Please excuse the wildly cliche opener of a mirror in a room for a post about reflections. We didn’t take a group shot this year (at least I don’t think we did) so a beautiful room with a big ole mirror to talk about our big ole feelings felt appropriate. This is the very last post of 2022 and connecting with you on a personal level, sharing the good and some of the hard is exactly how we wanted to close it out. We are endlessly grateful for you all and hope that reading about our 2022s brings us all a little closer. EmilyOh, 2022. Huge life changes that came with a lot of emotions, including joy, relief, fulfillment, gratitude with a side of regret, insecurity and disappointment. What is consistent (and I think a big mid-life thing) is there are so many questions in which you can’t rush the answers. 2022, post-lockdown was one of the more challenging years in recent history for us. And that’s ok. I’m here to learn all the lessons. My kids are thriving, Brian is still my favorite person to hang out with, and I get to see all my best friends and siblings more frequently now that we live in Portland. The blog is still stable (thanks to you), after a wild pandemic year or two with spiking, volatile traffic (some incredible months, some just odd). I feel like the clarity that I had during lockdown is still here, priorities are firmer than ever, and who, what, and where I focus my attention is strong. This year we went to a happiness conference which was pretty enlightening. My book came out (and continues to do well, but we didn’t make the New York Times Bestseller list like Styled did, which was a bit disappointing, honestly). I went on Good Morning America and was reminded that live national TV is panic attack inducing. We moved into the farm and feel so grateful to work with so many partners on such an incredibly odd/exciting career of personal and home content creation for millions to see/view/like/judge and share. I’ve never been so hard on myself and I’m trying to figure out why. I have some theories. I found an awesome freelance team in Portland that I love working with every week (shout out to Emily M. and Kaitlin Green) and so love and appreciate that my team that you all know, Jess, Ryann, Mal and Caitlin who continue to navigate the exciting waters of the internet with me and add value to the world. Meanwhile, we are starting to dial in the house with decor, room by room which is lighting my fire again (and so much less fraught than a renovation – I LOVE STYLING). I’m writing a full post about how it has been living in Portland so more to come. All in all, I feel like it was another year of joy, questions, desperately trying to stay slow, lessons, and being grateful for my team and all of you who spend time here (especially the long-time readers that keep me going when I’m down – thank you) xx RyannI didn’t realize it until I sat down to write this, but this year has been all about change. My Life™ has changed and I have changed, and I don’t think I would have fully appreciated that fact if I wasn’t asked to reflect on the past 365 days. But whew, where to begin?? Oh right, I got married this year!!! And everyone loves to ask “how is married life?” and “does it feel different?”. I swear most people expect us to answer “Nope it’s the exact same as before!” But it isn’t. It is different, it feels deserved, and things did shift after we got married (for the better). And I know marriage is not always easy (a narrative our society is addicted to perpetuating for some reason) but marriage is great right now and I am so grateful. What else? Oh *goes to Italy once* I am also a world traveler!!! Earlier this year we went to Italy for my husband’s brother’s wedding and it was the first time either of us had ever traveled internationally. That experience was not only fun/exciting/new but it also taught me that I can travel without having a panic attack and that my husband and I are great travel partners. I am famously an anxious traveler but we had an incredible experience that prompted us to book our honeymoon in 2023–this time to Japan. Amazing. But sadly, life isn’t revolved around me jetting off to another country once a year. Life, as we all know, is obsessed with ups and downs. And to be honest, there are far too many downs for my taste. I believe most people know that my brother passed away on August 8th, 2021 at 29 years old, and this year I found that I will always move through life with grief. The grief transforms and reshapes itself constantly, but never goes away. I also witnessed people closest to me experience their own devastating losses this year and I’ve come to realize that the best things I can do in life are nurture my relationships, show up for the people I love, and make honest connections. In 2023, I can’t wait to watch my brother’s daughter grow up and become more like him every day, travel with my husband, and continue to change/grow as a person. What a cool life <3 JessI was trying to see if I could give this year a letter grade but that feels kinda impossible. My initial thought was D+ but that’s likely a little dramatic and due to emotional exhaustion. But honestly, in terms of my personal life, this has been a rough year. I’ve been battling depression due to probably what are still the after-effects of the pandemic (not that it’s over) and all the horrendous things happening in the world and in the country daily, but also because of some things I don’t want to talk about on the internet. Everything on that front is manageable, thankfully, but that doesn’t make moving through it easy. Depression during lockdown felt a little different. While still extremely hard and 0/10 stars, there was at least some weird solace in knowing I wasn’t missing out on living life. I’ve never really suffered from “FOMO” but when you’re dealing with depression in “normal” life there’s just a general sadness of not having the ability to fully experience it while others are/can. I also know that clearly I’m not alone in these feelings. Most of my friends are going through something similar even if they are for totally different reasons. I’m wildly grateful that we all have each other but it’s easy to then not to want to burden your friends that also have their own struggles. And to be fair my depression really only kicked into high gear in the latter half of the year and even then I have had some truly wonderful moments. Like my dear college friend and cousin getting married (not to each other:)). Jess Bunge LOVES to dance so weddings are right up my alley. I got to go to NY for a long weekend to see some of my best friends as well as a longer trip in the summer. I went to go see Rodrigo Amarante, Stevie Nicks, Florence and the Machine, and Alicia Keys in concert! All so incredible and moving. In the spring (the better part), I went to Mexico again and felt more alive and like myself than I had in years. Also, in terms of daily life, I still love my job and know what a huge deal that is. I think the real issue is that in my personal life I have been mostly just letting life happen to me. I’ve kind of lost a sense of real ownership and going through the motions which I know just comes from a lack of feeling worthy. That’s something I’ve battled with my whole life and I know it’s only ever been alleviated when I make strong decisions and put myself even just a little outside of my comfort zone. So that’s what I plan to change this next year. I already have plans in the making to hopefully apartment swap with someone in New York for a month or two (not before my living room is revealed:)), visit my dad in Paris (yes, the already coolest dad on the planet has decided he’s living in France for three months starting this January), and a few other ideas I’m still figuring out that are more inside job things. I’m just tired of feeling stuck but I’m the only one to unstick myself. So that’s where I’m at and hopefully, if you are dealing with similar feelings you know that you are absolutely not alone. 2023 here we come…BE BETTER, OK??? CaitlinDo you want the good news or the bad news first? (Hope you picked “bad,” because that’s where we’re starting here.) When I look back, a lot of 2022 felt like I was bouncing from crisis to crisis – the year started with two back-to-back deaths, followed by an unending slew of personal stresses (my favorite: the multi-month black mold nightmare in my apartment), and December’s highlights included a rough bout of Covid (my first time – had all the symptoms; tested positive for 15 days straight; do not recommend) immediately followed by my 12-year-old cat’s first-ever trip to the kitty ER. But a lot of the negative emotions and stresses related to these bad things were blunted because… (This is the good news part.) GUYS. It finally happened!!! I fell in love in 2022!!! For the first time ever!!! At age 31!!! (And if you couldn’t guess, it was with that peach up there on the left! AHH!!!) As it turns out, a lot of sucky things happen to suck a lot less when there’s a kind and patient and thoughtful person around who’s willing to help you navigate all the murky and mucky stuff. I’d never been able to ~get there~ in previous relationships (very NOT Libra of me) and was pretty sure I was destined to be the fun brunch friend – like, if your squad is in need of a gal with a bad date story, I’ve got hours of them – so activating a new part of my brain and feeling a whole bunch of new feelings has been VERY EXCITING. (I could write 2,000 words about the ~meet cute~ and everything else, but I’ll just say this: he’s the best, I love him, and he reads the blog so SAY HI TO DENNIS, PLEASE.) Also exciting: it was a great year of travel and friendship. I flew cross-country 16 (!!!) times; watched a ton of my best friends get married in NYC, Vermont, Delaware, and California; went to Firefly (in Delaware, very fun) and When You Were Young (in Vegas, also very fun, but in the “it’s an absolute disaster” way); enjoyed Seattle and Northern California with the EHD team; watched my favorite band play in both Boston and Philadelphia; welcomed a slew of new babies (congrats to all my new mama pals!!!); and capped off the year by traveling through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary with my mom (could have done without the Covid we both brought home, though). The highs were high and the lows were low, but I’m just feeling really lucky to have my mom and my friends and my cute boyfriend and my sweet coworkers and all of you, too. Life’s looking pretty okay right now, I think ? MalloryThe phrase ‘new chapter’ gets thrown around a lot when it comes to resolutions and reflections for the upcoming year, but I mean it when I say 2022 has felt like I’ve entered one (in the best way). While the year has been slightly less ‘eventful’ (comparatively) to some of the others in the recent past (In 2019 I moved to New York then to LA for EHD, 2020 was obviously weird but memorable, and 2021 felt like such a massive contrast to 2020 with ‘normal’ life trickling back and some big travel moments), but being more stagnant this year has brought a massive amount of personal growth and change I never would have predicted. 2019 me and 2022 me are two very different versions of myself: the new me has developed strong goals and wants in life & has figured out a lot more about who I am and who I want to be. It’s been a year of reaching for new heights. I started a TikTok account and got a few of my first (and extremely awesome) partnerships which has been a dream come true!!! and I’m learning more and more about how I can reach my fullest potential while still being happy (which is so important). I’ve always been a big ‘work hard, play hard’ kind of person, and lately I’ve been honing in on what both work and play should look like in their highest form. For example, when it comes to ‘play’ I’m realizing how much I love having TICKETS to literally anything & that having meaningful connections & making memories are the most important things. I’m so thankful to be surrounded by so much love in my life – both from my family, friends and my very special person, Chase. Having a life partner like him through these years of turbulence has been so special, and I will never take that for granted ? And when it comes to work, I’m loving where I’m at and am so grateful to be a part of this team. Having a job that creatively encourages me in this very specific (but incredible) field that I never would have known existed if it wasn’t for EHD and you all –– so THANK YOU. I can’t wait to see where 2023 takes us as a team & I’m so excited to continue learning, evolving and growing into the person I hope to be. Now let’s kick this new year off right!! ? Well, that’s all EHD wrote:) Happy happy New Year’s Eve and cheers to a brighter 2023. Love you, mean it. Opening Image Credits: Design by Julie Rose for EHD | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: One of Emily’s Best Friends Gets The Cozy Yet Sophisticated Bedroom Makeover She Really Deserves The post Our 2022 Personal Reflections – The Good, The Hard, And The Lessons Learned appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/ZMuSjRU
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I think my favorite comments on the blog are the ones that say something like, “Are y’all listening in my house? I just said that I needed (insert item here) and I came to the blog and you’ve found it for me.” And while we aren’t listening in your houses – we have neither the budget nor technology to make that happen – we are using a sweet bit of data to help figure out which categories/products/styles are trending in an attempt to bring you the best pieces at the best prices. So today, to conclude our weeklong 2022 wrap-up, I’m bringing you the creme de la creme – the top-selling items from the entire year. We linked them, you loved them. Wanna see if anything you clicked on made the list? (There are definitely some familiar faces here, I promise.) 25. Your Favorite Faux-Leather LumbarAh, yes – the famous faux-leather lumbar. It made its blog debut in Em’s 2019 mountain house primary bedroom reveal, and it’s been a bestseller ever since. If you want your bed to look polished and finished without the hassle of juggling a ton of throw pillows every morning and night, this is a great choice. (But hurry if you want to grab one – it’s almost sold out again!) 24. Caitlin’s Rattan Floor Lamp DupeTale as old as time: I fell in love with a $1,500 Anthropologie lamp, dug around the internet, and found the look for less. (90% less, if we’re being particular.) I loved the brass details, the woven shade, and the fun scalloped detail. (I also discovered that the TJ Maxx website is just as great as the store, too – it’s worth a bookmark if you also love a bargain!) 23. A Quick-Ship Pedestal Dining TableIt’s always exciting when we can flag a great deal for you, and this table was no exception. We highlighted this piece in one of our holiday sale roundups (I believe it was in our July 4th post!) because it was deeply discounted – we’re talking nearly 50% off here – with reasonable delivery times! A lot of work and research goes into bringing y’all the best deals, so I’m thrilled that this one worked out for so many readers. 22. An Organic-Meets-Luxe BenchSWOON. I mean…it’s kinda dreamy, no? The woven frame, the cane backing, the brass feet, the customizable cushions – what else could you need? (I actually eyed this piece for my own home, but decided that my cat is not responsible enough to curb her clawing urges.) We often see this piece going on sale for up to 30% off, and we’ll continue to flag those steals for you in 2023 ? 21. Ryann’s Festive Halloween CandleIt’s never too late to prep for Halloween (or for the spooky pal in your life), right? It’s often hard to find decor that blends functionality with fun – especially when you’re looking at seasonal items, which are so frequently just decorative – but this sweet little candle threads the needle perfectly. 20. Amber Lewis’ New Etsy CollectionWhen I first slacked this collection to the team in October, Em responded, “ooh that’s really good.” 15 minutes later, she followed up: “This is a really good collaboration. I’m putting like 6 things in my cart and it’s supporting a lot of makers. It’s really a win/win.” SHE’S RIGHT! The artisan pieces curated here are gorgeous, heirloom-quality…and, I mean, you know how we feel about furoshiki (spoiler: we LOVE it). 19. Em’s High-Rise Workout ShortsHere’s what Em had to say: “These are my go-to’s that I wear many mornings for my morning routine. The waistband sits nicely and stays put (but zero cutting in as it sits higher). There is a little flair which I find flattering, has pockets for my beach card, and after I work out, I jump in the lake and swim around and they are GREAT swim bottoms. Oh, and it has built-in red underwear (sounds weird, but excellent for being active). Again, I feel like these shorts with a swim top or tank would look cool and sporty at the beach, and just feels less exposed for daytime swimming with the kids. I wear them with my red swimsuit, mesh pullovers, and Tevas, and not to sound like quite the dorky mom, but I do feel like it looks cool while secretly I’m VERY comfortable and confident.“ 18. Brian’s Holiday Sweater RecommendationYou may recognize this little number from Brian’s gift guide – he tried it on at the mall and especially appreciated the sleeve length (not too short, not too long). He went on to describe it as “super cozy” and mentioned that it may be at the top of his Christmas wishlist – do you think he found one under the tree last weekend? 17. Em’s New Family Room SofaLOVE. This was one of Em’s first furniture purchases for the farm, and it’s even better in person – huge, deep, timeless, and luxe. Here’s what she had to say: “The sectional is from Rejuvenation and it’s extremely comfortable and cozy. The fabric is a performance velvet and that last chaise seat is big enough for me and both kids.” (Check out the living room update to see it in real life – it looks like an ideal sofa for snuggling!) 16. This Classic And Affordable VanityWho knew a budget-friendly vanity could look so high-end? Priscilla Frost, the designer of this affordable basement bathroom makeover, did – she swapped in a new faucet, changed up the hardware, and made this piece look like a million bucks. (I mean, the bones were already beautiful, but Priscilla really made it sing!) The marble top, the open and closed storage, the deep navy finish…it’s a total steal for under $1,000. 15. Caitlin’s Favorite $4 T-ShirtsI LOVE THESE SHIRTS. The price is obviously awesome, but they’ve also held up beautifully over the past 18 months with near-weekly laundering (I know that’s not always the case with affordable clothing!). They’re not too tight, an ideal weight, and they’re the perfect base layer to mix with jeans or with bolder, more statement-making bottoms. J’ADORE. BIG TIME. 14. Ryann’s Slide Sandals (That Won’t Break The Bank)Here’s what Ryann had to say about these chic slides: “Last year when I bought these sandals, I truthfully didn’t know they would become such a staple in my wardrobe. I think I bought them in-store for a last-minute event I was going to that day. Cut to today, I now wear them at least once a day because they are so easy to slide on and go. They are $20 but look so expensive and look good with any jeans, shorts, dresses, etc etc. The band is soft and not too tight so they are very comfortable to walk in too. 10/10!” 13. Em’s Go-To DinnerwareBoss says it best (mainly because these are, you know, her plates): “Once again I’m singing the praises of our crazy affordable and long-lasting glass plates and bowls. I only needed to buy one set (so we have 12 of each) because we had 8 already, but here’s my pitch if you haven’t heard it yet. These plates are extremely flat, lightweight, and durable which means that the kids can easily set the table, do their own dishes, and easily load them into the dishwasher (it’s so satisfying, I’ll be doing a reel about it soon). While I love handmade pottery plates, those are more like the modern-day “fine china” – great for special occasions. But for day-to-day, I will only use these – little bowls for cereal in the morning, side plates for lunches for them, and dinner plates for everything else.“ 12. Some Vintage-Inspired DenimA straight leg with a bit of breathing room, a comfortable rise, and a great wash – it’s the trifecta of awesome jeans. If you’re looking to retire your skinnies in favor of something a bit more on-trend, these are a great choice. 11. The Swimsuit We Keep Coming Back ToTwo years in a row for this sweet suit! It’s out of stock right now, but add it to your favorites and keep an eye on it as spring rolls around – it’s a winner. Em’s thoughts: “Navy and white stripes, cute cut-out, very supportive and thick enough to mask my extra tummy-warming layer (tummy dimples!). BIG FAN of this. I bought a 6 which fit great (but I haven’t gotten it wet yet). It also has a matching rashguard which I LOVE. This is a very ‘me’ suit that I know I’ll wear all summer and was PSYCHED to find it.” (Spoiler: she did, in fact, wear it in 2021…and it was still a favorite in 2022. A total score!) 10. Stylish Wear-Anywhere SneakersDouble endorsements here from the EHD team! Both Em and Ryann recommended these sneakers – Em mentioned that she’d been living in them all summer, and Ryann supplemented with some personal testimony: “These are my favorite sneaker to wear when I am running errands, want to look cute and stylish, and also am living on a prayer that I’ll get myself to the gym at some point. They really are so versatile as they can be worn with so many outfits but are also supportive and comfortable to walk or even run in. I truly wear them constantly and cannot recommend them enough!“ 9. Mal’s Holiday-Friendly Dress RecommendationThis year, Mal shared three of her favorite holiday dresses with us, but this loose and gauze-y pick topped the list. Her criteria: “A festive dress to me must be 1. flowy (because there’s nothing worse than an outfit that’s too tight after a meal) 2. comfortable enough to cook in all day and 3. elevated enough to feel like you’re dressing up for the holiday. And 4. ideally, cute enough to wear for many more parties/events afterward.” This one checks all the boxes (and it’s also VERY affordable right now – only $35, down from $138!). 8. Comfortable Lug Sole BootsHeeled boots aren’t always the easiest to wear for long stretches, but these seem to be the exception (according to Emily, at least!). “I’ve been wearing those boots NON-STOP. They feel so comfortable for having a little lift,” she wrote. They’re a little utilitarian twist (that lug sole!) on the classic Chelsea boot silhouette – fun, right? 7. Em’s Oversized Car Coat“I think I whispered out loud ‘oh, hell yes,’ when I put this coat on,” Emily wrote. “It’s EXTREMELY GOOD. It’s fancy like a tweed wood coat, but long (extremely warm and cozy – maybe not New York in 15 degrees warm) and drapes in such a flattering way. It has pockets, a cute collar, is lined (which makes it easy to slip into), and is a great colorway and pattern. I wore it all day yesterday and got like 12 compliments on it. It’s not too hot for inside either (if you don’t layer underneath) so it’s not one of those that you have to take off when you get in the grocery store or on the subway.” 6. A Cozy U-Shaped SectionalI’m including this sectional without a link and with a MASSIVE caveat – Interior Define is going through some major growing pains right now, and I can’t recommend placing a new order here until their supply chain is back in working order. That said, if you purchased a sofa after seeing this basement makeover and you’re unhappy with the extended lead times or communication you’ve received from the brand, please shoot me a note (you can find my email right here!) – I’d love to help flag your order for their team. We haven’t highlighted the brand or their products since we learned about their shipping delays (right now being the sole exception), and I’m sorry if you’ve been disappointed. Please let me know if I can help! 5. Our Favorite Style of JeanTeam EHD loves a demi-boot cut jean, y’all. I bought my first pair in 2019 after seeing Jess wearing them in the office (RIP to in-person work – saw so many cute and inspiring outfits every single day!), and they’re the only cut of jean I wear these days. They’re comfortable and easy to style and the little flared leg makes every outfit look a bit more special and considered. 10/10, you can’t go wrong here in any wash!!! 4. A Game-Changing SwimsuitI have two of these – even the EHD team gets #emfluenced! – and can attest that they’re the best swimsuits I’ve ever purchased. Here’s the testimony that won me over: “Today, what you can see above is the new shapewear suit invented by a mom in Silverlake (where we lived in LA) and it’s GENIUS. Her whole thing is why have shapewear for under your clothes and not for swimsuits! I bought one because I was being heavily Facebook marketed by it and I’m glad I did. Now, one of my best friends tried it on who has a much longer torso and is very small-chested and it didn’t work for her. We decided it’s mostly for people who carry more weight in their midsection and need more boob support. I LOVE it and before this post, I ordered the high-waisted sapphire in “short” Medium just in case we sell it out. That’s how much I stand by these suits.” (Seriously, worth every penny – though I will add that I have a very long torso and still love it!) 3. Em’s Lightweight Linen BlouseThis linen top made its debut in a post called “Emily’s Easy, Throw On And Go Summer Outfits That Still Make Her Feel Put Together,” and…well, that kind of nails it, doesn’t it? You can’t beat a breezy, classic top in a timeless silhouette for comfort and style. (As always, some firsthand feedback from Em: “This linen shirt is EXCELLENT. It drapes so well, is extremely lightweight, so easy to wear and layer even on hot days. If I grab it straight out of the dryer it’s wrinkle-free. It’s a splurge but if you are looking to just buy one and wear it for work and on days off, I think it’s a solid buy.“) 2. The Famous Abstract Coffee TableI’ve NEVER seen more clicks, guys. Thousands upon thousands of clicks within minutes – like, the kind of numbers it usually takes a week to accrue. (To no one’s surprise, the few pieces left in stock sold out almost immediately.) Let Em sing the praises one more time (Anthro, are you reading? We want more tables!): “It’s heavy. Solid. It’s not a casual hoard, but it’s an INCREDIBLE price for this wonder. And not to be a car salesman but it won’t be around for long. After I gave it away (to a friend) I lamented it daily, thinking I could find something similar. I couldn’t/didn’t. It does the job of a square, rectangle, and an oval at the same time. It visually fills more space than its dimensions. It’s just so good.“ 1. Em’s Sauna BlanketI mean…I knew it was coming, but I’m still pretty freakin’ flabbergasted. It’s the behemoth product that cannot be stopped (but I guess that’s kind what happens when you have the top Google result for “sauna blanket review.” C’est la vie!). Em’s HigherDose blanket shot its way onto the 2021 edition of this list – seriously, we first posted about it in November of 2021 and it was a Top 25 item within 3 weeks – AND it was a bestselling item every month in 2022, so I’m not surprised that it’s here…but also like, DANG, who knew the market for sauna blankets was THIS huge? It’s extraordinary. THAT’S IT. What say you? Did you fall in love with anything from the blog (or from this list) this year? Let’s talk about it, yeah? xx Opening Image Credits: Design by Sarah Zachary | Styling by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: A Historic Mid-Century Modern Home That Was Completely Brought Back To Life (Hope You’re Ready For Some COOL Original Details) The post The Data Is In! These Are The Top 25 Most Purchased Items Of 2022 appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/2UOJhW1 Blogging/”Content Creation” is pretty akin to gambling. Some plays win BIG but if you play enough bad hands you just might lose your shirt. Luckily, all of our shirts are still firmly on our bodies but looking at the unexpected “wins” and “losses” of this past year is not only exciting but super informative! We never want to be a site that stops posting those fun, more random posts that connect us with all of you. Getting more eyes on posts is always the hope, and with some posts is the goal, but hanging out with you all every day is what drives us and has (IMHO) kept us here, still able to create. So let’s see what happened this year, shall we? The HitsHow To Make Your House Warmer and Cozier When You Can’t Fix Your Insulation (+ Some Solid Renter Hacks)I was so happy to see this on the “hit” list! It was all thanks to a guy that I went on a couple of dates with that was living in an apartment he was freezing in last winter. Who says dating is pointless?? Just kidding. He’s great and we actually became friends. The part of this post’s success that was a surprise was how much traffic it got. I thought it was a useful post because most, if not all, of my apartments have had bad insulation. What can I say I love old buildings which typically come with lots of pros but good insulation is not one of them. This clearly resonated and I hope made a difference for my freezing friends! 4 Women Honestly Review Gel-X Manicures (+ 21 Nail Art Ideas We Actually Tried)Next up was definitely a “passion post”. I was three months into my Gel-X journey and all the EHD gals that were also doing it were equally as excited to show off their fun designs. I knew it wouldn’t be relatable to a lot of people but I know how desperate I always am to find new design inspiration which made me think others are too. So at first, the traffic was pretty low (“a miss” if you will). The EHD community didn’t care all that much (but if any of you listen to The Deep Dive podcast with June Diane Raphael and Jessica St. Clair, you much be changing your tune:)). But this baby was a sleeper hit and over time has accumulated A TON of views – mostly from Google. Fun fact: I often update the post with my new designs in case you want to check back in on it. I think for the holidays I’m going to dabble in some simple gems and I’m pretty excited about it. Oh and Hot Tip! I was able to grow my nails with my gel extensions so now I no longer need them and instead use what’s called Gel Builder. I think it’s just a thick gel polish base that they put gel polish on top of to keep them from easily breaking. It’s also a little more affordable! What We Did With Our Perfectly Usable Kitchen Cabinets And Appliances From The FarmThe shock we experienced when this post was a massive success was comical. We knew it would a little niche since it was about a business that’s only in Portland (so not super helpful if you lived anywhere else) but it’s important to all of us to promote companies that are making a wonderful difference in the world. Y’all this post got so much traffic which honestly made us feel really hopeful for the future. The way it resonated was so powerful and hopefully inspired people to look up similar businesses in their areas. And if you are in the PDX area you have to check out the ReBuilding Center. It’s wonderful and the people that work there are the best! Unphotoshopped Women Honestly Review Summersalt’s 3 Bestselling SwimsuitsYou might be asking why I was surprised that this post was a hit. These kinds of posts always do pretty well because seeing real bodies in varying sizes in clothing is always helpful. But y’all this wasn’t a normal “hit,” this was a STAR. Google was a huge factor in that because this was our #1 post for daaaysss. Also, while we all truly loved a least one of these suits each, the fact that they were all from only one brand made us wonder if the post would be as popular as our other swimsuit posts in years past. Well, it was beyond the previous year’s traffic and we are always so so grateful for your encouraging words. It shouldn’t be a big deal to simply wear a swimsuit on the internet (or even in public) but our societal body standards haven’t made it easy. So again, thank you<3 17 Incredibly Cool DIYs And IKEA HACKS That Will Make Your Home Feel Extra Special (All Levels Welcome)DIY posts are usually a hit or miss. It just depends on what they are! I was a little worried about this one because a lot of the DIYs were pretty trend-forward which isn’t for everyone. I get that. But I am happy to report that minimally a lot of y’all were interested in at least looking. Phew. Plus, not to toot my own horn, but they were pretty cool:) More to come in 2023! The MissesOur Primary Bath Debates, Priorities, Layout Choices, And Storage Solutions…This one was truly shocking. Process posts are usually super popular – especially when it comes to Emily’s projects. Honestly, maybe it was just the opening photo. Ha. Renovation process photos are hard because either there isn’t enough structure to make them compelling or there is but it gives too much away. Another thing to be aware of is that all of our photos must be a certain ratio size and always be horizontal. That may not seem hard but let me tell you it’s not, not hard. Jess’ DIY Bench 2.0 – Her Solution To Her Ugly Electronics (Plus An Ask The Audience)This traffic wasn’t “bad” but I expected it to be much better. Again, it’s process, it’s a DIY, and it’s personal. The blogging trifecta! But for whatever reason, it didn’t speak to a ton of you which is totally fine. I promise it won’t stop us:) Also, a fun/tragic fact about the bench is that unless I want a cable running around my fireplace and turret…this cannot house my electronics hahaha. Someone (that someone is me) didn’t check which wall her internet was coming from. I don’t regret making this cabinet bench for one second but I will need to come up with another solution for my electronics…UGH. Stylish Purses That Fit A Laptop (+ One Accessory To Make Them Even Cuter)A real swing and a miss but hopefully helped maybe a few of you. We try to think of pain points in our own lives and I was in search of a quality (and cute) purse that could hold my 16″ laptop. My beloved belt bag is useless in this department:) Maybe it was just too niche or not enough of a priority for people. Painting The Farmhouse Exterior – Our Inspiration, Biggest Debates, And How Choosing Between White Paints Can Be Hilariously Maddening – Even For Me.This one is even more baffling than the bathroom post! Exterior posts are usually super popular – especially exterior paint posts. It must be because painting the exterior of a house is SOOO intimidating because it’s pretty freaking expensive. I get that any help in that department is extremely appreciated. Can’t win ’em all! 15 Really Good Father’s Day Gift IdeasWith this one, I was also pretty stunned. It may or may not be a shock that a majority of our readers are not fathers. So posts like these are usually pretty popular since fathers are notorious for being impossible to shop for. But I guess this year or this post just didn’t pop. I still highly recommend looking at this post because they are great gifts that the dads in our lives truly love. Storytime: I didn’t find out until after the fact that apparently, my dad wrote a father’s day post without telling m because he really loved writing the one he did the year prior. I didn’t ask him again because I didn’t want the team to feel pressured to say yes because he’s my dad. It’s understandably hard for me to be fully objective when it comes to him. So maybe if y’all want another Les Bunge father’s day gift guide in 2023 maybe I can persuade him:) So those were all of our surprises! Are you surprised? Do you agree? If you get why some didn’t work we would love your opinion. But please never forget that we are people with real feelings so let’s keep the comments constructive<3 Love you, mean it. Opening Image Credits: *Design by Sara Ruffin Costello | Styled by Velinda Hellen & Erik Kenneth Staalberg | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for “The New Design Rules” The post Our 2022 FLOPS And Surprise Blog Post HITS (Wanna See If You Agree?) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/xK5k197 Hey party people!! Mal here, back on the blog to give ya a rundown of whatâs going on over on our Instagram ð Hope everyone had a happy holiday and that youâve got some fun plans coming up for NYE!! Man oh man I love this season! Alright, now itâs time for some reflection, so letâs have a look back at our Instagram reels (since reels ruled 2022) and take a peek at which ones performed the best because why not?? At number 10 we have one of my personal favorite reels, the âintroâ reel to the farmhouse renovation: 10. Our Farmhouse Renovation StoryCute right?! I remember begging Emily to record this voiceover because I knew it would make such a fun video ââ I wanted to really tell the story of the farmhouse & why theyâre renovating it so that if you were new to EHD and clicked on this, youâd totally get what was going on. I even pinned it to our page when that new feature came out for that very reason. I think it sums up the whole Portland farmhouse reno pretty well ð Now onto number 9: 9. How To Create A Personal Gallery WallThis is one of my favorite reels ââ itâs actually an old video (I think it was originally an IGTV) that we repackaged into a reel and I was really happy with how it turned out!! I remember seeing this gallery wall for the first time (from this reveal!) and I thought the ideas were so creative, so I wanted to turn it into an educational video so people could get inspired. Iâm glad that this performed well because it just proves that quick, snappy videos can sometimes get the point across easier than a longer form. Now onto another oldie but a goodie: 8. Hanging Curtains All WrongThis reel was inspired by a blog post we wrote years ago that has always had a lot of impact on our readers (and continues to be one of the most constantly referred to blog posts both internally and externally). Seriously though, yâall love this post! And I can totally see why. Itâs full of âdosâ and âdontâsâ that are so clear and helpful for when youâre trying to navigate the scary world of curtains (especially because you have to put a nail into the wall and they are often times extremely expensive). 7. Our Farmhouse Kitchen Reveal!Ah in number 7 we have our very exciting first big farmhouse reveal, the kitchen!! This space was such a labor of love and we all are obsessed with it. The tile, that salvaged island, that sexy rangeâ¦all of it is perfect and this was such a fun before and after. We shot a bunch of kitchen reels so there might be more on the way soonâ¦now onto our sweet number six: 6. My Curly Hair StylingTBT to this shoot!! We had so much fun learning how to style curly hair on this day (and also Ryann got a perm!!!) The whole day was a blast and Iâm glad we got a fun reel out of it that you guys enjoyed. The best kind of days are the ones where the shoot is fun and the content is even more fun. Then when it performs well, like this one did, it makes our hearts sing!! Now for the top 5 (hint: it might have some more fun farmhouse reveals!!!): 5. The Painted StairsThe stairs are back!!! Emily just wrote a post on these stairs + the plan for them (hello new runner coming soon)!! If youâre curious how the paint is holding up after a few months, itâs all in that post too. I love this reel so much, this was all done by Sarah, an awesome gal that was freelancing with us in Portland. She killed it!! 4. The Oddly Satisfying Exterior PrimerEmily posted this video to stories and I watched it about 7 times before I finally turned it offâ¦I knew immediately it needed to live on the grid and it would be a great reel. This video is so relaxing and totally reminds me of the type of reels this account posts (which Iâm obsessed with watching). Itâs so much fun to see the process, especially when itâs that satisfying!! Ding ding ding, time for top 3: 3. Sunroom Floor RevealSimilarly to the last video, Emily sent this to me and I was like, âAH THIS WILL BE SUCH A FUN REEL!â and looky here, you guys clearly agreed!! The flooring reveal is so much fun, especially when that Pratt and Larson tile is that beautifulâ¦I mean COME ON. Iâll never not love that tile border. Yummy. Okay, now the runner-up is⦠2. Our Salvaged Kitchen IslandHow unreal is this?? We revealed the farmhouse salvaged island in this reel, and I remember taking a few of these videos and turning them into this. I had no idea the reel would blow up the way it did, but alas here we are!! We know you guys love vintage (and so do we) plus the video is short and to the point so the salvaged island really shines! AND IN OUR TOP SPOT (DRUMROLL PLEASE) 1. Sunroom Before & AfterThis sunroom before and after!!! There are 3 main reasons why this did so well: 1. the before/after is INSANE 2. It was posted on Emilyâs birthday! 3. It was one of the first nearly âfinishedâ corners we showed of the farm (and itâs so pretty). I love watching it and itâs quick (which helps things go viral too I think). The Instagram reel world is so wild to be a part ofâ¦itâs pretty much the wild west of social media that we love discovering more and more. Thanks everyone for reading and SO MUCH LOVE to you and your family during this new year. Hope everyone has a fantastic NYE & 2023!! WOOP WOOP! Opening Image Credits: Photo by Tessa Neustadt | From: The Griffith Park Master Bedroom Reveal The post The Top 10 Instagram Reels of The Year (Did You See Them All??) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/On6HX9c We feel endlessly lucky that in a time when our attention spans have a hard time lasting past a 3-minute video (guilty!) that we have you all who take the time to really read our posts…especially the long ones. So we wanted to take a little (or actually long) trip down memory lane and chat about the posts y’all spent the most time reading and hopefully enjoying. 10. Introducing Bowser’s Never Before Seen Backhouse Backyard (+ Her Plans To Make This Awkward Space Great)We don’t need to tell you that Emily Bowser is a STAR! Her posts are relatable, engaging, and extremely entertaining. This post, in particular, was really fun because it was our first time getting to dive into the rental property which was a huge part of why Emily and her husband decided to buy this place. Plus is anyone else excited about this backyard reveal??? FYI this is not the last time she’ll be on this list:) 9. Design Agony Is Back! But This Time It’s All About Picking Out The Right Decor For Your RoomThis meant the world to me!! Design agony posts are so rewarding but definitely take a lot of work because we want to make sure we give you solutions that will actually work if you decide to take our advice. So when I saw that this post was on the most minutes engaged list it gave me hope that not only did the people I was able to help get something out of it but maybe readers with similar agonies did too! Did y’all like the “personal shopper” angle? I promise there will be more design agony posts in 2023. 8. The OG Portland Project House Was For Sale Again (And Sold Fast) + Some 3 Year Later Reflections…And Real Budget NumbersI don’t think annnyone should be surprised by this post making the list. It’s very hard to share mistakes and budgets when it comes to big renovations for thousands of people to read. I might sound like a broken record but renovation show budgets ARE NOT REAL! Actually, wait. When I watched Nate and Jeremiah’s show I felt that they were pretty transparent about what the homeowner’s budgets could achieve and then the real value of what they got them gifted. But let’s be real, this show is the exception and not the rule. Hopefully, we are moving in a more realistic direction with home renovation shows. ANYWAY, this was simply an honest and juicy post that I was proud that Em wrote. 7. Moving Through Some Regret – The First Look At The Farmhouse Living Room Plus What I’m LOVING So Far ?The farmhouse living room reveal that wasn’t a reveal! Just the prettiest process post ever. This was clearly SO exciting for everyone to see because it felt like the first time we were getting close to some real reveals. Plus who doesn’t want to read about a professional designer’s design regrets? It makes us all feel better because designing a home (or even a room) is hard. There also happens to be over 400 comments which undoubtedly kept some of you on the site for a few extra minutes:) 6. Emily Bowser Is Back With Another WILD Reno Rollercoaster: The Front Yard (PART ONE)She’s back! This lady knows how to tell a story in such a compelling way. Also, these posts are not brief which is just further testament to her ability to engage and not not a reason why they make this list every year. For this post specifically, I don’t think anyone could have read about their sewer line issue without their eyes bulging out of their head. Look, these are the real things that so many homeowners know all too well. I’m sure it’s reassuring that there are people on the internet who deal with the same shit (pun intended:)). 5. The Current State Of The Farmhouse Family/TV Room – What We Are Troubleshooting, Confused By, And Debating…Now, this actually wasn’t a long post (SUPRISE!) so it was the comment section that really made this one a “time on post” winner. Designing is like playing dominos. Once one piece falls, usually everything else is affected in an annoying way. This is definitely the case with this room and you all were trying your best to help Em with your suggestions. This is another reveal I can’t wait to see! 4. Years After A Forced Budget Kitchen Reno (Due To Black Mold And Out Of Control Renovation Costs)…Emily Bowser Is Designing The Kitchen She Actually WantedYep, #3! So it was towards the end of November when I got an email from Bowser with the subject line, “Surprise!” Honestly, it was one of the best emails I had gotten in a while. Not only was it a complete blog post but it was a complete blog post from Bowser. To say it was a treat would be an understatement. Again, she gave us a super relatable post about the reality of budget constraints, design disappointment, and ultimately a happy ending!! I have a feeling the reveal might make next year’s list:) 3. All The Ups And Downs Of Emily Bowser’s Front Yard Renovation (Part 2!)Ok, ok this is getting ridiculous, Bowser. We get it, people love your posts and want to read every last word. FYI I (and the team) are also those people! This one was just as juicy as any other but also showed us some real progress which is always really exciting. No surprise here. 2. Sara Got Married! A DIY Wedding In The Desert That Was Filled With Nothing But LoveI mean, this post was so so so special. Not only was it BEAUTIFUL, but you could also feel the love and heart behind this whole weekend. Sara is a very special EHD alum and for those who have been long-time readers, I am sure it also felt extremely special to get to see how Sara and her husband Mac celebrate the start of this beautiful new chapter as a married couple. So while this wasn’t a short post I think it was impossible to not stare at every photo making us all stay much longer. Stunning yet so personable. If you missed this one, I highly suggest reading it asap<3 1. The Farmhouse Kitchen Reveal And All My Thoughts And Feelings About ItAnd OF COURSE, this was the longest-viewed post!!! I mean, THE Henderson farmhouse kitchen was finally done and ready for its gorgeous debut! I think we can all agree that this is an “Emily Henderson kitchen” through and through and it was impossible to not pour over every photo and read the 250+ comments. It almost has an 8-minute average time on post. For those who don’t know that’s a VERY long time for the internet. Thank you to everyone who read the post and loved it as much as we did. So there weren’t any real “surprises” but it’s still fun to see the ones that made it to the top. Hope you have a great rest of your day, maybe you should read a blog post or two, and we’ll see you tomorrow. Love you, mean it. Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Portland Project: The Living Room Reveal The post The Top 10 Posts in 2022 You Couldn’t Stop Reading (This Might Be Our Favorite List :)) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/gvAex6N I think you all know that room reveals are by far our favorite thing to share on the blog. The amount of time, manpower, emails back and forth, shopping, styling, scheduling, and coordinating that each reveal requires is no easy feat, and we all feel so proud and accomplished when one makes it to this blog. EVERY reveal we get to be part of is exciting and we are all so grateful this is a part of our jobs. And with a small team of 5, we also have our incredible team of contributors to thank for sharing their talent with us so we can give you even more reveals each year. So to wrap up this eventful year, we figured it would be fun/illuminating to round up the 10 reveals that got the most views in 2022. Would you care to join me? 10. Malcolm’s DIY-FILLED Office Reveal: How To Lean Into Color And Create A Stimulating Work From Home SpaceThis home office by Malcolm has everything. Moody walls! Brass details! Vintage pieces! DIYs! A David head neon sign! We know we aren’t the only ones who are waiting anxiously for another makeover from him now that he’s in London, and this office making the top 10 is proof. 9. How Sara Course Corrected Her Initial “Clean, Modern, And Very Neutral” Primary Bath Design Plan Into The Actual Design She Wanted – It’s A Suprise Reveal!Sara’s bathroom reveal starts as a cautionary tale about ordering permanent finishes a little too soon but ends with a beautiful lesson in making it work. And you would never know this bathroom wasn’t her original design plan because it is so layered, stylish, and functional. I LOVE the niche above her toilet and the wall color is stunning. 8. MOTO Reveal! How Jess Made Her WFH Office/Living Room Totally Multifunctional (With Big Help From The World’s Most Beautiful Smart Monitor)Coming in at #8 is Jess’ WFH office/EHD command center. This is where the magic happens, people!! But I suspect the real reason that it made it to this list is because it is a real stunner. The pink curtains were a slight design risk that totally paid off and I love how they pair with the luxe chandelier (that came with the apartment–how cool is that?). But lest we forget the true stars here, which are of course that desk and unbelievable chair. 10/10 Jess! 7. A *First Round* FarmHouse Reveal – Readying Our Guest Room For Family To VisitOh look, IT’S THE VERY FIRST FARMHOUSE ROOM REVEAL. And another pink-forward room (takes notes vigorously). Emily needed to quickly pull this guest room together for a family visit, and luckily Target saved the day and was down to sponsor. I love the choice to go monochrome with the bedding, which makes this room feel uber-cozy and inviting. That light wood side table is also one of my favorite pieces!! 6. Reveal – Beautiful Outdoor Furniture, Some Great Flea Finds, And Of Course… A DIY Dad ProjectCan you believe Jess designed this shared outdoor area for her and all her neighbors to enjoy?? She is a real gem. When said she wanted to freshen up this space, I don’t think anyone expected such a thoughtful, happy design that is super functional. I know most of us aren’t thinking about outdoor refreshes in the dead of winter BUT I suggest bookmarking this one for later because it has a ton of great styling ideas and of course a DIY :). 5. My Best Friends 1970s Basement Gets A Comfortable, Cozy Makeover – Wood Paneling And Wall-To-Wall Carpet IncludedThis basement living room is ONE of my personal favorites of the year. Maybe it’s the cozy log cabin vibe, or simply that wood paneling. Who can say?? But I really love this room. Emily and Pricilla Frost designed it (it’s Emily’s friend Robyn’s basement). You must head over to the full reveal to see the before and after. It’s almost unrecognizable! 4. My Friend’s Carpeted Basement Bathroom Gets A Budget Makeover (With A Lot Of Readymade Products And The Transformation Is Insane)Well looky here! This is the basement bathroom connected to the above basement living room (also designed by Pricilla Frost with help from Emily). This bathroom was once fully CARPETED and we aren’t sure who thought that was a good plan, but as you can see it’s been completely transformed. That geometric floor tile is awesome, and I am very into the black-white-and-dark-blue color scheme happening here. 3. Sara’s Galley Kitchen “Update” Turned Into A Full Renovation (And The Result Is Well Worth The Wait)Sara’s kitchen wasn’t always going to be a full renovation but we are pretty happy that it turned out that way. She designed a kitchen that nails the modern-traditional style effortlessly. I love the green cabinets paired with the blue oven, and all the brass details (like those rods for hanging baskets and utensils) are really special. 2. Our Front Door Reveal – On Choosing The Right Color + What It Did To My Psyche AND Our Curb AppealIt’s another Farmhouse reveal, DUH. We are all obsessed with that red door. After considering many different color swatches including black, yellow, green, and blue, Emily and Brian landed on this stunning red. The color really is perfect and sets the tone for the rest of the home. Now add “own a home with a red door” to my bucket list. 1. The Farmhouse Kitchen Reveal And All My Thoughts And Feelings About ItTo literally no one’s surprise the Farmhouse kitchen clocked in at #1 and it’s not hard to guess why. After two years of anticipation, I think you all were as excited to see this kitchen as Emily was to reveal it (which is why this blog exists, right?? :)). I haven’t personally seen this beauty in person YET but I can’t wait to. It really is so beautiful, soulful, and timeless. I die over all the wood, the tile, and of course the vintage island!! And there you have it, folks. This officially wraps up our top 10 reveals in 2022. We can’t wait to show you what’s cooking for next year!! xx The post These Are The Top EHD 10 Reveals of 2022 (According To You!) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/2Qme169 Happy Friday and happy, happy holidays! We figured everyone is pretty much shopping fatigued at this point in the year so today we thought we would share some books, movies, shows, and podcasts to enjoy over a (hopefully) long, relaxing weekend. This will be the last EHD link up of the year (oh how time flies!) and we are taking the next two days off the blog, so thank you for joining us and we will see you back here on Monday. This home tour will have you believing that green and red is a killer color scheme that works all year long. It is a Victorian terrace designed by Tiffany Duggan of Studio Duggan, who excels at creating spaces that are polished, soulful, yet completely inviting. Please, give your eyeballs a treat and check out the whole home tour. From Emily: This is my favorite easy-read book of the year. I received another text from one of my best friends (who shares my reading list usually) and she said “This. More books like this”, after my recommendation. Every Summer After, by Carley Fortune (a former romance editor, turned writer) is a sweet, coming-of-age, nostalgic, feel-good romance that I personally need more of. It’s well-written, with good dialogue and a story that is easy to relate to, but it’s one of those you instantly can get into and curl up with all day. This year I’m doing a non-fiction book club with my best friends (mostly self-improvement spiritual and/or business-related) because I can just read easy rom-com after easy rom-com and I do want to use more areas of my brain. But over the holidays for those of you who don’t want to have to think but want to dig into a feel-good book, I’d say of the 40 or so books I read this year that this one was my favorite. From Caitlin: Can we talk about Who Killed Santa? I’ve been kind of disappointed by Netflix’s holiday offerings this year, but THIS ONE WAS SO FUN. The gist: Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph were hired to film a Christmas special, but they’re not given a script and they have NO IDEA what’s going on. The rest of the cast (including Will Arnett, who stars as Detective Terry Seattle) and crew all know what’s going to happen next, but the guest stars are completely in the dark and they’re forced to improv through each scene. Everyone is breaking and laughing constantly and it just seems like they had a ton of fun shooting it, which I LOVED. What did you think? (And if this sounds up your alley, there’s an entire series called Murderville that operates on the same premise – it came out in February of 2022 but never really hit, you know? Worth the watch over the holiday break!) From Ryann: I have to second Caitlin’s Murderville recommendation. This show is so funny and deserves more recognition!! Granted, I love Will Arnett and love when actors break character even more, so this show is a 10/10 for me. I think fans of SNL or Arrested Development will love this show (and it’s appropriate for older kids and teens so could be a great show to watch with the family over break). Let’s get this show another season, please!! Also from Ryann: One of my favorite comedians, Catherine Cohen, does an advice column for W magazine, and anytime I feel like I need a pep talk I go there. Reading her words is like getting sage advice from your hilarious older sister who is extremely cool and only wears sharp-winged eyeliner. I will even re-read her older columns just to bring me out of a bad mood and it works every time. I love and revere this woman and think everyone else should too! From Jess: If anyone is looking for a feel-good holiday movie, I thought Hanukkah on Rye was so freaking sweet! Not only was it great to see a holiday rom-com about something other than Christmas, but it was also honestly the perfect “Hallmark” holiday movie. You can actually feel the chemistry between the leads (not always the case) and while their romance is unrealistically fast (like in all of these types of movies), the progression felt WAY MORE natural than most of the ones I’ve seen recently. If you love this genre then you will love this movie:) Oh, and if anyone’s a Jane the Virgin fan then get ready to see Petra in a whole new light:) Also From Jess: If you haven’t watched From Scratch yet, it’s A MUST. You will cry but you won’t regret it. And it’s based on a true love story. GO NOW! From Mallory: Guys. John Mayer was just interviewed on Call Her Daddy this week and it’s time to get your popcorn, cocoa & candy canes and have a listen. I’m not kidding when I say that all my friends and I have been WAITING for this to drop. I recently got into Call her Daddy after listening to Alex Cooper on Emily Ratakowski’s new podcast, High/Low. Both of these podcasts are fairly new in my life but I highly recommend them so far if you’re in need of some new ones ? That’s all from us. Please have a great weekend and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! xx Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Our Living Room, Dressed Up for the Holidays (With a ‘And How I Feel About It’ Running Commentary) The post The Link Up: Emily’s Favorite Easy Read Of The Year, The Best Netflix Holiday Special According To Caitlin, And A Juicy Podcast Episode appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/9tOGADd Sorry, it’s been a minute since my last closet update. Surprise, surprise I’m running behind. If you’ve missed my plans to DIY the heck out of my walk-through hall closet (a closet that connects my hallway to my bathroom) then check out the intro and the first update. But if you know exactly what’s going on design-wise then I will tell you I have made my life much harder. “But Jess, how did you do that?” Well, I decided that I wanted the look and texture of roman clay. What is roman clay? It’s an eco-friendly plaster that you apply to smooth interior walls with a putty knife. That’s right, no brushes allowed! “Jess, have you ever applied roman clay to a wall before??” The answer to that is no…until this past weekend. But before we get into my “roman test run,” I wanted to remind y’all that I have decided to also create my own design of Morse Code to honor my late mother with her name and a sweet message she wrote me in a card years ago. I know it sounds weird and my very ugly drawing below doesn’t make it sound cool, but I promise if you keep reading I might be able to change your mind. Right, roman clay. Last week, I went to Portola Paints & Glazes in Burbank to check out their options since they are known for their limewash paint and roman clay. I went in thinking I had a plan and then immediately realized I wasn’t even sure about the colors I wanted to sample. So with the help of an extremely kind and patient employee who listened to me talk nonsense about my “circle design” (thanks, Dustin!), I chose 10 color swatches to take home with me because I was kinda overwhelmed and sample pots are $10 each. See below. Every color they have is beautiful but these were the ones I gravitated toward the most for this project. I brought them home and pretty immediately knew I want to go cool-toned. Wish I could have just made that decision on the first trip. SMH. But actually, when I went back to get the samples, another wildly generous employee (I can’t remember his name!) showed me exactly how to stencil and create my pattern. He even let me film him demonstrating it! I was so grateful because, like I said, I’ve never worked with a product like this and was more or less winging it. Cool cool, Jess. FYI this post is in no way sponsored by Portola. I was just blown away by their customer service and think everyone should know:) Above are the colors I chose to play with. Please don’t be bummed! I know that the color palettes from my last post were much more vibrant but working with more than two clay colors on this project is too much for my skill level and honestly, not what I want aesthetically. I promise to now bring some more color with the curtain:) HOT TIP: They recommend using a metal putty knife. But if you are working with a super light roman clay color (like Piano Room which came highly recommended) then you are going to want to use a plastic putty knife. I guess with light colors the metal can leave dark marks. Naturally, I was nervous because if I “failed” my whole design plan would be out the door. Dramatic much? Well, I gave it a go anyway on two small pieces of drywall I bought at Home Depot. But first I carefully watch their YouTube tutorial as I continually glanced at my two empty canvases thinking that all those art classes as a youth had to pay off right now. I also decided that I would try the Presidente (on the left) and Mare Island (on the right) as my two base options. I really liked the light grey but didn’t feel it would make the statement I wanted. Honestly, after my first coat, I wasn’t mad, slightly impressed even. I think trying to do it on the floor made the bottom halves a little trickier but ultimately I felt like I might not be a lost cause after all . Then after that first coat dried, I gave it a light sand with 320 sanding sheets, wiped it down with a rag, and went for the second coat. The process is a little laborious but too not terrible. I then let them dry overnight and the next morning I was ready to try out the stencil method I was taught. Here’s how to do it… 1. Draw your shape directly only on the wall. As you can see I added more tape for extra protection but this is how my first and second coats looked. You can go a little thicker on the second coat if you want less “variation”. Just don’t forget to sand and dry wipe after the first coat. Here is my first full attempt with Presidente and Fade to Black…as you can see I had some mishaps with the tape pulling off the clay. NOT GREAT! But I went back to Portola and asked them if this happened because I applied the clay directly to the drywall without a primer. They kindly said yes and that for my real walls, as long as the current wall paint is water-based paint I will be 100% fine and priming isn’t even necessary!! I was so relieved. I mean if there weren’t all of those tears I would be super happy with it. And this is my first attempt with Mare Island and Fade to Black. Now, as much as I appreciated that guy showing me his taping method, since my patterns are in a line I came up with a better way that I’ll show you in a minute:) And here’s how the first round turned out. Not toooooo bad for my first time, right?? I mean sure it was a bit mind-numbing stenciling, taping, cutting, putty knifing(?), sanding, and then putty knifing again…but that’s what I do. Nothing is allowed to be simple with me, I guess. I mean remember the bench??? But the bench turned out amazing and I can’t wait to show you! Ok, ok. This is how I decided to tape for the second round… I used two long strips across instead of a million tiny pieces of tape! This way also made it easier to line everything up so I didn’t accidentally trend upward or down. I should also warn you that your cuts (especially if you have circles) are not going to be perfect. Unless you have a VERY steadiest hand! I like the imperfect look for this project. See how much better that is!? Even with that tear, it’s so much easier to take off. But now let’s take about which combo looks the best. I photoshopped the pictures so that there weren’t any tears since they are really distracting and won’t be in the final product:) Ok, so the top row is the Fade to Black and the bottom is In the Navy. I know it’s hard to see the blue on the tan color but that’s just because the lighting is weird. I think I’m leaning toward the blue-on-blue and here’s why… While this photo was taken at night (aka zero natural light), I think the blue base gives a nice depth, and the lighter blue pattern is more playful. Also, if you look at the two options from this angle, I don’t love the idea of all of the trim being that tan color. The blue makes more sense to go on every surface inside the closet and it works with the tile of the bathroom better, right? P.S. Did you notice my new little brass rod??! And to give you a little design direction for the bathroom, these are the towels I am crossing my fingers I can get. I know that all the combos technically go with these towels but I just like of contrast of the blue with them a bit more. To be honest, I’ve realized that I am easily scared by dark paint (or plaster) colors in my own home when trim and doors are involved (FYI I’ll be using acrylic paint in the same color for the trim and doors). It feels a little overwhelming and what if it looks bad?? Those are just some silly thoughts that come into my brain but I want/need to quiet them because it’s just paint and I can always pivot. So thoughts? Feelings? Has anyone worked with roman clay and has tips? Let’s talk because I’m starting next week! Love you, mean it. The post Jess Tried Roman Clay “Paint” For The First Time And Here’s How It Went appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/2uWmcPV Hey you guys! It’s been a while since I’ve had the pleasure to talk to you, so I’m excited to bring you some holiday decor inspiration (for the 2023 holiday season ha)! This year I was feeling super nontraditional with my approach to decorating. I had a full-on moment of rebellion! Anti-ornament, anti-everything that I’d done in the past. I wanted to challenge myself! So, I set out for inspiration. Like many of us, I head to social media for inspiration, and I stumbled on lots of beautiful holiday goodness. I knew I wanted to go unconventional though, so I was happy when I came across Nicki Bamford-Bowes’ page and her post of this pink Christmas tree she made last year. The pink had me already, but then when I saw the huge black and white striped bow that cascades down the tree and the minimal ornaments, it was just the creative spark I needed. I decided to remix her design on my own tree. I’ve had my tree since 2019 and absolutely love it. I found it at The Home Depot, but unfortunately, I haven’t seen it there since then. It’s the perfect height and has 4,000 fairy lights that make it stand out even without decoration. They have similar trees but with 1500 fairy lights (but who’s counting lol). Nicki’s gigantic bow idea was a must, and I also had some inspiration I’d saved from back in the summer of a bloom display by a company called Brightly Ever After that included a champagne bubble wall. I had my plan: a huge bow and clear ornaments displayed down the center. I set out to find some fabric for the bow because I knew it would be super hard to find ribbon in the size I needed. I went to my favorite local fabric store G Street Fabrics in Rockville, MD (not G Street in DC lol) and they had just what I was looking for. I can spend all day there because they always have a huge selection, sales, and remnant pieces, which is great because fabric can be a splurge! I was hoping to find a dusty blue velvet fabric to give a pop of contrast and cool down our chocolate fondue living room walls, and I snagged exactly what I was looking for! I bought 3.5 yards of fabric and 2 yards of stiffener for the bow part. Check out my Instagram for a tutorial on this large bow. It was quite simple to make. Gosh…I’m gushing over how good the DIY gigantic bow turned out. Every time I glance up at it, I just smile because it’s the exact bizarre Christmas look I was going for. I told one of my friends I was going for avant-garde and I think I nailed it. What do you think? Would you try your hand at this ginormous bow for your tree? Living Room Drapery | Wraparound Curtain Rod | Striped Rug | Olive Round Pillow The main reason why I’m so late in decorating my home for the holidays is because I thought to myself, “Maybe I should refresh the living room”, because why not right?” (I love torturing myself hahaha). I’ve loved our living room the past few years in all its different designs, but it’s a constant work in progress. Jasen (my husband) had the idea to pattern these large Ikea mirrors on the wall a few years ago, and it made the space feel larger. As much as I loved it, I was ready for art. I found some pre-loved art from a company called Kaiyo that worked perfectly with the brown walls. I realized I didn’t buy enough art so I had to complete the look with these polished nickel candle sconces and deep olive tapered candles that kind of look brown depending on the lighting. To add some Christmas flair I draped some arborvitae stems on the sconces and added ribbon strips. Simple and quick! Floor Lamp | Sofa (similar) Candle Sconce | Olive Green Tapered Candle I love to style surfaces like shelves and tables (I have an uncontrollable obsession with coffee table books and just bought another the other day). So to add even more stress to my life, I decided that I wanted to build floating shelves in the living room. But in true Rashida fashion, I didn’t want the typical slender profile of floating shelves. I wanted chunky shelves! So I did what any good wife would do…dragged Jasen into building the DIY chunky shelves with me. The larger shelving would be a nice bold addition and also bring shape and form to our flat walls. Jasen and I built the shelves in about 4 days total, and it was pretty easy (DM me if you need help!). I painted them the same chocolate fondue color as the wall, and I love how they came out because they look like they’ve been there forever, which was exactly what I envisioned. I’m honestly so excited about all the ways I can style them, whether it be maximal or scaling it back, monochromatic or bold colors, books, and other tchotchkes…I can’t wait! Prepare to be sick of me and my shelf styling! Lol To round out my mini holiday living room refresh, my good friends at Lulu and Georgia sent me this beautiful flush mount light that I’ve been eyeing for quite some time. I can be yay or nay when it comes to flush mounts because they can often be kind of blah, but I love how this one crawls the ceiling and looks so sculptural. I selected the polished nickel finish to again cool down the temperature from the brown walls. Plus, polished nickel has had my attention all year. I still love unlacquered brass though. I also ordered a new rug from Lulu and Georgia. It hasn’t come yet, but it’s this beautiful khaki green that’s festive and cozy. I’ll be using our current rug for the Spring/Summer, and the new one for the Fall/Winter. Changing your rugs out seasonally can be a splurge, I know, but it’s worth it in the long run when it comes to preserving them over time. I’ll be sure to drop some updated pictures here when the rug arrives. Floor Lamp | Sofa (similar) | Olive Round Pillow | Coffee Table | Khaki Rug I made a few changes to the dining area as well. I know some of you guys remember my chair dilemma. I’m still looking and will not give up! I actually did buy a chair that one of you lovely readers suggested. I’ll be getting back to finishing my dining lounge project at the top of the year. In the meantime, I found this round marble table on Facebook Marketplace for just $200!!! It fits perfectly into the space! I kept things minimal with this hanging wreath chandelier over the table to keep things festive. We have plaster ceilings and walls, so I was happy to find this ceiling hook from The Home Depot that made hanging the wreath easy by using a construction screw. I scooped up these mini twig trees from Target during Black Friday, and these pots from Home Depot for the trees to go in. Table (vintage) | Chair (vintage) | Dining Room Drapery | Wraparound Curtain Rod | Twinkling Twig Tree | Plant Pot I also switched out some of the kitchen artwork for a more wintery piece. I frequently pop into a local vintage/consignment store called Evolution Home here in the DMV area and pick up things that I think I’ll use at some point. They always have nice artwork, if you’re local you should check them out! The house is finally ready to entertain holiday guests. I hope you like this refresh and are inspired to get your space holiday ready in a way that’s unique to you. Merry Christmas EHD readers! If you’re late to the holiday decor train like me, I hope I was able to give you some quick decor ideas and also some refresh ideas for your space. Let’s continue this convo down in the comments! *Design and Photos by Rashida Banks The post Rashida’s HIGH IMPACT Christmas Decor (That You Can Still DIY Before Your Family Arrives) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/91W5Dk0 I want to start off by saying this is a safe place for all of my fellow procrastinators. Trust me I know how you are feeling. It can range from mild personal frustration to being in a total shame spiral. The good news is all of those bad feelings are about to go away with this post. We wanted to make our final 2022 gift guide serviceable to anyone that has yet to get a gift but doesn’t have enough time to get something shipped. And while we don’t pass judgment on a last-minute Prime purchase, that’s not what you’re going to find here. These ideas are a little out-of-the-box, thoughtful and as the title says, don’t require shipping. Let’s get right to it then… The Perfect Artsy Daily Newsletter SubscriptionIf you don’t know about The Jealous Curator, Danielle Krysa, then you are in for a treat. Her tagline reads “Turning jealousy into get-your-ass-back-in-the-studio inspiration since 2009” and boy has she been delivering. I’ve loved her account and site for years and Emily is actually friends with her. So what’s the gift?? Well, she just started a daily newsletter that features one to two artists and I can’t tell you how much I love it. She was kind enough to give me and Em a week free to check it out and as soon as it ended I immediately subscribed. It’s bite-sized so not overwhelming, gives me a burst of creativity every morning, and is only $36 for the entire year. If you have an art and/or design lover in your life, this is a GREAT gift. 10/10 Maybe Baby Newsletter and Podcast SubscriptionEmily and I also both love Haley Nahmen, former Deputy Editor of Manrepller, and her writing. Haley’s newsletter, Maybe Baby, started out as a thought-provoking weekly article and is now that plus a weekly recommendation list and a podcast. Her description of what it’s about is this – “Chipping away at the inscrutability of modern life, popular culture, and how we feel about both.” It just makes you think and look at things in a way you might not have otherwise. I also really love the podcast and her monthly “Dear Danny” episode where she and her friend Danny answer reader questions. It’s always entertaining and I love hearing both of their perspectives. So if you have someone in your life (especially in the millennial and gen z age group) this is a really cool gift. It’s $5 a month or $50 for the year. It can also be free if you only want the weekly Sunday newsletter but I highly suggest it all:) Buy Them Some Lunches At Their Favorite Lunch SpotLast week, I got an email from Sweetgreen (my favorite salad lunch place ever) promoting their gift cards. At first, I didn’t think much of it and was ready to hit delete until I realized what a great gift that would actually be. Not necessarily Sweetgreen specifically but a gift card to cover your loved one’s or even coworkers’ lunch (or a set amount of lunches). I am NOT great at preppy my lunches and still don’t love to cook so if I got a gift card to my favorite lunch spot it would be a dream. I know people tend to give gift cards to fancy restaurants for dinner but I think gifting lunch is such a sweet gesture. Obviously, this depends on the restaurant you choose and your budget but how wonderful would it be to say “Hey, lunch is on me your first week back after the holidays”?? And if you don’t know where they like to eat Postmates or Grubhub are great options too (just remember to factor in those delivery fees:)) Inspire A New HobbyWe’ve clearly talked about Skillshare (where Emily has a class) and Masterclass before but it’s still SUCH a sick gift. Personally, I really want to expand my world/mind this year way more than I have in a while. I’ve been in a bit of a rut and I know that a lot of people I know are feeling the same. A really great way to shake yourself awake is to learn about something you’re interested in from a cool expert. Here’s to learning more about new things and ourselves in 2023:) A Night AwayA night (or weekend) alone in a hotel was the #1 request when we asked moms what they wanted for Mother’s Day. I think it’s pretty safe to say that Christmas time works too. Of course, this would be an incredible gift for any adult on your list. So whether it’s a great spot in your town or something a little further out (like one of these two amazing hotels we got to stay at in Nevada City) I don’t think you can go wrong. But maybe a hotel isn’t their thing. Emily highly recommends getting an Airbnb gift card. This would also be really sweet if you already know they are renting an Airbnb soon but you can’t cover an entire stay. Your gift card will help make it more affordable! The Gift Of A FUN WorkoutMallory is a big fan of Classpass and she’s not alone. Almost everyone I know that has used it loves it for its great classes and flexibility. So if you have a person in your life that loves group classes or wants to start getting into some this is the ultimate gift. Upgrade Their Favorite Streaming ServiceThis idea came from Caitlin and I think it’s kinda genius. I feel like there are very few people who love ad breaks, right? So why not upgrade their favorite streaming service!? Caitlin’s boyfriend is the inspiration behind this idea because YouTube Premium is on his wishlist. As someone who only watches the occasion YouTube video, I forget how huge it is and how many people watch videos all of the time. I just found out it’s how one of my best friends starts her morning! So for the YouTube upgrade specifically you need to get a Google Play gift card which can then be redeemed on YouTube. Hulu is another great one to upgrade! I’m SO bummed every time an ad break comes up when I’m watching Abbot Elementary. It doesn’t have to be this way! Make Their Life A Little (Or A Lot) SpicierI know a ton of people who are hot sauce lovers and know that they would really love this gift. Mallory was the one who suggested this company because her hot sauce-loving friend received it as a gift and highly recommends it! Here’s what she had to say about it: “If you are or know someone who is a hot sauce fanatic, then this is the perfect gift. I have a friend who is obsessed with this subscription – you can choose the level of ‘hotness’ you want and how many hot sauces you want to give, but they have some super unique bottles from a billion different places. Such a unique gift idea!!” A Concert They’ll Always RememberThis gift should be gifted more often! Every time I go to a concert I think, “Why don’t I do this more?!” And why yes, that is a picture of an Alicia Keyes concert with a surprise visit from HER I got invited to. NBD. Singing “No One” at the top of our lungs is a forever memory for me:) There’s just nothing like live music. So look up the artists coming to your area, get tickets for their favorite band or get something like a Ticketmaster gift certificate if you think having them choose is better. You could also potentially buy tickets directly from your local venue (if that’s where the person you are gifting to lives too). Caitlin gets this for her mom every year and they always have an incredible time. What a cool tradition to start, right??? Get Your Wine Lover The Perfect GiftI am a BIG natural wine fan and I can’t tell you how much I would love getting a delicious natural wine delivery. We can personally vouch for Dry Farms because I have heard great things from my friends and Mallory is also a huge fan. Here’s what she had to say about it. “We got a wine subscription to Dry Farms as a gift one year and it was incredible (especially for natural wine drinkers). The one we got was 3 bottles a month for 6 months, and it truly was the gift that keeps on giving. I LOVED having bottles constantly in my fridge without having to think about it and they were all incredible. I especially love natural wine because it’s less sugar and ultimately makes me feel better the next day (like I’ve never had a hangover after drinking natural wine) which is awesome. Plus it’s so fun to explore new wines I’ve never heard of and they’re all soooo unique! Highly recommend.” They also have an option to just do a one-time delivery if you don’t want to get the monthly subscription. So while shipping is technically involved with this one, you can easily give a card telling them they have something to look forward to:) Give Them The Gift Of A Lift!I don’t know if Ubers and Lyfts have gotten more expensive in your area but they have in Los Angeles. So getting a gift card from either of these companies would be so so great! What’s better than knowing you are helping someone you care about to get home safely? Not much. 10/10! For The Snack Lover In Your LifeThis is the only recommendation that none of us have tried ourselves. But I saw it on Instagram and thought it was so fun! What a fun and creative way to expose people to things around the world. Plus the more we experience each other’s cultures the more we can appreciate and understand them. I know it’s only snacks but who doesn’t love snacks?! They Deserve A Nice Service, You Deserve A DiscountI have been singing the praises of Groupon for YEARS!! This is the easiest and most affordable way to get someone a great service whether that’s a massage or a car detail, or another one of their many options. I actually told my brother I wanted a car detail when asked what I wanted for Christmas this year. If you are unsure about what they would like Groupon also sells gift cards. I think this is a truly great and thoughtful gift. Give Them A Smokey TreatPlease excuse that horrible header (smh). Sometimes “cute” titles are hard. But this is actually a really cool gift for the cigar lover in your life. Ryann’s husband was the one that inspired this idea because of how much he loved getting this particular subscription. It’s also pretty affordable too! Here’s what Rocky had to say about it. “I liked it because they would send exclusive cigars you couldn’t get in-store anywhere, and most of the cigars were small batch and pretty rare.” That all sounds pretty great and special to me! Vintage Lovers Will LOVE YouIf someone on your list loves vintage or handmade things then you just simply can’t go wrong with an Etsy gift card. We got one for Ryann for her birthday last year and she loved it! Everything I’ve purchased on Etsy I have loved and knew came from a great small business. You really can’t lose. And if you want to give them some shop suggestions get out this post Ryann wrote? Give Them A “Hello” From A CelebrityLast but definitely not least there’s Cameo. If you don’t know what this is, it’s a company where celebrities, athletes, and pop culture personalities send messages to the person of your choosing for a set fee. It’s a pretty special gift for the person that never needs anything but would love or just get a total kick out of their favorite celeb saying hi to them. Do you feel better? Breathing a little easier, I hope. Regardless, best of luck in all of your holiday gifting adventures. You’ve got this. Love you, mean it. Opening Image Credits: Design by Brady Tolbert | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Brady’s Holiday Decor The post 16 Easy But Still Thoughtful Last-Minute Gifts (No Shipping Required) appeared first on Emily Henderson. Originally from Emily Henderson https://ift.tt/YjPSdXC |
Author Kimberly ReedDesign Consultant at Furnishing Knowledge:KI Archives
April 2023
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