Emily Henderson's Blog, page 86

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

The post Albie DIY’d Her Deck! Here Is Why She Chose Composite Decking appeared first on Emily Henderson.

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.

The Link Up: Em’s Go-To Highlighter, The Wet/Dry Vac Mop That Changed Arlyn’s Life, And The $17 Internet Extender We All Have In Our Carts

Happy Sunday and Happy Father’s Day! Did y’all see the front porch reveal (and the wild process to get there)?? What we would give to have a wonderful porch swing to hang out on with two adorable pups right now:) If you have one, we hope you are enjoying it right now and if you don’t, we hope you are in your own cozy spot to enjoy this week’s links.

This week’s house tour is the home of Courtney Act, an iconic drag queen, who through a friendly Instagram comment got to have her apartment designed by the one and only Sarah Ellison team. You’ll recognize the furniture in a heartbeat. Loving called the “Periwinkle Palace,” this home is both full of personality and yet feels like a warm bath as you look at it. We also really love the wall treatment. Go check it out here!

From Emily: Two years going strong with this face highlighter (mostly for summer) because the glow is so good, natural, and smooth. It looks like a dumb Instagram filter! I mix it with my foundation (Armani Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Oil-Free in shade #5 forever and ever) and put it on my cheeks and a bit in my nose. I am not one of those content creators who knows how to do my own makeup really well, so I rely on a few really good products to make my skin look good, no filters (fine, rarely) and this highlighter is excellent.

From Jess: Y’all, I did it. I did that one project that I’d been avoiding since I, ugh, moved in 2.5 years ago…my silverware drawer. Wanna guess how long start to finish took?? Maybe 45 mins. In my mind, I had two big issues that made it “harder” – first I had sooooo much silverware (mostly thanks to Emily’s LA prop garage shopping spree:)) and second, this drawer is a BIG BOY. Both of these issues negated getting a standard expandable organizer like this one. Heaven forbid I get out my measuring tape and do a little research. SMH. Then about two weeks ago I decided it was finally time and got two of these silverware organizers, one knife block for my beloved hand-me-down wood-handled knives, and two of these stackable large boxes for everyday cooking tools. I just made sure everything could fit in the drawer and that everything I was keeping had a place. Oh, and since the drawer is a few inches deeper than the compartments I bought a grayish-blue grippy drawer liner. The last thing I want is for all of my beautifully organized things to be flying all over the inside of the drawer. I hope if you’ve also been putting a project like this off that you are inspired to do it! Every time I want to smile I go and take a peek. Sad? Maybe. Affective? Absolutely!

From Mallory: You guys I am the gal with comfy sandal recs galore this summer and I’m happy to report I have found another pair that I will be wearing every day. FEAST YOUR EYES. I said this before when I recommended these sandals last year (which I also still wear all the time), but I cannot be bothered with buckles on the day-to-day so I have to have at least one cute pair of sandals that has what I like to call “secret velcro.” These shoes are so comfortable (I got them in the brown leather and went a half-size up and they’re perfect). They come in a billion different colors and they’re all so good. I highly recommend snagging them because between the Madewell sandals I recommended last year, the Dr. Scholls fisherman sandals I recommended a few weeks ago, and now these Nisolo sandals your sandal game will be on lock this summer!!!

Wiggle Rope Bath Mat | Begonia Shower Curtain | Wicker Tray

We just came across SUCH a cute collaboration between West Elm and RHODE! It’s such a sweet and patterned filled collection. Look at that shower curtain?! Highly recommend going to take a look:)

From Arlyn: Every now and then, something comes along that is *actually* life-changing. My friend (a mom of two active boys) told me about the Tineco wet/dry vac mop a while back after I bent her ear excessively talking about how I feel like I spend my whole days on my hands and knees picking up food my toddler throws, sweeping or vacuuming and then moping. This thing takes care of all of it in one step! It feels like vacuuming, but it cleans up splattered yogurt, lentil soup, smashed banana…it’s amazing! Maintenance just involves pouring the tank of dirty water/gunk out (it’s pretty gross, tbh), letting the brush dry overnight, and boom, ready for cleaning action the next day. You do have to buy their proprietary solution but it’s fairly affordable and lasts for months. I LOVE this thing. My husband LOVES this thing. It doesn’t replace a really good elbow-grease-fueled mop job once a week or so but for everyday mess, it’s, well, life-changing. 

From Caitlin: HI, I’M DUMB. For the last 4 years, I’ve been VERY zen about the awful wifi connection in the back half of my apartment. “The universe just doesn’t want me to watch Netflix before bed,” I’d think. Or like, “oh, uh, well, I guess I would have bungled this recipe, so losing connection in the kitchen was probably for the best!” The irony: fixing this problem permanently only took 10 minutes of my time and a $17 gadget (and four years of procrastinating, too…isn’t that the way it always goes?). The installation was mind-numbingly simple and the directions were so clear and easy – I plugged it in next to my router, signed into my wifi network, moved the device to an outlet in my dead zone, and it totally extends the reach of my internet. MY ENTIRE APARTMENT HAS STRONG WIFI NOW. And it was so easy and painless to fix!!! I feel so foolish for not trying to address the problem sooner – it’s so silly, but having a great, fast internet connection in every room feels so luxurious. A must-have solution for any person with dead zones in their home! (This size is perfect for my apartment, but they also make versions that are just as simple for folks who need to extend their wifi over a larger surface area. Tech can be VERY intimidating, but this brand makes the process so easy – no anxiety during installation, I promise!)

From Ryann: Folks, I don’t know how this happened but I have become that person that goes to the gym every day and ENJOYS it. This is coming from the girl who has said (on many occasions) “working out is mind-numbingly boring”. I don’t know what got into me. So since I randomly work out six days a week now, I figured out pretty quickly that I need a fair amount of leggings and workout clothes. For my birthday, I got some great sets that I love including this sports bra top (that is long enough that you don’t need to wear a shirt over it) and these flared leggings. It’s SO cute. I love that this is my most affordable set and it’s the one I find myself wanting to wear every day.

Ok, that’s it from us! Again, Happy Father’s Day to everyone celebrating and see y’all tomorrow. xx

Opening Image Credits: Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM | Photos by Kaitlin Green | From: Farmhouse Curb Appeal Complete! Our Very Cute Front Porch Makeover

The post The Link Up: Em’s Go-To Highlighter, The Wet/Dry Vac Mop That Changed Arlyn’s Life, And The $17 Internet Extender We All Have In Our Carts appeared first on Emily Henderson.

What I’m Bringing/Wearing To My Solo Weekend Retreat (Spoiler: It’s A Lot Of Comfy+Nature+Workout Clothes)

I just put the kids on a plane for their first unaccompanied minor trip to stay with their grandparents for 5 days. Brian is OOT for 10 days for a grad school writers retreat. And while I can putter around the house for days – organizing, cleaning, tackling some of the rooms we haven’t finished – I decided that was not the type of alone time I needed. I have a lot of thinking/planning/journaling to do – mostly about mid-life stuff + business/professional future and while I can do that alone here, obviously, I KNOW myself and I will end up doing laundry, organizing, and marathoning Outerbanks (SO GOOD) or Never Have I Ever. That is all GREAT but it’s not really what I need right now. Sometimes you need to get out of your day-to-day environment to help you challenge your own thoughts. So I’m going alone but taking my friends Brené Brown, Adam Grant, Simon Sinek, Gabrielle Bernstein, and a lot of workout clothes on a 3-night retreat in Northern California. This is one of those places that has yoga + hiking + workout and spiritual classes all day (plus delicious/healthy food and a spa). Two of my closest friends and I did something similar in January (somewhere that didn’t even allow alcohol and no phones except in your room or designated areas) and it was nothing short of transformative. I know it’s bougie/goopy, but don’t knock it til you try it. I would have NEVER done a girl’s weekend like this 10 or even 5 years ago. But we loved it so much that we did more of a DIY self-led version last weekend with yoga/workouts, psychology/self-help books (and restaurants + wine this time). I’m a little nervous to go by myself mostly because a lot of this stuff can be uncomfortable if you haven’t done them before and I love processing/debriefing with friends after doing something new/weird together. But I can do it! It’s what I need after wrapping up (almost) this massive family home project that has been 4 years in the making. My goal is to plan out the next year which is more granular, process the last two years (self-reflection can be brutal y’all), and make literal calendar space for some things that are important to me but can get easily shoved down the road for years. It’s so easy to just go through the motions in life and then all of a sudden another year has passed and you didn’t do the things that are really important to you – professionally, personally, or with your family/partner.

Anyway, as I was packing I took some iPhone pics (and then ran out of time because I wanted to spend time with the kids before I left). So here you go:

Top | Shorts

This Nike pullover top is what I throw on when I want to have a slight layer (that is very flattering). The shoulders have a lot of structure and the wide zippy neck and color-blocking plays with your eye (in a good way). My “Covid 7LB” is going nowhere (which is ok, these squishimama love pillows are full and happy:)) so I have been really noticing what I feel good in and this is really flattering. The Vuori shorts are nice because they have a really wide band (so they don’t cut in and they are very high-waisted). I wish these had pockets:)

Trousers | Shirt | Sandals

Like expensive wedding dresses, I don’t recommend trying on Nili Lotan trousers unless you are prepped to buy or cry because, despite the insane price tag, they are incredible (and yet so basic!!). These are my new ones (I’ve had that pair of drop crotch now for 6 years and still I wear them ALL. THE. TIME.). The cut. The fabric. The quality. So flattering. The way they sit and fall. The stitching at the knee and the zipper/elastic at the bottom. I know they look boring and basic, and maybe that’s just what I am now, but y’all I can’t not put them on (almost) every day. The store I bought them from was out of size 6 which is usually what I wear so these are an 8 (which fit great, but maybe a little bit big). It feels pretty accurate/true to size. The shirt is one of a few new things I bought from Frank & Eileen (along with this dress and jumper). I don’t think I’m really selling it here, but it has dropped shoulders, a good slouch, and doesn’t really wrinkle (their fabrics are strangely good).

Shorts | Swimsuit

This retreat has a co-ed spa/sauna area which admittedly I’m not psyched about. Is it just our forever burden to not feel totally comfortable in a suit in front of the opposite sex? Maybe I should try one of those nude resorts? That would fix that really fast I’m sure… (kinda not kidding). Anyway, this suit is my favorite for being comfortable and fairly modest (it has a great shelf support for those of us with larger ladies and the buttons still make it flattering should you want to show off the cleave). I’ve also reached the time in my life where I’m VERY into wearing cute nylon sporty shorts in the water with my suit. The key (IMHO) is that they have a wide soft band, are super short, and kick out to give your legs some space (and playing with proportions like that is very flattering). Maybe it’s my laziness towards maintenance. I wear a small in this suit and that busy pattern is EXCELLENT for hiding all the bits and bobs underneath.

Shorts | Jacket

I have bought this running jacket in another color, but I still prefer this super dark purple (this is 5 years old at least). It’s slimming, warm around the torso, but lightweight on the arms (almost like a vest with sleeves). The shorts are Vuori and I like them, but honestly, my hips jut out more than I want them to in these because of the pockets, so I’m still in the market for some that are more flattering (my dogs ate the crotch out of my favorite printed shorts).

Shirt | Pants | Shoes (similar)

This is a newer Madewell shirt that I love so much I tried to order in the bright blue linen but it sold out too fast. It’s poplin but has a great wrinkle to it and if I grab it out of the dryer quickly I don’t have to do anything to it (historically poplin can be too high maintenance for me). The pants are pajama joggers from Gap (love) part of their Tencel collection that is trademarked, and whatever they do to this fabric is magic. It’s just so soft. I wear exclusively these pajamas (well one set of Target) and I have 3 sets of them. Anyway, these joggers are SO SOFT and I think you can wear them out if you need to (this is my solo dinner outfit).

OK, so I ran out of time of shooting my iPhone shots, so here are some shots/links of the other stuff I love.

photo by kaitlin green

Matching Set Top + Shorts

This cute top and bottom I brought just in case it’s warm in the afternoon and I want to just chill outside somewhere. It’s comfy/cute and I feel good in it.

photo by kaitlin green

Top + Shorts

For working out I brought this Vuori set (tank and matching heathered pants) that I love and have worn so much since I did the partnership. The top isn’t supportive enough for any cardio so I also have a couple of sports bras and workout tops (always in the market for these). This heathered fabric is IT and it’s been very hard to wear other workout pants since I tried these on. I bought them in 3 colors and I wear one of them most days. Not restrictive AT ALL, yet supportive. Likely not great for running long distance, but for lifestyle pants (yoga, pilates, or strength training) I don’t know if I’ll try something else for a while.

I wish there were more patterns and more options with pockets for long walks. I’m still toying with the idea of creating a line of leisurewear specific to walking dogs (or anyone who goes on very long walks in all four seasons, rain or shine, day or pitch black). And it’s not because there aren’t enough walking or hiking clothes out there (there are) but trust me there are some holes in the market and I know how to fill them (as a former professional dog walker – not joking – and no I’m not talking about like weird bone graphics on leggings or anything).

I also brought some facemasks and body scrubs and 2 new “happy ending” romance novels to read (I just read Happy Place and Meet Me At The Lake and LOVED them both). If I’ve moved my body enough during the day, spent enough time in nature, and dedicated time to personal growth (all my chores) I will enjoy some wine and binge Outerbanks after my alone dinner (no room service!). I also have like 7 blog posts that are prepped and ready for me to write, so don’t worry I’ll be thinking about you, too. xxxx

The post What I’m Bringing/Wearing To My Solo Weekend Retreat (Spoiler: It’s A Lot Of Comfy+Nature+Workout Clothes) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

15 Living Room Furniture Pieces Under $200 That We Actually Love

When Caitlin first suggested this post idea – 15 affordable pieces of living room furniture under $200 – I thought “in my sleep!” Well, well, well, cocky isn’t a good color on anyone and shopping for affordable…and pretty….and positively reviewed furniture in 2023 isn’t for the faint of heart. And this list doesn’t even include sofas (sorry, I tried)! Of course, we always want to encourage looking for second-hand first because there are so many gems out there. However, sometimes you don’t have the time that can take or you don’t know where to start, so having a trusted source handpick some great suggestions is really nice. That’s clearly where we come in. As I already alluded to, this post took longer to put together than I expected (because I thought there would be sooo many options…there weren’t) so please know if you’ve also been having trouble in your affordable furniture journey, it’s not you…it’s the market. Hopefully, this post solves some of your furniture problems because man do I stand behind all of these pieces. I also added in some inspiration shots to help you visualize the endless possibilities. Let’s jump in!

15. TV Stand For TVs Up To 55″left: photo by ryan liebe, from: cup of jo makeover | the living/dining room | right: photo by sara ligorria-tramp, from: arlyn’s bright & happy rental living room makeover

A mid-century modern media cabinet is a classic and an easy staple. Look at the two examples above for instance. The photo on the left is from a makeover Emily did for Joanna Goddard (Cup of Jo) of her past contemporary NYC apartment. Mid-century modern furniture always works great in that style of home because it grounds the space without looking out of place. But then on the right, Arlyn chose this beautiful piece from Article to help add some “modern” balance to her beautiful Spanish-style apartment. They can work anywhere!

Media Console

Classic, simple, and pretty! For under $200, I think this is such a great option that is so adaptable to a ton of different styles. The mix of open and closed storage is great and the wood tone looks really pretty. It also comes in a stained black too! The reviews were about 50/50 on the difficulty level of the assembly but if you’re handy it sounds pretty easy. And if you aren’t handy at all (or have no interest in furniture assembly) that’s what friends, family, and Taskrabbit are for:)

14. Farmhouse Nightstand

Nightstand

Ok, this one is on sale at the moment so if you want the deal go now (or very soon) just in case! It’s from Anthropologie so it’s no surprise this little side table (or nightstand) is so freaking cute. It’s not from the Amber Lewis collab but it looks like it could be. The black stain is modern but organic, the joinery is so pretty, the lip on the top is such a great detail, and get outta here with that rattan shelf! Perfect/visually interesting contrast in both color and materials. 10/10 in my book and the reviews are great too!

13. Gladden Rounded Back Anywhere Chairphotos by sara ligorria-tramp | left from: fall 2021 is all about comfort, ease, affordability, and gathering again in target’s new big launch | right from: portland project: the living room reveal

If you haven’t noticed, we are pretty big proponents of accent chairs. It’s a pretty easy way to add color and character to a room (especially a living room). Oh, and of course it’s extra seating:) They are also a perfect opportunity to add color or pattern if you dare. If adding color scares you a bit then may we recommend a deep green?? We are also big fans of green velvet if you can’t tell in the photos above. Ha. It’s neutral yet colorful and quiet yet luxe. Win-win if I do say so myself:)

Accent Chair

Well, look what we have here?? A stylish, modern, affordable green chair! The tone of green looks great and I love the shape. And while I love a glam chair, so many “affordable” upholstered velvety chairs are a bit too glam for my personal style so this is a great option that’s more versatile stylistically.

12. Bria Drinks Tablephoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: living room update – again

Over the past couple of years, our love for the drink table has gone up exponentially. They are just so useful, easy to move around, usually pretty affordable, and there are SO MANY cute ones! Em even talked about doing a whole post on them which still might happen. But look at that incredible drink table from 54Kibo. It’s beautiful and contrasts perfectly with the room’s style. However, that one is rightfully not inexpensive so let me show you this one…

Drink Table

This is another one that’s on sale so remember that if you are thinking it might be a fit for your home! But look at those glorious legs and white marble top. It feels like it’s teetering between MCM and postmodernism. It’s just so good! Wait, actually, I think it would be really cute in my living room…

11. Fountain Valley Pandan Wrapped Side Tabledesign by jess bunge | styled by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: moto reveal: jess’ home office

Speaking of my home, it’s the perfect example to say why my next pick is wonderful (if you couldn’t tell by just looking at it:)) Textured furniture, baby! So while a desk isn’t a typical living room furniture piece, I think showing how much beautiful texture my desk brings to my living room is worth showing. Perfect for those who want to add something interesting that isn’t a bright color or bold pattern.

Side Table

How cute is this textured side table?! That same quiet interest as my desk but in a piece that most people need for their living room:) The two open shelves give you the perfect opportunity to show off your styling skills. Throw some books, a pretty decorative object, and a cute box for closet storage, and you are all set!

10. Akshan Pedestal Coffee Tablephoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: sara’s living room & dining room reveal

I put a few coffee tables in this post because let’s be honest, they can be SO hard to find. I know from personal experience. The nightmares I think have stopped. Annnyway, vintage-inspired pieces are always great. Would it be even greater if we all could afford the originals?? Yes. But until then we have great options like the one below.

Coffee Table

What I love about this one (aside from the MCM style) is also the mixing of materials and the sleek lines. This would be so great paired with a visually heavy modular sofa for contrast! But more than anything it’s just a cool-looking coffee table that has an interesting tabletop shape. They also have a white top option!

9. Jeanetta TV Standphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the ultimate family-friendly media room + wet bar

Who doesn’t love a woven accent?! Well, we do. Instant texture, instant warmth, instant style. If you look at that pretty console from Crate and Barrel we used at the Portland Project you can see what I mean. It still would have been beautiful all wood, but with the woven door fronts, it’s even more dynamic.

Media Cabinet

I know, it’s adorable and those round cutouts are awesome! I think they almost look like they could be speakers. Plus, once again you have both open and closed storage options. It would undoubtedly add a huge dose of fun into your living room and the reviews are great!

8. Duchesne Wood Accent Chairphoto by sara ligorria-tramp | from: jess’ living room reveal

Ding, ding, ding! It’s time for another great accent chair. I have a deep love for chunky modern wood pieces. Example A. from my first living room reveal above. I actually got it for $100 at the Rose Bowl! Buuuut, it’s not exactly calling anyone’s name to actually sit in. It’s kinda another piece of art. So what’s very exciting about this next pick is that the frame has that chunky modern frame but you are going to actually be able (and want) to sit in it:)

Wood Accent Chair

See!? And it’s Target!! But also on sale so another hurry if you love and need it. I just think this is so cool and super impressed with Studio McGee. If I had room for an accent chair this would most definitely on my list.

7. Anne 4 Legs Coffee Tablephoto by zeke ruelas | from: nicolette mason’s new home

This room that Emily designed back in 2015 is as fun now as it was then. But if you take a second to look at the furniture pieces they are all pretty traditional in style. One of these pieces being that very pretty coffee table. In such a bold space it’s a good decision to balance it out with some “light” furniture. That is what this coffee table (and other accent pieces) are doing for this room. That table is also wildly versatile…

Coffee Table

Here is a similar, if not the same, coffee table as the one above! And what’s so perfect about it is that while the style can lean a little traditional or even glam, it doesn’t have the ornate detailing that vintage pieces in this style tend to have. That makes it way more versatile and would look great in A TON of homes! And not for nothing but it has a 4.5-star rating with 567 reviews…juuust saying:)

6. Tucker Drum Side Table

Side Table

Y’all this is just simply a very cool side table. It’s from West Elm, is UNDER $100, zero assembly, and would add that perfect amount of chunkiness to your space. I would easily buy this in a heartbeat if I needed a side table. Heck, I actually might!

5. Vanpelt Metal Bar Cartdesign by julie rose | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a mid-century eclectic living room with kilz primer and paint – the dark room problem solved

While a bar cart isn’t a necessary living room piece, it is so nice to have if you’ve got the space and/or don’t have another spot for bar storage. Look how perfect it looks in this living room that Julie designed! A perfectly styled (and useful) moment. So let’s see what I’ve picked out for you…

Bar Cart

A MCM-looking classic. It’s not overly glam, but has that punch of brass on the safety bars to SECURE THE ALCOHOL! But seriously, this is a great cart, versatile, and a really great size that also has glass storage. If you don’t love your stemware being upside down, I bet those brackets could easily be removed. It also comes in a light oak color.

4. Wood Pedestal End Table

End Table

Ummm, how good IS THIS drink table?? See what I mean? The drink table game is so good right now. When I showed Caitlin this list, she said she wanted to buy this one:) It’s got personality, it’s modern, and is playful with the ball detail. What’s not to love?! Oh, I know, it also comes in “natural”.

3. Kimberlina Coffee Table With Tray Topdesign by julie rose | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: a mid-century eclectic living room with kilz primer and paint – the dark room problem solved

With this photo example, I am showing you a side table but below I am recommending a coffee table. A little confusing? I get it. But see how that all-black, thin metal frame beautifully contrasts (aka balances out) the other pieces in the room? It’s perfect and almost ageless, working with a ton of other styles. The same applies to a similar coffee table version…

Coffee Table

Talk about a perfect round black coffee table. Simple, sleek, and pretty timeless. This cutie is going to be usable for years to come no problem. I also love that it’s a tray top! If it were shorter it could’ve been a great solution to my coffee table nesting woes. Ha.

2. Floating TV Stand Upleft: design by melanie burstin, photo by tessa neustadt, from: mel’s moto reveal – it’s the breath of minimalist, uncluttered air we all need | right: photo by sara ligorria-tramp, from: a modern and organic entry: shelf styling tips

I know that floating media centers aren’t for everyone but when done right look SO GOOD. Take Mel’s new home and her perfect floating cabinet. It makes the room feel lighter and looks so chic with how she styled it. Then on the right, is Em’s best friend’s entryway. So while it’s not a “media console,” it’s still a stunning floating cabinet, making that space feel inherently lighter. Sure these spaces are on the modern side, but with their particular choice of floating cabinet, they still feel full and soulful.

Floating TV Stand

I nearly squealed when I saw this. It’s long, the wood finish looks beautiful, and yes, it’s under $200. I also really love the walnut option and couldn’t decide which one to display here! I just think this would look incredible in so many homes. Plus this is another piece with a high star rating with 776 reviews!

1. Lift Top Extendable 4 Legs Coffee Table With Storage

Coffee Table

Now, as someone who has lived mostly in teeny tiny apartments, I know how important functional furniture is. Storage coffee tables are a BIG part of this kind of living thus I wanted to give a good option. I really love the all-black wood look. I think it’s simple, chic, and this one is just over $100 at the moment which is a slammin’ deal!

Woof!! If you are still with me thank you! That was a lot of words about 15 (dare I say) great pieces of living room furniture. We all deserve pretty furniture so I hope this helped. If you want more of these just let me know in the comments and which room you’d want!

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Art Direction by Emily Henderson | Styled by Brady Tolbert and Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: How Target’s Fall Threshold Collection Nails the “Updated Classic” Trend

The post 15 Living Room Furniture Pieces Under $200 That We Actually Love appeared first on Emily Henderson.