When we first brainstormed for organizing stories I ranted about my biggest pain points in the mountain house – (the ‘no mudroom entry’ which we already covered) followed shortly by two more – my lack of a proper linen closet, and my exploding products in the vanity. You’ve seen it on my stories, likely – and it’s nothing to be proud of, but it’s also just the reality for those of us who don’t have the right systems or products to meet our more “challenging” personalities. So these two projects were inspired by my struggles, styled with 100% Target (not my old sheets or products like you saw in stories since we already moved) to give you an idea of what you could do if you also have these issues. A “Custom” Guest Room + Linen Closet, Without Any Nails Or ScrewsBig Cubby Shelf (coming soon) | Queen Linen Blend Quilt Mauve | Reversible Printed Voile Ditsy Floral Quilt Off-White | Bed Pillow | Suitcase | Duvet Cover (on bed) It’s so simple and yet full of clever ideas. We used the simple white cubes with linen bins to store linens for each room – I’M DOING THIS FROM NOW ON. Each bin is one room’s sheets/pillows and backup sheets pillows. You might have more flexibility, but likely if the beds are different sizes you want them labeled or put in a bin so you aren’t guessing just to be wrong. Up top, we stored any extra blankets, seasonal linens (Christmas/easter tablecloths), and pillows. Horizontal Shoe Shelf (coming soon) | Vertical Shoe Cubby (coming soon) | Large Woven Milk Crate | Short Rectangle Basket | Large Navy Travel Pouch | Green Loaf Bag | Black Dot Pencil Case | Steamer | Lint Roller | Round Multi Weave Rattan Tray | Black Sneakers | Red Slip Ons | Tan Mules | Black Leather Mules | Woven Water Hyacinth Rectangular Basket The system is totally modular so you can customize how you put it together, and yet once stacked to your liking it looks custom and intentional. The more horizontal shelves with the linen bins act as drawers for your guest, while the shoe cubbies give them somewhere to unpack those should they be that type of person. It’s such an easy system that once set up is simple to repeat and maintain. Felt Hamper | Pink Waffle Towel | Underbed Fabric Bin with Lid | Silk Eyemask | Light Pink Pajamas | Graphic T-Shirt | Racerback Tank Top| Tie Dye T-Shirt | Fabric Bin with Lid Light Grey The basket on top holds any other guest personal items (cosmetic bags, for instance, and Emily B even included a steamer and lint roller (I want to be her guest). Hangers | Striped Shirt | Black Striped Shirt | Black Pink Shirt I was extremely excited to hear that we didn’t have to return these samples to Target and I got to keep this system. I feel like a better human being already to offer this to our guests as well as keep it so organized. This could also be great for toys, seasonal clothes like sweaters/snow clothes. How To Organize Your Exploding VanityVase | White Branch Stem | Soap Pump | Candle | White Wood Tray It always looks good from the outside, but for me, without any organizational tools, it always was exploding, especially since quarantine where I stocked up on all things ‘self-care’ and have more products than usual. We shot this in our guest bathroom, but you get the idea. Wood Handle Tiered Slide Out Organizer (coming soon) So satisfying. Here’s why this works:
Bottom Left Drawer: Black Metal Tumbler | 3pk Medium Green Storage Trays | Polish Remover | Olive & June Nail Buffer | tenoverten Non-Toxic Nail Dryer Drops + Vitamin E | tenoverten Nail Polish – Clif | tenoverten Nail Polish – Austin | tenoverten Nail Polish – Jane | Trim Cuticle Nipper | Black Metal Tumbler | Sonia Kashuk Professional Complete Brush Set | Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Blush | Honest Beauty Luminizing Glow Powder | Jason Wu Beauty Hot Fluff Lipstick | Benefit Cosmetics 24hr Brow Setter Clear Eyebrow Gel | JAPONESQUE Extreme Eyelash Curler | NYX Professional Makeup 3-in-1 Eyebrow Pencil | NYX Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil All-in-one Eyeshadow & Eyeliner Multi-stick | Pixi by Petra Eye Reflection Shadow Palette Natural Beauty Top Right Drawer: Acrylic Drawer Bin | Native Sensitive Fluoride Natural Toothpaste | Native Limited Edition Holiday Sugar Cookie Deodorant | Toothbrush | Black Metal Tumbler | Hey Humans Body Lotion | Sun Bum Mineral Spray Sunscreen Bottom Right Drawer: Odele Volumizing Shampoo | Odele Volumizing Conditioner | Odele Smoothing Shampoo | Odele Smoothing Conditioner | Anomaly Deep Conditioning Treatment Mask | Hey Humans Body Wash | Kristin Ess Weightless Hydration Daily Scalp + Hair Mask The two-tiered system is designed to fit on the left side of the plumbing, which works well in most vanities. Again the top acts as a shelf, with the bottom more of a pull-out drawer. The little plastic bins are designed to work so well with this (and come in different colors). The larger pull-out drawer is perfect for well, larger products. You’ve got options! Counter Basket: Hydrating Watermelon Sheet Mask | Fruit Enzyme Pineapple Sheet Mask | Vitamin C Cherry Sheet Mask | Urban Skin Rx Vitamin C + E Glowing Moisturizer | Versed Day Maker Microcrystal Exfoliator | Versed Skin Soak Rich Moisture Cream | Cocokind Resurfacing Sleep Mask | Cocokind Probiotic Acne Serum 1.5% BHA | Gua Sha Tool | Cotton Rounds | 4pk Small Green Storage Trays | Pixi Clarity Cleanser | Versed Back-Up Plan Acne-Control Body Mist | Sonia Kashuk Lip Scrubber | Sonia Kashuk Rose Quartz Roller | Sonia Kashuk Facial Dry Brush | Cocokind Organic Rosewater Facial Toner | Versed Baby Cheeks All In One Hydrating Milk The basket on top of the “shelf” (as we styled it) is for your everyday routine so that you can easily pull out and then store neatly – not a million products on your vanity top (true story). It has handles that make it easy to transport and the shelf system was designed to have room for tall things on top in most vanities. Top Left Basket: Black Wire Basket | Mrs. Meyer’s Lavender Liquid Hand Soap Refill | Rustic Palo Santo Candle | Cider and Oak Candle Bottom Left Basket: Black Wire Basket | Seventh Generation Toilet Bowl Cleaner | Grove Co. Reusable Cleaning Glass Spray Bottle with Silicone Sleeve – Bright Lime | Grove Co. Reusable Cleaning Glass Spray Bottle with Silicone Sleeve – Polished Gray | Grove Co. Reusable Cleaning Glass Spray Bottle with Silicone Sleeve – Sparkling Orange | Grove Co. Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrates – Orange & Rosemary | Grove Co. Glass Cleaner Concentrates – Orange & Rosemary | Grove Co. Tub & Tile Cleaner Concentrates – Citron & White Rose | Ultra Strong Citrus Tall Kitchen Trash Bag Top Right Basket: Black Wire Basket | Welly Flex Fabric Bandages Block Geo | Multi Salon Clip Set | 4pk Small Green Storage Trays | Scunci Barrettes | Kristin Ess Dry Finish Working Texture Spray | Kristin Ess Weightless Shine Leave In Conditioner | Phone Cord Hair Coil Set | scunci 2cm No Slip Jaw Clips | Kristin Ess Satin Skinnies | Cantu Style Carbon Fiber Combs Bottom Right Basket: Wood Handle Tiered Slide Out Organizer (coming soon) | Conair Double Ceramic Hair Dryer | Kristin Ess 3-in-One Flat Iron I love how they all work together, you can see through the wire so you know what you have, but it still looks cohesive. The ‘hair tool’ basket is also a drawer unit which means that you can use it as a shelf if need be. Greenery With Rustic Ceramic Pot On top of the toilet, Emily Bowser created the loveliest assembly of feminine needs – which Target all sells, which I kept and am so proud to offer to our guests. It has all the needs – Ibuprofen, feminine wipes, panty liners, and tampons (all earth-friendly). Yet discreetly displayed Let’s make this more normal, kay? Rectangle Woven Basket with Lid | Woven Canister | Woven Vanity Tray | Cora Organic Cotton Tampons Mix Pack | Cora Organic Cotton Ultra Thin Super Fragrance Free Pads with Wings | GoodWipes Flushable Down There Rosewater Cleansing Wipes | Room Spray Brown, Vetiver and Cedarwood | Ibuprofen We styled out the rest of the bathroom with some new products that we love. Bath Rug | Chambray Shower Curtain | Waffle Bath Towel Set | Medium Scallop Basket How cut is that basket??? The vanity tray, vase, and faux branches are also excellent for styling and look really high-end. I always use January to reorganize my whole house and reset, and I know I’m not alone. I hope some of these tools, products, and ideas can help you guys feel a little more in control, reduce the chaos in your life and make your home and brain calmer after the holidays. Happy organizing. xx *Art Direction by Me The post Clever Organization Hacks – A Linen/Guest Closet And The Smartest Vanity Org Products appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/XLWu1zH
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The events that have occurred this week are absolutely terrifying and heartbreaking. We are saddened by the devastation that has hit Ukraine and will be sharing some resources throughout this post for ways we can do our part and help. Our hearts go out to the people that have been so tragically impacted by this, and we’re watching very closely with hopes this gets resolved as soon as possible. We’re sharing our regularly scheduled link up this week, but know that our hearts are with the people whose lives have been lost and those who are amidst a very scary and devastating environment. Here are some ways we can help: Revived Soldiers UkraineThis organization funds medication and medical supplies for field and army hospitals at the front lines of eastern Ukraine. Revived Soldiers Ukraine was founded in 2016 and has since brought 50 wounded Ukrainian soldiers to U.S. hospitals for care. Donate here. SavelifeSavelife is a nonprofit that provides material and technical assistance to the Armed Forces in Ukraine, as well as indirectly influences the Armed Forces and other state institutions, strengthening the capabilities of the army and developing society as a whole. Donate here. Voices of ChildrenVoices of Children helps children affected by the war in eastern Ukraine. Thanks to you, we provide psychological and psychosocial support to children. It helps them overcome the consequences of armed conflict and develop. Donate here. International Medical CorpsThe Los Angeles-based organization provides emergency relief to those struck by conflict, disaster, and disease. When an emergency has ended, the organization shifts its response to long-term medical support and training. The organization has been operating in eastern Ukraine since 2014, delivering primary healthcare and mental health services to communities affected by the ongoing conflict. Donate here. Direct ReliefThe Santa Barbara-based organization distributes donated medicine and medical supplies. Direct Relief has supplied Ukrainian healthcare providers with more than $27 million in medical aid. It recently sent a large shipment of diabetes supplies and is offering its Ukrainian partners IV fluids, antibiotics, medications for anesthesia, sutures, and cardiovascular medication, among others. Donate here. Thanks to everyone for donating and helping out. For more ways to donate head here or here. Now, on with some links. This week’s home tour is an incredible home renovation by the Novogratz pair. They did a gut-reno to an incredibly charming and historic Spanish home in the Bird Streets of the Hollywood Hills (THE DREAM). They leaned heavily on the modern, while keeping some traditional Spanish elements of the home, and all in all, it’s very beautiful. If you have Dwell+ here is an article that shows more before/afters. What do you think? From Emily: My kids really like to be cozy (as represented previously by their obsession with their “cozy blankees“) so when I brought home this quarter zip 3 weeks ago Elliot immediately put it on and hasn’t taken it off. It’s not just fleece on the outside, but super soft on the inside so it’s like wearing a “cozy blankee” (I hate it when the inside has annoying seams or is just normal fabric). She also loves that there are thumb holes (like mine). I paid full price ($30) but it’s down to $17 now (we went for the light pink colorway). Not sure if it’s going to last years, but she sure is getting a lot of wear out of it right now (and with kids’ clothes, “lasting years” is often impossible anyway). From Ryann: I finally bought myself a silk pillowcase and will never look back. In case you didn’t know, sleeping on a silk pillowcase is better for your skin and hair and prevents breakage. They are also just very comfortable and feel good on your skin. My only fear was a silk pillowcase doesn’t really go with my bedding but I came up with a solution. I simply keep that pillow in the closet until it’s time for bed! This way it stays clean and far away from my dog and his paws, too. From Jess: I might be the last breast owner to have tried a sheer bra but now I am on the train. This bra from Target has been my gateway. It’s so pretty but simple and I just love it. I have the burgundy color but now want it in a couple of others:) Also From Jess: One of my best friends, who was born in Ukraine, has been posting about some incredible organizations that support Ukrainians in this horrifying/extreme time of need. I know it’s easy to feel helpless but there are some ways we can all actively be of assistance. Here is a link to a comprehensive guide with direct links and here is an Instagram post with other great organizations to support. If you’ve been paying attention at all you know how dire this help is needed. From Caitlin: I have finally discovered a product that lives up to the hype: these un-shreddable, un-snaggable, super sturdy sheer tights. There’s truly a fit for everyone – they carry footless styles, colors, high rise, semi-opaque options, and more. (My personal favorite is actually the polka dot sheer, which are currently more than 50% off. THEY’RE SO CUTE.) They’re more expensive than a regular pair of tights, but these puppies DO NOT RIP. I can’t wait to wear them for the rest of my winters, springs, and falls:) Also From Caitlin: On Our Watch is an NPR podcast that lifts the curtain on internal police investigations in California. It’s pretty tough to listen to – I could only stomach an episode a day – but it’s a pretty extraordinary piece of journalism. Policing is a pretty polarizing topic, but there’s no “gotcha” angle here – just really insightful, heartbreaking, thorough reporting. Highly recommend. From Mallory: A very simple $12 purchase has made my life at least 12% better on a daily basis. Maybe 20% even. We all have that one outlet that’s located in such a convenient spot that it gets used and it gets used HARD. I was tired of not having enough space to plug in Chase and my laptops, apple watches, and other random stuff that seems to always need charging at once so I went powerstrip hunting (wow that’s some real adult shit right there). And guess what? I found the one…the prettiest powerstrip I ever did see. I hate powerstrips that just dangle down from the outlet and lay on the floor, so this one is great because it holds all of your plugs up and off of the ground. It also lets you plug in up to 6 items at a time so no one’s fighting for the outlet anymore! Also, it says it’s a surge protector and UL listed so seems to be safe & I’ve been using it on the daily and I’m in love. Opening Image Credit: Design by the Novogratz| Photo by Amy Neunsinger | via Tatler and Dwell+ The post The Link Up: The Coziest $17 Sweatshirt Birdie Won’t Take Off, A $12 Practical Home Upgrade, Plus Some Ways To Help Ukraine appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/pTPZUdO Not to pull back the curtain too much, but a lot of our posts are born from the things we would want to read. So the other day at a team lunch, we were sitting outside while it was 55 degrees (freezing by our standards) and we were talking about winter to spring transitional outfits. I often forget that layers are a thing, and I will go from full winter clothes to wanting to wear denim shorts and a tank top just to protest cold weather. But transitional outfits are indeed a thing and the key is layers. So we thought it’d be fun to pull together some winter-to-spring looks to inspire ourselves and you. So who wants to play imaginary dress up?? I’ll start. Ryann1. Marieta Top | 2. The Siena Tank | 3. Stan Ray Painter Pant | 4. Stan Ray 4-Pocket Shop Jacket | 5. Square Toe Leather Boots | 6. Line Dangle Earring | 7. Initial Necklace | 8. Organic Ono Ono – Multi-Benne Stain I fully love men’s utility pants and especially love wearing them with feminine pieces. For my first imaginary look, I chose these painter pants and matching shop jacket, and a fitted tank top layered under this mock neck that I have been coveting for quite some time. For accessories, I am very into these western-style boots, a gold initial necklace (from this new brand that I LOVE), drape-y earrings, and a bold lip. It’s taking a lot of restraint to not click purchase on every one of these items. 1. Marquise Linen Dress in Micro Polka Dot | 2. Brenna Over-The-Knee Boots | 3. Badass Iconic Lipstick | 4. The Long Mac Coat | 5. Medallion Pearl Necklace | 6. CZ Lock Huggies | 7. Wave Ring My more dressed-up look is inspired by the tall boot trend and this photo that I saw on the internet. I’ve been wanting to experiment with trench coats too, so why not throw that in the mix. All the jewelry is from this Black-owned jewelry brand, Ten Wilde, that I can’t get enough of. They make really elegant, unique, and actually affordable jewelry and I want basically everything. The dress is by the brand Sleeper that makes the most beautiful pajamas I have ever seen but they also make sweet prairie dresses like this one. The boots are something from my dreams (and a splurge) but boy are they beautiful. JessI always say (or at least think) that I want more fun colors in my wardrobe but have only kinda been successful at it. So despite my desires, I realized that I’m simply not a natural at actually putting together outfit looks that are in line with how I want to dress. Hence why putting these two outfits together took me a comical amount of time. But honestly, I’m really happy with them and really want them on my body ASAP. Practice makes perfect? Or a little better at least? 1. Denim Faux Shearling Trim Jacket | 2. Iga Personalized Pinky Ring | 3. Basit Ring | 4. High Rise Dad Jeans | 5. Daelyn Lug Sole Short Boot | 6. Satin Lace Top | 7. Battenberg Cardi | 8. The Sydney Zip-Top Crossbody Bag | 9. The Gidi Chain | 10. Initial Lock Necklace | 11. Romee Necklace So with this “casual look”, the fun is in the details. Those shearling cuffs and collar on that denim jacket are so cute (and the darker denim makes it a great nighttime jacket too). Then I’ve been eyeing those jeans for a minute and might just do it. They look so cool, are high-waisted and rigid denim which I’ve really been wanting. Pretty over the stretch. Anyone else? The next thing I fell for was that sweater (#forevercheckered). It’s hip but not too in your face with it and since it’s a cardigan, I thought that pretty pink satin cami could be a great pop of color if I wanted it unbuttoned or have it be a great “night” option where you could just ditch the sweater if I wanted to feel a little sexier. Can you say layers?? I also love that cute yellow crossbody (I wish I liked clutches but I hate having to carry them) and those boots are riiight up my alley. They aren’t necessarily a “night shoe” but with a quick change, this is easily a day-to-night outfit. Oh and let’s not forget the jewelry! I love necklace layering and all of these pieces are SO GOOD. I am also a ring lover but somehow I misplaced my collection (or they got stolen) on my last big trip in 2019. Needless to say, I need to replace them because I miss wearing them. 1. Sherpa Jacket | 2. Iga Personalized Pinky Ring | 3. Basit Ring | 4. Melody Leather Crossbody | 5. Shoko Sweater | 6. Essential Chelsea Boots | 7. Strappy heeled sandals. | 8. The Gidi Chain | 9. Harris Reed Star Crossed Pearl Necklace | 10. Romee Necklace Let’s dress up but still keep it casual. I’m not fully at the point where I’m really dressing it up for super fancy parties or outings. But I do love to dress up a little and wearing a dress is my way of doing that. I have loved this dress for soooo long. I ordered the sleeveless version last summer but it was the wrong size and I decided that I didn’t really need either at the time. So I didn’t exchange it despite my heart wanting me to. But I will say the quality is incredible and it has a great weight to it. Welp, I might have talked myself back into it. Oh, and can you tell I love denim shearling jackets? I like how this one is a little longer and a lighter wash for springtime. Now, if I wanted to wear this outfit for a more casual day or night event I would choose those blue boots. See, color! But for something a little fancier, I really love those green heeled sandals (which happen to work perfectly with that cute little green bag that looks like it can actually hold the essentials). I did switch out one of the necklaces to dress this look up. I love all of the jewelry from that brand. Mallory1. Sweater | 2. Gold Ring | 3. Gold Ring Set | 4. Asymmetrical Jeans | 5. White Booties | 6. Dope Leather Jacket | 7. Bucket Bag | 8. Gorjana Necklace Ah, welcome to the look of my dreams. I’d feel like a billion dollars walking into a lunch date dressed like this!! Also, who do I think I am to put a $600 leather jacket in here? I’m just a girl who’s been wearing a $90 leather jacket for 7+ years and it’s officially shedding its leather so I’m in the market for a new one and a girl can dream OKAY!? And this one is truly perfect. I’ve been eyeing checkered sweaters like this ever since I saw Julie and Sara wearing one that they bought from a local LA boutique that was unfortunately out of stock (I looked!!). This one is very affordable and I’m obsessed with it…hoping they get more sizes in soon (or if you know of any similar ones please comment because I’m ready to add one like this to cart). I’ve been eyeing these Urban Outfitters boots ever since we did the tall boot post (these are the short version of one of the tall boots in the roundup). Lastly, the asymmetrical jean trend is one I am ready to hop aboard on. What do you think?? And I heard Abercrombie has made a comeback (especially in the denim department!). Oh and PS I have this necklace and wear it ALL the time! 1. Balconette Bodysuit | 2. Ring | 3. Gold Ring Set | 4. Pants | 5. Shoes | 6. Earrings | 7. Blazer | 8. Clutch This one is certainly the ‘risker’ look out of my two outfits. I’ve been SUPER into this font-slit pant style but have yet to buy a pair of my own because it feels like a big commitment for a trend that will go out of style eventually (especially since it’s more of an ‘occasion’ look versus the more everyday but still very ‘trendy’ asymmetrical jeans in the last look). The lace bodysuit is SO cute (I’ve been eyeing it for a while and even tried it on at the Fleur Du Mal store!) It’s very comfortable and good quality, plus it’s beyond flattering for all kinds of body types (both of the employees there were wearing it when I came in). I’m in love! Overall though, what do ya think of this look? Would you wear this risky but cool outfit or something similar?? Caitlin1. White Top | 2. 9″ Rise Skinny Jeans | 3. Swing Coat | 4. Heart-Shaped Purse | 5. Boyfriend Bold Chain Necklace | 6. Gumball Pearl Ring | 7. Floral Flats | 8. Lip Color Those shoes were my jumping-off point – they’re SO. FREAKING. CUTE. Kate Spade keeps targeting me with ads and let me tell you – they’re working. I’m a sucker for a super dark wash jean, an oversized white top, and those two pieces of jewelry are already my go-to daily pieces. I even own the purse already (thanks, mom, for nailing it this Christmas)! I’m obsessed with Jennifer Diederich’s quick escape coats – I splurged on one last year and know that it’ll keep making me smile for years to come. This one is expensive, but it’s so timeless and cheery – I’ll be saving up to add it to my closet this year! 1. Collared Mini Dress | 2. Rattan Woven Bag | 3. Clogs | 4. Lip Color | 5. Pearl and Diamond Necklace | 6. 3 Ring Set | 7. Oversized Rattan Barrette First off, let me sing the praises of the long-sleeved dress as a transitional piece. I don’t know how they keep me SO much warmer than their short- and 3/4-sleeve counterparts, but there’s some magic going on there. Plus, if you’re extra chilly, just throw a bodysuit or leotard of choice on underneath. MAGIC. Beyond that, these clogs are my current go-to pair of shoes – they’re loud (appearance-wise) but super comfortable, and they look awesome paired with a similar red/pink dress I own. I’m going through a huge rattan accessory phase right now, too – this bag and barrette are so fun. And in case you’re not familiar, The Lip Bar’s products RULE – this liquid lipstick is only $14 and it blows my Mac Russian Red + NARS Cruella outta the water. (They’re also a Black-owned business! Check them out!) Well, I hope was as fun for you as it was for us! Here’s to hoping we all are more prepared for the winter to spring transition. xx Opener Image Credit: Photo by Veronica Crawford | From: New Fashion On My Body: The One Where I Dressed Like A Fisherwoman, Wore 6 Great Coats, AND An All Star Pair Of Boots The post Winter To Spring Transitional Outfits We Want To Wear Right Now appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/SsDq8OB I’m back! Well at least for today:) The other girls have (like Mal yesterday) and will be giving their two cents on some other collections but this one? This one is mine. CB2 has been truly nailing it for years now. Every collection there’s a least a handful of things that I would buy in a second if I had the space (and money). This one is no different. Except this one is less decorative but bolder in shape, focusing on texture and simplicity. That all sounds very ominous but I promise it will make sense as I take you through… Andora 2 Drawer Wood Nightstand + Andora Tall Wood ChestI just…I just love both of these pieces so much. I was originally only going to choose one but how could I? As I dream up my bedroom (the next room after my living room) I am always looking out for dressers and nightstands. And while I wouldn’t personally have my nightstand and dresser come from the same collection (ie look identical), these would maybe be an exception. I love the richness of the dark wood, the tiny knobs (which are customizable), and the postmodern chunky shape. Totora Oak Table LampMy obsession with table lamps continues. I love the angles, the softness/interest of the texture, and yet the simplicity of it. Plus it’s this neutral color palette makes it perfect for almost any style. Otto Ivory Concrete DeskOk, so this table (when it only came in gray) was a top contender for my living room “desk” until I found my desk soulmate (you can also read about it here). Anyway, I LOVE it in white and still think it is so freaking cool. To be fair, I love most anything checkered or large circled… let’s pretend that’s a real term. Court Black Office ChairMy search for a pretty desk chair with wheels has been a challenge. But seriously where are they?! Well, I guess CB2 because this one is a beaut. It was designed by Barcelona-based Mermelada Estudio and is vintage-inspired. Those two factors were clearly going to produce a very special piece. Kahlo Silk Table LampWe LOVE a soft diffused light and this one is stunning. It reminds me of the one Emily had in Charlie’s old room and the last rendition of the LA living room. And while not cheap, it’s also not totally cost-prohibitive! I would get this in a heartbeat… and might. Babylon Black Marble Dining Table“Dining table” might be an exaggeration but it is an almost too beautiful bistro table. Just look at that movement? Small space living doesn’t mean you can’t go for it with special furniture pieces. If you are looking for and have the budget for this kind of table, I 1000% support you and would like a dinner invitation:) Camerano Chocolate Velvet Upholstered BedBeds have been another piece that I’ve been keeping an eye out for and it’s not easy to find a really special and simple bed. I love the shape and fabric of this one so much. It’s curvy without being too chunky and just looks luxurious. That feeling of luxury as you are about to hit the pillow is pretty special and what I think we all want. Oh, and I am here for that brown:) Onyx Framed Wall MirrorOnyx for the win, amirite?! I think this mirror is so elegant but modern and the more I look at it the more I think it belongs in my apartment. It’s also pretty big coming in hot at 36″ x 48″. This gal is a showpiece! Spazio Brown Marble Side TableA really easy way to make a cool unexpected design choice is to get a really cool accent table. This one would easily get that job done. Business on the top, party on the bottom but still neutral enough to not distract from the rest of the room. So while $250 isn’t cheap, it’s definitely a more affordable/safer design risk to take than say a sofa. Accra Carved Wood Wall ArtI LOVE THIS PIECE OF ART SO MUCH. I love the curves, THAT COLOR, and the sheer size (40″x48″). Three-dimensional art is such a great way to bring your walls to life and this one would be a slam dunk (this is another one of my favorites). Studio Anansi is the design genius behind this work and I also would freak out if this was in my apartment. Terre Olive Velvet Sphere PillowY’all sphere pillows aren’t new but they now seem to be everywhere (as in the big box stores). The trend has officially hit and we love it. You know how important we think it is to play with pillow shapes so getting to add in another is ideal in our book. Plus this one is super chic with that olive velvet fabric and might end up on my sofa. That does it for this week of new collection picks (more next week so keep an eye out!). I know that this CB2 collection is on the modern minimal side but what do y’all think? O and don’t worry, we will cover their new outdoor furniture in a different post because WOAH. Favorite pieces?? Love you, mean it. Opening Image Credit: via CB2 The post It’s About To Get Very Chic In Here: Our Top 11 CB2 New Collection Picks appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/7JrdFvV At this point, TikTok knows everything about me. My For You Page – that’s how they refer to their feed, if you’re not also addicted to the app – is filled with all of my favorite things: goats (inside AND outside)! Dogs with fun names at daycares in remote places! People joking about Philadelphia accents! Ducks running on hardwood floors! Pasta recipes with lemon-based sauces! People dancing to Abba in a really aggressive way! Polite toddlers who talk like adults! Planet Money explanations of complicated economic topics! But more than anything, I’m addicted to these oddly-satisfying, home-centric TikToks (shocker). Cleaning rugs, refinishing floors, pressure washing exteriors – that kind of thing. I almost think there’s something poignant about watching people breathe new life into old things. It makes me feel like maybe I can fix stuff, too. So today, I wanted to share a few of my all-time favorites so we can all enjoy a few moments of zen together. PREPARE TO FEEL RELAXED (and impressed, and maybe even envious, but in a good way). PS. A few of the songs included on these TikToks have swear words in them, so I’ve noted each below in case you’re sensitive towards that kind of thing. (Or like, maybe you just don’t want to hear the word “bitch” coming out of your speakers at 7 AM? Either way. They’re just as satisfying without sound, I swear!) Power Washing
Audio: NSFW
Audio: WHOLESOME. Turn it up.
Audio: NSFW Rug Cleaning
Audio: All clear! (And great cleaning ASMR sounds, if you’re into that.)
Audio: Spa-meets-dog washing station. Safe!
Audio: All cleaning sounds. Painting
Audio: Nice little f-bomb dropped in the first few seconds, so maybe mute this one if you’re around kids, or your boss, or anyone who’s not in the mood to hear a weird speech about “doing it yourself, bro.”
Audio: All clear (albeit not groundbreaking).
Audio: LOVE a smart woman explaining DIY projects. 10/10 and safe for work. Deep Cleaning
Audio: ICE ICE BABY. (Safe for work.)
Audio: A lil’ Bohemian Rhapsody moment for you!
Audio: A VERY dramatic instrumental. Flooring
Audio: Is Montell Jordan having a moment right now, or is it just me? Family-friendly audio for all!
Audio: It’s minions themed and it’s just the word “banana” over and over, so like…just keep it off. It’s a lot.
Audio: Seemingly good, but then a surprise NSFW moment towards the end. (I was bamboozled.) A Little BonusLife can’t ALWAYS be about cleaning and refreshing. I pulled three extras from my likes, just for this specific audience. I hope they make you smile!!!
Audio: SO SAFE FOR WORK. TURN IT UP. Loud.
Audio: Keep it unmuted.
Audio: Final one is ALL CLEAR, boss. If anyone else has a link to a great TikTok or account that they’ve enjoyed, feel free to drop it in the comments below. I hope that these brightened your day, or lowered your blood pressure, or gave you some inspiration to take on that project you’ve been putting off for a while. We’ll see you back here tomorrow for a fun one. xx Opening Image Credits: Design by Malcolm Simmons | Photo by Keyanna Bowen | From: Malcolm’s Bedroom Reveal Is Here… How He Found Healing Through Design + The Incredible DIYs That Transformed The Space The post The Easiest Post You’ll Ever Read: 15 SUPER Satisfying “Before And After” TikToks (Pressure Washing, Painting, And More) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/0yS8nzu 5 years. That’s how long the new Sarah Sherman Samuel x Lulu and Georgia collection has been in the works and BOY was it worth the wait. I’ve always wondered how long it takes to develop lines like this –– the answer is that there’s a massive range of time (especially if you’re doing furniture vs textiles vs decor…obviously furniture takes the longest) but a collection this big also has to have massive thought put into it and how it all flows together. After reading the interview Lulu and Georgia did with Sarah about the collection, it’s VERY clear that this was thoroughly thought out. Sarah describes the collection as being “collected” but not “matchy-matchy.” So, a lot of the pieces will have similar frames but different finishes. Things to make your space feel cohesive, but not like a store-bought set (love that). Also, something Sarah is known for that you can expect to see in the collection: curves and lots of ’em. There’s something that’s always so fun and eye-catching about Sarah’s designs and this line is truly no different. Alright enough jabber, we’ve picked 10 of our favorites so you can see for yourself: Rise DaybedIt’s already getting hot and heavy. Look at the lines on this beauty! That pretty scalloped detail paired with those skinny iron legs tied together (almost literally) with that smokeshow pillow & strap detail. I mean, I’m turned on. I love the scallop furniture trend that’s happening SO much, and this piece totally reminds me of this UO sofa I’ve had my eye on for an eternity (only reason I haven’t bought either of these is because I have nowhere to put them). Hyvaa BedThis bed made me question everything I’ve ever known. THOSE BONES. I’m weirdly specific with how I like a bed. It’s gotta be upholstered (check), it must have legs to store stuff under it (check), and it also must have a headboard tall enough where if you sit up in bed your back has enough room to rest on the headboard and not the cold wall (also check). So it’s perfect? Yup. Plus I love a chubby upholstered leg and this one has FOUR. James Accent ChairI mean this is basically design porn at this point!! If you didn’t feel your heart pound by looking at this photo then I don’t know how we could be friends anymore (I’m just kidding, obviously, I know people have varying design styles but this one is exactly my taste). Look how chunky, fun but still comfy!! This collection is giving us the best of every single world and universe and I’m about ready to sell everything I own and refurnish with exclusively this!!! Cloud Coffee TableNow for a baby chunky-legged coffee table. IMHO you can never have too many chunky legs on furniture pieces. Plus look at the texture on this boy. If I could fit a coffee table, you would be mine. Checkerboard Bolster PillowCheckerboard is back and better than ever in this collection (well according to gen-z design trends it’s been back for a hot minute) but think of this as your cool mom’s checkerboard. The irregularity in the pattern makes it more elevated plus the color choices are so sophisticated. Ripple Accent ChairAh, the chair everyone has been asking about since Sarah’s guest bathroom makeover came out…now it can finally be ours! I love how little and cute it is, plus more fun scallop detail! Yay! Merrit SideboardOkay, I just wrote a post about how everyone is trying to get the fluted trend for cheaper by using this weird DIY product, but if you are ready to commit to buying a dope piece that won’t go out of style (in my opinion) then here is your gal. The quality on Lulu and Georgia pieces is so good and will truly last, so going for a neutral but textured piece like this is a longevity piece! Plus the curved sides and that hardware is making my heart pound it’s SO pretty. Irregular Checkerboard RugMore fun checkered patterns!!! There’s also a cool wallpaper version of this pattern that I’m in love with (and would look so cool with the sideboard above). A note Em once wrote in a post that I think about constantly is that she likes having pattern on the floor because when it’s at eye level (ie: a wallpaper) it can often get too loud & you can get sick of it faster. After she said that, I constantly think about how it’s fun to put pattern and color into a rug because you’ll probably be able to live with it longer & bring your space to life without going pattern overboard (if you’re worried about too much pattern like me). Lena SofaFour MORE upholstered chunky legs!! This collection makes me so giddy. Plus I LOVE velvet in almost anything (here’s a case for it being the best and most durable material for your sofa that made me think the fabric in a new way too). I never ever want velvet to go out of style and I have a good feeling it won’t go anywhere anytime soon Whit Dining ChairOh, do I love a sculptural dining chair. I think dining chairs are the most underrated pieces of furniture and people usually opt for more traditional/boring ones because of three reasons: cost, comfort, and availability. While these are certainly a splurge (so no, they don’t check the ‘cost’ box), they do have an upholstered seat and what seems like comfortable dimensions (I haven’t sat in it but from the looks of it, I bet these seats are very comfortable). Lastly, they’re not hard to find because if you’re reading this now they are right here! I always have a difficult time finding a stand-out dining chair that starts a conversation and isn’t generic, so if you have this problem too, take a gander at these. And lastly, you can mix and match dining chairs! Put these at the ends of your table and fill in the middle with some more cost-effective chairs if that’s an option for you. Just things to think about when sprucing up your dining space So whaddya think? Do you like this collection as much as we do? Would love to chat about your favorite pieces in the comments. See ya down there! xx Opening Image Credit: Design by Sarah Sherman Samuel and Lulu and Georgia | via Lulu and Georgia The post The New Lulu And Georgia x Sarah Sherman Samuel Collection Will Give You Butterflies appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/Qgk3SOy Yesterday’s international news is devastating. We are watching with the rest of the world. This scheduled design post will be published but know that we are also concerned and not oblivious to the situation. Hoping for swift peace and minimal lives lost. I’m a mom. We are caring compassionate women. Watching destruction, close or far away is simply hard and terrifying. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s been a pillow trend happening right now in the bedroom and we are very into it over here at EHD (as you will soon see). Although we covered it a few years back on the blog here, it still remains just as relevant, functional, and stylish which is why we wanted to introduce it to any new readers or any of you out there that are still trying to perfect the “how do I style 12 decorative throw pillows on my bed every single morning” routine, which may or may not be working for you. Plus there are a lot more out there now (perhaps they read the blog?). Bed styling is tough, and something that I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. And although the Pinterest-worthy beds floating around on the internet may seem like they have simply tossed the duvet perfectly across the bed and draped a blanket casually on top in one swift easy go, said process can sometimes take rounds and rounds of revisions to get that “effortless casual” look that we all want. And because no one has the time or the mental capacity to spend more than a few minutes making their bed every morning, for you we introduce the “extra long lumbar pillow” to help simplify the process. Forget the three, six, nine, twelve…. decorative pillows and just throw on one of these long decorative rectangular pillows IF you want a decorative pillow at all. You may lean more simple and not even want to add a decorative pillow at all to your current bed setup, but if you are looking to add something decorative without the complications of all those extra pillows, then the pillows that we have pulled together for you below can help you out. We have one currently on our bed and lay it in front of our two sleeping pillows when we make the bed in the morning, and at the end of the night we can just grab it off super quick. Which is much easier to deal with than a handful of decorative pillows on the floor. Actually most every bed I’ve (or my team) have styled has been with the single extra long lumbar. Example A. is Julie’s bedroom with that cute pom/tassel guy. Then for Emily Bowser’s primary bedroom she chose to contrast her darker bedding and shams with that gray extra-long pillow. It’s modern but still super inviting. Then most recently, Jess picked out this lumbar pillow (that Emily Bowser styled) for her friend’s bedroom makeover. The pillow is actually velvet so it adds another fabric and texture to this romantic traditional bed look. It really is just so easy, looks awesome, and frees up more time doing well, anything other than making your bed. All of the pillows we’ve pulled together below are at least 30″ long which means that they are large enough to use for either a queen or king-sized bed, and although we can’t promise a better night’s sleep with them, we can promise a far easier bed-making routine in the morning. So, here are a few of our favorites divided up by price. 1. Cotton Canvas Oversized Lumbar Pillow Cover | 2. Lumbar Faux Leather Channel Stitch Decorative Throw Pillow | 3. Oversized Bolster Woven Uneven Stripe Decorative Throw Pillow | 4. Oversized Oblong Tufted Diamond Throw Pillow | 5. Sage Green Oversized Lumbar Throw Pillow Cover | 6. Manifold Glyphs Pillow Cover | 7. Lumbar Heavyweight Linen Blend Throw Pillow | 8. Paloma Cotton Velvet Decorative Pillow Cover | 9. Beige Brown Cream Flax Large Stripe Extra Long Lumbar Pillow Cover | 10. Dash Stripe Oversized Lumbar Bed Pillow | 11. Oversized Oblong Embroidered Decorative Throw Pillow | 12. Soft Corded Pillow Cover | 13. Lumbar Modern Stripe Decorative Throw Pillow | 14. Ticking White Long Linen Lumbar Pillow Cover Target really has the monopoly on affordable extra long lumbar pillows but we aren’t mad about it. Look at how great all of these are?! #2 is an EHD go-to. It works with nearly every style and looks so good in person. Then to stay on the Target train, #3, #7, and #13 are also simple yet very special:) But Target isn’t the only one, Etsy and West Elm have incredible options too. I mean #1 and #12? Each of those also comes in a bunch of other colors. Then for Etsy, #5, #9, #14 are good. The other great thing about Etsy is that most of the pillows sold have a ton of size options so don’t be discouraged if the size on the graphic doesn’t work for you. 1. Candlewick Oversized Lumbar Pillow Cover | 2. Extra Long Lumbar Pillow | 3. Luxe Linen Blend Pillow | 4. Corded Zigzag Pillow Cover | 5. Long Lumbar Pillow | 6. Stonewash Grey Linen Pillow | 7. Lush Velvet Oversized Lumbar Pillow Cover | 8. Olive Colorblock Pillow Cover | 9. Handwoven Thai Pillow No.14 | 10. Marilla Stripe Body Pillow Cover | 11. Floral Long Lumbar Pillow Cover | 12. Pink Stitched Lumbar Pillow | 13. Montara Pillow | 14. Salmon Pink Lumbar Pillow Cover Now we are moving up the budget needle. We’ve used #1 before and it adds so much fun texture. Then I’ve used Jillian Rene Pillows (#8) for years and they never disappoint. Some of these other Etsy ones are really doing it for me. I’m looking at you, #5, #9, and #11. 1. Shepard Pillow Cover | 2. Gigi Pillow | 3. Alcove Pillow Dusk | 4. Garrit Leather Lumbar Pillow | 5. Black and Cream Dash Pillow Cover | 6. Suri Lumbar Pillow | 7. Long Cushion in Kapok | 8. Sueno Lumbar Pillow | 9. Manolo Pillow | 10. Hand-Blocked Artisan Lumbar Pillows | 11. Chand Lumbar Pillow | 12. Vadala Long Lumbar Pillow While spending over $150 on a singular pillow is not for everyone (except remember this one is in lieu of say, maybe five). It’s 100% understandable. However, these pillows are pretty special if you can/want to. I love the simplicity, size, texture of #1. The patterns of #3 and #6 are right up my alley. But just like the other roundups, I love them all. If you are into this, then your life and bed just got easier/better. Which ones are your favorites? Have you already been doing this? Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House Reveal: Our Calm Scandinavian Master Bedroom The post Our Extra Long Lumbar Pillow Roundup (Our Easiest Bed Making Hack) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/XPwzto4 The 13 EHD Opalhouse x Jungalow Collection Picks (Spoiler: A Trend Prediction Is Confirmed)2/23/2022 You might already know, but the one and only Justina Blakeney has just launched another Jungalow collection with Target’s Opalhouse. Needless to say, it’s fantastic. Every time I look at one of her collections, I think “I need more color in my house” because joy is the only way to describe The Jungalow style. Now, this list was painfully curated (we’re trying to get better shorter lists) so I have chosen 13 of our favorites. But you need to go check out the whole collection. Justina said her inspiration was “Sacred Garden”. There are just too many gems and the inspo is wonderful clear in our first pick. Maddalena Mushroom StoolWhen I first saw this mushroom ottoman I gasped. Not only is it the cutest (and also comes in rust), mushroom decor was one of our 2022 decor trend predictions. It. Was. Validating. I think it would bring in the perfect amount of chic whimsy to any room. Cinque Terre Primitive Stone Accent TableI love a unique side table and this one really fits the bill. I also think this one could work beautifully in almost any style of home because it’s simple enough but will add quiet texture and sculpture. Paradise Leaf Embroidered Velvet Lumbar + Embroidered Floral Square Throw PillowJustina knows textiles and I love so many from this collection. The richness of that green velvet has my eyes feeling very relaxed in the most luxurious fashion (plus you know how much we love lumbar pillows). Then that floral pillow just makes me happy. The colors, the flowers, texture are all so good. How cute would this be in a kid or teen room? To be fair it would also be great in an adult’s room. PET Tufted RugTell me this rug doesn’t make you smile. It’s impossible. A sun rug only makes sense as a circle and this is by far the best one I’ve seen. If you aren’t into the yellow but love the design then you are in luck because it also comes in black. This is another piece that would be so sweet in a kids’ room but doesn’t scream “kid”. That being said it could also happily live in an adult’s room or even office. Sepulveda Mixed Material Dining ChairsI meeeean… mixed material is right and we love it. That rattan accent is so good and while cream upholstery is a bold choice for a dining chair, I get why they chose that because it’s real pretty. Oh, and they come in counter height barstools too! Palermo DeskI love the dark wood, the rounded one side, the half-circle knob accent, and the TWO storage areas. It’s just a really great looking desk that is both simple and special (the EHD magic duo) PinboardReal-life mood boards are coming back people. So why not get a really pretty one like this guy?? Burlap Petal Floor LampNow let’s talk lighting as Justina designs GREAT light fixtures. Petals as light shades are also becoming more popular so this is a slam dunk if you are into that look. Its got texture coming out of every inch (the pole is rattan-wrapped). Rope PendantNow for this pendant. If you are a lover of organic, textured design then this rope pendant is right up your alley. It’s another simple but special piece that you don’t really notice until you do. It’s then you realize how it makes the room feel more special. Acrylic Drinkware SetI have to admit that outside of maybe the mushroom stool, these acrylic cups are my favorite. I love the colors (especially the blue), the shapes, and that they are practically unbreakable. Sadly I have almost too many outdoor-friendly so someone please enjoy them for me! (Only if you need them though:)) Melamine Dinner PlatesI just think these plates are so pretty. I also am of the belief that there is no same in the everyday melamine plate game. Sure, they are ideal for the outdoors but they can also be used every day. Especially when you have kids (or clumsy adults) in your house. Tall Tapered BasketThere was zero chance of getting through this post and NOT having a beautiful basket on the list. Look at that shape and detail?! That is a basket that was meant to be seen. I love the handles and the three different weave patterns. Form and function, baby! Well, that’s it for this collection. What did you think? Buying a mushroom stool?? We decided it would be really fun for the next week or so to do short posts in the afternoon calling out our favorite products from the current Spring 2022 collections. We are design lovers after all and even if we don’t need anything, we love to window shop:) See you tomorrow. Love you, mean it. Opening Image Credit: via Target The post The 13 EHD Opalhouse x Jungalow Collection Picks (Spoiler: A Trend Prediction Is Confirmed) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/ALfOnQu The 6 Biggest Lessons On How To Be Your Own Contractor Some VERY Real Life Mistakes And Successes2/23/2022 When one of our readers, Lisa (remember this DIY project?), reached out to us after remodeling her home on a budget, we knew this would be a story all our readers would want to hear. She managed to save thousands of dollars during a large gut remodel while also added an additional 500 square feet. Today, she’s sharing all the mistakes and money-saving tips and tricks she learned. Take it away, Lisa… I would like to preface by saying it was an incredible experience being my own contractor and building our dream home. However, taking on this role and a large remodel is not for the faint of heart. You never realize there are hundreds of measurements to think about until you try to be your own contractor/designer. There were many sleepless nights when I wanted to drive to our house with a measuring tape and double-check for the fifth time if the sconce in the bathroom was the correct height from the floor. Was it too high? Too low? Was the distance from the mirror far enough? Was it too close? Will this look goofy??!! What am I doooooiiiing??!! The million questions and doubts that ran through my mind likely contributed to all the new grey hairs that have sprouted on my head over the past year. All that said, I wanted to share all the tools, tips, and tricks that helped me through this process. Even though it was the most stressful time of my life – building a home during a pandemic, with my spouse – while trying to be my own contractor – we managed to stay married and 1000% I’d do it all over again. Helpful Apps And Software ProgramsLet’s begin with the first stages of our remodel – the floor plan and 3D renderings. In the beginning, I hired someone on Fiverr app to make two 3D renderings for $550. While this is definitely cheaper than hiring an architect to do a rendering, I realized this wasn’t going to work for me since I was only given 1-2 revisions, before they began to charge for each change. I’m the type of person who likes to see multiple, multiple, different designs, and layouts. This helps me feel confident about my final decision once I feel like I’ve exhausted all my options. So going this route was definitely cost-prohibitive. Later, I discovered two different apps that helped me tremendously. I can honestly say I couldn’t have done my project without them. ArcSite is a free app I used for all my floor plans, cabinet layouts, and measurements. Planner 5d helped me save hundreds of dollars making my own 3D renderings. Once I taught myself how to use these programs, I was able to make an unlimited amount of designs for FREE! They’re pretty user-friendly too since I’m not the most tech-savvy and was able to navigate them. Another trick I like to use to visualize a space was to use painter’s tape and flooring paper. Since our kitchen and dining area are one open floor plan, we were having difficulty visualizing how wide to make each designated area. Using the brown paper helped immensely with figuring out the scale of the space. I was finally able to decide on the width of the cabinets and measurements for the dining and kitchen. So when in doubt – tape it out! Here are a few examples of mistakes and cost savings I made: Always buy samples of materials before making your final purchase. For tile selections, do not make your decision based on the one or two samples they give you from the store. To really get a sense of the design/color, it’s imperative you look at a large amount of the material all laid out. This method not only works for tile, but also wood floors and paint. I wanted this really unique design in our entryway and I chose an Italian porcelain tile with a lot of variation. I ordered 4 pieces and thought I liked the design so I placed the final order for the entire room. Low and behold, when they began to lay the tile, I soon realized the variation looked like someone had smeared feces on top of the tile and I literally wanted to cry! Since this was imported from Italy, it was a custom order and non-returnable. I ended up wasting about $1,400. For our wood flooring, we ran into the same issue. I learned my lesson from the tile incident and ordered one box of flooring material. I wasn’t happy with the selection and was able to return it with a small restocking fee. Even though the sample boards for wood floors can be large, wood has so much variation that you’re only seeing a tiny sample of the entire lot. You can’t get the true visual effect unless you lay 6-8 full-length boards – which will definitely help you finalize your decision. When processing a return you may lose a bit of money in restocking fees, but that’s significantly less than paying restocking fees on thousands of dollars worth of material. Paint samples: When I painted swatches to choose the color for our interior walls, I used several 11”x17” pieces of paper. Even though this is significantly bigger than the tiny swatches you get from the store, I still had difficulty visualizing the color on the walls. I thought of the idea to paint a HUGE swatch on a piece of drywall. Since paint colors can reflect light differently from room to room, I moved the drywall around the house to help make my final decision. How To Save Money On CabinetsThe majority of our kitchen is white oak and I allowed my contractor to select all the wood for my cabinets. After he finished building everything and installed the boxes, we came to realize the wood ended up looking like tiger stripes EVERYWHERE! I discovered he mixed red oak and white oak which have two completely different grain patterns and color! I realized this after I took a sample of wood to a lumber yard since I couldn’t figure out why the grains looked so different from one another. This also made sense why none of the twenty different stains I bought looked the same on each piece of wood – that was a fun day I’ll never forget! As a result, we discarded all the wood and I ended up picking every.single.piece of wood in my entire house during the height of the pandemic. The inventory was so low that I had to make six trips to the lumber yard over a two-week period. In the end, I spent about $5000 more dollars for a higher quality wood – all wood is not created equal! However, it was SO worth it! The kitchen is the heart of the home and it was worth the splurge! I LOVE how it turned out – aaaaaand it made for a fun story to tell. Since the majority of the cabinets in our home are white oak, I was able to save thousands of dollars on custom cabinetry by mixing wood species (intentionally this time). I used hardwood white oak on the rails/stiles of the door and white oak plywood for the panels. On the outside, the cabinets have this beautiful harmonious grain movement and look like oak cabinets through and through. However, on the inside, I used maple plywood which helped keep the cost lower. Custom cabinetry can be SO expensive but by applying these tips I was able to achieve a high end look for less and no one’s the wiser – except for everyone reading this article now. Since we had so many built-ins throughout our home, I also mixed inset and overlay cabinets between the various rooms. I used inset cabinets for the kitchen and dining – which are the main areas of our home. But for less traffic areas, such as our walk-in pantry and laundry room, I used overlay cabinets and saved around $1800 since the labor involved with making inset cabinets is significantly more difficult than making overlay cabinets. Look For Dupes Or Knock-OffsAlways try to find a dupe for an expensive item. You never know when you’ll find an amazing deal! I found the dupe of a lifetime with my laundry room steel barn door. I was fixated on having a glass steel door until my dreams were crushed when I was quoted $2500 for one 36” door! I found this insanely gorgeous door at Home Depot for $349. It’s actually made of steel but for a fraction of the cost. I also wanted steel windows throughout our home, but this was WAY out of our budget. Who knew steel windows cost a fortune!! Instead, we saved $50,000 installing aluminum-clad windows with thicker grids – 7/8” wide – and I love them! We’ve even had people ask if we have steel windows because they look so similar. Hardware can get quite costly especially when you have a large kitchen. I fell in love with these knurled cabinet pulls from Restoration Hardware until I saw the price – $52 for one 6” pull – ONE! I found an almost identical dupe on build.com for $14!!! They have a heavy weight to them, look expensive, and are the prettiest honey lacquered brass color. Be Clear With Your Contractor On Where You Want OutletsALWAYS review your electrical plan with your contractor. The majority of the time, contractors are not thinking about aesthetics and slap those suckers anywhere without consulting you. It’s all about the little details that really make a home look custom and well thought out. Place outlets and lights strategically and always discuss in great detail, exactly where they will be placed – everywhere! Here are some examples of mistakes and stellar placements I made: I have a bit of an obsession with concealing electric outlets and switches. This was the first time I ever made a lighting and electrical plan and I accidentally ended up installing a light switch behind a door because I neglected to factor the direction the door swung. It was an easy fix to open up the drywall again, but it ended up costing me $400. However, I learned a very important lesson: regardless of the mistakes you make – inevitably there will be some – everything is fixable! Sure you’ll have to pay for a change order, but make all the changes while you’re still in construction, as opposed to kicking yourself after you finish your entire remodel because the thing that bothered you before, still bothers you – but now you can’t change it! I designed a small appliance cabinet that houses all my small appliances. I installed electric outlets inside the cabinets and used my appliances in there so my countertops are clutter-free. On our porcelain waterfall island, I installed the outlets on the underside of the overhang as opposed to the side of the island which is the traditional placement. If I hadn’t discussed this with my contractor beforehand, I can only imagine him installing it into my stone and I would have to stare at it every day for the rest of my life. On the kitchen counters, I installed the outlets low and close to the countertop. I also turned them horizontally which allows the outlets to blend in better with the stone backsplash. Since my sink is in the island, I installed a garbage disposal switch under the sink cabinets. Traditionally a disposal button is installed on top of the countertop, but over time, the button can become a collection area for dirt and grime so I love the fact that it’s a simple switch inside my cabinet. Task lighting: Don’t forget about task lighting. I installed open shelves in my kitchen and initially thought about installing task lights under the shelves. However, when I had upper cabinets in the past, I never used the lighting underneath, so I assumed they weren’t necessary. After they installed the shelves and turned on the lights, I realized I should have installed the lighting. $800 later, we changed the shelves and hard wired the lights. I can happily say they add such a nice ambiance to the kitchen and I use them daily. Tips For Tile Installation:Do a walk-through of the space and convey your exact vision of how you want the space to look. I made extensive notes using “Keynote” of how I wanted the tile to be installed in the bathrooms and taped them to the wall. This was helpful for the installer to reference during the installation. It also helps with any type of miscommunication that could possibly occur. If something is installed incorrectly, you can always reference your paper to see who, why, and where the mistake occurred. This can definitely help save you money in the long run since a lot of mistakes occur due to miscommunication. This may seem a bit obsessive to be this detail-oriented, but if you don’t give exact instructions, they’ll tend to fill in the blanks themselves and things like electrical sockets and light fixtures, tiles can end up in the worst/random places. I’ve learned from past experiences that for some reason the ugliest tile always ends up at eye level! So when I have a complicated install, or I want the pattern to look a certain way, I’ll label the tiles and tell the installer exactly where I want each piece laid out so I could hand-select all the pieces I want or hide the ugly ones in inconspicuous areas. Choosing Grout Colors:Never pick a grout color when the mix is still wet. I made this mistake in my son’s bathroom when they applied the grout. I forgot to test the color first and by the time I realized I disliked it, they had already spread too much on the wall and it was too late to change it. This actually ended up being a happy accident because when I came back the next day, the color dried significantly lighter and I loved it! Now before any grout application, I have my installer make 1/8” wide and deep cuts on top of an extra piece of tile and he smears several different grout colors on top. This allows me to see all the colors side by side and I can take my time making a decision as opposed to deciding minutes before he covers the entire area and you’re stuck with your choice forever. During our home remodel, we also decided to remodel our backyard. We ended up hiring the cheapest contractor and quickly regretted our decision. He ended up doing a horrible job on our deck and he had to demo the concrete THREE times in several areas because the finish didn’t match in various areas. Note to self: be wary of hiring the cheapest contractor – especially if their bid is way under others. Always get at least three bids when you’re doing a remodel and compare costs. In the end, needless to say, I learned an endless amount of valuable lessons. Throughout the entire build process, I doubted myself so many times and literally thought I was building the goofiest house of all time! But, my best advice is: always trust your gut! Everything turned out beautifully and I’m so happy we went this route. Now I’m suffering from withdrawal and need another home to remodel! Design and Photos by Lisa Kanegae The post The 6 Biggest Lessons On How To Be Your Own Contractor + Some VERY Real Life Mistakes And Successes appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/VigzoUb I can design a mediocre room pretty fast. But to design a great room, one that meets our practical needs, works with the architectural intent of the home but feels like “me” – until I die – is far more laborious. And I honestly love (almost) every second of it. I wish I could be more cavalier about each decision, throw them out willy nilly, but I can’t. And regardless of the choice, I will wish I had done some things differently. I obsess about each macro and the micro choice when it’s my house, even while not following all of my own formulas, and intentionally breaking some “rules”. But this can only be done with a certain level of obsessive planning and painstaking attention to what we want for this home. What sacrifices in the name of style will we make? What practicalities will we forego in order to have it represent our personalities? The pitfalls of being so obsessive are that once you change one thing, it’s a full domino effect. I don’t know if I’ll ever do client work again, but if I do I’ll likely feel so guilty about the time that I put into each decision – because folks, IT ADDS UP. So today we are discussing our choice between painted or stained wood kitchen cabinetry. Let us remind you where we started: This lady. Knowing that we really loved vintage we found this soulful piece of furniture to use as the island. It’s red oak (!!) and absolutely stunning. Brian and I both said “yes to that dress” immediately upon viewing and haven’t had an ounce of regret since. We forewent practicality of “cabinetry” for functioning but old drawers and we feel pretty darn great about it (mostly because we have a large pantry for storage and we have way less stuff than we used to and want to keep it that way). But having this red oak piece made the decision to do the rest of the kitchen cabinets in natural wood even harder, prompting me to write the post about “can you have too much wood in your kitchen?“ Our answer is apparently NO, you can’t have too much wood. But to recap I’ll remind you of the pros and cons of paint versus stained cabinetry:
That being said my instinct was to go with painted cabinets to offset the island, not compete with it and deal with the risk of having too much wood. Two competing woods with different undertones in one room is absolutely doable, but not without a lot of careful considerations, intentions, and willingness to risk take. Not to scare you but if you are new/nervous to design you can stick to the “one natural wood + painted wood” formula unless you are trying to work in heirloom pieces that you already have – it’s simply less risk. As a reminder, the floor is ALSO white oak. I was captain of “team painted cabinetry’ thinking I’d go for a medium powder blue or a darker green or blue, etc, meanwhile, Anne and Brian were chanting “DOUBLE WOOD! FOR! PRESIDENT!”. Anne was so adamant that this house/kitchen specifically wanted wood cabinets that I started really believing her. Honestly, I prefer wood for practical purposes (no chips ever) and I LOVE wood in general, but I love color, too! And can three different woods in the same room look intentional and not too heavy?? She showed me some photos of rooms where she mixed different woods with different undertones and it just clicked into place. While I wouldn’t recommend this for all styles of homes, for this farmhouse – she was right. The kitchen wanted to be wood. Of course, once we decided on double wood then I had to change the stone and the tile I had in mind (it was white, it is no longer), but these are fun problems to have (if you have time to solve them which we did). We are working with Unique Kitchens & Baths on the kitchen cabinets so they sent me all their wood samples early on. While I’m trying to not recreate a farmhouse version of the mountain house kitchen, I also really love living in that warm minimal kitchen so maybe I am. That kitchen has gotten a LOT of wear and tear (between parties and living there full time during lockdown) and the cabinets look perfect still (they aren’t, you just can’t see the dings or scratches). We immediately gravitated towards the white oak, in a natural finish. It’s so pretty. So high quality. Just solid, pretty wood made by Mennonites (women-owned) in the US and arrives pre-assembled as boxes (in blankets – no plastic wrap!). The question became – do we do both the sink/range walls in the white oak as well as the fridge/freezer/bar wall? We went back and forth for WEEKS. We stood in the space with paint samples, we changed it over and over in the renderings. The debate was between keeping them all white oak, or doing the fridge/freezer/bar in a light neutral white-ish tone (to disappear into the wall/ceiling. In the renderings, the white all of a sudden popped out too much and called more attention to it. So after so much back and forth we decided to be safe and have it in white oak which is more expensive. However, if we end up wishing they were white then it’s paintable, whereas getting it already studio painted and wishing it were different would be way harder to change. I’m not sure we made the right decision, but it’s the one we made as of now So that’s where we are at – a calm, warm, kitchen full of multiple tones of wood… Up next I’ll show you the tile, the stone, the hood design (not done yet), the ceiling treatment, and the controversial hardware decision (spoiler – Brian chose it and I’m not convinced it’s what we should do but no holes are drilled yet). It’s all coming together, folks Opening Image Credits: Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | Right From: Mountain House Kitchen Reveal | Left From: Styling to Sell: How We Staged Our Dining Room and Kitchen The post FARMHOUSE Check-In – A “What We Chose” Edition: Stained Wood Or Painted Cabinets… appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/xuqMOQK |
Author Kimberly ReedDesign Consultant at Furnishing Knowledge:KI Archives
April 2023
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