This entry is not the infamous family drop zone, which makes me just so happy. I really love how the architect, Anne Usher, designed the layout of this house. There are two exterior entrances that lead to the mudroom (up the garage stairs and up the side of the house), allowing the front door entry to be pretty, spacious, and clutter-free. It’s such a dream.

As a reminder, this entrance is up a cascade of wide concrete landings and exterior stairs, and once inside you can move forwad into the living/dining/kitchen area, cut to the right into the game room/library or cut left and see this sweet little sitting area under the railway. But a lot of designing had to happen along the way.

This was the stairway a couple of years ago, before I had even thought about what it should look like. Katie knew she wanted wood (as opposed to metal or glass), but where should it start and stop? And how does it integrate with the railing along the landing above?

At this point, they were so far over budget that doing something super bespoke was not on the table – no intricate carvings or welding this time, which was fine because this house is meant to be simple in its finishes, more eclectic in its styling.

We chose 2×2 squared off white oak lumber, installed vertically with a simple railing along the top. We thought this would create architectural interest, dimensions, and shadow lines, while not breaking the budget nor being too builder-grade.

I remember that we had to stop the vertical wood to float an inch (or less) above the floor, mostly because of timing – it had to go in before the flooring and so stairs could be installed. But the exact measurements (height) were a bit unknown and god forbid if they weren’t exactly flat/uniform that would be a huge pain in the A. So they wanted to give some space as a buffer for a trim piece. I knew that for the most part, your eye wouldn’t clock this and that there would be furniture here, so I was ok with it. I also didn’t want this decision to hold up the rest of the construction, which needed to happen in a specific order. Designers can famously hold things up, especially when we are so myopic and obsessed about the details that honestly later barely matter (I’ve learned this lesson every single project and will likely for the rest of my life, but it’s easier for me to be less perfectionist at my brother’s house, lol).

Wood Sconces | Flushmounts

I’m obsessed with those wood wall washers going up the stairs (from Cedar and Moss), and while I love the Schoolhouse flushmounts on the ceiling, we always meant to switch the bulbs out to be bigger. They are so tiny!

The railing continues up the stairs onto the second-floor landing that opens up to all the bedrooms. I love how it adds a lot, just with one material.

Chandelier (no longer available)

The large chandelier up here is from Schoolhouse Electric. We needed something with a lot of bulbs and a really big scale without being insanely expensive or too ornate. The amber glass is quiet and pretty.

I honestly don’t remember where I ended and Max started on some of these design decisions (or vice versa), but I know that he helped troubleshoot some of the measurements – he’s excellent at making decisions when I got super stuck in indecision mode.

The Finished Staircase

The Alice Sofa | Rug | Pillow | Throw (similar) | Side Table | Lamp | Planter | Wood Sconces | Artwork

I truly love how it turned out. It’s just so striking and simple. Sierra Custom Construction executed it really well, and honestly, it’s just so perfect for the house as a whole. It’s really strong and sturdy (Ken’s biggest concerns) while being visually really powerful.

The paintings up the stairs are by a local artist named Anna VonRosenstiel, which I found at Urbanite (a Portland mall that has both vintage and makers). I can’t believe how perfect they are in size, color, style, movement, scale, price, and the fact that we could get a diptych going up the stairs really nailed the whole look.

The light and shadows give it so much movement and texture, not to mention the “striped” pattern that packed a big design punch.

Stacked Artwork | Wooden Mirror

I hadn’t planned for a sofa to go here, but we had this one from our new collection, the Alice, that found its home. Ken and Katie are, like me, typically scared of a light colored sofa, but this is really just a pass-through space and is visually really important (you can see it from so many rooms), but gets very little functional use, so it was the perfect place to put something really pretty. Originally, I thought I’d put a round entry table with a dope lamp or maybe just a huge tree with a sculptural chair underneath, but once we put this here, we realized it was perfect. Again, they have a mudroom as their drop-zone entrance, but for guests, they can absolutely throw their coats here for gatherings, so it does actually serve a purpose.

Entry Rug | Sconce

The brown amorphous rug was really the best move (it’s not the highest quality, but it’s so affordable and perfect in color, size, and shape, so they kept it here). The plant breaks up the stripes with something organic and asymmetrical. And Katie has kept it alive since January with only mild to mid-level daily fear that she’ll kill it. (Ahem, more to come on the excellent faux house plants/trees that I bought for her after realizing how much stress this real plant created – I found pretty dang great ones, I promise).

This color of the rug is really forgiving (being brown), and a rectangular rug would have cut off the space in a really odd way (and no rug felt sad). Once we put this down, it immediately created the sense of a “room,” even though it’s just a pass-through space. It warmed it up a ton.

The Front Door

Ceiling Lights | Flooring | Wall Color

They chose all glass and white oak front doors and side lights (which they have come to regret, actually, for privacy reasons), but they sure are pretty 🙂 Turns out you don’t want your Amazon delivery friends to have total visibility into your morning (so they might add a film onto it). There wasn’t really room for much of an entry table (we might still add a very narrow one on the right white wall), but we needed something to make it feel special.

Entry Rug

Finding this rug was clutch. We put a big mat outside where you wipe your shoes, but I really felt like this should be a special rug since it’s the first thing you see walking up to the house, and really invites you in. But what size? And do you place it horizontally with the door or more vertically perpendicular to the door? I bought two of these green scallop rugs from West Elm in hopes of creating a longer rug, and it looked great in the shots. But that day I realized that if we had 3 of them, sewn together, it would actually act as a long corridor rug leading people into the living/kitchen area towards the view of the river. Like so:

I’m pretty dang obsessed with it. Katie ended up just getting a really sticky rug pad instead of dealing with sewing them together (which would have cost hundreds and taken a couple of weeks), and she swears it’s fine:) You can get a sneak peek of the living room and dining room up there, and I cannot wait to show you the rest of the house in a couple of weeks.

The first impression is pretty dang perfect. And being that mid-tone green, it’s really forgiving (versus a lighter rug). I can’t believe I sold them that vintage Swedish oil still-life painting. Sure, technically it didn’t have a home in my house currently, but I love it so much (don’t worry, I’m charging them a lot for it, lol). The colors look so beautiful here, and it gets a lot of attention and appreciation, which is important to this hoarder:)

The whole vibe when you walk in is honestly so warm, welcoming, and exciting. The green rug takes you straight into the main living space, and you pass by what I think is my favorite room in the house – the game room. A big thanks to Anne Usher, the architect, Max Humphrey, who helped make a lot of design decisions, and Sierra Custom Construction for building the house. More to come soon:)

*Architect: Anne Usher
**General Contractor: JP Macy of Sierra Custom Construction
***Interior Designers: Emily Henderson (me!) and Max Humphrey
****Styling: Emily Henderson (me!)
*****Photos by Kaitlin Green

When we designed the house and put the kitchen here (because it’s the best southern light) we knew that we were asking for kid clutter. My genius plan to train the kids to go around the house to the mudroom (expertly executed by locking the kitchen door and giving them candy each time they dropped their stuff in the mudroom) lasted approximately 2 days. Not because they didn’t want the candy or because they couldn’t be trained but because they, like many kids, would hold it all day if you know what I mean, and getting inside IMMEDIATELY was the priority. Plus when it’s raining this entrance just makes more sense. Also, if they did drop everything in the mudroom, in the morning when we are scrambling to get them out the door, they would have to go backtrack to get their stuff, walk around the house, and blah blah. We are always scrambling so adding inefficiencies doesn’t make sense. That’s all to say that this is our defacto kids drop zone and it’s not just them – twice a week we have anywhere between 4 and 7 kids over to play. So this area has to work MUCH HARDER than other areas in the house to help my sanity.

How We Styled It For The Reveal

When we styled it for the OG photo shoot a year or so ago, I styled it to be pretty also not knowing how much use it would get. You see since the outside was under construction until last June we couldn’t even ask them to go around the house to the mudroom (and the plants helped mask the construction out the window). But yeah, that big plant quickly died (under my sister’s watch, sorry Katy to publicly out you LOL) and while I loved the other stuff there, we needed the space for backpacks and coats.

The Kid Clutter Problem SOLVED (LOL, It’s Never Solved But BETTER)

Coat Rack | Switch Plate | Wall Shelf

So here’s what we did – First, we hung those hooks into the fridge cabinet (which I was terrified to do, TBH). I bought this vertical hook set last year from Target for the front entry but since no one uses that door, I stored it and then installed it here. The lower ones are great for the kids and since there are multiple we can really load it up (and we do). The shelf is for their Gabb watches which they pop off as soon as they are home, stick them on their chargers, and the last thing they put on before they leave the house. The bench is now for their bags (no pretty tray for mail, that happens in the pantry and our vintage secretary).

Baskets | Rug

These three baskets have SAVED US. Two are for shoes and one is for our day-to-day sports stuff that we are ALWAYS scrambling to find (basketball shoes, cheer shoes, ultimate frisbee gloves, frisbees, basketball, cleats, etc). Does that mean that the kids always put things away in the right spots? NOPE. But they are so much better. And when I go to put things away I can re-org the sports stuff which sets us up for a better week (when we had just one basket it was all too mixed up).

Coat Rack | Hat | Purse | Gabb Watch | Wall Shelf | Duffle Bag (unavailable) | Planter | Baskets | Rug

Now obviously it doesn’t look like that – there are usually 4-6 coats on the rack and big bulky backpacks on the bench, but the kids had those at school and I’m a stylist so there was no way I was going to style with ugly coats and hats. Sorry!

Here is what it looked like before I did this all:

On the left is what it looked like on a random Sunday and on the right was the clean version later that day. I was NOT set up for success, y’all.

I thought that the coats blocking the window might bug me, but it doesn’t AT ALL (we clearly have a lot of light in here). The only thing that still happens is that longer coats can knock the kid’s Gabb watches off their chargers easily. But with a few cord tacos and velcro stickers, the chargers stay in place without falling off or looking messy.

The plant pot is a recent Target purchase (SO CUTE) and the new to me vintage rug actually goes in the hallway but I wanted to show it off because it’s so beautiful (thank you Sheba from Blue Parakeet!). All in all it’s a solid 60% better. I still have to remind the kids to put their shoes in the basket, and not just throw their coats on the bench but it’s just so much less of a thing. And if you are wondering if we are glad that our mudroom is where it is, we sure are – we need it for all of our pasture boots on that porch (full of mud and literal shit) and its where the kids dry off and hang their towels after getting out of the hot tub.

While the first shot is more eligible to be in a magazine and is more fun for your eye to look at, the third is far more functional for our family. CLUTTER PROBLEM (mostly) SOLVED.

*Photos by Kaitlin Green

Anytime we’ve talked about entryways, we always say two things. They are the first thing you see when you walk into your home so you want to create a space that instantly makes you happy, and secondly, we know they are notoriously hard to keep organized/are a dumping ground. Not an ideal combo, right? That’s why we thought entryways were a great space for our second “Fix it Friday” post.

Now remember, the point of these posts is to show you that you don’t need to throw every single piece you already own out to create a space you’ll love. There may even be pieces in other parts of your home you can move around making the whole house feel a little newer! A real budget-friendly hack that I don’t think is promoted enough.

But back to entries. I am now of the firm belief that entryways are like snowflakes and no two are 100% alike. We got so many awesome entries that I wanted to help but since I couldn’t, I picked 4 that felt versatile enough that they would spark ideas for a lot of you. Plus there are a lot of cute things I found in case you are in the market:)

Also as I was looking at all of the entries we’ve done over the years (or our designer friends) there is a ton of inspiration too! Make sure you study them. Take this basement entry of Emily’s best friend’s old home. That “built-in” was partially a ready-made piece that was customized making it a bit more affordable overall! Oh, and the color palette is very intentional and colorful, but also neutral and sophisticated.

These photos were ideas from a Target shoot we did that were just as useful but even more affordable. While this is much easier said than done, once you really know your and/or your family’s needs you can clearly think through what the physical pieces you should get are and perhaps try to create new habits that will help to lessen the visual clutter (that’s the harder part, obviously:))

Now, we still want it to be pretty which is probably the biggest reason you come to a design site. Funcation is great (and necessary) but a little form never hurt anyone. Take Sara’s “entry” above. It’s teeny tiny but she chose pieces that fit within her space and with her style and added pretty things like new leather pulls on the cabinets, a cute lamp, properly scaled art (more on that later), etc.

Ok, let’s finally get into these real-life examples. But if you need a little more visual guidance, here’s a graphic with 5 easy-peasy formulas to help you in your home.

Helpful, right?! Ok, here’s our first reader entry…

Bigger May Be Better

Here’s what she said about it: “Our entry is not a separate space, it leads right into our open concept first floor. I love the vestibule with the moulding and wallpaper and 120+-year-old doors, but once you get inside the second door I don’t feel like the cabinet and decor relate to it very well. I feel like I keep adding more decor to make it feel more “designed” but something has always felt off. I am open to any ideas you have, but the moulding is on plaster and would be really difficult to remove so I think that is the only thing I wouldn’t do.”

Since these post are really just for light decor ideas that’s what I’m going to focus on. Plus this is such a pretty home that it doesn’t need much! But what I find is the most related issue is scale. While that Target cabinet is so so cute, it feels a little too small for me. I think something longer would be an immediate visual upgrade. But let’s get into the designs so I can talk about it more.

Combo on the Left: Mirror | Lamp | Credenza | Planter | Woven Tray | Candle | Match Striker (similar) | Boot Tray | Combo on the Right: Mirror | Lamp | Credenza | Vase | Burl Wood Tray | Candle | Match Striker (similar) | Boot Tray

I created two design options because since I don’t know what the other side of the room looks like I wanted to give an option with the light wood credenza and one that’s darker. Let’s start dark. I feel that a darker wood credenza would look so beautiful next to those vintage doors. It adds a bit more richness which could be what this reader is looking for! I also think that adding a larger mirror to lean on the top with the other piece of art would also help make it feel grander (in a good). Plus mirrors are always helpful when running out the door for a last-minute check. I love the table lamp and other accessories they already have but getting a tray would help to corral some of them to make everything feel more intentionally placed. I also added a few more things since the credenza was a bit longer:) Oh and adding a cute boot tray like that metal one could also make things look a bit more streamlined but not mandatory:)

As I said before, I don’t know what the other side of the room looks like so the lighter wood could look WAY better with the overall space. So I made another combo with the same but larger credenza with some other pretty accessories that would all look great together. Good luck!!

In Need Of A little Function

This sweet little PXD home doesn’t really seem to have a space to drop your keys or store your everyday shoes. The budget for this one was $500 and I am pretty proud that both combos are cute and nailed the budget! Now, the existing runner rug and wood cube are great. I did an option with the existing rug but feel that, while so pretty, the cube isn’t helping in the function department aside from a place to sit or place down a bag. Let me show you what I came up with.

Combo on the Left: Plug-In Sconce (set of 2) | Runner | Tray | Vase | Console Table | Storage Basket (x2) | Combo on the Right: Plug-In Sconce | Runner (similar to existing) | Tray | Candle | Planter | Console Table | Storage Baskets (set of 3)

I took a swing with the combo on the left and went more with a classic PDX style. That console table is simple but great and only $126. The rug is a little more of a splurge but it’s almost the length as the original (this one is 9′ and her’s is 10′) but is available in much bigger sizes! Then for a little color, I think this schoolhouse-y plug-in sconce is awesome and works well with the style of her flush mount. They to elevate the look a little I loved this marble tray and cool little vase. But of course, shoe storage is key and I love these baskets from Target. The weave pattern is pretty and I love the warmth of the leather straps. The total for this look was $494!

For the combo on the right, I let the style of the rug they have take charge! I chose the same console table since the price could not be beat and I really love that classic linen shade sconce because it also goes great with the flush mount. Then to space out some black accents, that tray is stunning in person (Emily has it) and the black leather straps on the shoe storage baskets tie the whole thing together. But to add a little fun, the checkered planter is perfect (and would look awesome with a plant:)), and a pretty candle always belongs in an entry…especially when it’s in a pretty vessel you can reuse after the candle is long gone. This total was $502 which isn’t too bad either!

Simple But Cool

Let’s start with what our lovely reader had to say when she emailed me: “We just moved in a couple of months ago and would love to get the team’s help. Attached are some pictures. I also included a coat rack we have but not sure if we should hang it up. Not sure if it’ll look too cluttered above the shoes. Oh, the measurements are 80in x 40in and the budget is around $300. Thanks so much!”

Isn’t this a great and almost blank canvas!?! Since the budget is small, shoe storage is clearly important, oh, and they have a gorgeous coak rack already, I kept it simple but fun…at least to me:)

Combo on the Left: Coat Rack | Shoe Bench | Rug | Storage Basket | Combo on the Right: Coat Rack | Shoe Rack | Rug

I am partial to the combo on the left but it is fairly over budget buuuut could be reduced a little which I’ll get to. Now as I said above, the coat rack is a no-brainer but if it were my home, I would try to eliminate as much of the visual shoe clutter as possible. That’s why I picked this shoe bench! It’s pretty, goes great with the coat rack, and the cushion is leather so it’s easy to clean. There is a linen version that’s almost $30 cheaper. I also added a shoe basket since the bench doesn’t hold as many pairs as the rack they have. Of course, to lower the budget by another $30 that could also be eliminated. Lastly, a rug with a graphic pattern would really inject a ton of personality! This one is probably my favorite rug in our collection and has been in my kitchen for at least 6 months so I can attest to its durability:) The total for the whole combo is $481 (I know it’s a lot over but it’s not easy finding the right pieces at the right prices! Oh, and remember it could be $420).

So for the second combo, I went with the original open-storage look but wanted to make it feel a little more modern. I think this shoe rack is very cool and also looks great with the coat rack. Then to really go graphic and match the shoe rack, I love this rug. It’s amazing how three little things can change the whole vibe of a space. This one comes to $385…

Ok wait, there’s a third option. To save A LOT of money, they could also spray paint the current shoe rack black and get the shoe show basket for more storage. Then they could pick either rug. This would put them very under budget:)

Oh and for those who love that coat rack but need a more affordable option, here’s a great one!

A Looooong Journey

From our reader: “I’m looking for any suggestions for our awkwardly long entryway. The double doors take up all the width so we can’t put furniture close to the doors or else the right door won’t open all the way. (The right door is the main one with the deadbolt.) We use the entryway to store all of our dog-walking gear. The runner is not my favorite, but I have to have some sort of rug to prevent my dog from slipping (she is arthritic). A sitting area is not needed; we just had the bench from the last house and brought it here. The width of the entryway is 74″ and depth is 24′. The distance from the doorway to the edge of the first room door is 8′.”

This one was bar far the trickiest one so I very much felt for this reader (or anyone with a very long entryway!) And sure there are way to potentially break up the length by adding some architecture but that’s not what we are going into today.

Now this reader didn’t give me a budget so I did my best to find both really affordable pieces and moderately affordable pieces. The truth of the matter is that prices have just gone up (I’m sure everyone reading this knows) so searching on sites like Craigslist or hunting in person is never a bad idea to help save some money and of course, create less waste in the future. But since that’s now really helping to any of you, here we are! Let’s dig in shall we?

Combo on the Left: Large Framed Art | Framed Art Set | Candelabra | Vase | Tray | Table Lamp | Credenza | Accent Chair | Shoe Basket | Combo on the Right: Battery-Operated Sconce | Extra Large Art Print | Vase | Bowl | Candelabra | Credenza | Runner (x2) | Accent Chair | Shoe Basket

So while this was a feat, I am pretty proud of these combos and hope this reader loves them too! The first combo is where I played off more of what I saw in the photos – very light woods and neutrals. That credenza not only has a ton of storage for all things pets and life, it’s also a whopping 120″! That’s pretty huge for one piece of furniture…but still is only half of the total length of the hallway. That’s why I added a chair that could sit on either side of it (a potted plant could work too). I imagine someone putting on or taking off their shoes while sitting in it, making the shoe basket a perfect side companion. But going back to the credenza, it’s long which means it will need some more decor to make it look not totally empty. I love how the black in the lamp talks to the chair and shoe basket. Then a vase is always a great decor piece with or without flowers and I think this tray is so cute! I didn’t realize that they already have a wicker bowl which would also be perfect. And siiiince there’s space, you know I love a good candelabra🙂 The art for this was the hardest and these three pieces are more of a jumping-off point. The reader definitely needs to measure it all out and probably add since the wall is so huge. But they also don’t have to fill up the whole wall. Oh, and since there is soooo much happening on the credenza side, I think the 4 photos they have should be moved to the opposite wall in a grid and maybe stick that little bench under them as long as there’s enough walking space. Now, I left the existing rug in this combo to make it more affordable but the other rug would also look awesome. The only thing is that they will need to get 2 since it doesn’t come in that long of a size.

OK, combo #2! I’m a sucker for that medium-toned wood so this credenza is magic to me. Plus, the brass hardware is so so pretty. Overall this is a still neutral but a warmer option. That print from Juniper Shop can be printed up to 55″x79″ (which is the size I tried to measure out in the graphic)! Can you believe it? What I also love is that you have the option for them to print it on paper or canvas OR you can get a very affordable digital download (but then you have to get it printed and framed which is something to consider if you want to go big). But I love this specific piece because it’s colorful but soft and has so much movement. It’s not going to overwhelm the space. Let this be a lesson in scale. When things are more or less the same size or too small, it almost never looks right or properly designed. So when in doubt say no to itsy bitsy and go bigger. Oh, and aren’t those sconces great? It’s amazing how many cute battery-operated options there are out there now. I just thought these linen shades felt a little softer which I wanted. The accessories each have a fun detail about them whether that’s pattern, material, and/or shape! Actually, pattern is an important element to this, including the easy-to-clean, shed-resistant, water-resistant runner (which again, they’ll need two and potentially a rug pad or some rug tape so their sweet pup doesn’t slip). It will help make the space feel more alive. But to not have too much pattern I love love the shape of that leather chair which I paired with a simple shoe basket.

Now, all this of course is going to add up so I also looked at more affordable credenza options like this wall-mounted IKEA cabinet that they could get a couple of but I worry about the mesh getting dusty or full of dog hair. I also loved this affordable extra-long cabinet (under $650) but the wood tone looked a little too yellow and the wood grain looked too similar. The last idea I had was if they were handy that they could build something like this at their desired length. That way they could fill it with books, bins, or whatever they’d like. Oh, and something I didn’t mention above is that they could also add some hooks by the front door if they wanted their pet leases more accessible 🙂

Well, that’s it for me! I truly hope that these 4 readers find this helpful and for the rest of you, that you are a least a little inspired.

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Design by Sarah Zachary | Styled by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: A Historic Mid-Century Modern Home That Was Completely Brought Back To Life (Hope You’re Ready For Some COOL Original Details)

Back in 2020, I dove deep into inspirational non-fiction/self-help books geared toward creative people. One of my favorites was “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert and I’ve held on to the notion she shared in it that ideas are living things that jump from person to person until they get realized. I’m sure we all get ideas constantly, but I know when I get one that leaves me with no option but to move forward with it. It feels different. Like a pulsing glow inside my chest, a nervous energy that feels as if it’s buzzing out of my skin. It’s the only thing I can think about, determined to figure out how to bring it to fruition. 

I had one of these ideas two weeks before Christmas this past December. A little thought that made its way out of my mouth in a conversation with my husband, Charles, which instantly breathed life into it. “What if I redo my parents’ living and dining rooms for them when we go back to Florida for the holidays?” There it was. Alive. I was simply going to have to figure it out…from California…with essentially a week before everyone who might be willing to work with me on this would disappear for the rest of the year. Cool. Easy, right? 

You see, my parents were in deep need of at the very least a new sofa. Their two beloved cats had done what cats do best: gone to town on their upholstery. Besides that, their sofa and loveseat were about five years old but looked like they were at least twice that in age. I’d always joke that I felt like I was crawling into a crater because each cushion was so severely indented. 

I had also heard my mom mention in passing that my dad wanted and needed a recliner, as he had been suffering from some health issues that required him to elevate his legs regularly. (They were fresh off an 8-day hospital stay for said health issues and both feeling very down, exhausted, and burdened.)

My siblings and I had toyed with the idea of pooling some money to just get them a new couch both because they needed it but also to lift their spirits and make them feel comfortable and excited about being home. But, as you already know, I had a better option: work with all the brands that have been so generous to us here at EHD to see if they might be willing to help us go further with a whole new living room setup, a new dining table (which they also needed), and some other decor to freshen things up on the first floor of the townhome they live in. 

I ran the idea that same weekend by Jess, and by Monday, I got to work emailing everyone I knew was wonderful to work with but most importantly had great furniture that could get to Florida immediately. Our friends at Article came through for me BIG (HUGE!) TIME, and I rushed to get a mood board together to send them final picks within a day or two. The only problem was that I didn’t know any of the dimensions of my parents’ spaces, and I would have to be very creative to make sure everything fit properly without them finding out as the plan was to keep this whole thing secret until Christmas morning. I ended up asking my dad for a video walk-through with the excuse that I was getting “some pictures printed and framed for Mom as a gift,” and I needed to see all the walls to find the right spot and size. Another lie: I needed to know the dimensions of their tile so that I could guestimate how big the frame should be. Maybe he suspected that the request was a strange one, but he played along—18”x18”. From there, I could roughly measure out the spaces and their existing furniture, and make some educated guesses as to what might work. 

There were a lot of nerves involved on my part, asking my brother and sister if they thought my parents would be offended I was going to come in and revamp everything without their approval. They both assured me my mom would love anything I did and my dad would be so grateful no matter what (both true statements). Almost nothing in their home was anything either of them cared for. Mostly hand-me-downs from me when I lived back east, thrift store finds that were never quite right, every imaginable sign that read FAMILY! FRIENDS! YOU’RE IN A HOME IN CASE YOU MIGHT BE CONFUSED, or homemade wall art my mom crafted with her Cricut. While there wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with any of that, the space didn’t get very good light and everything felt a bit dark, cluttered, and heavy with the hodgepodge of things; not descriptors you’d want for two people who could use a fresh start. 

The furniture order arrival was going to cut it VERY close, and I had a lot of limitations due to this short delivery window, but we were able to nail down a design, all the appropriate pieces—World Market, Juniper Print Shop and RugsUSA were also on board to help fill out the rooms—and we just had to wait until the big day to tell my parents. The plan was to print out all my designs (see below), put them in a box to wrap, and present them with it on Christmas morning. Then, we’d wait a week until delivery (January 3rd), I’d install and style it all, shoot it and leave on the first flight out January 6.

I was SO excited, nervous, and highly anticipating their reactions. Spoiler alert: They were in such awe and disbelief, and, of course, my mom’s nearly instant ugly cry when she realized what was going to happen was amazing (I’m posting a Reel on Instagram of the whole thing today so check out my profile for it). Seeing their pure joy and appreciation was the absolute joy of not just our entire family’s Christmas, but personally of my whole year. Being able to do this for my amazing parents who truly needed it was an unbelievable gift I was lucky enough to be able to do. 

After a week of scrambling, running around to World Market (THANK YOU AGAIN!!), Target, IKEA, Home Depot, and beyond to get the finishing touches, picking a ton of photos to print and frame—my parents’ favorite art will always be family photos—and a marathon two-day install plus photoshoot with Charles, it was finished. Meer hours before we boarded a plane and headed back to California. But the final result is one that my mom and dad are over the moon about. I want to talk you through it all, so let’s start in the main space: the living room. 

Creating A Cozy Lounge Area

Sectional | Coffee Table | Rug (back in stock soon!) | Recliner Armchair | Throw | Tassel Pillow | Green Lumbar | Blockprint Pillow | White Lumbar | Rust Lumbar

My parents have never owned a sectional. They were always traditional sofa and loveseat people, but my siblings and I knew they’d end up loving something that was one solid piece so more of us could sit together when we came over. Emily has been singing the praises of the Burrard Sectional from Article for years, and it was just the right size for them. I opted for the forest green color because, if you couldn’t tell from the before photos above, my parents are not afraid of color. Green is my mom’s favorite, in fact, so I knew this would be something she might have picked for herself. It’s 112″ which ended up being an ideal size for this area and by my count, my mom could be joined on it by all her grandkids with room to spare.

Yellow Accent Chair | Floor Lamp | Brass Wavy Bowl | Wood Tray | Green Box (for remotes!) | Green Glass Vase

Remember that need for a recliner? Well, THANK GOODNESS Article sells an option that actually looks good. A rarity, people. A rarity. The leather version I wanted wouldn’t make it in time but the fabric Ellow Recliner worked out great. My dad was so, so excited about it and it was just what he needed. This sits where the loveseat used to be, so I added in the Matrix Yarrow Gold Chair to fill out the area and also give more options for seating when more people came over. We all instantly fell in love with the chair. It’s cushy, gorgeous, and just the right size for a small corner. 

Black Side Table | Blue Bud Vase | Large Canvas Art | Canvas Art Frame | Beige Knit Throw

When the furniture arrived and was set up by the Article team, Charles asked me why I chose a left-facing chaise for the sofa. It was a fair question, as I went back and forth about it. The right-facing chaise would have probably made more sense in a space that was more closed off, as you never want to walk into a chaise when entering a “room” but my parents have one giant great room downstairs that needed some help to feel cozier. The left-facing chaise closes off the living area to the dining area, essentially creating a room without any walls. Plus, I know if the chaise were on the other side, the recliner and accent chair would have to float in the middle of the room with their backs facing out and I didn’t love that. This was the right solution given the circumstances. 

I love all these side tables from Article. The wood, glass and leather sling one is SO GOOD, and I want it for myself except that my living room is tight and it wouldn’t fit. The black one between the chairs adds some visual softness. 

Dotted Blanket | Geo Pillow | Wood and Glass Side Table

Article’s Agotu Walnut Coffee Table was one of the only ones that could make it on time and it serendipitously worked out because it’s a great size and shape paired up with the sectional and also happens to be SO pretty IRL. It’s massively heavy due to the marble and super sturdy. I noted to my mom that we didn’t have a ton of options in terms of coffee tables but she kept saying, “It’s okay, I would have picked this one!” though I’m guessing she would have said that even if a cardboard box showed up. Moms, am I right? 🙂

Media Center | Woven Basket | Frames (IKEA, Assorted)

Let’s talk about this TV gallery wall situation. So many of my parents’ storage pieces were open, so you could see everything from every angle and it made me itch. I knew they’d love the Oscuro Walnut 73″ Cabinet both because it’s lovely but also the ribbed glass still felt light and open while masking what was inside a bit. Above it, the walls were ITCHING for a statement. The ceilings are pretty high, and again, there is no room delineation here, so I cooked up this gallery wall for a one-two punch of creating a big statement to balance the large sectional, line up the living room, and also satisfy my parents’ preference for photos photos photos. I weaved in some beautiful art prints from Juniper Print Shop, an old Jane Denton x Emily piece I had, and a watercolor of Old San Juan my parents have owned since my youth. 

That’s another thing. I really wanted to honor some of the things that were already here that did mean something to all of us. Some art, lots of blown glass pieces (like the one by the TV), souvenirs from their travels, and porcelain figurines my mom has collected over time. None of it is necessarily what I would have picked for the sake of styling the room, but this is my parents’ house, not a model home and it was so important to keep “them” in every little space and vignette. I drew the line at all the random birds and word art though. Sorry Mom, but you’ll have to fish your 17 frames with the words “family” and “grandchildren” on them out of the garage, okay? 

WAIT! Before moving on…there isn’t a good photo of it but it’s worth a mention. My parents’ townhome is a rental, and their landlord is very strict against making changes. No painting, no changing out lights, no taking down vertical blinds, no making holes larger than nail holes for art. But the giant sliding glass door in the back was screaming for curtains. After tons of research, I found these brackets-slash-curtain rod holders that attach to the top rail of vertical blinds. They fit the extra-long rod I ordered from Amazon which does a pretty nice job of covering the front part of the rail so it just looks like traditional drapery hardware. GENIUS!!! Especially because they’re like $20. I had curtains I never got around to using that were the right height so I brought them with me in my suitcase and now they hide the ugly verticle blinds.

Make New Friends, But Keep the Old (Furniture)

Credenza (existing) | White Table Lamp | White Lamp Shade | Plant Basket | Brass and Marble Tray | Horizontal Madrid Art Print | Vertical Moonrise Print

Moving on…I decided not to replace my mom’s existing cherry credenza (or a display cabinet in the dining area) because I knew she loved them and the richness was nice to add some depth to the new things I brought in. Her beloved Aura frame, which shuffles through digital copies of photos, stayed where it was before but I swapped out the lamp for something better scaled to the piece, added some pattern and color with Juniper Print Shop prints, and fished out some glassware from the China cabinet. A plant was also very much needed. 

Cabinet Paint Color | Brass Knobs | Inlay Frame | Rug | Wavy Water Print (Top Left)

Okay, let’s talk about this giant bookcase unit. I don’t know if the story I have of it in my head is accurate, but I doubt it’s too far off. Basically, my mom saw it at a charity shop she used to volunteer at and it sat around forever so she eventually got to take it home for either pennies on the dollar or for free. That, or she got it from her friend who got it from a thrift store. I don’t know. What I do know is that it was painted the absolute worst shade of beige with this bizarre brown brush stroke treatment that took it from blah to very bad. 

The area was far too large to get rid of this, plus they benefitted from the storage, so I came up with the idea to paint it a bold mustard yellow (Lamplit by Behr specifically) to make it a feature rather than something we all wanted to hide. I did the whole thing one night after the baby went to sleep and filled in streaky parts the next morning. Some restyling of the shelves was in order, and as easy as it would have been to go to a place like Target, and buy a bunch of random “pretty” things to fill it with, that would have been, uh…meaningless. The top shelf houses some books as well as two vintage cameras that were my grandfathers’ (each belonging to a different one). The metal trio are brass pharmacy mortar and pestles my dad—who worked in pharmaceuticals a great part of his career—has had forever, the gold Elton John-like glasses are a tchotchke my mom insisted we keep and display (“Sure mom, whatever you want”), the snowglobes were all given to my mom over the years by us kids, and the rest can tell a similar story. Porcelain angels from decades ago, collectible plates from cruise locations visited, diecast vintage cars from my dad’s Corvette enthusiast phase…etc. etc. etc.  It’s uniquely my mom and dad, and even if it’s still a little cluttered by Instagram standards, I love it because it represents so many parts of their life and our family. 

Side Chair | Side Table | Sconce | World’s Cutest Toddler (mine, not for sale)

These units used to be nearly flush with the right wall, leaving too large of an open area to the left of them before the living room area started, so we shifted them over just enough to fit in a little seating area. I grabbed art from the entryway and even the downstairs powder bath to fill it out, and added in this pretty swing-arm sconce from Article in case someone wanted to sit in the chair (from World Market) and read. 

Funny story about the rug you see in the foreground. Rugs USA was kind enough to supply me with four rugs for the spaces I needed to revamp. I shopped entirely from Emily’s line for them (more on that in a bit), and I made a mistake with the dining area. I ordered a 5×8 Blue Jay which is far too small for a 6-8 seater table. I know this. I know this without even seeing the size of the table. But everything was so rushed that this one got by me. RugsUSA tried to rush me a new larger 8×10 but it sadly didn’t make it in time for the shoot. I used the small 5×8 rug creatively just for the photos to get it in in some capacity. 

A Dining Room Fit For Family

Dining Table | Dining Chairs | Tall Vase | Short Vase | Butterfly Print | Sisters Print

Speaking of the dining room. I could regale you with yet another thrift store find story, but I’ll skip the details just to say that my parents have wanted a 6-seater table for years. However, at the time they moved in here after selling my larger childhood home, they settled on a metal and glass 4-top they got for free (I think) with chairs my mom reupholstered with a friend. It was too small for the space visually but also for their life and needs. I was so happy Article had a large table—the Conan Oval Dining Table—that was available to ship on time so I could give them what they wanted. You’ll notice the table is light wood and the chairs are dark wood, and that’s again due to the limitations of the turnaround time but it actually looks pretty okay in person and brings together all the varied wood tones throughout this floor. The blue chairs tie back to the navy part of the living room rug (the Rowena from Emily’s line which I’ve loved since the first moment I saw it—it’s out of stock right now but there are more on the way!). 

Counter Stools | Rug

The stools they had were in bad shape and also just felt too visually commanding, so I opted for the beautiful short-backed leather Sede Toscana Tan Walnut Counter Stool from Article. Honestly, no one really sits here anyway, but the wall felt too blank without them (and these turned out to be so comfortable that maybe they’ll get more use). 

Breathing Life Into A Dark Entry

Console Table | Framed Canvas | Black Table Lamp Base | White Lamp Shade | Rug | Mail Holder | Rattan Round Box | Pedestal Bowl

Moving on to the entryway. It is quite dark but at least it’s a good size. The furniture that lived in there originally was not, though. Kind of dinky, tbh (sorry Mom), and adorned with all the metal scrollwork Kirkland Signature had to offer my parents in years’ past. I knew I wanted a slightly larger console table with a place for them to store their shoes and was so happy when I found this Lincoln Wood and Jute Console Table at World Market. It’s really, really beautiful in person; everyone was fawning over it including my dad who normally pays no mind to these kinds of things. The bottom shelf now serves as a landing spot for shoes, while the top shelf houses a mail holder and some options for where to plop keys and garage door openers (they were on the kitchen breakfast bar previously). One of my sole missions in my redesign of their home was to bring in some bright, happy moments since it all felt heavy before, and this great framed canvas by Amira Rahim from World Market livens up this foyer. I love it and so do my parents. 

Vintage-Style Brass Mirror | Decorative Urn

In the little wall nook (a builder’s special here in Orlando), I went with a pretty vintage-inspired brass mirror also from World Market to help spread whatever light it can around the space. Another cute rug from Em’s line, this time the Blue Oregon Plaid Wool Rug in a 4×6 works far better than a small red bamboo doormat they had. (HOT TIP: If you don’t like your floor but can’t change it, just get rugs to cover most of it. When in doubt, hide.) 

And finally, the hallway leading from the entry into the rest of the home also houses an office nook (to the left in the above photo) where my dad works occasionally. I didn’t get around to shooting it because I didn’t really do much in there but I did add some pretty curtain panels on a tension rod (tucked behind a wall arch) so they could hide it away…and all of my dad’s papers. I moved the original foyer table into the hallway because it fit perfectly, grabbed some random things my dad had in his office nook to style it, and also placed my dad’s laptop, tablet, and mousepad/mouse on the second shelf because he normally just leaves it on the dining table (he has both a work computer and personal laptop for those wondering why he wouldn’t just put it in the office…no space). 

Wondering About Emily’s RugsUSA Line?

Oh, and because I mentioned talking more about the rugs, I just wanted to say quickly how much better these are in person than they look online. Not that they don’t present beautifully, but I was pleasantly surprised by both their quality and designs when they arrived. They do not read “affordable” by any means. These are great quality rugs that would sell for probably twice what they retail for here anywhere else. So if you’ve been on the fence about any of them, hopefully, this helps to convince you to give them a try because I think you’re going to be very happy with them. We were. (No one paid me to say this, just thought it would be helpful to share.)

Two Very Happy Parents

Parents (mine)

And that’s it! I think I got it all. These two smiling people are genuinely so happy with their new home, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. My dad ended up in the hospital again recently for just a few days and when he got out, my mom said they were both so happy to arrive home to spaces they loved so much. His medical episodes should hopefully stay in the past now as he’s on the mend and we’re all so relieved. There’s no more helpless feeling than when your parents (or any loved ones) are having health issues, you’re on the other side of the country and your only life line is a phone to check in daily.

This has been one of my greatest pleasures, and while I would have loved a little more time to make even more improvements/swaps, all that matters is how happy my parents are with it all. The two of them have given their kids their everything all of our lives. Constant outpourings of love and support, and I am who I am because of it. Mom and Dad, if you’re reading (I know you are), just know how much we all love you and appreciate you both. Your kids, your grandkids, your cats (don’t let them destroy that sofa PLEASE). Enjoy your new home, and hey…maybe next Christmas I can surprise you with an upstairs makeover! We’ll see… 🙂 

Your friend in make-it-work-no-matter-what design, 

Arlyn

*Thank you again to our friends at Article, World Market, RugsUSA, and Juniper Print Shop who were instrumental in helping me to pull this off at all, let alone SO quickly.

**Design and styling by Arlyn Hernandez

***Photos by Charles Dundas-Shaw

I didn’t really have any intention of doing much inside our home for Halloween until Brian was watching football all Saturday a couple of weeks ago and I didn’t have much to do so I put on a podcast, started shopping from my prop garage, and went to Halloween TOWN. I had enough leftover from outside decorations to fully deck it out and within a few hours had four fun areas with ample spook.

Black Cloth | Orange String Lights | Black Taper Candles | Candle Holder Trio | Crow | Mirror | Dolls (vintage) | Candelabra (vintage)

The black creepy cloth was leftover from the covered walkway (I originally wanted to mix black and white cloths but it didn’t look good.)This one is from Target and $10 and wow, quite the impact. The mirror was leftover from the Crate & Barrel kitchen shoot and it’s so pretty (and has that slightly Victorian vibe which fits this vibe). I found the creepy dolls during my mimosa-infused birthday vintage shopping trip with Kaitlin (shout out to Monticello Antique Marketplace and adjoining cafe). The candles are a mix of vintage ones I had and this trio from Target.

Googly Eyes

When it comes to portraits of dead people it’s the almost unanimous feeling by all family members that these are “creepy” and “weird”. And they are very vocal about it. FINE. So one month a year they will make their debut inside. This year Birdie and her friends helped don them with googly eyes (they put different sizes on each eye which I think is a GREAT styling touch). I also want to point out that we are not going to light the candles on the mantel and I plan on replacing them with battery-operated ones (much to Orlando’s total disgust:)). Brian came in and schooled me for open flames near the cloth and the, you know, feathers… Don’t do this at home, obviously, and was just for the shoot.

Floor Candelabra (vintage) | Target Pillar Candles | Bats | Spiderwebs | Portrait (antique)

The stairway wasn’t a normal place to decorate for Halloween, but I had that large antique portrait so I popped it there, found this floor candelabra (shout out to Jess for her well-timed post last week), and bought these $8 twisted candles from Target (I like how they catch the light in a pretty way). I had bought two boxes of bat trios but only used one on the front porch so hung these here and threw some spiderwebs on the whole thing.

Pre-Lit Twiggy Trees | Portrait (antique) | Baby Doll (vintage) | Skeleton Hand | Spider | Radio (similar)

Another creepy cloth + dead doll + orange lights moment. This time without the googly eyes because it’s an actual painting (and was splurgy from an antique mall, she is from the 1700s!!!). Still perfect for Halloween, but she stays there year-round. The “vintage” radio is from Target, again like eight years ago and it plays spooky static with voices that the kids love.

Light Up Ghostly Dress | Broomstick | Pre-Lit Twiggy Trees

Inside we hung this hanging headless lady that I thought I was going to put in entry but it didn’t have any power there (white dress against white house and already had black bats and spiderweb). She is PERFECT here. We’ve had that black plastic cat from Target for seven years and it still terrifies me (if you walk by it will move its head and screech at you with red eyes). It also terrorizes the pups.

Spooky Cloth

Likely my favorite of them all is the entry. We took down the art (thank goodness for that gallery rail) so Mom and Dad could go here. There is definitely a dead bride vibe with the white spooky cloth. I got them both together from an antique store in Sellwood. I loved their blue color palette (shocker).

There you go – Halloween inside and out (check out the front porch and covered walkway if you missed it). Birdie helped with most of it because she is my little styling buddy (truly some of the most joyful seconds of my life are doing this with her). Thanks to you all for giving us an excuse to go for it 🙂

*Styled by Emily Henderson (me!) and Birdie Henderson
**Photos by Kaitlin Green

Come on in, folks. Our entry is finished (for now) and ready for you to get a full tour. I love it. If you are just catching up, head to this post from last Thursday where I walk you through the full renovation process of this little happy room. For those of you caught up let’s head straight into the reveal.

“Setting the tone” for a house can be a lot of pressure, especially for someone like me whose mood changes frequently. Regardless, I want it to feel calm but full of personality and have it represent our style. So I kept the wallpaper super quiet, and then the art, bench, plant stand, and rug really pretty with color and bigger personality.

Window

I love every element in here so much. That beautiful window from Sierra Pacific is the focal point of this view (from inside the living room), but when you are walking in from the front door, the art and bench make a more eclectic fun statement.

The Brass Gallery Rail Art

While I love a mirror in the entryway, we actually don’t have a TON of wall space in this house (what with my addiction to windows). This room was fairly self-contained – you could see it from the living room but you couldn’t really see this wall from the living room – thus giving us an opportunity to do something really fun and specific here. So I brought out one of my favorite pieces – a vintage painting that my friend Scott gave me as the anchor and then I started building the gallery from there. But then I got nervous…

Hanging The Gallery Rail…

Putting nails OR command strips on wallpaper can be super destructive with less to no ability to repair like you can on drywall. So I decided to do this gallery art rail which would allow me to switch it up, anytime, including just having maybe two large pieces or even one larger one. I ordered the 72″ rail from Pepe and Caroles which came with middle brackets and two endcaps, plus the length of the gallery chain and S hooks. Our handyman, Dave, came over and hung it because I don’t trust myself with “measuring” or “making things level” (he’s also my neighbor so it makes it really easy:)).

We laid it out for him and obviously decided on the distance from the walls and ceiling.

Time To Play…

Per usual, my first go-around is always BIG. LOTS of stuff. I really really tried to not steal all the best art for this room because many of them looked great where I had already put them. Admittedly I have collected a lot of great art over the years – both vintage and contemporary and I personally think it’s the fastest way to make your home feel personal to you.

I knew that I loved a few of the pieces together (the big abstract and the collage with the tan background). So then it was a matter of adding to it to get the right combination. I first put up the “Molly Vidor Destroyer” piece that’s in the left photo but Brian had the oddest but honest reaction – he said it felt too “dorm room”. I think the vintage graphic print (the one with the arrow) and gallery poster felt too “young” (which I felt looked cool and was a great contrast with the busier abstract and the old-timey art). But his reaction was immediate and strong and I certainly had more to play with so I eliminated those two and added more (as you can see in the photo on the right). That felt a bit much for me despite loving every piece. I think that the space is just too small to have quite so many pieces (although secretly I miss my dog in this mix).

Here’s Where We Landed…

Ok, I KNOW that this might now look too pared back, but I think it’s a great balance of fun but not too busy. The artist left to right are: Kiril Bergart, underneath MaryAnn Puls (a new purchase of mine by a local artist I love). Then the middle painting is vintage from the 60s, a gift from my friend Scott. On the right, is a new hand-dyed paper collage by Marilyn Joyce (another recent purchase by a local artist).

Pendant (vintage) | Wallpaper | Art Rail | Plant Stand (vintage) | Bench | Pillow | Rug (vintage) | Trim and Ceiling Color | Outlet Cover

I think all together it looks really pretty, but admittedly maybe the art is not not as balanced as it can be. Luckily we have the gallery rail to add more or switch any out. Now as you can see the one on the lower left is askew which was NOT my intent. Whoops. That is the only drawback of the chains – they can be wonky and taking them on and off is easy, but making the super straight with the S hooks on the exact same ring of the chain can be challenging. We still plan on using museum wax to make sure they all stay in place. Next time I’m going to loop the chain like a triangle so that it hooks on both brackets on the back but only has one center S hook (does that make sense?). Anyway, I can keep playing with it forever and likely will 🙂

The plant stand is an antique stair newell that I bought at an antique store. It has a threaded bolt thing on top that I threaded through the bottom hole of the plant so it stays on top (but is wonky from different angles and I don’t know how to fix it). I love the busyness of the newell with the simplicity of the bench – the mix of woods that is just so pretty.

I splurged on that pillow from Lost & Found LA because the colors are so beautiful and it’s so lush. We styled it simply here which I really love. Please note how the Rejuvenation milk glass vintage light fixture allows the window to really pop (and the door to fully open which was a consideration obviously).

Seeing it side by side with the before photo is pretty mindblowing. I’m just so so grateful.

So there you go. Our entryway. I hope you like it (we do). All resources are linked below 🙂 xx

Resources:
Floors: Oregon White Oak by Zena Flooring
Wall and Interior Door Color: Extra White by Sherwin-Williams
Wallpaper: Scalamandre Raphael Sandberg Wallpaper in White
Windows: White Oak Sierra Pacific Windows
Wood Bench: Thos. Moser
Pillow: Lost & Found
Plant Stand: Vintage
Rug: Vintage
Light: Rejuvenation
Outlet Cover: Rejuvenation
Art Rail: Pepe & Carols

Outfit: Blouse (similar) | Shorts | Sandals

*Design by Emily Henderson and ARCIFORM
*Photos by Kaitlin Green

This coming Monday we are revealing the entryway to you (first round reveal, at least), a sweet little room that sets the tone for the house. Before we show you the reveal we wanted to give you a recap of where we started, why we did what we did, and where we landed on things before the final layer. We don’t come in and out of this door as much, but it was a great opportunity to be a welcoming little vestibule. However, it wasn’t always so bright and airy, no siree. Here’s where we started:

It was a great space, pretty big for an entry (8’x7′ or so), and had a really pretty door and window. We wanted to bring more natural light into the living room so we ended up repurposing that window into the upstairs guest bathroom so we could install a much bigger one.

As you can see the living room was dark, and this entryway leads right into it. The paint color would need to change. The trim ended up being replaced because we renovated the whole house and the style of the trim changed. And the flooring, which was not original (a ’90s update), was not what we wanted and not in great shape.

We worked with Sierra Pacific to design this window that married the original diamond pattern design that remains upstairs and throughout some other areas (pantry) with the more traditional and simple grid pattern of the double hungs in the living room and kitchen. It’s unbelievably gorgeous and brought so much light into the living room like we had hoped it would.

Originally, we were going to put a wall of closets in here but that was before I realized that we likely weren’t going to go in and out of here too much so we need as much storage. We still need to add a coat rack for guests, but we just don’t need it on a daily basis.

We go in and out of the kitchen door and the mudroom door far more, so this room just needed to function as a welcome for guests. I think my FedEx dude sees this door more than anyone else 🙂

As you might remember, we stared for hours and hours and HOURS at wallpaper samples for this room, over the course of six months. I really wanted to stick to this calming Scandinavian farmhouse vibe, despite loving color and pattern so much. I love so many of these, a lot, but living long-term with one is a different story.

I ultimately decided to go more neutral (which I know that many of you were confused/disappointed by) but I continue to be so happy about it in person. I suppose I’ve reached the point in my career and with this blog where I’m choosing what I want to live with over what I know will look good on camera – because admittedly this paper pattern barely reads in photos.

Wallpaper

It’s just really pretty and calm in person and has allowed me to layer on a lot of art (in a fun way which you’ll see in the reveal!). Will I someday wish I had gone bolder with the wallpaper? Maybe! But here we are now and I’m super into it. Oh, and I’m not convinced that the door will stay white but it is for now, FYI.

The Bench

The only furniture that this space needed was either a console table or a bench. I was open to both but mostly wanted the piece to be super special. I had this outdoor Rejuvenation bench for a long time which looked pretty darn good, but when Thos. Moser said they would partner on this wood spindle bench I screamed, “YES”. It’s the world’s most beautiful bench, with two tones of wood, the most beautiful joinery, and a better scale for the entry (a foot longer than the black one).

Black Bench | Two-Toned Wood Bench

I’ve had that vintage rug forever and want to blow it up to a 12’x15′ and put it in the living room – it’s perfection. And the light fixture is an antique that I got from Rejuvenation’s Vintage Department. It’s a simple milk glass disc with a triple bulb brass fitter on an unlacquered brass stem. It’s made for this space because of how it interacts (or doesn’t interact) with the window. I wanted it pared back and simple, letting the pattern of the window shine.

How To Hang A Gallery Wall Of Art On Wallpaper??

The reason I went quiet on the wallpaper was because this is one of the few walls in the house that I felt could handle a gallery wall (and no there are no rules on an entry just having a mirror). I have a lot of fun art that was feeling odd in other places or was competing too much with the art that I already had there. It’s my opinion, however, that busy art on busy/bold paper would be too much for me in this home. So I chose to keep the backdrop quiet and let the art be more eclectic and colorful.

But I know myself enough to know that I love to switch up art, especially a gallery wall A LOT. Another one of my talents is putting holes in the wall. So this wallpaper created quite a challenge for me – you can’t just willy-nilly throw holes inside wallpaper, y’all.

Art Rail

So I found this art rail from Pepe & Carols and decided that I’d hang that, which would allow me to switch up the art on the chains. This allowed for ultimate flexibility and I thought would be such a pretty architectural detail. I chose the 72″ length which came with 17 feet of chain and then ordered 5 of the large S hooks and 14 of the small S hooks.

So here’s a sneak peek into the art that we hung – via a really bad iPhone shot by me.

Since this room is so small I can’t give you a better sneak peek without giving the whole space away, so you’ll have to come back Monday to see how it all turned out and how I feel about it. 🙂

Resources:
Floors: Oregon White Oak by Zena Flooring
Wall and Interior Door Color: Extra White by Sherwin-Williams
Wallpaper: Scalamandre Raphael Sandberg Wallpaper in White
Windows: White Oak Sierra Pacific Windows
Black Bench: Rejuvenation
Wood Bench: Thos. Moser
Light: Rejuvenation
Art Rail: Pepe & Carols

Opening Image Credit: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: The Case For The Quiet Neutral Wallpapers

This is a case of “how we tried to keep the budget low by saving money on the floors upstairs” which now just seems hilarious and cute. That’s right. Years ago when we bought this house we knew that we needed to do a lot of work on the first floor (reconfigure the living room, add the totally necessary sunroom, and redo the poorly constructed 60s addition). But the second floor was fine! Just needed some paint and new carpet. It’s just for the kids anyway, not our room…But once we realized that we needed all new plumbing and actual electrical, it was full of asbestos and lots of lead paint, we ended up tearing open the walls. But we were still in this “let’s save up here, the kids don’t need fancy” attempt. We wanted to splurge downstairs on some things, including the flooring, but upstairs? No, it was fine! We’d put in new carpet (there wasn’t original wood underneath), and paint the stairs and the landing. Done.

Underneath the carpet here on the stairs was wood flooring (just not in the bedrooms and I don’t remember why or what was in there). While I love a runner ideally this would’ve been a natural wood.

The stairs, underneath the carpet, were in great shape. The subfloor was good and they didn’t creak very much. The landing was fine, just needed some patching and a bit of restoration but I actually like the look of wobbly wood painted white in old houses. Great. So the decision was made and everyone agreed – just keep the wood stairs, the stringer, and the flooring on the landing and paint it.

This is after months of construction but as you can see it was in worse and worse condition.

Here’s a bit of the painted process:

The Painted Stairs

We chose the color Smoky Blue by Sherwin-Williams and we love it. Now in the grand scheme of things do I wish that we had wood stairs and wood floors instead of carpeted rooms? A tiny bit, but not very much. The cost difference was certainly not huge in comparison to the cost of the renovation so it just seems silly now that we tried to save money here. I truly do love the color and I love the wall-to-wall carpet – it’s very cozy, comfortable, and calming. Did painting the stairs instead of installing new stairs save us some money? Sure, but honestly probably just a couple thousand dollars in materials and a couple thousand in labor. Which isn’t nothing! If I could go back in time would I still make that choice? I honestly haven’t thought about it til this very second, which means I don’t really regret it. But sure, if I could snap my fingers I’d put that gorgeous Zena flooring everywhere and layer rugs.

I asked my painter what they used and how they did it and here’s what she said:

1. What kind of primer did we use on the stairs? We used Zinsser Cover Stain oil-based primer (Stain Blocker).
2. How many coats of primer were applied? 1 coat of primer.
3. How many coats of the TREAD-PLEX Waterborne floor coating will be applied? 1 light coat first, then 2 hours later we do a full coat of paint.
4. How will it be applied? Hand or Spray? Sprayed.
5. Do you do the tread and riser at the same time? If not, what order will they be painted in? Will the stringer be painted 1st? The stringer gets painted first, then once it is dry, we cover it up with masking paper. Once the stringer is completely covered, we start painting the stairs. 
6. How long does it need to cure between coats? 2 hours.

The Real Question: How Has It Kept Up Since Moving In?

It’s only been since late August, so 3 months tops. We always knew that we were going to add a runner but it’s taken longer than I planned, so there are some tiny chips on the edges of the treads and hard-to-see cracks already due to a lot of wear and tear. I’m very excited to get the stair runner installed (we chose this one). Stay tuned!

*”Good Photos” By Kaitlin Green

My Saturday morning online shopping tradition has been stunted by my internal common sense screaming, “you only have two weeks until you move in…live there before you buy one more thing.” But that doesn’t mean I don’t pin, narrow down, think, mentally decorate, etc. Besides, you can put a good bench or console in so many places so if I found a great one on FB marketplace I think it would still be a sound purchase (not sure if that is the vintage shopping addict talking or my common sense – Who knows?)

The Entry: When We Bought The House

I don’t think I’ve had a self-contained entry before and I like how clear its purpose is. This room will greet you (which is why I want it to be really beautiful, not just a bunch of shoe bins) and needs to be a good coat zone for guests but otherwise, very little time is spent in here before you immediately go right into the living room. So it needs to make an impact, set the tone, and function with some storage.

It’s a nice little space that will likely serve as a drop zone. My fear is that the kids are going to use the back kitchen door as their drop zone unless I use my hard-core parenting manipulation/bribery skills to change their patterns. And if you live in CA you might think, what’s the big deal with going through the kitchen door? But what you’ll quickly learn is that kids here are trained to take off shoes and coats almost immediately upon entering and if there isn’t a system, they will literally just DROP everything. And that is not acceptable in that dreamy kitchen corner (don’t worry, I’m designing it to withstand some dropping but no, I do not want it to be our dedicated drop zone). Anyway, my plan is to lock the kitchen door with a sign that says, “head to the mudroom, put shoes/coat away, and earn yourself a jelly bean.” Maybe after a few weeks, they’ll just automatically do it? Pavlov’s dog? I think I should write a parenting book.

Then recently I realized that the front door (where we are today) is actually pretty close to the back entrance (the closest from their school path) so maybe this is the daily drop zone? And oddly I’m fine with that because at least it’s a contained space and really only needs to look super styled out for guests. That’s all to say we aren’t sure how much of a drop zone this area needs to be. I’m hoping it’s just a coat rack, a boot tray outside where it’s covered, then a bench or a table for potential purse/keys. But I don’t really know…

Entry Mid-Renovation

So as you can see we installed the most beautiful window ever, custom designed with Sierra Pacific. It’s just so pretty. So whatever we have we need it to be pretty shallow – 18″ is the total depth of the nook and for the length we have a total of 84″ I’m thinking somewhere between 55″-72″ for whatever piece of furniture we choose (but maybe even smaller, again I need to try a piece and see how it feels).

I really don’t want anything to obstruct this view – no bench arm or table edge to be seen from the living room. Instead, I want it tucked inside that nook (again this is just my current opinion that can change). I’m thinking of a coat rack or hook on the left and/or a beautiful airy tree that climbs over the window. In this house, I’m really trying to keep sight lines pretty clean (something we’ve really enjoyed at the mountain house). The window is the focal point from the living room so I don’t want to distract from it. BTW I’m just now noticing that the sconce isn’t centered on the wall between the entry and the stairs but Jamie has already moved it, don’t worry.

If you are wondering why the baseboard and casing are blue here it’s because we thought we wanted them all to be before we realized that well, we didn’t like it AT ALL (so yes, we wasted a 1/2 day of painting labor and some gallons). It’s a great color, (Upward by Sherwin-Williams) but too twee for down here and ultimately we just want white and wood and color in the furniture/decor. I actually really like it in this shot, but once you get into the living room it’s just too much and really detracted from what we love – the wood flooring, wood windows, natural light, and sense of openness and space.

So here, below, are all the benches that I have pinned, none of which have been purchased yet. What you’ll notice is that most of these have a very minimal arm – i.e. not sticking too far into the room’s view. Not all of these would work size-wise, but I really like them all for different reasons.

1. Dexter Outdoor 60 in Bench | 2. Millbrook Bench | 3. Pali Black Wood Dining Bench | 4. Windsor Bench | 5. Marissa Bench | 6. Lanae Bench | 7. Chrissy 57″ Indoor/Outdoor Teak Dining Bench | 8. Eastward Bench | 9. Continuous Arm Bench

#8 was my pick from this group (it’s just so pretty) and if it doesn’t go here it might work somewhere else. But then I thought that if we do a bench here maybe a rounded back (like #9) could work…

1. Laney Bench | 2. Kalle Sculptural Oak Dining Bench | 3. Henrik Bench

I love #1 even though I know it’s super trendy. It just feels so solid and grounding. I might put this in my kitchen window (by the back door).

1. Nickey Kehoe Swiss Back Bench | 2. Eunice Bench | 3. Edo Bench | 4. Sienna Leather Bench | 5. Kyoto Bench | 6. Oxbend Bench

Originally I was going to get #6 (and still might), but we bought the counter stools from Fernweh already so I want to live with them before we commit to adding another one of their pieces in the next room (we’d get it in walnut, not black like our stools). Real big fan of #1 but it comes with a hefty price tag. So instead I searched for antique versions on 1stDibs (which also came with a big price tag and found a few).

1. Italian High Back Bench | 2. Mid Century Style Wing Settee by Lost City Arts | 3. Italian Style Settee by Lost City Arts

For a hot second, I entertained the idea of a very slim upholstered high back bench – almost like a statement settee. Not totally sure why, but I do really love these – all armless and super shallow so technically they fit the dimensions, and boy would they be a statement walking in, but they don’t ultimately feel right (I also wouldn’t order these as they are a fortune, instead using them for inspiration to custom make something).

1. Rustic Chajul Bench With Tall Scalloped Back | 2. Pair of American Modernist Shaker-Inspired Benches | 3. 19th Century Black Swedish Gustavian FÅLLBÄNK, Antique Pinewood Fall Bench | 4. Bench Swedish 19th Century Bench | 5. Antique American Pine Deacon’s Bench | 6. Hand Painted European Bench

Not going to lie, #6 gets me so excited. I LOVE an old folk art painted piece. I like all of these for different reasons and yet none of them feel quite right, but figured it would be fun to show you what was on my pinboard.

Right before I published this post I showed Brian all the options (I left this one off because it’s $8,200 but if I could have any bench this would be it – see below). Brian’s reaction to my pinboard was like, “Sure I like them, but maybe you’ll want a console instead?” I was like immediately defensive until I realized he’s probably right. I think what happened is that I fell in love with the O&G bench, it’s such a beautiful statement. Feast your eyes on this:

I pictured a piece of art above it and was like, “Boom. There, the entry has been nailed.” The joy I would feel daily by seeing that piece of art (the bench, not the actual art above) checked so many mental boxes. But due to its price, we knew that it wasn’t where we’d spend money. So I searched long and hard to find a more affordable version and definitely found some great ones, but I think I forgot to explore other pieces of furniture altogether because I just had “bench” in my brain. I’ve done this before. I fall in love with something unattainable, and try to find more affordable options instead of thinking about all the other possibilities. It’s a good lesson to be reminded of and ultimately I’m so grateful that this isn’t something we NEED to live in the house and we have time to live there and see what we’ll use the most (bench or console, storage or sculptural?) and then take my time to shop.

*Progress photos by Kaitlin Green

As much as it pains me (and it does) I can’t design all my friend’s or family’s homes when they are looking to hire help. Sure, I’ve done some sponsored makeovers where the partner pays my and my team’s time but otherwise my lack of availability/bandwidth holds up the project immensely. Beyond that, contrary to the ‘hustle culture’ popular belief, one only has so much creativity in their brain, so the more projects we take on, the less good they are (I learned this the hard way). So I made a rule years ago that when friends/family need help and they have a budget, they could hire someone from my team or someone I trust to be in charge and take the lead, thus getting someone’s full attention and creativity, avoiding any friend resentment and still getting me to oversee it. I jump on calls when I can, approve major pieces, negotiate partnerships where appropriate and publish the reveals, but the project moves forward successfully regardless of my bandwidth. So, when my friends Robyn and Ryan were ready to embark on their basement remodel, I shouted fast – ‘OH YOU SHOULD HIRE PRISCILLA!’. Priscilla Frost assisted on the OG Portland project four years ago and impressed the hell out of us – she has the trifecta: design chops, amicability, and work ethic. She has that ‘on-top-of-it-ness’ that makes a project go smoothly. She started this makeover without me and I was brought in as a friend to help guide some decisions, as well as see when and where it made sense to bring in one of my partners. My friends are so happy, Priscilla killed it, the basement is DONE (and they are on to the primary bedroom as we speak!).

THE BASEMENT GOAL:

The goal was to totally reconfigure their basement. We would carve out a bedroom for their tween son, design a proper mudroom off the garage, move and remodel the previously carpeted bathroom, and furnish and style it all to be much more inviting, pulled together and grownup (like them). It was full of potential, but still a daunting task which is why they put it off til they just couldn’t any more (a ‘pandemic push’ they needed to take). It took a full year between demo and shoot (livable a few months before we shot it) and the project suffered from the usual supply chain issues and labor shortages. But Priscilla and JP Macy (the contractor) did an EXCELLENT job of absolutely transforming the basement, and thus this home.

They had the space, just needed it to work better for their family. Priscilla and JP worked together on the plans to make sure that they were doing the most efficient and affordable reconfiguration, move as few walls as possible, but make it make sense for the long run. Robyn and Ryan are in that typical position where they love their neighbors, school and community that they don’t want to move just to upgrade and have more space, but they have worked hard and were ready to enjoy their home more.

I’m pretty sure the “MUDroom” was coined in the PNW and this room is IMPORTANT if you are lucky enough to have one. Their mudroom was off the garage, below ground, where the boys exit and enter a few times a day. Sure, it’s in the basement with no natural light, and not where guests come in and out but y’all they really wanted it to look more welcoming. They needed to add function (shoe and coat storage), and to have it feel more inviting 🙂

Now while some of the rooms I was more involved with the design (the family room and the tween boys bedroom) this room is almost 100% Priscilla’s work (I gave advice throughout and styled the photos).

Priscilla created a few different design plans for them to see product options and design ideas.

After a lot of options and ideas, they went with the mid-budget idea that Priscilla pushed, that included a readymade piece painted and hacked to look more built-in. It was a great solution that didn’t cost as much as custom cabinetry (which is wildly expensive) but more sophisticated than any ordinary stand alone cabinet. Just a note: Priscilla did charge her time for this but it was less than a typical designer as this was one of her first clients and she was working towards portfolio work – i.e. sometimes the hourly you pay into someone else to do your DIY will add up substantially so it’s good to be upfront to avoid something costing $4k that you might have been able to do yourself 🙂

Are you ready? HERE WE GO.

Rug (similar) | Baskets | Paint Color | Cabinet | Remove Shoes Sign | Umbrella Stand | Tray

It’s quite the transformation and has brought so much happiness every time anyone walks through that door. This is a proper mudroom. Priscilla created both open and closed storage, peg-rails for coats and bags, and really good durable products to make this space hyper practical and still so cute.

Please note the addition of the same vertical beadboard installed in the cabinet. It’s on on the same line as the peg rail on the perimeter of the mudroom and painted all to match so it looks built in and seamless.

Boot Tray (similar) | Mirror

The cabinet painted the same color as the walls, plus the custom peg rails and bead board throughout give it a super high end look. It looks SO GOOD.

I collected all the hanging baskets from vintage shops around town (a lot of them are for fishing) and seeing them here I HAD to leave them, but expect many more in our home. What we didn’t get to shoot (because it was literally pitch black) was behind those sliding cabinets Priscilla put in more shoe storage – a readymade rack for their backup shoes.

A few notes about the products Priscilla bought – that rug is printed and SO GOOD. It’s affordable, very durable and obviously forgiving when it comes to dirt. The boot tray was one that I had shopped for for a long time – we love how narrow it is which suits the space, but allows for a lot of shoes. Priscilla intentionally brought in these hits of black to keep the space feeling modern – the mirror and umbrella stand really edge up the space.

But what makes a truly practical, functional mudroom?? I am glad you asked..

It is mostly making sure all the things you like to come and go with have specific, easy to access places to store them. This is why we love hooks and peg rails, and why that readymade cabinet is such a good piece for this particular mudroom. And durability is always a plus in a hard-working mudroom 🙂

Last but certainly not least, we can’t wrap up without a super satisfying before and after:

Priscilla Frost, you are wonderful 🙂 and JP Macy of Sierra Custom Construction I enjoy the heck out of your work 🙂 Stay tuned for more reveals from this project, coming to you in the next few weeks.

*Design by Pricilla Frost
**Styled by Emily Henderson
***Photography by Sara Ligorria-Tramp