I turn 40 tomorrow, so to celebrate, I spent about 26 hours writing a post that was titled “The 40 Things You Don’t Know About Me,” mostly because I love a good self-reflection marathon and treat self-indulgence like a sport. I thought it would be “fun” and “easy” but it was probably the most daunting, and then eye-opening thing I’ve written in a long while, where I realized some real patterns that I hadn’t seen before, and could trace where they came from. It was like watching the Emily Henderson bio-pic as an outsider and as the 40 years went by, I found it, well, first, rather entertaining, with plot twists that I can now see were unexpected, at the same time I can now see how it all makes sense. Your patterns don’t just come from nowhere; your triggers aren’t random. Your childhood and teenage years really affect who you are in a way that is kinda terrifying as a parent myself to confront. I’m not ready to publish it in its current form. I think it’s more of a series of essays—it was already 22 pages which no one wants to read. Also, not having the gene for embarrassment and rarely shame makes it hard for me to remember that there are many others in my life who value their privacy. BORING. I will say this: I knew this would happen, you hear about it all the time, but turning 40 does mean giving less f*cks. It means that I make more choices for me and my family. There is so much more ownership of your experiences and you start being like “thank god that terrible thing happened, because I am now ______ because of it.” I feel the need to prove nothing to anybody and I have become so clear with my limitations, boundaries and expectations from everyone. Almost in a cold way which I would like to improve on. Going forward, I want to focus on my relationships with those in my life who I’m so strongly connected to, on putting even more inspiration and positivity into the world, on working on all my vulnerabilities and exposing them even more. I’ve hustled so hard, all through my 20s and 30s, I’m honestly exhausted, so guess what? IT’S TIME TO ENJOY IT. There might be some big moves this year, some pivots and shifts that will be shocking but not necessarily surprising. It’s all REALLY GOOD STUFF, I promise. I’ve got to go. I’m up at the mountain house with my family and some friends, playing a mean game of Uno with a 3 and 5 year old, sipping a glass of champagne. Have a lovely weekend. xx The post On Turning 40… appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/32i0VQO
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Welcome back to another sales post. Most of you are probably familiar with this trend by now, but if you are just joining us, basically it goes like this: American holidays = retail sales, so here at EHD we scour the internet (and our emails) for the best ones and then share that info with all of you lovely people. Of course, we implore you to celebrate the fruits of your labor by doing whatever it is you want to do. If it’s simply enjoying an extra day off, we are here for it. If it involves just peeking at the sales (because, you don’t want to lose money on this stuff) consider me your travel guide through the internet sale zeitgeist. This is a great time to refresh your room with that bedding you have been eyeing, or finally getting that perfect side table your living room desperately needs. Oh, and we snuck in some fashion sales, too, because a new outfit can certainly be considered self-care (and yes, you deserve it). Let’s get to it: Home:AllswellDates: Through Sept 8 Deal: 15% off mattresses and bedding Code: LD15 Our Picks: The Supreme | Year Round Down Alt Duvet Insert Annie SelkeDates: Through Sept 3 Deal: Save up to 50% off select bedding, rugs, pillows and throws Plus, save an extra 20% off already reduced prices at Annie Selke Outlet Code: None Our Picks: Seychelles Indigo Quilt | Masinissa Hand Knotted Rug Apt2BDates: Through Sept 3 Deal: 15% OFF Sitewide 20% OFF $1999 or more with code 5MORE 25% OFF $3499 or more with code 10MORE 30% OFF $4999 or more with code 15MORE Plus up to 50% off the Outlet FREE DELIVERY Code: None Our Picks: San Pedro Coffee Table | Pasadena Bookshelf ArticleDates: Through Sept 9 Deal: Up to 35% off select items Code: None Our Picks: Seno Media Unit | Cirrus Sofa BrooklinenDates: Through Sept 3 Deal: 10% off orders under $200 and 15% off orders over $200 Code: None Our Picks: Linen Duvet Cover |Linen Pillowcases The Container StoreDates: Through Sept 13* Deal: From 8/5 – 9/8 up to 25% off office essentials From 8/19 – 10/13, up to 25% off their custom closet portfolio: 25% off Elfa Classic and Elfa Décor + Elfa Installation 20% off Avera 10% off Laren All other shelving 25% off Code: None Our Picks: White Multi-Purpose 3-Tier Shelf | 2-Tier Bamboo Stackable Shoe Shelf Coral & TuskDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: 25% off site-wide including pillows and table linens, stationery, fabric and sale items Code: LONGWEEKEND25 Our Picks: Navy Quill Lumbar | Tumbleweed Natural Pillow FramebridgeDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: 15% all orders over $50.00 Code: LABORDAY Our Picks: Mercer Slim | Irvine Slim Home DepotDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: 20% off select bedding and bath 25% off kitchenware 35% off small kitchen appliances 40% off select furniture and home decor Code: None Our Picks: OXO Good Grips 10-Pc Everyday Kitchen Tool Set | Stella Brass Finish Bar Cart With Leather-Wrapped Handles Interior DefineDates: Through Sept 23 Deal: 15% off everything in-store and online Code: None Our Picks: Ms. Chesterfield Sofa | Sloan Sofa Jayson HomeDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: Take an additional 20% off all Closeout items Code: EXTRA20 Our Picks: Slip Chair | Sarma Pouf Lamps PlusDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: 1/2 price days and sales up to 50% off all categories of lighting and most accessories categories Code: None Our Picks: Epilogue White LED Ceiling Fan | Wide Brass 6-Light Sputnik Pendant Lulu & GeorgiaDates: Through Sept 3 Deal: 15% off $400+, with code TAKE15 20% off $800+, with code TAKE20 25% off $1200+, with code TAKE25 Code: TAKE15, TAKE20, TAKE25 Our Picks: Moroccan Flatweave Lumbar |Leila Moroccan Shag Rug MinnaDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: 20% off site-wide Code: No code Our Picks: Shadow Pillow Cream | Speckled Prong Fruit Bowl ModsyDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: 25% off all design packages 10% off select rugs available through Modsy Code: LABORDAY25 OverstockDates: Through Sept 2nd Deal: extra 20% off select items Code: None Our Picks: Safavieh Rug | Oxford Leather Tan Sofa Pier 1Dates: Through Sept 2 Deal: Extra 25% off entire purchase students save an additional 15% purchase with valid student ID Code: None Our Picks: Rattan Headboard | Magnolia Home Trinity Multi Rug Serena & LilyDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: Up to 30% off rugs Code: None Our Picks: Seaview Rug | Selby Hand-Knotted Rug TargetDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: Up to 25% off home 30% off select indoor rugs 30% off fan shop Up to 25% off patio sale and clearance Up to 20% off Chicco gear Up to 40% off clearance Code: None Our Picks: Buckland Live Edge Coffee Table | Abstract Loomed Area Rug TempaperDates: Through Sept 3 Deal: 10% off Chinoiserie, Fresh Pressed, and Zoe Bios collections as well as the Last Call section with code Code: LABORDAY10 West ElmDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: Up to 40% off sofas, sectionals, chairs and more Up to 30% off bedding, rugs, and more Up to 40% off coffee and side tables 70% off warehouse sale Up to 50% off outdoor furniture Code: None Our Picks: Anton Solid Wood Coffee Table | Hamilton Leather Sofa Fashion:ExpressDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: 50% off summer essentials Code: None Our Picks: One Eleven Slub V-Neck Tee | High Waisted Striped Sash Tie Pull-On Ankle Pant MadewellDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: Summer sendoff: up to 75% off sale styles with code Code: SEEYA Our Picks: Denim Wrap Dress | Floral Embroidered Denim Ruffle Top ModclothDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: 30% off dresses & jumpsuits Code: None Our Picks: Quite Clearly Charismatic Midi Dress | Chance Encounter Faux-Wrap Dress Urban OutfittersDates: Through Sept 2 Deal: 25% off back to school bags w/ code BAGS25 25% off books with code BOOKS25 Code: BAGS25, BOOKS25 Our Picks: Matt & Nat Vignelli Backpack | My Small Space: Starting Out in Style By Anna Ottum Well, folks, if you made it this far we hope you scored some great deals, so make sure to pop in the comments and tell us what you found. And with that, happy labor day weekend and happy shopping! xx The post Roundup: All The Best Labor Day Sales for Home and Fashion appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/2NGikij A Countdown Of Our Top Pinned Images From the YearSo Far (Did Your Favorite Make the List?)8/29/2019 If last year was the year of the bathroom, this year is the year of the kitchen. And I am not just saying this because the Mountain House kitchen was a real hot commodity this year (put it this way: the kitchen would have been #2 #4, #5 and #6 in this roundup) but because a number of other kitchens are up there in this list, too. This isn’t huge news to us, since you guys have been validating this fact via comments and blog traffic, but it is always fun to see the data match up. And you know what else? Trend posts yield a LOT of re-pins from our site. This actually makes perfect sense to me despite the general aversion to the word “trend.” I understand why those posts do so well because seeing designers do new things and experiment with what’s “in” or (more likely) “what’s coming back” at the moment is exciting to look at, because it is different. We don’t all run out and redesign our homes based on them, but they are visually interesting so to the Pinterest inspiration boards they go. Seeing what our most pinned images are is of course very important research, but also, a reason to revisit beautiful photos that were inspiring enough to be scroll stoppers is always a yes in our book. So without further ado, let the countdown begin… Coming in at #10: This shot from Velinda’s Tiny Kitchen Makeover Takeover (With Tons of Smart Storage Hacks)We are off to a good start with Velinda’s 49-square-foot kitchen full of those always necessary and sought-after small space storage hacks. Sign us up. Not only is this space a sight for sore eyes, (the tile! the countertop! the shelves! the cabinets!) the post is really informative and transparent about what it costs to do a mid-level renovation, which I imagine was part of the desire to hit that “pin” button. Before moving on, if you haven’t seen the before of this kitchen (or need a refresher), I suggest you head here to see it. The transformation is pretty wild, and the wise musings by Velinda are always worth the read. Coming in at #9: This bathroom from Why You Should Be Using Armoires In Every RoomYou all were very into this post, as was I (and the rest of EHD). It was when I realized my love for armoires and wardrobes was deep and only growing stronger by the minute. They instantly add visual interest to a room, and they are essentially giant, gorgeous junk drawers (or you know, linen cabinets for “tidy” people). So, this one is a no brainer in our book. Coming in at #8: This dining and living room combo from A High Impact & Actually Doable Lighting Trend We’re Seeing EverywhereWe pulled this photo of composer Jonathan Sheffer’s home to prove that pendants are in and possibly plotting world domination. According to our data, you guys loved this post and the inspiration photos from it. I mean, I can only imagine why. The pin-ability of this photo is unreal. I also have it pinned in my “Makeover Takeover” inspiration board, though “aspirational” board may be more accurate because there is a lot to aspire to here. But pairing that giant globe pendant with two micro pendants is something special and totally doable. Not to mention this room is making a solid case for the brown trend. Coming in at #7: The gallery wall of our dreams from Makeover Takeover: Jess’ (Long Awaited) Small Space Living Room RevealOkay, who wouldn’t want to stare at this wall 24/7? There are so many beautiful things to soak in, and every single thing here looks so good together. Hot tip: if you have a gallery wall conundrum, get yourself a Jess to help out (or just head to her living room MOTO for the tricks of the trade). Coming in at #6: This moody kitchen from 9 Kitchen Trends We’re Betting Will Be Huge In 2019Here comes another kitchen from a very early 2019 trend post we did (see what I mean? Y’all love trends and kitchens). This particular shot was used to suggest that dark countertops and cabinets are going to give us all a run for our money this year. A lot of you agreed at the time but the question is: What do you think now? Were we right? Have you weighed in here yet? Coming in at #5: This magical patio from Mountain House Monday: The Exterior Update And PlanThis one felt like a wild card amongst the rest of the list, but that is not to say it is undeserving. It is one of the inspiration photos for the Mountain House exterior and has the whimsical mountain getaway feel I think we all crave. I would gladly throw a summer soiree out here, thank you very much. Coming in at #4: This minimalist dining room from A High Impact & Actually Doable Lighting Trend We’re Seeing EverywhereSee? Pendants are taking over and we (and apparently you, too) are on board. But really, there is so much to ooh and ahh over here. Those chairs for one are enough to stop anyone’s thumb from scrolling but also, every time I look at this photo there is something new to love. It is definitely the eye candy we all deserve. (Side note: how are we feeling about “matching” dining sets? These probably aren’t a “set” as much as the wood tones just coordinate very well, but if done well…could it be a thing again?) Coming in at #3: Every kids’ dream room from Mountain House: The Kids Room RevealThis room has the most DIYs of the mountain house, which could be part of its popularity among the Pinterest sphere but I will venture to guess it is also because this room is just plain cool. I desperately want this room for past me, aka 5-10 year old Ryann who would literally climb up and on top of everything like a monkey. Plus, this room screams adventure and fun while still being incredibly stylish. Coming in at #2: The rustic-Scandi-minimalist kitchen from It’s Finally Here: The Mountain House Kitchen RevealAhh there she is. An EHD pride and joy. No matter what, I will always stop scrolling for the mountain house kitchen. It deserves all the love IMO, and it is so exciting to see our love for it reciprocated by all of you. And like I said, this kitchen would have been all over this list, so if you feel deprived from seeing all the shots that would have made the list, get your fix here. And finally… . . . . . . . . . . . Coming in at #1: This mudroom inspiration from Why You Should Be Using Armoires In Every RoomAnother wild card!! I wouldn’t have guessed this one, but I am not mad about it. I mean, talk about a rustic, country dreamboat. Can you just imagine coming home from work to this? Or more likely, coming home from tending to your luscious vegetable garden? So. Rustic. Chic. Alright friends, that is all I have for you today, Are you surprised by any on the list, and which is your favorite? Do you want more of these posts? Should we do them quarterly or is once a year enough? Tell us everything. The post A Countdown Of Our Top Pinned Images From the Year…So Far (Did Your Favorite Make the List?) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/32aDlFz The importance of lighting is real people. Plus, sitting in the dark is only charming for a very short amount of time…like 5 mins I’d say. However, as I am sure I don’t have to tell you, lighting can be v expensive. Would all of us love to be able to afford a $700 floor lamp? Sure. But not all of us can or actually want to put a huge chunk of our budget into just that one department. We absolutely get that and thought that a comprehensive list of our favorite, more affordable, lighting resources would be helpful to fix this issue. To preface, we aren’t saying all of the sources we are about to provide are exclusively in the $50 and under price range. But knowing the market and how pricey lighting is for the most part, this list gives you a much wider range of more affordable options…don’t worry, some are under $50. We’ve got you. Let’s now shine that perfectly warm, slightly dimmed light on our favorites. Nordic Wall Sconce | Iris Designer Floor Lamp | Color Swirls Table Lamp AmazonYes, Amazon is an amazing resource for not only your books and hard to find beauty products but they have A TON of great and very affordable lighting options. Sure, you have to dig a bit but the reward is lots of savings and 2-day prime delivery. You may remember the sconces from the 120-year-old barn…yep, Amazon baby. Reynold Matte Black Sconce | Grid Black and White Polka Dot Table Lamp | Plate Matte Black Wall Sconce CB2We are all big fans of everything CB2 and their lighting is no exception. While they aren’t super cheap, they are much more affordable than a lot of other similar style resources and are VERY chic (and edgy). Plus, they have sales all the time to help lower that price point. Modern Black Gold Pendant Lamp | Black Brass Modern Pendant Lamp | Modern Brass Maple Wood Pendant DL Design WorksThis was a killer Etsy find. They have unique modern designs that have natural elements to them which is why they are so great. They have a moderate price point but from where we are standing, look like they are well worth it. Rockport 1 Light Table Lamp | Mid Century Flowerpot Table Lamp | Mid Century Astia Long Wall Sconce France & SonsFrance & Son is the place to go for moderately priced modern Scandi design. They sell very pretty reproductions at a MUCH more approachable price. Now, we understand the complications behind reproductions and always want to promote original work. We think if you can afford original art then you SHOULD buy it. But original work is unattainable for most. We however, of course, understand the reason for the high prices since SO much work goes into it. It’s a fine line and we get both sides from a consumer standpoint. But will all that said we do love France & Son for making cool lighting accessible. Oak Table Lamp Cone Shape | Wooden Table Lamp | Oak Table Lamp Bottle Shape Home and KitchenAll hail Etsy for showing us this great lighting resource. We are suckers for a good wooden lamp. These handmade beauties are not only real easy on the eyes but also affordable (around $60+). The perfect mix of modern and organic if we say so ourselves. Modern Natural Wood Oak Tripod LED Floor Lamp | Matte Brass Desk Lamp | Gold/Black Minimalist Resin/Metal LED Floor Lamp Home DepotIf you go on homedepot.com (the selection is much better than in-store) you are sure to find crazy inexpensive lighting deals. They have A LOT of products in a ton of different styles, so you need to dig a bit but the savings are too good to pass up. IKEAWould this even be an affordable roundup post without the great IKEA? No, no it would not. IKEA is constantly stepping it up and we love their new lighting. That black wood floor lamp also comes in natural and Arlyn almost bought it for her living room MOTO. She says it’s even prettier in person so…GO GET IT (if you need it). White Modern Sconce | Pendant Light | Black & Brass Sconce Illuminate VintageSee that sconce on the far right? That is the stunning sconce that Arlyn used in her dining room makeover. So not only can she vouch for the very chic design but also that they have awesome customer service and ship SUPER fast. Have a look because they have a huge selection. Bronx Wide Black Mini Pendant | Brava Antique Brass Down-Light Wall Lamp | Dawson Dark Bronze Pharmacy Floor Lamp Lamps PlusAs the name implies, these guys know lights and they have SO MANY options. The price range is wide so there is something for any style and every budget. I was very impressed as I was picking out our picks. Repurposed Fishing Trap Basket Bamboo Pendant | Handmade Bamboo Pendant Lamp | Bamboo Pendant Light LannaPassaNeed a beautiful and really affordable woven pendant light? Then, boy, do we have the place for you. LannaPassa has a variety of great pendants to boho the heck out of your home and add some beautiful texture. Decco Contemporary Adjustable Floor Lamp | Copper Grove Baptisia Brass Floor Lamp | Proclaim Metal Table Lamp Overstock.comNever forget the magic of Overstock.com. Remember Emily’s $60 beautiful/perfect nightstands she just revealed in the downstairs guestroom in the mountain house? Yep, they were from Overstock. Their lighting is no exception. They have a ton to look through at super, SUPER great prices. Tapered Concrete Table Lamp | Bare Bulb Chandelier | Globe Capped Cone Ceiling Light Shades of LightEmily has worked with Shades of Light a few times and most prominently with the exterior sconces of her LA patio and the sconces in the mountain house living room. Their products aren’t crazy inexpensive but the quality is awesome. Solid Brass Adjustable Wall Sconce | Black Wall Sconce | Scissors Lamp Sconce Smile Lamp WorksAffordable and local (well to Southern California)! This last Etsy find is a good one. They have extremely affordable and very awesome light fixtures (mainly hardwired) that will instantly light up your home both figuratively and literally. Their styles range from nouveau to MCM to industrial. A little something for almost everyone. Metal Table Lamp | Loewy Brass Reflector Sconce Brass | Metal Task Lamp TargetWhile alphabetically, Target is towards the bottom of our list, I think you all know it should be at the TOP since it’s one of our favorites. Their home brands have an awesome variety of styles that look SO GOOD in person and are super affordable. We all have at least one Target light in each of our homes…by choice to be clear. Sun Pink and White Table Lamp | Emerald Table Lamp With Tassels | Braided Pendant Light TrouvaI have stumbled upon this site a few times and am always impressed with the great and unique selection from vendors all over the world at pretty reasonable prices. So when I was thinking of sources, I thought, “Trouva!” Get ready to jump into a pretty fun design rabbit hole. Marlie Curved Metal Floor Lamp | Teardrop Wicker Sconce | Mia Ceramic Table Lamp Urban OutfittersUrban never disappoints when it comes to very affordable lighting that feels very cool. And it’s only been getting better over the past couple of years. I am personally pretty obsessed with all three of these picks. They are organic, modern, unique but still simple enough to blend with almost any style. Curvilinear Mid-Century Short Sconce | Tapered Shade Floor Lamps | Hourglass USB Task Lamp West ElmThe true mass-market ruler of updated mid-century modern (and beyond) is West Elm. Their lighting is always just really good, reasonably priced and looks way more expensive than it is. Like CB2, they are always having sales so most likely you won’t have to pay full price which is music to our ears. Mid Century White Marble Table Lamp With Black Linen Shade | Natural Geometric Wicker Ethan Table Lamp | Black Swiveling Wall Sconce With Wicker Shade World MarketThe affordable boho haven has great lighting. Their selection ranges from super eclectic to modern and fresh, always at a fair price. My first pendant light I ever installed in my home (seven years ago) was from World Market and I still have it because it still looks awesome. Needless to say, their products are good quality and so cute. That’s it for today’s (hopefully) extremely helpful roundup. We really love lighting and hope that you find some of your perfect matches with this post. But never forget the powers of Craigslist, thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales and estate sales for those “crazy inexpensive” deals. We just want you to love your home and to give you as many resources possible. This is starting to sound like a love letter so I will sign off. BUT as always… Love you, mean it. The post Where to Buy Affordable Lighting Online: 18 of Our Go-To Resources appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/2ZsXcy1 You may have seen all the reveals that we’ve shown thus far, but there is more to this story. As I’ve mentioned throughout this process, House Beautiful was going to be running an exclusive feature story on the mountain house (on newsstands now). We shot the house with some different styling options, sent them all the photos, I wrote the text and then I waited…with a big of happy anxiety to see how the story actually looked. I didn’t know what photos they’d chose or how they’d edit the story (no, magazines don’t give you—or me or anyone—final approval before it goes to print as part of their journalistic power. They run what is best for their readers). So when it finally arrived to me (a little earlier than newsstand date), it was so fun to see what they actually published—both photos and words. So today I thought it would be fun to show you the published the House Beautiful spread of the house. I also wrote the story exclusively for them (you haven’t read this before) and today you’ll see a sneak peek into the master bedroom and master bath (coming at you next week). Lastly, I thought it would be fun to show you some of the different styling options that we gave them (magazines like options, I get it, ME TOO). Not to anyone’s surprise, I exceeded my 600-word assigned story, by about 2,000 words. My final piece weighed in at 2,670 words, which is a typical blog post around here (this is not industry standard, FYI). I’m incapable of being concise, blamed mostly on the fact that (I think) I have a lot to say. The pros that they are, they cut it down to the assigned number (above) which basically tells the same story, in a much more concise way. Below, you’ll see a few other shots that they ran. They originally asked us to reshoot the kids’ room without “Christmas,” when I informed them that A. It wasn’t Christmas, it’s just a “camping/adventure” themed room (thus the trees) and B. The kids now share a king bed (with me often in the middle) which I think most people think is weird, so we didn’t reshoot it. Hilariously even Birdie when she saw the magazine was like “ooh, remember Christmas in our room?” so I suppose those trees really did give off the holiday vibe. There you have your master bath sneak peek, but you HAVE to come back next week and see the full room. That one shot does not tell the full story, obviously. They ran the loft shot, but with a different chair (this one is from Norell Furniture) than we actually have in there. They weren’t sure if they were going to run the living room and the family room, so we put this chair up in the loft (which actually lives in the family room) because I LOVE it and I wanted to ensure it got in a shot that would be run. Here’s how it actually looks: I actually like the Norrell chair in there better, but it also looks so much better in the family room than this chair would and it’s far more comfortable. No one really sits in that chair up here so it doesn’t have to be as comfy. For the HB shoot, we also borrowed some awesome pieces from County LTD in Silverlake (that stool in the previous shot) but I returned it after since they are pretty spendy and I don’t really need a side table there, or if I do it could be a more affordable version. And here is your sneak peek into the master bedroom. They only ran one shot so you’ll have to come back for the full tour next week (and all the resources). Hang tight. I thought we were going to reshoot this bathroom as I styled it so minimally for the reveal of this room, but they wanted to run that photo. I kinda wish that I had styled some folded white towels to show the function of the shelf, but it’s a powder room so that didn’t make sense. For real life, we have a basket of toilet paper rolls. We took a couple new photos of the kitchen because the dining room was so different than when we revealed the kitchen (and you can see in the background). Plus they wanted more of a lifestyle moment. I think that was the day that we didn’t have a car, but I had this squash, so yes, I’m cutting a squash at that moment. Ok, that’s the full feature of the house that they ran. Like I mentioned, we’ll be revealing master bed and bath next week (Tuesday September 3 and 4), and still have the guest room, upstairs kids play attic and master closet still to shoot and show you. A lot of magazines want things to be more “editorial” to tell more of a story, which often includes more accessories, and more “lifestyle” moments to help it feel more personal (cups of coffee, food props, bags and shoes, etc.), but as you know this house was to be more minimal for our family so we gave them multiple options for some of the rooms. For the blog, it might be more pulled back and less styled, but for the magazine, we’d amp it up a bit. I honestly didn’t even amp it up as much as we could have, and looking back I realize that even for the blog I could have styled it out with more pillows, etc. But I really wanted to stay true to what I had promised myself and you—LESS STUFF. So below you’ll see some styling options of the living room (if it’s too small just click on it and it will blow up bigger): I liked them all in different ways, and even gave them a couple that had more negative space in case they wanted to put copy on it. I couldn’t decide between the below shots, as I like both, but ended up doing the black throw and the lamp with the black shade. In case you have missed the reveals thus far, we linked them all down below. If you haven’t picked up the issue of House Beautiful, please do! I’m a massive fan of that magazine and I think it’s VERY important to support print versions. But if you want to see the digital version head here to check it out. Thank you so much House Beautiful for the generous feature. And again, thanks to my photo and styling team for all your incredible hard work up there this summer shooting this house. xx Check out the rest of The Mountain House reveals here: The Kitchen | The Kitchen Organization | The Kitchen Appliances | The Powder Bath | The Living Room | The Downstairs Guest Suite | The Loft | The Hall Bath | The Upstairs Guest Bath | The Dining Room | The Kids’ Room | The Family Room The post A Sneak Peek Into the Master Suite + Behind the Scenes of Our House Beautiful Feature appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/30DIHc9 Two Saturdays ago was our first reader event at the mountain house. We invited 30 (+ plus-ones) of our most dedicated readers/followers up to Lake Arrowhead and the EHD team hosted them for the day. It was EXTREMELY fun, fulfilling, rewarding and pretty much made our year. At first, I thought maybe it would be “good marketing” if it was more of an “influencer” or “press” event…what I “should” do, but I really just wanted to be with people who knew me, were dedicated to this process, super engaged in the contest and had commented for YEARS. The goal of the day was to really thank these readers and treat them to a day in the mountains—both the house and the general cultures. Once I realized that so many people were flying in from Oklahoma, Florida, New York, Arizona, etc, I realized that a 3-hour party wasn’t good enough, so my team went all out to ensure that they had 8 hours of fun to look forward to. Thank you, Caitlin, for jumping in so fast to produce this event (we literally threw this at her on her second day of work). But it wasn’t without prep, as we all know and it PAINED me that the exterior wasn’t landscaped yet, but my team came up with some really pretty solutions. The team spent the few days prior (and the morning of…SO MUCH PREP GUYS) setting up the back yard area where we knew a lot of “hanging” out would happen (particularly during lunch). While, yes, I’m a chair hoarder, there wasn’t enough seating throughout the interior, so we pulled from our prop closet (remember these chairs from the Culligan spa post and that table from a vintage haul post we did last year?). We bought a handful of these pretty rad folding lounge chairs from IKEA, cut down some stumps for “side tables,” hung some hammocks, and set out tables and chairs. Honestly, it was kinda perfect. Because a party is no fun without things to awkwardly shove into your mouth mid-conversation the whole time, Emily Bowser crafted these RIDICULOUSLY gorgeous cheeseboards. She literally whipped them up on under an hour (prep and all), and we started calling these “Boards by Bowser” because they were so stunning and professional. Please don’t poach her from my styling team. We bussed everyone in from town on a LITERAL party bus (yes, there were colored lights and, uh, a stripper pole…because we classy at EHD), and let everyone roam around the house, take pictures, talk to each other (plenty of them had met up the day prior and already knew each other!) and the team, and just generally hang out and really experience the space. Shout out to Topo Chico who sent us nine cases of bubbly water to enjoy during the event (and at the office). I had never had it before but my team swore by it and now I’m foregoing La Croix for life. For some “libations,” we made some custom cocktails (something we called a “mountain house margarita” which was really just a margarita, ha, and a whiskey-based mojito which was so yummy). HOT TIP: Make drinks self-serve with plenty of cups, ice and garnishes so you don’t feel like you have to play bartender all night. We had a staff to help (my team) but we aren’t caterers or bartenders and I didn’t want them to feel too much like they were “working” by literally serving people so this worked GREAT. Another big THANK YOU goes out to Stonefire Grill for providing lunch for the event. They brought over an assortment of entree salads, a ridiculously good pesto pasta, BBQ beef and pita and hummus. Jazz (pictured above) was AWESOME. And lastly, another thank you to Milkbar who provided the most decadent funfetti cake, cake truffles and SO MANY COOKIES (if you’ve never had anything from Milkbar and have one locally, you’ll be very pleased when you stuff their sweetness into your cookie hole. While the food was great, the BEST part of the day (of course) was meeting all these incredible, amazing, devoted readers. It wasn’t just for me, it made the whole team feel so good. Talking to actual human beings who consume our work behind screens every day is unreal. Honestly, by the end of the day, I think the whole EHD was floating around full of pure joy and just genuinely elated from the outpouring of support, encouragement and love we felt from this group ALL DAY. A little after lunch, we did one of our favorite group activities: A STYLE DIAGNOSTIC. It’s basically an IRL version of our style quiz to “diagnose” your decor aesthetic and it’s so much fun (and strangely accurate). We should find a way to package this up and send out it in the mail to everyone who wants it. Wait…should we do that?!? I have this fantasy of sending it out and then doing a live IGTV or whatever platform people can ask questions with…stay tuned. We also had a long, informal Q&A session where myself and the team answered TONS of questions, mostly about the business, how we run the crazy behind-the-scenes of this site and the production that goes into it (both design- and editorial-wise), but also some more personal “working mom” questions. I cried. What’s new. Next up was a boat tour around Lake Arrowhead which was so much fun (for whoever didn’t suffer from seasickness). It seemed strange to invite all these people up to a mountain/lake town and not take them on the water (and Lake Arrowhead is private so you can’t even rent your own boats, thus renting out the tour boat). If you’re local(ish) and ever make it up to Lake Arrowhead and want a kill of hour on a lake, take the tour. The captain calls out all the “famous” spots (i.e. like where they filmed the lake scene of the original Parent Trap where the twins put their dad’s girlfriend on a mattress and push her into the water)…basically it’s like an LA celebrity tour bus, but on a boat, and in Lake Arrowhead. It’s charming and sweet. We wrapped up the night at my family’s favorite restaurant in the area: LouEddie’s Pizza. They have a beautiful area in the back that they rent out for events and weddings and it’s pretty magical. Basically, imagine eating yummy pizza under a canopy of trees and string lights with the sound of water fountains bubbling in the background surrounding by ridiculously charming little cabins. The biggest takeaway from the day was the importance of connecting with our community. That sounds like I’m running for your local councilwoman, but it solidified the importance of getting real feedback from you, the people, who have read consistently for years rather than reading the comments of infrequent readers (or trolls) that steer us in directions that we can get easily lost in. Thanks to all the readers for coming. Again, we were so touched that some of you left your babies for the first time, some of you dropped your kids off at kindergarten for the first day then hopped on a flight. I’m so glad it was a success. If you were at the event (a lot of you happened to have your own blogs!), please leave links to your posts below in the comments and we’ll update the post throughout the day to share. I truly LOVED talking to every single person and felt totally elated, in fact, the next day I crashed (both because of adrenaline, but also because I think it was a real emotional high). Brian was there shooting all day, and here’s a visual recap of the day: Our sitter brought the kids to LouEddies where the readers got to meet them. Charlie was shy but listened to the Q&A next to Brian nearby. Brian helped explain to them what was happening, what I was doing, why everyone was there to see me…I could cry because that would NEVER have happened 50 years ago. Not that a woman wouldn’t have done these things, we have for decades, but that a husband would take the time to make sure that the kids knew how important their mom is. They know I write a design blog and work for magazines, that’s it. We don’t talk about a “following” or readers/fans, and they’ve never seen Instagram. They freaked out when I was on Good Morning America, trying to get me to wave back to them via the computer, but it’s not like they watch the news. So many people are on the internet (YouTube, etc.) so it wasn’t impressive. So to them, they were like “Woah, all these people are here to listen to my mama?” It was so special and I felt empowered answering questions, making people laugh in front of my family. I think the margaritas helped. People asked me up until the minute before the event if I was stressed and I honestly wasn’t. I was truly EXCITED. Even days before, pulling together the house (every closet needed to be organized, every drawer cleaned) my friends were like “Aren’t you stressed about 60 people coming here in 2 days” and I kinda was working like a crazy person, but not stressed. There was no sponsor involved, no talking points to hit, just me, my team and 60ish people who really appreciate and care about what we do. But mostly I wasn’t stressed because I have such a great team that had pulled it all together so well in every way. The details were thought through, both visually and logistically. Everyone gave up a Saturday to help out which I know is a sacrifice, so I can even more enthusiastically say ENJOY YOUR WEEK OFF. This is one of two weeks that we shut down the office, to reset, recalibrate in every way and they deserve it. THANK YOU EHD TEAM. You are THE BEST. And I can’t wait for you to meet them all in September, properly. Head to stories if you want to see more of the event, it was pretty epic and I can’t wait to do another one…now we just need to find our 2020 project…stay tuned. xx ***photography by Veronica Crawford The post Our First Ever Reader Event At the Mountain House—A Recap appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/324LzPO Happy Sunday fun day, folks. We hate to brag, but it is an especially happy one for team EHD because we are OOO for the entire week (yes, our boss is pretty freaking cool and we are so grateful) but don’t worry, we have a week of blog posts scheduled for you because as they say, the show must go on. Speaking of showbiz, Lena Dunham’s bright and happy home tour was featured in Domino this past week and we think there is a lot to love about it. It is extremely intoxicating with so many colors, shapes, and cool vintage finds. Plus, her essay on finding out “home is where you make it” is worth the read. Anyway, we can certainly talk about home tours all day long, but we have much more to dish about so let’s get to the rest of those EHD links… First up, Emily couldn’t have been more excited to see that EHD alum Ginny Macdonald designed Create & Cultivate’s new office. The space is stunning and it is so wonderful to see a collaboration between two creatives that she loves. Caitlin knows that pimple patches aren’t a new thing, but she’s here with the ultimate tried-and-true patch, and they only cost twelve dollars for a full year’s supply! “Y’all, these are Korean and nothing else holds a candle to them. Pop on a patch before bed and wake up zit-free. It’s like magic.” Arlyn has held off on the Birkenstock trend for as long as she could, but she recently got these black leather ones and she’s never looking back because OMG are they comfortable. She says, “FYI, size down…I’m normally a 7.5 in open toe shoes (8 in closed toe), and I ended up ordered a US 6/EU 37. I could have easily gone for the US 7/EU 38, too, but I didn’t want them to look too…clompy.” Ryann has been so inspired by all the bedroom reveals on the site lately and has the itch to start a MOTO for her own master. She knows she wants a vintage dresser, so she’s been spending her nights digging through Chairish for some inspiration. Chandler is always looking for ways to sneak sunscreen into her morning routine. Something that doesn’t have a strong scent, lasts throughout the day and works well with makeup. Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen has proven to be just that. The sunscreen goes on matte and isn’t greasy, making it so easy to add to her morning routine layered right over her moisturizer. (Arlyn can also vouch for this as she uses it every day) One of Sara’s favorite singers, Aurora, just released a new album called A Different Kind Of Human. From Sara: “All her songs kinda make me feel like a Viking warrior, which is pretty chill when I’m stuck in traffic or forcing myself to run that extra 2 minutes.” Mallory is highly susceptible to Instagram ads, so she went ahead and purchased a Quip toothbrush. She’s very into the look of it (she got the gold metal), especially since she’s so tired of all the extremely bright colored plastic toothbrushes she’s had over the years. While she does wish the brush had softer bristles, it’s worth it for the refills that get delivered straight to your door every 3 months. And there you go, a full toothbrush review. These sandals have become Carolina’s go-to this summer..She wears them EVERYDAY because they literally go with everything (FYI, they run small so she recommends going a half size up). Velinda’s 16-year-old dog just got spoiled with TWO of these orthopedic beds because he gets “roamy” at night and giving him more places to settle helps his nightly stir-crazies. The bed is lower in the front so it’s easy for him to get in and out. It is a good option for old dogs, but comfy for any. Bowser has been on the SEARCH for the perfect bedside table lamps for her MOTO and has been striking out. Luckily, Instagram is a stalker and knows this and put Gantri on her feed. Gantri is a sustainable lighting company with fair prices and great design. Check, check, CHECK! They use 3D printing to make their lights. HOW COOL IS THAT?? We are living in the future! As an ample-chested gal (34D), Jess tends to have a hard time finding fun and dare she say “sexy” tops that still feel cool and casual. Enter in this very cute top. The ruffle straps are wide enough to wear a normal bra and neckline is super flattering without giving too much away if you catch her drift. Pair with a high waisted pant (it’s a little cropped) and you are good to go. Also, she got a large so it wasn’t too tight. And finally, we are heartbroken about the devastating fires destroying the Amazon right now. It can feel hopeless and overwhelming trying to figure out what we can do to help, but we found this article extremely helpful. If you have any other resources, please leave them in the comments below. That is where we leave you for today, but we hope to see you around tomorrow for a very special reader event recap. xx The post The Link Up: A Celebrity Home Tour, Chandler’s Everyday Skin Care Essential & The Best Bed For Your Fur Baby appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/30wU7i3 Summer, 2019. This was the last summer before Charlie, 5 years old, starts real school—kindergarten—where we aren’t in control of our own lives/time as much. It’s the last summer before other, older kids have more influence on him, and perhaps the last summer that he is absolutely obsessed with his parents (although hopefully not). I say this all with glassy eyes. It was such a good summer I could cry. In March, I proposed to Brian that we try to work up at the mountain house as much as we can over the summer with the kids. Not to “take the summer off”, but be with the kids as much as possible, up there instead of in LA. There was some resistance, the argument being I can work up there (writing and shooting), but he felt he would be bored and relegated to full-time childcare. I would have other outlets, he wouldn’t. My perspective was that our kids are only young once and while there are many stresses of owning and running your own business, and flexibility is one of the biggest and most valuable ‘pros’. This summer could be the best gift we can give our small kids and each other. Turning 40 next week has certainly made me want to prove to myself that my life choices are indeed mine and I really, really wanted us to choose this choice. And then the best thing happened. Brian booked a video series job UP THERE. BOOM documenting another makeover (for Jenni Kayne’s president). I mother f*ckin’ manifested that (technically you aren’t supposed to be able to manifest things for others, but I mean, what are the chances???). At this point, we were already paying for some summer camps near LA for both kids, so no, we didn’t stay up there all summer, but I’d say a good 5 weeks over the two months. We had back-to-back very close family/friends from out of town, mostly Oregon, so many “cousins”, and it was incredibly special to have one-on-one time with all of them. We have a rule to only host one family at a time even if we can fit more because we find that we don’t connect with them if there are too many kids running around (nor do we connect with our kids so we had space between most of them where it was just us four). I wrote/answered emails/comments from 7 am -11 am most days with some larger chunks when needed. And Brian was amazing and would take the kids 4-5 hours at a time during other days so I could work or shoot. I actually got a TON of writing done, in a quiet space (all the mountain house posts). But sacrifices were made and my team was so patient with me as I answered their 4 pm emails at 6 am the next day. Maybe it’s not ideal, but life with two jobs and two kids never is and I suppose I’m actively and proudly currently choosing my family over my work/business. Again, I know that is a very privileged thing to say, and while I often don’t feel like I have a choice, I DO—and not everyone does so I really try to not take it for granted. Listen, whenever I’m trying to make a decision, I ask the only person who knows me better than myself: my 85-year-old version of me. I asked her if I’d ever regret neglecting work to spend time with my kids while they were so small and she said “NO.” Nobody in the history of time, on their death bed, has wished they spent less time with their kids when they were little. She is very wise. I didn’t post or story too much what we did over the summer, mostly because I didn’t feel like it or I would simply forget. This is a GREAT thing as a huge part of being with the kids is being present. I hate saying things like “being in the moment” but we all know that social media rips you out of the moment so fast, and thank god I’m not actually addicted to my phone as much as you’d think I am (I got my first cell phone at 22 so I think my brain was more fully formed). But as I was scrolling through all my photos, like a mom, I wanted to share them because this space has always been a journal for me, both design and personal, and it’s been a while… So family summer 2019…HERE YOU GO (or at least whatever I remembered to capture). SO MUCH SWIMMING:So many bodies in so many bodies of water. Brian bought this pontoon on craigslist, and while it has broken down like five times, this party barge has absolutely been worth the stress. Besides, being rescued by the lake patrollers is actually kinda fun (twice was because the rope was wrapped up in the propeller; we are “still learning”). The kids pretend to not like it ’til they get out there and we cruise, jump in, dock at the island, hike around and listen to “yacht rock.” We might be naming the boat the “Michael MacDonald” because every time we start the speakers, that’s what comes on. Although “I’m hungry, I wanna snack” is a close second because the SECOND we get on, those kids start at it for something packaged. We went to the beach a TON. The kids mostly played in the sand and we sat there and read books/magazines and chatted and sipped on a beverage. The water was shallow enough that we didn’t have to worry too much. So yes, we swam in lakes, in pools, at the beach. I’m happy to say that through consistency, Charlie is finally able (and comfortable) jumping into the deep end, and swimming to the side without drowning. All of you moms know that this is a moment we’ve been waiting for for 5 and a half years. Can he swim? HELL NO. Can he “not drown”? YES. All it took was consistency. We’ve had them in swim classes twice a week for 15 minutes each (30 total) for months and no progress. But after 2 weeks of swimming most days, we are there. Birdie, not so much. Hopefully this fall or next summer. GOLF CARTING:It became our goal to not get into the car, so we would golf cart it down (in the Ferrari, obviously) to the dock and then take our janky pontoon to the village for lunch or the small amusement park and then back. Brian bought the golf cart on Craigslist an hour away, with the Ferrari bumper sticker already perfectly placed, with a tape deck and fringe on top. It breaks down like once a month but good news! You can pay someone loads of cash each time to fix your 30-year-old piece of garbage!! SKYPARK AT SANTA’S VILLAGE:The most amazing family adventure park is 10 minutes from our house and once we became members, we went there 2-3 times a week. Brian and I got STRANGELY into mountain biking, although it’s extreme. As in professionals come from the whole country to bike down it. Biking has always been something we’ve done together, but I didn’t predict that I would become an extreme mountain biker. This was the beginning of #mountainemily. Skypark also has rock climbing, bouldering, zipline, archery, kids biking, hiking, fishing, roller skating (ice skating in the winter), panning for jewels, and 2-3 restaurants with decent food and good beers. It’s expensive for the day ($40) but if you can go frequently, it’s the best deal in town. It’s rarely busy so our kids can really run safely (but it makes me worried that it’s going to go out of business so please go!). No ad, and they don’t know I exist. It’s just a special place that used to be a year-round Christmas park that went bankrupt and a local family revamped it as a year-round adventure park with a huge Christmas component with Santas, ice skating, snow, reindeers, etc. IT’S AWESOME. WE PLAYED IN THE WOODS:We made forts, climbed trees, biked around, and did a lot of night hikes with headlights. There are no mosquitos up there and our property backs up to 50 acres that are gated with no cars or bodies of water. It’s an absolute dream for people like us who like just collecting bugs, leaves, and the kids played so many games (all with a “buddy”). WE CUDDLED AND SLEPT:That might be my favorite moment of the summer. We laid in that hammock for an hour, next to the fake river and I got to snuggle both kids in the morning for like 45 minutes while we read. WHAT ELSE COULD YOU WANT? Sure, we didn’t sleep as much as we should have (you never do on vacation with kids) but these two slept whenever and wherever they could. Birdie fell asleep on me most days either on the beach or on the boat. I LOVED it, even if I got held hostage by her sleep and couldn’t go jump in the lake or go on the hikes. My future self will NEVER wish that I had less time with my babies asleep on my chest. WE BBQ’D, ATE AND TALKED/DRANK:I don’t have any photos of it, but one night we got a sitter and took our adult friends out for a night cruise. We talked, danced and listened to music for FOUR HOURS. We all said that it was truly one of the most fun nights of our lives. We were alone on the lake, listening to college hits and for real DANCING. I don’t have pictures of us BBQing, eating or partying but needless to say, we DID IT UP. Everyone who knows me knows that I have two modes: work mode and party mode and I’m pretty great at rallying at both, so I had to really learn to just chill, cook, lay in the hammock and read with my kids. We made delicious food and watched a lot of family movies. Also, we gave my brother hair extensions. So natural! WE WENT TO LOLLIPOP PARK:There is also a tiny amusement park with a carousel, bumper cars, go-carts and a few toddler rides that the kids are OBSESSED with. It’s in the village and takes like 15 minutes to do with no lines, and it’s pretty cheap so we took each family there at least once. This house, this mountain town is truly what our family needs. We are highly social so sometimes in LA, we invite too many people over and since I can’t sit down, I end up hosting to the point of burning out (without knowing it). So being up there, having one family at a time that stayed for an extended period of time meant that everyone was helping, I wasn’t “hosting” just providing the house. Also, the options for what to do are either woods, boat, pool or beach. Not having very many restaurants or museums/activities to go to means that your days are free to just choose what you feel like. Re-entry has been hard, but Labor Day is nearby and while I’m not doing much for my birthday this year, it’s more of an excuse to unplug and feel “on vacation.” But my 85-year-old version of myself was totally right: I don’t think I’ll ever regret how much time I spent with my kids, friends and family this summer. Memories were made, folks, and you BET I’ve already started my summer of 2019 scrapbook (it’s for the kids, duh :)). The post How I Spent My Summer Vacation (a.k.a The Best Summer Ever) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/2zli7Ze Today’s reveal is my favorite type of “work” and why I feel like the luckiest person on the planet that this is my job. Velux skylights approached me about doing a makeover for a family that could use some “brightening up,” and I said “yes” very quickly. When your job is helping others through design and style, you feel pretty darn lucky. We posted about the contest here, and hundreds of you entered to get the free makeover, which included new skylights. Raeann secretly entered Kristen for the contest, both being avid readers for years (THANK YOU) and their story was one that seemed perfect for what we were going to be able to bring to them. Here they are, with myself and the design lead on this job, Julie Rose. Kristen and Raeann have been together for 7 years, married for nearly one. They live in Salt Lake City and bought their house a year and a half ago. Last year, Kristen (32) was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called Cholangiocarcinoma, which she was predisposed to genetically. Typically, those who are diagnosed with this type of cancer are over the age of 65 and found more commonly in males. This is why it was very shocking that Kristen got diagnosed at such a young age. Obviously, that threw their life into a spin of fear and just so many unknowns. She began a clinical test and rounds of chemo, one that didn’t make her lose her hair (it’s a new clinical trial), but of course inside she wasn’t feeling good AT ALL. So when Raeann entered her and we saw her bedroom, we knew that they were the perfect family for this. Kristen was spending a lot of time in her bedroom, resting, sleeping and recovering from the chemo treatments, and we were about to make that room so much more beautiful, comfortable and yes, bright and airy. Here’s what Raeann envisioned for the space: “My wife just started chemo and is spending a lot more time in bed these days. I would love for our bedroom to be more of a haven for her—a serene, comforting, and light space that brings her peace and happiness when other things are tough.” So Julie and myself flew out to Salt Lake City to meet them and get a sense of what their style was and really understand what they wanted for the space. I can’t tell you how wonderful they were and we clicked immediately and didn’t want to leave. I wrote about the process yesterday as it was fast and saved us a ton of time. They trusted us—with some guidance—which made the process so fast and easy plus we really loved their style and what they had pinned to a Pinterest board for the giveaway. I know that you guys are awesome, but to hang out with two that have been reading for years solidifies that I have the BEST READERS IN THE WORLD. Their Functional Needs:1. More light: The room needed more light and was honestly a perfect candidate for skylights. I am a firm believer that natural light changes the entire mood and feel of a room. In fact, studies show that people in hospitals with windows, who can see nature, may heal faster. By putting in skylights not only do you get more light, but you can see the sky, the clouds, the blue while you are laying down (and the stars at night). We put in two Velux No Leak Solar Powered “Fresh Air” skylights that are roughly 2 feet wide by 3 feet tall on the eastern wall because morning light is soft and prettier than afternoon light. Your Velux consultant or contractor can help you determine the best placement in your room so you are optimizing the light in the smartest way. 2. A bigger, cozier, bed: Right from the start, we determined that the bed should stay along the wall it was on initially but I convinced them that they had to get a king-size bed (which for them meant a brand new mattress from Tuft & Needle). They also wanted something more dog-friendly, i.e. lower so their pup, Izzy, could get on and off easily in her older years. 3. More nightstand storage: When you are in bed all day, you accumulate things around you (cups, books, etc.), so more space both in and out of drawers would be helpful. Their Stylistic Wants:Cozy and comfortable: After the initial small talk, we asked Raeann and Kristen to describe the feel of the room they wanted when they walked in for the reveal. Words like serene, cozy, comfortable, bright and Zen came out of their mouths and into our design minds. That, combined with being able to sit down with them and go through their pre-pinned Pinterest board, was a great learning experience to see what and why people are drawn to a random room from the internet. Lots of layers, textures but not too many patterns: The wall-to-wall carpet was not bad but we decided to layer a lighter and brighter rug with some texture would make the space feel bigger and cozier. We went with subtle white Roman shades from Tonic Living (who were gracious enough to RUSH deliver these to us, thank you Tonic Living!) that filtered some light but visually “disappear” when needed. Oh, and as for things to avoid: NO velvet. Kristen HATES the feel of velvet for some reason, like my cats used to hate fur, she is repelled by the feeling of it. As we wrote yesterday, we wanted it to feel serene but luxurious, neutral but with personality. So soft, so easy, so stress-less, with more storage and more bright (yet soft) light. We planned from LA, and loaded up a big moving truck the Saturday before the week of the install. Within two days (with a lot of prep from my team, led by Julie), we transformed this space and absolutely brightened up their room (and yes, also their life). It’s so warm, happy, layered and yet simple and easy to navigate both stylistically and functionally. The Color Palette: We kept all the major pieces neutral and calm, and then layered on some higher contrast. Honestly, this is really the safest and easiest route to go if you aren’t into having a risky bedroom. It also keeps it really easy to change styles and colors in accessories and bedding. That bed, from Living Spaces, is a STEAL at $450 (for a KING!) and that upholstered headboard makes it so much more comfortable than the original wood one they had in the space. Kristen and Raeann both liked navy (as do we, duh) so it was really an EHD palette that we are very comfortable with—gray, white, navy with a lot of wood and natural textures. Textures: While we don’t have a lot of high contrast patterns, we do have a lot of textures throughout not only in the bedding but also the furniture. Please note the wood/woven nightstand from Serena and Lily. It’s very special and not just because it has leather pulls. The rug has a strangely soft texture (and is also so affordable for how soft and huge it is, a 9’x12′ for $338); it also brings in a slight pattern. Even the lamp has visual texture, with splatter paint all over it. Kristen loves woven window treatments but since we wanted to make sure the space could be completely dark during the day, we brought this element into the space through the nightstands and pendant over the bed. Art: In an attempt to always have art be a more personal element in the room, we brought in a lot of family photos that we put into readymade frames. But, we found the perfect large scale art for the space in the most kismet way. For our stay, Julie booked a house for the whole team through Airbnb not knowing at the time that it belonged to Holly Addi who is a local artist in SLC. Her abstract paintings are INCREDIBLE and also owns one of the cutest stores in town called Arte Haus Collectif. Her work is so beautiful and I wanted (still want) many pieces for my own home. If you don’t live in the SLC area, you can purchase her work through Uprise Art and she has a lot more in that collection that the whole team loved. After hearing this story and seeing how perfect her piece would be in here, she was lovely enough to cut us a deal so this piece could live in the room. Look how incredible it is. We loved that it was overscale for that wall and yet fit so cohesively into the space. Thank you, Holly! They were SO happy when they saw the piece and I told them the story. I would be psyched, too. We also added a ceramic sculpture over the bed from MQuan which was the perfect textural yet quiet piece that engaged the space without being too big. Now for the reason we are all here: The Skylights: The two new skylights transformed the vibe of the space a couple of weeks before we redecorated. We saw photos and sighed with relief, knowing that it was SO much better already. The morning light floods in but don’t worry, the remote-controlled room darkening shades keep it dark until they are ready to get out of bed. I have a ton of experience with these shades, having them in our master bedroom at the mountain house as well and opening them in the morning is an absolute JOY. If you are worried about big blocks of light or too much light, just know it’s all about placement of the skylights. Overhead, around noon, yes you are going to get more of a block of light that is actually really beautiful (and you can close the shades for a daytime nap), but in the morning and evening, it’s soft and creates a diffused light ambiance. Yes. Call me a huge fan of these. They also open to let air out which is great for this family because they only had one floor vent for their central AC and even had to add a window unit (that we took out for the shots) to keep the room cool and since it’s on the second floor, it can pull air from the house and let it out during the hot SLC summer days. Izzy is very much loving the fresh air (and of course her new bed from The Wolf Nest). Storage: Besides the huge nightstands, on the other side of the room we have this BEAUTIFUL dresser by Hedge House Furniture, which I’ve wanted for a while. It’s so simple, beautiful and handmade (in the US). Look at those beautiful lines and the finish of the wood. Since this dresser was a bit smaller than the one they had previously, we later revealed to Kristen and Raeann that we bought additional dressers for inside their closet and yes, Raeann cried again which was very sweet. Seating: Kristen and Raeann didn’t really need seating in here, but that doesn’t mean that we didn’t give them a pretty cute little corner vignette with one of our favorite contemporary chairs from Article. The scale on it is large while still being simple, and the wood and leather tie in with the nightstands so they speak to each other. We got the stool from MidCenturyLA which we love (they might have more, we bought two, one lives in the mountain house). We added more family photos, a sculptural light from Target, and some cozy elements like the throw from The Citizenry and pillow from Lulu and Georgia. Bedding: We wanted the bedding to be super comfortable and cozy, with enough texture and pattern to have interest but to mostly be neutral and calm. It’s a lot of more affordable (and very soft) Target sheets and duvets with some more splurge-y pillows from Filling Spaces and Lulu and Georgia—once again showing that it’s all about styling and context. A massive thanks to my entire team, led by Julie Rose…you killed it! And to the most lovely “clients” who really gave us creative freedom to make their lives better. When we did our first surprise makeover (or Feel Good Flash Makeover) it was never intended for them have a partner, but my god, if this can be our new business, companies helping us fund these makeover that make lives better, then it’s such a win.win.win. And yes, we’ll be able to do so many more than we ever could on our own. Thank you, Velux, for making our job more fun and fulfilling and for helping us make this room, and this family’s lives, brighter. Speaking of which…did they like it??? The answer is YES. They couldn’t really believe what we had done in those two days and were shocked that it was their new bedroom, that everything was now theirs. And good news: Kristen finished her first round of chemo and is awaiting tests but she feels decent…she’s still excited to get a lot of use out of this bedroom on the weekends and nights. They wrote to us after the makeover and said this about their experience: “We feel so lucky to have had this experience. We LOVE our new space and we were blown away by the kindness and generosity of Emily’s team and at Velux. We love waking up in our serene bedroom because it really feels like a retreat from all the other chaos we have in our lives right now. And Emily was so right, the upholstered headboard really is like another pillow. :)” Please watch the video of the full makeover and reveal, here: Thanks again, Velux Skylights for being so darn wonderful, both in product and throughout this process. And a big thank you to Kristen and Raeann for being fun, easy and so open to our ideas, and, of course, thank you EHD team (Julie Rose and Emily Bowser on the design, install and styling, plus Mallory Wackerman and Chandler Frame for assisting day-of) for all your hard work, long nights, creativity and care. We honestly can’t wait to do more. If you want to know what product we used and who we love, here you go: 1. Bed Frame from Living Spaces | 2. Stoneware Discs by MQUAN | 3. Rattan Basket Light | 4. Feather Bed Pillow | 5. Sheet Set | 6. Throw Blanket | 7. Moroccan Oversized Bedding Throw | 8. Rug from RugsUSA | 9. Sheepskin Rug from Article | 10. Lumbar Pillow from Lulu and Georgia | 11. Lumbar Pillow from Filling Spaces | 12. Table Lamp from Lulu and Georgia | 13. Nightstand from Serena & Lily | 14. Ceramic Planter | 15. Marble Bowl | 16. Wood Vase | 17. Gold Ring | 18. White Vase | 19. Wood Tray | 20. The Flower Expert Book | 21. The Home Edit Book | 22. Lumbar Pillow from Lulu and Georgia | 23. Alpaca Throw from The Citizenry | 24. Window Treatment by Tonic Living | 25. Velux Skylights | 26. Art by Holly Addi | 27. Stool from Midcentury LA | 28. Chair from Article | 29. Floor Lamp | 30. Calm The Chaos Journal | 31. Pause Journal | 32. Olive Canvas Dog Bed | 33. Unisex Perfume | 34. Round Box | 35. Tray | 36. Square Frame | 37. Wood Frame | 38. Rectangle Frame | 39. Mirror | 40. Dome Light by Shades of Light | 41. Table Lamp | 42. In The Company of Women Book | 43. Homebody by Joanna Gaines Book | 44. Custom Dresser by Hedge House Furniture *This post is in partnership with Velux but all words, designs and selections are our own. Thanks for supporting the brands we love that support the blog. **photography by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for EHD
The post Reveal: How We Brightened Up a Room (and Some Deserving Lives) with Velux Skylights appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/2P9JqAH Our (New-ish) Super Fast Super Useful Design Process (for Non-Designers and Beginning Designers)8/22/2019 You can’t have “fast, cheap and good” in design. We all know that. At best, you get two out of the three and rarely is “fast” one of them. Often the design process truly is expensive and good, and layering in the word “slow” makes it even more expensive when you are working with a designer (who bills hourly). But for tomorrow’s makeover reveal (that one is a tearjerker so be sure to come back for it), we truly were able to do it in a month because we came up with a new fast process and once we realized how much time it saved us we, figured it was worth a post. Here’s how it went down. We only had a month between meeting the “client,” seeing the space and install/shoot of a master bedroom. That’s FAST. The clients (who you’ll hear more about tomorrow) were big readers, totally trusted us and yes, full disclosure, we had a special situation where our partner, VELUX Skylights, was covering the budget. So no, we are not in a normal design/client situation here, it’s more of a weird digital/social media fantasy, and it’s not a process that you can easily replicate. HOWEVER, the process itself was totally eye-opening. It went SO much faster, and therefore if the client had been paying our hourly rate, the speed of it would have saved them SO much money. Now, this is not a process for a high-end designer/client situation, nor a renovation, but there are times when friends of mine are like “can you just come in and help and I’ll let you do whatever you want and pay for it.” Now I know the process that we’d do to speed it up, make us happy, and hopefully, no one goes insane—although they will still spend a decent amount. It’s true that a room that is full of unique pieces and very personal to the client will take much longer than this, so this process is more for the “I want my space to look pretty and pulled together, quickly, so I’ll let you do whatever you want” process. SUCH A DREAM. So this post is more for non-designers that want to decorate more quickly or even better, beginning designers/decorators who don’t have a huge budget to spend on time/labor. Also, it’s one you can use on YOURSELF, even without a designer. Let’s walk you through it… Step 1: See the space and take measurements.This was our before which had a ton of potential, but just wasn’t pulled together or as functional as the homeowners wanted. This is a very typical “before” for us. Step 2: Ask them the following questions:
Step 3: Use Pinterest to set up a visual language for easy referencing.We ask almost all our clients (past and present) to create a pinboard before we talk so we have a visual language to reference. I once told a client, on a budget, that if he wants to save time on our hourly design fee that it would behoove him to pin as much as possible so we are doing less guesswork and thus billing fewer hours. He said “WAIT, You bill for that?” and I said “Of course, so to save money you should spend at least a few hours pinning” and he said “But I’m busy, I don’t have time,” which we found hilarious. I politely told him, it’s either his time that’s free or mine that you pay for—you choose. Oh, the undervaluation of design work. Having a visual reference of what you like is SO important. We had asked Kristen and Raeann to do this and this is an edited down set that gave us the general vibe they were drawn to. It’s crucial to then go through each pin and ask what they loved about it, what drew them to pinning it. We then take out the ones that feel off because maybe they pinned them just because they liked the symmetry and not the look and feel. So you have to communicate, you can’t just take a pinboard on face value. Step 4: Sketch out simple measurements and, if you have the skills, create renderings and floor plans before you shop.With a rough floorplan with measurements, you can plug in major pieces like bed/nightstands/dresser and rug to ensure that they actually fit. We used SketchUp (well, Julie did), but you definitely do not need that. You also don’t need to worry about plotting out little details just yet like individual pillows, just making sure that the large pieces fit is the most important part here. You could do this with a simple ruler, pencil and graph paper. We blocked out the general areas where we knew we’d put certain pieces as well as some ideal dimensions (above), but obviously, that could end up changing as the final pieces may have slightly different dimensions. Step 5: Create individual boards with pieces that are available in their style and budget.Okay, this is what we did that was special: We didn’t pull together mood boards until we gave them some options on major pieces that we asked for feedback from. We asked them to “X out” anything they HATED and heart their top 3-4 choices per category to get a sense of what were hard passes and what they were drawn to. KING BEDS1. Sera Headboard | 2. Andie Platform Bed | 3. Tessu Bed | 4. Dellah Spindle Platform Bed | 5. Karma King Bed | 6. Avery Upholstered Bed | 7. Deva Linen Platform Bed | 8. Dean Sand Eastern King Bed | 9. Ella Bed | 10. Marlo Bed We asked them to do this for every major category. This really helped us understand what our options TRULY were. Some of these were affordable (like a king bed for $450) and some were a couple thousand. None were insane, but it’s true that we were more focused on “fast and good” than budget. RUGS1. Mil-01 White Rug | 2. Macramé Wool Rug | 3. Cobblestone Woven Wool Rug | 4. Nadia Rug | 5. Glacier Diamond Rug | 6.Zags Denim Woven Wool Rug | 7. Rachel Tufted Rug | 8. Naimee Rug NIGHTSTANDS1. Caledonia Woven Nightstand | 2. Loring End Table | 3. Ashby Nightstand | 4. Franny Nightstand | 5. Archer Lacquered Nightstand | 6. Oak Nordic II Bedside Table | 7. Hensley Nightstand | 8. Siegel Nightstand | 9. Grove Wood Nightstand DRESSERS1. Shaw Walnut Dresser | 2. Culla Dresser | 3. Loring Dresser | 4. Anton Dresser | 5. Emerson Dresser | 6. Custom Dresser by Hedge House Furniture ACCENT CHAIRS1. Tanner Armchair | 2. Ruxby Chair | 3. Isabella Rattan Chair | 4. Mariposa Chair | 5. Levo Chair | 6. Slide Chair | 7. Sven Chair | 8. Gabriola Chair | 9. Denman Chair It was such a fast and fun process. They didn’t overthink it (again, probably because true money wasn’t being exchanged) and it felt so fluid. Since everything was in our cohesive style, we knew that we could mix and match to a degree. We could take what they liked/loved and start playing with them on boards to see what would turn into a beautiful room that worked well design-wise. We still had to consider scale, texture, color, wood tones, fabric tones, patterns, etc. But we felt free to be creative in a way that made things so fast. So Julie started pulling together said boards to show me (not the client, at this point, we had carte blanche, plus it was supposed to be a surprise): Since the reveal is tomorrow, we are NOT going to show you the final board. But what about accessories? Step 7: Shop for accessories and buy more options than you need to reduce install time.We shop for lighting and decor both online and in person a week before and bring what we think will look good, with some backups. I know this seems wasteful, but I’m telling you right now (and I’d love any designer to back me up in the comments) that you don’t know until you get into a space whether something will TRULY work. More experience creates less guess-work so we are pretty darn good at it at this point and NO ONE wants to schlep unnecessary pieces to and fro, but getting there, realizing that something doesn’t work, having to shop again and then go back is a waste of even more time. LIGHTINGFull disclosure, we have a prop warehouse that like half of these pieces were pulled from so we while we did purchase some, we simply shopped the storage unit for a lot of them. BEDDINGHOT TIP: Take one million photos of what you’ve already bought. Since we do this all the time, often not in LA, we make sure to take photos of what we are bringing and even write notes on them so we know what it is or anything important about it. This helps us SO much so when I’m like, “Hey, what options of throws do we have,” I can look at a document and see that we have enough. THROWSPILLOWSRUGSSMALLS (A.K.A. ART & OBJECTS)Then we typically have a team of people to install a space, which can take 1-2 days (bedrooms are the easiest) and we play, and style and move things around the entire time til it feels right. Having options actually saves us time, and then the leftovers are either returned or they head to prop storage to audition for the next makeover. The point is that by foregoing the typical design plans and mood boards we saved so much time (and therefore money). Typically those can take forever and then are tweaked and tweaked for so long that something becomes unavailable and thus the whole plan has to change. By only giving options of what is AVAILABLE in simple grids of product made it so simple for them, and allowed us to be creative while knowing that they would be happy with the final result. But that’s it. Let us know in the comments if you have ANY questions or comments, or if you’re a designer and could see yourself using this yourself to speed up some projects. Be sure to check back tomorrow for the full reveal of Kristen and Raeann’s bedroom makeover. We are very proud of it. See you there. The post Our (New-ish) Super Fast, Super Useful Design Process (for Non-Designers and Beginning Designers) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/2KNYujm |
Author Kimberly ReedDesign Consultant at Furnishing Knowledge:KI Archives
April 2023
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