly. Buy things that are vintage or used already that fit this new ‘trend’ you might be interested in trying. Trends tend to repeat, so you’ll probably find something that is already in rotation. Be smart about it financially. It’s really what a lot of us think about first. Secondly, being mindful of the environmental impact. As long as you have those two things in hand, trends are fine! It’s the wastefulness that’s a problem. Am I buying a $3,000 white couch or bed that I’m not going to love a year from now?” 

Takeaway #4: They’re Not Afraid to Be Uniquely Them…Even If No One Else Is Doing What They Are

It’s no secret that Gen Z kind of goes their own way. That’s just the nature of every generation that comes after us, though, right? They learn from the ones before them and repave the path to better suit themselves. In terms of design, it certainly didn’t hurt that there is seemingly unending access to inspiration and resources now that just weren’t available before. 

When I was in my early 20s, Pinterest and Instagram weren’t a thing. The only options for second-hand or vintage were local shops, Craigslist and eBay. If your city didn’t have good options, off to HomeGoods or Z Gallery or West Elm you went. As far as inspiration, if I wanted design ideas, I could either buy a magazine, scroll through some Tumblrs, or see what a blogger I followed was up to. But even then, you didn’t quite know what to do with what you saw. So…we mirrored the photos we could find in our homes. We wanted to recreate the Emily Henderson look, for instance, or buy everything Nate Berkus designed for Target to feel like he styled our spaces. I’m not saying no one had an original room, of course we did, but the spirit behind it feels different. 

left: marco hand-painted a stained glass detailing on the french doors of his living room | middle: a mexican blanket he brought back from a trip to mexico city | right: he got creative with a vintage cabinet by swapping out the top shelf with a piece of glass that he then had two circles cut out of to hold plants

“Over the last few years, as I lived in apartments with roommates, I would just go to Target and HomeGoods to buy little decor pieces since I didn’t have free reign of the whole space, and honestly, it just didn’t really do anything for me. It always felt a little generic. It took me some time to learn to incorporate my Latin background into my designs because it’s important for me to make things my own. The internet is a beautiful place and it has helped me to learn so much. You get to see so much inspiration and different ideas all within your phone and it opens you up. You’re able to put it together in a way that’s very specific to you. Plus, we have so many resources now with resale markets like Facebook Marketplace, Kaiyo , and numerous online auctions that allow us to pull from across the country and the world. There’s a lot more to experiment with in unique ways. It lets you get so creative. Add your own twist and make it yours.”

“Recently, I took a trip to Mexico City and it changed my perspective on design. I visited Casa Luis Barragán which is one of architect Luis Barragán’s most famous projects. He had such a good understanding of how to incorporate color and Mexican culture in an elevated way. Being surrounded by my heritage and just seeing how beautifully it was all executed really motivated me to want to bring that into my home. I bought a lot of special mementos that remind me of Mexico and my culture.”

Takeaway #5: They Don’t Think Millennials Are a Bunch of Lame Losers

Side parts vs. middle parts; skinny jeans vs. straight leg. Everywhere you look, there’s some annoying comparison of how everything us “old” people are doing is passé and all those younger, cooler people are not-so-secretly laughing at us. But…from the sounds of Marco’s answer when I asked him about this, Gen Z is far more accepting and welcoming than I originally gave them credit for. 

“Design comes in waves. We also come in waves. So much is just dependent on what your inspiration and influencers were and where they came from. I don’t think that there’s anything ‘wrong’ with the older generation of content creators. That’s Emily’s style and this is my style. That’s important to understand in the design world. Sometimes, people think there’s a right and a wrong, but there really isn’t. Everyone is doing their own thing, and at the end of the day, that’s why it’s so great to experiment. You may love a very neutral space and there’s nothing wrong with that. But where we’re at right now, and why I think I’m trying to push the message of adding color and character and personality, is because we’ve been in this neutral design space over the last 10 years. Neutrals have been pushed so heavily as the “safe” option. When in reality, that isn’t the case.” 

Final Thoughts

again, the hair in top form

Maybe Marco is a special unicorn in his generation, but the way he discussed not just himself but Gen Z when prompted felt like that’s not the case. He spoke about design and decorating with such ease and confidence that I hardly ever saw when I was his age (and I worked in a high-design magazine at the time, too). Personally, I think so much of it boils down to access and education. As much as we all can look down on social media and blame it for the pitfalls of society, what it has given us all—and particularly young folk—is visibility into all the options that exist to either tweak and make their own or completely reinvent the wheel. 

Oh, and as for the hair. Yes, I did ask him about it because HELLO, but sadly, there was no resolute elixir that would turn us all into floppy hair gods. “It’s good genes! Honestly, my products are constantly in rotation. I don’t have much loyalty to specific products, but right now, I’m using the brand Kevin Murphy.” You win some, you lose some (she says, as she Googles Kevin Murphy…). 

*all images courtesy Marco Zamora

The post Arlyn Interviewed A Gen Z Design TikTok Star – Here Are 5 VERY Unexpected Takeaways appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Scared To Choose Art? We Showed Our Photographer How To Do It With Pretty And Affordable Options

If you have been following along for a while, you know we love writing about choosing and hanging art. Or maybe “love” isn’t the right word. Maybe we just recognize how debilitatingly hard it can be to find art, purchase said art, and then hang that art in an aesthetically pleasing way, so we’ve made it our duty to find and share solutions. This is why we have so many posts in our archives such as: How To Hang Art Correctly, DESIGN MISTAKE: Different Walls, Same Art Configurations, How To Actually Make A Gallery Wall, 7 Unexpected Places I Like To Hang Art, The 7 Things You Need to Know Before You Try to Hang That Gallery Wall, and the list goes on. So when Emily was shooting EHD photographer Kaitlin’s basement reveal, and saw that the rest of Kaitlin’s home was beautifully designed except for one thing – art – she realized this is a common trajectory. MANY people find that choosing art is the hardest part of designing a home or even one room. I remember agonizing over my gallery wall for a solid year before it was completed (and I believe I only found the strength to complete it because I had a hard deadline). Even my years at EHD didn’t fully prepare me for the pain of choosing and hanging art. But sometimes what we all need is to get out of our heads a little bit and have fun with it. So today, using Kaitlin’s real home and blank walls, I am showing you how art can transform a space using the ancient art of Photoshop. In doing so, my hope is to prove that finding good, affordable, tasteful art is less painful than you think. Shall we begin?

THE CANVAS – KAITLIN’S HOME WITH NO ART

Welcome to Kaitlin’s home (and huge thanks to Kaitlin for inviting us in). It is so cute and clearly well-styled and designed (as you can see she has great taste). But without art, the walls are a bit sad and there is definitely a sense of something missing. Kaitlin has shared that she struggles with choosing art because it feels so daunting and permanent. She is not alone. We often get inside our heads about what the art we choose says about us. We can get trapped into believing this narrative that the art on our walls must represent who we are. Folks, I am here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that deep. Art certainly can represent your style, personality, and even your values, but it doesn’t have to. You can hang art because you like it! It’s as simple as that.

A common misconception is that adults who are serious about art should feel pressure to buy from a gallery or try to procure originals. If you have the opportunity and means to do so that is wonderful, but it’s not the only way to adorn your walls with quality art. As you will see later in this post, big box stores like Target, West Elm, CB2, Crate & Barrel, and so on have really great art options that can completely transform your walls. Then there are amazing second-hand and vintage options on Etsy and Chairish and of course, you can score incredible pieces on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and flea markets. Good art does not have to break the bank, my friends.

Now if you wondering if there is a formula to follow when arranging art in a room the answer is YES! Famously, rooms have at least four walls. So, to make a room feel collected and dynamic you should mix up the variations of art on your walls. For example, you don’t necessarily want to have one large vertical piece of art on every wall. That might make your room look like a museum. Instead, you can choose one of the following for each wall:

One small, large, or medium piece (depending on wall size)Gallery wallGridDiptych or TriptychMirrorStacked piecesSomething sculptural

For you visual learners out there, this graphic is extremely helpful:

Now that you are familiar with the space and parameters, allow me to present some of our favorite art picks and how they can be arranged in a room. Here we go. 

EXAMPLE#1: Minimal And Neutral Art

Layered Paper Dimensional Wall Art Set of 2 (left) | “Mountain High I” Framed Wall Art Print (over the mantel) | Wrinkle Decorative Bowl

To start us off, I pulled together a minimal and neutral art plan that accentuates the calming, relaxed vibe of the space and plays off the light wood tones throughout. The jumping-off point for this style began with the awesome Layered Paper Dimensional Art Diptych. It is perfectly minimal and interesting and has an artisanal look, plus they were big enough to fill the large empty space on the wall. You can buy one individually but as a pair, it creates a cohesiveness that is so pleasing to the eye. To complement the softness of the diptych, I chose this “Mountain High I” Print with a light wood frame. I love how the black strokes bounce off the black accents coming from the fireplace and the bookcase. Finally, to add movement and texture I included this wrinkle decorative bowl that brightens the mantel and provides a sculptural element.

Natural Daisy Chain’ Wall Art

Following our formula above, this wall needed something other than a diptych or triptych, so the room would feel dynamic and nuanced. A medium or large-scale piece felt like the right fit here, and I really love this one from the Leanne Ford x Crate And Barrel collection. It’s woven with cotton fibers to create texture and some movement. 

“Mountain High I” Framed Wall Art Print | Wrinkle Decorative Bowl | Natural Daisy Chain’ Wall Art

As you can see, the pieces on this side of the room are close together so it was important to find art that speaks to each other but are not too similar in size, subject, or shape.

Natia Oak Round Wall Mirror

On the opposite wall, next to the incredible slatted wood room divider, there was a blank space above this plant stand that honestly could have been left alone, but a mirror felt like a great way to draw your eye up. Hanging mirrors is one of our favorite “tricks” when finding the perfect art piece feels impossible. A mirror will make the room feel bigger and help bounce light around the room (which is especially important for rooms with a scarcity of natural light).

Arched Wood Throw Blanket Ladder | White Rice Paper Geo Framed Wall Art 4 Piece

Due to the open-concept floor plan in Kaitlin’s home, the dining area is visible from the living room so it only made sense to continue this art challenge on these two walls. To create more height and a sculptural element on the wall to the left, this ladder was the perfect solution. The arch creates a faux architectural element and the wood tone is really pretty. On the same wall on the other side of the window, this grid of 4 pieces breaks up the wall nicely and gives off a pulled-together, collected vibe.

EXAMPLE #2: Abstract And Bold Art

Finding Balance No. 1 Wall Art (left) | Metal Ring Sculpture (small) | Metal Ring Sculpture (large) | Nature You and Me Print

Switching gears a bit, I wanted to see how moody and abstract art would transform the space. Immediately, the darker cooler palette makes the room feel bold and a little mysterious. I started with the black and white print to the left and loved how it grounded the space. To balance out the darkness, this piece over the mantel created some warmth but still felt cohesive. Then the small and large ring sculptures provided movement while still sticking to the abstract and bold theme.

Shapes 1 Print (top) Shapes 2 Print (bottom)

Oh, I love these prints. Stacking two framed pieces is a great hack if you are having trouble finding a large piece to fill up a blank wall. They don’t even have to be a set (as you will see in another example below) and sometimes you can find two smaller pieces for a more affordable price than one large piece.

Metal Ring Sculpture (small) | Metal Ring Sculpture (large) | Nature You and Me Print | Shapes 1 Print (top) Shapes 2 Print (bottom)

Gerald Large Round Black Wall Mirror

Again, a round mirror on this narrow wall feels like the perfect decor moment. The roundness juxtaposes the hard lines of the room divider and creates a nice contrast. 

Circle & Line Rill Wall Hanging | Ladder Leaning Bookshelf

The narrow space between the plant and window was a little tricky to fill until I found this abstract wall hanging. It provided some much-needed movement and a 3-dimensional element to the room. 

Not art per se, but a ladder shelf like so does provide a sculptural element and since it is close to the kitchen, it could act as a practical storage solution for pretty bowls, vases, and other serveware. 

EXAMPLE #3: Vintage Inspired And Eclectic Art

Shepherd’s Meadow Print | Emma Mirror

Kaitlin’s home is truly a joy to play around with styles and I was really excited to see if I could make vintage-inspired artwork here. I started with this Shepherd’s Meadow Print from Lulu & Georgia to complement the green accent chairs and brass finishes. I immediately LOVED how it looked on her wall and thought an ornate mirror above the mantel would help drive the vintage style home. 

Play Wall Art Print

Sticking with the muted green theme, this print really stuck out to me. It is from Minted, one of our favorite places to source affordable art, and comes in several sizes and frame options. I chose the brass frame to emulate a vintage vibe and I just love how it looks here. It brings in a contemporary element that helps tie in the more modern furniture and architecture. 

Emma Mirror | Play Wall Art Print

Female Body Sketch Art

Instead of including a mirror here, I wanted to play with the idea of hanging a small vintage-inspired framed piece. A larger scale piece would also work here, but opting for a small one is sort of breaking the “rules” which can create a really interesting look. In fact, we are big fans of the “too small” rule-breaking trick because when done right, it looks intentionally eclectic and cool.

Coastal Beach Seascape (top left) | Sailing Boat Painting (top right) | Seascape Painting (middle right) | Framed Oil Painting Print on Canvas (bottom right) | Full-Length Floor Mirror

This seascape gallery wall, inspired by Emily’s family room, brought so much color and life to the walls. If Kaitlin wanted, she could remove the plant on the left to create a larger gallery wall, but I kind of love the asymmetrical gallery wall look. 

Finally, I love how this standing floor mirror provided height and an arch shape to the room.

EXAMPLE #4: Lively And Colorful Art

Mauve Abstract Framed Canvas | Krysia Oval Metal Wall Mirror | Ariel Vase | Toppu Bowl

To conclude this art journey, a more colorful palette seemed like an appropriate way to emphasize the idea that art can be playful and fun. I love the scale and shape of the abstract print on the left and since the colors are muted and soft, it works nicely with the rest of the colors in the room. The mirror adds another unexpected and playful shape while the two small vessels provide a lovely 3-dimensional component.

Contrasting Shapes 1 | Contrasting Shapes 2

Again, stacking two pieces is a great alternative if you are having trouble finding one large piece. These abstract framed prints are quality pieces that bring a youthfulness to the room.

HOT TIP: Try painting your own abstract art and getting them professionally framed for an affordable art solution.  

Checkerboard Weaving Print

This checkerboard print adds more pattern to the room and a happy pop of color. I love how it speaks to the checkered rug and makes the rug pattern pop even more.

Crane Stencil 2 Wall Art | 2pk Neutral Checkers Framed Under Glass | Tea Towel

Stacking two pieces of different sizes and subjects is a great way to mix up the wall art formula. The above piece could have been left alone, but adding a smaller framed piece underneath is a cool trick that feels unexpected and fresh. 

The final art piece on the right side of the wall is a tea towel framed with a white matte. The matting creates a more dialed-in look that appears more expensive. This is one of my favorite affordable art hacks – framing something you love that feels meaningful to you. You can frame a letter, a poem, a ticket, matches from your favorite restaurant, or whatever speaks to you. The possibilities are endless!

Alright my friends, that is all from me. I hope this post helped anyone who has ever felt stress or fear around choosing or hanging art. Let this be your sign to have more fun with it and just enjoy the ART of designing a space 🙂 Until next time. xx 

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post Scared To Choose Art? We Showed Our Photographer How To Do It With Pretty And Affordable Options appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Too Afraid To Choose Art? Our Photographer Kaitlin Was Too So We Showed How With Pretty And Affordable Options

If you have been following along for a while, you know we love writing about choosing and hanging art. Or maybe “love” isn’t the right word. Maybe we just recognize how debilitatingly hard it can be to find art, purchase said art, and then hang that art in an aesthetically pleasing way, so we’ve made it our duty to find and share solutions. This is why we have so many posts in our archives such as: How To Hang Art Correctly, DESIGN MISTAKE: Different Walls, Same Art Configurations, How To Actually Make A Gallery Wall, 7 Unexpected Places I Like To Hang Art, The 7 Things You Need to Know Before You Try to Hang That Gallery Wall, and the list goes on. So when Emily was shooting EHD photographer Kaitlin’s basement reveal, and saw that the rest of Kaitlin’s home was beautifully designed except for one thing – art – she realized this is a common trajectory. MANY people find that choosing art is the hardest part of designing a home or even one room. I remember agonizing over my gallery wall for a solid year before it was completed (and I believe I only found the strength to complete it because I had a hard deadline). Even my years at EHD didn’t fully prepare me for the pain of choosing and hanging art. But sometimes what we all need is to get out of our heads a little bit and have fun with it. So today, using Kaitlin’s real home and blank walls, I am showing you how art can transform a space using the ancient art of Photoshop. In doing so, my hope is to prove that finding good, affordable, tasteful art is less painful than you think. Shall we begin?

THE CANVAS – KAITLIN’S HOME WITH NO ART

Welcome to Kaitlin’s home (and huge thanks to Kaitlin for inviting us in). It is so cute and clearly well-styled and designed (as you can see she has great taste). But without art, the walls are a bit sad and there is definitely a sense of something missing. Kaitlin has shared that she struggles with choosing art because it feels so daunting and permanent. She is not alone. We often get inside our heads about what the art we choose says about us. We can get trapped into believing this narrative that the art on our walls must represent who we are. Folks, I am here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that deep. Art certainly can represent your style, personality, and even your values, but it doesn’t have to. You can hang art because you like it! It’s as simple as that.

A common misconception is that adults who are serious about art should feel pressure to buy from a gallery or try to procure originals. If you have the opportunity and means to do so that is wonderful, but it’s not the only way to adorn your walls with quality art. As you will see later in this post, big box stores like Target, West Elm, CB2, Crate & Barrel, and so on have really great art options that can completely transform your walls. Then there are amazing second-hand and vintage options on Etsy and Chairish and of course, you can score incredible pieces on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and flea markets. Good art does not have to break the bank, my friends.

Now if you wondering if there is a formula to follow when arranging art in a room the answer is YES! Famously, rooms have at least four walls. So, to make a room feel collected and dynamic you should mix up the variations of art on your walls. For example, you don’t necessarily want to have one large vertical piece of art on every wall. That might make your room look like a museum. Instead, you can choose one of the following for each wall:

One small, large, or medium piece (depending on wall size)Gallery wallGridDiptych or TriptychMirrorStacked piecesSomething sculptural

For you visual learners out there, this graphic is extremely helpful:

Now that you are familiar with the space and parameters, allow me to present some of our favorite art picks and how they can be arranged in a room. Here we go. 

EXAMPLE#1: Minimal And Neutral Art

Layered Paper Dimensional Wall Art Set of 2 (left) | “Mountain High I” Framed Wall Art Print (over the mantel) | Wrinkle Decorative Bowl

To start us off, I pulled together a minimal and neutral art plan that accentuates the calming, relaxed vibe of the space and plays off the light wood tones throughout. The jumping-off point for this style began with the awesome Layered Paper Dimensional Art Diptych. It is perfectly minimal and interesting and has an artisanal look, plus they were big enough to fill the large empty space on the wall. You can buy one individually but as a pair, it creates a cohesiveness that is so pleasing to the eye. To complement the softness of the diptych, I chose this “Mountain High I” Print with a light wood frame. I love how the black strokes bounce off the black accents coming from the fireplace and the bookcase. Finally, to add movement and texture I included this wrinkle decorative bowl that brightens the mantel and provides a sculptural element.

Natural Daisy Chain’ Wall Art

Following our formula above, this wall needed something other than a diptych or triptych, so the room would feel dynamic and nuanced. A medium or large-scale piece felt like the right fit here, and I really love this one from the Leanne Ford x Crate And Barrel collection. It’s woven with cotton fibers to create texture and some movement. 

“Mountain High I” Framed Wall Art Print | Wrinkle Decorative Bowl | Natural Daisy Chain’ Wall Art

As you can see, the pieces on this side of the room are close together so it was important to find art that speaks to each other but are not too similar in size, subject, or shape.

Natia Oak Round Wall Mirror

On the opposite wall, next to the incredible slatted wood room divider, there was a blank space above this plant stand that honestly could have been left alone, but a mirror felt like a great way to draw your eye up. Hanging mirrors is one of our favorite “tricks” when finding the perfect art piece feels impossible. A mirror will make the room feel bigger and help bounce light around the room (which is especially important for rooms with a scarcity of natural light).

Arched Wood Throw Blanket Ladder | White Rice Paper Geo Framed Wall Art 4 Piece

Due to the open-concept floor plan in Kaitlin’s home, the dining area is visible from the living room so it only made sense to continue this art challenge on these two walls. To create more height and a sculptural element on the wall to the left, this ladder was the perfect solution. The arch creates a faux architectural element and the wood tone is really pretty. On the same wall on the other side of the window, this grid of 4 pieces breaks up the wall nicely and gives off a pulled-together, collected vibe.

EXAMPLE #2: Abstract And Bold Art

Finding Balance No. 1 Wall Art (left) | Metal Ring Sculpture (small) | Metal Ring Sculpture (large) | Nature You and Me Print

Switching gears a bit, I wanted to see how moody and abstract art would transform the space. Immediately, the darker cooler palette makes the room feel bold and a little mysterious. I started with the black and white print to the left and loved how it grounded the space. To balance out the darkness, this piece over the mantel created some warmth but still felt cohesive. Then the small and large ring sculptures provided movement while still sticking to the abstract and bold theme.

Shapes 1 Print (top) Shapes 2 Print (bottom)

Oh, I love these prints. Stacking two framed pieces is a great hack if you are having trouble finding a large piece to fill up a blank wall. They don’t even have to be a set (as you will see in another example below) and sometimes you can find two smaller pieces for a more affordable price than one large piece.

Metal Ring Sculpture (small) | Metal Ring Sculpture (large) | Nature You and Me Print | Shapes 1 Print (top) Shapes 2 Print (bottom)

Gerald Large Round Black Wall Mirror

Again, a round mirror on this narrow wall feels like the perfect decor moment. The roundness juxtaposes the hard lines of the room divider and creates a nice contrast. 

Circle & Line Rill Wall Hanging | Ladder Leaning Bookshelf

The narrow space between the plant and window was a little tricky to fill until I found this abstract wall hanging. It provided some much-needed movement and a 3-dimensional element to the room. 

Not art per se, but a ladder shelf like so does provide a sculptural element and since it is close to the kitchen, it could act as a practical storage solution for pretty bowls, vases, and other serveware. 

EXAMPLE #3: Vintage Inspired And Eclectic Art

Shepherd’s Meadow Print | Emma Mirror

Kaitlin’s home is truly a joy to play around with styles and I was really excited to see if I could make vintage-inspired artwork here. I started with this Shepherd’s Meadow Print from Lulu & Georgia to complement the green accent chairs and brass finishes. I immediately LOVED how it looked on her wall and thought an ornate mirror above the mantel would help drive the vintage style home. 

Play Wall Art Print

Sticking with the muted green theme, this print really stuck out to me. It is from Minted, one of our favorite places to source affordable art, and comes in several sizes and frame options. I chose the brass frame to emulate a vintage vibe and I just love how it looks here. It brings in a contemporary element that helps tie in the more modern furniture and architecture. 

Emma Mirror | Play Wall Art Print

Female Body Sketch Art

Instead of including a mirror here, I wanted to play with the idea of hanging a small vintage-inspired framed piece. A larger scale piece would also work here, but opting for a small one is sort of breaking the “rules” which can create a really interesting look. In fact, we are big fans of the “too small” rule-breaking trick because when done right, it looks intentionally eclectic and cool.

Coastal Beach Seascape (top left) | Sailing Boat Painting (top right) | Seascape Painting (middle right) | Framed Oil Painting Print on Canvas (bottom right) | Full-Length Floor Mirror

This seascape gallery wall, inspired by Emily’s family room, brought so much color and life to the walls. If Kaitlin wanted, she could remove the plant on the left to create a larger gallery wall, but I kind of love the asymmetrical gallery wall look. 

Finally, I love how this standing floor mirror provided height and an arch shape to the room.

EXAMPLE #4: Lively And Colorful Art

Mauve Abstract Framed Canvas | Krysia Oval Metal Wall Mirror | Ariel Vase | Toppu Bowl

To conclude this art journey, a more colorful palette seemed like an appropriate way to emphasize the idea that art can be playful and fun. I love the scale and shape of the abstract print on the left and since the colors are muted and soft, it works nicely with the rest of the colors in the room. The mirror adds another unexpected and playful shape while the two small vessels provide a lovely 3-dimensional component.

Contrasting Shapes 1 | Contrasting Shapes 2

Again, stacking two pieces is a great alternative if you are having trouble finding one large piece. These abstract framed prints are quality pieces that bring a youthfulness to the room.

HOT TIP: Try painting your own abstract art and getting them professionally framed for an affordable art solution.  

Checkerboard Weaving Print

This checkerboard print adds more pattern to the room and a happy pop of color. I love how it speaks to the checkered rug and makes the rug pattern pop even more.

Crane Stencil 2 Wall Art | 2pk Neutral Checkers Framed Under Glass | Tea Towel

Stacking two pieces of different sizes and subjects is a great way to mix up the wall art formula. The above piece could have been left alone, but adding a smaller framed piece underneath is a cool trick that feels unexpected and fresh. 

The final art piece on the right side of the wall is a tea towel framed with a white matte. The matting creates a more dialed-in look that appears more expensive. This is one of my favorite affordable art hacks – framing something you love that feels meaningful to you. You can frame a letter, a poem, a ticket, matches from your favorite restaurant, or whatever speaks to you. The possibilities are endless!

Alright my friends, that is all from me. I hope this post helped anyone who has ever felt stress or fear around choosing or hanging art. Let this be your sign to have more fun with it and just enjoy the ART of designing a space 🙂 Until next time. xx 

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post Too Afraid To Choose Art? Our Photographer Kaitlin Was Too So We Showed How With Pretty And Affordable Options appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Em’s NEW Favorite Self Tanner, Two Cute Dresses, Jess’ Summer Candle, And A Bittersweet Announcement

Happy Sunday, everyone. We are starting this week’s link up a little differently this week. This was our wonderful Ryann’s final week at EHD. We couldn’t send her off without giving her A TON of love. We’ll let Em kick-off why we love Ryann so much.

An Ode to Ryann Trombettiphotos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: ryann got a perm (!!) 

From Emily: Today I have very very bittersweet news that our beloved Ryann will be moving on to pursue new career adventures. It’s been five years, FIVE YEARS!!! of wonderful editorial ideas, opinions, writing, design help and so much fun and love from Ryann. She started as a temp (literally to help us do a bunch of spreadsheet work as we turned the site more into a resource) and we couldn’t let go of her. We just really, really liked having her around and I personally benefitted from so much of her wisdom. Her role grew and grew as we shifted into more of a publishing platform and design resource. What a gift she was. But now as the blog returns to a more personal blog and we shift our business, things started to not make sense and her job here wasn’t lining up with her own personal pursuits. So through really open and honest conversations and brainstorming we both feel like this is the right move – despite our pits in our stomach and occasional nausea. But the good news is she is an EHD alum which means this won’t be the last you’ll hear from her. She of course will be going after her goals but she will always have a place here to pop in and write every now and then if she wants to. We love her, you love her, she speaks our EHD language and you simply can’t just replace 5 years of a full-time relationship. You just can’t. It’s such lasting value – both personal and professional. All of it makes me so happy (moving on to better things) and sad (it’s always sad to make big shifts like this). So thank you Ryann for your years of hard work, great attitude, FUN, wisdom, creativity, work ethic, and humor. 

Ryann came into this job with zero background in interior design (she just applied for the temp admin position) and in case you missed it, three years later revealed her living room makeover takeover which blew us all away. Check it out HERE. It’s been such a wild ride here at EHD – boom and bust, big staff, then scaling back, me moving to another state after two years of lockdown, and lots of shifts due to social media and huge cultural changes. I can’t tell you enough how much having a supportive, understanding team has been to keeping us still in the game and moving forward (again, both professionally and personally). Thank you Ryann for being here, in all the important ways. We will miss you very, very, very much.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the ethically made shoe brand my feet will be living in this summer (+ all our favorite picks)

From Jess: To know Ryann, is to love Ryann. We both really grew up together these last five years and it has been a pleasure getting to work with her every one of those days. She’s talented, hardworking, and has always been there as the sounding board I trust when I was unsure about something. My second gut check if you will 🙂 She also kept me in check when I missed something too! Then on top of all those things, you won’t find a better hang. Ryann is SO fun, is always up for a soulful conversation (and encourages them), and has such a beautiful heart. While EHD won’t be the same without her, I am so excited to see her thrive in her next adventure. This job was just the beginning. I know it’s wildly cliche but the sky really is the limit when it comes to our Ryann. I know this isn’t goodbye but a we’ll see you soon. She is joining a pretty remarkable group of EHD alums that have also never been able to fully escape us 🙂 Can’t wait to read that novel one day!!! 

From Mallory: Ryann is one of the most thoughtful, creative, and talented people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. She’s the edgiest gal with the sweetest heart. A true baddie. As a fellow 7 (for my enneagram-obsessed friends), she has an incredible ability to make seemingly mundane work extremely fun while also having mastered the art of efficiency and writing skill. No seriously, her writing is some of the best I’ve ever read!!! Ry has been such an asset to this team and while we’re all gonna miss her so much, I can’t wait to see her spread her lil wings and fly!! GO CRUSH IT OUT THERE RY. LOVE YOU!!!!

From Caitlin: OH MY GOD YOU CAN’T MAKE ME WRITE THIS??? I tried to tell Ryann how much I love and appreciate her when we got team drinks on Wednesday and immediately started crying, so you can imagine that I am a teary-eyed baby while writing this. I know that you guys see Ryann’s incredible work on the blog – I still think about the thoughtful piece she wrote on body image – but SHE’S EVEN BETTER IN REAL LIFE. She’s thoughtful and smart and a total blast, but I most appreciate her bravery and this innate sense of fairness she has – she has an incredible talent for speaking truth to power (woof, I know that phrase is corny, but it’s true!) and I so admire how she’s able to navigate her relationships with folks while pushing people to do the right thing. I’m so lucky to have worked alongside her and I hope I picked up a few of her traits over the past few years – she’s one of the good ones! RYANN, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

Fun Memories!!design by ryann trombetti for ehd | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: ryann’s moto reveal: living and dining room

From Ryann’s INCREDIBLE MOTO…

And her first hair transformation in 2018: the chicest bob!

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: ryann got a perm (!!)

Who could forget her second hair transformation in 2022: The cool girl perm!

She married her soulmate<3

photo by veronica crawford | from: our first ever reader event at the mountain house—a recap

And got to spend time with all of you at The Mountain House Reader Event!

There were lots of after-hours hangs, too 🙂

And a few adventures our team will never forget! (Like our trip to Portland :))

photos by veronica crawford | from: i let my 20-something-year-old staff dress me in 2019 fashion trends

Did we mention she’s a natural model? Her beauty and talent know no bounds.

Words just can’t express how much we love and will miss our Ryann. Please go shower her with more love in the comments, and then if you want to come back we have our regularly scheduled Link Up below:

The Link Up

This week’s house tour is both incredibly well-design and unbelievably charming, with the coziest, lived-in feel. Designer, Sara Charlesworth and her husband bought his family home from his father and carefully brought it back to life while maintaining those important family memories. We don’t want to say too much more because you really need to just go look at it. Enjoy!

From Emily: I won’t call myself an expert in many things, but when it comes to self-tanner I can proudly (??) say I’m a professional. I have tried them all and while many work totally fine I have two that are EXCEPTIONAL. My normal overnight one is St. Tropez (you have to use a mitt) but I have a new better/faster hack. This one does the job in TWO HOURS. I’m not kidding. The other day I had forgotten to put on the foam the night before so I woke up at 7 am and put on this two-hour ultra-dark tan. My team came over around 8 and I told them what I had done. We then proceeded to watch it develop LIVE and sure enough by the time I needed to be in my short shorts on camera I was totally tan. Now it says you are supposed to rinse off at 8 hours, but I don’t. I just keep it on for the whole day and I can’t believe how great it looks. I know that I’ve been professing self-tanner for years but it’s because I am so fair and really can’t get any natural color (and have stopped trying). This makes me look/feel better instantly. I know people are nervous to try it but the worst that can happen is that you go a little too dark and then rinse it off (don’t try this first time for a wedding or anything). Now the 2-hour one doesn’t last as many days, so what I’ve been doing is the St. Tropez as my base, then every morning if I’m going to be in shorts or a swimsuit, I just throw the 2-hour one on my legs almost like daily lotion. I hope you have enjoyed this one-woman spray tan show (I really should shoot a new reel about it – it’s just so highly effective and makes a huge difference in my life).

From Mallory: I tried on this dress a few months ago and realized the other day that I regretted not buying it. BUT sometimes waiting is in fact in your favor because it’s now on a hot sale!!! I snagged it finally — if you’re in the market too it would make a great wedding guest dress or just a fun dinner dress 🙂

From Ryann: I completely forgot about this dress, probably because it was left in my suitcase that I still haven’t fully unpacked from Japan:) I pulled it out yesterday and basically haven’t taken it off since (I’m wearing it now!). It is a smock-style dress so it is extremely comfortable but the neckline is low and it has a cinched waist so it is still, dare I say, flattering and form fitting. I have it in black and love that it feels totally appropriate to wear at night to dinner but it is still casual enough that you could wear it to a BBQ. It comes in a cute blue pattern too. This dress will be in rotation all summer.

From Arlyn: If I told pre-mom Arlyn that she’d gladly be spending $34 on baby pajamas, she would have laughed in my face. It’s literally inches of fabric, how can it cost $34? BUT LET ME TELL YOU. TAKE MY MONEY because Little Sleepies makes the greatest baby and toddler pajamas of all time and I’d probably spend $50 each on them. For starters, they are made of super soft bamboo that helps regulate body temperature, they wash VERY well, the zippers are of incredible quality, open from the top and the bottom, have hand and foot cuffs you can leave opened or close up, and the sizing lasts FOREVER. Case in point: We put Evelyn in size 3-6 months the other night because we needed to do her laundry…and they fit (with the feet uncuffed). I could spend $10 on pajamas that will fit her for a few months if they even last that long through the wash, or I could spend $34 on pajamas she’ll use for a year+. Win, win, baby! If you know someone who is expecting, or even if you have littles of your own, look no further. (Oh, and they have matching adult PJs, too….)

From Caitlin: I know we’re a little heavy-handed on the shorts recommendations this week, but there’s one more from me! If you have bigger thighs, wider hips, or a larger butt (or all 3! Hey, twin!) then I cannot recommend Abercrombie’s entire Curve Love line enough. I’ve always struggled to get that nice flare out that Em talks about because the jeans that fit my waist are just a little too tight on these big ol’ thighs of mine! (The same thing happens with boyfriend jeans, too – they all fit me like skinny jeans because I have wider hips.) ANYWAY – the Curve Love line is specifically designed to have your standard waist size, but they’ve added extra inches in hip and leg so they ACTUALLY fit like the cute shorts that all you folks with narrower bottom halves rock every summer!! I grab mine in a 14 and they’re the perfect fit, but you can also try a size up and pair with a belt if you’re looking for an even looser fit in the leg and butt. I SWEAR by the Mom jean style – after years of wearing shorts that were just right around my entire leg, it is SO AWESOME to have some pairs that are comfortable and breezy and that make my legs look so cute!!! (Like. These shorts GAVE me higher self-esteem? They’re a dream, I swear!)

From Jess: Last weekend I got to spend a magical two days celebrating one of my close friend’s birthday in Ojai and Santa Barbara. It was my first time in Ojai and it was as magical as I had hoped it would be! With wine tasting and eating the most delicious wings I’ve ever had from SAMA SAMA, came a tiny bit of shopping. I restrained myself and only bought one thing…this candle. It’s a great summer candle and the throw is so good! It’s both fresh, floral, and earthy. This brand truly has so many incredible scents to choose from.

Also From Jess: Then in Santa Barbara the next day we popped into Anthropologie and my friend bought these pants and they looked incredible on her (FYI she is on the taller side). She loved how comfortable they were and the little “v” cut in the front which is subtle but so flattering. And the best part is they are on sale:) She got the dark green which makes them really wearable all year long!

Hope you have a great rest of Sunday and get to spend some time outside. Share some love for Ryann below and we’ll see y’all tomorrow! xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Farmhouse Backyard Update: Our Split Rail Fence Choice And Why It’s My Favorite (And Most Affordable)

The post The Link Up: Em’s NEW Favorite Self Tanner, Two Cute Dresses, Jess’ Summer Candle, And A Bittersweet Announcement appeared first on Emily Henderson.

I Went To The Mall And Here Is What I Bought Or Loved (In Search of Cute Comfortable Summer Clothes)

Y’all I went to the mall with my friends and snuck into the dressing room with a camera. I needed a few things – new shorts that aren’t crazy tight nor super ripped up and a loose/easy/breathable dress or two. I kissed/tried on a LOT of frogs so I’m just showing you the highlights here (and only bought a few of these because I didn’t NEED all of them). So let’s get into it.

Dress

The above dress was pretty darn cute. I wish I had bought it before I went to Costa Rica. It has pockets, was lined and those sleeves are so fun. I feel like it’s better suited for SoCal/Florida or a resort vibe so I didn’t buy it but liked it so much (I think I could pull it off up here if it were all one color). It felt high quality and like it was going to hold up nicely.

Wrap Skirt | Top

Now this set was SO CUTE and I feel like it’s something Mal (or Social Media Manager) would wear. It’s a little preppy tennis skirt with a crop top. I don’t think it suits my lifestyle right now and I like to be a little more covered up but for all of you who are into this trend, we really loved it.

Denim Romper

Now THIS is way more my vibe. It’s a great short jumper and had it not been white I would have bought it (I have since gone online and bought it in this color). It was comfortable, flattering, hung nicely, and is a less hot alternative to my denim and linen long-sleeve version (and more affordable). It comes in other colors, too. Again I liked the white in theory but my lifestyle doesn’t support a white jumper that much (aka I play in dirt too much).

Tunic

I’m laughing in this shot because this “dress“, y’all, was CRAZY short and had so much volume that I thought it must be a swimsuit coverup (it turns out it is a tunic top :)). But again, I wish I had had this so badly when we were in Costa Rica in the humidity. It is SO LIGHTWEIGHT and breathable, feels like you are wearing nothing which is exactly what I wanted when we were there and I didn’t pack anything like this. So if you are going anywhere in the humidity this summer this is an excellent coverup (or dress should you brave the crotch risk). I kind of regret not getting it and If I think about it a lot while we are in Arrowhead I might swing back and get it. Stylistically it’s not wowing me like crazy, but the fit/drape/fabric made me want to wear it the rest of the day.

Yellow Shirtdress

Look at me in yellow! And I bought this! It’s a shirtdress but more special because of the drawstring, pockets, and dropped shoulders. I don’t think I’m selling it that well here, but we all agreed it was super super cute. I could dress it up with a blazer for work but I’ll likely wear it with sneakers or sandals. It’s the perfect 75-degree brunch dress – super lightweight but not overly “resort”.

Shirt | Shorts

Introducing my new summer shorts. These are the newer version of the Madewell ones I’ve been wearing for years, but they are a bit longer and baggier (which is the trend). I LOVE THEM. Such a good fit (I’m wearing a 28 here), comfortable, great wash, doesn’t go up your butt flares out nicely (which makes legs look slimmer if you are into that). The top I bought as well, not because it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen, but because it was really really solid. The pattern was cute, the sleeves were flattering, the fabric was medium weight and I felt like it would hold up really well, it’s boxy and cropped (my favorite profile) and just so easy to wear. I have so many denim button ups but this one feels more breathable and airy, just easy to throw on and feel good in.

Shorts

Right before we left this store I found these shorts, tried them on, and loved them. They are a shorter and lighter wash, but super flattering cut (really flat in the front) and then flare out nicely. As you can tell I like short shorts and don’t mind showing off my legs (with tanning foam, obvs).

Shorts

For those of you who like rigid denim, these are excellent. They are Levi’s, an awesome length, super flattering and we all agreed that they looked so good in the butt. I don’t like rigid denim anymore (I think I have a sensory thing – I can wear them for about 1/2 hour before I feel claustrophobic and need to be in more comfortable shorts). So I can’t wear Levis that go up my butt like this, but admittedly it makes your butt look good.

Pants

Y’all, these pants were an instant add to cart. I can’t wait for Brian to make fun of me once again for buying distressed/paint-splattered clothes but these are SO GOOD. The cut is that bow-legged shape that is so flattering. They have a wide-leg which I typically don’t wear (mostly because I like slim on the bottom and wide on top) but because of the shape, they are so flattering. Kaitlin bought them, too. I’m wearing a 26 here (which is smaller than I am). I think they are supposed to be super oversized, but I like this size on me.

Pants

The day before we went shopping I saw someone wearing these at the airport and I thought she looked super cool. They are totally balloon-y and not unlike scrubs. These were too big for me but we shot them because we thought they were cool – especially if you wear a tank/tee or super cropped top on top (none of which I do). I didn’t get them, but we all agreed they were a cool look.

Bermuda Shorts | Pants

I wanted to show you these because I think for those of you who work in an office, both of these could be styled to be very cool (and they were flattering, considering). The Bermuda shorts (NOT styled right here) are indeed in right now. I find them unflattering but know that if you are into this look the Vince brand is making them look cool. The pants we all agreed were a great fit and cut – the shape of the leg was modern and cool, and the crop is perfect. I don’t have a job where I need this so I skipped them but for all you office-goers, these are good.

Dress

I couldn’t put this dress in my basket fast enough. I’m going to wear this all summer long. The sleeves are so fun, it has pockets, and the green/white stripe is a hell yes. It’s lined and feels high quality (it should be, it wasn’t cheap). This is my dress of the summer.

B l u e S h i r t Dress

You know I love a shirt dress. I have enough of these so I didn’t get it, but both of these are good (especially for work). I like shorter dresses (as you can see above) so this dress felt like too much fabric for me, but it was a good cut, super lightweight, and could be easily dressed up or down.

Black Stripe Dress

Another good shirt dress (sorry for the far away shot, we were being super sneaky so It was hard to get photos in J Crew without getting in trouble). I like the Frank and Eileen ones because they are distressed a bit which makes them a little less serious, but this one is really good for a summer office staple.

Stripe Shirt | Shorts | Jacket

I tried on this white suit and it was pretty good. The shorts were excellent (but see-through so you’ll need a nude thong) but the jacket was a little too bulky for me (but remember I have big arms and boobs). The seersucker shirt has a great drape but I don’t need another blue and white striped button up so I skipped it.

Blouse | Shorts

Such a cute linen summer tunic blouse. I just bought a couple of shirts that checked this box (from Emerson Fry) so I didn’t get this but it’s really good/flattering/easy breezy. These shorts were good, too, and come in a lot of colors. The front pockets are super flattering (also not to call out J Crew but my god the lighting in the dressing room is so unflattering. Their sales merchants need to head over to Anthropologie and take a cue from their dressing room lighting – it’s just SHOCKING that they think this wattage/color of bulbs will make you want to buy their clothes).

Shorts

These were the shorts that I ended up getting. I tried on the 6 and it fit but they were tiny (and that’s coming from me – I like short shorts). So I ended up getting the 8 and it sits on my hips better (but less flattering in the butt). They have great stretch. I bought them for all the times when I don’t want to wear jean shorts (i.e. bike riding or looking a little more pulled together) so it’s nice to have one pair of trouser shorts in the mix. The button-up is one that I already owned from Madewell and it’s excellent.

Have a lovely weekend. xx

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post I Went To The Mall And Here Is What I Bought Or Loved (In Search of Cute Comfortable Summer Clothes) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

9 Stores You Might Forget To Check Out To Find Awesome Decor (And You Shouldn’t!)

Look, there are A LOT of places to buy home decor, especially on the internet. We even made a HUGE list a couple of years ago. Yet still there are countless times I’m reminded of a really great brand or site that maybe I sourced from a while back but then lost track of because there are new options coming at me every day. Can anyone relate?? So as Caitlin and I were talking, we thought it would be really helpful (we hope) to have a nice quick list of our solid go-to’s that we think should get more attention and others that are just under the radar. Decorating is both fun and yet can feel like an endless journey in search of what we hope will be our holy grail vase, or lamp, or sculptural object. Maybe these stores will be your answer! Or simply might be a great place to poke around and see some great options for the future. Let’s dig in with a strong first option:

Finnish Design Shop

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | left from: mountain house living room reveal | right: jess’ living room reveal

I’m sure you’ve seen countless photos of rooms with chic Scandinavian decor (and furniture) all over social media! Well, chances are the Finnish Design Shop carries those pieces. EHD favorite brands like ferm Living (see that little blue jar on the right?) and Skagerak (see that pretty blonde wood tray on the left?) are carried here…so you can only imagine what else they must stock. It’s truly a one-stop shop for all things cool and Scandi. Plus unbeknownst to me, they are currently having a sale in case you are interested! But first, let’s take a look at some of the decor pieces I pulled.

La Femme 02 Poster | Kandili Candle Holder C | Beetle Cushion

Happiness Globe Candle | Isak Throw | Pillar Candle, L

Man, this whole site makes me happy so choosing only six pieces wasn’t easy. I love that graphic yet slightly colorful print. I think it could work in so many homes. That round cushion pattern is SO GOOD! Then all of the candle options are truly so unique. You could easily spend hours on this site with its extensive inventory. Enjoy and sorry if you also fall in love:)

H&M Home

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: 4 ways to style that credenza for “real life”

Ok, so I know people know about H&M (understatement??) but I am constantly shocked by their incredible home section. If you want pretty and super-affordable decor, you aren’t going to get much better than this. We are, of course, lifelong Target fans but H&M is seriously giving them a run for their money. Those candlestick holders are vintage H&M home but look how cute they are!?

via h&m

They are giving a West Elm/CB2 vibe that I am very into. I’ve ordered a couple of vessels from them and Christmas ornaments but I’ll probably be getting more since I’m getting super close to revealing my living room (so I sound like a broken record? I promise I’m still waiting on a custom piece!). But seriously look at this selection below:

Wine Glasses | Stoneware Vase | Checkered Storage Box

Patterned Cushion Cover | Large Glass Vase | Decorative Stoneware Bowl

Chic, right?!? I would happily have every one of these items in my home. Their prices are unbeatable and the style is cool without feeling like you’re trying to design “too young”. 10000/10.

Nordstrom

Ah, the unexpected wildcard! Much like H&M you don’t automatically think “good decor” when you hear the name Nordstrom. But let me tell you there are great pieces at great prices if you are down to search a little. Hey, even Nordstrom Rack has some goodies. But let’s take a look at some of their offerings, shall we?

Circles Door Mat | Wavy Stone Candelabra | Pacino Abstract Statue

Flip Top Glass Vase | Tatum Ceramic Tic Tac Toe Game | Stoneware Face Vase

These are pretty cool, right? They, of course, have plenty of more traditional items but I wanted to show you some “fun” options. How cool is that candelabra or that two-toned vase? Oh, and I am super into that awesome tic-tac-toe set. Go check out what’s on the site!

Ballard Designs

photo by kaitlin green | from: the farmhouse back patio reveal

Ballard has a very special place in my heart. I’ll never forget seeing a Ballard Designs catalog on our counter when I was little and completely falling in love with these white and black fabric-trimmed lampshades. I thought, “I’m going to own those one day!” Unfortunately, I waited too long and honestly don’t think they are my style anymore. It’s crazy how 25 years can do that:) But honestly, they have so many truly great pieces that are traditional in the best way. I mean look at Em’s dining set from her back patio reveal!

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: cailtin’s balcony reveal

Caitlin is also a big fan and got their outdoor curtain for her balcony reveal! But they have way more than just outdoor items (which they are currently having a sale on) so let’s look at the interior products I spotted.

Leather Back Cushion | Gallery Wall System | Samson Candleholder

Mims Firewood Holder | Fringed Signature Velvet Pillow Cover | Eleanor Vase

See?! Traditional and modern all at the same time. I mean that leather back cushion is beautiful (and on sale), that gallery wall system is so pretty and takes away the frustration of trying to DIY something similar, I love that oversized firewood holder, and well everything else. Basically, DON’T SLEEP ON BALLARD DESIGNS!

Jayson Home

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: emily bowser’s kitchen reveal

Ok so we haven’t forgotten about one of our absolute favorite retailers, Jayson Home, but we definitely want to make sure everyone knows about them and thinks about them every time they are decorating their house or needs a gift. They are another one-stop shop! Emily and the team have used them for years (remember Em’s vintage chaise lounge?? Yes, they have vintage too!). Also, see that very cool vase ontop of the dresser in the photo above? Ya, they carry that too:)

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the feel-good modern romantic bedroom makeover

I actually reached out to them for my friend’s bedroom because their products are so so good and there were so many things both my friend and I wanted for the room. We didn’t want to be greedy so we asked for that sweet glass matchstick cloche (I have the tall one and it’s stunning), that paper mache shell tray, and two of their alphabet vintage brass coasters with each of their initials. They really were the perfect unique touches this room was asking for. But let’s check out some of their other pieces (which doesn’t even scratch the surface!)

Hermosa Vases | Rift Wall Shelves | Talisman Stones

Bristol Serving Trays | Peele Candlestick | Baxter End Table

See?! Everything is hand curated and you can tell. I love everything. How cute would love rattan shelves be in a vintage-style home?? Or those beautifully wrapped rocks as an extremely cool gift? I would happily have one of those in my home. What I also love about Jayson Home is that they have a wide selection but not so wide that you are too overwhelmed. This is a must-bookmark.

54Kibo

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | left from: a mid-century eclectic living room | right: my updated living room

Ah, another incredible shop that’s definitely a luxury brand, helping to preserve Africa’s artisanal heritage. 54Kibo offers stunning pieces that will bring so much depth and beauty to your home. Look at the examples above! Julie used one of their wall mirrors in an MCM eclectic living room she designed and it’s so cool! Then in Emily’s old LA living room, that black drink table is a show stopper. The angles and cutouts make it such a unique piece that brought more dimension into the room. Let’s see some other pieces, ya?

Wall Mirror | Ethiopian Navy Throw Blanket | Binga Decorative Woven Wall Basket

Blue Dusk Nala Pom Pom | Nayali Stretch Yellow Throw Pillow | Naka Beaded Turquoise Artwork Mirror

See how textured and joyful everything is?? And that turquoise mirror is all BEADED! This is truly a special shop that we suggest you check out frequently:)

Lumens

When you hear the online shop Lumens you think of lighting, right? Well, you aren’t wrong but you are also missing out on so much more! Now, Lumens does sell incredible lighting with a lot of intention behind them. Remember my Paris post and that incredible department store I went into with all the lights I loved? Well, they sell ALL of them! BUT, they also sell furniture and decor! Say it with me – a real one-stop shop. Most everything leans pretty modern but don’t run if “modern” isn’t your style! They have so much and a little style contrast makes for interesting homes if we do say so ourselves. Enjoy!

Miyabi Ceramic Vase | BORDA Oak Tray | Natural Mahogany Organic Sculpture

WILO Round Hardwood Wastepaper Basket | Black Urban House Mahogany Object | Retro Bullet Planter

Classic, modern, and cool! I love the wooden sculptures and the simple but stunning other pieces. So many good options if you want to pop on over:)

Bloomist

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: sara’s living and dining room reveal

If you’ve been with us for a while then you’ve likely heard of Bloomist. They are a beautiful online shop that sells pretty plants and decor pieces. Like really pretty decor pieces. They did go out of business for a hot second but are back and boy are we happy about it! It’s a very organic natural style with a little bit of edge at times which I love. Come see:

Japanese Maple Kokedama | Forst Candle | Stoneware Bottle Vase

Stacking Sculpture Set | Amish Peg Rail | Jikoku Shell Pot With Pale Wood Base

Right? I could look at their site all day because it’s so calming and hopefully you can see that from these photos. That black candle is actually a 2-for-1! When the scented candle burns out, you can then flip it over and place a taper candle in it. What a genius way to get a life-long use out of something. Then that shell pot with a wood base is so unbelievably beautiful it almost hurts. You just have to go to the site and see it all!

Burke Decor

We hope Burke Decor is on your radar and if it isn’t, it should be. They really have EVERYTHING. Since this post is all about decor (and not things like furniture) we’ll focus on that. But if you do want interesting, beautiful furniture you should take a look. They give you options! However, look how cute this decor is…

Small Mus Plant Pot | Blue & Ivory Resin Photo Frame | Gullfoss Tray

Handmade Stoneware Basket Dish | Booknd Set | Serveur Bowl

A little modern, a little contemporary, a little natural. See? Everything! If you’ve never checked them out it’s a definite must:)

Ok! That’s it for today. Hope it was helpful and you were either reminded of or introduced to a new brand (or both!). Have a great Friday and we’ll see you all tomorrow.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Sara’s Living and Dining Room Reveal

The post 9 Stores You Might Forget To Check Out To Find Awesome Decor (And You Shouldn’t!) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

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

We had a real fantasy vision of our “farm” life when we found this property. “A Mini Farm!” we screamed and then we happily put on our blinders regarding all the day-to-day realities. I suppose that’s the job of the fantasy – it calls you to move swiftly with fierce excitement, knowing that you’ll cross/jump off the next bridge when you get to it. We watched The Biggest Little Farm no less than eight times as a family both before and during lockdown. We romanticized having a “mini-farm” like only two stifled city slickers could. In my “farm fantasy,” miniature goats would greet guests as they got out of their car – startling them at first, befriending them by the end of the weekend. In my fantasy, we’d be chasing rascal-y chickens back into the coop, with the naughty one always being a punk. We’d tuck in our “rag-tag group of misfits” – an alpaca, a mini-donkey, and a goat all snuggled together at night, and the kids would feed them every morning before they walk to school, and spend the weekend cleaning the stalls. And due to our excellent farm lifestyle and routines, our kids, who are far more privileged than Brian nor I ever were, would remain grounded, un-entitled, and become generous citizens in the world. Years of tending to our livestock, harvesting crops, and most importantly picking up loads and loads of shit on the daily would solve my biggest parenting fear. It writes itself! We need animals to snuggle with and shit to pick up!!

Wait, So Why Do You Really Want “Farm Pets”?

We have no plans of making this a business with their fur, milk, cheese, eggs or to breed them and sell off the babies. The real and only reason we want farm pets is that we really enjoy and love animals so much and we want more of them to take care of and snuggle with. We love our pups, including the multiple walks they require most days, so much. We were obsessed with our cats when we had them. We know that the right animals will bring us a lot of joy and hopefully vice versa. We aren’t doing it for optics or because we think it’s quirky and cool. We simply think it will be a lot of fun and we have a lot of love to give to animals. This is why making sure they are good “pets” is important to us (and very different than what is a typical good “livestock”). I’m admittedly not one of those people who want to take care of any animal off the street. While I wish I were, I’m not Kristen Bell, willing to take on any animal’s problems. I think it’s important to know who we really are going into this process. We want pets to love and take care of but know our bandwidth.

The Reality…

It’s wet and rainy for seven months of the year. Poop smells gross and can create parasites that make the animals sick if you don’t clean it up quickly. Parasites mean shots and vaccines that we have to implement. Fur needs to get sheared, toenails need to get clipped. We aren’t actual idiots and we know that owning animals is very different than petting them at a farm. So, is this the best idea? And if so which ones?

Before You Can Weigh In, You Need Some Facts: We both work/write from home and our schedules are pretty manageable most weeks. We’ve retained much of the slowness from lockdown, we are serious homebodies, and most of the kid’s activities are in the neighborhood. So the idea of tending to the animals and garden still sounds like what I want to be doing. In short – we have the time/desire. Brian wants to take the lead on all things animals, and he’s really driving this circus train. If he weren’t I would give it at least another year here to make sure we can handle it so I don’t overcommit myself. But his level of enthusiasm is off the charts, and in general, if Brian wants to do something, he does it really, really well. We have a feed barn and enclosed paddock which is about 1/4 of an acre. We are all set!! Right???The Paddock & The Barn

So as you can see we actually are kinda set up – there is a fully enclosed paddock that has tons of grass/growth and shade. It’s not huge, but it’s big! And it’s not like we need it for any other purpose. So it is just sitting there.

The barn has two sides – one side has stalls, and the other is our kid’s current clubhouse for the summer (but at any point if we need it for animals we’ll do that).

Brian And I Were Both Raised With Farm Animals

This whole “want to have farm animals” started in our youth. Brian’s parents have a ranch-style home with a barn and a pasture in a horse community. It’s where he grew up, they still live, and where we got married. It’s incredible. He never owned a horse, but there are horses all over the neighborhood and often people would keep their horses in their pasture. I grew up in the woods of Coastal Oregon with a goat for blackberry upkeep and a lamb/sheep. The lamb was won by my oldest sister during a 4-H lamb scramble (uh, are we still doing that?) and we got to “keep” it. Yay us (not). My older brother put me on the sheep, trying to make me ride it which it did not appreciate. So for the rest of the summer, it would knock me down every time I stepped outside. I very much do not care for sheep to this day. My family also has a ranch in Wyoming and they are bonafide cowboys (NOT farmers, huge difference). So growing up we would go visit frequently and there they have all the animals (but for a real purpose, not for fun like us).

brian’s parent’s farm!WHAT DO WE CHOOSE??????

So today imma walk you through our deductive thought process. It’s riddled with naivete and privilege, but that’s to be expected when you buy a “farmette” or a “gentleman’s farm”. I also want to make sure it’s understood that we know that for many people this is a livelihood full of unbelievably hard work and I don’t want to diminish that by acting like it’s just a fun hobby that we can easily do. We know it’s work which is why we are taking our time and researching to figure out what makes sense for our family and this property. We know this won’t be easy or natural to us, but we are hoping it will help our family grow in ways (just like our pups did) and create lots of moments of joy for our kids and our neighborhood,

Chickens???? Everyone Has Chickens!!

The obvious first choice is chickens. The Pandemic Poultry Pet! Of course, we’d love fresh eggs and chickens are funny and unthreatening to kids (plus they put themselves to bed at sunset which seems mindblowing). But the more we research we have decided to take a pause on chickens for now for the following reasons:

Rats – I guess our neighborhood in particular has a lot of chicken coops and a lot of rat problems. We lived in New York for 10 years. We dealt with rats in our apartment every day. So to make sure you don’t get rats you need to pour a cement pad (or so we’ve been told) and that’s a level of commitment that we aren’t close to yet.Chicken poop is a real thing – It smells, has to be cleaned up frequently, and can cause diseases. We fear that this might be too much for us. We are idealists, but we also know our weaknesses. The main reason we wanted chicken is for the daily eggs, but in Oregon, there are so many farms that we can buy locally from with the best eggs ever so maybe our dollar is better spent supporting real farmers who make this their livelihood. Coyotes – We have a few large guys that visit the property in search of bunnies, so we’d have to really enclose and protect those chickens which again means a financial infrastructure that we aren’t ready to commit to.

It’s not a forever “no,” but currently we aren’t going to get chickens (please convince us either way in the comments).

Goats! Miniature, Pygmie, And Miniature Pygmie

Try not to buy a baby goat after going to a baby goat birthday party at a baby goat farm. Side note: Baby goat parties are Oregon’s version of LA parties where actors come in different character costumes (Frozen, Star Wars, pirates, superheroes, you name it). It’s funny how different states have different birthday party industries. In short, baby goats are so cute but they grow up to be big goats and I’m not sure we love big goats as much as we need to. Nothing is off the table (ha, goat/dad pun), but Brian and I aren’t currently leaning into goats for whatever reason (ok fine, some of them creep me out with the whole square white eyes thing and often their butts have a lot of grossness in them). Again, while I realize how pretentious this all sounds I think being honest with what you love/want/need and can handle is really important before you commit to taking care of another being. We don’t take this responsibility lightly so we have to feel really, really good about it.

Miniature Cows? Not So Miniature!!

There is a lot of misinformation out there in the miniature cow world. Y’all. These cows are not small. All the ones on social are miniature cow CALVES, babies. We just visited a farm outside Bend where we saw a few of their “miniature” cows which come up to my ribs and are 1000lbs. Sure, they are shorter than normal-sized cows, but they are so wide and still kinda terrifying! The one on the left above is a TWO-DAY-OLD BABY CALF. We even called about some miniature highland cows because the PR and marketing around them are so convincing, but the farm we called boasted that some were $45k each. FORTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. I don’t doubt that these are the best in the world and maybe the owner saw my IG handle and thought that we were up for that investment, but I couldn’t get off the phone fast enough (mostly because I didn’t want to waste his time). Also with the rain, the highland cows with long hair aren’t the best idea. Still open to the idea, but we haven’t found a farm that had mini cows that felt the right fit for us.

Horses? Who Doesn’t Love Horses?

We all LOVE the idea of horses but we know they are a huge responsibility and we don’t think we are ready for that. I also got bucked off by a Shetland pony when I was nine so I still have a decent amount of fear around them. It’s actually been (hopefully) a great lesson to the kids because they know I’m a little scared but I keep getting back on them and they always celebrate me when I do 🙂 If someone needed a place to keep their aging horse we would totally be open to that, but for now, we aren’t pursuing adopting a horse.

PIGS! Do We Need KuneKune Pigs??

A few weeks ago we met this KuneKune pig and fell in LOVE. It was so funny, cute, and made us laugh a lot. All of us immediately responded to it so positively. This pig was in Bend and didn’t have any babies, so the following weekend we went to a breeder outside Portland. We loved the piglets, but we want to buy them from a breeder that has them socialized with humans from an early age. These piglets were very terrified of us because they were kept in a pen and while they might warm up to us, what we’ve read is that some are exposed to more animals/humans early on and therefore attach to them easier. We don’t want to have to chase around squealing piglets all day, but boy do we want some of these:

We were told that they also like being in at least pairs so if we were to adopt some KuneKunes we would adopt at least two. And then we’d stop eating Pork (yes, even bacon) forever. We’ve already talked to the kids about it and they have agreed.

Are Alpacas The Move??

Our love for Alpacas is unwavering. They are really funny animals that seem to have big personalities. We have been to 7-8 alpaca farms now and feel pretty darn confident that we want to adopt some. We have been recommended to adopt two lady alpacas, one pregnant so that we can help raise a baby and then have three. We like the short curly hair versus the long hair (mostly because of the rain) and since we aren’t interested in breeding, people say that ladies are better pets. Alpacas poop in a pile (all of them! in the same pile!) so it’s easy to clean up. The poop is also worth a lot of money to cannabis dealers which is interesting since we live in Oregon (they call it “Liquid Gold” for fertilizer). I’m sure there are one million things about alpacas that we don’t know and yet we feel ready for it and excited. The biggest challenge is that some of the farms we went to said that domesticated dogs are the biggest problem/enemy and that the dogs can attack them and vice versa. So thus the hog wire on the split rail fence to make sure that they stay separate. Our other big fear would be that our dogs would never stop barking at them every time they went outside.

So that’s where we are at – three alpacas and two pigs. I know it seems so random and maybe it is, but based on our in-person research these are the animals that all of us connect to the most and can’t WAIT to adopt. We would honestly LOVE any and all insight, good and bad. We know we are naive (it’s impossible to not be naive in this situation) so we want all the info to help. I’ll read every posted comment for the day I promise!!!!!! And thank you 🙂

The post The Great Livestock Debate: Which Animals Are Best For Our Farm? appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Farmhouse Backyard Update: Our Split Rail Fence Choice And Why It’s My Favorite (And Most Affordable)

Should I ever run for mayor/president I will likely run on the “More sidewalks and split rail fencing!” platform (amongst other things like no more calorie counts on menus and national “organize our life/house” holidays for parents in September and January). I don’t plan on winning any races (although the parent/org one would crush I know) which is fine because I’m busy sitting on, leaning against, and staring at my sweet little split rail fence that added instant charm to this property. But first, let’s back up. So much happened so fast when we were gone for two weeks on spring break (spoiler – Costa Rica for families is as wonderful as they say it is), and then it rained a lot and then it was like BOOM it all happened. It’s almost done! There are some major delayed updates for you and we are solving them asap. But today, we are talking split rail fencing and how much darn charm it added to our property. Sure it doesn’t really provide security, privacy, or keep people or animals at bay, but other than that it’s the best most affordable fencing out there:)

But this was a long journey to get here. First off, fencing is a real thing and we all need to get our kids in this business. As someone who was formerly in an industry where my clients would give me THE LOOK that said, “Wait, why does your *insert seemingly easy creative talent* cost so much??” I don’t want to ever cheapen or diminish someone else’s work or craft because usually, it’s due to my own ignorance. But my goodness really nice fencing can be shockingly expensive both in materials and labor. Lesson #1 learned. Lesson #2 is this: Once again, I have a real knack for designing things to be way more expensive than they often need to be. So initially we went big both in quantity and quality and the first quote we received for fencing was nearing $72k. That’s a house in North Dakota. Or two miniature highland cows (??!!!))) – more on that tomorrow. That quote (both the fence and the cows) really shocked us back into reality and made us reprioritize, scale back, and ask ourselves what we really wanted and needed. We decided that we just wanted to replace the visible chain link with something basic and cute. With that as our goal, then we didn’t need to design it fancy, use high-end wood, or hire one of the most sought-after companies in town to do it. Lesson #3: If you want cute Target curtains, you don’t need to hire Kelly Wearstler to hang them for you. There is definitely a more affordable solution. I’ve now learned this GD lesson 3 times and it’s sticking this time!!!!

Now, to be fair the original $72k quote was for SO MUCH FENCING, both perimeter and interior, as well as two motorized vehicular gates and two pedestrian gates. It was a huge scope of work and we had designed the gates really pretty, out of pretty wood with pretty black metal wire where it made sense, fancy motorized everything, etc. So of course that was going to be incredibly expensive. Once we reprioritized, we realized we wanted it to be classic, cute, and create zones to keep future livestock in their place and look appropriate for a farm. The vehicular gates were for security, privacy, and mostly so I can feel really great about letting the dogs out (and no, we didn’t do split rail for those as I take security very seriously :))

real estate photophotos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: my secret front yard is finally revealed

This wasn’t the first time we had this sticker shock and had to learn this fencing lesson. For our , we wanted a fence because our street could get really busy with L.A.-holes trying to speed around the usually backed-up intersection at Hyperion Blvd. I have a not-so-irrational fear of cars/kids. We had two toddlers and two cats and while we didn’t want any sort of tall visual-blocking wall we just wanted to worry less about our kids wandering onto the street if we weren’t helicoptering (which isn’t our parenting preference or method). For that property, the fence, including a large motorized driveway gate, was $18k. This felt pretty exorbitant to us, but it was LA and it was a big driveway gate that included adding electrical, etc. We had gotten multiple quotes and they were all around that price so I guess that’s just what it costs.

So as we were scratching our heads at the $72k quote we looked at the photos of the original property, how we bought it and we both had the same thought at the same time – we want that! Just the basic split rail that was already there! It’s so much less material, needs fewer posts, and doesn’t need to be painted. This. Just this.

So Brian took over the whole process, getting quotes and even dictating heights, location of gates, etc. I had zero to do with it as I was deep frying so many other fish. He found a small company with a dude he liked talking to, and over the course of the year, we piece-mealed out the work (which is much easier on the wallet, but still adds up).

The Before

The priorities were the extremely visible interior chain link fence and the driveway gates for privacy and security (which I’m not really going to go into here). Anything beyond that was taken off the table two years ago (some were recently put back on the table as you’ll see). I’m not getting too far into the driveway gates today because they are just now functioning (it took a while to trench electrical to them and they’ve had issues – maybe it’s a “you get what you pay for” situation – but the company has been super responsive to help problem solve so I feel optimistic). So today we’ll talk through interior fencing.

What you see in the photo above is the chain link that connects the barn and encloses the paddock (a fancy word for an enclosed pasture for livestock). It was lined with hawthorn trees which we saw nothing wrong with as SoCal-tree-starved folks. But then we were told from many sources that they are super invasive and when it comes to trees – straggly and kinda ugly when not in bloom. So Brian, keen to start our livestock journey far before we even lived there (haha), hired a team to get rid of the hawthorns, rip out the chain link fence that we see (only the front side), and then installed a split rail fence.

It’s hard to even understand the before/after because “the before” was the largest tennis court in the history of home tennis courts. We reduced it by more than 1/2 and at times we are still like “Geez, this is too big”. But that’s for another day. Essentially, all the fencing on the property was chain link, which is just not my favorite (it has its place for sure).

The First Split Rail Fence

This split rail (which is around 70′) came in at $2,425 installed, with an additional $350 to remove the chain link fence (it’s all blurry honestly, so I don’t know if that was included in that price or on top of that). It’s just one length of fence with one gate at $3k and took one day which isn’t cheap if you think about it, but knowing what we know about fencing, the price felt fair and doable. Split rail wood seems to be far cheaper than any nicely milled wood. I don’t know much, but from the looks of it, it’s just wood chopped into rough lengths, but not pressure treated (as far as I know). Of course, this means it likely won’t last 30 years which typically would go against my #1 consuming rule which is “buy once and for the long term,” but it’s all locally grown/sourced, totally free of anything bad, and zero processing. It’s just basic wood and should we ever need to replace it due to rotting it just goes back into the earth 🙂

Once this fence was in we loved it so much (note the hand on the heart) and with an affordable and speedy team, Brian and I were motivated to put it EVERYWHERE. It’s just so sweet/charming and bare-bones in the best of ways. This is when it was first installed so it has grayed out a lot (which we knew and love). You might be wondering how we are going to keep any future animals in the paddock and our plan is to add hogwire from the middle rail on down. We’ll likely do this ourselves (any tips are welcome in my livestock post coming up later this week).

We had always wanted a Peter Rabbit-style fence around the pool/garden area but it was nixed a year ago because of budget (before the split rail fence quotes came in). But once the pool was getting close to finished, we got another quote for the split rail from the same company and it was around $7k to enclose this area, including three gates – not nothing, but this felt reasonable to us and it was exactly what we wanted. This is also how it starts to add up…

We decided to do these lower (around 40″) whereas the pasture fence is higher to keep potential long-necked livestock in. I didn’t design or even have a second of input on the whole thing which would be terrifying but it’s so basic that it all worked out great. I love it.

The fence will get lined with climbing plants, too. And while of course, a kid can get over it or under it, since the pool cover is locked and needs a key to unlock the lock which is up high on the side of the pool house, we feel good about it (a grownup will be out there or nearby when kids are in the pool). The stacks of wood in the back are our garden boxes that I’m so excited to put together (we might miss the harvest this year but hoping to plant at least some flowers and lettuces).

Soake Pool

We shot this a couple of weeks ago and the Soake pool is done now 🙂 Update coming soon!!!! (SPOILER – IT’S ALREADY MAKING IT THE BEST SUMMER EVER EVEN THOUGH IT’S A TINY POOL. THE KIDS DON’T CARE AND I WANT TO WEEP WITH JOY).

The Gates

I thought that the gates turned out so cute and simple. Again, I had no say in the design, it’s just what they do and it was exactly what we wanted. Just goes to show you that sometimes scaling things back and doing the simplest, most basic option is the best. I can get really myopic on design elements and obsess too much about the details, but not everything has to be “a moment”. Once all the grasses and wildflowers grow in (including the creeping thyme and wild strawberry ground cover) it’s going to be exactly how we pictured it.

Mulch has now covered over all the irrigation, don’t worry. And we have yet to hook up the irrigation to the well, but hopefully, that is happening soon.

It’s already so much prettier because so much has grown in since Kaitlin shot this a couple of weeks ago.

I’m in the market for a couple of umbrellas (one that pivots and can cantilever over the pool to help shade my easy-to-burn children), picnic tables, and chaise lounges:) I also have some of Max’s Pindler/Sunbrella fabric that I might make cushions out of to add some pattern/fun on those Adirondack chairs.

The gate’s hardware is fairly intuitive and easy to use. And yes, we ended up going with pea gravel with steel edging for the garden box area – crossing fingers we don’t regret how loose pea gravel can be AND how much of a tripping hazard steel edging can be.

Adirondack Chairs

I bought those Adirondack chairs in April when we were going to have people over for Easter and I really like them. They were super affordable ($99) and they fold down for easy storage. I was unsure of the quality and tone of the wood but so far I’m really happy with them and as you can see the wood looks good. I bought them thinking they would be our extra seating around the sports court when we have people over, just great floating furniture since they are lightweight and easy to move. Since they are real wood I don’t want to leave them out all winter (which is why I bought folding ones that are easy to store). I’m not sure what type of furniture we want around the pool yet – we’ve only had it done for about a week so unsure if it’s more dining table/umbrella + chairs for me to work while the kids play or two chaise lounges or four lounge chairs in a circle. I also just spent three hours reading in a hanging cocoon chair at this forest resort I went to and now I have to have one of those so maybe two of those at the opposite end of the pool would be good? Or four Adirondack chairs made of Polywood which I hear will last years through winter. Stay tuned.

Garden Boxes

The future garden is going here 🙂 I bought these garden boxes (and so did my landscape designer so I felt great about my choices), but they are definitely more expensive than they need to be and wish I had shopped around for something cheaper. I just loved the joinery so much. Part of me wants to scramble to put them together this week and grow some veggies while we are in Arrowhead for two weeks while the other part of me just says, “Hey wanna-be-farming-lady, calm down and expand your timeline” and plant when we get back.

Dining Set | Spindle Chair (similar)

It’s coming together, folks. This is the shady spot that we eat most of our meals at right now (so we can hang out while the kids play). Dining table/benches and black metal spindle chair from Rejuvenation. While we aren’t done (and I have more to show you soon), we are just so grateful to have all of this and I want to invite the entire world over for a party. We’ve already volunteered our house for school fundraisers and I really want to have a neighborhood potluck this summer (which makes me nervous TBH in a million ways – will it be seen as sharing/welcoming or showing off/bragging? Will it induce neighborhood gossip? Or quell it? Or both??). A huge thanks to Cali from Studio Campo (most of the design), to Dan’l and his team from Northwest Native Landscapes (our landscape construction team), and if you are in Portland and want our split rail fence company email us and I’m happy to share (I want to wait til our full scope is done and we are really happy with the work to promote/recommend publicly).

There she is, just drinking an IPA in dirty overalls and Tevas. We’ve reached Peak PNW Mom. That was quick!

Come back SOOOON (possibly even tomorrow) for our lively livestock debate. For now, I hope you like our split-rail fence 🙂

*Design by Studio Campo
**Landscaping by Northwest Native Landscapes
***Unless Otherwise Noted, Pretty Progress Photos by Kaitlin Green

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Albie DIY’d Her Deck! Here Is Why She Chose Composite Decking

Every reveal I’ve done this far since becoming homeowners had been an interior space — living room, launderette, media room, kitchen, flex lounge, washroom, and bonus bedroom. That’s a lot of reveals y’all! While we’d fussed around our outdoor spaces from the day we moved in, we didn’t actually do anything transformative… just enough to adapt to actually having an outdoor space. Backing up a bit…

Living in NYC (and I’m only starting the timeline when my husband and I became a family) our building had a shared outdoor space with outdoor amenities. I believe that experience is what made us realize that one day we’d want that for ourselves. When we moved to WA, our first apartment had a standing-room-only Juliet balcony… then our second apartment had a balcony where we could at least put out a table and chairs. Progress!

Then we bought a home and truly, the outdoor spaces are what sold us on this property. The previous homeowners clearly loved being outside and took a lot of care in creating zones around the property. This gave us a great starting point, because had this simply been a vast area of grass, we’d likely be paralyzed with overwhelm. 

We’d never owned a home. We’d never had land. 

Starting from scratch would’ve absolutely been impossible for us to process on top of everything else. 

when we purchased the house

What was an especially important point of interest for us was their deck — a 24’ x 24’ raised deck where they clearly did a lot of entertaining, with two built-in benches, two patio heaters, two grills, a smoker, and a raised platform for visual interest (I assume). We were in awe! I remember sending Sherry (@younghouselove) and Shavonda (@sgardnerstyle) photos totally geeked out about the deck. The plan, at the time, was to continue to maintain it and eventually stain it… the operative phrase being “at the time”. 

After our first spring, my husband realized this was a deck we’d eventually need to repair… if not altogether replace. It was a DIY build that had definitely seen better days, paired with the work it takes to consistently maintain an outdoor wood structure. 

Get somebody else to do it. 

By that summer we were full-on researching alternative solutions and landed on composite decking. In the middle of researching the pros, cons, and pricing of composite decking, Stacie (@staciesspaces) had just completed her deck, railing, and pergola install — from scratch! — with Barrette Outdoor Living. Aside from the beautiful design of her deck, I loved that it was something we could possibly do ourselves. After more research — and a lil over a year later — I finally connected with the Barrette Outdoor Living team to kick off what would end up becoming the beginning of a beautiful partnership. 

Here’s what we knew going into this —

1. We did not want to build a deck from scratch — building off the existing foundation would be ideal… especially for building it ourselves.
2. We had no immediate plans to hire this out — knowing how much more work we have planned for our outdoor spaces that we for sure wouldn’t DIY, this is a project we were willing to tackle on our own (see #1)
3. We needed to do this once and do it right* — this project would be permanent… not a temporary solution for a future project

*Note: right ≠ perfect. 

In finally deciding to tackle this project, we decided we would also be adding a railing, which the previous deck didn’t have (this was called out during our inspection). While it was technically to code, that was only because of a one-inch difference. We’d be adding railing and a pergola for separation and shade, but most importantly, we’d be reusing the existing sub-deck foundation. Like I said, because we have future projects that we know we’d be hiring out, we added this one to our DIY column for #thehyggeranch. Hiring this out would cost us tens of thousands, and after talking to the Barrette Outdoor Living team, I was confident in our decision to do it ourselves. 

Little did I know this would take us 6+ months to do! 

You know the saying, “Summer bodies are made in the winter”? The same goes for our deck! We knew we didn’t want to spend a third spring/summer season with folding chairs on our old deck, which by that time was coming apart at the seams — literally! 

Demo began autumn 2022. This was to ensure we planned for the year ahead, however, the catalyst was also the year I’d just endured. 

After wrapping up the inaugural Meridian Experience Weekend, I spent a lot of time outside… way more than I’d ever done in our entire time living here. This became my place of respite and recovery. The more time I spent outside, the more I daydreamed about all the things we could do to make this outdoor area more ours and less theirs (them being the previous homeowners) and I eventually began seriously ideating for #thehyggeranchresort. If you’ve been following along with the deck build over on Instagram then you know we selected our deck color to complement our home’s current color and the color we have in mind for when we upgrade the siding down the road. Permanent, one-and-done project, remember? I was able to get a variety of samples from Barrette Outdoor Living across their different deck collections, including the DuraLife Landscapes Collection™ that we ended up selecting for our project. You can read more about that process here.

I never really understood how bad the old deck was — because at a glance it was truly a gorgeous deck! — until the new build was underway. Even in keeping the existing foundation we encountered a number of problems…

One section of the deck was completely rotted, which would’ve meant rebuilding it or omitting it. We chose the latter. Compromised joists — mostly from rot — needed to be reinforced with additional blocking and lumber is still super expensive these days!Imperfections in the existing deck would eventually impact our final design since we’d be following those same joists for our new planks.

However, beyond those structural challenges, there were a few other things that made me have a deeper appreciation for tackling this project now versus later. For example, I’d never even dared to walk barefoot on the old deck because it would get really hot or I’d risk needing a tetanus shot from stepping on an exposed nail from one of the planks. I kept a pair of deck slippers for the handful of times that I actually went out there. Who am I kidding… I’m a slippers-always kinda girl, with slippers all over the house! Since completing the build, on the other hand, I’m always out there barefoot. The feel of the new composite deck below my feet just feels so comfortable! 90º days. After the rain. Cool nights. Doesn’t matter. Every time I’m out there, it feels so comfortable underfoot. This is where someone else would say they dreamed of days like this. Not I… yet I can appreciate the sentiment because every time I walk out there with my laptop and tea, with or without slippers, it feels like something out of a novel. 

But I am getting ahead of myself because I haven’t even shown y’all the glow-up yet! Actually, let’s first watch this video so you can understand the zones (just wait for the ad to play):

Finishing a complete deck overhaul meant rolling into some of the prettier parts of this undertaking –

Adding a pergolaUpgrading the patio heaterCreating a fire pit areaCreating zones for living, lounging, and dining

This all came together just in time for us to finally & fully enjoy #thehyggeranchresort…

Deck Material | Sectional and Coffee Table | Yellow Pillow | Black and White Pillow | Rug | Tall Heater

Pergola | Roof Panels | Dining Table | Wood Slat Chair | Rattan Chair (similar) | Bench | Rattan Long Pendant Shade | Rattan Orb Pendant Shade | Metal Pendant | Solar Bulbs

Adirondack Chairs | Pillow | Fire Pit | Acrylic Side Table

Now…remember when I talked about being out there barefoot?

When researching decks, and ultimately deciding to go Barrette’s DuraLife® Landscapes Collection™ Decking, I remember reading about their CoolTrac material composition and being super fascinated by this. In essence, this composition allows for a more slip-resistant and cooler surface, compared to traditional composite decking. While this sounded like a great benefit, it didn’t really mean anything to us because we’d never thought about it being an issue until actually experiencing the difference. One day after it rained, I went outside and immediately noticed that I didn’t have to move slowly in my slippers for fear of slipping. Fast forward a few weeks later, when we got our first bout of heat in the PNW, I stepped onto the deck assuming it would be scorching hot under my bare foot… and it wasn’t! In both instances – rain and heat – I was able to freely move about and that was when I knew we made a good investment for our home and our lifestyle. 

Small Faux Lemon Tree | Vertical Garden Bed | Hose Reel | Paper Pendant (similar)

Now that we’re on the other side of this deck renovation – many months later! – my husband and I both agree that it was a well-worth-it project. It’s inspired so many lifestyle shifts and enhancements – from adding a mini herb garden to upgrading our watering system with HoseLink to intentionally going out to sunbathe – and I love this for us. 

Chaise Lounger | Pillow | Rolling Cart | Seagrass Candle Lantern (similar)

Entering our 3rd summer in our home, we’ve never spent this much time outside and so much of that was tethered – especially for me – to the fact that the deck wasn’t made for US! We loved the look of the original deck… and we loved even just having one… however, we didn’t have a say in the fact that it had built-in benches, the location of the porch heaters, the raised platform… any of it. And while working with the existing sub-deck definitely “limited” our layout, I love that our new choices from the decking company didn’t limit us in terms of color and design details. 

Tall Faux Lemon Tree | Tall Planter | Curveback Adirondack Chairs | Outdoor Rocking Chairs | Lumbar Pillow

The raised platform – and that entire quadrant – that we ended up eliminating is now a 10′ x 10′ slab and dedicated fire pit area that I absolutely love staring at because I can’t believe WE added that design feature! It suits us so much better, especially with the mix of Polywood Curveback Adirondack Chairs and Outdoor Rocking Chairs. Whether it’s one of us just enjoying the solitude with a cup of tea or all three of us sitting our the fire pit making s’mores, this was made for us by us. In the backdrop is the deck skirting, which is the same Boardwalk Decorative Panels that we used for our pergola. And from this same pergola hangs an assortment of black pendants to create a cluster that I think I will continue to grow over time, creating more visual interest and more of those bespoke hygge resort vibes. This cohesiveness is exactly why I’m glad we were able to source such a major upgrade from one place. This allowed us to create a holistic design story from the pergola to the deck to all the peripheral complimentary black details… including our eventual rail addition. 

Grill | Tablescape Line

Now when we go outside to grill, it’s not just grilling – it’s an entire outdoor experience that feels perfectly in alignment with who we are and the life we wanna live. P.S. The previous homeowners left us the most amazing grill and we’re really getting their money’s worth lol. 

Personally, as someone who is introverted, has social anxiety, and is perfectly fine always being home, my home is now officially my fave place to be – all year, all seasons. Staycation > Vacation! The Barrette Outdoor Living details, the furnishings from Overstock, and the accessories that we pulled out from our “room of requirement” – aka the garage lol – all came together in a way that legit feels like a resort… and that I honestly don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully put that in words. Just trust me when I say it feels good. 

With tomorrow being the first official day of summer – and opening day of the 2nd annual Meridian Experience Weekend – I am so pleased with every decision we made! From where to DIY, where to hire, and when to pivot it’s all come together in the best possible way. This isn’t to say the backyard is “finished” – because it’s not – however it’s at the best possible stopping point where we can take it all in and enjoy it for a significant amount of time, before feeling like we need to jump into the next project. Because I don’t know if you’ve noticed… but I’ve scaled back my reveals by like A LOT… from six reveals in 2021 to now just one a year lol. Why? Because I wanna live here. I wanna be still. And now, from June to October, I can be still outside on our new deck. As the kids say on the interwebs we outside… but at home! 

Wait…

You didn’t think I was just gonna leave y’all hanging without a nighttime view!? 

Part of what has continued to make this space feel magical is the ambiance created by the lighting! In true hygge-inspired fashion, I introduced hyggebelysning (hygge-lighting) by layering different lighting solutions – a cluster of pendants hanging from the pergola, paper pendants hanging from our palm trees, hardwired ground stakes around the deck and lawn, and a mix of candle and solar lanterns to style with. 

When we bought our home, it did not have hardwired lighting so this was new terrain for us. Thanks to the very helpful lighting support team at LeonLite, we were able to get all the right materials and easily install our new LED ground stakes and you guys!!! I could not love these lights any more! They set the stage for the rest of the lighting plan as we slowly began to phase out the previous solar stakes. There’s still some in other parts of the yard, simply because of where our power is located. They cast a beautiful soft – yet bright – warm glow that’s the perfect addition to #thehyggeranchresort. Our pre-existing IKEA pendant lanterns (similar) have a complimentary warm glow so we were finally able to pull those out of the room of requirement, in addition to some pendant baskets… all of which had been in there for the better part of three years! After a lot of trial and error, I finally found the perfect warm-temperature hanging solar light bulbs for our woven pendants, and created our own makeshift swag kit with black jute. For our metal pendants, I repurposed two hanging solar lights from two of our paper pendants that got damaged. A win-win! A mix of metal, woven, and basket lanterns round out the lighting “tour”. 

So I’d actually like to amend my earlier statement…

My home is now officially my fave place to be – all year, all seasons, from dawn to dusk. 

*Design by Albie Knows
**Photos by Ellie Lillstrom
***Video by Stan Morris

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Another Pen + Napkin Makeover Has Wrapped And This One Was Made Possible By So Many Helping Hands (Including YOURS)!

Hello everyone! Ashley of Ashley Fiocco Designs back again to share happy news: We did it! With the generous help of so many of you, we were able to furnish and decorate a lovely home for a local SoCal family in need. To remind you, I volunteered to partner with Pen + Napkin on a Feel Good Makeover to help transform a largely-empty, gloomy apartment into a cozy haven for a single mom and her teenage son. Suzie and Brett (not their real names) had fled domestic abuse, were homeless, but then were able to secure an apartment and have been trying to get back on their feet.

For guidance in the design process, I met with Suzie and Brett to learn their preferences and to discuss how they’d like to feel in their home. I then created a campaign page to raise the funds needed for the makeover project. Pen + Napkin and I were amazed (and moved) by the response! We surpassed our fundraising goal and almost all of the items on Suzie and Brett’s wish lists were purchased directly by you, EHD readers. I spread the word where I could and was able to gather many excellent, gently-used items from members of my community. Nearly 170 (!!!) people came together to make this transformation happen. I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say we are so thankful to be a part of such a kind, caring group.

Here’s where we started:

The apartment was dark, with broken blinds that left the interior exposed. Suzie and Brett each had, in their bedrooms, a mattress on the floor—but not much else. The space was neither welcoming nor functional.

And now here’s what Suzie and Brett are now able to come home to:

Needless to say, they were delighted! Suzie said the space felt “bright, like sunshine” and was “uplifting and cozy”. This is precisely what I was hoping the feeling would be! She said her heart was warmed “all the way through” and couldn’t decide whether to spend more time in her bedroom or the living room, as she loves them both equally. Brett nodded with approval (and I also caught him smiling!) when he first saw his bedroom. He especially liked his desk setup and thought the overall vibe was “cool,” particularly the pops of bright red. Coming from a teen boy, this is high praise!

Suzie’s Bedroom

I wanted Suzie’s bedroom to be warm and calming, just for her, with a statement wallpaper to anchor the space and bring in some soft pattern. Once Suzie told me the colors she likes (browns, pinks, and deep blues), I knew the Asana Dusty Pink was THE wallpaper for the perfect backdrop. I contacted the team at Rebel Walls and when I told them about this Feel Good Makeover, they generously provided all the wallpaper. It’s a Peel & Stick application so if Suzie and Brett ever have to move, the paper should be easy to remove. It completely makes the room!  A huge “thank you” to the wonderful people at Rebel Walls.

Brett’s Bedroom

In Brett’s room, we added comfy layered bedding with a grid pattern to bring in visual interest, while the dark green printed curtains provide light control and extra privacy. We kept and framed the anime posters Brett already had. The black and red desk and chair were a necessity, in order for him to have a dedicated space for homework (and video games). The pair of green framed mirrors flanking his new upholstered bed brings in symmetry and reflects light. The red metal locker nightstand provides needed bedside storage while adding a bit of youthful edginess that I knew Brett would appreciate. We organized his spacious closet, allowing us to remove the bulky (and broken) dresser that had previously dominated the room. Brett now has ample space inside the closet, not only for his clothes, but extra storage too, and some negative space around his bed makes the bedroom feel much larger.

Living Room

In the living room, I wanted to create a cozy, inviting space in which Suzie and Brett could relax. The first thing I sourced (for each of the rooms) was lighting, so their home would be properly illuminated. Lighting alone, of course, makes a huge difference. The broken window blinds were repaired and we installed both sheer and blackout curtains. Now Suzie and Brett can keep the blinds open all day, as the drawn sheer curtains provide sufficient privacy, while still letting in ample natural light. At night the blackout curtains provide full privacy and a measure of security which I know is important to them. 

The wall-mounted bookshelves frame the TV, which now sits on a lovely donated media console. The living room is quite large and is the main communal space when friends or relatives are over, so I wanted there to be plenty of seating options. We created two reading corners with IKEA accent chairs, and the deep, soft leather couch was graciously provided by Poly & Bark, a longtime partner of Pen + Napkin. A member of the team said that this is his “dream couch,” and it is very nice. I love the tufted back and the rich cognac tone of the leather—the size is perfect for the room. Thank you so much, Jonathan and Mario, for showing me around the Poly & Bark outlet warehouse and for all your help!  

Most of the decorative objects, photo frames, baskets, etc., on the bookshelves and console tables were donated by the little market, a nonprofit organization that works with artisans from around the world to source ethical, eco-conscious gifts, accessories, and home décor. I have a friend on the managerial team there (thank you, Meka M., for all your help!) who was able to coordinate the donation of a large number of beautiful items with which we had fun styling.

Displaying family photos is a great way to make a space more individual and homey. I asked Suzie to provide me with any pictures she had of her with Brett and other family. I framed several and created a gallery wall in the living room so the faces of loved ones will be the first thing they see when coming home. There were also so many messages of support sent with items from the wish lists or with donations from the campaign page that I wanted to capture these wonderful words of kindness. So, I printed as many as would fit and made a framed collage to remind Suzie that there are so many of us with her, eager to lend a hand, shoulder, or heart when one is needed.

I wanted to say a special thanks to the great group of volunteers who assisted during the intense two-day installation: Mauro N. (thank you for the time and expertise you donated to this project!); Chrissy D. (thank you for TWO full days of effort!); Gabby V.; Katelynn; Randall; Salvador and Carlos with S-Team Turnover Specialist and Nick G. (who, at the last second, provided an expert hand to install the wallpaper). Thank you to Olivia Katz Photo for all the beautiful images, and a special shout out to all my Uni. Hills neighbors who donated items to make sure this turned out as well as it did – Cami S., Jodi O., Kim H., Susan J., Chrissy M., Catherine L., Cynthia L., and A.K. There were so many donations collected that there are several pieces of furniture and decor in storage for use on future Pen + Napkin projects. Your kindness keeps on giving!

And to the women at EHD, without Emily’s platform and reach, this project would never have been as successful as it was. The entire team at EHD (I know because I got to work with nearly all of them!) went above and beyond to advocate for this, while also making very generous financial contributions. They care and are the real deal. I can only try to express my admiration and respect for these women. Thank you for using your voice to spread good! And to all EHD readers: Thank YOU! This was truly a team effort, and I’m so happy to have been a part of it. We made a real difference in someone’s life.

The team at Pen + Napkin, mainly Catie and Danni-Lynn, are dynamos doing inspiring work – I’m looking forward to working more with the organization.

An anonymous donor to this project quoted Laura Ingalls Wilder in a note included with her donation: “Home is the nicest word there is.” This Feel Good Makeover enabled all of us to contribute to a home for a family who needed a little help. What a privilege! Let’s keep the goodness going: spread a kind word, donate, volunteer, help a neighbor, or get in touch and let’s do more of these! Thanks again, so much, to all.

*Design by Ashley Fiocco Designs
**After Photos by Olivia Katz Photo

The post Another Pen + Napkin Makeover Has Wrapped And This One Was Made Possible By So Many Helping Hands (Including YOURS)! appeared first on Emily Henderson.