As an alumn of the EHD team who ventured out into the freelance world at the end of 2019 and started growing my team (from me to 6) beginning the following year, my old friends reached out asking if I’d want to do a post on ‘how to be a freelancer’. And while I was crazy flattered by their confidence, I’m still chuckling at the thought that I ‘know’ anything yet. Does anyone self-employed or running a startup ever feel they do? Does imposter syndrome go away? Do the freelancer-fears and nighttime panics eventually subside? Just starting year three, I can tell you it has all gotten a lot better. And since I have 1000% found tools along the way to implement that being the case, I’m happy to share. I don’t ‘know’, but here are: Now, since this process is consistently one of discovery, I’ll owe it to you to report back if any of these early methods eventually land us on our bums. After all, I’m 2 years and 1 month old now. I’ve just started walking and may need a diaper change now and then. Or maybe I’m in preschool starting to count? Can I speak yet? Never mind, I know nothing about children… except that they need durable textiles, rounded edges, and lot of creativity, color, and whimsy in their design worlds (*Inserted Free Ad: Hire VHD for kids’ playroom and bedroom virtual designs!). You’re a freelancer, you’re busy. I know! So, Let’s get started… Wait… But where to do so? We’ve never done this before. Agggghhh… HELP! Exactly. While most of these tips are in no particular order, this first one, in my book, should be numero uno: 1. Get HelpThere are layers to the types of help you’ll need as you start and grow. Not all can be done in the beginning. But some can. Layer A:One thing I am SO glad I did early (and I mean before filling out S Corp paperwork or setting up a site)… was talk to people who already had experience doing what I was hoping to do myself. The kicker here is to realize that time is valuable. If you’re lucky enough to have a friend/mentor in the field (as I did in Emily Henderson), I’m sure a lunch or call would be welcome. But if not, don’t expect strangers to dedicate their time for free; offer to pay for a consultation with someone you respect (or find someone who already offers such a thing in your field). $100-300 for an hour of your average professional’s time is a fair price to expect/offer from what I’ve experienced. Don’t get ripped off. Now, if you’re going to break this rule I just made up about paying for consultation time, be really concise with your ask when you reach out to a stranger. Think: ‘what could someone answer in 15 seconds that would send me in a direction (ie. I was wondering: Did you like the school you went to/would you recommend your program? What software do you use most?). Perhaps you’ll discover someone is really generous and this opens a further conversation, but starting with overwhelming questions (ie. Can I pick your brain? Can you tell me how you started your company?) isn’t respecting the value of time and may not get a response. Be concise and specific instead. Speaking of specific, I have a really easy suggestion for interior design firm startups out there: Carly Waters. She offers hour-long consultations. Doing two of these may be the wisest thing I did in the beginning. While I learned SO much about design from Emily, the company she runs is entirely different from the one I was starting, so I needed additional help. Carly Waters couldn’t have been more generous, intelligent, or resourceful. Several of the tips/tools I’m passing along are ones she shared with me. Thank you, Carly! Layer B:Find your ‘external team’. Maybe you can’t afford to hire yet, but do you really want to spend all of your time learning how to be a bookkeeper & lawyer… Or take on potentially great financial risk by making mistakes out of pure ignorance? Before I did my interior design program, I got a bachelors in business. Pretending I recall more than the 4% I actually do about economics, let me give you this piece of knowledge (that actually stuck). It’s more cost-effective to specialize than to have a team of ‘jack of all trades’. Hire specialists. You focus on what you’re good at and hire the best you can afford to handle things such as:
Finding recommended/qualified people to fill these roles is a game-changer. This is your ‘outside team’. You could even consider hiring a virtual assistant early on to help as well (after all, it’s just you right now and you may be busy crying in the shower). Just know you’ll have to train a virtual assistant and have specific tasks for them to handle, so get organized. Layer C:Find your inside team. I have limited tips here as I had pure luck in this arena (getting to work hire my friends from EHD), but my talented team has made every project and step toward growth/improvement possible. I need them. Those I’ve hired outside of my EHD collaborators, I found a few different ways:
Other than lucking out, my tip for ‘team building’ would be to understand the team is getting a ‘newbie’ experience and are taking some additional risk coming aboard an unestablished company. As they’re being patient with you, be so in return. And here is the bit you ‘real pros’ may just want to skip to avoid skin crawls. I’m totally making up my own team policies, being as generous/flexible as I can possibly afford to be. Having trustworthy employees makes this possible, at least so far. As a recent employee and reader of articles on Covid-caused changes to the way we work, I know this is an employee’s market. My team is top-notch and could go anywhere they want. Shhhhh…. My secret mission is to manipulate them into wanting to stay with me until the day they die. How:
(Pros should probably skip this paragraph too) How to know when to hire? I’ve decided when to hire the first couple of years based on some loose-at-best projections of client flows and an employee cost calculator spreadsheet that I paid $10 for online. My patient team was far too slammed at the end of year one and there have been a couple of times since I’ve been nervous someone on my team of 6 may be empty-handed, but this past year proved our size is sustainable for now and I have much more insight moving forward if we need to grow again. A few things that helped:
2. Make Your Website Your Assistant (And Automate!)Want an almost free team member? Get your website working hard for you. I’m not talking about what you probably already know: make sure your site looks professional, reflects your voice, shows off your brand, etc. I mean, pretend your website works at a desk, picks up a phone, answers questions, and takes down numbers. Not every field will find this easy to do, but putting the ‘A’s to the most common ‘Q’s we receive on our site, along with adding information on what to expect through our process where our pricing stands has saved us hundreds of admin-level hours. This means we are designing instead of answering the calls and emails of non-clients. Beyond that, if we find ourselves repeating emails or information to multiple clients, we create an email template, collecting them in a shared spreadsheet and each programming them into Gmail via Google’s email template feature to adapt as needed. Want to go a step further in saving admin time? If you have services or goods to sell, there are software resources that will allow you to automate your entire lead capture/client intake/package purchase, questionnaire process, and more! We use Dubsado and this automation is what gave me the idea for our E-Design process. By honing our process step by step, automating what we could within the communication process and cutting out most admin time it takes to onboard clients, our process became more ‘affordable’ and our team ‘reachable’ from anywhere. It took some time to learn the software, but it has proven worth knowing myself so I can adapt as we learn and continue to carve the details of our client communication. 3. Keep Your Overhead LowOb-Vi-Ous-Ly. “No Sh#!, Velinda”. I’m not trying to repeat Business 101 here, so I thought I’d just do a brief rundown of some of where I balanced ‘Save vs Splurge’ in my own start-up process. This is a balance we love to ride in our designs too! My Start-Up ‘Saves’Website – It’s not award-winning and I’d love to upgrade when I can afford a pro, but I opted to go SquareSpace/Wix – style and handle this element myself. It took time upfront, but I can easily make changes. Rent/Mortgage – It’s worth noting my overhead was exceptionally low upon starting up since I began January 2020 (laugh-cries welcome) and was promptly working from home like the rest of the world. Not that I had office plans as it was just me at the time, but Covid restrictions certainly forced a lot of us to find creative ways of working as a team… a plus for majorly reducing overhead. Do we need that office? Software & Supplies – My first year, I bought my most expensive software during Black Friday at 50% off. I also bought the 3D scanner we use for scanning sites second-hand from another designer. She was upgrading, so I got a deal on the ‘old version’ that works just fine and has been great for learning whether or not I need it (I do!). I still haven’t forked up for a new, fancy computer since going freelance. The Mac laptop that got me through my design program is serving just fine and instead of getting a pricey Apple home setup (my initial instinct) for the large screen I knew I needed (it’s harder to see designs details on a laptop), I instead bought a well-reviewed $350 27” Dell screen (another Black Friday deal) and a $30 cable to make this PC equipment compatible with my MacBook Pro. My Start-Up ‘Splurges’Photos – If you can’t tell, I’m a huge proponent of making sure you professionally photograph your work. I was lucky enough to already have beautiful images of projects I worked on with EHD (and Emily was gracious enough to let me use them, something I know from my design program isn’t always the case with a firm). But as we rolled out reveals in the first year, I splurged on high quality. This included renting props and hiring the stylist necessary to make productions run smoothly and image compositions curated. Give the photos all you got… this is what will last after all your hard work, become your social content and have clients deciding whether or not to trust you. Help – We covered this, but quality help is worth investing in. Time & Tools – The first year and a half was more ‘all-consuming’ than desired by any standard, but without a lot of money to invest and knowing I wanted it to be ‘good’, time was what I had to sacrifice in the famous trifecta (ie: You can’t have good, fast and cheap… pick two). I couldn’t go fast (more on that soon). When it came to taking the time to learn, plan and get organized, I splurged. While I abide by hiring specialists over trying to know & handle everything yourself, there will be apps, software, and tools worth researching/learning to make life far easier as you move forward. And if I could say I did any single thing ‘right’ (besides finding the right inner & outer team), it’d easily be getting organized. The thought was to make the ‘newness’ of being, well, brand new an opportunity. There were no messes to have to ‘clean up’ or unfiled closets to have to sort yet… if I was careful now about the ‘rules’ of where everything lived and how the ‘steps’ worked when it was just me, I hoped it would become something I could more easily explain and hand over as the team grew. That has worked! Now a team of 6, we all know where to find project questionnaires/inspiration, measurements, and emailed concerns provided by clients and visual boards throughout our process without having to ask. We can look at a spreadsheet and know what step of the process a project is in and how much time remaining is estimated (this has helped with project flow too). I’m proud of the efficiency of our team’s process/organization and while it has adapted as we’ve learned, the seeds were planted from the start, taking a lot of initial time, but sparing so much of the same down the road… along with many headaches. 4. Think As Your Client While Thinking About Your ClientYes, figure out your target market, think about how to find clients and such… but in the beginning, you don’t have a single client to ask ‘did you like this… did this work?’ So… you roleplay. While you’re worrying about getting clients, pretend to be said client… “What would I want?” For me, especially when working virtually, the answer was:
I set up our process based on these ideas then started testing. Let’s be very clear, I was all the while worried about whether or not I would have clients. But early on, I was also turning clients away! Counter-intuitive, I realize, but I wasn’t sure if the process worked yet. I needed to go slow. I needed to test. I will always have a fondness and gratitude for my very earliest clients who taught me. Now that I had a few clients going through the experience that I hoped was working, I could simply ask, “did this work?” If it makes any sense at all in your field… DO IT! From day one, I had a ‘follow up questionnaire’, which was short with a blend of easy ‘yes/no’ questions and ‘free response’ space. My god, has it been helpful for improving. Clients give us genius ideas! What’s more, I ask on that questionnaire whether or not I can use their feedback on social media/as a public testimonial. Most say ‘yes’. This means I don’t have to go back to clients later begging for marketing material. Win-win-win. I can’t exactly say where you’ll find clients in your specific industry, but one mindset shift that has been helpful to make on our team is ‘forward thinking’ clients. At first, if we were ‘full’ of projects, we were taking a waitlist and opened/closed projects monthly…. But that meant closing projects monthly too. Which meant shutting the door on clients. Not great. Now, we’ve been working on more of a rolling system, with time frames that we adapt on our site. This way, we can book projects up to three months in advance. It seems to be a better flow on our end and also means shutting down fewer clients along the way. Finding the right project load was like hitting puberty’s awkward stage at every level of our team’s growth. But we’ve now grown our first mustache and learned how to kiss without getting our braces stuck. I hope we’ve grown into our foreheads for good! (Turns out, I’m far more familiar with puberty than infants/toddlers). 5. Free the Freelancer In YouImposter syndrome and overwhelm can be powerful, but there’s so much combative power to be found in getting to carve things out for yourself; find your own measure of success, set your own time, and hold your own boundaries…. Even early on, I tried to balance the very public information of ‘I’m a startup’ with the guarantee, ‘you’ll be safe with me’. This was not a promise of not making a mistake, but I knew that while I couldn’t trust myself to know everything upfront, I could trust myself to handle any arising issue with integrity and aim to always make things right. That goes a long way. I would rather take a loss than defend a mistake done on our part and I’ve found being really upfront about intentions versus taking the stance of said defensiveness is immensely helpful. Example: (Your version of something like this…) “My aim for this call is to work together to find a fair solution and I owe you an apology for contributing to this frustration…”. It’s okay to admit you’re wrong or have missed something, even if the client isn’t 100% ‘right’. You will make mistakes (Going slow and researching will help prevent these… but early on they can be expensive to correct). I find handling these misses with character will go a long way in a world of big-business capitalism and narcissistic greed. Still, you can say ‘no’. Even when you’re ‘fresh’, it’s okay to steer your clients back to your process and it’s fine to set up boundaries within what to expect. Overcommitting or getting bullied won’t do anyone any favors and sometimes, a client may just not be the right fit. Your client is trusting you, so trust yourself. And when you don’t know, ‘yes’ doesn’t have to be the answer. Example: (Something like…) “Let me consider that and get back to you in XXX days/hours” is a great way of buying time while you navigate getting familiar with… well, navigating. But onto the HUGE perks of freelance. You get to make this up. Yes, there are standard business hours to consider. Yes, we are trained to ‘earn’ for validation. Yes, you will have to forego fun/need to have self-discipline to succeed… but what is succeeding, really? YOU get to decide… not your boss/company. A freelancer’s freedom to set their own schedule is widely spoken about, but I’ve found even more ‘adventure’ in deciding what the aim, in general, is as an individual and team. Of course, doing cool sh$! with projects and making sure our clients are consistently happy is key, but… then what? Is it building flexibility around travel, showing up for events, and resting when you’re sick? (for us, yes). Is it making a fine living by working shorter weeks vs maximizing annual profit? (for us, yes). Is it more time with family, scheduled days to find new inspiration or learning one new software/skill a year? Yes, yes, yes. The global community may not report you to Forbes for such ‘successes’, but you have won according to you… and you decide when and what to celebrate. So don’t forget to celebrate the ‘small things’. I’m convinced that’s what matters most anyway. And surround yourself with people who will celebrate as well. Shall we quickly wrap this up? You’re busy and your time is valuable. I’ll leave you by sending my best wishes for success and kudos for being so bold! It’s scary, but pretty soon you’ll be looking back on your days as a (2-month-old?) who’s dropping cereal and ungracefully climbing your playpen walls and say, ‘that was worth it!’ Opening Photo Credits: Lead Designers: Grace De Asis & Julie Rose for VHD | Styled by Emily Edith Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: The 3 Best Ways To SAVE $$$ On Your Kitchen Reno (+ Our EHD Alumns’ First Reveal As a New Boutique Team) The post 5 Very SMART Tips & Tools That Helped Velinda Go Freelance, Start A Company And Grow Her Team – A Serious MUST-READ appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/rCQcUsPNv
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Hey y’all and welcome back to the link up. We’ve got 11 banging links this week that will end (or start) your week off on a real good note. Seriously, is Sunday the end or start of the week? Even calendars are confused. Anyway, enough with that, let’s jump on in: This week’s home tour is a cooool one. It’s actually an apartment for a brother and sister in their 20s! Designer, Marianne Evennou really outdid herself. It’s stunning, cozy but also really wonderfully laid out so each sibling has their own space. Plus the interior windows! But maybe the most impressive part is that A. two siblings are living together and B. one is in med school and the other is a musician. From Emily: I was on a Zoom call with my team earlier this week when Caitlin asked about my sweatshirt & wanted the details. It’s is my dearly loved and highly worn Alex Mill half zip sweatshirt that’s cute enough to wear out and about but cozy enough to lounge in 24/7. I have the green version, but they just came out with 2 new colors that are both very cute too. I’m not kidding when I say I opt for this guy nearly every day because of its comfort and cool cut. Grab it if you’re in need of a ‘zoom worthy’ sweatshirt We need to make sure everyone knows that EHD friend and co-designer of the River House (more on that this next week!) has an INCREDIBLE new wallpaper collection with Chasing Paper. Seriously, it’s awesome and definitely check it out. From Jess: I’m pretty sure we’ve gotten this podcast recommended on here in the comments before but Maintenance Phase with Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes has been BLOWING MY MIND. It’s all about “debunking the junk science behind health fads, wellness scams and nonsensical advice”. But also really unpacks the depths of our societal and personal issues with fatphobia. I’ve been on some form of a weight loss diet for what has felt like my whole life (luckily not now but the internal food police is still talking). Like my pediatrician told my mom to put me on nonfat milk as a baby because you know, back then ANY fat in food was bad. So while I am aware of what they are talking about, it’s hitting differently hearing it presented in the way that they do. I think this is a must-listen for everyone. A grand bathroom tour that we could not NOT feature because it was shot by our very loved Sara Ligorria-Tramp. They took the space from builder-grade to we-are-all-jealous-grade where the attention to detail is off the charts (THAT VANITY). Check it out if you wanna feel butterflies. From Caitlin: OH MY GOSH. Here’s something I never expected to say: I’m SO JAZZED about the return of the network sitcom. Abbott Elementary? I’m crying AND feeling all toasty inside. American Auto? So, so, so good. Grand Crew? AN ABSOLUTE SLAM DUNK. It’s been so long since we’ve seen such a deep field of really fun, original comedy programming on cable and I love that there are so many great entrants on the scene. Love, love, love. From Ryann: I finally found a task/to-do list tracker that works for my ADHD brain. It’s called Habitica and I’ve been using it every day for the past two weeks–mainly because it’s based off a rewards system that my child-like brain really needs. Basically, when you check things off your lists (there are three categories: “habits” “dailies” and “to do”) you gain experience and points which in turn will give you eggs and hatching potions to hatch the eggs into animals! IT’S FUN. It’s very reminiscent of Neo Pets (if you know you know). So yes, this is an app that might also be great for kids and now that I am thinking about it, was probably made for kids. HA. From Mallory: I recently went to Palm Springs and went to dinner one night at a fun restaurant (called Mr. Lyon’s if you’re in the area). Chase and I were talking to the bartender about how we’re recently getting into amaro and he recommended that we try a paper plane. I had never had one before but we just followed this recipe and made it at home and it was very delicious & fun Also From Mallory: I’m very specific about sports bras because I hate when they’re too long (it’s not a sports SHIRT, it’s a BRA imho), so I wanted to share the sports bra I’ve been wearing pretty much every day lately. It’s this bra from Alo (the only thing I own from Alo so far) but I love it so very much & need to wash it constantly because I always want to wear it. If you’re in the market, there ya go! That’s all for this week, thanks for joining us today! See you in the morning Opening Image Credit: Design by Marianne Evennou | Photo by Grégory Timsit Photographie | via Remodelista The post The Link Up: Em’s Favorite Sweatshirt Now Comes In More Colors, The Only Sports Bra Mallory Wears, And A Way To Make Your To-Do List Fun appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/hda24ZBRx Happy Saturday sweet friends. Today, sweaters are on the docket and as someone who basically lives in sweats right now, I am more than ready to get inspired by the 2022 sweater trends. My hope is that these trends will have me (and you?) swapping out sweatsuits for more pulled-together looks. It definitely feels like we are n season 3 episode 100 of Covid right now, so lately I’ve been ready to make more plans and get out of the house a lot more (safely of course). Do you have any fun plans coming up? If so, here are some warm sweater outfit ideas that are cozy and cool. Let’s get to it. High & Thick Turtle NecksThe 2022 version of the turtle neck does not come to play. Mock necks were reigning for a while, but I am pretty excited to see the OG turtleneck flourish as of late. It’s obviously cozy and great for actually cold climates too (I say this as it’s 71 degrees in LA. Feel free to roll your eyes at me :)). I personally love a turtleneck in a bright color like above. It feels retro but if you pair it with a sleek pant and minimal accessories, you can easily make it look modern and fresh. And also, why not pair a thick grey turtle neck with a bright sequin high leg skirt?? I am up for anything when it comes to these sweaters. Here are some of our favorites on the market: 1. Wool-Cashmere Blend Turtleneck Sweater | 2. My Only Sunshine Sweater | 3. Knit Sweater | 4. Turtleneck Knit Sweater | 5. Cozy Oversized Turtleneck Sweater | 6. Turtleneck Cable Knit Pullover Sweater | 7. Turtleneck Wool Knit Sweater | 8. High Collar Knit Sweater | 9. Oversized Knit Sweater Fun Patterns And ColorsI feel like this trend might be a direct response to Euphoria being all over the internet right now. There are pattern and color combos that I haven’t seen since my shopping at Limited Too days, and that is exciting if not a little disorienting. To be honest, I think with all that’s going on in the world, we all just want to have more fun with our clothing options. If going bold with bright colors feels like a little much I hear you. Realistically, I don’t wear a lot of colors but I do like some pattern here and there. The black and white pattern sweater is definitely much more my speed, but still adds a little something special to an otherwise plain (but so chic) outfit. Some top picks: 1. Space-Dyed Cotton Cropped Cardigan | 2. Striped Knit Sweater | 3. Rhombus Knit Sweater | 4. Checks Knitted Sweater | 5. Jacquard Knitted Sweater | 6. Cropped Jacquard Knit Sweater | 7. Rhombus Knit Sweater | 8. Hilde Fair Isle Cardigan | 9. Mixed Leopard Print Cardigan Ruffled SweatersWhen you work at EHD, it’s almost inherent that you grow an affinity towards ruffled and sculptural articles of clothing. Emily Henderson does ruffles better than anyone and proves that ruffles and “girly” are not mutually exclusive. Take the above photo for example. The ruffle sweater paired with leather shorts and tall cowboy boots is the perfect combination of edgy and sweet. I love that a ruffle here and there makes a simple sweater and blue jean combo look very pulled together. It’s just that added extra detail that can level up a plain (but classic) outfit. Here are some picks we love: 1. Ruffled Cable-Knit Sweater | 2. Ruffle Knit Cardigan | 3. Ruffled Floral Embroidery Sweater | 4. Wool Sweater With Ruffles | 5. Ruffle Knitted Sweater | 6. Frilled Overlay Knit Sweater | 7. Ruffle Mock Neck Sweater | 8. Cotton Ruffle-Sleeve Sweater | 9. Ruffled Contrast Sweater Top Collared KnitsFor a very refined, scholarly look go for the collared sweater. It’s very chic. It’s very “French off-duty model”. It’s probably my favorite of all the trends. I am certainly a sucker for preppy staples that will work with anything in your closet. As much as the collared sweater is preppy, it can be paired with pretty much any pant or shoe style making it a very versatile and timeless trend. I love Jennifer Atilémile’s version paired with trousers and a chunky shoe (and cute doggo to top it off). And our picks: 1. Cashmere Polo Sweater | 2. Relaxed Collared V-Neck Sweater | 3. Collared Alpaca Blend Cardigan | 4. 100% Cashmere Sweater | 5. Collared Cable Knit Cardigan | 6. Frank Henley Sweater | 7. Ribbed Knit Sweater | 8. Striped Cotton Sweater | 9. Scallop Collar Cardigan Quarter-ZipsFinally, we have the resurgence of quarter-zip sweaters that I’ve been seeing everywhere lately. I love that the quarter-zip leans a little bit athletic so it’s super cute paired with jeans and sneakers. I have a few quarter-zip sweatshirts that I love and even though they are more on-trend right now, I think this style is classic and stands the test of time. If you read this blog or follow Emily on Instagram you’ve probably seen her sporting the quarter-zip look (she loves this one by Alex Mill). It’s really the perfect outfit for running errands, for working from home, or for just being a mom. It’s slightly more exciting than a normal pullover sweatshirt but is still effortless and cool. We love these: 1. Nelle Half Zip Pullover | 2. Crosby Half-Zip Pullover | 3. Rosebriar Cableknit Half-Zip | 4. Glenbrook Half-Zip Pullover | 5. Half-Zip Sweater | 6. Felted Merino Half-Zip | 7. Cable-Knit Half-Zip Sweater | 8. Oversized Half-Zip Sweater | 9. Zip Knit Sweater So there you have it. Which sweaters are you loving right now? Let’s chat below. xx Opener Image Credit: Photo by Veronica Crawford | From: The 3 Stylish, Comfortable Pants I Wear ALL the Time (That Don’t Feel Like I’m Wearing Pants) The post The Sweaters We Are Excited To Wear This Season (+ Some Fun Styling Ideas) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://bit.ly/3L5NN8X Hello! I’m Rusty. I live in Perth, Western Australia. I’m a very early retiree and have a background as a Secondary English, English Literature and Art Teacher; Educational research; PR and Recruitment; Occupational Safety and Health, Youth Programs in the construction industry; and ran an Education and Training Consultancy as well as doing Freelance Writing (although with all the typos I regularly make in the comments, you’d wonder, right?! Ha! I blame my numb fingers on a touch-screen tablet late at night when I settle in to snack on the blogosphere). Phew! That’s a lot, but I enjoyed every single career change because it involved making a difference in the world and my community, particularly youth. I’ve been following Emily for a lonnng time, finding her via Jungalow’s Justina Blakeney; Charlie was on the way (and look at him now!). I was immediately drawn to Emily’s fun approach to design, her quirkiness and love of vintage, the way she takes design risks rather than sticking to one ‘forever style’; she moves and changes as life changes and I’ve basically checked in daily ever since. I subscribe to Emily’s “Done is better than perfect” approach. I love that she doesn’t shy away from the difficult topics either and also walks her talk. Emily is, indeed, a good human. Some of you may know that I escaped long-term domestic abuse, including coercive control, in a flippin’ pandemic, last year. Man! It was hard. Since I was somehow lucky enough to remain in my cozy home (I still dunno how that even happened!), I committed to pay it forward and help others. I’m mentoring Sienna, a 20-year-old young woman, who has lived with abuse her whole life. She finally escaped by literally jumping out of a window through the flyscreen and calling the police who came with body cameras! She left with her clothes and has never returned. By working with the (wonderful) youth services, after a couple of months of couch-surfing and living out of her car, she was given a room in a Safe House – a large, supported accommodation, secluded in the outer suburbs of Perth, with 24/7 carers on-site for safety and advice. She moved into a large-ish room, with hospital-grade linoleum floors, broken closet doors and zero outside light, because the area outside her room is a storeroom. She was so grateful to have a roof over her head, but the furnishings were limited and basic – let’s call the furniture ‘bodgy’, (an Aussie word). There was only a blind on the lightless window and it was, well… Ugh! Emily posted about Pen + Napkin doing a-maz-ing work in LA (they do fabulous, much-needed home makeovers for families transitioning out of homelessness) and blogged about a project she worked with them on. I commented, “Whaaaaaat?!? I’m doing a makeover for my mentee…”. Emily commented back “Hit me up, you’re paying it forward. I wanna help!”, or words to that effect! I was a little in shock that this legit, famous person called Emily Henderson (that we all love to bits!) was going to help little, nobody-me do up a room in a Safe House, for young person she’s never heard of, literally on the other side of the planet! It took me a minute to believe it was happening. Then I got big-time imposter syndrome, but kept barrelling along, driven to help my mentee. TIP: Trust your gut – you can do it. Due to my personal situation, I had no car, so getting to the Safe House was difficult – it’s 22 miles from where I live. As a result, I only physically went to her room just three times through the whole project! #Just.three.times! It was my first attempt at remote designing too. I shared with Emily, what I hoped to get for Sienna – a bed, mattress, a chest of drawers, a rug, maybe some lamps, a pouf, and the like. I decided against getting a desk, because in all likelihood, when she moves into a share house, her room won’t be big enough to fit it in. We used a desk at the Safe House. Her goal is to study to become a Primary School Teacher and continue to pay it forward. Yaaay! I got Sienna to send me photos of her room and take basic measurements. Sienna came to my house numerous times and I worked out her ‘style’ and colors she really liked (warm tones and nature), found comforting and inspiring (being an ex-Art Teacher helped with this process). Turns out her style was modern, clean Bohemian. We also made the artwork for her room – it needed to be personal and actually mean something to Sienna. We made a huge wall hanging to cover the big empty wall, using a ginormous Eucalyptus branch I found one day while walking my scruffy-dawg and lugged it home, and included some photos of her with her friends to remind her that she is loved. She also took a photo of the city skyline, had it printed cheaply and we whacked it into an IKEA frame – the river foreshore is her favourite “safe place” to sit and contemplate her future. Bed Frame | Rug | Floor Lamps | Nightstand (similar) | Glass Dome | Oval Woven Vanity Tray
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Make the artwork yourself so it’s cost-effective and meaningful. I got to work fast and looked for furnishings online, making ridiculously meticulous lists, including prices and alternatives for each store we needed to go to and ensured we stuck to budget every step of the way. I needed to keep the number of stores to a minimum due to the transport issue. Sienna was also working three part-time jobs, so I had to fit in around that. Gah!
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Find back-up alternative products in case you can’t get what you planned. I did hand-drawn sketches of the room and furniture placement (just call me technically challenged) and collected ideas like I was obsessed, because I was. My hope was that she could own some furniture for when she moves out, since they can only stay at the safe house for 12 months. We did in-person shopping, because I wanted to teach Sienna how to shop, choose colors that complement and contrast, deal with measurements, how to buy full-looking curtains that cover the entire window, benefits of mixing textures, and especially, the difference the little details can make to the overall feel of a room. We could do in-person shopping because Western Australia really has not had any Covid (for real – how lucky are we?!), due to our border with the rest of the country and the world, being shut hard for two years. VISIT ONEThe first time I went to the Safe House, I spent about 20 minutes getting a feel for her room. Then, we went shopping in-person! Meticulous lists in hand, handbag cross-body to free up my hands, tape measure and a pillowcase from the quilt cover already purchased that would guide the color scheme of the room; we grabbed a cart each and hit Kmart (really great in Aussie), Target (nothing remotely like the fabulous US Target – sooo jealous, you guys!) and IKEA, over only two separate shopping trips. We also went to a haberdashery store for some craft supplies to make the artwork. We added some vintage at the end (hello giant Leopard that waves to Caitlin’s giant bathroom Giraffe). Whoo-hoo! Pouf (similar) | Dresser | Faux Sheepskin Rug (similar) | Yellow Floral Sheets (similar) | Arch Mirror (similar) | Curtains Through sharing about the project with everyone I came into contact with and saying what a good human Emily Henderson is, I made a connection at IKEA via Sienna’s Case Worker. She couldn’t help with discounts, but met with us there and short-circuited the process of finding what I’d selected online (IKEA is such a rabbit warren!). We live in Perth, Western Australia, the world’s most isolated capital city. Uh-oh! Stock shortages galore! I roped my friends and family in to help with gathering the items as they arrived, remember – no car. My brother lives between the city and a rural property about 4 hours away and he came to the city to assemble furniture, put up curtain rods, and be the wonderfully supportive big brother that he is. I gathered the furniture as it came into stock, piece by frustrating piece, thanks to the generosity of others.
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If you are considering doing a project like this, know that you need a support team. Share about it, inspire others and they’ll come running to help, with bells on! VISIT TWOEarly one morning, my brother came to my house and we loaded up all of the furniture onto his ute (you guys call them trucks). We drove to the Safe House and got to work! The first thing to happen were the curtain brackets and rods. We only had permission from the facility, to drill into the wooden window frame since the walls are brick. Consequently, the curtains aren’t hung as high as I’d like them, hence the puddle of curtain on the floor is more of a tsunami. My brother and Sienna started putting the bed together while I hung the curtains. The second they were up, Sienna had a mini-meltdown of happy tears – turns out these were the first ‘proper’ curtains she’d ever had! Hugs were needed and fast! Once the chest of drawers and bed were assembled and I’d put the ‘coffee table’ together, things really started to look better! Now, this ‘coffee table’ is mighty sturdy and cost a total of $19 on clearance! I re-worked my plan on the spot in the store for this unplanned mega-bargain and we used it as a ‘drop-zone bench’ at the end of her bed. Pivot, people, pivot, to take advantage of an unforeseen bargain! Bench (similar) | Statue (similar) I didn’t have any wire hooks to fit the picture rail and we were dead on budget, so I got old wire coat hangers from a friend and my brother made hooks out of them which we attached to fishing line to invisibly hang the mirror, photo and wall hanging (Yes, he’s amazingly creative and handy). I covered the wire hooks with masking tape to make them ‘disappear’ against the wall, hehehe.
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Pivot, take advantage of unforeseen bargains & be prepared to make what you can’t buy/afford. Once the furniture was assembled and in place, we unpacked the mattress. Have you ever seen one of those rolled-up mattresses unfold? Crazy-cakes people! You slice the plastic bag and “Whooosh!” that thing does a mighty gasp as it inhales and grows right before your eyes, you have to jump outa the way! I wish I’d videoed it. Hilarious! Sienna couldn’t sleep on it for 48 hours for the springs to settle in, so she slept on her old mattress on the floor for two days. (The mattress from IKEA took too long to arrive, so I went with one from another big box store). VISIT THREEI went back for the final time, to style, put all the flourishes in place and take the after photos to send to Emily. This was a pretty quick process compared to the rest and sooo much fun! Within about three hours, we’d finished, had another couple of happiness-induced, mini-meltdowns and sat on the bed for decompression and an ‘after’ chat. Really, it’s the little things that make it a home. Mood lighting; the money box bird; containers to corral make-up and perfume (these are actually from the kitchen aisle); candles; soft furnishings. I cannot tell you how satisfying, heart-warming and rewarding seeing the finished room was. In the week following the safe house room makeover, Sienna started saying “I’m home” when she called me, instead of “I’m at the house.” Yes, I’ve written a novel here, but I cannot find the words to explain the feeling. It made me happy to my bone marrow, to the very core of my being, for her to call it “home”. Mission accomplished, team EHD! I often comment that Emily is “A good human”. I mean it. Seriously, this remarkable super-woman is making a tangible difference on the other side of the planet we call Earth, our communal home. Gratitude and kudos flow! The next project is likely to be a Women’s Shelter – making the common areas friendly and welcoming, instead of the standard bland, institutional look they so often have. Here we go again – at least this time I now have a car to cart stuff around. Yippee! With love, Rusty. xx Sienna’s Words: “I never realised how important being in a comfy, safe and beautiful room was until I experienced it for the first time. The room I had helped me get out of an unsafe situation, yet I felt like I didn’t really belong – it felt very temporary. Now, knowing that I can keep this furniture and it really speaks ‘me’, I can definitely sleep better – it’s now something I love coming home to. It feels like me. I want to thank Emily immensely for her generosity, and for reaching out and really making a huge difference to my life when I was forced into a situation that had almost left me homeless.” *Design and photos by Heidi Schmidt AKA “Rusty” The post Meet One Of Our Readers, Rusty, And A Feel Good Safe House Room Makeover On The Other Side Of The Planet appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/3uaOqI6 WHAT A WEEK. We revealed Jess’ incredible patio makeover, shared a few tips and tricks for keeping your home toasty and comfortable, reviewed 7 huge electrical planning mistakes, and broke down some of 2022s biggest decor trends. IT’S BEEN A LOT OF LEARNING. So today, I wanted to give your noggin a break and ease you into the weekend with my all-time favorite internet pastime: vintage window shopping. I’m spilling the beans on 30 of my favorite small, wallet-friendly sellers on Chairish (yes, they exist!) and highlighting some incredible vintage steals under $50. On the hunt for the perfect finishing piece? Maybe I linked it up below! Looking to support a small business? These folks are all great options! Just trying to figure out the best sellers to follow on Chairish so you never miss a slammin’ deal? You’ve hit the curated retailer list jackpot here, my friend. Let’s begin with a little something something from my hometown, yeah??? Item: 1960s Blown Glass Double Bud Vase Item: Copper Pedestal Dish Item: Mid-Century Ceramic Horse Head Ashtray Item: 1930s Depression Glass Vessel Item: Brass Lobster Bottle Opener Item: Decanters & Apothecary Bottles Item: Cast Iron Rocking Horse Doorstop Item: 1950s Pink Alabaster Trinket Jar Item: Small Bamboo Easel Item: 1940s ‘No Admittance’ Sign Item: Silver-Plated Duck Bank Item: Belgian Milk Glass Apothecary Jar Item: 1960s Iron and Brass Candle Holders Item: Burn Board Wall Art Item: Murano-Style Purse-Shaped Glass Vase My current flavor of the week: Murano chandeliers. Buuuuut seeing as I don’t really have the budget to drop $5,000 on Italian lighting for my apartment with 8′ ceilings, these little tiny vases are scratching the itch in the interim. How fun would this piece be on a vanity? (PS. Studio Concu is one of my all-time favorite MEGA-affordable Chairish sellers.) Item: Spanish Silver-Plated Twisted Stem Goblets Item: 1970s Mottahedeh Trinket Dish Item: Burl Wood Bookends Item: Handcut Danish Decanter Item: Brass Flamingo Statue Item: Porcelain Faux Bamboo Toast Rack Item: Geometric Granite Paperweight I don’t really love calling decor “masculine,” but that’s exactly how I feel about this bold cut of granite. It’d look SO GOOD on a bookshelf, or on top of stack of coffee table books, or in some other vignette that I don’t have the brainpower or creativity to imagine. If I were a little further along in my living room process, I’d buy for final styling without hesitation. Item: Mid-Century Mushroom Salt & Pepper Shakers Item: Nymolle Art Faience Danish Demitasse Cup Item: 1970s Italian Millefiori Dish So, um, I also may buy this one before the post goes up – I’ve been feeling really inspired by this color palette lately. It started with these Kutani Geese, which I missed out on because I didn’t want to spend $250 on goose figurines (hooray for impulse control, sometimes!), and ever since then, I just can’t stop thinking about this melon/peach/turquoise/cobalt/chartreuse combo. Too weird, or do you also see the appeal??? Item: 1990s Bubble Glass Bowl Item: Mid-Century Magazine Rack Item: 1980s Brass Dolphins with Ball Item: Mid-Century Marble Eggs Item: 1960s Anna Hutte Crystal Candy Bowl And, well, I guess that’s it for the first-ever edition of Budget Window Shopping. I had a blast pulling this together but WHAT SAY YOU??? Hit me with some feedback, please – maybe we can publish a round 2 next month. LET’S CHAT. xx Opening Image Credits: Design by Michael Keck | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: 7 Tips For Creating A Unique Home You REALLY Love The post Budget Window Shopping: 30 Vintage Finds Under $50 appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/3s14dGP And just like that…our final 2022 trend prediction. I had to say it once:) This one is probably my favorite since my dream kitchen and primary suite are still a few years away (HA). So diving into my saved folders on Instagram and Pinterest, browsing other design sites and designer’s portfolios, I get to connect the trend dots and see if there are any that might work in my little abode (and in yours of course. This year might be one of the most fun years yet because of the style varieties and general playfulness. I think we can all agree that we will take playfulness and fun as much as we can in this year. To the trends! Colorful Dining Room TablesI have lots of fun memories of sitting around the dinner table. You know like negotiating with my parents on how many green beans I had to eat before I could get up from the table (we usually settled on three). But despite all the happy memories, having a colorful dining table was not one them and after looking at these photos I wish it had been. We’ve all seen the poorly painted tables of college yesteryear but this isn’t that. This is prettier (and higher quality). Adding a brightly colored dining table to an otherwise neutral dining room keeps popping up on my feel and it feels like a breath of fresh air. It says “I’m grown up but know how to have fun still.” I think that should be everyone’s goal…unless you have zero intention of wanting to have any fun (boring). But hey, I can appreciate being not totally ready to go full color. If that’s the case then dining tables (or a dining table as a desk) with colorful legs could be the answer. A toe (or leg) dip in the pond if you will. Oh and if you’ve ever wondered what the drummer of the Arctic Monkeys dining table looked like, it’s that super cool one on the left. Dramatic Canopy BedsOk, most canopy beds are pretty dramatic but what’s been coming up feels just a tad more so. Like a theatre major that also got their master’s degree. I love the one above by, you guessed it, Beata Heuman. The actual bed is just a normal bed! So to kick it up to maybe even a PhD level, she created a whole (and very elegant) canopy situation from her ceiling. It makes the room look super tall, and perfectly balances a modern traditional mix. Gimme that drama, gimme that pattern play. I love the absolute boldness of the cabana stripe and color that Sophie Ashby chose for her stepdaughter’s room. It’s so dreamy and structured yet looks a bit oversized which I think is also my favorite part. How do y’all feel about big dramatic canopy beds? Next question, did you love building indoor forts when you were little?? Same vibes. Extra Long Ceiling LightsOOO baby there is actually nothing I love more than a beautiful, chic, and relatively impractical design choice/trend. Welcome to the “Extra Long Ceiling Lights” portion of this design program. When I first saw these lights above, I immediately was like, “how can I get one?!” I won’t be getting one for now (I’m sure they are quite expensive) but I think if you don’t have young kids and 20/20 vision and you love this look – DO IT FOR ME. And hey, those might be able to be adjusted so they lift up for when people are over. We see this a lot, right? Designers take normal decor pieces and play with the proportions. I think it’s so fun because actually reinventing the wheel is veeeery hard to do. So if you come over to my future dream home and bump into a ceiling light, sorry in advance:) Ah it’s so beautiful. Okay, onto the next. Extra Tall Table Lamps (Or Floor Lamps On Tables)Another kinda crazy idea that I like A LOT and have been seeing more and more of! Actually, when Dabito put his new Jungalow x Target floor lamp on his credenza, I immediately tried it (except I don’t have a credenza and it was a small side table). It just looks cool and super unexpected. Look how cool this lamp looks on this side table by Kellie Brown. Both this and the Jungalow lamps work at a higher height is that they both have “shades” that block any glaring light bulb action. Remember that if you want your floor lamp to reach new levels. The lamp on the left is a classic oversized table lamp from Ferm Living that I am very into. Then the one on the right might actually be a very fun floor lamp but gives the same oversized table lamp illusion. How cool is it?! Tramp Art MirrorI feel very confident with this prediction. Not only because I’ve seen it everywhere (that will be evident soon) but Emily Henderson herself loves them and bought one when we were all vintage shopping together in Long Beach last summer. This is it! It’s beautiful, unique, and just the right amount of decorative. Simple but special, you know? They clearly add the perfect amount of contrast and vintage to a wallpapered bathroom. Exhibit A and B. Or in a bathroom with the coolest pedestal sink I’ve ever seen. Also, Kennesha Poe-Buycks of Restoration House and Cassandra Lavalle of Coco Kelley put together this gallery wall with you guessed it, a VERY cute and little tramp mirror. The final nail in this trend solidifying itself is that Studio McGee designed a modern burl wood option that is on sale now. I rest my case. MushroomsMushrooms aren’t just for babies and Gen Z (although they are loving them too). Em has loved a mushroom motif in design for a long time. They add whimsy and are fun. That is obvious when you look at the room above. Somehow that stool is both chic and playful. The dream. These cuties are actually a DIY by Tracey Hairston and are a much more affordable option to the ones on the market. But like I said the kiddos love them too and this classic version (that’s also maybe a table lamp). This room is incredible in every way (also check out that canopy) but the mushroom really helps to make it feel less serious:) Gen Z is kinda killing it in the whimsy and playful category. So mushrooms make A LOT of sense. I guess we’ll see if they eventually trade them in for more neutral options in the future. Castle Chic – Wrought Iron EleganceThis one is close to my heart because I have fallen hard for this trend. On my balcony, a little on the patio, and in my living I might have found the coolest $6 iron candelabra there ever was from a thrift shop in Chicago. Sorry for the tease:) Anyway while the trend is all things wroght iron (but simple and more on the organic side), candle holders are at the heart. Look at those beauts above! This isn’t your parents decorative wrought iron wall sculpture (sorry mom and dad). This is the traditional yet special sculptural moment that really makes a statement. Think how much more awesome that standing candelabra would look with tall candles?! So high end designers have really leaned into this trend. Remember this stunning piece from the home Jane Hallworth designed?? Then Tali Roth has stolen my heart with those sconces and chairs. It makes the space come to life. For furniture the “iron wave” is super in. Everyone from Athena Calderone, to Nate and Jeremiah (no last names needed), to Nicholas Obeid, Tali Roth to only name a few. So next time you are out vintage shopping, keep those eyes sharp. Disco Balls (But Big Ones)When we all looked at this home tour last year we were stunned by that huge disco ball. It’s incredible. We then of course started to see more and it made us all real happy. But the trend here is the size. Sure these sizes aren’t the easeist to find (because smaller disco balls have absolutely been happening). But if you see a big one that affordable grab it! It’s going to be literally big this year. Em wanted to give her opinion on some of these trends, so here she is. Emily Henderson, everybody: Monastery BeddingNothing says “sexy” like a flat beige bedspread and yet we are all pretty into this less fluffy look. There is a level of non-fuss utilitarianism that we love visually, although I (Emily) do not want to sleep in this bed. Ever. The vibe is purposefully off putting, not meant to be inviting and warm and for that I’m attracted to it – like a teenage boyfriend who plays hard to get. There is a tension in the non-attraction, and we appreciate the inversion of boldness. It’s earthy, yet flat. Warm yet COLD. A bed I love to look at and jump on, but maybe not snuggle into. This is an obvious rejection of the triple layered duvet fluff look of the last ten years, and we appreciate the shift visually, but I prefer comfort at all costs. Well, fine …. so pretty and simple. These feel warmer and like there is some comfort underneath these secret linen layers. I love the idea of the fluff beneath the flat. Here we go. A broken stripe (check), blue and white (check) hits of mustard (check) and moody AF (check). This room is wildly inviting even without a fluffy feather in site. The key to this look, regardless of pattern or color is to have it fall onto the floor and spread out like wings. It’s a lot of restrained drama. One more to prove that you can have a bedspread over a comfortable duvet. It’s a ‘get the look’ and a ‘get the comfort’ that we approve of. Medium (And Reddish) Toned WoodAfter years of light Scandinavian woods we are delighted that there is a shift towards not only darker but even redder toned woods. I think like anything there is a saturation point and while white oak and the likes fit certain houses so well (mine, my brothers, the mountain house) this shift broadens the options and just allows for deeper tones in the home, should you crave it. While the straight up mid-century retro look is not having a moment, we are seeing a return of the more orange teak like the cabinet above. There is aa bold warmth to it that can help offset light tones (like the floor). And there is a rebelliousness that says ‘i’m still into mid century’, which we stand behind. We love all good quality wood (preferred less shiny) so it’s nice to see more red and warm tones gracing our internets. While the years of White Oak and Ash aren’t over, we are excited to see more wood grains joining the table (wink). Mini Shelf Gallery WallThis is a case of the power of repetition. Are you a gallery wall or an art installation? Either way it’s elevating or giving a lot of attention to the object that it holds up and we like this intentional eye grab. It adds far more dimension that a gallery wall, but still with looseness that allows for creative freedom. There is something really simple, but powerful about doing the same object on the same shelf over and over and over, or hell odd objects on different shelves. I suppose the boldness of drilling into your walls so many times makes us feel uncomfortable in a really good way. Respect. Tonal Wall To Wall Carpet And Upholstered FurnitureCurtains are matching your carpet again, but this time we have a new player – the furniture. We love this tonal look of the wall to wall going now up the bed and onto the bedding. It’s soothing and strong. We don’t mind it at all over here. Both of these are such incredible examples of restraint that also requires some boldness (wall to wall carpet). I LOVE this look and will absolutely empoy it in the farmhouse. It makes the room look bigger, your eye is stopped less on the ground and instead raised up high towards the real focal point – the wallpaper. YES. This tonal blue and chartreuse look is magically soothing. The floor melds into the bed and invites you in. It’s not dissimilar the mountain house kitchen where the wood flooring was the same as the cabinetry, creating a seamless horizontal then vertical look. I’m VERY into this and want to do this in our bedroom. SOLD (on this idea). How soothing is this combination of fabrics in that incredible green color. Jess found this image, but I want it to inspire our family media room (but with a more comfortable sofa). It’s like a uniform for your house – done so very well. So there they are! What do you think? Ispired? Rolling your eyes? Let’s chat! Love you, mean it. Opening Image Credit: design by Studio Giancarlo Valle | photo by Stephen Kent Johnson | via Architectural Digest The post The Biggest And Best Home Decor Trends We’re Predicting For 2022 appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/3g8gjYV We have finalized our electrical plan at the farm, and the ‘rough’ placement has been done. Once again I learned so much in the process including the fact that I would make a terrible electrician. And yet this time around I felt far more confident in not only our decisions but also avoiding mistakes. Of course, I had ARCIFORM’s expert help throughout the process. They did the first stab at the plan – and when I say ‘stab’ it’s really an extremely laborious and painstaking process – placing each outlet, each light switch, each sconce, and pendant, and deciding which switches should turn on which lights from which entrances. Should this do a switched outlet? Do you want to turn on the kitchen pendants by the kitchen door or closer to the living room or both? They tried to predict our needs/wants and did an excellent job. They did the first round based on their expertise with a heavy dose of common sense, and then Brian and I weighed in where lifestyle was in question. How are we going to walk through the house? Do we want switches clustered together or more spread out? What outlets do we want USB ports and what overhead lights do we want dimmable? How high do we want our sconces to be? As we were doing this exercise I was reminded of all of the most common mistakes you can make and avoid, when doing your electrical for the first or third time. There are even MORE of these electrical mistakes in the book if you haven’t pre-ordered it yet (I won’t beg, but pre-orders mean a lot. So if you are going to order it eventually feel free to go for it :)). It’s all about empowering us with knowledge so we can make good choices and avoid expensive or embarrassing mistakes. So here are a few: Know The Size Of Your Casing/Mouldings BEFORE You Place Light Switches And OutletsYou must know the size of your window and door casing (trim work/molding) AND baseboard before you can place your switches or outlets – or at least have an idea of how wide you want it to be. If you want a more prominent casing or baseboard then give yourself more space and size away from the window and further from the floor. I see this so frequently – a light switch cut into a door casing because they put it too close not knowing that the future casing would be 4-6″. Don’t let your GC or electrician do what is standard if you are going to do something bigger. Choose Sconce Before Placing The HeightKnow your sconce choice/design before you place your J-boxes (or if you don’t, leave enough wire to adjust up and down, which is cheaper to move than right to left if a stud is in the way). The sconce placement comes down to where the actual lightbulb is on the fixture (Same height as J-box? Does it go up above it? Or hang down below?). Is it to light the room or light a piece of art? And if it is one that feels more old world (like Portland) it shouldn’t be higher than one could reach to theoretically turn it off and on. But the point is if you don’t know your height then leave room to adjust. They’ll need to know this before they close up the wall and adjusting it will take time and cost money, but way less than needing rethreading of wire. Place Outlets To Fit Your Lifestyle (Not Just Code)Place outlets with your lifestyle and function in mind (not just spaced apart for code). Consider where you are charging your laptop/phones, or how many countertop appliances you might want plugged in at the same time (coffee maker, coffee grinder, electric kettle, toaster, etc). Not crucial but you don’t want to be annoyed with yourself later when it’s such an easy thing to add during construction. Think about USB cords in outlets or where you want to plug in your electric toothbrush (in the medicine cabinet? vanity? or on the countertop?) Think of outlets in the floor “flanking” the sofa (that’s where your lamp would likely go). You can only do this if you have a crawlspace underneath. Think about hiding outlets under your upper cabinets in your kitchen instead of on backsplash (I’ve never done this but my brother has it and it’s pretty awesome), or extra outlets in the island if multiple people will sit and work there (kids with homework?). I feel like a broken record with the outlets – just now that more people are WFH you might be using your space differently, so just walk through the motions. Adding outlets or making a 2 outlet into a 4 or adding USB to it is pretty easy early on. Don’t Forget Dimmers In BathroomDon’t forget dimmer in bathrooms – crucial for middle-of-the-night trips without getting blasted with light (these can be just the vanity lights, doesn’t have to be all of them). We forgot to do this in our bath in LA and I would have to turn on the BRIGHT light in the middle of the night, which is a real bummer as it would wake me up more, as well as Brian. This is obviously an easy fix, but just think about doing it early on. Not All Dimmers And Fixtures Work With All LED Bulbs – A WarningYou may have noticed this – your lights flicker or glitch when you try to turn them on using a dimmer, assuming you are using LED bulbs. Now the technology is getting better, it is, but for a while, most LED bulbs simply weren’t compatible with a lot of dimmers or fixtures. They still worked, just glitchy and annoying. I thought that I was just choosing the wrong ones, but then I spoke to ARCIFORM and other designers who said the same thing. At the mountain house with our awesome Forbes and Lomax twist dimmers, the lights go fully on/off/on/off before staying on and being dimmable. We are used to it, but it’s a little annoying. HOT TIP: Rejuvenation recommends specific dimmable LED lightbulbs from their site for each fixture – it’s awesome. I’m sure the type of light switch can still make it glitchy, but I feel hopeful that it’s getting better. So I guess this is more of a warning than a mistake. Predict Your ‘Surprise’ Electrical Needs (Like ‘Smart’ Anything)Make sure your GC and electrician know about anything ‘smart’ that will need to be hardwired, including security, Nest, wall-mounted TVs, bidets, shower panels, touch faucets, smart tubs, or gas fireplaces with electric ignition. Also if you are going smart, that’s great, but make sure that not all your faucets, showers, or toilets require electricity in case of a power outage. Even think about electrifying your vanities or medicine cabinets – this can be an easy fix, but it also can be impossible if you’ve already tiled. Nightstand Sconce SwitchesBy far the most annoying electrical mistake that was made at the mountain house was not having nightstand switches for the sconces flanking the bed in our bedroom. So we have to go all the way to the door. Poor babies, I know, but seriously think about it. You are ALMOST asleep and then one of you has to get out of bed, walk around it (if you are me) and turn off the light then find your way back in the dark. It’s such a stupid overlooked mistake. So these are just the easy ones that I’ve made or almost made, but I’d love to hear ANY of your mistakes, suggestions, missed opportunities, or warnings in the comments Opening Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House “Reveal”: The Dining Room Built-in Dilemma (+ The 3 Mistakes We Made) The post 7 Easy Electrical And Lighting Mistakes To Make And AVOID When Remodeling appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/3IyxwXG Years ago when I lived in San Francisco I lived in a house built in 1950. If I had to guess, that house hasn’t been renovated since. Insulation was abysmal and we had windows that were only held in place from years of painting over and over the window sill. I imagine this is why we discovered black mold in the walls and floorboards, a fact that the landlord could care less about–reminding us that if we wanted to terminate our lease he could find new tenants in a heartbeat. Oh, sweet SF. Of course, San Francisco isn’t the coldest climate but it is wet and drafty most of the time (Have you ever heard “the coldest winter I’ve ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”?). As a Southern California gal, I was often cold in the city and I wish I knew what I know now. I know those who live in actually cold climates are laughing hysterically at me right now, but I wish I would have researched how to make your house warmer when I needed it. Perhaps then I could have unplugged my space heater every once in a while. But now that I know what I know, my hope is to share this knowledge with anyone else shivering in their drafty, poorly insulated homes. Rugs & TapestriesLet’s face it. Hard surfaced floors are cold. As much as hardwood or cement tile floors look good, in the winter they can be one of the reasons your house is anything but cozy. Bring in the large-scale textiles. Adding large rugs will simply add an extra layer between your floor and your feet, making your home feel warmer and cozier. Similarly, hanging tapestries or large-scale art can provide an extra layer which helps to block airflow through the walls.
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A bookcase-lined wall is also a great way to block the cool air from coming through your walls. Your own little literary forcefield that also looks awesome. Use Draft StoppersUnder the door draft stoppers are a good option to keep warm or cool air from escaping from one room to another. They will also conserve energy (and thus save you money) by closing up that space under your door. 1. Door Draft Stopper 36 Inch-Beige | 2. Double Draft Stop for Doors or Windows | 3. 6 Inch Under Door Draft Stopper Get A Window Insulator KitIf replacing old windows is not an option for you, window insulator kits can help block unwanted drafts entering your home. They are user-friendly, affordable, and are a great option for those who aren’t trying to put a lot of money into a rental. 1. 3M Indoor Window Insulator Kit | 2. Window Seal Strip Self-Adhesive | 3. Max Strength Indoor Window Film But if you are handy or are willing to spend a little more for something easier on the eyes then this next option is great for you! Consider A Storm Window Insert (DIY or Custom Made)For those that want a reusable option that’s a little prettier, storm window inserts might be just what you need. You have a couple of options. If you are handy with tools (or know someone who is and does) then you can totally build your own. If you have a lot of windows then this is definitely the more cost-efficient option. Here is a YouTube video tutorial (and a corresponding blog post) that will help give you an idea of what it entails (also you can use plexiglass instead of real glass if you want). But there’s a ton of info out there, so search away to find a version that works best for you. But if power tools aren’t your thing, then there are companies that will build them for you. Yellow Brick Home did a collab with a company called Indow and they look great (see above)! This probably makes more sense for homeowners that are quite financially ready to replace their windows or you have beautiful vintage windows you don’t want to replace (but are real drafty). As you can see in the photo on the right the insert looks really nice. There are of course lots of companies so definitely shop around. Line Your CurtainsLayering thick black-out curtains under your primary curtains can also help insulate your windows. Similar to adding rugs and tapestries, this simply will add a layer of protection from the exterior of your home. Thicker curtains will keep cold air out way better than thin curtains. Get An Electric FireplaceIf you don’t have a fireplace, electric fireplaces are becoming more and more popular (are you proud of me for not saying they are so hot right now?). They are also more sleek, modern, and fresh-looking than ever so they’re definitely a more stylish option than say, a space heater. 1. Updike 19.7” W Electric Fireplace | 2. Hollis 32″ Electric Fireplace | 3. Frescan Electric Fireplace Emily’s best friend, Suzanne, has this one and loves it (so does Emily but it’s a splurge for sure). It’s so pretty and looks built-in. Let The Sun ShineLest we forget that the sun is the most natural heater there is! When the sun is shining during the warm part of the day, open your curtains so your home can absorb as much natural warmth from the sun. Then when the sun sets, be sure to close the curtains which will help trap the cold air when the temperature drops. Leave the Oven Door Open (As It Cools Of After Cooking)I love when something is cooking in the oven on a cold night. I have a small kitchen so whenever we are cooking it gets 10 degrees hotter in there. To really maximize the heat potential, leave your oven door open after you have shut it off. Of course, keep your eye on kids and pets during this time so no one tries to play hide and seek in the oven. Reverse Your Ceiling FansReversing the direction of your ceiling fan actually moves the warm air near the ceiling downwards. Most ceiling fans have a reverse switch on the motor housing so it’s easy to switch back and forth. No electrician necessary! Move Your SofaIf you have a radiator you should make sure that large furniture like your sofa is not blocking the heat flow. As much as you might want to hide it for aesthetic purposes, it actually needs room to do its job. If something is blocking it, the warmth can’t travel and is less effective in heating up your home. That said, should we do a post on how to make an old radiator look better?? I’ll let you vote on that in the comments. Let The Shower Steam OutShower steam is a precious commodity when you live in a cold house. A great way to capitalize on all that warmth is to shower with the door closed so you can collect the steam. When you are finished open the shower and bathroom door so you can let the steam out into the other rooms of your house. As an added bonus, electric blankets are just good to have in the winter when your home isn’t retaining heat like it should be. Em is also a big fan. Here are some of the best-reviewed: 1. Purerelief Radiance Deluxe Electric Blanket – Queen | 2. Beautyrest® Zuri Oversized Faux Fur Heated Throw | 3. Sunbeam Heated Throw Blanket | Reversible Sherpa | 4. Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket | 5. Sunbeam Heated Blanket | 5 Heat Settings | 6. 50″x60″ Electric Diamond Sherpa & Faux Fur Throw Blanket – Threshold That is all from us, but I am sure you all have a wealth of knowledge so please share all your tips and tricks down below. xx Opener Image Credit: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House Reveal: Our Calm Scandinavian Master Bedroom The post How To Make Your House Warmer When You Can’t Fix Your Insulation appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/343JJ7W SURPRISE! I secretly finished and shot my building’s communal patio last November. That’s right, just in time for Santa to grab a glass of natural orange wine and soak in those sweet warm rays. So why did I not reveal it as snow was about to say “what’s up?” to most of the country? I’d love to tell you (said like Elyse Meyrs, obviously). Well, the timing felt um wrong. We were all gearing up for the holidays, ready for bottomless hot chocolates and endless trays of freshly baked cookies. No one, not even I was wanting to take in outdoor patio content despite how much I loved how mine turned out. It was holiday cheer or nothing as far as I was concerned. And when you work really hard on something, that’s not exactly how you want most everyone to feel. And look it’s not even February. New York is an icicle. But here’s the long and the short of it. This month has already felt like a year for most people I know. And come the spring you may be like, “Hey, let’s makeover this outdoor space we have!”. But then you look at the lead times and well, your springtime makeover dreams might turn into summer dreams or even early fall dreams depending on when you purchase. I don’t want this to be a warning makeover! That would be horrible and hopefully isn’t even a thing. BUT I do want your 2022 to be as great as possible so you might consider considering looking now if this is the year you want to spruce up your great outdoors. Lead times were the main reason this wasn’t shot until November and things aren’t much better. I promise I won’t use the “S” word. BUT as I said. This is NOT a warning makeover, this is a happy makeover. A makeover about community. A makeover about reminding people that just because a space looks depressing and hopeless doesn’t mean it can’t transform. I have proof. Remember these pictures? Yeeeeah, this is what happens over years of tenants randomly putting and leaving their “outdoor pieces” on a communal patio space. Not a ton of cohesion. And this is not a dig to my amazing landlord! She had plans to spruce it up but the pandemic hit and there was a decent amount of turnover due to people reconfiguring their lives and housing needs. Lucky for me, this building was perfect for my new housing needs and getting to bring this space to life was so cool… and nerve-wracking because who am I if not someone who thinks her designs make zero sense until she all of a sudden she loves them as things start to come together. Ok ready?!!!!!! Sofa | Umbrella | Umbrella Base | Faux Natural Fiber Pom Pom Indoor/Outdoor Pillow | Navy Striped Outdoor Pillow | Tassel Lumbar Pillow (similar) | Patterned Pillow (unavailable) | Striped Throw | Navy Outdoor Rug Here she is!! Ok, just one side of her! I wanted to honor the traditional style of the building (which you can’t see) but bring in jolts of freshness, A LOT of pattern, and A LOT of texture in some unexpected ways. That was my way of disguising the not so pretty parts that I couldn’t change. But before we talk about anything we need to talk about this sofa from Neighbor. The first thing my across-the-hall neighbor (ha) said was that he couldn’t wait to take a nap on it which he has since. It’s great because it’s stiff enough to nicely hold its shape but still comfortable to sit (and apparently sleep on). Honestly when he said that it made me so happy. All I wanted was for this to be a little oasis for everyone who lives here. Drinks, meals, and naps are welcome. I was a little nervous to choose “a color” because I had really pictured the cushions being light cream but I now can’t imagine it any other way. The warmth it brings to the space is so special. And while any color would have held up fine since the fabric is Sunbrella, I think the darker tone is ideal given that a ton of people are going to be using it over many years. The darker color is an extra insurance policy. Neighbor was also kind enough to send the protective cover so it still looks brand new. I would also like to point out that I built it all by myself and it was super easy. I’m not a stranger to building things but you absolutely don’t have to be. Uhh and look at those chic cylinder legs! I love that modern touch so much. Rattan Stool | Faux Potted Fern (similar) | Clear Ribbed Glass | Lanterns (similar) | Coffee Table | Stackable Vases | Pillar Candles | Glass Pitcher | Pink Fluted Cups | Woven Coaster (similar) | Bowl Pattern play was high on my list since I wanted to keep the color palette pretty limited and classic. I had my eye on that umbrella from Business & Pleasure from day one. I love the skinny stripes and how they perfectly contrast the larger pattern scales of the pillows and rug. And get out of here with the fringe. It’s the best. Speaking of the rug, it’s from Annie Selke and it almost gives the illusion of tile which was my goal. The tile that’s there is super generic so adding in this stunning and boldly patterned rug completely distracts your eye and makes you forget about what the floor really looks like…
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Keep your color palette limited so you can go wild with pattern and texture. This way it will feel really layered and interesting but not visually overwhelming. Planters (Hand-Me-Downs from Emily) | Lantern (unavailable) Remember my plan to create a plant “privacy wall”? Here it is. I love it so much which is a relief because it was by far the thing that stressed me out the most. Plant styling is an art and I am veeeeery much a student. Julie gave me some great advice in the heat of my frustration and told me to think of mixing plants like mixing patterns – keep a consistent color palette, vary the sizes (in height and width), choose a variety of textures and leaf sizes. That’s how I approached it and it didn’t turn out horrible! Oh and let’s talk about that coffee table. I bought it from CB2 during their Labor Day sale I think so it was $100 off (still not cheap but not too shabby of a discount). I actually almost said, “screw the patio it’s staying in my living room with me!” But I realized it really wasn’t right for my living room and looked pretty perfect outside. It is an outdoor coffee table after all and I love the added texture of the woven top and the sleekness of the metal legs. That “sleekness/airiness” is an important visual contrast when you see the other side of the space. Anyway, 10/10 for a chic outdoor coffee table. Oh, and if you live in a colder climate than LA (so most places) that coffee table can be flipped over and stored on the sofa under the cover. It all fits!
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Reminder: Mix your plants like you would your pillows. Play with scale, textures, and a consistent color palette. Gold Beverage Bin | Side Table (vintage) One thing you should know about me is I am Team Spindrift. No other soda waters or even spiked hard seltzers can hold a candle. I won’t disparage other brands by name but IMHO everyone else need not apply. If anyone from Spindrift is reading I will gladly be a spokesperson. So it was more than fitting to have Spindrifts in a beverage bucket for my fake patio party. But what I would actually like to talk about is that side table. I was with my friend neighbor (this one) at the Rose Bowl when I saw this cutie. It was only $20 and the top is a removable lid!! Why is that so exciting? Well, first it adds more pattern AND it’s a built-in furniture cover storage bin for when people are using the patio. I was thinking of painting it but everyone voted to keep it natural. Glad I listened. Oh and see that little black table? Another $25 Rose Bowl find. Also, all those planters were courtesy of Emily’s LA patio. This patio was unintentionally, but clearly very inspired by that masterpiece. Maybe this post should be renamed “How to Get Emily’s LA Patio When You Can’t Retile”?? That rug is doing a very good job of giving a similar look and feel. Thanks again Em!! Round Rug | Pouf | Throw Blanket (unavailable) | Vegan Leather Strap Plant Hanger | Haning Planter (similar) | Dining Table (currently retired for the winter) | Folding Dining Chair | Glass Lanterns It’s hard to pick a favorite shot but this is a top contender. If you couldn’t tell, Emily Bowser came and worked all her styling magic. I wish we could have plates and treats set up every day by her. But let’s talk furniture for a sec. That table is from Article and it’s incredible. It’s somehow both extremely special and unique while also being neutral and so versatile. Oh, it could easily fit six people. All that being said, that table (Calliope) is currently not on their site but should be restocked when they launch their Outdoor 2022 line. If you really love it, might I recommend you shoot them an email or DM asking them to make sure they bring it back. Could help to ensure its grand return:) The chairs I snagged from Target and pray they heavily restock them because they are unexpectedly very sturdy and wildly comfortable. I’m also super pumped about that round rug. If you look at the before photos, you can see that there’s a little staircase down to the patio. This made it impossible to just get one extra-large rug to cover the majority of the floor. So to help create a little reading/lounge nook moment, and distract from the tile, I asked Annie Selke if they wouldn’t mind sending this great little round rug. It adds even more texture and pattern (can you tell that was really important to me?) and it has a slightly sticky sort of film on the bottom so once it’s set it doesn’t budge but can easily be moved. SO nice.
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Pattern Flatware | Woven Basket (similar) | Cloth Napkins (similar) | Patterned Plates (unavailable) | Pink Plates (unavailable) | Dark Gray Bamboo Melamine Dinner Plate | Ceramic Oval Tray | Faux Branches (similar) | Mint Green Footed Basket (vintage) Bowser obviously gets all the credit for the table styling. I was honestly sad that we didn’t have a “house party” after because it was so beautiful. That wire-footed bowl was another Rose Bowl find for $15. That stays out there year-round. If you’re wondering “where does she keep all these plates and cups and utensils??” Great question. I have a lot of cabinet storage in my apartment so I have a bin with all of my outdoor-friendly wares. I figure everyone in the building can use their own stuff when they want to use the patio and we can combine forces when we finally have a building celebration. Please take another look at this great table and the stacked planters in the corner:) What can we say, the tree just looked better taller so we made it happen. Medium Handled Basket | Lanterns (unavailable) | Ceramic Bead Garland | Pink Tumblers (unavailable) | Stacking Acrylic Clear Wine Glass | Blue Bowls (unavailable) | Wine | Copper Mugs (similar) | Vaso Grey Acrylic Drinking Glasses Now let’s finally talk about my and my dad’s peg rail DIY (scroll back up to see the original one)! I’m SO happy with how it turned out. We only had a couple of fights, both pulled our weight (he’s not going to read this so I can confidently say that), and it was his idea to have the shelves be a different wood tone. Genius! It’s such a great place to set up cups, small bowls and plates for all the fun gatherings I plan to have this spring and summer (well fingers crossed). I actually can’t fit a decent-sized dining room table inside of my apartment so is will be the perfect extension:) This was not the sole motivation I promise! And now see from this angle how cute the round rug looks under that very special chair to your left… Lounge Chair | Crescent Pillow UGH. Isn’t that chair perfect? When I saw this chair from Stori Modern in Shavoda’s backyard reveal I knew that if I ever had an outdoor space large enough I would see if there could be any way I could get one. Fast-forward a year later and somehow my manifestation (and their generosity) made my dreams a reality. It’s another piece that really can work with so many styles. It can easily go super modern, or eclectic traditional (like this space), modern boho (like Shavonda’s), and so many more. Why I think it works so beautifully in the space is that there’s a woven detail that talks to the woven details in so many of the other pieces. So while different in style, it totally works. And get out of here with those curves! I think it’s so chic but practical because you bet that fabric is Sunbrella too. I will say that I would recommend getting the matching ottoman or a pouf like the blush one I got. It just makes the lounging experience 10/10. I would have asked for the matching set but my space wasn’t wide enough. That crescent pillow is sadly not an outdoor pillow (and it was Bowser’s) but it’s still available and it’s awesome. I also got a chair cover from Amazon that does the job and I put the pouf on the chair so both are protected in case you were wondering how I plan to keep those looking nice too.
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Don't constrict yourself to one style when building a space. Play with mixing styles as long as they live in the same color palette and materials. A photo at night? I know we almost never do them but the sun was setting and it looked pretty beautiful. So now you can really imagine how my future parties are going to look. And now for my favorite part…the before and afters! Thanks for stopping by my home once again. I would be lying if I didn’t want to reimagine this space because I wanted a place to go get some fresh air and hang with friends. But knowing that if I wanted that, I could also bet that the rest of the building wanted that too. Hope that we get a chance to do it all together soon because my neighbors are pretty great. Love you, mean it. *Design by Jess Bunge The post Jess’ Communal Patio Reveal – Beautiful Outdoor Furniture, Some Great Flea Finds, And Of Course… A DIY Dad Project appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/3rIx5Ua Hi everyone and welcome to this week’s link up! How was everyone’s week? Snowy? Sunny? Rainy? All of the above? Enough about the weather small talk, we’ve got a wonderful show for you today, so it’s time to press play on these binge-worthy links. *INSERT TITLE SEQUENCE* Starting off with this week’s home tour as per usual. This week we’re taking you to an insanely beautiful home brought to us by none other than The Design Files. It’s the home of two artists who view their home as a creative experiment, or in their words “a warped maximalist colour feast; monster-bird dinner party; new gothic masquerade; baking disaster; totemic gunk pile; and cluster-bomb development laboratory!” If that explanation didn’t make you click, nothing will. From Emily: Need a weekend family movie? I’VE GOT YOU. Lin Manuel Miranda is a true gift to the world (and our family). Encanto (in addition to Moana, In the Heights, and Hamilton) has once again blown us away with its incredible music and positive messaging (not to mention visuals). I have a theory that Moana didn’t win for best animated film because of its font (lost to Secret Lives of Pets – which was cute, fine, but NOTHING like Moana). This one HAS TO WIN. Our whole family (including Brian) LOVED IT, we now listen to the soundtrack all day every day and yes, I cry. I even started sprinting to “Surface Pressure“, not to mention “We don’t Talk about Bruno” – the music is INCREDIBLE. THANK YOU LIN, for giving your talents out in such a positive way that the whole family can enjoy. From Ryann: Allow me to introduce you to the soup recipe that Rocky declared is the best thing I’ve ever made. It’s this Creamy White Chicken Chili by Half Baked Harvest but the consistency is more like a soup in my opinion (but you could definitely add more beans and less broth for a chili consistency). Anyway, it is so delicious and was so simple to make. I topped it off with avocado and tortilla strips and like I said Rocky loved it. He’s usually the cook in this house so it was great to finally bring something to the table (literally). From Jess: Our EHD Budget Closet Org Challenge (that I technically forced onto the team…) has put me into turbo closet organizing mode. As I mentioned in the post, I actually have three closets in my apartment so there is not a single reason that I can’t be organized. I’m the only person that lives here! My most recent purchase was this hanging wrapping paper organizer. I am so on board/agree with Emily’s wrapping paper issues but the truth is I still have some materials and I was sick of trying to get to them, schmushed in the corner of my closet, sticking out of a backpack. So getting this well-reviewed $28 organizer has made me feel embarrassingly good. If you also have a relatively modest wrapping paper/ribbon/reusable bag collection and need an easy system like I did, I highly recommend this. Also From Jess: If y’all are into it I’m thinking of starting a series on the linkup called DadTok where I link up the very “Dad Joke” TikToks Les Bunge sends me. Please enjoy this week’s offering. From Mallory: Tired of misplacing things? Me too. I bought the 4 pack of tile trackers (they’re on a massive sale right now $40 for 4 – originally $70!) to put on our wallets & keys just in case we lose them or they get stolen or something. Now me and Chase will never have to wonder where our stuff is again (CRYING HAPPY TEARS). From Caitlin: This week I was BLOWN AWAY by the story of the Villa Aurora in Rome. It has everything: a Texas-born woman who became an Italian princess! An inheritance battle! A nearly 500-year-old estate! A failed $534 million dollar auction attempt! The only ceiling fresco ever painted by Caravaggio! Ruins from Caesar’s villa where he courted Cleopatra! Letters discovered from Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI, and a bunch of popes! Statues on-site by Michelangelo! The NPR story is a great jumping-off point, but be sure to click around and read all the other linked pieces – it’s SO COOL. Also from Caitlin: Significantly less cool, but just wanted to call out two things that have helped me manage my severe back pain: this acupressure mat, which I’ve used for over a year, and this knee pillow for side sleepers, which was a Christmas gift. I re-herniated a disc last month and have been in a ton of pain, but both of these things have been actual lifesavers (in addition to, you know, actual medication). If you also struggle with back pain of any kind, I can’t recommend either of these highly enough. Hope this helps someone out Opening Image Credits: Design by Nabilah Nordin and Nick Modrzewski | Photo by Eve Wilson | Styled by Annie Portelli| via The Design Files The post The Link Up: Emily’s Family Movie Rec, Jess’s Easy Wrapping Paper Storage Hack, and The Best Dinner Recipe One Of Us Has Ever Made appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/3GY2eJI |
Author Kimberly ReedDesign Consultant at Furnishing Knowledge:KI Archives
April 2023
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