homegenic - Tumblr blog

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Your Mom Deserves a Thoughtful Gift for Mother’s Day—Here Are 10 Tear-Inducing Ideas

Warning: This post is going to start out kind of sad but I promise it will end up happy and your heart will be full and hopefully even a little inspired. Okay? Cool.

Once you start reading this post you might think I was an odd choice to be its author (Jess, not Emily) but I feel I am actually the perfect candidate. My story is not unique but it’s a good reminder that future days are not guaranteed and showing appreciation to those you love should be at the absolute top of the priority list….duh. I lost my mom eight years ago. Well, I didn’t lose her, I always kept a very good eye on her (pardon while I laugh at my own jokes, humor is important). But when she died, it really put everything—including “things”—into perspective. Now I’m not saying all material things lost value (I mean I’m a Market Editor…I love things) but I definitely was able to look at them in a way that was much healthier. The value I thought they held, to my surprise, was not that much. She is a part of me and our memories doing special things together trump any gift she ever gave me or me to her (and she was a great gift giver). Time is truly the only priceless gift anyone can receive. Quality time is also my top love language so maybe I’m biased.

But regardless, you “can’t take any of it with you” so it’s my recommendation, at least for this year, to also invest in creating memories.

I mean let’s face it, very few of us are able to send their mom to Tahiti (one of my mom’s bucket list items) so that means we need to get a little more creative. What I usually got caught up on is that I wanted to reinvent the gift wheel, be the BEST and most thoughtful offspring the world has ever seen. Guess what? She never cared about how “different” it was. Honestly, if she could have a nice day with my brother and I getting along for all 24 hours that would have been enough. But obviously, that’s not enough because our mothers deserve more.

With all that said, I was put in charge of putting together a list of thoughtfully driven Mother’s Day gift ideas and to me, the best way to be thoughtful is to give your time (and some pampering, of course). As the great Ali Wong has coined, “She has suffered enough,” so treat her like the queen she is with your time and effort. So to help inspire, here are 10 super thoughtful and pretty easy ideas to make your mom or the mother figure in your life feel insanely loved…as they should.

1. A Beautiful Vessel Filled with Compliments or Happy Memories

This has turned into my signature present and has happily been co-opted by the EHD team for our office birthday present. But it effortlessly translates to Mother’s Day. It’s so easy, affordable and will make your mom feel so loved. All you have to do is find a wide mouth vase (so her hand will fit inside), planter or decorative box then fill it with handwritten compliments and/or thoughtful notes. Done and done. Tears.

Ribbed Catch-All

A beautiful deep green catch-all with lid to help protect your sweet notes.

$38

schoolhouse.com

shop

Winnie Round Black Planter

An earthy and modern terracotta planter for your cool and modern mother figure.

$40

cb2.com

shop

Small Metal Plant Pot

Very cute traditional style brass vessel that would look perfect in any room your mother wants to put:)

$18

hm.com

shop

Pacifico Pot

Any mama who loves some boho style will love this pot almost as much as she will love the notes inside of it.

$34

anthropologie.com

shop

Distressed Pedestal Pot

Who doesn’t love a distressed pedestal pot? No one.

$21

mcgeeandco.com

shop

Raw Earth Plant Stand Pot

This modern and delicate pot will knock your mamas socks off. Your notes will be just be the cherry on top.

$105

shoppigment.com

shop

prev next

.carousel_arrow_left{transform: rotate(180deg);-moz-transform: rotate(180deg);-o-transform: rotate(180deg);-webkit-transform: rotate(180deg);} .single-post .main .carousel-inner .entry-title{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;color:#333 !important;padding-bottom:20px;font-size:18px !important;} .carousal_shop a{border: 2px solid #CBA54D;padding: 10px;font-style:italic;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousal_shop{padding-top:30px;} .carousel-inner .site_name a{color:#40a8dd !important;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .slider_content{padding-bottom:20px;} .slider_content,.carousel-inner .product_authour{color:#808080;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousel-inner .product_authour{font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow{width:50px;height:50px;background-size: contain;background-repeat: no-repeat;} #carouselExampleIndicators198589{padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:70px;} #carouselExampleIndicators1{padding-top:101px;padding-bottom:117px;} .slider_big_image img,.slider_small_image img,.crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{object-fit:cover;width:100% !important;margin-top:0px; text-align:center;} .slider_count{font-size:14px !important;} .crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{padding-left: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;} .page-template-template-crane-rentals #contact-section .section {padding-bottom:10px; } .crane_rental_image_right{float:right;} .carousel_arrow_left{position: absolute;top: 40%;left: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_left i,.carousel_arrow_right i{ font-size: 71px;font-weight: 100;color:#fff;} .carousel_arrow_right{position: absolute;top: 40%;right: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:none;} .slider_big_image img{margin-left:30px !important;} .slider_count{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px){ .carousal_shop{display:none;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:block;padding-top:0px;text-decoration:underline;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow_right,.carousel_arrow_left{top:unset;background-image:none !important;} .carousel_arrow_left{transform: initial;-moz-transform: initial;-o-transform: initial;-webkit-transform: initial;left:30px;}.slider_big_image img{margin-left:0px !important;} .carousel_arrow_right{left:150px;}.flex-item,.slider_big_image,.slider_small_image{padding-left:0;padding-right:0;} } jQuery(document).ready(function () { //$('#carouselExampleIndicators').carousel(4); function slide_number(name) { if (name = (new RegExp('[?&]' + encodeURIComponent(name) + '=([^&]*)')).exec(location.search)) return decodeURIComponent(name[1]); } jQuery("#carouselExampleIndicators198589").carousel({ interval: false }); var url= "https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/meaningful-mothers-day-gift-ideas"; var totalItems = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198589 .item').length; var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198589 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198589 .slider_count').html(''+(currentIndex + 1)+' of '+totalItems+''); $('#carouselExampleIndicators198589').on('slid.bs.carousel', function() { currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198589 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198589 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); window.history.pushState("", "",url + '?slide198589='+currentIndex); }); var slide_number = slide_number("slide198589"); if (slide_number != null){ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198589 #'+slide_number).addClass('active'); var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198589 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198589 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); }else{ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198589 .item:first').addClass('active'); } jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198589').swipe({ swipe: function(event, direction, distance, duration, fingerCount, fingerData) { if (direction == 'left') jQuery(this).carousel('next'); if (direction == 'right') jQuery(this).carousel('prev'); }, allowPageScroll:"vertical" }); });

2. Schedule A Massage While You Clean Her House/Do Chores

Moms deal with far more stress than they ever should have to. Sending her out for a massage while you clean her house or do some of her errands is a simple way to show her that you see how hard she works and you want to make her life a little easier.

3. Planner Or Calendar Pre Filled In With Dates To Hang Out (Even If It’s Phone Call Dates:))

Unless your mom doesn’t want to spend time with you (HA), this would be a crazy thoughtful gift. Find a planner or calendar she will love then mark off as many “mom dates” or phone dates (if you live far) as you can honestly commit to. Fewer things say I love you more than wanting to spend time together.

Appointed Monthly Planner

Very chic and very simple with just a monthly overview. Sometimes that’s all you need.

$20

needsupply.com

shop

Desert Planner

For the cool, hip and colorful mom that has a lot going on…including all those date nights with her favorite kid/s:)

$13

target.com

shop

Water Lillies Wall Calendar

Let’s get old school with this very pretty wall calendar. Your mom will be able to look at this puppy daily and look forward to your special monthly date.

$11

target.com

shop

Medium Personal Wide Spaces Monthly Planner

Big typography = cool mom. Planned mom dates = great kid.

amazon.com

shop

Rifle Paper Co 2019 Bouquet Appointment Calendar

You simply can’t go wrong with a rifle paper co. calendar. It’s a beautiful calendar for your beautiful mother.

$21

shopbop.com

shop

Black Planner

For the mom who loves simplicity and monochromatic accessories. This one is a no brainer;)

$14

target.com

shop

prev next

.carousel_arrow_left{transform: rotate(180deg);-moz-transform: rotate(180deg);-o-transform: rotate(180deg);-webkit-transform: rotate(180deg);} .single-post .main .carousel-inner .entry-title{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;color:#333 !important;padding-bottom:20px;font-size:18px !important;} .carousal_shop a{border: 2px solid #CBA54D;padding: 10px;font-style:italic;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousal_shop{padding-top:30px;} .carousel-inner .site_name a{color:#40a8dd !important;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .slider_content{padding-bottom:20px;} .slider_content,.carousel-inner .product_authour{color:#808080;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousel-inner .product_authour{font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow{width:50px;height:50px;background-size: contain;background-repeat: no-repeat;} #carouselExampleIndicators198607{padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:70px;} #carouselExampleIndicators1{padding-top:101px;padding-bottom:117px;} .slider_big_image img,.slider_small_image img,.crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{object-fit:cover;width:100% !important;margin-top:0px; text-align:center;} .slider_count{font-size:14px !important;} .crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{padding-left: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;} .page-template-template-crane-rentals #contact-section .section {padding-bottom:10px; } .crane_rental_image_right{float:right;} .carousel_arrow_left{position: absolute;top: 40%;left: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_left i,.carousel_arrow_right i{ font-size: 71px;font-weight: 100;color:#fff;} .carousel_arrow_right{position: absolute;top: 40%;right: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:none;} .slider_big_image img{margin-left:30px !important;} .slider_count{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px){ .carousal_shop{display:none;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:block;padding-top:0px;text-decoration:underline;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow_right,.carousel_arrow_left{top:unset;background-image:none !important;} .carousel_arrow_left{transform: initial;-moz-transform: initial;-o-transform: initial;-webkit-transform: initial;left:30px;}.slider_big_image img{margin-left:0px !important;} .carousel_arrow_right{left:150px;}.flex-item,.slider_big_image,.slider_small_image{padding-left:0;padding-right:0;} } jQuery(document).ready(function () { //$('#carouselExampleIndicators').carousel(4); function slide_number(name) { if (name = (new RegExp('[?&]' + encodeURIComponent(name) + '=([^&]*)')).exec(location.search)) return decodeURIComponent(name[1]); } jQuery("#carouselExampleIndicators198607").carousel({ interval: false }); var url= "https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/meaningful-mothers-day-gift-ideas"; var totalItems = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198607 .item').length; var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198607 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198607 .slider_count').html(''+(currentIndex + 1)+' of '+totalItems+''); $('#carouselExampleIndicators198607').on('slid.bs.carousel', function() { currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198607 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198607 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); window.history.pushState("", "",url + '?slide198607='+currentIndex); }); var slide_number = slide_number("slide198607"); if (slide_number != null){ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198607 #'+slide_number).addClass('active'); var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198607 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198607 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); }else{ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198607 .item:first').addClass('active'); } jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198607').swipe({ swipe: function(event, direction, distance, duration, fingerCount, fingerData) { if (direction == 'left') jQuery(this).carousel('next'); if (direction == 'right') jQuery(this).carousel('prev'); }, allowPageScroll:"vertical" }); });

4. Make A Personalized Video

I have done this for a lot of friend’s birthdays (originally as a teenager on an old school video camera. It was hard and hilarious) but again works perfectly for Mother’s Day. It takes a bit of planning but you will definitely get the tears you want when your mom opens/watches her gift. I recommend using a program like iMovie to make your video (this comes with any Apple computer). I am not super proficient so I can vouch that it’s very user-friendly. Plus, if all else fails, you can always turn to YouTube tutorials. Throw in photos backed by her favorite songs and interviews of loved ones saying what she means to them. I can already see those tears. VICTORY.

I thought I would do a little preliminary research on iMovie tutorials that may help those of you who are beginners like me:

For a general overview go here.

If you want to add some music, this video walks you through that.

Then if you want to get very fancy, here is a video to show you how to overlay pretty text to an iMovie video.

5. Blindfold Her To A Surprise Location (SO fun for young kids)

We did this when I was little and my brother and I thought it was the BEST idea in the world. Not sure if my mom super loved it but she loved how much fun we were having. We took her a nice brunch and my dad had a surprise gift “we got her” already at the restaurant. It was a real win for everyone. Thanks, dad.

Sleep Mask

A very cool eye mask that would be great for blindfolding and sleep.

$30

anthropologie.com

shop

Dot Print Triangle Bandana

Both adorable (polka dots) and oh so stylish (the color). She will be the cutest blindfolded lady in town.

$18

freepeople.com

shop

Floral Bandana

This cutie says Springtime and I love you mom all in one bandana.

$95

shopbop.com

shop

Women's Geo Woven Print Bandana

A modern take on the classic bandana that sports the perfect happy mustard.

$10

target.com

shop

Madewell bandanas are 100% Emily Henderson approved, this one very much included.

$13

madewell.com

shop

Slip Silk Sleep Mask

Silk masks are very in and very good for your mother’s beautiful eyes.

$50

anthropologie.com

shop

Love Stripe Silk Bandana

What says, “I love you,” quicker than a bandana that says LOVE? Nothing.

$38

shop.nordstrom.com

shop

prev next

.carousel_arrow_left{transform: rotate(180deg);-moz-transform: rotate(180deg);-o-transform: rotate(180deg);-webkit-transform: rotate(180deg);} .single-post .main .carousel-inner .entry-title{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;color:#333 !important;padding-bottom:20px;font-size:18px !important;} .carousal_shop a{border: 2px solid #CBA54D;padding: 10px;font-style:italic;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousal_shop{padding-top:30px;} .carousel-inner .site_name a{color:#40a8dd !important;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .slider_content{padding-bottom:20px;} .slider_content,.carousel-inner .product_authour{color:#808080;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousel-inner .product_authour{font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow{width:50px;height:50px;background-size: contain;background-repeat: no-repeat;} #carouselExampleIndicators198632{padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:70px;} #carouselExampleIndicators1{padding-top:101px;padding-bottom:117px;} .slider_big_image img,.slider_small_image img,.crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{object-fit:cover;width:100% !important;margin-top:0px; text-align:center;} .slider_count{font-size:14px !important;} .crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{padding-left: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;} .page-template-template-crane-rentals #contact-section .section {padding-bottom:10px; } .crane_rental_image_right{float:right;} .carousel_arrow_left{position: absolute;top: 40%;left: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_left i,.carousel_arrow_right i{ font-size: 71px;font-weight: 100;color:#fff;} .carousel_arrow_right{position: absolute;top: 40%;right: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:none;} .slider_big_image img{margin-left:30px !important;} .slider_count{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px){ .carousal_shop{display:none;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:block;padding-top:0px;text-decoration:underline;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow_right,.carousel_arrow_left{top:unset;background-image:none !important;} .carousel_arrow_left{transform: initial;-moz-transform: initial;-o-transform: initial;-webkit-transform: initial;left:30px;}.slider_big_image img{margin-left:0px !important;} .carousel_arrow_right{left:150px;}.flex-item,.slider_big_image,.slider_small_image{padding-left:0;padding-right:0;} } jQuery(document).ready(function () { //$('#carouselExampleIndicators').carousel(4); function slide_number(name) { if (name = (new RegExp('[?&]' + encodeURIComponent(name) + '=([^&]*)')).exec(location.search)) return decodeURIComponent(name[1]); } jQuery("#carouselExampleIndicators198632").carousel({ interval: false }); var url= "https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/meaningful-mothers-day-gift-ideas"; var totalItems = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198632 .item').length; var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198632 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198632 .slider_count').html(''+(currentIndex + 1)+' of '+totalItems+''); $('#carouselExampleIndicators198632').on('slid.bs.carousel', function() { currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198632 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198632 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); window.history.pushState("", "",url + '?slide198632='+currentIndex); }); var slide_number = slide_number("slide198632"); if (slide_number != null){ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198632 #'+slide_number).addClass('active'); var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198632 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198632 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); }else{ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198632 .item:first').addClass('active'); } jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198632').swipe({ swipe: function(event, direction, distance, duration, fingerCount, fingerData) { if (direction == 'left') jQuery(this).carousel('next'); if (direction == 'right') jQuery(this).carousel('prev'); }, allowPageScroll:"vertical" }); });

6. Professional Family Photo Session (classic)

Obviously, a classic but it’s for damn good reason. Family photos are special and I promise you that you will be happy you have them too one day. Plus, most moms LOVE them. They made and/or raised you and they want to look at their stunning work. I look back on the crazy dorky light wash denim, white turtleneck beach photos from 1993 so fondly. They are hilarious and make me feel connected.

7. Wine Subscription with Monthly Wine Date Night (so fun for big kids)

This is a bit more expensive but if your mom loves wine then this is a great idea to do for her. But to make it more thoughtful, tack on a monthly, weekly (whatever works for you) Wine Night date. Having girl nights with my mom was seriously the absolute best.

Winc Wine

With this subscription you get 4 bottles per month with each bottle starting $13. It’s a super customizable program and has some great packaging:)

winc.com

shop

Wine Fellas

Wine Fellas is all about natural wines. It’s a little more expensive with packages starting at $97 for 3 bottles but it’s a company you can trust.

winefellas.com

shop

Vinebox

This is a super cool and unique subscription because instead of wine by the bottle, it’s wine by the glass. For $72 a quarter, they send out nine glasses every 3 months to let you learn and experience way more wines than the average subscription.

getvinebox.com

shop

Blanco and Tinto Wine Glasses

$16

cb2.com

shop

Stackable Goblet

An EHD favorite that is modern and sooo affordable. Plus they stack which is pretty darn great.

ikea.com

shop

12pc Stemless Wine Glasses

Sometimes when you are relaxing with a glass of wine, a stem is the last thing you want to deal with. This cute set is your cure for that issue.

$20

target.com

shop

prev next

.carousel_arrow_left{transform: rotate(180deg);-moz-transform: rotate(180deg);-o-transform: rotate(180deg);-webkit-transform: rotate(180deg);} .single-post .main .carousel-inner .entry-title{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;color:#333 !important;padding-bottom:20px;font-size:18px !important;} .carousal_shop a{border: 2px solid #CBA54D;padding: 10px;font-style:italic;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousal_shop{padding-top:30px;} .carousel-inner .site_name a{color:#40a8dd !important;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .slider_content{padding-bottom:20px;} .slider_content,.carousel-inner .product_authour{color:#808080;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousel-inner .product_authour{font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow{width:50px;height:50px;background-size: contain;background-repeat: no-repeat;} #carouselExampleIndicators198643{padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:70px;} #carouselExampleIndicators1{padding-top:101px;padding-bottom:117px;} .slider_big_image img,.slider_small_image img,.crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{object-fit:cover;width:100% !important;margin-top:0px; text-align:center;} .slider_count{font-size:14px !important;} .crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{padding-left: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;} .page-template-template-crane-rentals #contact-section .section {padding-bottom:10px; } .crane_rental_image_right{float:right;} .carousel_arrow_left{position: absolute;top: 40%;left: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_left i,.carousel_arrow_right i{ font-size: 71px;font-weight: 100;color:#fff;} .carousel_arrow_right{position: absolute;top: 40%;right: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:none;} .slider_big_image img{margin-left:30px !important;} .slider_count{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px){ .carousal_shop{display:none;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:block;padding-top:0px;text-decoration:underline;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow_right,.carousel_arrow_left{top:unset;background-image:none !important;} .carousel_arrow_left{transform: initial;-moz-transform: initial;-o-transform: initial;-webkit-transform: initial;left:30px;}.slider_big_image img{margin-left:0px !important;} .carousel_arrow_right{left:150px;}.flex-item,.slider_big_image,.slider_small_image{padding-left:0;padding-right:0;} } jQuery(document).ready(function () { //$('#carouselExampleIndicators').carousel(4); function slide_number(name) { if (name = (new RegExp('[?&]' + encodeURIComponent(name) + '=([^&]*)')).exec(location.search)) return decodeURIComponent(name[1]); } jQuery("#carouselExampleIndicators198643").carousel({ interval: false }); var url= "https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/meaningful-mothers-day-gift-ideas"; var totalItems = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198643 .item').length; var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198643 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198643 .slider_count').html(''+(currentIndex + 1)+' of '+totalItems+''); $('#carouselExampleIndicators198643').on('slid.bs.carousel', function() { currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198643 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198643 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); window.history.pushState("", "",url + '?slide198643='+currentIndex); }); var slide_number = slide_number("slide198643"); if (slide_number != null){ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198643 #'+slide_number).addClass('active'); var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198643 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198643 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); }else{ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198643 .item:first').addClass('active'); } jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198643').swipe({ swipe: function(event, direction, distance, duration, fingerCount, fingerData) { if (direction == 'left') jQuery(this).carousel('next'); if (direction == 'right') jQuery(this).carousel('prev'); }, allowPageScroll:"vertical" }); });

8. Start A Yearly Review Letter

This might be my favorite new idea (thanks, Julie) and I want to start it with my dad this Father’s Day (hopefully he’s not reading this). So every year, you reflect on the past 12 months. Recall funny memories, hard times she helped you through, a great vacation you had etc. It’s one step further than a card (which is great, too) that shows your appreciation and that you remember all she does.

9. Family Pizza Making Night

This is such a simple but fun idea that is great for all ages. Go shopping for all the ingredients to make a bunch of different kinds of pizzas. It’s super fun to come up with different concoctions, maybe even give them signature names. Then after all the eating has finished, tell her kindly to get out of the kitchen because she should relax while everyone else cleans up. Instant good family memories and she gets a little break.

3pc Pizza Baking Set

This pretty 3 piece pizza making set will make your pizza party possibly perfect.

$15

target.com

shop

Gas Stovetop Pizza Oven

If you want the perfectly cooked pizza this stovetop oven is your answer.

$170

worldmarket.com

shop

Pizza Set

If you aren’t wanting to come up with our own recipes then this book has 52 delicious options to choose from. Plus you get a pizza cutter and slice server.

$25

crateandbarrel.com

shop

Crisper

If you are wanting a simple way to make pizza then all you need for the perfect crust is this crisper. I mean what is pizza without a perfectly crisped crust.

$16

crateandbarrel.com

shop

prev next

.carousel_arrow_left{transform: rotate(180deg);-moz-transform: rotate(180deg);-o-transform: rotate(180deg);-webkit-transform: rotate(180deg);} .single-post .main .carousel-inner .entry-title{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;color:#333 !important;padding-bottom:20px;font-size:18px !important;} .carousal_shop a{border: 2px solid #CBA54D;padding: 10px;font-style:italic;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousal_shop{padding-top:30px;} .carousel-inner .site_name a{color:#40a8dd !important;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .slider_content{padding-bottom:20px;} .slider_content,.carousel-inner .product_authour{color:#808080;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousel-inner .product_authour{font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow{width:50px;height:50px;background-size: contain;background-repeat: no-repeat;} #carouselExampleIndicators198654{padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:70px;} #carouselExampleIndicators1{padding-top:101px;padding-bottom:117px;} .slider_big_image img,.slider_small_image img,.crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{object-fit:cover;width:100% !important;margin-top:0px; text-align:center;} .slider_count{font-size:14px !important;} .crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{padding-left: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;} .page-template-template-crane-rentals #contact-section .section {padding-bottom:10px; } .crane_rental_image_right{float:right;} .carousel_arrow_left{position: absolute;top: 40%;left: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_left i,.carousel_arrow_right i{ font-size: 71px;font-weight: 100;color:#fff;} .carousel_arrow_right{position: absolute;top: 40%;right: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:none;} .slider_big_image img{margin-left:30px !important;} .slider_count{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px){ .carousal_shop{display:none;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:block;padding-top:0px;text-decoration:underline;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow_right,.carousel_arrow_left{top:unset;background-image:none !important;} .carousel_arrow_left{transform: initial;-moz-transform: initial;-o-transform: initial;-webkit-transform: initial;left:30px;}.slider_big_image img{margin-left:0px !important;} .carousel_arrow_right{left:150px;}.flex-item,.slider_big_image,.slider_small_image{padding-left:0;padding-right:0;} } jQuery(document).ready(function () { //$('#carouselExampleIndicators').carousel(4); function slide_number(name) { if (name = (new RegExp('[?&]' + encodeURIComponent(name) + '=([^&]*)')).exec(location.search)) return decodeURIComponent(name[1]); } jQuery("#carouselExampleIndicators198654").carousel({ interval: false }); var url= "https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/meaningful-mothers-day-gift-ideas"; var totalItems = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198654 .item').length; var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198654 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198654 .slider_count').html(''+(currentIndex + 1)+' of '+totalItems+''); $('#carouselExampleIndicators198654').on('slid.bs.carousel', function() { currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198654 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198654 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); window.history.pushState("", "",url + '?slide198654='+currentIndex); }); var slide_number = slide_number("slide198654"); if (slide_number != null){ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198654 #'+slide_number).addClass('active'); var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198654 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198654 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); }else{ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198654 .item:first').addClass('active'); } jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198654').swipe({ swipe: function(event, direction, distance, duration, fingerCount, fingerData) { if (direction == 'left') jQuery(this).carousel('next'); if (direction == 'right') jQuery(this).carousel('prev'); }, allowPageScroll:"vertical" }); });

10. Picnic With Homemade Goodies

This one isn’t rocket science but is still crazy thoughtful. Either whip up your own lunch or pick up food from her favorite restaurant and then head to her or your favorite outdoor spot. It shows you took the time to consider her and you get to spend some quality time together. Boom.

Willow Picnic Cooler Basket with Picnic Blanket

This is the ideal picnic basket. It’s cute, has a blanket and an insulated inside.

$46

amazon.com

shop

Picnic Table In Bag

Making your mother eat on the ground? Well with this very handy little table she doesn’t have to.

$40

westelm.com

shop

Bee's Wrap

If you are planning on some delightful sandwiches or other wrappable food for your picnic, consider some bee’s wrap instead of saran wrap.

$18

amazon.com

shop

Gingham Picnic Blanket

It’s cute, outdoor approved and machine washable. The perfect accessory for your thoughtful picnic.

$18

target.com

shop

Picnic Basket

A perfect and classic basket.

$28

amazon.com

shop

Rectangular Plastic Food Storage Container Set

You will probably need to have some containers for that delicious food you are making your mom. These ones are really great.

$11

target.com

shop

Silicone Wine Glasses

Mom might want some wine, no? These are wonderful, outdoor safe wine glasses everyone will love.

$16

amazon.com

shop

prev next

.carousel_arrow_left{transform: rotate(180deg);-moz-transform: rotate(180deg);-o-transform: rotate(180deg);-webkit-transform: rotate(180deg);} .single-post .main .carousel-inner .entry-title{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;color:#333 !important;padding-bottom:20px;font-size:18px !important;} .carousal_shop a{border: 2px solid #CBA54D;padding: 10px;font-style:italic;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousal_shop{padding-top:30px;} .carousel-inner .site_name a{color:#40a8dd !important;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .slider_content{padding-bottom:20px;} .slider_content,.carousel-inner .product_authour{color:#808080;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;} .carousel-inner .product_authour{font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow{width:50px;height:50px;background-size: contain;background-repeat: no-repeat;} #carouselExampleIndicators198666{padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:70px;} #carouselExampleIndicators1{padding-top:101px;padding-bottom:117px;} .slider_big_image img,.slider_small_image img,.crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{object-fit:cover;width:100% !important;margin-top:0px; text-align:center;} .slider_count{font-size:14px !important;} .crane_right_arrow,.crane_left_arrow{padding-left: 0px !important;padding-right: 0px !important;} .page-template-template-crane-rentals #contact-section .section {padding-bottom:10px; } .crane_rental_image_right{float:right;} .carousel_arrow_left{position: absolute;top: 40%;left: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_left i,.carousel_arrow_right i{ font-size: 71px;font-weight: 100;color:#fff;} .carousel_arrow_right{position: absolute;top: 40%;right: -25px;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:none;} .slider_big_image img{margin-left:30px !important;} .slider_count{font-family:Montserrat,sans-serif !important;} @media only screen and (max-width: 767px){ .carousal_shop{display:none;} .carousel_arrow_text{display:block;padding-top:0px;text-decoration:underline;font-family:garamond-premier-pro !important;font-style:italic;} .carousel_arrow_right,.carousel_arrow_left{top:unset;background-image:none !important;} .carousel_arrow_left{transform: initial;-moz-transform: initial;-o-transform: initial;-webkit-transform: initial;left:30px;}.slider_big_image img{margin-left:0px !important;} .carousel_arrow_right{left:150px;}.flex-item,.slider_big_image,.slider_small_image{padding-left:0;padding-right:0;} } jQuery(document).ready(function () { //$('#carouselExampleIndicators').carousel(4); function slide_number(name) { if (name = (new RegExp('[?&]' + encodeURIComponent(name) + '=([^&]*)')).exec(location.search)) return decodeURIComponent(name[1]); } jQuery("#carouselExampleIndicators198666").carousel({ interval: false }); var url= "https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/meaningful-mothers-day-gift-ideas"; var totalItems = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198666 .item').length; var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198666 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198666 .slider_count').html(''+(currentIndex + 1)+' of '+totalItems+''); $('#carouselExampleIndicators198666').on('slid.bs.carousel', function() { currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198666 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198666 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); window.history.pushState("", "",url + '?slide198666='+currentIndex); }); var slide_number = slide_number("slide198666"); if (slide_number != null){ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198666 #'+slide_number).addClass('active'); var currentIndex = $('#carouselExampleIndicators198666 div.active').index() + 1; $('#carouselExampleIndicators198666 .slider_count').html(''+currentIndex+' of '+totalItems+''); }else{ jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198666 .item:first').addClass('active'); } jQuery('#carouselExampleIndicators198666').swipe({ swipe: function(event, direction, distance, duration, fingerCount, fingerData) { if (direction == 'left') jQuery(this).carousel('next'); if (direction == 'right') jQuery(this).carousel('prev'); }, allowPageScroll:"vertical" }); });

I don’t want this post to feel like a guilt trip. I don’t want it to put you in a mindset of fear for what might happen. What I want for you all to get from this (I’m sure) heavier than expected Mother’s Day post is that your mother is a gift and you should take as many opportunities as possible to show your love and spend time with her. My mom’s last Christmas was, to put it lightly, hard (Ha, and you thought I was done with the sad stories). Not only because it was her last Christmas (inconceivable at the time and honestly still is) but what gift do you give your dying mother?! You give her love and as much of it as possible. It’s just the only gift that matters that we actually can take with us. So don’t “put it off till next year.” Take that family trip now, call your mom now (YES, RIGHT NOW) and try not to waste time in frustration and anger as they tend to evoke from us from time to time….or a lot of the time.

My mom was a champ at knowing my buttons (despite our best friend-like relationship) but when all is said and done, all moms are just doing their best so you should try to do yours. Forget perfection and focus on heart. I hope whether you are a mom or celebrating one that you have a truly magical day filled with happy tears. Those ladies are priceless.

Oh, and don’t worry…I found that killer family photo I was talking about. No image has ever captured our individual personalities more accurately.

Jess: Hot mess but smiling

Mom: Warm and beautiful

Dad: “Oookay, let’s get this over with”

Brother: Pouting at any forced activity

I would love more than anything to hear your ideas for thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts. This was just the tip of the iceberg. Let’s all share. Love you (and my mom), mean it.

Also, for anyone looking for purchasable gift ideas (mothers also like and deserve pretty things) as well, don’t forget we have this whole landing page as well as our Shop pages full of literally HUNDREDS (honestly, maybe thousands) of gift ideas organized by category/person you’re buying for. Check it out!

The post Your Mom Deserves a Thoughtful Gift for Mother’s Day—Here Are 10 Tear-Inducing Ideas appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Your Mom Deserves a Thoughtful Gift for Mother’s Day—Here Are 10 Tear-Inducing Ideas published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Our Kids Are Sharing a Room – Here’s The Where, What, How and Why…

Today’s post really proves that I deserve to be an internet-famous PROFESSIONAL Interior designer. If you need to feel better about yourself and your home (and will keep judgement to yourself), then continue where you’ll enjoy a peek into my process, which is actually quite ugly and messy. I’m mid-re-design of FOUR of the rooms in our house. Here’s what is happening:

The kids moved in together so Charlie’s room is going to be their shared room and I have to redesign it for function (two beds), which gives me the excuse to change it because I never felt it was right.

Birdie’s room is now up for grabs. What should it be? It needs to be like four things—home office? Guest room? Yoga room? Craft/art room? Brian’s editing room?

In the dining room, I found my dream dining chairs and changed out the light, but a few decisions have to be made (fabric, mostly).

I’m FINALLY designing the downstairs playroom—YAY—which is actually coming along, although full of garbage because IT’S A PLAY ROOM.

See? It’s a lot. Almost every room, except the master bedroom and the bathrooms are in flux (the living room is always in flux) and if I carried the gene for embarrassment and shame, I would not let anyone into my house, let alone post it on the internet but lucky for you, I DON’T!

So here you go. Today you are going to see what is happening in Charlie’s old room which we’ll refer to as ‘the kids’ room for the immediate future.

You might first be wondering WHY are the kids sharing a room when they have their own room?

Well, a few months ago, they both said they wanted to share a room. Both were waking up with nightmares or just generally feeling scared to be alone, and at one point Charlie even said, “but mama, you get to sleep with daddy, you aren’t alone, why do I have to be alone?” He was trying to convince me to stay in his bed, and it was a good point. Up at the mountain house over the holidays they shared their bedroom and they loved it and slept well. When your 3 and 5 year olds ask to share a room because they WANT to spend time together, you just say yes even if you technically have separate bedrooms for them. It’s painfully sweet.

But nothing is easy in this house. The bedroom is a challenging shape for two beds.

It’s a rectangle with a niche into the closet making the windows not centered and one wall hard to use because the doors open into it.

Where do we put the kids’ beds??

Well, they begged for bunk beds after they had played at another kids’ house who had them and thought they were a blast. Great! But since the ceiling slopes where the bunk beds would go we couldn’t really have normal tall ones, nor did I want to invest too much in this, not totally convinced this would stick or that it was the right thing to do design-wise. So I did what any professional interior designer would do—I sent someone to IKEA and bought cheap bunk beds (save money!) where it took them like 6 hours to put together (whoops).

Sorry. It’s the only photo I took probably because somewhere inside of me I didn’t want to show you this. They LOVED it during the day time, but come dark, they were both TERRIFIED. I think we didn’t fully realize that this isn’t really a bunk bed – it can be kinda hacked into it, but it’s not meant for someone, let alone with their mama, to sleep on the bottom. We tried but I ended up sleeping on the bottom with Birdie and Brian sleeping on the top with Charlie (both disoriented and therefore scared), so I basically laid there terrified that it was going to break and the weight would crush us. Birdie and I had severe claustrophobia and Charlie was really scared up high. We tried to give it enough time, not be those parents that pull the plug quickly after, allowing for enough adjustment time but after nines nights of HELL, all four of us up ALL NIGHT LONG, Brian disassembled it while I was out of town and we called it quits.

For weeks, they had two mattresses on the ground with Charlie strangely sleeping on a couch cushion in-between the mattresses.

We had put the couch cushion in between for us to read (and yes, for us to sleep when we get called in) but Charlie liked the comfort of being snuggled in between and they started sleeping through the night again so Brian did what any parent in this situation would do: INSISTED that we keep it this way.

It was painful for me. So I at least bought those really low beds to put the mattresses on (above), as if that looked any better.

So over spring break while the kids were out of town, we started the larger parts of the redesign, including removing the beadboard that I regretfully installed two years ago.

I hired Spaulding Co to take care of it because we clicked really well, they are awesome people, know what they are doing and AREN’T FLAKY. We have other things we need to fix (severe water damage in kitchen cabinets, leaky roof in the playroom) so we are working on these things simultaneously in the house. They took down the beadboard and chair rail, which damaged the casing – but we knew that and it’s being replaced.

So when I came back from spring break, it looked like this (already so much cleaner, fresher, simpler and felt so much bigger):

The question is how do we arrange two beds in here?? Bunk beds are kinda out of the question as we are all scarred and Charlie and Birdie are still scared of the idea, and there really isn’t one good option. We played with different options and we THINK we have the best set up.

Option 1:

We tried shoving them together in front of the window but they wouldn’t be centered (because of the niche) and it would definitely feel like a big, low king bed so design-wise I wasn’t psyched.

Option 2:

We even tried putting them long-ways to help save some space (I had seen it on Pinterest).

While I think it can work, and certainly does open up the room, it didn’t feel ideal either. If you have a square room and if it also has to function as your playroom, I think this can be a great solution. I saw a few that were styled out a lot like a long daybed and it was cute and interesting.

Option 3:

Ultimately, we are thinking that we are going to do this L-shaped configuration:

This layout allows the following for a lot of space in the middle, a cuddle or reading corner, plus it kinda mimics the architecture of the room.

If you think this is weird, know that I did, too, but I found a few online and thought, wait, that could work…

image source

Sure, they have a corner piece that separates the bed, but I think this could still work.

So now what? We have a potential layout, but what about the design?

Would there be a theme?

You betcha. The theme to the new kids’ room is…drumroll please…wait…be quiet because the theme is…

BEDTIME OR NIGHTTIME.

That’s right. It’s a super subtle hint to my two darling children to GO TO SLEEP and STAY IN BED. He wanted ninjas, she wanted unicorns but ultimately this isn’t a playroom, it’s their BEDroom and well, ninjas don’t say “sleep.”

So what does that look like? A tonal, blue calm-ass room.

image source

Yes, we might consider painting the window casings and the doors. This is a HUGE decision and I’m not sure why. I want to do it but I do fear that this is a trend that in five years I’ll regret but then what? Just paint back, right?

image source

Calm. Quiet. Cozy. And what about the ceiling? Our ceiling is coved so it would make sense to take the color up onto the ceiling. Would this be too cave-like? Possibly, but I hear people pass the hell out in caves, for even 12 hours at a time.

So “nighttime” or “bedtime” would be the theme, with elements of sky, clouds, stars with some whimsy but mostly calmness and softness.

image source

We might keep the same paint or paint it darker. At night, I LOVE the blue that it is and then I think, well, would I love it more if it were darker? Probably.

image source

I’m going to stay away from too much pattern or color, and lean into this direction, maybe there is some dark green or wood, but nothing busy.

image source

I DO want to potentially do a ceiling treatment like this below, but in tonal blues instead of a bright color. This room still has to be interesting, just not busy.

image source

In order to do a treatment like that, I might need to square off the room or at least give that niche (where the closet is) some purpose. Right now, I’m in the middle of trying to convince Brian to let me build some sort of corner secret fort that would visually make the room more of a square, but be less permanent.

image source

You know I love a castle theme. This could also be made out of wood like the original doors are so it looks more purposeful. The only thing is that we wouldn’t be able to access the reach-in closet as well, but right now there is NOTHING that we put in there except the toys that are being rotated. No clothes actually hang in there. So we could make it more toy storage that they have access to and then when they are older and it’s likely just one of their room’s again we’ll take out the castle thing and restore it to the normal closet that it should be. I’m also wishing that we had just reconfigured it to be a larger reach-in closet instead of a niche and a tiny closet if that makes any sense.

image source

But how wide could it be to have a big cut-out fort like that, above?

There are other elements we are playing with like a cloud-shaped upholstered headboard, a large cozy rug, new whimsical lighting, Roman shades…but right now, it looks like this and with all the projects that have actual deadlines (the mountain house, the Atlanta project), this room will likely look like this for a while…

And yes, it kills me. In case you are like Brian, confused why it bothers me so so much, I’d once again like to give you an analogy of a more “professional” career: it would be like me being a dentist, a pretty good one actually, and my kids walking around with disgusting dirty, neglected teeth. I really like looking at clean teeth in my house and it’s just hard to see the yellow plaque and say “we’ll get to you in June.”

But it’s not dental hygiene. It’s not even their first set of teeth (you parents know what I’m talking about, we care a bit less about their baby teeth than maybe we should because they’ll get new fresh ones around age 6). It’s just their bedroom and they are PERFECTLY FINE with how it is right now.

Here is the mountain house shared room, which actually IS done, if you actually came here for inspiration.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd

For now, we are working on our other more pressing projects while pinning and planning for this one. And just getting that beadboard down, having it all painted one color and moving the beds into what seems to be the best configuration is super helpful to keep going.

I do have a question for you, though. Up at the mountain house (see above) we’ve removed the trunk and shoved the twin mattresses together so we can all read together and because inevitably one of us is called in to cuddle in the middle of the night and there isn’t enough room in a twin bed. So at least temporarily we are going to buy one of those mattress joiners because all spring break (when Brian wasn’t there), I slept with the kids (because it’s a fun excuse to snuggle all night…gee I wonder why they call me in all the time….????) albeit HORRIBLY because I fell through the crack all night long. The question is, is the reason that more kids don’t share a king bed because it seems weird and potentially socially unacceptable? I’ve done some research (google) and most child psychologists say that it’s very bonding for, yes, even children of opposite genders when they are young. They say that it’s totally fine and healthy until they don’t want to anymore (usually around 8).

Looks like we’ll give it a whirl up at the mountain house, but I’d LOVE to know why this isn’t more of a thing. Have any of you ever shared a room OR bed with your opposite-gendered sibling while little OR are your kids sharing a room or large bed?

Very curious…

** and yes, feel free to weigh in on the whole shit storm of a design, too.

The post Our Kids Are Sharing a Room – Here’s The Where, What, How and Why… appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Our Kids Are Sharing a Room – Here’s The Where, What, How and Why… published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Our Ultimate Outdoor Furniture Roundup (130+ New Favorites)

photo by david tsay

Hi, everyone. It’s me, Laurren. For anyone who’s like “who are you?”, we first met when I brought you this post and this post about fun color trends. It’s good to be back. Last week, the EHD team did a post about budget-friendly outdoor hacks to try, and all the readers evidently pleaded for some furniture roundups, so I answered the call (well, Arlyn’s email) to put together this ULTIMATE PATIO FURNITURE ROUNDUP.

Whether you have a sprawling picket-fenced yard, a tiny balcony, or something that lands somewhere in between, there’s plenty you can do to carve out a stylish and functional outdoor oasis primed for soaking up all the sunshine and fresh air the summer months have to offer—and it all starts with furniture because cheersing sangria while sitting on a patch of dirt or half-charred grass just doesn’t quite have a nice ring to it.

While it may seem a little early to be sprucing up your backyard or patio—especially if you’re still shoveling snow—remember that outdoor pieces sell out quickly since stock is generally limited. You’re more likely to find the look you want if you start shopping early instead of waiting until the start of summer when everyone is scrambling to give their spaces a refresh. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up our favorite outdoor furniture finds—from sofas to chaises to coffee tables—that you can buy right now and, even better, have delivered to your door.

But before you click “add to cart,” there are a few things to consider. First, and maybe most important, is to think about how you’re going to use the space you have. For example, I live in a fairly small apartment with an outdoor area that’s pretty generous in relation to my home’s size (calling it a yard would be a stretch, lol, but by LA standards, I guess that’s what it is). I like to entertain but don’t have a proper dining room, so an outdoor table was a must for me. Since I can use it (almost) year-round in LA, utilizing my yard for eating gives me the dining room my small home lacks. See yourself lingering over cocktails and conversation? A sofa + coffee table combo might be right for you. Love roasting s’mores around a backyard fire pit? Pull up a grouping of cushioned chairs. You get the idea…

It can be tempting to buy a matching furniture set and be done with it, I know—especially if you’ve been cooped up all winter and are itching to get outside—but hang tight because there’s a lot to mix and match here for a space that feels lived in and not too catalog-y. You want to approach decorating outdoor areas the same way you would your home’s interior, and that means bringing in a mix of materials, shapes, sizes, prints, etc. For example, if you have a set of more rounded, ornate accent chairs, try pairing them with a boxier, streamlined sofa. Lastly, look for pieces that feel like a natural extension of your home’s interior style. Have a mid-century modern vibe going on inside? Your outdoor space is not the place to test drive a rustic farmhouse look.

Okay, now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s get on to the good stuff.

First stop, sofas and sectionals (and a few love seats for those with limited space). The team used #9 in the Portland patio and can vouch for its quality and comfort. #1 is just so classically charming, #5 is a straight-up sofa but made for the outdoors, and the rattan set from IKEA at #15 is hard to beat in terms of price meets style. Oh, and the brass frame on #22 from World Market would be SO fun outside for a glam moment.

Lots of favorites here: #3 (the price is for two) is that very cute boho style that looks so nice with a backdrop of nature, #7 well, isn’t a lounge chair at all but how sweet would that be on a dreamy balcony? #14 and #18 are so fun (who doesn’t want a rocking chair EVERYWHERE) and basically obsessed with the ’70s vibe of the hanging chair at #13.

BRB, going to pretend I’m writing this post stretched out across #2 or #5…or #10 for some extra wiggle room.

We went with a ton of different materials for the roundup of coffee tables, from wood to concrete to stone to rattan. It looks like #3 has some storage, so would be a nice place to stash outdoor things you maybe don’t use super often (what would that be, exactly? well, it’s probably different for everyone). The black on black look of #8 is pretty rad but the organic nesting shapes of #9 is also nice for a really natural look.

Because we all need a place to set a drink or some apps during outdoor happy hour, of course. Lots of price points here, from the cute hairpin + rattan pick at #4 for $89 to the stone sculptural piece at #13 for $649. I’m loving the angular shape of #12 but also the richness of the carved wood of #10.

Let’s move along to the dining furniture section of today’s post. I pulled everything from large 6-8 seaters to little bistro tables, so regardless of how much room you have to work with, there’s a really great table for you to dine al fresco.

And because your table needs chairs, I’ve got you covered. I know they’re REALLY traditional, but can’t you picture #3 with its unique rope design in some magical garden setting? Go ahead, close your eyes and try. Once you’ve come back from being transported, we can also talk about how cool and modern #7 is (and same goes for #16 in that bright blue). The whole set from #15 in the happy coral would be so wonderful in a space that maybe just looks out to a gray concrete parking lot to really liven things up, huh?

There’s a lot to be obsessed with up there, right? I tried to keep a variety of styles, materials and colors so there was a little something for everyone, and like I mentioned, I hope that whether you have a tiny patch of concrete or a sprawling backyard, there was something here that made your fingers itch to check out for yourself. Any immediate favorites, anyone?

The post Our Ultimate Outdoor Furniture Roundup (130+ New Favorites) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Our Ultimate Outdoor Furniture Roundup (130+ New Favorites) published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Mountain House Monday: An Update on the Dining Banquette + Ask the Audience

There is a new name for me that I read in a self-help book—I’M SORRY I GUESS WE SAY “SELF-IMPROVEMENT” BOOK—a “pre-crastinator.” I pull triggers almost too fast, making seemingly rapid decisions perhaps without all the information. No one is shocked here. It’s one of the secrets to my success and how I get so much done, but it also has produced mistakes, waste and thus anxiety. Using the mantra “if it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no” has helped a lot, but right now we are gearing up for the huge shoot at the mountain house, 6 weeks away and 2 of those weeks I’ll be in Atlanta. So most of the long lead stuff HAS to get done ASAP and decisions have to be made. Today’s big decision: the dining banquette.

My dreams of having the world’s most comfortable dining banquette are coming true. After thinking that we needed to “use the space properly” with the dining table floating in what is obviously the dining area, we realized that we really just want to be sitting by the window on basically a sectional sofa. This nook will get so much conversational use, in addition to the typical “eating” that it’s worth changing it all up.

Here’s how it was:

We put that dining table outside now, and we brought in the obviously too-small Tulip table while our custom table is made by Ross Alan Reclaimed Lumber.

But the question is about the cushions:

What style of cushion? Do we have a back cushion? Which fabric? Leather? Vinyl? Poly-linen? Do we have piping? Do we do something hip and cool (okay grandma) or something simple with more flexibility?

So let’s check out what we are working with here:

First off, the base and the table will both be built by Ross Alan, experts of the most wonderful reclaimed wood in LA, possibly the world (they did all that gorgeous wood you saw in the kitchen reveal from a few weeks back). In continuing with our seamless look, we basically designed the built-in seat to be continuous from the floor, in the same wood.

We have flip-top storage for seasonal things or boring things like extra cleaning supplies, but for now, the kids are hiding in them which I can’t blame them. We don’t really need the storage but seems crazy to not have the option.

If you are worried about the person in the middle, against the window, who will be trapped by 3-4 people, don’t be—we will choose only those with the largest bladders or willingness to crawl under the table without complaining. Listen, we know that this is going to be annoying for some people the few times that we have a large group, but we are choosing this anyway. The cozy, comfort is worth it to us on a day-to-day basis. It’s like how we chose a wall of windows versus the typical work triangle in the kitchen, it’s all about what you value and by the way, that is also not annoying at all and was totally worth the two more steps I have to take to get ingredients.

Stylistically, I want to do something cool and interesting, obviously, why not? But I’m kinda running out of time to design something that we’ve never seen before and I also don’t want to do something too trendy. But I’m inspired by the below:

image source | design by giancarlo valle

How awesome is that? But frankly I don’t know how to do that, nor do I think it’s necessarily right for the space but the idea is that I really WANT to do something amazing. One thing that I’m realizing is making the above slightly cooler is that the cushion isn’t exposed on the side – wood is covering it. Now, we would have to add that because ours isn’t built like that, so it seems kinda unnecessary. I also like how there is no top seam. Interesting…

But that cushion is taking up extra space due to the design and while ours is 24″, I don’t want to give up 8″, to do something like that. Additionally, what I’m compelled by is the two-tone aspect of it, something that I tried to convince my friend of two weeks ago while we were up there with fabric swatches, but that was before we found this inspiration shot…

image source | design by biasol

So cool, but lacking the comfort that I want. Now we did think about doing a larger version of this, with a wood frame or a double version of this and if you guys are like “YEAH DO THAT” I’ll reconsider. But it also might look silly and try-hard. It’s cool here because it contrasts so well against the dark wood and the chunky real wood bench.

image source | design by ware malcomb

Now this trend is still huge, but due to the height of the windows we don’t have the space for it, nor do I think that designing a hanging back cushion is right this late in the game (I still really really like it, but it’s certainly been seen a lot lately so seems silly to start now). But I DO like that once again, no top seam!!!

You really have to stare and analyze photos to figure out what exactly you like about them. It’s not just the hanging back, it’s not just the two-tone, it’s the lack of seams and that the bench cushion is floating in a bit and not too chunky.

image source | design by nam dang-mitchell design

Let’s just say we forego the back cushion in favor of pillows. When we were up there, I threw a bunch down and it was so cozy and allowed for a lot of flexibility.

image source | design by amber interiors

But am I as wowed by that idea? Not as much, but there is more opportunity for texture and pattern and styling and comfort. We made it deep enough that we can have large pillows to help anchor.

photo by tessa neustadt | from: griffith park sunroom reveal

We could also do what we did in this Griffith Park house: a big bolster in the back and then layered on more pillows. We could even do a version of this that is a tapered triangle pillow that leans back but adds some support.

I LOVE the one below, but fear that if we tuft it like that, it’s not washable, but maybe it is?

image source

That’s my issue with the French mattress style, too—I want to be able to zip off and wash.

image source | design by cm studio

So let’s talk fabrics that we are thinking about:

Leather: We would need a lot of hides and I’d likely only fall in love with the most expensive leather out there. The pros of leather include durability but as my friend David (from MidcenturyLA) just disclosed to me, the pretty matte leather actually stains REALLY bad and any oil becomes a very noticeable stain. Yes, it will patina but it might take years. The leather that wipes up really clean is really shiny. ALSO, we don’t think we want dark. My initial idea was a forest green leather but Brian Henderson nixed that hard and fast saying “dining banquettes are already kitschy, so doing it in a green leather could look really dated.” I don’t necessarily agree, I think he needs better inspiration references, but I like when people take things OFF the table. Once I put all the light tones up there I realized that I do want it to be relatively light, and I just can’t picture a light leather. That sounds scary to me, but maybe a light gray? So right now unless I found the perfect leather that I can afford, we are leaning away from leather.

image source | design by william smart

This is so pretty and even the light brown leather on the wood could be SO PRETTY. Oh no. I think I might have just convinced myself to at least shop for leather.

image source | design by marc houston

Vinyl: I mean, how rarely have you found a vinyl that you LOVE? Sure, it can absolutely be so functional and simple and therefore not bad, but it doesn’t feel totally right and not something that I’d love.

Vegan leather: Looking for sources and researching about options. If anyone knows anything about this— durability, cost, etc.—please weigh in in the comments.

A textile with pattern: Nope. I don’t really want a busy pattern to hide grossness. I want simplicity and calmness, at least for the base.

image source | design by gordana golubovic

A poly-blend stain resistant fabric like Crypton or others: I have a whole box of Crypton and have even made a few selections that are a medium gray with enough texture to hide a bit. Then we’d do the back pillows in a mixture of lights and mediums whites, grays and blues.

image source | design by jeremiah brent

There are just too many ways to skin a cat, especially when you are kind of in a rush. The simplest thing to do is to get the medium toned gray (with texture) stain-resistant fabric that is really pretty and cozy and have a bench seat made without the top seam, out of a cushy foam and feather mix (so it has some give and isn’t that really TIGHT look). Then play with a ton of pillows to see if A. that looks good (or just messy) and B. if it’s comfortable enough. I can alway ADD a back cushion later. Either way, I’d make it washable with a zipper. I’m even debating getting two sets made to have seasonal options and because I’M A CRAZY PERSON.

I’m new to the banquette world. I’ve never had two kids and a banquette before. Am I crazy to not splurge on leather that will be durable at least for the bench? Or is a washable stain-resistant slip covered fabric in a medium tone good enough? And will the pillows annoy me with the necessary daily styling or will they bring me comfort and joy because I actually love styling?

Please weigh-in. We have to at least have the design/style chosen by Thursday before my schedule gets insane for 2 weeks and I think that per usual you guys are full of ideas I haven’t thought of or at least some banquette experience…

HELP.

Sincerely, Emily “Pre-crastinator” Henderson

The post Mountain House Monday: An Update on the Dining Banquette + Ask the Audience appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Mountain House Monday: An Update on the Dining Banquette + Ask the Audience published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

The Link Up: The Only Bra Emily Buys, Binge-Worthy Shows & The Perfect Travel Outfit

image source | design by Cortney Bishop

Happy last Sunday of April, where half our team was out sick, but we still managed to talk in depth about bras amongst other things.

From Emily: “I only wear one bra (three different colors) and have for YEARS. As I’ve mentioned before, my ladies are secretly big and while I’m by no means trying to reduce their impact, I also like them to be properly in their place. I got fitted a few years ago for this bra, Prima Donna Twist A La Folie Underwire Bra, and I’ve never gone back. It lifts, sculpts into a nice shape and is SO supportive but it’s still pretty with lace detailing!!! I just feel confident and secure in them, and my clothes fit FAR better than with most other bras that just don’t do the job. They aren’t cheap but they last for a few years (at least mine, do) and this specific one is the only one I buy.”

Sara’s current blush is the Olio E Osso Natural Lip & Cheek Balm No. 10 Tea Rose. The blush is really light and buildable. She wears it on her cheeks and lips and carries it in her bag for easy lip application. She says it feels like a chapstick but doesn’t feel sticky on her cheeks. It’s also non-toxic and cruelty-free.

While we’re on the topic of beauty, Ryann says she’s obsessed with this Origins GinZing moisturizer. Says Ryann: “I’ve been using it for a year now and any time I run out, no other moisturizer compares. It’s like having a giant glass of orange juice, but for your face.”

This week, Julie is the one to bring us a crazy cool home tour. This home has the perfect balance of weird, moody and ultra chic. I don’t think any of us have ever wanted to live in a dark and moody home more.

For anyone who prefers the bright and happy (yet calm and cozy) to moody, Arlyn is sharing a designer she’s started stalking on Instagram: Cortney Bishop Design. She manages to create rooms that are homey with just enough cool sprinkled in to not feel like your typical “Instagram” design fare.

Speaking of fighting off illness, Bowser and Jess both swear by Source Naturals Wellness Formula. It’s a herbal defense complex that you can take daily for maintenance but if you start to feel under the weather you just up the dosage. However, if you are taking it daily the chance of getting sick obviously drops dramatically. It’s a magical natural immunity tablet that you will be so glad you have.

A hedgehog goes camping…who doesn’t want to hear more? Grace has the cuteness overload factor dialed in this week. In this article, a tiny little hedgehog goes camping using all his miniature gear that will put an instant smile on your face. He’s apparently Insta-famous and has hundreds of thousands of followers (including both Grace and evidently Velinda who paused her diligent work to look up and say “Oh! The hedgehog they put in tiny canoes? I follow him, too!). It’s an account you won’t regret following.

Michael was recently visiting Joshua Tree National Park and bought this candle, the Parks Candle Yosemite’s Cottonwood + Oak. It comes in such a cool, sleek vessel and it smells SO GOOD. It even has an awesome looking wood wick. Plus, proceeds go to protect our National Parks, gotta love that!

Jess binged the new show Ramy on Hulu in one night. This show is funny, at times hard to watch (in an important way) but is ultimately so beautiful and a total must see.

Blackout is the most recent podcast Veronica got totally hooked on. It stars one of her favorite actors, Rami Malek whose character is a small-town radio DJ fighting to protect his family and small-town of Berlin, New Hampshire, when the town experiences a rolling blackout. This podcast is an apocalyptic thriller filled with suspense a variety of different characters that she found herself wanting to know more about very quickly. She guarantees this podcast will have you as hooked as she is with a new episode every Tuesday (seven are available now), but she would not recommend listening at night…dun dun dun.

We talk a lot about gifts for ourselves but Velinda has the CUTEST cat toy recommendation. It’s a Knit Fish Taco Toy Set for $3. Your cat and eyes will thank you.

Julie and Jess went to NYC last weekend and Julie wore the actual most chic (and comfortable) matching sweater and skirt combo outfit from Mango in the world. Julie would never admit to how cool she looked so Jess needed to step in to make that known. However, Julie will say that she loved how comfortable she was and how perfectly the outfit transitioned from the plane to the city.

Jo Malone makes some of Grace’s favorite scents (she’s loved Blackberry and Bay, both the scent and body cream, for ages). But she found a new love from the brand: Red Oak and Currant. She finds that their more fruity scents don’t last as long on her (which is a huge bummer), but this slightly more musky scent stays on for the entire day and she loves how the scent even transforms throughout the day. Two thumbs up! (While Arlyn was reading this, she also had to interject that Jo Malone makes her favorite scent: Nectarine Blossom & Honey. She says it’s sweet without being cloying and agrees with Grace that it lasts ALL day.)

Jess stumbled upon this awesome online shop called Hotel Magique. She had seen a couple of their prints collaborations elsewhere but didn’t realize they had their own shop filled with very cool and reasonably priced art. She might need another gallery wall.

Hope your day is slow and beautiful and that you may have a little something for yourself…or your cat. See you tomorrow.

The post The Link Up: The Only Bra Emily Buys, Binge-Worthy Shows & The Perfect Travel Outfit appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: The Only Bra Emily Buys, Binge-Worthy Shows & The Perfect Travel Outfit published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

12 Awesome Fashion Brands to Try If You Love Clothes But Also the Earth

I have always found fashion to be a source of individuality and self-expression. I remember on my first day of preschool, my mom insisted I wear a dress when all I wanted was to don my overalls and Tweety Bird T-shirt. As a result, I spent the entire morning crying while the rest of the kids were happily playing Simon Says. It was clear growing up that letting me wear what I wanted made me a more agreeable child. In fact, wearing what I want makes me a more agreeable adult. If I am feeling a bit off, the power of a good outfit can do wonders. (Please comment below if you are also one of these people. I would really love someone to validate me.)

Much similar to interior design, how you express your personal style is powerful. It’s art. But, as many of us know, the fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world (behind oil) and a huge eco enemy. Some fast facts:

According to a study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, it is responsible for one garbage truck of textiles wasted every second, and 92 MILLION TONS of solid waste dumped in landfills each year. This includes discarded clothes that consumers buy and get rid of (the average American discards 68 pounds a year), as well as unused fabrics and textiles from companies who make more than what they end up using.

In 2017, it was reported that in 2015 alone, the fashion industry consumed 79 billion cubic meters of water—enough to fill 32 million Olympic-size swimming pools and that figure is expected to increase by 50% by 2030. To put it into perspective, it takes 2,720 liters of water to make a single T-shirt.

The industry is the second biggest polluter of water, after the agriculture industry, polluting 17-20 percent of global fresh water.

The total greenhouse gas emissions from textile production currently stands at 1.2 billion tonnes which is more than those of all international flights and maritime shipping combined.

My own contribution to the problem comes to mind often as someone who seemingly came out of the womb drawn to the glamour of clothes. In my lifetime, I’ve discarded countless clothes, many of which were worn a handful of times only to be promptly stored in the back of my closet for years, before eventually meeting their fate at a local Goodwill, or perhaps more accurately, a local landfill. So, I will be the first to admit that when the topic of sustainability in fashion comes up, it only takes a few minutes before my head starts to spin. What exactly is sustainable fashion? Isn’t all fashion technically unsustainable because it produces so much waste? According to Green Strategy, there are seven forms of sustainable fashion, and ideally every time a new garment is produced, all forms of sustainability should be combined, but the industry has a long way to go.

As individual consumers, just as it applies to design, buying vintage, second hand, and thrifted is the most sustainable option. Another solution I hear often is to simply buy less. The purchasing power of us as consumers is just that: power. So even (and perhaps, especially) in our non-purchases, we are exercising our power and taking action to shift the paradigm of the industry. That said, it is not lost on me that the financial ability to actively choose what you buy and in turn what companies you support is a privilege. For those of us that have the opportunity to exercise that privilege, being mindful is not just important, it is necessary. Our choices matter. I think it is common to think that someone else will fix the problem. It can feel as if the problem is so far removed from our daily lives, which makes it difficult to take action, meanwhile, so many parts of the world are witness to the negative impacts of the industry every day.

Are you still with me? I know this is a tough subject, none of us are perfect, and the world is full of issues that deserve attention. I get it. But as trivial as the fashion industry can appear, the fact is that clothes are a part of our everyday. We live our lives in them and while it might seem daunting to reverse the impacts of the industry, shifting our habits as individuals is fathomable. Okay, so where do we start? How can we begin? By buying second hand (when possible). By purchasing quality pieces that will last over buying fast fashion in quantity. By supporting brands that recycle, reduce their waster waste, pay their employees livable wages, provide safe and fair working conditions, make efforts to carbon offset, and donate to sustainable charities. By buying from small businesses who treat people and the earth better, we take action to shift the practices of the industry.

Without further ado and before I talk (write?) your ears off (too late?), let’s get to the brands that are striving toward sustainability:

Everlane

What They’re Doing Right: Everlane is a brand that I stumbled upon via the constant efforts of Instagram to sell me things I don’t (really) need. A sponsored ad popped up and I took the bait. Turns out they are a really good company with practices focused on quality and economy. They source really good materials and factories to make timeless “basics” like Grade-A cashmere sweaters, Italian leather shoes, and Peruvian Pima tees. Their clothes are meant to be staples in your wardrobe with a long life. The factories they use are given a compliance audit to evaluate factors like fair wages, reasonable hours, and the environment. The best part?? They believe customers have a right to know how much their clothes cost to make—from materials to labor to transportation—and selling them at fair prices, minus the traditional retail markup. By doing so, they produce quality clothes that last at accessible prices, thus reducing the need to buy from the big guys.

In Our Cart: ’90s Cheeky Straight Jeans | The Double-Strap Block Heel | The Foldover Crossbody

ABLE

What They’re Doing Right: ABLE considers themselves a lifestyle brand focused on ending generational poverty through providing economic opportunity for women. They are also doing something that is kind of revolutionary: publishing their employee’s wages (and not just the average, but their lowest paid). Here is a not so fun fact: the products we enjoy are most often made by women who are severely underpaid and can’t meet the basic needs of themselves or their children. So, ABLE is striving to be completely transparent about wages in hopes more companies will follow suit. By supporting brands that pay fair wages, we can begin to stop contributing to the inhumane practices of big corporations, who mass produce.

In Our Cart: Pamela Double Strap | Mini Tag Necklace | Chaltu Top Zip Crossbody

Kotn

What They’re Doing Right: Kotn’s namesake authentic Egyptian cotton is grown in only one place in the world, the Nile Delta. It is finer, softer, and more breathable than any other cotton. Apparently, since 2001, there has been a 95% decline in demand from big corporations that opted to go with cheaper options. SO, to help rebuild the industry from the inside, they work directly with cotton farming families in Egypt. Think of it as “farm-to-table, but for your clothes.” As a B-Corp certified company, their responsibly-run operation employs locals, securing their craft and their livelihood. By scrapping the middleman, they ensured a fair wage for them, and an honest price for the consumer. OH, and top it off they partnered with pro-literacy organizations on the ground in the Nile Delta to help end child labor practices.

In Our Cart: Essential Crew In White | Straight Leg Crop Pant | Undercoat In Camel

Whimsy & Row

What They’re Doing Right: Los Angeles-based company Whimsy & Row uses deadstock fabric (a.k.a. excess and leftover fabric) from other brands who buy more than they end up using. These are the fabrics that often get lost in a huge warehouse and eventually end up in landfills. Instead, they take these fabrics and turn them into lovely and classic silhouettes. Their styles are meant to be versatile, statement pieces in your wardrobe and are designed to last.

In Our Cart: Aleksandra Top in Baby Stripe | Jordan Jacket in Cream | Alyssa Bodysuit in Black

Vetta

What They’re Doing Right: Vetta makes capsule wardrobes, responsibly produced with fabrics that are sustainable, mostly Tencel or deadstock fabrics. At this point, I’m sure most of you know what a capsule wardrobe is, but in case you aren’t sure, it refers to a collection of a few essential, classic items that are meant to be super versatile and easily paired with other statement pieces (a cool vintage jacket, perhaps). Anyone can create their own capsule wardrobe, but Vetta makes it pretty dang easy with their timeless styles, many of which can be worn multiple ways or are convertible (like that cute white top up there). Also, their poly bags, tissue paper, and inserts are made from 100% recycled materials, and boxes are made from 90% recycled and 10% FSC certified materials.

In Our Cart: The Boxy Blouse | The Convertible Shirt Dress | Every Day Pant

Doen

What They’re Doing Right: Doen’s brand ideology focuses on embracing a fewer but better mentality in regards to consumption. They create quality, timeless pieces to ensure that they can be worn season after season, and let me tell you, their stuff is BEAUTIFUL. They believe clothing should not be viewed as disposable, so much so that they encourage secondhand sales of their clothes via resale and consignment retailers. (There are brands/designer that would never do this, and in fact some have been known to burn extra stock to maintain the exclusivity of their product. It sucks). Doen also uses 100% recyclable packaging and their eco-shippers include a minimum of 90% post-consumer content.

In Our Cart: Billie Jean Top | Henri Top | Myrtle Overall

Boyish Jeans

What They’re Doing Right: This may be upsetting to hear for the people out there who love denim (me). Traditionally, to make a SINGLE pair of jeans, 1,500 gallons of water are used. That is SO much water. Boyish jeans use 1/3 the amount of water and they recycle the water they do use so no water is polluted in the process. They work with factories that have fair, safe, and healthy working conditions and that suppliers meet their standards for social responsibility as well as safe, non-toxic, and better materials by auditing their factories with third-party auditing companies.

In Our Cart: The Kirby | The Tommy | The Cody

Christy Dawn

What They’re Doing Right: Christy Dawn is another company that exclusively uses deadstock fabric to create timeless pieces and their practices are rooted in creating quality pieces that will last. I am quite literally obsessed with their sophisticated Little House on the Prairie vibe and am dying to one day buy this dress. In order to create such gorgeous styles, they pay a premium for the most talented seamstresses in Los Angeles, all of whom are paid a competitive wage and receive health benefits.

In Our Cart: The Ida Skirt | The Penny Jumper | The Dawn Dress

Raven + Lily

What They’re Doing Right: Raven + Lily is a fair trade brand that specializes in uniquely beautiful leather bags, jewelry, and home accessories. They work with over 1,500 women artisans and give fair trade wages and access to safe jobs, sustainable incomes, healthcare, and other tools they need to thrive. I am very into their jewelry, which is surprisingly super affordable. I just bought this necklace and am really excited to wear it with my favorite black jumper. Oh, and you can feel good about your purchases because every purchase of a Raven + Lily product helps fund microloans to female entrepreneurs in partnership communities.

In Our Cart: Day Crossbody | Pom Blanket | Yami Backpack

Girlfriend Collective

What They’re Doing Right: Girlfriend Collective makes leggings, sports bras, and other workout clothes from recycled water bottles. Yep, this is a thing and it’s fantastic. If you go to their site they go into all the nitty gritty details of how the bottles are collected, broken down, and made into fabric. Also, they have a wide range of sizing (XXS-6XL) which has less to do with sustainability and more to do with inclusivity (which is SO important). A few of us here at EHD use their leggings exclusively and we love them.

In Our Cart: Lola Bra | LITE High-Rise Legging | High-Rise Run Short

VitaminA

What They’re Doing Right: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention VitaminA Swim. You all know that that suit right there is Emily’s favorite swimsuit she has ever bought. It is the swimsuit to end all swimsuits. So, not only do they do swimwear right, their sustainability efforts are impressive. Founder and designer Amahlia Stevens spent three years developing EcoLux, the first premium swim fabric made from recycled nylon fibers. In fact, all materials used are certified to meet the global Oeko-Tex standard for safe textiles and by partnering with One Planted Tree for every dollar donated, a tree is planted.

In Our Cart: Edie Bodysuit | Martinique Romper | Tash Tote

Rothy’s

What They’re Doing Right: Rothy’s is another brand that makes its product from recycled water bottles. Music to my ears. So far, they have repurposed 20 million water bottles, and counting. Their shoe boxes are strong enough to be shipped alone, which means no box-in-a-box shipping. Question: WHY DOESN’T EVERY COMPANY DO THIS? And for every mile they ship, they use Carbon Fund to offset the carbon emissions. Also, their vegan and biodegradable shoe boxes are made from 85% post-consumer recycled materials. Both the cards and the box are 100% recyclable, and the box is resealable so no tape is needed during the returns process. I felt like they were a good brand to end with because all that they are doing is seriously amazing and more sustainable than most.

In Our Cart: The Point | The Sneaker | The Loafer

Alright guys, we finally made it. But before I go, since we are talking about what we can do as individuals, I wanted to share a few tips on recycling clothing:

Instead of donating old clothes to Goodwill or Salvation Army, (which will likely end up in landfills simply because the sheer volume they receive is too much to sell) try selling your used clothes online. This ensures your clothes will have a longer life. I use Depop, but there are also others like ThredUp that do much of the work for you. For more high end/designer pieces, you can send to The Real Real to sell for you. Selling your clothes directly to someone will always yield better results and will decrease the likelihood of it ending up in landfills.

You can also get together with friends and organize a clothing swap. Bring all your clothes you are planning on giving away and have your friends do the same. You will likely get some great additions to your wardrobe without spending any money OR producing any waste.

Okay, that is it, I promise. What are some other sustainable brands that you love? Do you have any other tips, tricks, or general tales to share? Tell me everything.

The post 12 Awesome Fashion Brands to Try If You Love Clothes But Also the Earth appeared first on Emily Henderson.

12 Awesome Fashion Brands to Try If You Love Clothes But Also the Earth published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Some of the Weird Things I Bought Recently at the Flea Market (Pet Screws??)

A few weeks ago, I went to the Santa Monica Airport Outdoor Antique Market which I hadn’t been to in YEARS, mostly because Santa Monica is 20 miles away which is 2 hours in LA time. But it used to be curated and high end (and often expensive) but good. It’s changed, but I did find some things I brought home with me (you’ll see those—and others—here). Then I headed over to The Mart Collective antique mall in Venice (which is definitely curated, high end BUT SO GOOD) and snagged a few more things.

I’ve never been known to walk past a leather piggy bank. This time it’s a bull, I believe, but it’s a necessary accessory in anyone’s life.

It’s about six inches wide and so, so cute for either the kids or a styling “moment” on a bookshelf. You can’t tell from the photos, but the little brass lock on the back of the bull is actually a heart (and isn’t really a lock more than it just keeps the thing together).

Also, a “Pet Screw” makes me laugh. It’s the kind of “weird” that I used to buy before I thought I had to be more sophisticated and stopped buying things with a sense of humor. Growing up can be a dick.

And the blue bud vase is just the right size for setting atop a stack of pretty books or on its own on a console. It’s a lot shinier than it looks in these photos, which is actually a nice contrast to the exposed raw clay where the glaze didn’t reach.

I’m OBSESSED with that black pepper grinder—that’s right, the black ring twists and out comes your artisanal pepper. And that little covered dish might be for salt or jewelry on a nightstand. I don’t know it’s just a special little thing that I couldn’t pass up (there is carving up there). The pot was cheap ($7) and far more special than an average plant pot so I had to get it. I should call it a plant casket, more like because that delicate maidenhair fern will be lucky to survive through the spring (I’ll try, I promise).

That old man painting is SO GOOD. He’s in my color palette, but still whimsical and weird. We threw him in that frame but I miss seeing the texture of the paint so I’ll likely get him framed without glass (might do a DIY frame just on the sides of the board). He was NOT cheap, by the way ($125), but I so rarely find portraits that I think can be mixed into this house color-wise so I splurged.

Then we have what is clearly more of a theme today—three covered carved wood round boxes, but they are SO special and pretty and just GREAT styling props. We are shooting the book right now so we need extra props and these are great on nightstands, entries, coffee table, desks (though I’d say not all together to make them feel that much more special). The low flat one even has a mirror on top. It’s so sweet (and such a great gift).

The pouf is also a find. Part of the leather is damaged (it’s turned away from the camera so you won’t see that) but I don’t know…it gives it character. We talked about getting it repaired, but we also talked about just leaving it be/ripping off the tattered leather. That’s probably what we’ll do, to be honest, but I have a soft spot for tattered leather ottomans and will never say no until I’m drowning in a room full of tattered leather ottomans (stay tuned, though…I might be willing to part with this one soon. Keep an eye on my Instagram).

A tray and ANOTHER covered dish (it’s different I promise) are up in the bathroom right now. And yes, you can use an old perfume bottle for your Q-Tips. I’d doubt you’d get arrested.

If you guys are in LA and want some good vintage, this weekend is Downtown Modernism and it’s GREAT. I’ll be there early, probably out of there by 10 am but if you see me please say hi, but please don’t take my good stuff.

I did pick up a few more things I wanted to show you but we didn’t have on hand to shoot (they somehow made it up to the mountain house by accident), so head to Instagram today (it should be up by 11 am PDT) to see an “unboxing” video I did with everything.

***photography by Veronica Crawford for EHD

The post Some of the Weird Things I Bought Recently at the Flea Market (Pet Screws??) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Some of the Weird Things I Bought Recently at the Flea Market (Pet Screws??) published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

5 Outdoor Ideas & Hacks That’ll Instantly Add Style (& Save You Money)

While we were staging and styling a recent project for my next book (you’ve seen a few rooms of this sick house so far here and here), we noticed a lot of clever hacks and ideas in the backyard that seemed share-worthy. It’s those things that make you say “ooh, that’s a good idea.” So today, we’re walking you through 5 outdoor hacks, a.k.a. clever ideas, that you can steal for yourself.

1. Candle Chandelier

Okay how genius is this? Lighting without having to wire anything up. It’s basically a plank of wood, a handful of pillar candles, and chains attached to the beams of the patio roof. This version here uses metal hanging planters as the flat base to set the wood on, but you could absolutely hack with either just more of the same chain, some dowels or flat pieces of wood attached by hooks to the chain. We don’t suggest lighting this on a windy night for obvious reasons, though. Ha.

The drippier the candles get, the better they look. Vary your heights and widths to get that effortless, magical look, like this:

2. Distressed “Upholstered” Bench

Dining Chairs via Article

“Effortlessly cool” usually involves doing something that makes people go “huh? ohhh, I would have never done that/made that look good.” Kind of like this rough bench that’s nothing but weathered wood screwed together. Next to the vintage butcher block table, the terra-cotta tiles and the bistro chairs, it’s just one of those things that works in the coolest way possible.

It’s not pristine, it’s not fussy, in fact, it’s the complete opposite. Outside of this scene, it might look like it belongs in a back alley, awaiting trash day, but adding a nubby textured rug over it (i.e. skip any fancy, expensive upholstery), and boom, you have yourself an “upholstered” dining bench. It was SO easy honestly…it’s just a matter of taking a spare rug (something smaller like a 4×6 works) and throwing it on.

3. A DIY Makeshift “Fire Pit”

Gray Pillow via Serena & Lily | Throw via Lulu and Georgia

That “fire pit” up there is actually just a repurposed flea market find. It is a large iron cauldron that has rusted over and patinaed and now is a pretty rad pit. The hack here is to think outside the box with what you can use outside. Instead of seeking out a specific fire pit (which can be very expensive) either second hand or new, look around for something that’s large, deep and able to handle high temps and, well…fire.

The planters here (which, hot tip, can be found for SUPER cheap at places like estate sales) also create intimacy and a sense of a “room” without actually having to do hardcore in-ground gardening. You can go with either all the same plants in the same pot for a more modern look or go more “lived in” and eclectic with various sized pots and plantings. It adds a lot of warmth, texture and makes it feel like its own “enclosed” space for conversation and lounging.

4. Wired Tree Pendants

Chairs via Article | Pillow via Lulu and Georgia

Okay, this one takes a tad more effort than slapping some planters down, because it involves wiring and whatnot. Basically, William (the homeowner) hung a vintage iron pendant light from the tree over the firepit conversation area, which adds both serious charm and also light for after sunset. You could, of course, go the route of twinkle lights in the branches, but if you’re looking for something a little bit more simplified (because honestly, stringing lights in trees is not our idea of a Friday night well spent) or just unique, go on the hunt for something with some visual interest the next time you’re hunting down flea finds.

Once you have your light picked out, all you have to do is string it up and run an outdoor-safe wire or extension cord through the branches to your power source.

5. Use Pebbles to Cover Dirt or Bad Grass to Create “Zones”

Want to know the secret to a “magical” outdoor oasis that actually is just a coverup for dirt and/or bad grass? PEBBLES. William created zones in the backyard, which was just dirt prior, by laying out a barrier of larger rocks, then filling in with small smooth beach pebbles. It’s an instant solution that you don’t need to water, let grow in (like sod), and frankly, it looks pretty dreamy, don’t you think? Masonry, decking, grass…it’s all far more expensive than some bags of pebbles that you can get at your local hardware store like The Home Depot or Lowe’s.

Gray Vase via The Citizenry | Pillow via Louise Gray | Throw via The Citizenry

Make sure to put down a weed barrier before laying the rocks unless you’d rather spend your nights and weekends pulling weeds instead of actually enjoying your backyard. Oh, and another tip from this same sweet little area is the table and chairs. The base here is just a found piece of metal that has patinaed in the elements and the top is stone. The chairs are not specifically “outdoor” seats, but they’ve weathered nicely and frankly look pretty cool. I’m not suggesting just bringing anything from indoors out and letting it get destroyed by nature, but in California specifically, where it doesn’t rain often and there really isn’t any kind of “weather,” it’s a lot more sensible to do this. The soft goods like the throw and pillows, only come out when you need them.

This is probably not the last time you’ll hear about this house outside of my book because it was a goldmine of cool spaces and architectural details. Thank you again to William for letting us do our thing on your property, and call out in the comments what here you want to steal for your own home (or if you have other super easy, affordable ideas and hacks for outdoor spaces).

***photography by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for EHD, produced and art directed by Emily Henderson, designed and styled with Velinda Hellen and Erik Staalberg

The post 5 Outdoor Ideas & Hacks That’ll Instantly Add Style (& Save You Money) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

5 Outdoor Ideas & Hacks That’ll Instantly Add Style (& Save You Money) published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Seashells As Decor Are Back…We Think

image source | designed by mary featherston

I think it’s important to start off this post with you knowing that I do not have a conclusion about how I feel about this trend. Obviously, no trend is ever brand new and shells (like Chinoiserie) never really went “away.” Both Arlyn and I are from coastal areas and can attest to that very real fact. But shells all of a sudden started popping up in the cool Instagram accounts I following (what?!) and on my Pinterest feed (uh, oh). It was time to investigate and I did so with trepidation. I have become overtly aware that my general hesitation with a handful of the current trends (lilac, clear handbags, ’80s squiggle lines/Memphis, etc.) are due to the fact that they are almost all reimagined styles from my youth that I was never into. It must be the circle of life that about every 30 years, a “trend” comes back bigger and better or just more palatable to the modern era. So are modern shells next up to bat? And do we think they have staying power?

photo source | designed by deborah symond o’neil

I do want it also known that I love the beach. I have just never felt the need to bring it home with me. Okay, SURE I had one large shell in my room growing up that I was convinced echoed the peaceful sounds of ocean waves and probably Ariel’s voice when I held it up to my ear. BUT aside from that one, shells stayed at the beach where they belonged. But then, I think towards the end of last year, I watched an instastory of Manrepeller’s Leandra Medine Cohen about her upcoming shoe line that had me shook. Much to my immediate confusion (and if I’m totally honest, horror) some of them had shell detailing. Yes, the fashion trend-setting queen herself was wholeheartedly behind this rebirth. Once I saw that, I knew it was serious because fashion and decor are VERY linked in terms of trend predicting (a tip I got from Emily), it just takes a little while to trickle down. And now in April of 2019 good luck finding a major fashion retailer that isn’t carrying at least a handful of ultra-chic shell inspired accessories.

from top left (clockwise) 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

See what I mean? But let’s turn our focus back onto home decor. The photos I’m about to show you took me on a journey that now has me kiiiinda convinced that this trend is cool. Much like any “eclectic” trend, it’s about picking your moments. This way it stays chic, special and nothing like the “beach” themed home of your childhood vacations.

image source | designed by erika carlock

Definitely not your grandma’s beach house at all (no offense to grandmas here, FYI, we know they can be super stylish). It’s modern, Pop Art-y but certainly fun. I think the styling of this dresser is beautiful but when I started to see shell decor like this I thought not totally for me even though it does induce a surge of joy. How can a shell lamp not? But then I was seeing even more and I started to maybe sway…

image source | designed by autumn hachey design

This stunning home, designed by Autumn Hachey, is nothing if not cool. It’s a great balance of high-end modern trends and classic pieces. The shell pillow adds a total uniqueness to the space that makes it more playful than your average sofascape. But said accessory does invoke a rather “current” feel which depending on the person may not last you longer than a few years. That’s not to say she won’t love this pillow in her space forever. Regardless, the space is incredibly cool and really had me thinking differently about shell decor.

image source | designed by sara levitas

Here we have an even quieter shell moment from a tour The Design Files did of Sara Levitas’ rental home. It’s pretty darn cute, right? The shell shape is definitely reminiscent of the eighties but since it’s surrounded by greenery, solid dark toned accessories it feels cool and makes me want to know more about the homeowner. They feel fun people and who doesn’t like being around fun people. Maybe that’s something to consider…a cool shell accent = fun person.

image source | designed by john and juli baker

Speaking of fun and weird, Emily showed this photo of the Mjolk House above in her Mountain House Monday: How I am Planning on Bringing in the Weird post. If you are anti-shell still, fear not, Emily isn’t planning on a Beach Meets Mountain theme even though I would LOVE to see what she could come up with. However, my point with this photo is what we all noticed (aside from that killer chair) was the shell-framed mirror brought in sooo much personality and looks chic as hell. Maybe I’m convincing myself now…

image source | designed by julie carlson and justine hand

This photo makes me so happy and so confused at the same time. That hanging shell has no real function and yet makes the whole space. But then why not just hang a pretty shell from the ceiling that adds texture, personality and a flawless contrasting style to the room??

image source | designed by eliza clark and tim trojian

This shell pendant had me on the verge of me saying, “nope tooooooo ’70s coastal.” My mom had something kinda similar from her Miami college days. It never went up in our house but I always thought my mom was crazy for keeping it. But with this one, since most everything else is so neutral and varied in style I think I’m kinda into it. I’m sure I made fun of my mom and most certainly now owe her an apology.

image source | styled by julia green and noël coughlan

Most of the photos above showcased either a “modern” shell in a neutral room or a natural shell in a neutral room. This one sports a large natural shell (VERY similar to my Little Mermaid one) in a very colorful modern space showing the versatility of styling with this trend.

image source | Designed by Mary Featherston

This photo of the famous but newly renovated Featherston House in Australia had me pretty much convinced that if I found the right shells and perfectly curated ocean debris that I could be persuaded to do something magnificent like that wall collection.

In case you read this and thought Jess convinced me, I LOVE SHELLS and how can I get my hands on some decor? Look no further than right here because I have curated some shoppable pieces to make your dreams come true.

That’s all she wrote…on shells at least. I’m still pretty sure I won’t be diving head first into this trend in my current apartment but who knows for the future. Maybe some chic shells will make their way into my life and we will live happily ever after. I mean it’s just hard to feel sad around shells. But I am DYING to hear what you think. Do you love this newer take on shell decor? Does the idea of it make you cry? Do you think every house should have a minimum of 20 shells per room? Let us discuss (with respect) in the comments.

Love you, mean it. xx Jess

The post Seashells As Decor Are Back…We Think appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Seashells As Decor Are Back…We Think published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

15 of Our Absolute Favorite Go-To White & Gray Paint Colors

Designing a room is full of so.many.decisions. What furniture? What fabrics? What textiles? How and where do I hang this art? Who am I anymore? Don’t get me started on curtain selection. But, perhaps the most drawn out and treacherous decision to make is what color you’re putting on those fine walls of yours…especially if you’re going neutral. There are seemingly 1,000 shades of white alone, so yeah… We’ve done our fair share of wall painting around here, have tested dozens (probably more) of shades of white and gray and beyond, and we feel confident that these 15 are solid choices if you don’t even know where to start.

We did a similar post two years ago (you might remember it), but have since added a handful of new favorites that are actually tried-and-true by EHD. Before proceeding though, I’d be remiss if I didn’t implore you to test swatches in your own home, on numerous walls of the same room. The quality of light you get in your home could be different than any of the homes pictured here, so where a white might look crisp and pure in one room, it could also read totally green or beige or yellow in another. Please test before taking the color plunge, and observe the shades during different times of day to see how they interact with your sunlight. Sure, paint is relatively inexpensive as compared to other parts of the design process, but nothing strikes sheer horror, dismay and exhaustion in my heart (and maybe yours) more than the thought of REPAINTING after you’ve already gone through the trouble of moving out furniture, prepping, clean up and moving back in furniture. My back hurts just thinking about it.

So, let’s take a look at the 15 shades of white and gray that we’ve stamped our seal of approval on. We also created a custom graphic down at the end of the post that you can pin and save for another time. Oh, and please share any of your no-fail, go-to neutral shades (and if you have any photos, please feel free to link them up in the comment).

Pure White by Sherwin-Williams

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: the portland master bedroom reveal

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: the reveal of the mountain house kitchen

In the master bedroom of the Portland project (as well as a handful of other spaces), we used Pure White from Sherwin-Williams and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a very neutral white. It’s not warm, it’s not cool, it’s crisp white with no undertones. Quick note: If you’re painting an existing room with a white like this one, be sure you’re also painting your moldings and baseboards because you already have might be warmer and come off looking dingy. Emily and the team liked it so much, they also used this color for the downstairs of the mountain house (including the kitchen which we recently revealed).

Oyster White by Sherwin-Williams

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: the portland project family room reveal

For many of the public living areas of the Portland house, we used Oyster White from Sherwin-Williams. It’s almost a touch taupe-y gray in comparison to the crisp white of the molding (Pure White from Sherwin-Williams) so it works really well in that sense. During the big open house event we did last summer, the most asked question of anything in the house was “What is this paint color?” It’s cozy and comforting but still white enough to not run too deep into gray territory.

Pointing by Farrow & Ball

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: jess’ small space living room reveal

The swatch online of Pointing looks SO warm and beige-y, but in person, it’s such a lovely warm yet neutral white. Jess used this in her living room and kitchen and was very happy with it. It’s warm enough that crisp white curtains pop against it, but looks very “white” against most other colors. Farrow & Ball paints tend to be more expensive than traditional hardware store brands, but the paint is VERY thick and super high quality with a wide range of finishes.

Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore (Michael’s house)

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: michael’s vintage-filled living room reveal

This is called “Decorator’s White” for a reason. A ton of decorators and designers use it (honestly). Michael picked it for his current home because it mixes really well with other neutrals but also pops of color. It’s calm yet bright and an “elevated” sophisticated white. Not too clinical, just a great backdrop for lots of styles.

Powdered Snow by Behr

image source

While Michael’s current home is Decorator’s White, he can’t stop singing the praises of the white in his previous home. He tested dozens of white paints before landing on this one and says it the perfect bright white (plus super affordable). It doesn’t go too warm or too buttery or too cold or blue. Just crisp, bright and cheery.

Swiss Coffee by Dunn-Edwards

photo by tessa neustadt for ehd | from: sara’s living room reveal

Sara says she didn’t actually pick this color in her old apartment (provided by the landlord) but she really liked it because it read white but warm without being the least bit yellow.

White Dove by Benjamin Moore

photo by zeke ruelas for ehd | from: silver lake hill’s living room reveal

We don’t have a recent photo of a room painted in White Dove, but I just painted my living room in the creamy white (which you’ll be seeing next month if all goes according to plan). It’s creamy and warm in the way that vanilla soft serve looks creamy without being beige-y. Like…it’s white, but not white. It’s the type of color you strangely just want to look at except it’s white, so you feel weird being kind of obsessed with it. Evidently, it was Benjamin Moore’s “Color of the Year” a few years back, if that says anything to you. But yeah, it works well for homes with more character (i.e. nothing super modern), and is warm without being the least bit yellow.

Super White by Benjamin Moore

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: how we styled the living room to sell

This was our go-to white for a while (used it in Emily’s old house as well as Brady’s kitchen). We still love it, FYI but have since turned to Pure White by Sherwin-Williams for recent projects. This color is great if you are looking for a modern clean color. It reflects light in such a pretty way and doesn’t have any cool tones that would make it go blue or warm tones that would make it yellow. It’s just really white.

White Diamond by Benjamin Moore

photo by zeke ruelas for ehd | from: introducing my living room – commonwealth

Another great white from homes of Emily’s past. This one was in the living room of her Commonwealth house, which she loved for the space. It’s a much cooler white that can read a little blue up next to true, pure whites, but she said in person it read really white. We have a lot of “warm” whites on this list, so if you’re looking for something not the least bit creamy, give this one a try.

Blackened by Farrow & Ball

photo by zeke ruelas for ehd | from: ginny’s living room reveal

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: how we shoot family photos, with framebridge

The design team of past and present has used Blackened both in Ginny’s living room as well as Emily’s entry and stairwell. This is a cool white that can sometimes read a little lavender (it has a slight hint of purple/red in it), so be careful and test it out but in the right room can pop against white trim so well.

Strong White by Farrow & Ball

photo by tessa neustadt for ehd | from: our modern english country kitchen reveal

photo by ryan liebe for ehd | from: my living room design, updated

This is a gorgeous taupe-y gray-white that Emily painted her cabinets (the perimeter, not the green island, obviously). She loved is so much she painted her living room walls and ceiling in the same color. The swatch online reads very beige, but it’s a lovely creamy grayish tone that can still read white enough in a large setting.

Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: how we staged a home to sell with soul

We haven’t used this color in a while, that is until recently when the team was styling out the above project (see more of this sick house here). It’s a little creamier than other cooler grays, can sometimes read green (depending on your light), but, in general, is just such a nice color. It’s warm, cozy, not too dark, not too light, but definitely swatch test this one (as you should ALL paints before buying) to see what it does in your home.

Ammonite by Farrow & Ball

photo by tessa neustadt for ehd | from: my master bedroom reveal

From Emily: “My current master bedroom (and family room) in the above pictures is painted this color and if you are looking for the softest, lightest gray that is so warm but not taupe then this is for you. I love how subtle the color is all while bringing some different hues into the home besides white.”

Aloof Gray by Sherwin-Williams

photo by melissa oholendt for ehd | from: the curbly family dining room reveal

We used this light gray back when we did the Curbly’s dining room, but we still stand behind it. It has a teeny tiny more green to it so it’s a cooler gray that happens to look really nice with warm wood tones.

Pavilion Gray by Farrow & Ball

photo by zeke ruelas for ehd | from: brady’s living room reveal

We loved it two years ago when we wrote about it, and we still love it now. During Brady’s first living room iteration, he picked this color and it worked so nicely with the other warm neutrals he had going on. It’s a pretty soft gray that adds depth but still brightens up a room. Not too warm, not too cool, a good happy medium gray.

We wanted to put everything together in one place for you to be able to Pin out and save, but remember that these swatches are just screengrabs from online. Some of these look SO different than they do IRL here so just use these as a reference based on our descriptions, and like I said earlier, test, test, test.

The post 15 of Our Absolute Favorite Go-To White & Gray Paint Colors appeared first on Emily Henderson.

15 of Our Absolute Favorite Go-To White & Gray Paint Colors published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Decorating Can Be So Wasteful. Here’s One BIG Thing You Can Do To Help (plus a ton of good tools)

photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp for EHD | from: Michael’s Living Room Reveal

I’ve been buying used or thrifted since I was born and I generally prefer at least 1/2 of my pieces to be vintage (which is just a fancy form of second hand). But for every shoot, install, project we of course buy a lot of new pieces and with that comes an insane amount of packaging and often waste, plus the question of what to do with it after or what to do with the piece you’ve replaced it with? You’ve called us out on it in the past and I am truly trying to reduce any waste. I look at the piles of boxes at my front door daily and hope HARD that they aren’t full of packing peanuts or styrofoam – not that that is the only culprit here, but its a big one for me and I know I’m guilty of contributing to it.

So to celebrate earth day and help promote “responsible decorating” (should “concious content creating” be a thing?) we wanted to share a combination of things I do in my own life as well as solutions we researched to help us even more. And look, this is not the end all be all. We know that. There are seemingly endless amounts of resources and research (often conflicting, honestly). We do not have all the answers (or even a fraction of them), so I’m turning to you guys to ask for companies/apps/organizations/ideas…anything you’ve found that has made the issue of reducing waste more doable and easier to accommodate into your everyday life. Honestly, sometimes I think things end up in the landfill simply due to a lack of information, so here’s what we’ve come up with, and we can’t wait to dig into the comments and see what you have to add.

But first …. BUY SECOND-HAND, when possible.

Buy used and vintage for all the things you feel comfortable. I usually stay in the furniture, lighting and rugs lanes for myself, but I used to buy curtains, throw pillows and dinnerware/glassware all from thrift stores. If you are scared of thrifting, I get it. Sometimes it can be, well, yes gross to some. I’m rather comfortable and I personally thrive in that environment but I know that its not for everyone. so opt for antique malls, vintage stores or flea markets that obviously tend to be less full of used socks.

But if you are like me and often tied down by children and don’t have time to troll the valley thrifting, but still want to deck out your home with cool/old weird head to Etsy, Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, Ebay and if you have more of a budget, Chairish. If you guys know ANY others that we are missing please let me know.

This week we’ll be rounding up, either on the blog or on social new companies that are committed to reducing waste or giving back to the earth, so that we can purchase with pride (instead of guilt) from them.

So thats the most obvious one about how to consume, but often our biggest problem is

WHAT DO WE DO WITH ALL THIS LEFTOVER STUFF????

Old Furniture, decor & Appliances

The easiest thing to do with things like furniture and appliances that are still in okay shape is to donate to charitable organizations, duh. This was the big impetus for the rummage sale last year, one that we want to do again as it was such a win/win for us (a big purge for good!), Pen the organization who profited and all the stuff went to a new home instead of a landfill. I wish I could do it quarterly and we are trying to figure out how to. Year round I work with Pen + Napkin (Local to LA) who will come and get any good furniture or decor that was for a shoot and they’ll use them in one of their projects, decorating for families transitioning out of homelessness. There are so many local organizations – at the mountain house we donated all our appliances and cabinets/vanities/fixtures to the Boys & Girls Club so look up your local chapter. But you can also go old school and drop it off at your local good will or thrift stores that fund shelters (like the San Fernando Rescue Mission )

You can also donate to Vientam Vetrans of America, where they’ll come get it from your doorstep, rain or shine. Schedule a pickup here.

If they don’t service your area check out Donation Town, to see what will come pick up near you.

Another idea we read on a forum while during research is to call the theater departments of local schools or community centers to see if they could reuse because they tend to need this kind of stuff (whether it works or not) for set design, etc. It won’t save it from the landfill in the long run, but it extends its life by reusing, hence reducing.

There are also hauling companies that don’t just pick things up and take them straight to the dump. For instance, Junk King is an environmentally friendly rubbish clearance company that recycles, reuses or donates 60% of everything they haul. If they don’t service your area, a simple Google search of “environmentally friendly hauling company” should point you in the right direction.

Cardboard

Something I do regularly is reusing materials like cardboard with the kids to build forts and make crafts prior to recycling, and as long as no oil, liquids or food has come in contact with it, it can still be recycled for the most part. The good news, for anyone wondering what happens to recycled cardboard, according to Earth911, it just gets recycled and becomes more cardboard, and because it takes 3 tons of trees to make 1 ton of virgin cardboard, we definitely want to keep circulating and recycling our boxes and whatnot to save those trees. I REALLY hope that is true because cardboard is my #1 guilt when it comes to waste.

If the cardboard you have can’t be recycled (you can find out more about what can and cannot be recycled here), there might be other uses for it around your house. If you compost, cardboard can be used in your compost pile. It can also be used in the garden for things like lining garden beds for weed control.

Oh, and this won’t apply to most people reading this, but for the ones that it does apply it, it can make a big difference. If you’re a company (design or otherwise) that gets a lot of cardboard, you can work with a company like Roadrunner that sets you up with all the proper recycling receptacles, picks everything up and ensures they are sent to the proper facilities for recycling.

Packing Materials

For things like packing materials (peanuts, bubble wrap, air cushion bubble bags), there are a few things you can do:

Call a packing supply company (like UPS) to see if they’ll accept your CLEAN packing materials. If not, they might know what else you can do with them besides put them straight in the trash.

Call your local recycling center or EPS for drop-off locations for things like packing peanuts. I believe they even have a mail-back recycling program.

Here’s something we didn’t really know: some packing peanuts are actually compostable. A quick way to test is to put a few under your running faucet to see if the material breaks down (and also, I believe these are usually green in color to help you identify them…WHY DOESN’T EVERYONE JUST USE THOSE?). At this point, you can add them to your compost bin or even use them in planters to help water drainage.

If you’re a brand reading this, this is our outcry to please consider environmentally friendly packing materials and finding ways to offset your carbon footprint for transport and shipping. There are numerous sustainable options for packing materials now, like materials made from corn starch or sorghum, which can be composted. Companies like Dell, Crate & Barrel and Puma (among others) even use a fungus-based packing material developed by Ecovative design.

Excess Renovation Materials

The renovation process, in general, is so wasteful. There are materials that are usually in decent shape that are just ripped out and trashed because they maybe don’t match the aesthetic you’re going for. If you’re demoing yourself, or even working with a crew, salvage as much as you can. You don’t have to rip apart cabinets and countertops or even windows…they can usually be removed and salvaged to be donated as long as there isn’t damage or mold (or hell, just put them in your garage or shed as garage org). Also, if you’ve ordered an excess amount of materials like wood or tiles, those can usually be donated to places like Habitat for Humanity, or any local design school. Another idea is just simply offering them up for free (or sell them if you want) online via Craigslists, 5mile, Nextdoor, Facebook Marketplace, etc. You’d be surprised what people are willing to take off your hands for their own smaller projects.

Extra Things You Can Do

Even if we all do one or two of the things listed above regularly, it can make a big difference If you aren’t sure if something is recyclable or what to do with it (like old appliances, lightbulbs, paint, etc.), there’s an app from Earth911 called iRecycle you can download. It’s all broken up by category, so you just find what you’re trying to get rid of/recycle, and it finds local drop-off spots and recycling centers. Oh, and one thing we haven’t talked about yet is carbon emissions from shipping and whatnot, and there’s a site called Terrapass that takes donations and let’s you pay to offset your carbon footprint by funding projects like wind power, landfill gas capture and more (you can see a list of all their projects here). And they’re not the only ones. Carbonfund.org has a similar program, so it’s just a matter of doing your research to find a company you feel good about.

Ultimately, it’s both on the consumer and the retailer to step it up and try to reduce. We applaud companies that are attempting to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly both in the products they offer as well as top to bottom (from sourcing to production to final delivery). For instance, Etsy has recently vowed to offset 100% of the carbon emissions produced by their artisans.

Being a big consumer means that I have a bigger carbon footprint and a bigger responsibility to promote responsible ways to consumer and donate. I suppose I also have a big voice, so please REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.

Happy birthday, mother earth. Hopefully human beings and companies will wake up even more and treat you more with respect.

The post Decorating Can Be So Wasteful. Here’s One BIG Thing You Can Do To Help (plus a ton of good tools) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Decorating Can Be So Wasteful. Here’s One BIG Thing You Can Do To Help (plus a ton of good tools) published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

The Link Up: Our Favorite House Tour This Week, Ridiculously Good Design & Holy Grail Skincare

We would be remiss to not say that this past week didn’t start off pretty heavy with the horrific burning of the Notre Dame Cathedral. It can feel as though ancient and historic structures are somehow off limits to disasters but as we were glued to our phones looking at the devastating photos, that is clearly not the case. Notre Dame means so much to so many and we are incredibly grateful no lives were lost but it doesn’t mean there isn’t a great sense of loss. So with yet another reminder to hold what really matters, our loved ones, close, let’s look forward and escape for a moment with this week’s EHD recommendations.

First off, let’s indulge in this happy, bright and family-focused home tour. The Design Files once again serves up a stunning home, filled with art and color. Those Australians (aka Kate Bell and landscape designer Adam Robinson) really know how to design a home and this beauty is no different. Please enjoy.

Keeping the design train chugging, Jess LOVES the Instagram account Où est le beau?. It features amazing, modern European design. They have a podcast but it’s in French which KILLS her because she knows zero French…time to learn Jess.

Julie never knew she wanted to attend a “supper club” until she saw this article on Domino about Resident which just opened in NYC. She will gladly accept an invitation.

NEW AMAZING OPENING ALERT: Emily’s friends, restauranteur Dustin Lancaster and designer Sally Breer, have opened another spectacular hotel/restaurant in Los Angeles, The Firehouse Hotel. She (and well the entire EHD team) are dying to check it out. For reference, they are the ones who created Hotel Covell…so yeah, it’s good.

Arlyn knows she’s totally late to this, but she’s newly OBSESSED with The OA on Netflix. It’s been one of those things that people have been telling her to watch for months (years?) and she’s kept putting off because committing to a new show can be so consuming, but man has this not disappointed. It’s totally trippy and new age-y and just so bizarre you spend half the show thinking “wait, what on earth is happening” but she’s addicted.

Michael has been a huge Oprah fan since he was a kid watching her talk show. She genuinely inspires him to try and live his best life and be the best version of himself. She has a new book that just came out and he’s ordered it and can’t wait to read it. It’s called The Path Made Clear and it’s supposed to be fantastic. If you want to read it too…you can get it here.

Grace is our resident Shake Shack connoisseur (and probably the only one who watches Game of Thrones), but she thinks everyone should know that they recently release a GoT-themed burger called the Dracarys burger! It’s expensive, but if you’re near one of the select locations (check their site for the full listing), she asks that you please have one for her. Oh and TODAY is the last day for the burger!

Velinda was gifted the best gift of all…dessert. Her friend from Scotland brought her Chrystal’s Scottish Shortbread Cubes and they’re abnormally delicious (she shared so we can also vouch).

Sara is listening to “The Big One” podcast about earthquake preparedness for west coasters. While no one wants to talk about earthquakes, being prepared is always a good idea.

If Ryann could buy one thing this month, it would be these super chic flats that are made from recycled water bottles. (Also, stay tuned for a sustainable fashion post coming later this week.)

Mary Kay’s Timewise Miracle Set has SAVED. VERONICA’S. FACE. Her words, not ours as her face is always beautiful. “This face washing kit comes with a liquid face wash, a daytime moisturizer, a nighttime moisturizer and an anti-aging eye cream. Listen, I know what you’re thinking, ‘I’m not going to fall for a beauty pyramid scheme’ but this is THE. REAL. DEAL. I started using this product about a year ago and it’s cleared up my face tremendously. I never had intense acne or anything, but it has cleared up, and keeps away any unwanted blemishes as well as leaving my skin feeling clean with a glow to it. You can choose your skin’s preference, as well, such as Normal/Dry skin or Normal/Oily skin. I recommend washing with a washcloth or mechanical face brush, rather than your hands, to ensure you’re getting the cleanest wash possible.”

Arlyn wanted to shout out HER go-to moisturizer, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream. She grappled with admitting that this is the one non-cruelty-free thing left in her medicine cabinet, but she’s actively searching for a comparable replacement. It’s kind of $$$ but she’s never been able to find anything that absorbs as quickly, is as hydrating without making her oily skin even oilier, and her makeup sits over it beautifully. It’s her holy grail…for now.

Julie bought a piece by the talented Jack Devereux, an artist based in Australia who creates beautiful continuous line drawings. You might see it in her upcoming MOTO.

Lastly, here is a beautiful article filled with personal stories and reflections by writers about Notre Dame and Paris.

Also, happy Easter to all those who are celebrating. We hope you (and well, everyone) is having a beautiful day filled with your family traditions, be that church, brunch, chocolate bunnies, egg hunts, and…everyone’s favorite, super cute dressed up little kids.

The post The Link Up: Our Favorite House Tour This Week, Ridiculously Good Design & Holy Grail Skincare appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Link Up: Our Favorite House Tour This Week, Ridiculously Good Design & Holy Grail Skincare published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Turns Out I’ve Been Blow Drying My Hair All Wrong—Here’s How to Get It Right

Turns out, I’ve been blowdrying my hair all wrong—and not only does it not look as good as it could, but I’ve been damaging it. I was recently at my friend Janine Jarman’s salon (Hairroin Los Angeles), complaining about how I can never make my hair look good on my own, and convinced that I’ll never learn, when she handed me the blow dryer and a brush and said “show me how you do it.” I did and she, horrified, said “I see…yeah. That is all wrong and now I understand why your hair is so damaged.”

She was actually relieved because this is a problem that we can solve.

To be fair my hair is a challenge and even she admits that. I used to have great long, natural looking blonde hair. Then I had two kids and proceeded to bleach and chop it and it’s never been the same. It’s curly (therefore frizzy and fuzzy) and broken (so I have to be gentle with it) and it’s actually only shoulder length so while I try to grow it out, I have extensions. It’s also naturally blonde, therefore fine. All of this makes it VERY hard for me to blow it out. The extensions are long and straight, my hair is short and curly. It’s awesome.

So to be clear, yes, I was doing it all wrong, but my hair is absolutely a challenge.

Here’s what I was doing wrong:

I was not using product, did not have the right brush or the right hairdryer (my good one broke a while ago and so Brian picked this cheap guy up at the drugstore).

I was blowing the wrong direction, therefore opening up my cuticle and CREATING frizz.

I was putting the dryer far too close to my hair while it was still really wet (more frizz and damage).

I had no real order and started in the wrong place.

I was doing it WAY too fast, creating more frizz.

Here’s what it looked like “before” when I was done. I mean, I don’t think it looks that bad, honestly, but does it look like I just stepped out of a salon? Uh, no. It was still a little wavy, a little frizzy, not that shiny. Good enough for everyday life, but yeah, nowhere near what a pro could do.

So yeah, the finished product, as you can see, is not great. Let’s move on to how you are SUPPOSED to do it:

1. First, towel dry as much as possible. There is no reason to damage your hair by going straight to the blow dryer with soaking wet hair. I hear that this hair towel is great and apparently reduces drying time 50%. (When Arlyn was reading through, she said she actually had that towel, and it indeed made her hair dry faster…though she said maybe by like 30% but she liked it because it was felt light and not like a big lumpy heavy towel that was always flopping around on the top of her head).

2. Next, you want to protect your hair with a product. It’s not like I haven’t tried this but I honestly didn’t know what do use for my hair, how much of it to use and at what point to put it in??? Janine gave me just a pea-sized amount of invisible oil primer and told me to work it all throughout the hair, evenly, while it is still damp. If you have hair like mine, using something that is heat protective is key. It will act as an SPF for your hair, and protect it from the sun and heat (and reduce frizz). I hate my hair feeling product heavy so at first, I resisted, but using this stuff really made a difference and my hair did not feel weighed down by product at all.

3. Use a gentle wet brush to brush out your hair. I was just using my other bristle brush and not being NEARLY as gentle as I should be. She recommended this one.

4. Then we added a conditioning straightening balm and applied it evenly throughout my hair (avoiding the scalp, because it will get greasy).

5. First big thing I learned: You HAVE to start with bangs. Why? Because they are the most important part and it’s best to do them at the beginning before your arms are tired, while you still have the patience and before they get too dry and frizzy. She recommended using this brush, then pull the bangs to one side and blow dry pointing the blow dryer down. Repeat the same motion on the other side.

6. For my hair, Janine told me to do a flat wrap where you use the forehead to help shape and bend bangs. When bangs are almost dry, use a large metal brush, which acts as a curling tool, and pull bangs forward in a circular motion for volume.

7. Before going into sections, rake through hair using hands and blow dry (always pointing downward) to help get rid of some more moisture so you are not spending a million years drying each section.

8. Then move to the crown using a bristle brush and roll the hair under and back using SO MUCH TENSION, while pointing the blow dryer downwards and towards the back of your head. Hot tip: Tension is the key to shiny and frizz-free hair.

9. As you go along, clip sections to cool. Janine told me to clip it like there is a pretend roller in there. This allows your hair to cool down in that smooth shape.

To be honest this is where I started to get REALLY ready for this to be over. It’s so much work and as Janine kept telling me “it’s not a race,” but I just wanted to be done. My arms were tired. I was tired. But I get it. If I take the time, a blowout can last 3 to 4 days so that 1/2 hour to 40 minutes it takes to do it properly is WORTH IT.

10. Once you give yourself a pep talk to keep going (you’ve got this), move to the side sections of your hair, making your way from front to back. We used the big boar bristle roller brush for smoothness, and then moved to the metal brush to add more style, curl and movement. Angle the brush tool the direction you want your hair to go (if you want your hair down and smooth, the brush will need to be curled under your hair, as opposed to just lose like in the top right photo above).

11. Repeat for the rest of the sections of your hair. Hot tip: the sections you work with should not be bigger than the tool you are using.

To give my hair a little movement, my normal routine is to add some curl with a curling iron until it looks nice and voluminous (I did this even when I was doing everything else so. wrong.) so that’s what we did here at the end. The finished product is a lot shinier, smoother and healthier looking. And look, NO FRIZZ. You may notice the exhaustion behind my eyes from the effort, but okay fine, it was worth it.

In case you forgot what MY technique looks like next to Janine’s expert advice, here’s a side by side of the first finished job next to the new and improved blowout:

I kept saying to everyone in the office “are you sure the before is bad enough?” and they all would politely just laugh and say “yeah, it’s convincing.”

So, what do you guys think? Did I succeed? Have I just become a woman who knows how to blow out her hair? I think so.

A HUGE thank you to Janine for taking the time to show me the tricks of the trade. She is the best and you can check out her salon here and shop ALL the products we used here (Janine was nice enough to extend a 20% discount with code “emstyled” for the full kit through the month of April. You’ll also get a free travel size product with any order).

Happy Saturday, folks. xx

***photography by Veronica Crawford for EHD

The post Turns Out I’ve Been Blow Drying My Hair All Wrong—Here’s How to Get It Right appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Turns Out I’ve Been Blow Drying My Hair All Wrong—Here’s How to Get It Right published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

How to Haggle (or Not) at the Flea Market…According to Emily Henderson

I think it’s fair to say that most of us fell fast and hard, not only for Emily’s talent and humor, but her uncanny ability to find the SICKEST VINTAGE around. The question, “where were you when you first saw the blue sofa?” is probably something most old school fans could answer without blinking an eye. Now, while I am no stranger to a flea market, I am also not, shall we say, a seasoned pro (like I have dreams of being)? I mean how and when do I haggle?? Is it basically expected or ultimately disrespectful to the vendor? I am terrible at knowing when I need to come out of my shell and ask for a better price versus just paying the sticker price because it’s easier and I feel bad/it may just be the fair price. Sooooo why not then go straight to the source and ease my worrisome mind? Enter Vintage Ninja, Emily Henderson. We asked for her advice on how to go about getting the best price for your flea finds and she delivered with eight super user-friendly tips that even the newest of flea market goers can tackle with ease. See…dreams do come true and price haggling nerves can finally calm themselves. Without further ado (the anticipation is also killing me), let’s see what THE expert flea market maverick has to say…

From Emily: You all wanted to know how I haggle and here are my rules:

1. BE RESPECTFUL. Realize that (almost) everyone selling at the flea market works hard and has a livelihood (and/or family) to support. They are not swindlers or peddlers looking to screw you. Approach them how you would want to be spoken to—with respect and admiration for a craft. They work hard to find, transport and bring you pretty things. Essentially, don’t be A D*CK.

2. CONSIDER THE EFFORT AND HOW THAT WOULD EFFECT THE COST. A large piece of furniture is cumbersome and took them likely time/effort to bring from the original source (estate sales, thrift stores from far distances) where they then put into a larger vehicle they might have rented, then likely stored in their storage unit, then transported multiple times and ultimately unloaded at 5am at a flea market. If it’s a large piece, it should cost more than it would at a thrift store. A lot more effort went into bringing it to a flea market, so please consider that. At the same time, a small piece is easier to deal with and should be less expensive to unload (figuratively and financially).

3. LEVERAGE MULTIPLE PIECES FOR BETTER PRICING. If you buy multiple pieces (small or large), you have the leverage to ask for a discount and you should. If you buy one piece, ask for 10% off, 15% off for two pieces, 20% off for three or more. This behooves everyone if you do…you get a better deal, and the vendor sells more in one go.

4. CHOOSE YOUR WORDS. Use the phrases like, “Do you think you could you do $25 for this?” or “What could you do if I bought this and this and this…” Don’t just say you’ll give them $7 for something that is $10. Respect them enough to ask in a way that you would want to be asked. They care about these pieces, so don’t disrespect them by just saying “I’ll give you $7.” You’d be surprised how often someone is willing to bend if you just ask nicely (general life lesson, too).

5. SHOW APPRECIATION FOR THE PIECE. Vintage dealers love what they have taken the time and effort to bring to market, so they want someone who cares about the piece to get to own it. Yes, it’s a business and sure they care about profits but they might not sell it to someone who is a jerk because they secretly are worried that a prized possession might go unappreciated in an unloving home. However, don’t fawn. Don’t go overboard but show appreciation. Let them know you get it.

6. FORECAST THE WORK. If something is big (say, a sofa), needs a lot of work (upholstery and restoration) and the dealer is charging a lot (say $1,200), do the math in your head before you get too excited. Getting it home will cost $200 in delivery, reupholstering will be $900, new fabric will be $300, refinishing will be $300…before you’ve even sat on it, your $1,200 sofa just cost you $2,500. Then think about what you could buy for that amount new in the market. It’s a lot. If it’s something SUPER unique then it still could be worth it, if not then you can talk them through your future expenses and they might come down realizing that what they have is actually a future investment for someone, not an immediate gift. That gives you leverage for a discount, FOR SURE. I don’t pay more than $400 for a sofa unless it’s super unique, important and irreplaceable.

7. BE FAIR. If the price feels fair, don’t haggle. Could you haggle and get them down? Sure, but I actually hate this culture of haggling especially in this day and age when the economic disparity is so huge. If it’s a fair price, just give them the cash. You don’t have to haggle just because you are at the flea market. When I overhear a conversation where the buyer offers $9 for a $10 item, I cringe knowing that they are haggling for haggling sake. It’s like they watched it in the movies and they are performing “haggling.” It’s strangely demoralizing for the seller. They will likely say yes, but at what cost? It doesn’t make them feel proud of the sale and what does it do for you? It’s the difference between tipping 15% and 18%—often it’s minimal but it means the WORLD to the waiter/waitress. (P.S. this is only for American flea market culture…I realize that in other cultures, haggling is a sport).

8. SPOT A SALESPERSON AND BE READY TO PLAY. Most people who specialize in something will declare high prices because they might have an inflated sense of “vintage dealer.” This happens most with specialized rugs, mid-century or European antique dealers. If they want $1,200 for a chair, know that they are ready to play/negotiate. Picture the prices at a retail store and if they are on par, then know you should negotiate because retail stores have a MUCH higher overhead and therefore charge more. If they are charging what a store would charge, then negotiate because they might be hoping you will just write that check.

Listen. It’s nuanced. You have to feel them out but my biggest tips align perfectly with my general ethos: be nice, be brief, be gone. It’s business, with a huge dose of human element. Don’t be a d*ck.

Thanks Em!

Well, there you have it. It’s actually insanely simple. Be a good human, use your gut and love your vintage as much as baby Charlie loves this toy pony. I think we can all handle that, no? And guys, it’s FRIDAY which means we are only hours away from finding a flea market where you can put these tips to good use. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Let us know in the comments if there are any other flea market or general vintage shopping topics you want us to cover. We want all of your suggestions.

Love you, mean it.

The post How to Haggle (or Not) at the Flea Market…According to Emily Henderson appeared first on Emily Henderson.

How to Haggle (or Not) at the Flea Market…According to Emily Henderson published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Office & Studio Reveal: 7 Steps For How to Pull Off “Edgy Neutral”

You might remember this space from our “staging to sell with soul” post from earlier this month where we gave you a sneak peek into a seriously cool house that, along with local staging company The Platform Experiment, Emily and our wonderful style team outfitted to shoot for book #2 and the blog. As it was going up on the market, they had mostly carte blanche to create a “look” with some existing pieces as well as what was brought in specifically for the photoshoot. Owners Amanda and William Hunter (of William Hunter Collective) already had killer style (they gut-renovated and rearranged the whole floor plan of this house and it’s honestly just so good all around), so we used them as the style muse for what was created in the basement-turned studio…what we’re calling “Edgy Neutral.”

So, yes, while this basement space lends SO much character and that “cool” factor you need in Edgy Neutral just by being, well…a basement (the open beamed ceilings, the exposed wires, the rock and cinder block walls, those concrete floors, etc.) it doesn’t mean you can’t follow some of the rules applied here to get a similar (if more refined) look in your non-basement of a home. This here was set up as an office space/studio, but all the principles could easily apply to a living and dining room situation…let’s show you.

1. Keep things crisp with white walls.

chairs | desks | pendant lights

Just when we thought we were mostly over white walls (okay, not really)…the key to this look is making sure it feels airy and not too heavy, as a lot of the elements you’ll eventually layer in are. You’ll want to pick out a crisp, neutral white (we love Sherwin-William’s Pure White) so things don’t get either too warm or too cool (but when in doubt, go a touch warm so it doesn’t come off clinical).

2. Amp up the contrast with plenty of black and dark gray.

This is where things start to go from neutral white shell to pretty rad, high-contrast room. Here, William painted the ceilings a slate-y charcoal gray, which echoes the concrete floors and adds so much dimension to the space. Layering in mid-tones like this is important so the whole room doesn’t end up reading simply like a black-and-white scheme (that’s not the look here, it’s about being well balanced, “cool” but welcoming, minimal but inspired). While I’m not telling you to necessarily paint your own ceiling a dark gray, maybe I am? Painted ceilings have been a big trend in the last two years (though they’ve always been a go-to interior designer trick for adding instant drama to a room), but only really work if you have the (literal) headspace for it.

Let’s say you have 8-foot ceilings; this might be something you skip because adding a darker color up there will just visually lower them even more, but anything 10-feet and above should be just fine. In fact, if you are blessed with very tall ceilings, bringing the color down from the ceiling on the wall about 6 inches (if you don’t have crown molding) will add even more interest.

3. Keep furnishings minimal yet interesting (and when in doubt, choose leather).

coffee table | rug | blanket (similar) | bench

Leather furniture is pretty synonymous with a cool, edgy room, right? (Also, does calling something “cool” automatically make you not cool? Oh well, proud card-carrying member of the nerd-alert club here.) In here, the black sofa, definitely reads more industrial and, dare I say…bachelor pad-y, but in a good way. Like, a now-bachelor who had a previous partner with really good taste that left behind all their stuff in the loft home they once shared. That wood base there also keeps the sofa in solid “eclectic vintage” territory, far away from “corporate office waiting room.”

All the furnishings in this room, in both the seating and desk areas, are rather simple in shape. Nothing fussy or frilly about them, clean lines, relatively cohesive colors (black, brown, camel) and materials (wood, leather, steel), and that’s what you want to go for. The wood definitely helps things to feel more “lived in,” but we’ll touch more on that in a few points.

4. Layer in streamlined matte black metal accents (and maybe a touch of brass).

armchair | floor lamp

Matte black is the name of the game for Edgy Neutral, so let that be the majority of the metal finishes you bring in via accessories, lighting, and even furniture. BUT THEN, so that it doesn’t read “local hipster coffee shop with lots of beanie-above-the-ears-wearing patrons” the key is to break it up a little with a touch of brass. It’ll make things feel more layered and collected but not so much that it comes off too eclectic or luxe. Anything brass should be delicate and streamlined to keep things modern, like the floor lamp and side table in the vignette above. Let’s pretend that coffee table was also brass here…this scene would absolutely read far more glam than we’d want it to for this aesthetic. It’s a subtle balance that requires restraint, but as a good rule of thumb, we’d say not to bring in any more than 3 or 4 brighter metallics.

5. Add in organic shapes and woods.

With all that metal and leather and white and gray, you’re going to need to warm things up a bit so your room doesn’t end up feeling sterile. Here, in the little entry area of the basement studio, the style team brought in a live-edge wood bench (with black steel legs because #edgyneutralstarterkit) and the well-worn peg rail keeps things down to earth and not too showy.

From this view, you can also see the shapes of the other (beige) bench and office chair. The curves on the frames there go a long way to break up all the straight lines happening in the room’s architecture and key furniture pieces.

6. Warm things up with earthy accents and textiles.

And the warm front continues. Textiles always finish off a space, no matter what design vibe you’re going for. Without rugs, pillows and the various throws around, this would have felt far less inviting. It would have still been very nice, but maybe a little too “corporate.” You’re designing a home, after all, not an office building, so layer them on. The key here is to keep everything in the neutral category, i.e. nothing too boldly patterned or colored. Nubby linens, sheepskins, cowhides, they all bring in that “organic” element we just talked about while adding coziness. A little goes a long way in Edgy Neutral, as do earthy ceramics.

7. Don’t forget the “weird and unique.”

chairs | table | vase

And finally, the point that really homes in the soul and character of Edgy Neutral: the “weird” and unique. The part of the design that feels “off” but “off” in a good way. Like wearing a vintage holey T-Shirt with a sleek leather skirt and simple pumps. The classic “wait, why didn’t I think to put that together?” that happens when you see an effortlessly cool outfit/room. This photo above isn’t inherently strange in any way, but the added layer of that white plywood well with venting that William installed just MAKES that vignette. I’m not entirely sure what its purpose is, but maybe it doesn’t need a purpose? It’s different. It’s edgy. It’s a little weird and perfectly imperfect. That’s the secret sauce here. Find your “weird” moment and let it shine (but beware of bringing in too much of it all over. In general, err on the side of more minimal with everything else so you don’t end up with a room that looks like a garage sale).

Before we go, I have a question: if you had to pick between a cool, neutral minimal room and something more colorful and collected, which would you rather live in? And one other question: what styles have you been seeing out there (even if they don’t have a real name yet…get creative with the description!) that you feel are refreshing and like something new that you’d want us to dive into, style up via mood boards, and pull together shopping roundups for? Chime in in the comments below.

The post Office & Studio Reveal: 7 Steps For How to Pull Off “Edgy Neutral” appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Office & Studio Reveal: 7 Steps For How to Pull Off “Edgy Neutral” published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

The Ultimate Budget Living Room Furniture Roundup

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: how target’s fall threshold collection nails the “updated classic” trend

I very clearly remember buying furniture for and decorating my first apartment (it did NOT look like the above for anyone wondering). I was in my mid-20s, only had bedroom furniture in my possession (mostly espresso-stained pieces from IKEA’s Hemnes line with the exception of the upholstered headboard I DIYed), and found myself in need of things like a sofa and coffee table after accepting a job three hours south of my home town (and parents’ house where I lived after college like every proper millennial). It was my first real foray into “design” and man was it exciting. You know, except for the part that I had very little money to do any of it. As any super responsible twenty-something would do, I opened lines of credit to buy furniture so I wasn’t sitting on the floor for six months. (Keep reading if you’re interested in the tale of “Arlyn Proudly Buys a Macy’s Sofa and Also Lots of Random Things From HomeGoods and the Internet”…if not, feel free to skip my nostalgia trip and head straight to the roundups.)

Being a total furniture newb, I scoured the web, not really knowing what anything should/would cost, what stores to go to besides Rooms To Go or Ashley or IKEA. This was my first real adult apartment (I’m not counting my college dorm apartments with the clinical waiting-room furniture they provided), so obviously it had to be a chic work of art that precisely expressed my 26-year-old tastes and the fact that I was now, ahem, a design magazine editor. And you know what I wish I had back then, all those years ago? AN ULTIMATE BUDGET APARTMENT FURNITURE GUIDE. Like THIS ONE! If you can’t help your past self, help the present and future people that are living your same experiences, right?

photo by tessa neustadt | from: a neutral mid-century living room vignette

There are so many more options today, specifically online, for furniture that isn’t just a generic honey oak veneered box or the same espresso-stained birchwood media cabinet over and over again. That is what I affectionately refer to as furniture déjà vu—when you hit a point in the search process where you recognize every silhouette, it just goes by a different name and price at a different online store. Anyhow, none of this is to say I don’t fondly remember my gray velvet Macy’s Chloe sofa I bought during a One-Day Sale for $600 (plus the “care” package for an additional $150 that I absolutely never used) or my too-small-but-who-cares black-and-white chevron rug or the “weathered” wood coffee table I afforded with a rebate for signing up for AT&T U-Verse. I was proud of what I had put together, which subsequently made me want to have people over (except I had no friends because I was living in a new city). I felt like an “adult” with my matching throw pillows and my DIYed wall art (a constant reminder I clearly needed of my initials plastered in numerous parts of my apartment).

My very practical brother kept telling me not to waste my money because it was “just a rental” but I knew better. Sorry, bro. I knew that I would want to go home to a place that felt special to me. That had “my touch.” Sure, eventually I’d upgrade from most of that stuff once I merged homes with my S.O., but I carried it with me through three apartments and I don’t regret the money or time I put into my “just rentals.” Plus, they all were sold off or donated to new homes. I’d like to think that that old Macy’s sofa is somewhere still…probably in another 20-something’s apartment, definitely not splattered with red wine stains and French fry grease.

And now I’ve reached the part of this post where I realized no one besides my mom would care about my furniture ghosts of apartments past, and I’m about to get to why you’re probably here in the first place (that, or you created your own blog post reading adventure and skipped ahead to about here). Welcome. We worked really hard to dig up “budget apartment” living room furniture that we love right now, regardless of being “budget” and tried to touch on the main pieces you’d need. This roundup doesn’t include any soft goods (pillows, rugs, curtains), since those are pretty easy to find in your own personal style, but rather sofas, coffee tables, armchairs, media consoles, and accent tables, at price points by category we thought were fair but manageable. BUT WAIT. I cannot continue without throwing in the obligatory BE SURE TO GO THRIFTING/FLEA MARKETING/CRAIGSLISTING IF YOU WANT CRAZY GOOD FINDS THAT ARE USUALLY VERY WELL BUILT. Okay, now that that’s done, let me get down from my soap box and walk you through what we found:

Sofas Under $800

from: a target budget living room

Here’s something funny we learned while going through this exercise: inexpensive sofas are not that difficult to find (a handful here are even under $400). Now, we can’t vouch for quality/comfort here, so be sure to dig through reviews as best you can…and double check measurements. A lot of these are on the smaller “apartment-sized” side, though there are a few larger ones. I’m pretty smitten with the shape of #5, the color of #3, the legs of #1, the cool modern side table thing of #6, and the French seam of #19. Oh, and for added fun, #21 is exactly like my first sofa, except mine was a lighter gray.

Coffee Tables Under $300

photo by stephen busken | from: a modern yet warm loft with project62

While “budget” sofas in good styles are easy enough to come by, coffee tables are a totally different story. Man are these hard to source under $300. We did, however, excavate six that are $100 and under (check those sizes, though, some are on the smaller side) and a few others that didn’t feel like your usual coffee table fare. I’m very into the natural look of #2 (two side by side could be cool if you have the space/budget), #3 has some storage, #5 is minimally cool, #7 is a great pop of color (cute hardware, too!), #14 looks far more expensive than it actually is, and #18 is a classic mid-century style in a price that would be hard to beat outside of a garage sale.

Media Consoles Under $300(ish)

photo by zeke ruelas | from: combining furniture styles in the casa soria family room

Alright, so a few of these are just over $300 (but in all fairness, when we picked them, they were $300 and under but prices fluctuate often on sites like Wayfair and Overstock). If you’re after a more modern look, pick something lower like #2 or #15. #3 (which is the same line as Emily’s dining room cabinet), #7, #9 and #14 are more on the traditional side, while #1, #4, #6 and #8 would be cool style additions (I’ve seen that caned Target #6 cabinet in multiple homes and it always makes me want to grab it…except I don’t need a media console right now). For many years, I had the larger size of the IKEA Besta (#11) and I LOVED it. I could customize the interior storage however I wanted (shelves, drawers, etc.), brands like semihandmade sell great retro-fit door options to up the design factor and you can throw on some cute legs from Etsy or Prettypegs and boom, you’ve got yourself a custom cabinet/media console.

Side Tables Under $125

photo by tessa neustadt for ehd | from: a little room refresh with the citizenry

Side tables…because we all need a place to set a drink and some random stack of books/decor piece. This is their official slogan, FYI. So, the good news is, side tables can be VERY cost effective (four of these are under $50 and all but one under $100), which is a good thing because typically, you need two of them for each side of the sofa or next to a sofa/armchair.

I’m very into the double-tier situation at #1 and #13, as well as the little handle thing from #5, though the bean shape of #4 is a fun visual addition to a room usually full of straight-lined furniture. #7 in the matte black feels cool and modern, and the fabric storage “bucket” on #9 would also probably be pretty useful. I can’t believe #11…two tables under $50. These also come in black if white doesn’t work with your aesthetic. I think #15 is actually a nightstand, but a nightstand is just a side table…in a bedroom. Hot tip: Be sure to look for both terms to see ALL your options.

Armchairs Under $250

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: how target’s fall threshold collection nails the “updated classic” trend

I lived many, many years without an armchair (again, no friends, so I just needed my sofa to sit on), until I found an $80 bergère chair at a local thrift store that had a very ugly beige taffeta-like fabric on it I swore up and down I was going to change soon. That was 8 years ago. It’s still untouched, but…one day guys…one day. Anyhow, these are kind of the “icing” on the cake in terms of living room furniture, but they can be so great as, you know, something useful to sit on for guests, or as something that provides visual interest (hello #6, #8 and #13 below!).

And that’s all she wrote (after 1,700 words!). We’d love to continue on and expand the “budget/first adult” apartment series, so please chime in about what you want us to round up or put together. We have some ideas up our sleeves, but always want to hear from you all. Oh, and don’t miss the other posts in this series so far (here and here) or the giant shoppable Pinterest board we’ve put together with tons more budget-focused furniture options. Thank you for letting me relive my apartment memories…and can’t wait to show you my new LA apartment living and dining rooms soon (coming atcha next month). ::waves::

The post The Ultimate Budget Living Room Furniture Roundup appeared first on Emily Henderson.

The Ultimate Budget Living Room Furniture Roundup published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes

homegenic · 5 years

Text

Design Mistakes: 5 Lessons From the Portland Project (i.e. How We Could Have Saved A LOT OF MONEY)

The Portland project, which we recently wrapped all the reveals for, was meant to be an investment property (okay fine, a “flip”) that we would renovate, design, sell and then, well, I didn’t go to business school but I think the idea was to profit. There is good news and bad news. The good news is that my brother and I loved working together and are even still speaking! The other good news is that I learned SO MUCH. So many lessons. All day, every day I would say “okay, well that’s a new lesson” but a lot of them were very expensive lessons to learn. I cost us a lot by making big mistakes and choosing to do some more custom (and therefore expensive) things to the house that no one would EVER do in a flip. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it over and over until I die: this is not your typical flip, it was a show house for me and never meant to be “budget”. It simply couldn’t be for the neighborhood it was in. So do I regret doing any of those extra custom things? NO! But I could have saved my brother some money by 1. Being more careful with my mistakes and 2. Knowing some pretty important things about major renovation costs.

So this post is talking about the things we could have done differently to save money and the general lessons that I learned about renovation that I think you should all know to help save you in your renovations.

1. “Cutting” is your real cost.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd

It almost rarely matters what your materials are, but rather how custom you make them that affects labor and labor is the real cost of a renovation. Every single cut that a subcontractor makes costs you money. Let’s talk about the tile in the patio (above). It’s GORGEOUS and, of course, if I were moving in here I wouldn’t change a thing. But for an investment property, I cost us SO much time by choosing to herringbone it instead of a stack or stagger. Why? That front patio was huge and the border around the entire thing had to be cut perfectly at an angle. Hundreds of tiles had to be cut to make the border flush. (and every time you cut, you risk breaking tile, too, which just means another cut and, of course, waste). This patio took WEEKS to tile. WEEKS. We could have saved so much money in labor had we just stacked it—or hell, built a wood deck. Now, am I suggesting to stack or stagger instead of herringbone always and forever? Not necessarily, I love how it looks very much, just know that it can drastically change the cost of the labor so just make sure it’s worth it to you and be prepared for what it will cost. (I did however just see a herringbone floor tile recently where the right angles mimic the square shape of the patio, essentially eliminating the angled cuts around the border if it’s in the shape of a rectangle, so just know this does exist as an option if you like the look but don’t want to/can’t allocate the budget to it).

Need another example? All the moulding and paneling costs. There is a reason why less expensive new builds or a lot of flips don’t have crown moulding—it’s not the material that is expensive, it’s the—YEP—cost of cutting it. We chose to double stack the baseboard in here to give it an extra 10″ step and be thicker and BOY did it look stunning. But that’s double labor time. Every time they had to cut something they have to measure, go outside, grab the wood, cut it, bring it in, realize it’s slightly off (maybe) go back outside, re-cut, bring it back in, etc. MAYBE they are doing this inside if there is space, but for tile it’s always outside due to mess so just the back and forth is such a time suck.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: the portland entry and foyer reveal

I didn’t just stop there with the paneling and the special baseboard…

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: the portland media room reveal

We did a special treatment to the ceiling of the media room and the walls of the rumpus room because I LOVE wasting money, evidently.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: the portland rumpus room reveal

Would I have done it differently if it were my home? NO. I LOVE IT. But for an investment property/flip it certainly cut into the potential to profit. (Again, the intent of this house for me wasn’t to make a ton of money. It was a portfolio project so I’m very glad it looks the way it does, but I now know where all the profits disappeared to: custom cuts, at my request). Do I think that doing these things helped the overall price of the house and helped create more of an emotional sale? Not as much as I had hoped.

2. Smooth coat walls cost a fortune.

If I could go back in time, I ABSOLUTELY would have saved money on this. If only I knew then what I know now: that there are more options than just smooth coat and texture spray. Okay, let me explain. Get yourself some coffee because this is about to get really boring unless you are about to renovate.

Dry wall is installed in panels over framing that then have to be mudded and taped next to each other, which is messy and has seams, etc. You either need to mask the imperfections (plaster, spray texture) or smooth them out and make them perfect. Making it smooth is EXTREMELY LABORIOUS WHICH MEANS EXPENSIVE. I can’t boldly capitalize that enough. Plastering can be expensive and is also a particular look that we weren’t going for (although it’s so trendy right now). So I fought HARD with NO room for negotiation to smooth coat the main level, the master bedroom and all the bathrooms. I let the media room and the guest bedrooms be sprayed with texture. So was it worth it?

This is the smooth coat of the living room:

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: the portland living room reveal

This is the orange peel in the downstairs bedroom:

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: 14 rules for how we style the perfect bedroom

They look mostly IDENTICAL in photos. In person, there is a difference and yeah, I’m glad the main level isn’t orange peel texture but I wish I had known that we could do what we did in the mountain house (a light hand-applied plaster over rolled paint).

This isn’t something we knew before and our contractor up at the mountain house was like “there’s not really a name for it, it’s just kinda messy paint and plaster together.” They tape, mud and clean up as much as they can then roll the paint and then go back afterward with the slightest big of plaster with a trowel and just kinda mess up the wall to make everything more forgiving. It’s like putting on thicker primer and foundation on your face, instead of getting a facelift. You still see the wrinkles but it actually looks good, and it’s FAR less expensive.

WHY AGAIN IS IT SO EXPENSIVE? Because it has to be professionally done. EVERY SINGLE TIME you have to alter anything, you have to bring in a drywall team to fix it, rather than just a painter or project manager touching it up. If you decide to move an outlet? You have to call them. If you decide to change the location of a sconce? Them again.

I literally just wrote 860 words about “smooth coating your drywall” and I’m sure most of you have fallen asleep at your laptop/with smartphone in hand, but I hope this PSA saved some of you the $20k that we could have saved by not smooth coating this house.

Yes. We think the difference would have been roughly $20k due to changes and patching (plus, Ken reminded me that we did smooth coat under all the paneling in the lower level because we didn’t know at the time we were going to do pretty wood work on the walls at the time, so that doesn’t help). So that’s cool. Sorry Ken/Katie.

3. Order windows first.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: the portland master bedroom reveal

In my next book, we are outlining the order in which to think about and order things (again, writing the book I wish I had during these renovations) but please just know that windows typically have a very long lead time and will hold up your entire project.

Why can’t the other projects keep going without the windows in? Because while you have them planned out and framed, there are likely some tweaks and therefore installing them before you close up the walls is easier, cleaner and just more ideal to make the frames of them clean, right, perfect, etc.

4. Do a walkthrough with your contractor before you close up all walls.

Again, not being there was a real bummer because junction boxes for sconces got placed that were totally wrong and strange, outlets and light switches got installed not knowing that we had already ordered a 5″ door casing (and thus almost all of them had to be moved), plumbing for our wall-mounted faucets was wrong (not centered over the sinks!). But drywall went up anyway. So, over the course of those months, we realized that so many things had to be moved, and it’s much easier to move them pre-drywall than after (also if I haven’t told you the story yet about how expensive it is to repair smooth coat drywall????).

Also hot tip: take photos and video of the inside of your walls before you close them up. You will want to know the guts of the house, what lies behind the walls and, if you can, even take measurements and draw things out on a photo of the inside of the walls so you know where everything is after you forget years later.

5. Let your expert subs give advice…and TAKE IT.

photo by sara ligorria-tramp for ehd | from: the portland living room reveal

For example: The electricians recommended where to put the sconces early on, but the project manager we had on the project at the start had a different plan and insisted on the placement. Well, guess what? We had to end up moving almost all of them (hello smooth coating labor costs). Sometimes, you think you know best in the name of “style” but if this is your first(ish) rodeo, keep your ears open and humble yourself enough to listen.

Here’s a follow-up tip: allow for extra electrical wire in case you have to move anything, this way you don’t have to rewire anything, move the junction boxes, etc.

Honestly, I could probably keep going, but outlining the key takeaways and mistakes that might help you or apply to a renovation you guys might be doing or have on the horizon was the focus here. I could tell you about the mistake windows in the kitchen, or the fireplace in the master bedroom that could have been designed much more simply (hence saved money), but I’ll stop here for now and turn it over to you.

You guys seem to be knowledgeable and experienced in so many different home areas so tell me: what else have you learned the hard (read: expensive) way that you’d want to share with your pre-renovation self to save time, money, frustrations, tears, relationships?

The post Design Mistakes: 5 Lessons From the Portland Project (i.e. How We Could Have Saved A LOT OF MONEY) appeared first on Emily Henderson.

Design Mistakes: 5 Lessons From the Portland Project (i.e. How We Could Have Saved A LOT OF MONEY) published first on https://conklinbrothers.tumblr.com/

0 notes