Emily Henderson's Blog, page 95

The Credit Card Hack That Has Saved Caitlin THOUSANDS Of Dollars

It’s time to admit it: I, Caitlin Higgins, am one of those credit card freaks. You know – the kind of person who reads blogs and forums about the best cards and redemptions and offers and points valuations and 5/24 strategies (that’s a deep cut for my fellow dorks out there, hi!!!)…and, well, I’m sure you get the picture, right?

That brings us to today’s post: I have a money-saving “hack” that I want to share with the class. You don’t need to sign up for anything, you don’t need to scan or upload receipts, you don’t need to mail anything in, and it’s saved me thousands (no joke – THOUSANDS) of dollars over the past few years while also allowing me to support brands, restaurants, and hotels (especially small ones!) that otherwise would have been a little out of my budget. You ready for the secret?

CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD’S REWARD OFFERS. (Cue: sound of deflated balloon to play concurrently along this anticlimactic information.) I know, I know – it’s not rocket science, or a groundbreaking hack, or even a particularly novel idea (sorry), but I’m going to walk you through the entire process (and we’ll tally up my savings at the end, because what is a blog for if NOT consistently oversharing my personal financial information?). Let’s kick it off with…

1. Find Your Offers

Most major credit card providers have a section of their app or website dedicated to these rewards. Today, I’m going to show you screenshots of my actual American Express backend, but Chase and Bank of America also offer similar deals with similar brands (though in my experience, the AmEx offers are THE BEST out there). These rewards change frequently and new offers are added daily, so I like checking in once a week.

Before we get too excited, my inner meemaw needs to step in – I do want to remind you that having a 20% cashback offer from Chairish does not mean that you need to spend $750 at Chairish right now. These are awesome money-saving tools that have been built into credit cards that many of us already use, but please be careful! Budgeting is important. I don’t want anyone going on an impromptu spending spree – MEEMAW IS LOOKIN’ OUT FOR YOU, OK? These offers often have a pretty long shelf life, so you have a while to plan for your new purchases!

That said, these price qualifications (e.g. “spend $500”) also include the tax, shipping, incidentals, tip, etc. which I love! You can also stack them on top of a site-wide sale or coupon code for EXTRA SAVINGS. (We’ll get there.) But before you can earn big rewards, you need to…

2. Add An Offer To Your Card

It’s super simple – just click to add an offer to your card before making any purchases! I have 63 offers currently saved on my Amex, and WAY more across my other cards. Do I plan on using them all? No, but it’s nice to have them all in one place. When I realize I need something – be it bedding, or a hotel, or skincare, or a dress, or a restaurant recommendation – I can see if any relevant offers fit what I’m looking for.

I’m currently in the market for an extra pair of sheets, an outfit for my friend’s Elvis-themed birthday, more overnight moisturizer, and a not-dried-out mascara, so here are a few of the offers currently catching my eye:

Spend $300, get $60 back at Parachute. I upgraded to a king bed and Em gave me a set of their linen sheets – they’re UNBELIEVABLE. (They’re also the only set of king-sized sheets I have so far and my cat recently vomited on them which led to an emergency 7 AM laundromat run, so this feels like it’s the most pressing.) Spend $250, get $50 back at Shopbop. So many of my favorite retailers! Spend $200, get $50 back at Alex Mill. This is pretty compelling – I’m crazy about their high-end basics, but they’re not always in the budget. Spend $400, get $80 back at Boll & Branch. I bought their bath sheets a few years ago and I love the size and weight – their bedding is just as nice! Spend $150, get $40 back at CUUP. THESE BRAS ROCK. I love them. I want more! Spend $150, get $30 back at Girlfriend Collective. Do I need new leggings right now? Yes. Is that my current priority? No (but I wish it were). Spend $10.99, get $10.99 back (up to 2 times) from Showtime. Two free months of binge-able TV? I can do that! Spend $150, get $30 back at Turo. I know Em has used Turo and she loves it – maybe this is a good car rental option for my east coast trip later this month?Spend $75, get $20 back at Armstrong Garden Centers. Catch me here this weekend as I try to buy some hanging spring planters! Spend $750, get $150 back at 1stDibs. I mean…this ROCKS.3. Make Sure You’re Getting the Best Deal

If you have more than one card, cross-check your offers. Case in point, my AmEx and my Bank of America card both offer Parachute deals, but one seems to be superior for me:

If my cart total is greater than $300 – I suspect it will be – I’ll pay with my AmEx and get that sweet $60 statement credit. And if it’s less than $300, I’ll pay with my BoA card and happily collect my 10% cash back. (In a past life, I would have shoved stuff in my cart to reach the $300 threshold EVERY TIME – more savings! – but as an adult, I’ve had to come to terms with the whole “buying things you don’t actually need leaves you with too much inventory to manage, even if you think it’s saving you money” thing. My brain is constantly like “DON’T MISS OUT ON THE BIG DEAL,” but the big deal isn’t always worth it!!! It’s a work in progress over here 🙂

4. Make Your Purchase (and Stack Your Coupons!)

Lemme fill you in on the trifecta real quick:

A Site-Wide Sale: These usually launch around holidays (or on the weekend). A lot of brands have standard discounts – like, you can almost always find a 15% off coupon with a little digging or by signing up to receive emails – but ideally, you’d be capitalizing on one of the bigger deals.The Sale Section: OH BABY. We all see these pop up occasionally – you know, with messaging like “take an extra 40% off sale items for a limited time” – and those are the BEST deals to grab, obviously.A Special Coupon Code: Think personalized birthday discounts or referral codes here. Example: in 2018, I was eyeing one of Madewell’s Transport Totes. The color I wanted (a deep green – it was around $160) went on sale, and then a site-wide holiday event knocked an additional 30% off the price. I used my birthday coupon to bring the cost down even further, and an AmEx offer got me $50 cash back. All in, I ended up paying about $40 for a bag I still love and use today! IT ROCKS.5. Proof’s In The Pudding

OK. That brings us up to speed, right? Time for some first-hand, real-time documentation.

Parachute is currently running a “Last Chance” sale that offers an extra 20% off of sale items, so the stars have aligned for me. (It literally could not have happened at a better time – I am SO EXCITED to get a second set of sheets for my new bed.) Here’s what’s in my actual cart right now:

THAT’S A LOT OF STUFF. Ready to do the money math?

The Traditional Purchase Price: $798. I know that number is pretty big and jarring (to me, at least), but I actually don’t think it’s unreasonable – I spend 4 months per year asleep; I keep and use my bedding for years; their linen feels incredible. I think it’s a totally fair price for this type of high quality product, but it’s definitely not anywhere CLOSE to being within my budget. New Sale Pricing: $679. We’re getting closer here!Plus An Extra 20% Off: $543.20. This is a pretty good deal, but still no dice.Combined With My AmEx Offer: $483.20. DING DING DING! We have a winner, folks! I was willing to save up to buy these sheets at full price, but this discount means that I can take the plunge and place my order now. Final Savings: $315. NOT TOO SHABBY, right?

I don’t want to sound flippant or out of touch – $483 is still a ton of money to me (it’s more than my car payment!!!) – but I’ve been budgeting for this splurge since I upgraded my mattress and I’m SO EXCITED to bring home some new bedding that I’ll enjoy using for many years, if not the rest of my life.

In any case, figuring out how to optimize these built-in credit card deals has made it possible for me to splurge on some nicer, heirloom-quality pieces without totally destroying my budget. I hope that maybe this can help you, too – even the smaller offers (you know, the “get $5-10 cash back” ones) REALLY add up over time. Happy saving, happy shopping, HAPPY FRIDAY. (PS. If you added any offers to your cards after reading this, I’d love to hear about it!!! Let’s chat??) xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Tessa Neustadt | From: Master Bedroom Refresh with Parachute Home

The post The Credit Card Hack That Has Saved Caitlin THOUSANDS Of Dollars appeared first on Emily Henderson.

You’ll Never Guess Where The Bathroom Is In This 325 Square Foot Studio Apartment

When Cleo and McShane Murnane of Project M Plus built their home, they knew they wanted to carve out space for an attached studio apartment. Whenever parents come to visit or friends need a place to stay, this apartment is here for exactly that. When it is not occupied by guests, they list it on Airbnb so it needed to be functional for short-term living while also paying homage to their style and aesthetic. What you are about to see is 325 square feet of beautiful, practical design. And fun fact: many years ago when this space was first built, Emily and Ginny Macdonald helped with the design by sourcing furniture and decor. So suffice it to say, this is a project close to EHD that we are thrilled to finally showcase.

From the jump, Cleo and McShane knew they wanted the studio to feel like a calm, restorative place. To create this effect, they focused on light finishes and colors that complement each other to evoke ease and tranquility. The walls have a light gray limewash to inspire a sense of calm, and the furnishings and decor are practical, elegant, and simple. Functionally speaking, the kitchenette is equipped with everything you would need for short-term living. A small stove top with two burners, a dishwasher, a sink, and a table that can act as more counter space, a dining table, or a WFH desk. Finally, open shelving stores the dishes and other kitchen utensils, and lower cabinetry offers closed storage.

Wall Art

When planning the layout, it was important to them to leave as much square footage open, which is why they opted for functional furniture that wouldn’t take up a ton of space. The kitchen “island” is not built in so it can pull away from the wall to accommodate more guests or stay put for kitchen prep. I really love how they matched the marble tabletop and countertop to create continuity.

And now onto the awesome water closet…

This is one of the most innovative “design risks” I’ve seen, but it was actually done out of necessity more than anything else. The single shared wall was the only place they could set up the kitchenette and the bathroom plumbing so they had to be creative when carving out the space. Instead of creating a full powder room, they separated the toilet from the sink and shower and arranged them where a closet would normally be. This layout saved SO MUCH space. The closet door slides over to provide privacy but one side is always uncovered so the pops of blue paint color are always visible. Also please note the incredible hanging rope pendant light! It adds a touch of drama to accent the bold walls. They sourced it from Lawson-Fenning but it’s no longer available there (but I would never leave you hanging (HA) so I found similar versions here and here).

As you can see the door slides over which then opens up the separate area where the sink and shower are. I really love how the blue paint pops and creates a subtle yet impactful design moment.

In the sink and shower room, they really made the most of such a small space. A small shelf creates open storage for toiletries and the built-in vanity has a closed storage underneath. The vanity was actually built by Cleo’s dad (who helped with a lot of the construction for this project) from leftover pieces of wood flooring. The shower lives opposite the sink and is properly mechanically ventilated through the roof to avoid any water damage. One tip Cleo shared with me when it comes to designing a small space is to optimize square footage by opting for a small but practical shower. Large showers are great but not when you are fighting to utilize every inch of a space 🙂

When it comes to studio living, it’s important to maintain a cohesive color palette throughout. In this case, the white walls lay the backdrop for pops of blues, grays, black accents, and light wood tones. With such a neutral color palette, pattern and texture play an important role in creating a dynamic, lived-in look. The throw pillows add that pattern and texture as well as the two benches at the end of the bed. Also, do you see how the floor tile and bench seat patterns almost imitate each other? It’s a really cool detail that adds a ton of personality.

Benches | Ladder

Please note what we now formally refer to as the “book ladder”. Without a coffee table or bookcase, there was little space to display books, so Velinda and Emily Bowser styled the books by draping them over the rungs of the ladder. We are all quite obsessed with this trick and need to see more of it!

What you don’t see in these pictures is the breathtaking view of the Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory, so of course Cleo and McShane made it a priority to put in wrap-around windows. The hinges allow them to open up completely and with such a small space, this is a real luxury. I love that they made space for a daybed here so one could relax, read a book, and take in the fresh air and incredible view.

That’s a wrap, ladies and gentlemen. What detail is your favorite? I think you already know that mine is the awesome water closet 🙂 Sound off in the comments below! xx

*Design by Project M Plus
**Styling by Velinda Hellen & Emily Edith Bowser
***Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

The post You’ll Never Guess Where The Bathroom Is In This 325 Square Foot Studio Apartment appeared first on Emily Henderson.

How Much Are Custom/Authentic Shutters? + See Our Exterior Trim Painted White

I appreciate the heck out of you – especially those of you who so clearly said “no shutters” or “just wait til landscaping grows in” on the exterior post last week. Sometimes I think we all just like to be told what to do (especially when it saves us so much money). I think there can be a lot of immediate and emotional reactions in this remodeling and landscaping process – wanting a house to look “better” before you are done and perhaps being a bit desperate. It’s like putting tons of concealer on blemishes when really you need to let your skin breathe and get naturally more healthy. It’s a real lesson in patience with landscaping and we truly try to exercise it every day knowing how lucky we are to be in this position. We always thought we wanted shutters back on the house, but with the house looking so harsh with less mature shrubs/trees in I think we were getting ahead of ourselves a bit – desperate for it to look like the inviting home we always pictured. I didn’t love how the outside of the house was looking but couldn’t put my finger on it. So perhaps I thought that shutters would solve that problem. If you missed this post on trim and shutter options check it out… But essentially I hired someone to photoshop a ton of options that you can see here:

It was so fun to see, but no clear winner for us. The all-white felt boring. The blue trim felt busy. The dark windows felt intense. etc. A lot of you thought they looked cluttered, clunky, and busy. Some of you worried about it looking cheesy – which I had also feared.

Our Dream Shutter Scenario

Here is what we were imagining – a light blue/gray that felt happy and sweet. Misty, our graphic designer, sent this through the day after the post and I was like, “yes this! this is what we were hoping for!” Many of you were concerned, understandably, that I was going to not do it “right” (too small, wrong hardware, etc.) but I promise you that we were only looking at the authentic shutters (which as you’ll learn below is cost prohibitive).

A couple of weeks ago (during the week that we published that post) we had a dry break in the weather and that same week a former painter subcontractor, who we liked a lot, stopped by to offer his time for any projects. So while I was debating the shutters with you in real time, we went ahead and booked him to paint the trim work white that weekend. We started with just one window, making sure that we liked it and once they were all painted this wave of relief fell over me. I LOVED IT.

It is so clean and fresh, letting the pretty windows pop more and still feeling really “farmhouse”. Is it boring? Not to me. The blue doors look so good with the white (sans the gray trim) and then the copper Rejuvenation sconces are the perfect accent (as is the brickwork). I feel like we got over the “a white house with white trim is so boring” hurdle and we are embracing the simplicity while we wait for trees and shrubs to explode. Have we for sure decided “no” on shutters forever? Nope. But that’s because I won’t be definitive about almost anything in our lives 🙂 We are waiting and here is why…

Good Shutters Are Not Cheap

We knew they would be a real investment – not hundreds but tens of thousands – as everything in the home remodeling industry is really expensive these days – especially custom. But how much they possibly could cost? We were committed to doing the “authentic” versions, with the nice-looking hardware, and installing them so they look like they could close. Our first quote (which wasn’t detailed and didn’t have all the hardware) came in at roughly $17k (before install). While this is a lot of money, it seemed pretty realistic to us. This was for shaker panels and only on the bedroom windows upstairs – 12 total. Then we had another local shutter broker come measure and quote, this time adding the hardware and it came in closer to $50k (including all the bells and whistles and install), with no trade discount. That quote was for 19 windows (adding 6 big ones downstairs).

A few days later our third quote came in (the same company as the first, but with the right hardware and raised panels instead of shaker, with 19 instead of 12 windows). With a nice trade discount (not a press discount just a normal design trade) it came in at $27K, not including install. They guessed that install would be around $300 per window. At 19 windows we are at $5,700 to install. So we are now closer to $33k all in to add shutters to our house. Without disrespecting the craft at all – as I know that custom anything can and should cost a lot, we were still so alarmed. We’d have to REALLY, REALLY want shutters to invest in that, and let’s just say we didn’t want them that bad. So imagine my relief when literally all of you (with a more objective perspective) told us to skip them or wait. A lot of you even said that they would look bad and clunky (which I don’t necessarily agree with but I definitely see your point). At that price we really couldn’t do it so it was so nice to get others’ opinions that we, in fact, should skip shutters, regardless of cost.

So no, we are not putting shutters on the house but I wanted to give you the amount so that if you are in the market you have some sort of idea how much they could be.

Now, as we are all waiting for the landscaping to do its magic, I wanted to show you what Cali (Studio Campo), our landscape designer has sketched to give us hope for the future.

They are all really small right now (as you can see in the iPhone photos) but spring is right around the corner and once they explode we’ll have a much better idea of what it will look like. We still might add some more mature shrubs, but our contractor has done a great job of laying the literal groundwork – grading, good drainage, soil prep, irrigation where needed, and flagstones – so that should we add more plants ourselves we can fairly easily.

We are nixing the shutters for now, feeling SO GOOD about the decision and leaning into patience as we await spring to show us what our garden will look like. Again a huge thanks to you all for weighing in so respectfully on the shutter situation.

Before I leave you today, Misty sent through a rendering of the red door stripped and stained to just be wood. If I could snap my fingers and have it this wood door I would 🙂 I’m going to reach out to ARCIFORM and see how long this could take and compare it to just painting the door the same blue as the rest of the doors.

Oh, and she plugged in/photoshopped the grass and shrubs – its still mud with some little plants over there 🙂

The post How Much Are Custom/Authentic Shutters? + See Our Exterior Trim Painted White appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Sculptural Sconces? The Design Hack That Will Make Your Home Look Very Cool (+ The One Jess Picked For Her Living Room)

I’ve had a love affair with statement sconces for a long time. I’m a sucker for a simple yet dramatic design moment. For statement sconces specifically, not only are they a piece of art in their own right but they also have a very useful function–lighting up a room. What’s not to love?? To me, it reads “I love design and know how to put it into action”. Honestly, they are kind of a design hack. Take Brady’s old bedroom sconce in the opening photo. His room would have still been amazing without it BUT with it, it’s completely elevated, visually interesting, and it adds an inherent chicness in my opinion. Bring on the drama, baby!

photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: how we designed our super kid-friendly family room

Emily did a similar thing with her family room gallery wall at the mountain house. I love how she made a gallery wall that was filled with sentimental and personal things from their life. Again, without the sconce, it still would have been a great-looking gallery wall. But do me a favor and use your finger to cover it. See?? I think we can all agree the stunning sconce adds that “designer touch” and makes the whole wall feel more sophisticated.

I also want to note that for this awesome visual effect, this sconce must be big and wide. Something small could have still looked pretty, but it’s the inherent size and simplicity that makes this wall extra special, extra cool, and like a professional designed it. So if you want something similar GO FOR IT, K???

design by rob diaz & anastasia ratia | styled by sarah brady of the platform experiment | photo by virtually here studios & la light photo | from: is this the new “california casual”? step inside this modern double a frame home that is contemporary and dripping with soul

What is also incredible about a large sculptural wall sconce is that it can act as a big enough piece of artwork that you may not need anything else on the wall that it’s on like in Rob Diaz and Anastasia Ratia‘s incredible design.

design by brady tolbert | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

But let’s say, you like the idea of a super wide sculptural sconce but you don’t need or want it to take over the majority of your wall… just add something more vertical to a gallery wall like the sconce master himself, Brady Tolbert, did in one of his last versions in his old apartment. It still has that oversized sculptural, geometric feel but is a liiitle less intense. If you’re into that sorta thing:)

design by shanty wijaya of allprace homes | styled by a 1000x better | photo by jenna peffely | from: the house tour that took all of our breaths away – shanty’s japandi style oasis

Scale and those dramatic geometric lines are really the most important elements to think about when shopping for your own. Repeat in your head, “This is the kind of drama I want in my life.”

design by lea johnson | photo by sage e imagery | from: lea’s living room reveal: her pet and family-friendly open concept design agony solved

See how Lea’s perfectly oversized Serge Mouille-inspired living room sconce takes the design of the whole space up a notch? It says, “Yes, I’m a pro.” It’s moments and design choices like this that really change a space. Do the finger thing again to see. I know I sound like a broken record already but I want to prove my point. SORRY!

design by jess bunge | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the feel-good modern romantic bedroom makeover jess did for her dear friend (all thanks to the company store)

I actually also played with scale when I designed my friend/neighbor’s bedroom. I LOVE Katy Skelton’s lights and have always wanted to use one of her pieces. So when it was looking like their room need a hint of modern drama, I knew I wanted to use that sconce. My friend told me that it was the one decision she was a bit hesitant about but after it arrived and was installed it was one of her favorites. So like I pushed her (because I believed in it so deeply), I want to push you to play with scale in your sconces. It’s fun, I promise.

Now let’s get into the real reason I decided to write this post (per Em’s request). I knew the moment I stepped into my apartment’s living room that I wanted a statement, sculptural sconce on this wall (see photo below).

I didn’t want to simply do a gallery wall like my last place (even though I LOVE a gallery wall). Also FYI my beautiful, unfluffed sofa was only against that wall because I was having my birthday dinner party and needed space for another table. It is now back facing the fireplace where it belongs:) For a few reasons, I couldn’t take a more current photo. SECRETS…

Back to the sconce idea. I photoshopped out the “original” sconce that came with the apartment to give you a clean visual slate but there is a junction box in case you were wondering. But truly, isn’t this wall begging for a gorgeous huge sconce?? I wanted (as always for my spaces) to create a California/European vibe and a sculptural sconce would do that beautifully.

design by lea johnson | photo by sage e imagery | from: lea johnson’s basement reveal: workspace by day and family-friendly living room by night

I’d been searching for a while and kept coming back to this Serge Mouille-inspired light fixture that Lea used in her basement as a ceiling light. For a second it made sense. It was going to feel very French/European, check. It was a HUGE visual statement, double-check. And I had always loved them, check, check, check! Plus I found one around the $500 mark which felt doable if they weren’t able or interested in gifting. They have some examples of it as a wall sconce if you look at the photos. It’s very cool if you have the space. Also, while these lights have gone in and out of being “trendy,” ultimately they are a classic.

But then I taped it out…

Honestly, even taped out I was still on board (remember that’s not the real location of the sofa). However, after I realized how far into the room it would protrude I knew I had to say goodbye. I’m sure a ton of you can relate to those moments. You think you’ve figured out a perfect piece to your design puzzle only to realize it doesn’t actually fit. RUDE. Someday I’ll have a larger room where I can use this as a sconce but that day is not today.

So what next?? Well, I had another secret French lover that I kept swooning over but this one wasn’t “inspired,” it was the real deal. If you haven’t heard of Wo & We, you’ve definitely seen his lights. You will have a hard time looking at any design magazine or site and not see one at least once. And I’m not just saying this but I have been a fan since I think before I worked for Emily. Getting one of his sconces would be a piece I would keep forever. I should also mention I am working with the amazing BuildLane to design a custom “shelving unit” and the light I wanted to get was going to work perfectly with my idea. So with all of that in mind, I knew this was the sconce and it was purchased.

Sconce

Ok, the photo is bad on purpose because I want the reveal photos to really feel like a WOW. I stare at it every day and can’t believe I have one. While absolutely not cheap, the price wasn’t as outrageous as I was expecting and was very on par with the market. Plus all of the lights are made in Lyon, France in the Wo & We factory. I even emailed directly with Oliver the owner and he was wonderful to work with. I was also able to slightly customize the length of the center pole since originally it was too long and going to come too far into my space. The thing I was most excited about was that I was going to finally get what I have fondly referred to as the “taco shade”! He calls it “bented” which is much cooler:) So that’s my little sneak peek surprise for today.

Now of course I wouldn’t leave you without some options for you to shop from if you are in the market. If you can’t tell I think you should do it.

1. Articulated Modern Brass Two Arms Sconce | 2. Cypress Champagne Double Wall Sconce | 3. French Articulating Double Zig Zag Light Sconce in the Style of Serge Mouille | 4. Onda Plug-in Sconce | 5. Adjustable 3-Arm Wall Lamp | 6. Staggered Glass Adjustable Sconce | 7. Simms Long Arm Double Sconce | 8. Sereno 2-Light Plug-In Sconce | 9. Mid-Century Brass and Perforated Metal Shade Wall Light (Set of 2) | 10. Alyra Steel Swing Arm Sconce (Set of 2) | 11. Pivot Double Wall Sconce with Articulating Arms Made | 12. Journey 2-Light Swing Arm Wall Sconce | 13. Adelone Two Arms Rotating Swing Arm Sconce Wall Sconce Lamp | 14. Paz Light with 2 Arms | 15. Awkward Wall Sconce

I tried to give lots of options with a variety of prices and styles. But most importantly each of these is at least 3 feet wide. That’s the kinda width you want for making a visual statement. As I have stated 8,348 times already in this post, if you are looking for a show-stopping yet simple statement this is a truly great option where there’s something for every price point. Take a risk and go oversized. Oh and this is renter-friendly too (especially the plug-ins)! I can say from experience it’s so worth it.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Brady Tolbert | Photo by Tessa Neustadt | From: Brady’s Bedroom Makeover With Parachute

The post Sculptural Sconces? The Design Hack That Will Make Your Home Look Very Cool (+ The One Jess Picked For Her Living Room) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Make Your Shelves Look Better With These 4 Easy Bookshelf Styling Formulas

Bookshelves can be one of the most daunting things to style. I always say my dream would be to have a grand room with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves but the truth is, staring at those shelves would be like staring up at a huge mountain I have to climb. Thankfully, four years at EHD has taught me that there is a styling formula for almost anything. Lo and behold, we have discovered some no-fail shelf styling formulas that EHD has been using for years and years. If you feel lost, stuck, or just plain exhausted with making decisions, the following four formulas are foolproof and will make your shelves look like they were styled by an actual pro (that’s you!).

First, to help guide your quest, a couple of ground rules we swear by:
1. Maintain a consistent color palette.
2. Mix up the shapes, sizes, and scales.
3. Include a little greenery.

Now that you know the basic rules, let’s dig into the formulas.

FORMULA #1: 2-3 Books Stacked Horizontally + Object On Topdesign by corbett tuck | styled by velinda hellen, erik kenneth staalberg, emily edith bowser, and julie rose | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

Our first tip for styling bookshelves is to start by stacking books horizontally. This will immediately add visual interest and will inform how much more space you have to style with objects other than books. When you stack books horizontally, there is often space above so our favorite trick to take up that unused space is to add an object on top. This could be a lidded bowl, a precious family heirloom, a vintage vessel from your travels, or truly anything you love and want to look at every day. Above, a stack of three books (in ascending size) is coupled with an aged sculptural vessel which adds shape and color to their shelves.

photo by zeke ruelas | from: moody midcentury home office

In the above home office, Ginny peppered in books and objects to create an open yet collected look. The horizontal books are topped with round, sculptural objects which adds movement and texture to the shelves. How cool is that wood-lidded bowl??

FORMULA #2: Art leaning + Multi-Sized Objects Layered in Frontdesign by dee murphy | styling by velinda hellen | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

Adding art to your shelves is one of our favorite styling tips that can add color, shape, height, and personality. We love the relaxed look of leaning art (as shown above) which also draws your eye to the back of the shelves, making them seem deeper and more open. Now the trick to styling around leaning art is to layer layer layer. Depending on the scale of the art, you can layer 1-3 pieces in front which will create a collected look and will impress all your friends. Just make sure your objects are varying in height, shape, and scale so it is easier for your eye to understand.

design by velinda hellen | photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: velinda renovated & furnished her “fixer upper” for under $55k…here’s how

If you have several art pieces you want to display, you can absolutely layer art in front of art. Just make sure the frames are different sizes and layer the smaller one is in front. We love how Velinda executed this on her custom shelves in her living room.

FORMULA #3: Display A Collection Of Objects Of Varying Shapes And Heightsphotos by tessa neustadt | from: glendale living room

I am someone who loves my things. I know I am not alone and it’s something we design enthusiasts have to come terms with. I love my vintage coupe glasses, my collection of antique candle sticks, and what would I do without my many lidded bowls and vessels?? Luckily for us, shelves are the perfect display case for objects if done right. Remember the second rule from the beginning? It will come very handy here. Basically, you can absolutely group together several objects as long as they vary in height, size, and shape. If you have a collection of similar objects you want to showcase just make sure they are not identical to avoid your shelves looking too uniform.

For example, in Emily’s Glendale home, she styled her built-ins with many of her favorite objects and some collections, too. The three teal vessels on the right are similar but not identical so they add personality without being too matchy-matchy.

FORMULA #4: 3-5 Books Vertically Flanked By Bookend Or Objectdesign by rosa beltran | styled by velinda hellen | photo by sara ligorria-tramp

As much as I love my things, I might love my books even more. If you saw my living room reveal you know I have a bookshelf entirely dedicated to books. This reminds me, you can always style your bookshelves with just your books, full stop. However, if you have a lot of books AND want to sprinkle in objects and found things that is of course an option too. To accomplish this look, again start by stacking your books both horizontally and vertically. Once you have done that you can see where your objects make the most sense. With the grouping of vertical books, we suggest flanking them with objects or bookends to create space between the individual vignettes within the shelves. The more sculptural the object the better to add intrigue and movement to your shelves.

And there you have it! These four formulas have never failed us and make styling shelves so easy and fun.

Do you have any other styling questions for us? Be sure to drop them down below. xx

Opener Image Credit: Design by Velinda Hellen | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: How To Make Your Smallest Room, The Coziest Room In Your Home + Sara’s TV Room Reveal

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The Link Up: The Newsletter We INSTANTLY Signed Up For, Caitlin’s Necessary Household Tool, And Jess’ $12 Butter-Soft Long Sleeved Shirt

Happy Sunday and our first one in March! As you probably saw yesterday, Emily has some exciting things coming up and needs some hired help and some rooms to make over. If you live in the PDX area and might be interested, go read that post now. For the rest of us non-PDXers let’s jump right into this link up.

This week’s house tour is more of a home/office tour and it. is. beautiful. Ghia is a spirits-free apéritif company that works out of a Tudor home in Beachwood Canyon, LA. We can’t get over what looks like handpainted murals. They are so stunning and welcoming. Actually, every design detail feels like a stylish hug. Go check it out!

From Emily: If you haven’t signed up for Orlando’s new Substack newsletter, The Lost Arrow, then I HIGHLY recommend you do that right now. It’s Orlando talking about whatever he wants and it’s, as always, extremely entertaining. I think we all get excited when an Orlando post shows up here so now you can have his humor and his warmth even more. You can get occasional posts for free or subscribe for $8 a month. There’s a bit of a discount if you buy a whole year’s worth. I’m so happy we are getting more Orlando:)

photo by anna spaller I via chasing paper

Did y’all see David Quarles, IV’s new wallpaper line with Chasing Paper?? Not only is it wonderful but these designs were inspired by the strong women in David’s life. You can feel the joy coming from the colors and patterns. Then to top it off, these papers come in either a traditional material or a faux grasscloth! He is as talented as he is kind (read: VERY) so go check them out and his Instagram account!

From Jess: I impulse-bought this striped shirt the day before my Paris trip and I am SO glad I did. It’s so soft, thin (so great for layering), and the “brown” color is the perfect neutral. It went with almost every outfit. And to top it off, it’s currently on sale for $12.

Also From Jess: I want to cut my citrus like this now.

From Mallory: Thinking about getting this dress to wear to my friend’s wedding but I’m on the fence – I LOVE the silhouette but is the color too much for a wedding guest?? It’s in Palm Springs so I feel like I can get away with going a bit brighter but you guys tell me. Do I cop yay or nay?!?!

From: Ryann: I have a beautiful new podcast to share. It’s called My Mother Made Me and it’s hosted by author Jason Reynolds who talks so poetically about life, his upbringing, and of course, his mother. She is also on the podcast and it’s part story-telling part real-time conversation and just SO GOOD. His voice is so soothing and the way he speaks is so poetic and breathtaking. His mother is just the sweetest and the wisest. I love it so much and I hope you give it a listen.

From Caitlin: What’s like, the least sexy product you could imagine? Because that’s what I’m about to share with you, and I need you to manage your expectations. Last week I purchased this sink plunger (oh baby!!!) after my kitchen sink seemingly regurgitated a bunch of stuff and refused to drain (#fun!! #blessed!!). I didn’t want to use any chemicals and I also didn’t want to bother my landlord, so I had this delivered same-day and it fixed the problem SO QUICKLY. My sink has literally never drained better! I now keep it in my shower (is that gross?) and it’s been GAME-CHANGING at rectifying my slow drain (which clogs weekly with just product – I don’t even let hair get in there). I now do a few little plunges before turning the water off and getting out and the difference is incredible every time. It seems like most of my friends don’t have a sink-size plunger, so highly recommend adding one to your emergency artillery (you know, before you splurge on Drano or attempt some homemade drain-cleaning concoctions)! 10/10.

Thanks for stopping by and see you tomorrow. xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Anna Spaller I via Chasing Paper

The post The Link Up: The Newsletter We INSTANTLY Signed Up For, Caitlin’s Necessary Household Tool, And Jess’ $12 Butter-Soft Long Sleeved Shirt appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Hey Portland, I’m Hiring Help… And Need A Couple of Rooms For Some Fun Makeovers!

Hey all, as things ramp up again over here after a bit of a creative sabbatical. I’m excited that there are some big projects happening, but I am rather understaffed on my own project and while I’ve been doing a ton of house stuff on the weekends to try to stay on top of it all, I’m looking for a few people (as well as a couple of houses for makeovers) to help. These are all Portland-based (ideally close to SW). Here’s what I’m hoping to find:

A house manager/personal assistant. Part-time (10-15 hours on slower weeks, up to 25 on busier weeks). There is so much to do over here, a lot of it very physical that I can’t do alone or it doesn’t make sense for me to spend my time. I made a to-do list so people understand the general day-to-day expectation (and I think it fun to see other people’s todo lists): receive boxes, break down boxes, figure out how to recycle boxes, remove boxes, replant plants into large pots, cement glue large broken pot back together, plaster the pots? paint pots? power wash back deck, book painters, pick up paint, put together furniture, help me move so much furniture, hang art, book handy person, pick up groceries, put groceries away, organize prop closet, move more furniture, prep for shoots (which may include cleaning that room), sell furniture on Facebook, coordinate furniture with upholstery company, organize all props, taking out trash when full, clean up after lunches on shoot days, walk dogs if needed, help execute some more DIY ideas, run errands, return things via shipping or in-store, water plants, help manage subs, keep styled room styled nicely… the list really goes on and on. This is a position that doesn’t need a lot of fancy design skills, just great problem-solving and self-starting skills, a very positive attitude, honesty, the ability to read the room, and a lot of willingness to do anything. The hours are flexible – but mostly Monday-Thursday, during the daytime. This is $20-25 an hour and will start as an independent contractor. Obviously, anything can happen from there, but this is not a styling or design position – it’s a big ole helper that is much needed around our house as we gear up for more and more shoots (and starting to think about how to clear out and organize the other buildings on the property to get them ready for projects next year). I think this is a great job for a musician, artist, or maker looking for some consistency during the day or simply someone who likes to move their body, make some extra money, and take pride in keeping this lady’s house intact and organized during a lot of disruptive and chaotic production. Could this lead to styling help? Sure, but right now I need physical help. A video and social media creative production person 1-3 days a week, freelance – with rates TBD. Emily M. has been shooting our social and then sending it down to Mal to edit and post. Many days it works, but we all agree that for big reveals or really interesting projects (like hanging an epic gallery wall or a day of rearranging furniture in a room) having someone who is tapped into the creative here when it comes to video production (and therefore social video) would be just lovely (and far less clunky). I don’t need or want a full production crew – instead, a fun person to help direct our video content to be better, tell me what to do, and help with consistency, especially around partnership, and reveal content. Likely hourly pay or day rate, and work as an independent contractor/freelance. We’d shoot two days a week (9 am-3 pm ideally) then edit outside of that. A great handy person. This is a universal hole we are missing in the world. I’m looking for someone with experience that has their own tools to help me with all things home repair. For example, I need someone to change out our hanging porch sofa from chains to rope, hang some super heavy art, re-caulk some areas after settling, paint small dry walls areas, help my brother frame out our greenhouse, change out sink water filters, switch out sconces, hang string lights, hang a super heavy mirror, power wash all the things, etc. This would vary per week, but I’d really love someone consistent who knows the house (and depending on where we land with #1, the needs might vary as well). photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the feel good flash makeover reveal (a.k.a. my favorite thing i did all year)

We are also looking for a couple of homes for projects:

A no demo-reno kitchen to feature a new kitchen island. The new island doesn’t have any plumbing, gas, or electrical (but it’s a VERY pretty piece of furniture with a lot of storage). The kitchen would get a cosmetic upgrade (paint cabinets, new lighting, new tile if needed, updated appliances if needed) but no walls or plumbing moved (ideally). Great natural light is a huge plus and the ability to shoot an island from many angles (ideally not a galley kitchen). Timing is ASAP for a June shoot (so you’d get an updated kitchen in 3 months!!). You would need to contribute a construction budget, knowing that you’d get a lot of product and my services for free. We also have a budget as well – but it’s not endless. If you have this kitchen please email submissions to hello@emilyhendersondesign.com with many many many photos and the location. We will be scouting locations Monday and Tuesday (so send over the weekend – today and tomorrow – sorry for the rush!!!!) The deadline is this coming Monday 3/6!A feel-good family makeover room/s. I was watching some of our older makeover videos with our kids the other day for the first time (Sylvia’s and our first flash makeover) and y’all they are so fun and just incredibly rewarding. We decided it’s the perfect family project for the summer and the kids got SO excited to help design and do a surprise. I’m hoping to be able to do one late this summer. Ideally, you would nominate a family in Portland that could use this in their life and you’d be involved in helping and garnering help from others depending on what it requires (i.e. other family members to help paint, etc). It doesn’t need to be someone in total dire straights – just someone who is maybe in a challenging position in life and unable to do this for themselves. This would be just furniture/paint/decor (i.e. not a remodel) and likely 1-2 rooms (similar to what we’ve done before). Send through their story/photos if you can and know that we’ll take submissions for a while and likely not start until early summer, and likely execute in August (so if you don’t hear from us asap don’t be surprised).

I just want to pre-thank anyone who submits! It’s going to be an exciting year. xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: A Quick Trip To Target: The Little Things That Make Me Feel Good And Pulled Together

The post Hey Portland, I’m Hiring Help… And Need A Couple of Rooms For Some Fun Makeovers! appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Jess (And Her Dad, Les) Take Paris! Get All The Vintage Recs, Design Goods, And See Her Haul

Yesterday you got Emily and Elliot and today you’re getting a big ole dose of Les and Jess (aka my dad and me). He is also known as DIY Dad for those who have been here for a while 🙂 For years my dad has talked about living in Paris (his and my late mom’s favorite city). Then finally last year he decided to go for it. He applied for his temporary visa, booked an Airbnb in Montmartre, and on January 10th, 2023 he was off. I had my worries (because I’m a perpetual worrier, especially when it comes to him) but more than anything I was wildly proud of him. Anytime I told a friend what he was doing their response would be something along the lines of, “Your dad is the coolest.” My response would always be, “he really is.” Annoyingly, he just continues to be my hero and role model:) How many of us, year after year, say that we want to do something, move somewhere, or just make a change, and here is my dad at 73 saying, “f$#! it, I’m moving to Paris.” A privilege obviously, but scary nonetheless. His girlfriend was only going to be able to stay about a month so he had almost a whole month on his own, exploring this city he had loved for years. Something that little punk from Chicago would have never dreamed of.

And because we’re best buds, I clearly wasn’t going to miss the chance to hang out with my dad in Paris…with a free place to stay, ha. FYI it was his idea first (or he at least said it out loud first)! I also don’t take for granted what a special and rare gift it is to get to have this kind of adventure with him. It’s easy to forget how fleeting life is. I kept reminding myself of that as I made him sit in cafes for longer than he wanted, strolled through streets dodging dog poop, and treasure hunting through seemingly endless flea markets and decor shops in very cold temperatures.

can you tell he was ready to not be sitting at that cafe anymore?

Ok, enough sentimental nonsense because this is a design blog and I don’t know if you’ve heard but Paris is kinda known for its design. To say I was on an endorphin high 75% of the time would likely be an understatement.

NOTE: Remember this was my first real time in Paris (outside of a 24hr layover in 2019 where my best friend and I mostly just got day drunk on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower. 10/10 would recommend). So for those who have been there or live there, I’m sure that fact will be glaringly obvious:) NOOB ALERT.

So Many Different Kinds Of Bistro Chairs

So before we get into the vintage shopping (and what I brought back home with me!) let’s discuss how stupidly cute every. single. cafe’s. bistro. chairs. are. How are they all different? Is there a secret french bistro chair factory? Can we go?

And these were just the only ones I took awkward pictures of! I was basically a bistro chair paparazzi. I really love those light blue ones with that extra loop of rattan on the backrest.

Also those green ones? Or that crazy long bench?? Or that sweet plaid??? I would like some resources, thank you.

Random Design Details

I mean it’s no surprise that the doors are beautiful with equally beautiful hardware. But look at that incredible bistro table at a random cafe. I would LOVE to have that in my kitchen. I even thought the public trash cans were pretty and thoughtfully designed. As my dad kept saying, “the French know how to do cute.”

This brings me to the shopping portion of this post.

Village Suisse

Now, I can’t remember if my dad planned to take me to Village Suisse that day or if we stumbled upon it, but regardless it was a fun place to look around. We were there on a Thursday and I’d say only 20% of the shops (little storefronts) were open. We did find out later that last week was a holiday break for schools so maybe that had something to do with it. But honestly, business hours in Paris are um, loose or uh, unpredictable so your guess is as good as mine. I’m sure the weekends are better:)

I did fall for that little green pillow but since the shop wasn’t open and it didn’t really work with my living room design, I took it as a sign to pass.

However, this vintage Murano glass striped lamp was another story. I think I said this in the post but in my office reveal, that truly stunning ceramic table lamp was only borrowed for the shoot. I was under a time crunch since it was sponsored and hadn’t found one yet. Ceramicah doesn’t normally lend out their lamps for shoots but since they knew me they were kind enough to make an exception. Also, have you seen all the awards and press they’re getting!!? I’m so happy for them and it’s so deserved!

The downside though has been trying to replace such a special lamp (since that one was too far out of my budget). It has felt near impossible. My main shopping goal of this trip was to find a vintage table lamp for my desk and this was a big contender…but it was our first day shopping and we hadn’t gone to Saint Ouen yet…

Here’s just another cute shop and a cool design moment in the village.

Versailles Details I Want To Steal

Naturally, we had to go to Versailles since it would have been my first time and my dad hadn’t been inside the palace in 25 years. I wouldn’t say February is the best time to check out the gardens but clearly, I was more interested in the interiors and getting some inspiration.

And man, do I have a newfound appreciation for parquet flooring! I think I’ve just only seen bad versions in San Francisco college apartments but these floors have made me a believer. I want them in my future home.

Also, all the decorative ceiling trim and mouldings were truly to die for (they were all over Paris but very special here, duh). I want to figure out how to add it to my bedroom ceiling. If you have any resources please let me know in the comments!

I even loved the chic simplicity of the guard rails and stair railings. Clearly, these are not original to the palace (ha) but were done in a way that they quietly add to the overall romantic aesthetic.

I had to take a picture of these awesome topiaries for Caitlin:)

This was not at Versailles but at the restaurant at the Louvre. While a bit overpriced and a total tourist trap, we really loved getting to take in the view after we were done looking at all the art. Plus we were averaging 8 miles of walking a day so a nearby place to eat and rest was extremely appreciated. Also, this was probably the nicest photo we took together on the entire trip.

Saint Ouen

Oooooo baby, many of you told me I had to go here for vintage shopping/inspiration and you were right. This area is a design lover’s dream and is filled with the most incredible vintage. Before I left for my trip an extremely kind reader and designer who lives in Paris, Allison Crawford, messaged me on Instagram and offered to take me around. I was so grateful and PUMPED. Sadly, the one week I was there was the one week she was going to be out of town but she since she’s so sweet she sent me a list of things to see in the area. Go follow her because her account is beautiful and she is so talented!

From Allison:

If you do everything here, expect to spend 2-3 hours browsing the flea.

If you are taking a cab, give them the address of L’Atelier 55 in St. Ouen. Put in the exact address. If you are taking the metro, take the 13 to Garibaldi and walk about 10-15 minutes to L’Atelier 55. You can also take the metro to St. Ouen via another route, however, I don’t recommend that route.

Start at L’Atelier 55 on Rue de Rosier, and peek in Maison Dumas (same owners as 55 but different vibe). For very high-end inspiration, walk across the street to Glustin. It’s inspiration gold and very expensive. Great place to look.

After hitting these shops on Rue de Rosier, go next door to Vernison to wander around for an hour or so. This is a typical flea market experience with less expensive options than other parts of the flea. Remember to negotiate.

After Vernison, go to Serpette to walk around inside. This is the best inspiration and it’s la creme de l creme of Parisian vintage and antiques. There’s everything from De Sede sofas to vintage Chanel jewelry to LV trunks. It’s my happy place!

After you walk around Serpette, go outside to Paul Bert to walk all the outdoor stalls. This will take you 30 mins to an hour.

After that, go to Mob Hotel or Paul Bart cafe for drinks and a meal if hungry.

This was the first place we stopped at 80 Rue de Rosier. I can’t figure out the name and don’t want to get it wrong so that’s the address. It was more of an architectural salvage spot with INCREDIBLE pieces. I didn’t notice until about 10 mins in that photos weren’t allowed in most of the areas so this is all I got.

Look at that rattan pendant and all those stunning mirrors along the wall! I also loved that little sconce and almost asked how much that small mirror was but quickly realized I didn’t actually have a spot in my house for it. It reminded me of Em’s vintage mirror:)

Paul Bert

Paul Bert is now my happy place too and I may never be the same. It’s just stall after stall of the most beautiful things. My dad was sooooo patient with my painfully slow pace. I was just trying to take it all in!

Sorry for the terrible and not super inspiring pics. I got nervous about taking pics after that first spot and didn’t want to make anyone mad. I truly hate getting into trouble and sometimes make up rules for myself that aren’t always even real. SMH. I promise this place is actual magic. But understandably not inexpensive. I’m manifesting having at least $10k to spend next time I go so I can really indulge. How I will get that money I do not know. Miracles happen right??

I did, however, make one teeny tiny purchase and that was a studio drawing by Lebanese artist, Joseph Terdjian for 2 euros. Since I didn’t have anything but a large tote to carry it in, it got really crinkled. To ease my sadness and shame, I’m telling myself it gives it character…

The Flea Part

This was the typical feal market area Allison was talking about. Again, do not hire me as your photographer. We were pretty beat by this point in the day but it was fun to walk around for a bit. Had I had more energy I would have done some real digging.

Le BHV / Marais

Ok, so those who live in Paris might laugh at my love for this store but I don’t care. My god, I wish it existed here. It has everything. You can get there directly from the 1 or 11 metro line off of the Hôtel-de-Ville stop where you will be welcomed by a home improvement section. Please see below.

Now, it’s not that we can’t get things like this in the US, but here it’s all in one place, where you can see and touch with your own eyes and fingers!

Look at how pretty this hardware is! This isn’t a discount store by any means but the selection is so good for new goods. These photos are the absolute tip of the iceberg.

Then you go up a few floors and head to the decor section where you are greeted with all the lights you’ve drooled over on the internet but maybe haven’t seen in person, or at least not altogether in one place like this. I was very tempted by these lamps above for my desk but had my heart set on something vintage.

Even my dad was overwhelmed with design joy! JK he was ready for me to be done. Sorry, dad. I almost bought a little triangle pillow for I think 30 euros but stopped myself because I knew I was in an adrenaline overload. I kept repeating to myself, “just because you like it and it’s from Paris doesn’t mean you need it.” I actually said that to myself most everywhere we went.

Y’all this department store even had a good vintage section. DEAD.

I also considered that black and white table lamp for 320 euros but also decided it wasn’t right. Did I text Julie and Caitlin every time I saw a lamp? Basically. They helped me off the adrenaline design ledge a few times. While my dad has a great eye he’s of the “if you like, buy it” school of thought. Dad, I like EVERYTHING, I need to be extra discerning!

And here are some other photos of pretty things because this store had endless pretty things.

You wanna know what else this store had?? A gallery exhibit of incredible Ukranian artists – L’art de la resilience. Here is an article about it. I loved everything but those ceramic pieces were definitely a favorite.

If you are in Paris the exhibit is on for a couple more days! You have until March 5th.

We ended up having to go back later because a security tag was left on a shirt my dad bought and unfortunately for him, where we entered was a ferm LIVING display and I needed to check it out.

I have been a ferm LIVING fan for years (my navy velvet pouf and one of my candelabras are from them) and to get to see all of this product actually in person was awesome. I LOVED that striped chair and cabinet. Perfectly chunky:)

What I Bought

On our first trip there, I actually hadn’t bought anything up to this point (sorry this post is not in total chronological order) and I was very drawn to this brass soap dispenser. Look, I really love it but was it worth the 98 euros?? Well, I guess it doesn’t matter now. Ha. The quality is great and it is really pretty. Not a huge regret.

These candlesticks were from our trip back and as you can see they are ferm LIVING. I loved the colors and considering I own WAY TOO MANY candlestick holders and candelabras, I thought why not?! For 15 euros it was a good call since they are harder to find online.

The Flea Market We Had Been Looking For

To no one’s surprise, I wasn’t done searching for flea markets. I figured since it was Sunday there had to be a good one. So I decided to check TikTok (don’t judge me) for help and boy did it lead me to a gold mine. Now, the account I saw said to get there when it starts at 7… I say don’t get there at 7. We got there at 8ish and only some vendors were setting up. Sure you might stop a gem, but 9/ 9:30 is plenty early, at least in the winter. Maybe in the summer when it’s not freezing, vendors are willing to open up earlier. I’m sure my dad would now like credit for telling me there was “no way” a Paris flea market would start at 7. Fine dad, you were right. So to not catch frostbite, we went to a cafe nearby for a cafe au lait and a croissant for about an hour. He was such a champ because we were not properly dressed and he hung in there as I once again slowly scoured each booth. I was in heaven. I should be clear that he also loves this stuff A LOT. However, he likes to blow through and I like to carefully take in everything.

This was the address I put in my phone and it was off the 13 metro, Porte de Vanves stop: 16-18 Av. Georges Lafenestre, 75014 Paris, France.

Great sconce, even greater mirror. Sadly didn’t need either.

Two awesome lights that I passed on.

My father plotting my death but too cold to focus on any follow-through.

A mirror I WISH I could have brought back with me and two cute candlesticks. Don’t worry I didn’t buy them. I know I have enough.

Weird but awesome pendants I wanted and sconces that reminded me of Birdie’s room (that I may have accidentally texted Em about at 3 am her time. WHOOPS!)

Plates I would have bought in a second if I could have easily brought them back with me and a cabinet with cute feet.

Wanna see what I actually bought???

What I Bought

A sconce for my hallway for only 20 euros! They technically need shades so you can find me scrolling through Etsy for the foreseeable future. I did also buy the right lightbulbs that cost about another 20 euros.

I got both of these art pieces for 10 euros total. I think that black and white drawing is so pretty and while that wine bottle could easily read “bad generic art,” it’s a real painting on a sturdy board that I think will look really cute float framed in my kitchen.

Clearly, I had to come home with a design book and this square, neutral cutie caught my eye. I should have negotiated down but I paid 15 euros for it. No regrets:)

Now I’m still a little on the fence with this one and I’ll tell you why. First off, if you don’t know what it is it’s a foot warmer that I got for 20 euros (down from 30). My plan is to cut out the back and cover my nonfunctional switch and functioning thermostat with it. They are total eyesores. Functionally this is great because I can open the front when I want to use my thermostat which is not super often, and then keep it closed and pretend it’s not there when I’m not using it. I’m just not sure if the brass is right and think it might be stylistically not what I actually want. I’m not going to cut it until I’m sure and if I go a different direction my dad wants it. Win-win.

Oh, I am so excited about this little switch I got for 20 euros (down from 22:))! I have a big sconce on the main wall of my living room that you haven’t seen yet and it’s controlled by this not-as-pretty plain switch. So my dad and I are going to make a cool plate to cover the rectangle hole and then mount this switch on top of that. It’s going to look so much cooler and very special…I hope.

Here we are after braving the cold flea market, trying to feel our noses on the metro home. In total, I spent about 85 euros (plus 20 for blubs) which I’m very pleased about. What a high!

Other Lights I Looked At

Throughout the week we hit a few other lighting stores. This vintage shop, La Calinière, was cool but hard to really see what was in there because it was so packed with little to no pathways. These lights were at the front of the store which is how I got to them. The table lamp was 350 euros and I didn’t ask about the sconce because I knew I didn’t want it.

This shop, Yonoil, was in my dad’s neighborhood but we kept missing the opening hours. He was excited to show me because he and his girlfriend had bought some lights from there. Very cute but no dice for me.

So did I get a lamp for my desk??? I sure did:)

THE LAMP I BOUGHT

It’s a story as old as time. Girl sees her first vintage lamp in Paris, she’s worried she needs to look at all the other options, no other option lived up to the first one, she gets first lamp. So this gorgeous, Murano glass lamp is mine! Now it wasn’t cheap. My dad was the literal best and offered to buy it for me. It cost 650 euros. I don’t deserve him. It also was quite the scene of us packing it up because we couldn’t find a box that was a carry-on size so I needed to check it. I was worried my entire flight. But y’all it got here in one piece and I lovingly glance at it on my desk every few seconds. Caitlin wanted me to buy the lamp as soon as I sent it to her:)

Oh, and the shop owner Beatrice was so wonderful. Here is her Instagram if you are in Paris!

Then my dad actually spotted this 1930s tray as he was buying the lamp. I instantly fell in love. I paid for that though, obviously. It was 50 euros.

And finally, this was my dad’s cute apartment. Super cozy, full of vintage, and had a ton of character. Much like my father as proven below.

I didn’t read his PJ shirt till maybe our final night and burst out laughing. So while a VERY cringe shirt, the words aren’t wrong. He is in fact amazing and I don’t think I’ve fully processed what a fun and cool week we had yet. It was the best. If you ever get a chance to meet Les Bunge you are a lucky one and if you ever get the chance to go to Paris, uh, GO.

Oh, one more story that may have been the most unbelievable part of the trip! On our second or third day, we were getting off the metro to go somewhere and as we were walking down the street a gal stopped me. I thought she was trying to ask for directions which I was at first really apologetic about since I didn’t know Paris or any french for that matter. But then she asked if my name was Jess. She recognized me from Instagram and wanted to say hi. I was shocked! My dad was shocked! That has never happened to me before. Not only did a Parisian know who I was but she was also just the sweetest. So Marie (I’m sorry if I misunderstood your name!) it was an absolute pleasure meeting you and thank you for making me look cool in from of my dad:)

I hope this was a fun Friday read and that you might even be inspired to take a trip with your parent or a family member. Caitlin and Brenda are big fans too:) I know it’s not always easy to make time but life is short. Go on an adventure if you can and bonus points if it involves lots of flea markets. Au revoir, from Les and me.

Love you, mean it.

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Birdie’s Room Progress – ARE YOU READY FOR THIS??

I think it’s fair to say that I’m living out a fantasy in this room, with my 7-year-old daughter (who dresses herself consistently like that). This room is not done, nor does it necessarily ‘work’ with the rest of the house but we don’t care. As a reminder, I let her take the reigns on the design (I wrote about that process here), acting as her designer and of course helping to guide her choices. She knows that this is my job and that we arn’t going to buy land-fill/garbage (like the purple LED canopy she wants). It is NOT always seamless, but I’m trying so hard to let her feel like she has control because from everything I’ve noticed, read, and personally experienced regarding parenting daughters, my trying to control her won’t be best for our relationship. She’s only 7 so I know it will get even more challenging so I’m trying to create good habits/patterns now. I will say that we don’t butt heads – I’m not saying that to brag, but just know that working together is easier for us than some of my other relationships. We are both huge enthusiasts, love color and just kinda want to go for it. We are generally on the same page which makes it easier (which I don’t think is normal and is not exactly the case with Charlie).

GO FOR IT WE DID…

Months ago I gave up on the sweet and quiet Scandinavian farmhouse bedroom that I had pinned because she was VERY MUCH against it. She wanted BRIGHT colors, and LOTS of patterns so here we are and it’s JUST SO FUN. Again, this is not a reveal, but a ‘here’s where we are today’.

The bed was from FB marketplace and she originally wanted to paint it and now she doesn’t. I kinda want to simplify the room and get a solid upholstered bed (more modern) but she loves this bed. It’s also very crickety and rickety. So this might change. The vintage dresser (also FB marketplace) was also meant to be painted a bright color but we have yet to do that and the wicker side table was thrown there for now.

Obviously, the lampshades are MY FAVORITE ($80 each at an antique mall), but I’m unsure they are working where they are currently hung. I tried hanging them in the corner together at two different heights but they are HUGE. I like the red one over the dresser, but the green one over the wicker table is obviously strange scale-wise.

We also don’t need to use both of them. One could also be over her art table, or over a reading nook. That’s all to say that this is where she wanted us to try the hanging lamps but I’m unsure if they are going to stay there.

Props to my assistant Emily for figuring out how to wire them with a chain and cord (which saved us money and time). We do still need to figure out how to add a switch, so for now they are only on when plugged in.

The rest of the room is very TBD as you can see.

She wants a drawing desk and a reading nook, but I am unsure we have room for both.

That bookshelf is very much falling apart so we’ll replace it with something that will last long term. The kids have just switched to kindles so I’m unsure how many books we’ll keep collecting, but she loves her trinkets, jewelry, gems, etc and collects a lot every time we go antiquing so I want her to have somewhere to display it all.

I considered painting all the trim and ceiling (a light lavender on the ceiling, unsure about the trim) but got the quote and it was $1700 because of all the prep so we are skipping that for now. The ceiling is much cooler than the background of the wallpaper, but it doesn’t bother me enough to do that right now so we’ll see…

But What About The Painting!!

Y’all. I got that painting at Annie’s studio (@shopwilma), by another vintage dealer, Deb Zsori (@fabiusgrange) but it’s by a Portland artist (from the ’80s). It’s incredible. the colors are so vibrant, it has so much energy and the scale is WONDERFUL (48″x48″).

I actually bought the painting for Charlie’s bedroom (I thought it would look awesome with his colorful net chair) as he loves bright primary colors. He said yes to it when I showed him a photo of it, but changed his mind once it was in his room. He said that he doesn’t like it when colors are “mixed together”, which I can appreciate. But I think it’s because it has pink in it and he’s still in an anti-pink phase. So thank goodness Birdie was so enthusiastic about it. Is it a lot going on with the wallpaper? SURE. But I think it’s also awesome.

I am trying to figure out ways to calm the room down a bit. I’m going to put up a huge white corkboard (I might have to DIY It because there is a real hole in the market) and I’m considering adding white curtains just to break up the wallpaper. Stay tuned for that. Also how cute does that Jane Denton artwork look in here! That was originally in Charlie’s nursery 9 years ago, so I’m loving finding a new place for it.

Birdie walked in as we were shooting and wanted to hang her portrait of the pups that she painted during quarantine (2 years ago). Yes. SHE PAINTED THAT, but not without a lot of guidance from Eel Costello (their quarantine teacher) who is a legit incredible artist. It really goes to show that kids can do far beyond what we typically assume. Eel had them do stained glass, threw so many pieces of pottery, mosaic art – all such advanced stuff which made them feel so empowered and confident. It was such a good lesson to us about pushing them beyond their assumed capabilities when it comes to things they love.

So that is where we are right now. We are rearranging weekly and trying out other pieces now that she is sleeping in here. But she LOVES her room and we are having so much fun doing it together.

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

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The Kids’ Shared Bedroom Update (It’s The End Of An Era…)

This post was supposed to be ‘The Kids Shared Room Update’, to show you where I’m at with designing their rooms (which was not very far). However, in order to show you Birdie’s room (which is much farther along) we brought the mattress from this room into her room so as to not shoot just a bed frame. Once the mattress was on her bed with sheets and her stuffies she was like “I really really really want to start sleeping in here, like tonight.” Charlie looked me dead in the eye and said “No. I’m not ready” which is soooo cute (he gets scared at night) but once we rearranged what is now ‘his’ room (with only one bed) he was ready to give it a go. So it’s the end of an era. I have big kids that want their own spaces and styles.

As a reminder, they’ve shared a room since Birdie was 2 and Charlie was 4 not because we didn’t have the room but because they slept better in the same room and bedtime with two toddlers in the same room was so much easier. They shared a room at the mountain house and we found that weekends, when we were there, were easier and they slept better so we stopped forcing them apart and let them share a room in LA. Then when we moved up full-time for lockdown they continued to share. We figured we’d let them tell us when they were ready (I had done some basic googling on boy/girl shared rooms and most feedback was between 8-10 the older one is typically ready for their own space and privacy).

So what it all means is that I can start figuring out this room, now Charlie’s room, and have actually made some progress now that there aren’t two beds. We tried to convince him to keep two beds for sleepovers but he was adamant that he wanted the space (and then I found the most incredible huge round chair that is big enough for sleepovers anyway).

The ages of 7 and 9 are so cute/fun because they are still obsessed with stuffies and want to cuddle their mama, but the tween-ness is happening so fast. We’ve been watching High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (which is EXCELLENT BTW) and they just really want to be teenagers. I remember that so clearly – just wanting to be a cool teenager so bad (methinks nothing has really changed).

We shot this as-is without really styling because there really wasn’t a point (I did clean up a lot of pokemon wrappers). I only JUST bought them some duvet covers that didn’t make it in time for this shoot, which brings me to a quick rant about bedding. Most kid’s duvet covers or comforters have a lot of texture and it’s my opinion that no one wants to sleep with texture. This could be because I’m sensitive to this stuff, but I think people sleep better if it’s just a soft percale and not embroidery or lace or seams everywhere (and no, not linen). Anyway, I searched all the major retailers that I loved but couldn’t find any good colors/patterns on soft percale. There were annoying colors, but no pretty percale that were in stock anyway. I ended up getting these which are super soft and have a zipper, and are affordable. I figure once I know more about their rooms I might get a color for them, but for now, they both have white duvets (not shown).

The Window Treatments

These shades (from Decorview) are excellent at function (room darkening for sure) and so easy to manually bring up and down (and down and up). The color is great. Oh, and we keep them mostly closed during the day while the kids are at school because they help so much with keeping out the cold (those windows are original and not exactly energy efficient).

They are the top-down bottom-up kind which is a lovely added function (and no ideally, a bed wouldn’t be just up against them – we always knew this was temporary). In Birdie’s room with the wallpaper, I wish we had chosen white because I think the rail at the top takes away from the diamond pattern. Unsure if I’m going to change them, but in here I’m going to make them work. They are excellent – I just wish I had done white so they receded more visually and then possibly I could add curtains.

This room was full of leftover furniture or thrift/vintage finds. I’ve had that schoolhouse lamp for 8 years now. It’s still so good. I got the large vintage lightbulb lamp on Etsy (Charlie loves funky pop art decor). The dresser is NOT staying (it’s total garbage) but I got it on FB marketplace for this exact temporary reason. I didn’t know how the room was going to be laid out or what our needs were so I didn’t want to buy something new, but we needed clothes storage badly. It has served a purpose but I’m ready to find one that is more functional (and has four knobs that stay on).

I got the second-hand IKEA table at a thrift store and really like it! The two vintage Windsor chairs are so cute, but now too small for our kids so looking for a new home.

I’ve had that bookcase for a few years – it’s from Crate and Barrel and is still available (and excellent).

The wood net chair was one of the first pieces that Charlie and I both loved and is helping to drive the style of his room. I bought it from Urbanite but I believe it was made by Purl Samoheyl (@total_nonsequitor). It’s SO FUN and rarely gets sat in, but I think will do a lot for the room.

The carpet is from Stark Carpet and I’m getting less and less nervous about it every day. I think because we are strict about no shoes in the house (you literally have to be here because of mud and the kids don’t even think about it anymore), and no food upstairs, so it’s actually been fine. Of course, the dogs are the wild cards as they come in every night for our nighttime routine and I’m always concerned about their paws, but dirt just vacuums up easily. Am I scared that they are going to pee, poop, or puke on it? Yes and no. They don’t and haven’t but they certainly could at any moment and then once they do…. That’s all to say that doing something darker would probably have been smarter/safer long term, but I think since these are on the second floor and far away from exterior entrances hopefully we are ok. And yes I MIGHT add rugs, but honestly, I really like the vibe and simplicity of the pretty wall-to-wall.

What’s In that tiny closet??

Okay. One of the only requests that the kids had was a secret door connecting their rooms. ARCIFORM put it in the plans and it was framed this way, but the sheetrockers did their job and it wasn’t exactly a priority before we moved in. But the kids, as you all know, remember EVERYTHING and asked us almost daily about it. So just recently Jamie was back working on the punch list and we asked him if he could cut it out and build the door and he did.

It’s pretty dang cute. So basically that goes to Birdie’s closet and thus into her room. It does make designing the closets more challenging (and I’m unsure how long they will even want to access each other’s room).

I have yet to paint the frame because I’m waiting to see how I design these closets now that the kids have separated.

So that is where we are at with the shared room (now Charlie’s room). I’ll show you Birdie’s very soon – we are much further along on it, although making some pivots because it’s looking QUITE ECLECTIC 🙂

Resources:
Window Treatments: Decorview
Carpet: Stark Carpet
Wall Color: Extra White by Sherwin-Williams  
Door Color: Upward by Sherwin-Williams

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

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