Emily Henderson's Blog, page 94

The Family Room Update + The Case For A Dark Moody Room

Well, I think you saw this coming. I really, really tried to avoid repainting this room. I’ve learned SO MUCH about myself and design during this renovation process, and now I get to share that all with you. Listen, I like to choose paint color last (and always have) because there are endless paint colors to choose from, whereas every other piece of decor is rather finite. So I like to choose the sofa, the rug, all the major players, and then decide on the paint color. Usually, I know roughly what color I want but choosing the right tone is based on those other pieces. Also, there is the whole “we don’t know how we are going to live in this room” conundrum, and only time holds that answer. I’m saying this for all of you who have been in this situation (having to make decisions without enough info) and know that I see you and hear you (and join you). If you are wondering if you can just prime all the rooms and then paint them room by room, trust me, I lobbied for that. But the cold hard fact is that the prep work of the paint is so laborious – all that taping and plastic shielding is a beast, so paying for that twice is not only extremely disruptive to your life and home, but also very expensive. Now if you have more basic drywall (not this much wood that requires more specialty painting) you can do it yourself. That’s all to say, I chose the wrong paint color for this room the first time around and have not only lived through the regret but made it to the other side – RELIEF.

I also want to admit that I am not experienced in painting or living in dark rooms, and have historically played paint fairly safe. This is a byproduct of living in SoCal where natural light floods most rooms so light tones are an extremely safe bet. All of you PNW or British folk are nodding with an “I told you so” fever, and you were right:) The light is just different up here so contrast, color, moodiness, and vibe are far more important (and something you design with in mind). So when we originally wanted a dark green, I changed our mind at the last minute. I now know that the green that we had chosen (SW Privilege Green) wasn’t going to be right anyway, but I do think other people have an easier time with bold dark colors than I do.

We originally wanted “moody” and I screwed it all up. We couldn’t decide on the tone so we chose a dark green (the far left above). Now looking back at the photo, the one that we recently repainted was the one that my left shoulder is touching. It was under my nose the whole time! I think we were so afraid of it being a dark cave. So we went “safe” and this is a great example of when “safe” just doesn’t work in a room.

You see, this room has only one source of light and it’s the door to the covered patio (and the glass in the pocket door but that’s pretty minimal). Plus the ceilings are high. So ironically (jokes on me) this paint color which is actually super pretty (SW Ponder) just looked like a non-color because of the lack of natural light. And with the high ceilings, the whole space felt vacuous and cold.

It has purple undertones which I actually liked, but didn’t work with the sofa that we had already selected and it just didn’t have a point of view. I thought I could accessorize it enough to bring life to the room, and I could have. But I knew deep down that the color needed to be darker, richer, deeper, and bolder. So here we are…

Where We Are Now… “Still Water by Sherwin-Williams” FTW

So after staring at the sticker of paint on all four walls for MONTHS I decided that 80% sure was the closest I was going to get to feeling confident. Still Water by Sherwin Williams was the winner – with the same greeny undertones as the sofa, and was dark but “bright” if that makes any sense (still full of color and pigment).

Wait, Is It Super Dark?

I mean, it’s really dark but absolutely wonderful. It’s exciting and calming and moody–making it a really joyful experience to be in here. The color is gorgeous and with the lamps all off (which is how we shot this) it does indeed look and feel very dark, but with the chandelier on (facing the ceiling, not downward) and the lamps on it’s so warm, fun and pure ambiance.

What you may notice is all the wallpaper samples on the ceiling–yes, I want to wallpaper the ceiling with a subtle pattern that makes the high ceilings worth the effort to look up. Nothing bright, bold, or graphic–but more just a secret treat for the eye when you notice it.

That blue and gold/wood combination is EXCELLENT. Imagine that whole wall of seascapes with the lights on them!

This is THE coziest sectional where I can snuggle both kids in that corner.

I need to choose art to go up there (I’m thinking a framed version of my favorite vintage plaid).

The fact that we shot this without the fireplace and lights on was so dumb! It’s so cozy once you get the ambiance going so I’ll shoot it again soon with both so you can see.

We have a long ways to go for sure (but I’m closer than you think). The coffee table might move into the living room (but looks good in here, too). The rug was supposed to be the greener version (Enkay’s Raksha Rug in Aqua) but this indigo version still looks good and is so pretty! (and the greener version is now back-ordered). So we think we are going to mix blues and greens in art and pillows and make it work. So yes, we need art, a bookshelf behind the sofa (to put lamps and drinks/popcorn on), pillows, and to figure out what goes on top of the bench. We are also still adding the door to the hallway so we can shut off the light when we want to (it’s western and blasts in the summer) and then put roman shades over the glass on the patio doors. We are making it more of a dark room, but I suppose that’s what dens were always supposed to feel like – just a dark respite from the rest of life. Embracing a mood is clearly not easy to always execute, but now that I’ve nailed the wall color I’m alllllllll iiiiiinnnnnn. xx

Resources:
Paint Color: Still Water by Sherwin-Williams
Sectional: Rejuvenation
Chandelier: Rejuvenation
Fireplace: Vermont Castings
Rug: Enkay
Flooring: Oregon White Oak by Zena Forest Products

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post The Family Room Update + The Case For A Dark Moody Room appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Em’s Cute Vacation Windbreaker, Ryann’s Perfect Travel Purse, And Two Books That Are Making Our Lives Better

Happy Sunday everyone! It’s been a busy week as we prepare for Em to be out for spring break! You’ll hear more about it in a second but let’s just say we all wish we could fit in her suitcase. So while we dream of beautiful vacations, let’s also check out some links:)

This week’s house tour is a romantic, pattern-filled southern dream. Louisa Pierce of Pierce & Ward outdid herself. Maybe this quote will entice you – “My house is my test lab—I do wacky things all the time. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. I want my home to be luxurious and beautiful, but I want anyone who comes in to feel comfortable.” Go check it all out here!

See that kitchen up there?! That’s Orlando’s new LA kitchen that we gave a very pretty facelift to! He talks all about it in his new substack newsletter, The Lost Arrow, so go subscribe. We promise you’ll love it.

From Emily: We are headed out for Spring break soon, somewhere where it could rain a bit (the mountains of Costa Rica!!) so I needed something to layer that would be an extra protective layer but not warm at all. I went to the mall and after trying on so many, found this awesome boxy windbreaker that is so cute and pairs so well with all of my biker shorts that I will inevitably be wearing. It has pockets (cell phone) and is rain resistant (ish… like you wouldn’t wear it in a rain storm but shields you from getting your normal clothes too wet). I love a simple, extremely lightweight spring layer. This is my new favorite.

From Ryann: My husband and I are going to Japan in less than 2 months (EEEEEEEK) and a few weeks ago he surprised me with this super versatile shoulder bag. I love how simple and utilitarian it is and think it is going to be perfect for our travels. Speaking of our travels, I would love any Tokyo recs! Know of any restaurants, shopping, design stores, excursions, or sights we must see?? Let me know!!

From Caitlin: My boyfriend was in town last month (for ~ Valentine’s Day ~, ooooooh) and in true romantic fashion, I dragged him to Hennessey + Ingalls and forced him to stand there while I looked at every book in the shop. (I kid, I kid, he liked it too!!! If you’re in LA, it’s a must-visit – they exclusively carry art and architecture books and it’s SO FUN to explore in there.) To that end, I grabbed this book on Postmodern Design and I could not recommend it more. We had so much fun looking through all the pages (seriously, it’s 480 pages, we made it through every single one) AND it turns out that the dust jacket makes a pretty great impromptu cover for my Samsung Frame receiver. You’ll see the actual photos soon, but DANG DID I FIGURE OUT A FUN HACK OR WHAT? Like killin’ two birds with one link (???? I’ve lost myself here, sorry) – just wanted to share a great book and an easy hack for hiding some unappealing technology.

From Mallory: I found a STEAL over the weekend and snagged this Everlane sweater secondhand (tag still on!!) I immediately grabbed it and went online to find that it’s still available AND on sale!! Because it was secondhand I got it for like $30 (wild) but I easily would have paid full price now knowing how comfy it is. I’m truly living in it and could not recommend it enough!!

From Albie: I don’t know about you, however, sometimes I just need a good word to get me through the day. My best friend mentioned this book to me & I immediately added it to my cart & even got my sister a copy. It’s become one of the many things in my “adulting is hard” toolkit. I don’t actually follow The Daily Stoic daily — I have a completely devotional book that I try to start every day with. It’s more of a mid-day check-in or mental/emotional resource when I feel overwhelmed, unclear in my thoughts, or just off balance.

From Jess: I just got The Brow Glue Laminating Setting Gel from NYX and it’s great! I think it works just as well as any other brow gels I’ve used and it’s only $9! I got the medium brown color.

Thanks for stopping by and see you tomorrow. xx

Opening Image Credits: Design by Orlando Soria | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

The post The Link Up: Em’s Cute Vacation Windbreaker, Ryann’s Perfect Travel Purse, And Two Books That Are Making Our Lives Better appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Black Tights Are Back BIG TIME – Let’s Explore Our Options

I thought it was about time I talked about Paris again since it’s been a couple of weeks:) So while I went there to spend time with my dear ole dad and to soak in as much interior design inspiration as I could, I couldn’t help but notice the many chic, young, and cool Parisian ladies that were wearing classic black tights. Sure I had been marketed those indestructible tights last year, but since I live in a pretty warm climate I didn’t pay much attention. Those of you living in colder climates may feel that tights never went away but y’all I am telling you they are bigger than they have been in a minute. A hilarious and wildly specific trend involving tights is the “no pants trend.” I actally just heard about it on Thursday’s Armchair Expert when Monica said she tried it when she was at SXSW the other week. I thought, “wait, people are actually not wearing pants?!” Y’all this is, in fact, true and if I was a much more confident person who knows, maybe I would consider it. FIY Monica said the hack is wearing two layers of tights which makes sense so they are less see-through. My favorite headline I found when researching this topic was, “What Happened to Wearing Pants?” Here are some celebrity examples:

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A post shared by Kendall (@kendalljenner)

Super long legs are probably very useful if you want to nail this “no pants” trend:)

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A post shared by instylemagazine (@instylemagazine)

You could even go do a twist and try them in white! To be fair, Gigi might be wearing shorts or a skirt but regardless this outfit is alllllll legs.

DON’T EXIT OUT YET! I promise I’m not going to attempt to convince you to leave your house pantless (unless you want to). Tights are also being widely worn with actual bottoms (and dresses) which is where I can personally get on board.

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A post shared by Anne Hathaway (@annehathaway)

Another example of why I feel this trend is HOT was seeing Anne Hathaway in this outfit at the Versace show. It’s chic and powerful and while that exact outfit is out of most of our price range, the inspo is not. So let’s get into some more realistic looks, starting with the most casual.

Denim Shorts + Tightsvia anthropologie

I truly love this look and think it’s great for this time of year we’re in where it’s still cold but we’re ready to not be in our long pants anymore. We are trying to summon spring, right?! I also love the billowy blouse but think an oversized sweater or sweatshirt would be equally as cute. As for the shoes, I LOVE these tall boots but as you will see, delicate pumps are very in. A classic 80s/90s duo. Honestly, there are so many shoe types that would look cute!

1. Women’s High-Rise Curvy Cutoff Jean Shorts | 2. Mid-Rise Wow Jean Shorts for Women | 3. The Way-High® Canvas Short

Tailored Shorts + Tightsvia & other stories

These shorts above may be a tad short for the workplace but I think this is a very cool yet polished look. The tights completely elevate the look and make it feel powerful.

1. Faux Leather Culottes | 2. Shorts with Belt | 3. Elements Pleated Shorts

Casual Mini Skirt (Or Dress) + Tights

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A post shared by Jennifer Atilémile (@jenniferatilemile)

Shorts, however, are just one way people are wearing tights. Naturally, dresses and skirts are just as popular. Look how cute model Jennifer Atilemile’s denim dress is with her tights! It’s a casual and fun look that will also keep her a little warmer.

via & other stories

This look from & Other Stories feels very on-trend right now with that belted mini skirt and off-the-shoulder ruched top. The tights add a nice sophistication, no? 2023 elevated causal?

1. High Waist Denim Miniskirt | 2. English Factory Pleated Mini Skirt | 3. Women’s Mid-Rise Chino Cargo Mini Skirt

1. Deep-V Faux Leather Babydoll Dress | 2. Griffith Dress | 3. Puff-sleeved Dress

Power Suit (Showing Leg) + Tights

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A post shared by Harper’s BAZAAR (@harpersbazaarus)

Now, earlier this month YSL had a fashion show that almost made you immediately look at your watch to assure yourself you didn’t just time travel back to the 90s. I don’t mean that in a bad way at all! While the looks make you feel nostalgic (hello, tights), they also have awesome modern cuts and sizing (extra large blazers). Oh, and see what I mean about those classic pumps??

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A post shared by T A N . F R A N C E (@tanfrance)

Again, Gigi decided to rock some tights (this time gray) with that truly incredible modern power suit.

1. Emalyn Slingback Heels | 2. ‘Tatiana’ Pointy Toe Pump | 3. Pointed Slingback Pumps

Tailored Mini Skirt + Tights via & other stories | via & other stories | via & other stories

But for us nonprofessional model folk, these three looks above are much more attainable and wearable for everyday life. Sure, a short mini skirt is not always work-appropriate but find a length that works for you, grab a slouchy sweater or oversized button-up and you are good!

1. Margot Skirt | 2. Faux Leather A-Line Mini Skirt | 3. Houndstooth Tweed Mini Skirt

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A post shared by instylemagazine (@instylemagazine)

Here is a cool example of a longer skirt from Katie Holmes!

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A post shared by Thamarr (@musingsofacurvylady)

Or if you wanted to go for the mini skirt look but wanted it more of a “going out”look, Thamarr from Musing of a Curvy Lady nailed it with this look. Leather, lace, and a sick pair of heels:)

Short “Dressy” Dress + Tightsvia & other stories | via zara

I of course wasn’t going to close out this post without talking about dressy dresses and tights. It’s a classic pair! I think what’s important with this trend or the current iteration of it, is to really show off the legs. I’m not saying you need to go mini but also don’t be afraid to get out those limbs! You can even see it with the shoe choices above. It’s all about elongating the leg. On the left, you have a pointed flat (the point helps to keep the leg line going). Then on the right, that extra tall-heeled boot also makes her legs look extra long. But the thing that really helps is that the tights and the shoes are the same color.

1. Virgil Strapless Mini Dress | 2. Endless Rose Mini Sweater Dress | 3. Women’s Plus Size Balloon Long Sleeve Wrap Dress

So now (FINALLY) here are our black tight recs that have great reviews and are at a few different price points. Also if you like colorful tights those are great too!

1. Classic Super Sheer Rip-Resist Tights | 2. Semi Opaque 35 Denier Tights | 3. ASSETS by SPANX Women’s High-Waist Shaping Tights

Remember those indestructible tights I was talking about at the beginning of the post? Well Caitlin actually bought them! Here’s what she had to say about them – “I bought a few different pairs in December 2020 and they are still going strong – they really don’t rip! I can’t see myself buying tights anywhere else now. The sheers are AMAZING buuuuut I’d just want to note that some of the pairs with “briefs” (the technical term for the thicker part of tights, around the top and down the thigh) can run a little low (i.e. if I’m wearing a shorter shirt or dress, you can see that top part of my tights, which I don’t love.). Just something to be mindful of when ordering! But OMG. GET THE SHEERS. You will not regret!!!” She might have even convinced me and right now they are crazy on sale. GO check em out!

Hope this was a fun Saturday fashion post that gave you some ideas (or reminded you) to maybe incorporate black or even colorful tights into your looks. It’s a fun and easy way to spice things up while we wait for the weather to warm up.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credit: From: My New Life (And Closet) Changing Secret

The post Black Tights Are Back BIG TIME – Let’s Explore Our Options appeared first on Emily Henderson.

You Don’t Want To Miss These 9 Home Projects – Our Personal Must-Follows!

The internet is full of incredible design content and it constantly keeps me/us inspired. The only downside of the “amount” of content is that it’s easy to miss projects that are really fun and special–ones that maybe even pertain more to you, your home, and your budget (like DIY projects) as opposed to the seemingly budgetless reveals in places like Elle Decor or Architectural Digest. I’m speaking to myself on this one:) It’s not that those aspirational homes don’t serve a purpose. I LOVE them and we all can get A TON of ideas from them. However, there are a few home projects/renovations from fellow designers/content creators that the EHD team and I are very excited to see develop. Some of them are just about to start so we can follow them from the jump! So that’s what these next eight projects are, projects to give you cool, realistic ideas, maybe teach you some new tricks, and ultimately get you inspired. Let’s start with one that we technically have talked about once before.

Bri Emery’s Upstate NY Dream Home

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A post shared by bri emery / designlovefest (@designlovefest)

Bri Emery is an old friend of Emily’s (remember this project) and she and her husband have been renovating an A-frame home in Upstate New York in the MOST visually exciting way. I featured her incredible kitchen in our 2023 kitchen trends post under the “whimsical/design your kitchen just for you” category. It may not be a kitchen that everyone would want but boy is it a masterpiece for anyone who loves beautifully made, colorful, original kitchens. Bri has been slowly revealing bits and pieces of the rest of the home as they go and we think it’s a must-follow. Look at that cute corner built-in! Enjoy!

Kim And Scott From Yellow Brick Home’s Red House

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A post shared by Kim + Scott | DIY + Design (@yellowbrickhome)

Kim and Scott design thoughtful, clean, inviting spaces so when they announced this week that they were starting to slowly renovate a small mid-century modern home with the coolest front door and living room windows I was SO excited. They are DIY experts so this is going to be really fun to follow along!

Elsie Larson’s New Missouri Home

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A post shared by elsie larson (@elsielarson)

Elsie Larson from A Beautiful Mess is no stranger to happy, colorful design…or moving:) So while she and her husband (and two young daughters) have lived in Tennesee for eight years total, they are moving back to her hometown in Missouri. Given that their daughters were getting to the age when it becomes harder to move and that they want to be closer to family, it made the most sense to do it now. If you’ve followed along Elsie’s other homes you know you are in store for something very special. I mean, look at this secret kid library!

Amanda From Dellaware’s DIY Kitchen Reno

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A post shared by Amanda | DIY & Design (@dwellaware)

We got to meet Amanda at the Meridian Experience last year and she was so wonderful. Her DIYs are so inspiring and last year she decided to tackle her kitchen…and pregnant no less! So while this project started towards the end of last year, it went from just a facelift to a full gut job because something unexpected popped up…water damage. But it’s not done quite yet so go back to experience the progress and then we can all celebrate the reveal together!

Arvin Olano’s Mid-Century Modern Dream Home

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A post shared by Arvin Olano (@arvinolano)

I mean, if you want to see a dream MCM house then run to Arvin’s account! His home is spectacular and he has been carefully renovating bits and pieces while thoughtfully decorating each space. It’s minimal, natural, and with the perfect amount of vintage. He even did a little DIY removing paint for his wood beam ceiling!

Drew Michael Scott’s New DIY-Filled Home

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A post shared by Lone Fox by Drew Michael Scott (@lonefoxhome)

I think the entire team is in awe of Drew’s wildly creative and ambitious DIYs. So when he bought his house last year all of us couldn’t wait to see what he was going to come up with. So far he has NOT disappointed. They are unique and special and you should start following him now if you don’t already.

Katie Saro’s Childhood Home

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A post shared by KATIE SARO (@katiesaro)

So this is not a “brand new project” but I still think that everyone should be following along. Katie got to buy back her beloved family home in Minnesota (built in the 1800s) and it’s such a special story. She seems to mainly document the process on her awesome show The Art of Vintage on the Magnolia Network but it’s still a must Instagram follow as well as a must-watch show. As an artist, she designs freely and has the deepest love for fun vintage treasures. As a reminder, this was the kitchen we featured a few years ago before she moved!

Racheal Jackson’s Murals

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A post shared by Racheal Jackson ⚡️ (@banyanbridges)

Ok, ok so while this reel isn’t exactly the project I was going to talk about you should know first and foremost that Racheal is an INCREDIBLE muralist. These “gummy worms” as she calls them are my favorite. But beyond her mural work, she is designing and renovating her 1970s home and it’s so awesome. Full of color, full of vintage, and full of love. 10/10. Must follow.

Mandi Johnson’s New Early ’00s Beauty

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A post shared by Mandi Johnson (@mandimakes)

This one happened to pop up on my feed on Wednesday and I thought, “AH I have to add this to the list!” If you know Mandi then you know she too is an insanely talented designer/DIYer. We’ve featured her work before because they are always SO GOOD. So while I’m sad to see her leave her old home, I am more than excited to see where she takes this one. I am ready for the ride.

Now, there are many many more that could be added to this list because like I said at the top there is just so much good content out there! Please comment below any others that you are really excited about. This is the tip of the iceberg and if you like this post we will try to do more:)

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Katie Sarokhanian | Photos by Kelly Christine | From: “The Kitchen Coronavirus Built”: A Jaw-Dropping, DIY Kitchen That Truly Proves The Sky’s The Limit

The post You Don’t Want To Miss These 9 Home Projects – Our Personal Must-Follows! appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Mudroom Dog Washing Station: Measurements, How It’s Working + Some Practical Dog Products

This dog/mudroom gets WORKED, used, and abused by the furriest and muddiest (questionable) of our children. I love good marketing speak, so let’s just say having two long-haired dogs in Oregon (specifically in a backyard that is only mud) was a real “pain point” in our lives. We tried to predict this pain and avoid it as much as possible while planning the house, so today I’ll walk you through how we designed this specifically for our dogs, what we nailed, what we would change, and how it’s held up.

The Tile Floor

Now, when we shot this we had a big mat outside that we wiped our feet on but I didn’t want to put down an ugly mat inside and ruin the room, honestly (update on that dumb mistake below). Regardless of a mat, we chose to install this pretty Pratt + Larson green tile in a herringbone pattern that would be great for non-slippage when wet and wouldn’t get wet/damaged like wood would. Now the tile is a matte textured finish, in the Pratt + Larson brownstone clay so it looks really rustic which hides a lot more than something more clean, flat, and shiny.

Tile

The general rule is the more grout lines, the less slippery a floor is when wet (not always the case, but often). We did a 3/16th grout line which is fairly standard. I, of course, wanted slightly smaller grout lines but I’m glad we didn’t because it’s easier to clean it this wide. We used a medium-tone gray for this and I’m also so glad we did (platinum was the grout color). Dark grout can actually show a lot more than I thought (soap scum specifically) and light grout is obviously a bad idea for a mudroom, so this medium tone totally worked.

I will say that if you care only about practicality, then a rough topped large-scale floor tile is your best bet – that way you get fewer grout lines while still being non-slip (slate tile is a great choice – I loved it in our master bathroom at the mountain house for these exact reasons). We wanted a colorful tile in here so that’s why I chose a more textured tile, in a forgiving color, with forgiving grout and I’m VERY pleased with it. The grout around the dog bowl and near the dog wash is definitely browner from dirt/food when you look up close, but it’s pretty hard to notice. Would I do anything differently? Nope. Now it’s only been six months but zero regrets about the tile/grout in this dog mudroom.

The New Not Totally Ugly Wet/Mud Mat

Pet Mat s

After the first shoot I was like, “fine, I’ll invest in some wet mats” and like not cute rugs, but the kind of mats that help get the dirt off shoes/paws and the ones you can hose down. I found these blue-toned ones that had good reviews and bought a larger one for the door and a smaller one for the “bathtub”. They are GREAT. They don’t move, are super grippy, scratchy on top while still being comfortable, and they absorb a lot and dry fast. If I could have color-matched them I would, but this was pretty close and fairly unoffensive (and does the job GREAT).

The Dog Wash Station – Was It Worth It?

My biggest fear was that we were going to spend the money and time to do something for vanity purposes – sure, I knew that it would “perform well” but that’s not the reason to do it – it’s too expensive and too much-wasted space if unused. I’m happy to say that it gets used almost every day in the fall/winter/spring (we haven’t lived here in summer yet) and we LOVE IT SO MUCH. We use it for muddy paws/legs after long walks or if we are lazy/make poor judgment and just let them out to run around. Y’all, almost every. single. day. It’s extremely awesome and we (and the pups) are so grateful for it.

Now since it’s a huge investment (plumbing, stone, fixtures, etc), I want to give you more context about our lives so you can see if this is worth it to you. I don’t think everyone will benefit as much from this, but here’s why we use it a lot.

We live on a large property and even after our landscaping is finished and grass has grown, we will have a lot of non-landscaped areas full of a lot of dirt. We walk them through a neighborhood but generally, it’s more rustic here, and eliminating mud is not possible. Our dogs are diggers (we are finding out their breed as I write this), so if there is dirt they will find it. It’s GREAT! They even eat mud!! WTF! Our dogs have long blonde hair so dirt really gets stuck to it. I think shorter-haired dogs are easier to clean, but these luscious locks are porous and you can’t just wipe them with a rag. We let our dogs on the furniture – mostly because we forgot to NOT let them on the furniture when we first got them, so yeah, the furniture has to be dog-friendly and their paws need to be furniture and rug-friendly. Our dogs are too big for a sink, but not so big that they won’t fit in one of these. AKA medium-sized dogs are great for this size of a dog wash station. We live in the PNW where there is a lot of wetness and mud for eight months of the year. I personally do not think a dog wash will get used frequently in Southern California and would not have prioritized it in any of our California houses. However, to be fair we only had the pups at the mountain house for a year and it was very dry. Portland is a huge dog city so for resale we weren’t worried about it being wasted space. PLUS it’s a GREAT utility sink (for flowers, potting, mops, etc). But What About Actual Baths? Can You Bathe Them In This?

Yes! We don’t, but of course, you can. I personally think that if you live in a dry climate with a short-haired dog the monthly or bi-monthly bath could be done without a fancy dog washing station, just in a bathtub or shower. Again, do whatever makes you happy in your own home, but we were certainly nervous about putting it in because we feared spending the money and not using it. You see, once a month Brian puts on a speedo (???!!!!), turns on Opera music (???!!!), and brings them into our enclosed shower with him and shampoos and conditions them. It’s one of the most hilarious joys of our lives, hearing him fake sing opera to them… (He says he feels weird being naked with the pups), but seeing him in the gold speedo that he bought as a joke 10 years ago that he secretly loves is HILARIOUS.

Anyway, again I’m not here to tell you whether or not you should splurge on this luxury, just giving you my experience. We use it a ton already and are so glad that we don’t have to stand outside in the cold and hose off their paws after their 8 pm walk in the winter.

What Size Do You Make Your Dog Wash Station?

I’m so happy to report that we nailed these dimensions (for our pups). We quite literally measured these dogs (much to their confusion) and put them in our kitchen sink at the mountain house to gauge what size would be big enough but not so big as to waste square footage. It was A THING. Here are the dimensions that we went with (that we LOVE)

Faucet

Height from Floor to Front Apron – 18″ on the outside. This height needs to be tall enough to keep the bulk of the splashing inside, but not so tall that you can’t bend over it and easily access paws. This height works great. I have to kneel but also can just crouch easily.Inside Height – The drain and stone took up some space. It’s a large sink after all, so the interior height is 12″ which again works great. Interior Width – Our dogs are around 30-36″ (hard to tell with fur) so we went for 40″ wide (inside) and it’s great. Roomy but not abundant. The Interior Depth is 27″ – This measurement was more dictated by the washer/dryer depth but works great. Height of Plumbing (from the inside of the stone, so 6″ higher than the tile floor) is 21″. Overall “Dog Bath” Height – From the floor tile to the top of where the stone stops on the wall is 41″ tall. Do your Dogs Actually Like it?

They stand in line like they are waiting patiently for their turn in a buffet. It’s unbearably cute. We use warm water with the hand shower and then wipe off each paw while we say “good boy” and “good girl. They seem to legitimately love the warmth, petting, and attention (they probably like feeling clean after too as I bet mud in the paws sucks). It actually makes it so fun to do. If they hated it, it could really be a chore that I avoided, but they hop right in.

Does It Drain Well Or Is It Hard To Clean?

Ok, so this is where either we messed up or the stone fabricators did. I’m not sure even if it’s possible to do what we thought we were getting which was a stone basin that slopes towards the drain. So if you are doing this I’d take extra care to make sure that water/dirt don’t get stuck in the corners. The dirt gets caked in the corners and is totally cleanable, obviously, but if you are going through the pain to invest in this next time I’d ensure that the basin drains better.

Now after talking it over with Adam, he recommends anyone wanting easy drainage is to treat it like a shower floor. You can either use small tiles and have them installed to slope down towards a center drain or use a stone slab that angles towards a linear drain. Hope that’s helpful.

The stone is fine to clean (it’s honed and just dirt so it’s ok) but I fear it’s likely to slowly stain if we aren’t vigilant about cleaning after each paw bath. I’m still glad we chose real stone because I love it so much, but obviously a composite or porcelain stone would be more practical. Bedrosian actually has this porcelain that I literally couldn’t believe wasn’t real marble. It was SO GOOD. The edges of it are thin (as printed porcelain is) so the fabricators couldn’t work with it in this application (yet… I think over time they’ll get more comfortable with it). So we went with the same stone we did throughout the house (that we love) but it’s less practical than a Quartz would be, for sure. (Read our guide to stone if you are interested).

The Built-In Dog Food Bucket “Drawer” Cabinet

If you have a dog and are doing cabinets near where they eat don’t sleep on this one. It’s integrated into the cabinets like a trash or recycling bin would be and keeps away another random trash or bucket to clutter up your floor. Unique Kitchen and Baths did a great job of integrating it into our white oak cabinetry and it keeps the smell relatively down as well.

The Dog Food (Eating) Area

When we shot this I could NOT find a pretty dog food tray (and I think there is a large hole in the market). There are a lot of dorky mats, but so few large utilitarian trays that keep in food and splashes. I love this room so much and was so excited to show all my friends (you) that I refused to put a not-pretty plastic tray in here for her debut. So we found these two wood trays at my favorite local design store (shout out to JP General) and while I knew that wood was NOT the most practical I thought maybe it would be ok?

Well, the wood trays were NOT ok. The dogs basically just pulled out the food with their mouths and ate it off of the floor. The water got splashed everywhere and I knew that I had to figure out a better long-term solution (before these trays got ruined because they were expensive and pretty).

Copper Tray

So I ordered these faux copper boot trays from Pottery Barn which look pretty dang good and fit all four bowls. I bought one for shoes/boots and one for food and they look pretty darn great. I wish I had them in the first place, but at least you can see them here. Recommend them 10/10.

So there you have it! I know I just said it a hundred times but I truly am so grateful we were able to put in our dog washing station and customize a few other things to make life with our dogs a little easier. ARCIFORM obviously was such an incredible help in making everything in this room come together beautifully. For all the other resources head to the original reveal post HERE! Talk soon. xx

Mudroom Resources:
Cabinetry: Unique Kitchen and Baths (Get 10% off with the code “EH2022”)
Wall Paint Color: Extra White by Sherwin-Williams
Paneling and Trim Paint Color: Dew Drop by Sherwin-Williams
Floor Tile: Pratt + Larson
Tile Installer: Level Plane
Dog Washing Stone: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
Appliances: Build with Ferguson
Skylights: Velux
Stone Fabrication: Alpha StoneWorks
Hardware: Rejuvenation
Light Fixtures: Rejuvenation

*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post The Mudroom Dog Washing Station: Measurements, How It’s Working + Some Practical Dog Products appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Our 2023 Outdoor Furniture Picks Are Here! (+ We Added Last Year’s HIGHLY Requested Category)

It’s that time of year again, folks. Although it is currently raining here in LA (boohoo), I think we can collectively feel spring right around the corner. I am a huge spring/summer gal so every morning I promptly pull up my weather app to see if the sun is going to make an appearance. Patience, as they say, is a virtue. So while I wait for warmer days I have been (like clockwork) thinking of ways I can spruce up my outdoor space. Right now you may be thinking, “woah lady, it’s freezing where I live – It’s way too early for outdoor furniture shopping!” but let me tell you this stuff sells out FAST and we don’t want you to miss out. So whether you are looking to furnish a new outdoor space or you just need one side table or chair to complete your outdoor oasis, we have you covered.

As a friendly reminder, these posts are meant to help you find what you are looking for but we also encourage scouring Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and thrift stores for second-hand or vintage options. You can even search the product name and retailer of a specific piece to see if anyone in your area is selling that item! Now if you are curious, here are our 2023 outdoor furniture picks:

Dining Tablesdesign by william hunter collective | styling by velinda hellen and erik staalberg | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: 5 outdoor ideas & hacks that’ll instantly add style

If you happen to have a small indoor space but a significant outdoor space, creating a dining area outside can make hosting guests so much easier and more fun. For example, my dining area is quite small so we have a pretty small dining table inside. Outside, however, I was able to fit a large outdoor dining table that fits up to 8 people! So when the weather is nice, we always opt to eat outside when hosting our weekly Sunday dinner with friends. If you are looking to elevate your outdoor dining experience, here are some options we love:

1. Indoor/Outdoor Dining Table | 2. Reclaimed Wood Dining Table | 3. Reed Extending Dining Table | 4. Marble & Metal Outdoor Bistro Table | 5. Teak Outdoor Dining Table | 6. Shoreham Teak Dining Table | 7. 48″ Round Dining Table | 8. Rectangle Steel Dining Table | 9. Teaka Dining Table

We are starting off strong with the round concrete table that has an incredible sculptural base. If you enjoy hosting outdoor dinner parties, I love #5 (the black accent around the top makes it extra special). For a small space, I love this gorgeous bistro table. If you are looking for a durable and affordable table, you can’t go wrong with #8. Hot tip: Something you might want to consider is that wood and faux wood tables are always more sensitive to the elements than metal or concrete pieces. If you opt for a wood table a good furniture cover is key.

Dining Chairsdesign by orlando soria | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: dreams do come true! the londo lodge isnow a vacation rental

If you have an outdoor dining table, you are going to need chairs. Here are some of our top picks:

1. Metal Bistro Chair | 2. Metal Dining Chair (Set of 2) | 3. Grey Mahogany Chair with Sunbrella Cushions | 4. Brava Wicker Dining Chair | 5. Dune Outdoor Dining Chair | 6. Canova Chair with Sunbrella Cushion | 7. Lofted Legs Dining Chair | 8. Wood Dining Chairs (Set of 2) | 9. Stackable Outdoor Dining Chair

I love this fresh take on the spindle back chair. It’s both modern and elegant. On the other hand, this chunky mahogany wood chair is really bold and cool. I also feel very drawn to #9 because it is a good shape and its metal base makes it durable for the outdoors. In fact, if you don’t want to stress about taking care of outdoor cushions, #2, #4, and #7 are great picks.

Sofas And Sectionalsstyling by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: after three years we can actually use our upper deck

If you are wondering how to carve out an enjoyable outdoor space that you will actually use, try to design/style it the way you would your indoor spaces. If space permits, you can create a full lounge area with a sofa, coffee table, lounge chairs, and side tables (just like an indoor living room). We have found that the more comfortable and functional your outdoor space is the more you will actually utilize it.

1. Studio McGee Wicker & Metal Patio Sofa | 2. Yama Sofa | 3. 3-Piece Outdoor Sectional | 4. Sora Sofa | 5. Teak Sofa with Sunbrella Cushions | 6. Loveseat with Storage Pockets | 7. 2-Piece L-Shaped Sectional | 8. Resin Wicker Sofa with Sunbrella Cushions | 9. Fen Outdoor Sofa | 10. Modern Black Sofa with Sunbrella Cushions | 11. Teak Sofa with Sunbrella Cushions | 12. Urba Sofa

#1 is a great affordable option and to make it a little cozier, you could add outdoor pillows and even a throw blanket. I am drooling over #5 (those legs are so pretty) and I also love the sleek modern look of #10. For an extremely cozy outdoor experience, #3 and #7 are my top picks. As you know sofas typically have cushions so to take care of them we suggest durable furniture covers or having a space (like a shed or outdoor storage bench) to stow away the cushions when it is wet outside.

design by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: emily bowser’s back unit yard reveal

Remember, when laying out your outdoor space you can/should imitate how you style your indoor spaces so that it is functional and therefore enjoyable to use. A sofa’s best friend is a coffee table so we rounded up our favorite outdoor coffee table picks here:

1 Layered Travertine Outdoor Coffee Table | 2. Dune Outdoor Table with Painted Glass | 3. White Marble Outdoor Coffee Table | 4. Walker Metal Outdoor Coffee Table | 5. Wicker Patio Coffee Table | 6. Jonas Coffee Table | 7. Terrazzo Outdoor Coffee Table | 8. Segovia Eucalyptus Outdoor Coffee Table | 9. Krokholmen Coffee Table

I love the low height of #8 and it reminds me of the ones Emily used for the Portland project. For a sleek, modern option I am loving #2 but I can’t deny that this new one from Crate & Barrel is really cool and unexpected.

design by emily bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: emily bowser’s back unit yard reveal

Comfortable, durable lounge chairs are essential for enjoying your backyard or patio. We love using lounge chairs to create additional conversational spaces. Also, if you have a small outdoor space that can’t accommodate a lot of furniture, simply one or two lounge chairs will make your space feel dialed in and inviting.

1. Bayocean Lounge Chair | 2. Rana Lounge Chair | 3. Aluminum Sling Chair | 4. Sling Chair | 5. Bonelli Modern Teak Outdoor Lounge Chair | 6. Modern Lounge Chair | 7. Natural Lounge Chair | 8. Tody Louge Chair | 9. Teak Lounge Chair Frame

I am so drawn to #3. The cushion looks insanely comfortable and I like that it leans far back. For an affordable non-cushion option, I would suggest #7. #4 is an affordable sling-back option, and side note: the company that makes it just launched new outdoor cushions and pillows that we LOVE. If you liked #5 from the sofa roundup above, this is its lounge chair counterpart. I can’t get over the gorgeous side detail.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the portland outdoor living spaces and a lot of styling tips

If you are serious about lounging, a chaise lounge is going to be your best friend. These are great if you know you want to use your outdoor space to sunbathe and really relax. Here are some hot picks:

1 Dimitri Chaise | 2. Idle Cobalt Sun Lounger | 3. Pavilion Striped Sunbrella Chaise | 4. Outdoor Chaise with Sunbrella Cushion | 5. Lodi Woven Outdoor Chaise Lounge | 6. Aluminum Adjustable Checkered Chaise | 7. Cape Coral Chaise Lounge | 8. Preston Outdoor Lounger | 9. Acacia Double Chaise Lounger

I don’t typically adorn my home with bright colors but occasionally a cobalt blue number stops me in my tracks. That’s how I feel about #2. The color is just so vibrant and lovely! The millennial in me also loves the checkered option but I can’t deny that #9 looks really nice, too. For fans of minimal Scandinavian decor, #5 is so good (I love the woven detail!).

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: it’s time for warmer, pastel inspired gatherings with target’s new spring collection

One thing you never want is to find yourself with no table to set a drink or snack on when you are trying to enjoy the great outdoors. Even if you only have space for one lounge chair or a loveseat, a side table is a necessary companion. Here are some we love:

1 Cubo Ceramic Accent Table | 2. Vardo Side Table | 3. Round Metal Accent Table | 4. Indoor/Outdoor C-Shaped Table | 5. Palissade Cone Table | 6. Indoor/Outdoor Side Table | 7. Faux Concrete Stump Table | 8. Black Granite 18″ Table | 9. Solid Acacia Accent Table

I am a sucker for anything sculptural so I am a big fan of #9. If you are working with a tight space, #4 is a great option. If you want something extra durable, #3 and #5 are awesome.

Rugsstyled by emily bowser | photo by veronica crawford | from: how to throw an elevated garden party

Rugs are not technically furniture, but last year several of you asked if we could include outdoor rugs so I was happy to oblige. And to be honest, rugs are a key component of outdoor living/styling. They add color and pattern, and they help create conversational zones just as they do in our indoor spaces. If you want to really liven up your space, don’t skip a durable rug like one of these:

1. Arroyo Sonora Clay Rug | 2. Mahala Rug | 3. Kiel Indoor/Outdoor Rug | 4. Damas Washable Rug | 5. Striped Oblong Indoor/Outdoor Rug | 6. Black Venetian Pinstripes Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug | 7. Hannavan Jute Flatweave Rug | 8. Valencia Indoor / Outdoor Rug | 9. Lido Stripe Rug

Broken line patterns on rugs is not a new concept, but I’m pretty impressed with #8. It feels fresh and I think the colors are so warm and inviting. That said I love a good ‘normal’ stripe so I am a fan of #9 too. An oval rug like #5 is great if you want to add an organic shape to your outdoor space, and something like #3 would be ideal if you want something that will hide dirt really well.

This concludes this year’s outdoor furniture extravaganza. I hope this post was helpful for anyone who needed it. What other furniture and decor roundups would you like to see from us? Let us know below, and have a great Wednesday. xx

Opener Image Credit: Design by Orlando Soria | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Dreams Do Come True! The Londo Lodge Is Now A Vacation Rental

The post Our 2023 Outdoor Furniture Picks Are Here! (+ We Added Last Year’s HIGHLY Requested Category) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Small Kitchen Ideas To Steal (For Renter And Renovators)

As someone who has never had a big kitchen in any of the apartments I’ve lived in, I really love and appreciate the ingenious ideas that come out of designing a small space (most notably, kitchens). I myself have had to get a little creative with this specific type of room so if you have a small kitchen you want to upgrade, I have truly been in your shoes. Actually, I’m in your shoes right now! I look at my sweet little kitchen every day and ask it, “How can I make you better?! Talk to me!” So my hope today is to inspire some cool ideas that you can use whether you are a renter or renovator. Maybe I’ll get some fun ideas too:)

Project M+’s Studio Kitchendesign by project m plus | styled by velinda hellen and emily edith bowser | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the new design rules

Ok, ok I know that you just saw this kitchen last week but since it was the inspiration for this post I thought it should be first. I think the most notable first idea to steal is the timeless design idea. While it was shot and styled for Em’s new book, this kitchen was actually designed at least seven years ago. Could you tell?? Me neither. The classic materials (white oak and white marble), the neutral but chic color pallet, the clean lines, and the simple appliances are all ingredients for a kitchen design that is going to look awesome for many many years.

design by project m plus | styled by velinda hellen and emily edith bowser | photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the new design rules

One thing that Ryann pointed out in the post was how the island and kitchen countertops were made out of the same marble. Not only is it simple and pretty but it helps to make that corner area look more cohesive. Your eyes are also able to rest. That is a great thing since they went with open shelving. As you will see in a second, I am a HUGE fan of open shelving when it makes sense. I especially think really small kitchens are a perfect place for them. Why? Well, if you live alone or with just another person you likely don’t have a need for a ton of dishware, glassware, etc. This makes it waaaay easier to maintain and keep everything looking organized. It also opens up the top half of your kitchen, making it feel bigger and visually lighter. And lastly, it’s an easy way to make your kitchen look pretty and give it some personal style. You can effortlessly add color with plates or glasses, style some pretty vases and bowls, the sky’s the limit. It’s a fun playground:)

Oh, and I of course have to mention the transformer-like capabilities of that island. As shown above, it can be an island but it can also be a desk. And if necessary, it can be moved into the center of the studio and become a dining table for four (maybe even six:))

Jess’ Tiny Longish Kitchendesign by jess bunge | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: jess’ moto: you have to see how she hacked her rental kitchen with diys

And here is my former little oasis. While I don’t miss the lack of usable closed storage (peep the cabinet facing the oven – less than easy access) and UGLY flooring, I do miss most everything else. This kitchen was a real labor of DIY love that likely made my dad consider disowning me due to my “specific and detailed” requests.

design by jess bunge | photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: jess’ moto: you have to see how she hacked her rental kitchen with diys

So what did I actually do to my truly tiny kitchen?? Fun fact: this was not the smallest kitchen I lived with – Hey, San Francisco! Ok here’s the list:

Custom alder plywood counter cover and backsplash by my dad (no damage to actual ugly “stone” countertop). There were a few tries before it was perfect:) Remember the disowning joke??Replaces cabinet knobs (I loved the pop of matte black to ground the space a bit and balanced with the dark tones in the decor and banquette backrests). Added metal shelf as a spice rack to free up counter space and added some more visual interest to the wall. Added a mirror (family heirloom) to make the light bounce around and help the space to feel a tiiiiny bit bigger. Ha. But truly I think it helped!

If you are wondering if I removed the cabinet doors off of the uppers, I did not. They were already like that. Although I think once upon a time they did have doors. I loved getting to style them out and displaying all of the things I loved to look at and use. Having doors would have been such a missed design opportunity in my opinion. Sooo if you have enough closed storage consider taking down some (or all) of your upper cabinet doors and paint everything the same color so it looks intentional (unless everything is already the same color). I’m actually considering this in my new kitchen.

design by jess bunge | photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: jess’ moto: you have to see how she hacked her rental kitchen with diys

So then to the left is my other love – my old banquette. Look, I could have plopped a pretty bistro table and two dining chairs and called it a day. But a) I tend to like to make things more complicated for myself but more so b) I wanted to really utilize as much of the square footage as possible – something everyone should try to do if they can when designing a small space. Every. Inch. Counts. Plus I can say from experience this made the area feel much bigger. I temporarily had a bistro set in there and it really did make it feel smaller.

All the wood pieces were made from stair risers! This meant that the front of each piece was already rounded. Now, I was crazy lucky that my dad had friends with cool tools that could round the corners and sides very easily. But if you want to make a bench or banquette between two walls, then you don’t have to worry about that! I then made those blue velvet backrests with my cousin (not sewing machine necessary) and the brass poles were cut-down Restoration Hardware curtain rods from their outlet store that my dad’s girlfriend found. I get into all of the details in the original post but I just wanted to show you that even if you are renting there is SO MUCH you can do still. Don’t let the “I’m only renting” keep you from really designing a home you really love.

My only regret with the kitchen (aside from not doing something about those floors) is that I didn’t get a freaking roman shade for the window. Always room for improvement right?? 🙂

Now let’s see the most inventive yet beautiful 49-square-foot kitchen maybe ever.

Velinda’s Basement Kitchendesign by velinda hellen | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: velinda’s tiny kitchen makeover takeover (with tons of smart storage hacks)

Welcome to Velinda’s basement apartment kitchen. It lives in an apartment, or as she kindly refers to it, “the 400-square-foot tiny hobbit-home that my 980-square-foot bungalow sits above” that she rents out. There are truly so many ideas so buckle up. First, let’s talk appliances. That little oven you see there is actually a 5-in-1 oven! According to her “it bakes, grills, broils, cooks and microwaves…and can fit in a 24” cabinet.” I am SO sorry to report that I don’t think that one is available anymore but you get the idea, when it comes to appliances and small spaces, see what you can combine.

design by velinda hellen | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: velinda’s tiny kitchen makeover takeover (with tons of smart storage hacks)

Another really smart and out-of-the-box thing she did was take a standard-size sink and rotated it sideways. I’ll let her tell you why:

“I didn’t want the standard, mini-kitchen sink. I wanted something that’d fit a stock pot or dutch oven but still maximize counter space. So I turned a standard-sized sink sideways…meaning the drain isn’t centered. Uncouth, I know, but this utilized every inch allowed by the narrow 20” wide (yet 24” deep!!) base cabinet. PLUS, it maximized the storage space below by positioning the garbage disposal (which was one of my must-haves) off to one side instead of centering it, freeing up half the cabinet!”

Smart, right!!!!? Also, notice how she chose a wall-mounted faucet so she didn’t need the counter space when she turned the sink’s orientation. It all feels so intentional…because it is.

design by velinda hellen | photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: velinda’s tiny kitchen makeover takeover (with tons of smart storage hacks)

Velinda also mentioned that she chose those glazed Zellige tiles to help bounce the light around. It’s such a great way to make the space feel bigger. It’s like a mirror but without having to look at yourself! Basically, think twice before using a matte tile in a tiny kitchen for that reason.

Did you notice those beautiful super-skinny shelves too?? Since she made a bigger design statement with the tiled walls and hood, choosing those slim metal shelves was the perfect choice to not overwhelm the space yet not compromise the needed storage. Plus they look so good!

design by velinda hellen | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: velinda’s tiny kitchen makeover takeover (with tons of smart storage hacks)

The last little Velinda’s tiny kitchen hack (but seriously go read her full post) are the metal bars she used as a kitchen tool storage rack. One is a hand towel bar that is next to the hood for heavier pots and the other on the side of the cabinet is a tie bar. It was the perfect size, had lots of hooks, and helped to free up drawer space. A must when a kitchen is fun-sized:)

Ready for another rental kitchen and a really good DIY?

Brady’s DIY Kitchendesign by brady tolbert | photo by tessa neustadt | from: brady’s kitchen reveal

Yes, I am talking about those DIY vinyl floor tiles. How good do they look? And it all cost UNDER $50! This isn’t the only steal-worthy idea but boy will it forever be a great one.

design by brady tolbert | photo by tessa neustadt | from: brady’s kitchen reveal

So unless you’ve been around for a long time you might not be super familiar with Brady Tolbert. He is an incredible designer and was one of Emily’s first blog help hires (who also worked at EHD for 5 years). He is also a bit of a rebel as you will soon see why:) Those shelves were not always there. Originally there was an upper cabinet on one side that he decided to take down and replace with all open shelving. He may or may not have cleared it with the landlord but I don’t think anyone can say they don’t look amazing! He clearly stands by the idea that open shelving is ideal for small kitchens. Clearly, there’s already A TON of closed storage so why not make the whole space look bigger, right? But maybe check in with your landlord first unless you are willing to gamble your deposit.

Aside from that, see how using all those brass accents helps to warm up and brighten the space??

design by brady tolbert | photo by tessa neustadt | from: brady’s kitchen reveal

Always remember that a pretty cutting board on your stove burners can also give you more display or prep space. Just remove it before you turn anything on, k?

design by brady tolbert | photos by tessa neustadt | from: brady’s kitchen reveal

I now want to point your eyes to that rolling butcher block island/table. First off, stylishly they add so much warmth and character. Second, the extra counter/prep space they provide is wild. I have one that I was given in my kitchen by a family friend and now I can’t remember how I prepped food before it. Plus they are usually small which is great when square footage is tight. They can be pricy but if you keep an eye out on Craigslist or FB Marketplace, you might get lucky.

Sara’s Galley Kitchendesign and photo by sara ligorria-tramp | styled by emily bowser | from: how sara’s new galley kitchen actually looks in the everyday and how it functions for their needs

Ok, Sara’s new beautiful kitchen may not be tiny but it’s definitely not farmhouse size, right? So a lot of thoughtful and clever planning had to go into maximizing all the storage capabilities in order to get everything they wanted.

design and photos by sara ligorria-tramp | styled by emily bowser | from: how sara’s new galley kitchen actually looks in the everyday and how it functions for their needs

She also went for a single open shelf on one side of her galley kitchen to keep it feeling happy and airy (and also so she could store all her cookbooks, pretty cutting boards, and art openly). But she doubled the functionality of that shelf with those pretty brass rails underneath. See how they are perfect for storing garlic, onions, potatoes, etc? Think of how much that frees up the countertop.

design and photos by sara ligorria-tramp | styled by emily bowser | from: how sara’s new galley kitchen actually looks in the everyday and how it functions for their needs

Sara also really utilized kitchen organization products to help keep everything in there place and accessible.

design and photo by sara ligorria-tramp | styled by emily bowser | from: how sara’s new galley kitchen actually looks in the everyday and how it functions for their needs

When a kitchen is small and starts to decline into chaos because things don’t have a place, it makes life so much harder. You could obviously say that for any kitchen but a small kitchen, since it has fewer places to shove things, can get and stay crazy SO FAST without a dialed-in system. Sara’s has a great system:)

Mel’s Minimalist Open Plan Kitchen design by mel burstin | photo by tessa neustadt | from: mel’s moto reveal – it’s the breath of minimalist, uncluttered air we all need

The biggest idea to steal from Mel’s kitchen (aside from the stunning warm but minimal aesthetic) is designing a custom island that works best for you. What is also so impactful about making an island for a kitchen that is open to a communal space is that it helps to create a definitive “kitchen zone”. If you go to the end of her revel post you will see what I mean. And with this island specifically, I love how she used the side facing the dining/living room to display her beautiful kitchen things. It invites you in as opposed to having a solid piece of wood which might look visually heavy and abrupt, especially since this island isn’t raised.

design by mel burstin | photo by tessa neustadt | from: mel’s moto reveal – it’s the breath of minimalist, uncluttered air we all need

While her appliances came with the home, I love that they are smaller than standard US sizes but not mini if that makes sense. This is a two-bedroom apartment, meaning there likely wouldn’t be enough people to big need a full-sized dishwasher or range, right?

design by mel burstin | photo by tessa neustadt | from: mel’s moto reveal – it’s the breath of minimalist, uncluttered air we all need

Of course, everyone has different size needs, but if you have a small kitchen and not a lot of people living in the home, why not create more space for storage or counter space, right? However, I will say that while I love my small SMEG fridge so much and it was perfect in my last place, my life would be minimally 10% better if I had a larger freezer since my love for cooking and using fresh veggies in a timely manner is still a work in progress. Mel’s fridge lives in my dreams.

Orlando’s Rental Kitchendesign by orlando soria | photo by zeke ruelas | from: orlando’s kitchen reveal

Last but most definitely not least is Orlando’s rental kitchen that got renovated. This was his LA kitchen before he left for Yosemite a couple of years ago. As a design influencer, he desperately wanted to update his kitchen and got his landlord’s permission.

design by orlando soria | photos by zeke ruelas | from: orlando’s kitchen reveal

What Orlando did such a great job with is toeing the line between expressing his style while also honoring the style of the home (and the fact that many people were going to have this kitchen after him). The two-tone cabinets feel special and yet are an easy way to make the kitchen feel lighter (the white uppers) and yet grounded (the darker lowers). He also went with classic, affordable tiles for both the walls (fun tan grout!) and flooring. Then for some real Orlando-ness, those modern brass knobs were the perfect addition (and something he could have taken with him and replaced with a super affordable option).

design by orlando soria | photo by zeke ruelas | from: orlando’s kitchen reveal

Another Orlando design stamp is a fun, geometric shape. So freeing up the counter space and using a spice rack that screams “THIS IS ORLANSO’S KITCHEN, DUH” was a great and easy way to make this kitchen really look like it belonged to him. Basically, it can be scary to invest in risky permanent finishes so still make sure to add pieces that really speak to your individual style.

Lots of ideas, right?! Fingers crossed if a small (or big) kitchen design has been on your mind that your creative juices are really flowing and you’re ready to go:) If you saw a kitchen you love, please be sure to read the original post (and maybe even the intro if it has one). They are filled with A LOT more information that will probably be pretty helpful.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Velinda Hellen | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Velinda’s Tiny Kitchen Makeover Takeover (with Tons of Smart Storage Hacks)

The post Small Kitchen Ideas To Steal (For Renter And Renovators) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Every Measurement Of Our Farmhouse Kitchen and How I Feel About It After Six Months…

When we first revealed the kitchen we had many comments asking for exact measurements of literally every. single. thing. As a total design nerd myself I, too, wanted to see the exact measurements. So we started working on the post that got pushed and pushed due to holiday stuff. Finally, 2 weeks ago it was ready to go except for me writing it (that’s always the hold-up). So when we saw literally the exact same concept published by the super talented Chris loves Julia team, with literally the same graphics, we exploded on slack, jokingly accusing each other of being the mole (Caitlin wanted me to publish the timestamped slack about it all which would be funny but perhaps more in the
“the lady doth protest too much” category). We almost scrapped it entirely but it was almost all done! So much went into it and heck, it’s a different kitchen full of different measurements, therefore full of totally different information. Then we figure if you are renovating you are likely curious about everyone’s measurements and you should definitely check theirs out, too, HERE. I found it so helpful and interesting. So back from the “almost deleted drafts” archive today I have for you all of our kitchen measurements and how I feel about them.

Now there are many measurements that are standard (and even dictated by code) and then there are preferences based ones depending on how you cook, how many cooks are literally in the kitchen, how tall you are, how high you want to reach (how long are your limbs??), how tall your ceilings are, etc. Most of that is based on your own anecdotal experience of being a human being in your own body, in your own kitchen. So this post is obviously all about ours – Emily and Brian Henderson’s bodies and y’all this kitchen functions SO WELL for us to cook in and almost as important, to hang out in.

Most cabinets are 36″ tall and 24″ deep – nothing newsworthy there. What I have found the most interesting and more specific are clearances (the space between furniture even when you have the drawers open) and adjustable heights of things that come from the ceiling. So as you can see the clearance between the sink cabinet and the island is big – weighing in at 50″ wide. Now 40″ is ample clearance (much less is also very doable if you don’t have a dishwasher). We were nervous that it would be too wide and feel vacuous, but y’all, it’s wonderful. I want to, of course, state the obvious that many kitchens can’t warrant this much clearance so just saying “more space is awesome” can be unhelpful to people. But if you are wondering if going larger on the clearances has its downsides I’ll tell you right now that we haven’t found one yet. The kids can unload the dishwasher and while I’m begging them to do so, I can chop onions and Brian can be at the stove – we can spread out easily on this side of the island.

You’ll notice the vintage island is higher than the cabinets – and no one has ever noticed. If you are wondering why we didn’t take the upper fridge cabinets to the ceiling it’s because when we ordered the cabinets (from Unique Kitchen and Baths) we hadn’t built the ceilings yet so we decided to do them lower and fill in with white oak whatever was left.

Also a random note – 2″ is ALWAYS bigger than you think it is. I think we talk about 2″ like it’s nothing, so I’m always surprised when a 2″ thick something is actually pretty thick (generally 1 1/2″ thick for a shelf or a stile/rail is plenty).

I think I stressed about the height of the fridge handle for so long that Jamie just DID IT, thank god. As you can see, the bottom of out pull handle started at 35.5″ – but ultimately just put your hand on your fridge as if you were going to pull and then screw it in where your hand naturally lands (I think I was afraid of it interacting with the horizontal panel in an odd way). You’ll notice that the bottom of the bulb of our pendants landed at 40.5″ which is higher than it needs to be but it’s perfect in here since our ceilings are very tall on that half of the kitchen. If we had lower ceilings they could have been closer to 36″. But honestly I’d rather have them above even the tallest person’s head so that the light doesn’t shine in their eyes let alone block conversation (so err on the side of higher).

As you know we divided up the cabinets there into three little drawers, one big and two small and while that cost a decent amount more to do (full custom) I will say that those tiny little drawers are far less annoying than you’d think. They are essentially three small junk drawers, but since they are so small nothing gets lost and they can have their own dedication. Also, the Velux Skylights are exactly the width of the Sierra Pacific Windows (at 30″) which was intentional and I love how it turned out.

The height of a floating or bracketed shelf can be SO HARD to determine. We found that 18″ gives us enough height to work underneath it, but since our paneling lined up at 17″ Jamie installed it there (which works perfectly). The depth of the shelves is 11.5″ which is great because much deeper (more than 14″) and things get lost/hard to put away and less than 10″ is not enough space for a lot of plates. So keeping them around 12″ is the sweet spot.

Me, for scale. Weighing in at 5’3″ 🙂 I don’t think we missed one measurement in this kitchen (thank you Mal for the many Facetimes pulling this together). But certainly, let me know any questions in the comments. I will say I have zero placement regrets to tell you about, thank goodness but I know that when you are in the middle of a kitchen remodel it feels like a wrong measurement can be life or death 🙂 Hopefully, this post can help. xx

Kitchen Resources:
Cabinetry: Unique Kitchens & Baths (Get 10% off with the code “EH2022”)
Countertops: Bedrosians Tile & Stone
White Oak Windows and Doors: Sierra Pacific Windows
Skylights: Velux
Tile: Pratt + Larson
Appliances (sans Fridge and Freezer): Build with Ferguson
Fridge and Freezer: BlueStar
Flooring: Zena Forest Products(Oregon grown and milled)
Lighting, Switches, Outlets, and Sink: Rejuvenation
Wall Color: Sherwin Williams, “Extra White”
Faucets: deVOL Kitchens
Vintage Island: Aurora Mills
Counter Stools: Fernweh Woodworking
Rug: District Loom
Brass Gallery Rods: Pepe and Carols

*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green

The post Every Measurement Of Our Farmhouse Kitchen and How I Feel About It After Six Months… appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Emily’s Got A New Favorite Cookbook, Mallory’s Cute PJ Sets, And A Collection One Of Us Was NOT Prepared For

Happy Sunday everyone! In case you missed it, the one and only Caitlin Higgins shot her living room reveal!! We all are going to have to wait a minute for the reveal post but needless to say, we can’t wait. So in the meantime let’s get into some links.

This week’s house tour is once again not really a house tour but a pop-up one-room hotel installation for this year’s Milan’s Salone del Mobile. It expertly mixes Scandi Minimalism and Italian Baroque. Curious to see what that looks like? You should be. It’s impossible to not fall completely in love with this 13th-century Italian palazzo and designer, Julie Cloos Mølsgaard, truly did a beautiful job incorporating all the Scandi decor. AND if you happen to be in Milan anytime between April 18 to May 18 then you can book a stay for yourself:) Check it all out in this Remodelista article.

From Emily: I’m EXTREMELY excited to cook from my new cookbook this weekend, “Vegetarian Salad For Dinner“. Jeanne Kelley is an old colleague of mine whom I LOVE so much and couldn’t be happier to promote her food. Before DesignStar and all this blog stuff, she and I worked consistently for Bon Appetit magazine, to shoot/style recipes together. I LOVE her food and think that she is one of the coolest ladies on the planet. When I was in my early 30s and she had teenagers I remember thinking, “I want to be that type of mom and have the type of relationship with my kids that Jeanne does”. She and her family live in Eagle Rock, have chickens and a huge community garden, and were never caught up in the stuff that a lot of us were in LA (including myself). Anyway, I know that this food might not have “kid” or the broadest appeal, but I went through it last night and I bookmarked four recipes I want to try this weekend for Brian and I (the kids likely won’t be into it as they aren’t super veggie-forward and I don’t want to waste food on them, honestly). I love a Sunday meal prep day where I make new challenging recipes to teach myself new things. And while many of hers are simpler, of course, there are so many dressings and ways to roast vegetables that I’m excited to learn and try. So if you know anyone who is vegetarian or like me, a vegetable enthusiast, I think this is a FANTASTIC, beautiful book written and developed by a fantastic woman.

From Caitlin: AHHH. We finally shot my living room this week, guys!!! (It only took, uh…about a million years for me to finally feel brave enough to share with the world, I guess, but it’s done!) Pretty much everything in there is vintage, but I did want to call out my new swivel chairs – they’re 30% off through the end of the day (which equals BIG savings). I really wanted some light, simple upholstered chairs to balance out my leather sofa and I hit the jackpot with these – they are holding up BEAUTIFULLY to cat (the weave on the Sunbrella fabric I picked is unbelievable, I swear) and I forced Sara to take a bunch of close-up shots of Buff’s favorite daily claw spots so you can see the magic for yourself. It’s pretty rare that I recommend new pieces of furniture (your girl will always love the flea market/FB Marketplace hunt!) but I am just so genuinely pleased with the quality, construction, finish options, etc. and if you’re in the market or ready to switch things up in your home, I hope you can take advantage of this huge discount!!

From Mallory: I’m on a mission to have good pajama sets so I can retire some of the gross baggy t-shirts I’ve been wearing to bed. You know when you get a free t-shirt from somewhere and think “I’ll never wear this but I guess I can use it for a PJ shirt” yeah…that’s my current PJ selection. SO in an effort to feel less gross when I’m going to bed and waking up in the morning, I purchased two sets that I really really like. The first is this black satin set (matching shorts link here). I’m honestly so impressed with how soft and comfy it is – especially because they were out of my size so I sized down and I still find them perfectly roomy. The next set I bought was this long sleeve striped shirt with these long pants. I have this set in green already but the blue is just SO CUTE and I love the pants version. It’s so soft and cozy while simultaneously being very breathable which is a win for us hot sleepers. If you’re in the market for new jams, these are both awesome:)

For any of you who have been eyeing something at Lulu and Georgia, tomorrow might be the time to hit purchase! Starting tomorrow they are having their Friends and Family Sale, giving 25% off sitewide (with some exclusions). We have been lucky enough to own countless items from them that have stood the test of time and that we love. Again the sale starts tomorrow and ends on March 20th.

From Albie: Hi my name is Albie and I’m your fave comfort influencer lol. One of my fave new comfort finds is this jumpsuit from Old Navy! So good! I purchased two colors to start and now I want em in every color. What I especially love is that I can wear em around the house with a robe and then switch out my robe for a shacket to pick up the mini from school or do a quick Target run. There’s a built-in shelf bra that’s surprisingly supportive considering how too heavy I am, although to leave the house, I pair it with a bralette to be safe.

From Ryann: I have been burning incense a lot lately and thought about revisiting my favorite incense ever. The problem is that particular incense is pretty expensive ($18 for 15 sticks) so I decided against it. Instead, I had the bright idea to see if they have the same scent in candle form and THEY DO. So, of course, I bought it and it smells amazing.

From Jess: Julie sent me this TikTok last weekend and it put me into a glass box of emotions! As a previously avid American girl doll collector, I am always excited to see what the next doll will be. But as a girl that grew up in the 90s…I was not prepared. I mean the mini Tamagotchi®?! The inflatable chair?!! It’s all too good and yet too much!

Also From Jess: Dare you to not smile after seeing this picture.

Hope you enjoyed this week’s links and see y’all tomorrow!

Opening Image Credits: Design and Styled by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Emily Bowser’s Back Unit Yard REVEAL, 2022 Musings, New Year Resolutions, And Other Meanderings…

The post The Link Up: Emily’s Got A New Favorite Cookbook, Mallory’s Cute PJ Sets, And A Collection One Of Us Was NOT Prepared For appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Are We Making Vision Boards Again??

It was a chilly night in January when three of my friends and I gathered for a fun night of Indian food and wine. After an ab workout’s worth of belly-aching laughs, my friend announced that she has just gone to a vision board-making party. I sat there perplexed. “Are people still making vision boards?” I thought to myself. I probably even made a tiny joke making a little fun of her. But the joke’s on me because the answer I would come to find over the next few weeks was a resounding YES! People are most definitely still making vision boards, so should I make one? What actually sold me was a week after our dinner a very exciting “goal” on my friend’s board was already becoming a reality. That’s when I thought, “hey, I like scrapbooking and it’s not like making a vision board is going to hurt me, right?” But you should know that I am not a vision board pro. I can only assume I must have attempted to make one at some point with friends. However, I have zero evidence. Also, I should say that it’s not that I think vision boards went away. I was just shocked by the number of personal friends, in their 30s, who had never brought them up before, who were deciding 2023 was the year they were getting back into it.

I actually think this is really sweet and hopeful. And aside from a few supplies, it doesn’t cost much of anything. I know personally, it has felt kind of scary to believe really good, big things could start to happen. So the idea of even writing dreams or goals down in the past few years felt like I was almost jinxing them. But now, as we are days away from the three-year lockdown anniversary, we might collectively be ready to freely and boldly put some true personal goals out into the world despite the immense amount of pain and struggle that is still going on. Holding space for joy and progress alongside our personal and collective pain is the only way we are going to move forward. At least that’s how I feel.

In terms of spirituality, I fall in the middle of the road. I grew up around deeply spiritual women who at times went a little too deep. For that reason, I tend to tense up slightly when spiritual vernacular veers too far from “reality”. However, I very much have my own spiritual beliefs and deeply believe in the power of thought (along with some action:)). So that’s what my attempt with a 2023 vision board is – a visual reminder of my goals to keep them top of mind and push me into doing things that consciously (or unconsciously) get me closer to those goals. I still stand by the fact that one of the reasons I moved to New York a mere four days after college graduation was well, a lot of luck, but also that every day for two years I looked at those two brass NY figurines pictured above. I don’t think they have magical powers (necessarily:)) but seeing them, thinking about New York, and talking about New York constantly kept my eye on the prize. I will never get rid of them. I even took them with me when I moved to Australia. They’ve been with me for about 18 years…whoa time is flying!

Ok, let’s get into my board. Well, most of it. I think we can all agree that sharing dreams and goals, both personal and professional, is extremely vulnerable. In a perfect world, I would show you the whole thing but this world is far from perfect, and some things I’m just not willing to post on the internet. Maybe someday:) However, writing this post and not showing you something isn’t helpful. So let’s talk about the general ideas.

I decided to get a tri-fold poster board (you know the ones you get for a science fair project). I liked the idea of being about to prop it up by my desk but if someone were to come over I could easily close her up and stick her in the closet. Ha. The tri-fold not only stands on its own but for me, it helped to visually categorize everything. So if you look at the board, the left side is more for personal goals, the right is work-related and the center is a bit of a mix along with more long-term goals.

After I planned that out, I went into my 2005 scrapbooking supplies and chose a color scheme for my board. I’m sure no one is shocked I wanted it to be aesthetically pleasing. So I went for neutral pieces of cardstock and put keywords I wanted to focus on in those gold sticker letters I got from the drugstore. Some of the letter spacing is better than others:)

Then I got out the magazines I had, as well as a few new purchases. FYI new/international magazines are not cheap so I only got three. I’m not totally done yet because I still need to hit the internet and print out some more pics. I didn’t realize until I started the magazine part that the world has moved so far into digital that old-school vision boarding, mood boarding, etc is a different game in 2023. Not impossible but not as accessible since our homes are likely not as filled with physical magazines. Bittersweet.

The most important thing to remember is that it doesn’t have to be perfect (I am very much saying this to myself). It’s supposed to be fun and help us to dream big. I know you can feel dumb when you’re hypothetically really reaching for the stars but we are the only ones standing in our way (just me?). So here are some board-making resources to get you started:

Magazines

As I just said, you might not have a ton of magazines lying around and/or you may not want to spend big bucks on buying a bunch of new ones. You can actually buy old magazines and clippings (less work for you and your scissors) on the internet. The ones below are from Etsy but I am sure there are other resources. Now, this is more of a gamble but it is a fun option.

Magazines Craft (1-2 premium magazines): Oldies but (premium) goodies!

50pc Magazine Cutout Clippings: This is a gamble for sure but the less cutting the better, right?

Catalogs

Don’t recycle your catalogs just yet! There could be vision board gold in those puppies! Interiors, style, and other stuff I can’t think of. You never know!

Photos

Take a gander through your old photos. There might be gems in there too.

Stickers

Stickers aren’t necessary but neither is making a vision board. Plus stickers are fun:) You can use letters for custom words, fun shapes for decoration, themed stickers (like travel ones) to help visualize your goals, etc. The sky’s the limit.

1. 202 Pieces Self-Adhesive Vinyl Letters Numbers Kit: Similar to the ones I used and come in different sizes.
2. 52 ct. Gold Word Bubble Scratch & Reveal Stickers: So these are scratchers which is fun but you can also just write fun words or saying on top!
3. Wanderlust Stickers: As a travel lover myself, I forgot what a deep and positive impact it has on my life and mental health. But it’s wild how easy it is to push it off and not prioritize. These stickers are a cute reminder to make sure you stick to it.
4. Dimensional Gold Star Stickers: Boards should be pretty and who doesn’t like a gold star??
5. New York City Stickers: I, of course, love NYC but there are stickers for hundreds of cities. Find the one you want to go to more or next.
6. 24ct House Plants Stickers: As someone who has the farthest thing from a green thumb, I like the idea of adding something like thriving plants as a goal.
7. 494ct Mini Alphabet Foam Stickers: More letters but minis! If you don’t love your handwriting (like me) and want to add more custom words these would be so cute.
8. Contemporary Dance Dimensional Stickers: I think that moving our bodies in whatever way we love should always to a priority/goal. Dance is that for me and maybe you? 🙂
9. Beach Vibes Stickers: Maybe you aren’t a beach lover per se but prioritizing even just 5 mins a day for relaxation is really important!

Fun Paper

Because I need things like this to look like a school project I like to use pretty paper to back things. On my board, I just used them for my keywords but there are a million ways you can jazz up your board with cute and colorful paper. There are also endless options with patterns if sounds fun to you!

1. Neutrals 4.5″ x 6.5″, 87 Sheets: I love these Mat Stacks and is what I used on my “keyword cards” on my board
2. Neutral Paper Pad, 12″ x 12″: Here is another neutral pack where the papers are larger and the color range is also a little bigger.
3. Smooth Cardstock Paper Pad – A2 – 4.25 x 5.5 – 40 Sheets: I just think this is a really pretty color range and I like the smaller paper size.
4. Jewel Textured Cardstock Paper Pad, 4.5″ x 6.5″: In case you wanted a not-neutral option in my favorite paper size.
5. Neutral Metallics 12″ x 12″ Single-Sided Cardstock Paper, 48 Sheets: I love these metallic papers and these are the larger ones.
6. The Metallic Mat Stack 69 Prints , 4.5” X 6.5”: And this is the smaller version that I actually own and love because the less cutting the better.

General Supplies

To make a vision board you are going to need some general supplies. But general supplies don’t need to be boring. Let me show you…

1. White 36″ x 48″ Foam Tri-Fold Display Board: This is what I got (or a similar version) and I am a big fan. It stands up on its own and I can easily close her up and put her away when friends come over:)
2. 11pk Bright Glitter Washi Tape: These are flashy but fun! They add some personality and can potentially help you avoid needing to use glue.
3. 5 Colors Washi Tape Combo: The same as above but for those of us that aren’t into things that are super colorful and shiny:)
4. Scotch Wrinkle-Free Glue Stick (Set of 2): I used this and it was great.
5. 20ct Washable Markers Super Tip Classic Colors: Markers are great for adding little words or sayings. This set has a great color range and is a great price.
6. 10ct Dual Brush Pen Art Markers: Fancier markers with different brush options!
7. Elmer’s Spray Adhesive: I bought something similar and it worked great for the thicker cardstock. I do recommend wearing a glove and spraying into a box.
8. 16″ x 20″ Foam Boards (Set of 3): If the trifold is too big for your liking this is a great smaller alternative.
9. 8″ Precision Scissors: If you don’t have scissors, you are going to need them.

Lastly, when I brought up this idea, Emily thought I should touch on the idea of “spiritual elitism”. Spirituality, like most everything else, has been co-opted by capitalism making it feel almost inaccessible to those who can’t buy all the fancy oils, or crystals, go on expensive retreats, or practice at a beautiful yoga studio multiple times a week. While all of these things are absolutely nice, none of them have ownership over the best way to practice spirituality. And what is so great about a vision board is that anyone can do one. Manifestation, if you are interested in that, is free and takes only the time you want or can put into it. And if you don’t want to spend money on board-making supplies but you have a computer, then you have the option to make a digital version and put it as your background. The more we move away from this expensive and commercialized way of participating spirituality, I say the better. Just do what’s right for you because that’s the best way.

If you are inspired to make a vision board, dream big and have the best time.

Love you, mean it.

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