Last week, a reader popped into my DMs on Instagram to ask me if there was a reason they never saw us using what she called “natural fiber” rugs in our room reveals. I had to confirm what she meant by that, but I assumed she was referring to materials like seagrass and sisal. I couldn’t speak for the rest of the wonderful women on this website who design their spaces, but for me, it was simple: They are just not kid-friendly.

I say this from experience, as someone with a natural woven rug that, after nearly four years of existing with a child around it, looks like it came out of the employee lounge at the Play-Doh factory. “I’m looking for something neutral, soft, and child-friendly. You answered my question,” said the reader, after I told her I much prefer a wool rug with a thick pile or something washable.

But then I got to thinking. What else would I tell someone who has young kids or plans to have them soon to avoid buying? I sat in my living room looking around, taking mental notes of what works and what is less than ideal for my preschooler. Then, I moved around my house, space by space, tagging more notes in my brain. And here, I present to you my list of seven things that maybe just aren’t the best pick for curious little peanut butter hands. These all come with my typical caveat that none of this is make-or-break, of course (well, maybe with one as an exception). I had and have at least half of what’s detailed below, and we all survived, even if things are looking kind of scruffy around here. This is not a “throw it all away and start from scratch” situation by any means, but more of a good-to-know and tuck away in your mind for when you may be adding to your home’s design and furniture plan.

The Furniture & Decor Items To Avoid If You Have—or Are Planning On Having—Kids

Don’t #1: Seagrass Or Sisal Rugs

Wow, my Lulu & Georgia rug, which was acquired many years before my daughter came around, was SO CLEAN at one point. Honestly, it stayed looking that good until about two years ago, when our living room became our playroom and our immobile baby turned into a creative toddler. With the exception of the time I spilled an ENTIRE glass of a green smoothie onto this rug and somehow managed to clean it all up without a trace, it has not fared as well since. Why? Because it’s made of this woven natural wool-sisal blend, and it’s nearly impossible to get anything off of it!

Here is exhibit one and two of a freshly vacuumed rug. You may THINK it needs a cleaning, but this IS it clean. Dot markers simply do not come off a rug of this material. Not with an upholstery cleaning machine, not with Folex (though it does work wonders on many other things), not with elbow grease and some prayer chants. Play-Doh and kinetic sand that you didn’t realize was already smooshed into all the fibers, then dried up before you could get around to it? Those don’t come out, either. My wool rug in the kitchen that has *seen things*? It’s doing great, with barely any battle wounds.

Do Instead: Wool Or Washable Rug

As I suggested to the reader who contacted me, I’ll suggest to you: Stick with a cut-pile wool or something washable if you’re okay with polyester. The reason I like a cut-pile wool rug over something woven is because that tight texture acts as a barrier against absorption. Whatever spills just sits on top, like water on a duck’s feathers, giving us enough time to act and wipe. Anything that’s been smooshed into it has also been very easy to clean with an all-purpose spray and a rag. I could never say the same for a seagrass rug.

As for washable rugs, I admit, I don’t love them because they aren’t something that is going to last you for decades (or centuries) like wool will, but they are a great “for now” solution for someone who wants to style and softness of a rug without the headache.

From Left: Pierce & Ward Deco Border Handwoven Wool Rug | Via Machine Washable Rug | Prism Handwoven Performance Rug

Don’t #2: Textured Or Light-Colored Fabric Sofa

I can’t imagine I have to do much explaining here on the light-colored part. Are there homes out there with white or beige sofas that co-exist with children? I bet there are. And before I became a mother, I’m absolutely certain I would have said something naive, such as “I’ll just teach my child not to dirty my furniture.” I have a fairly cautious, mindful child who is not destructive or takes joy in messing things up, and there is still plenty of proof of toddler life in most spots in my home. It’s just how it is, no matter how angelic you think your offspring will be. As for texture, it’s for the same reason I gave for the natural fiber rugs. Texture = crevices that collect everything, which makes it so difficult to properly clean.

Do Instead: Velvet Or Performance Fabric Upholstery

Boy, do I have a bone to pick with the internet, which constantly says velvet is a high-maintenance fabric that should be avoided. Sure, it’s not great for everyone, but I’ve only ever had positive experiences with cleaning up everything you can imagine on a dark blue velvet sofa. I do not have pets, but I also hear it’s a decent solution for anything clawed since it doesn’t have any loops to catch on nails.

In general, velvet or not, buy something in a performance fabric that will work with you, not against you, in a busy household. A slipcover is also great for washing yourself or letting the pros at the dry cleaner handle.

From Left: Oscar Sofa | Raffiné Sofa by Athena Calderone | Sloan Slipcovered Chaise Sectional

Don’t #3: Any Glass-Top or -Front Furniture

At my daughter’s six-month pediatrician’s appointment, we told her doctor that she was crawling and pulling herself up on furniture. I’ll never forget the first thing out of her mouth: “If you have any glass furniture—coffee tables, side tables, glass-front cabinets—get rid of them now.” It wasn’t a suggestion, it was a command. Newsflash: Babies and toddlers love to take their hard toys, or anything they can find for that matter, and bang them on any surface they can reach. Banging + glass isn’t a combination that should exist around a tiny human. Also, apart from safety, it’s just SO FREAKING LOUD. You will have enough audio stimulation, I promise. You will not be hoping for me. Stick to wood.

Do Instead: Wood Furniture

Bonus points for wood furniture with rounded edges, particularly in a room that gets a lot of foot traffic. Yes, you can add foam bumpers (we did) for the first year or two of their walking careers, but even after, they manage to rough-house, jump, and dance their way to injury somehow.

From Left: Panos Brown Solid Acacia Wood 51″ Oval Coffee Table | Pierce & Ward Wood Tiered Side Table (18″) | Voyage Natural 2-Door 3-Drawer Bedroom Armoire Closet By Nate Berkus + Jeremiah Brent

Don’t #4: Furniture With Narrow Grooves Or Texture

At this point, I sound like a broken record about this texture stuff. But clearly, I cannot say it enough. Those early years, when they can’t wipe their hands properly or their curiosity about how the world (and their slime) works is at an all-time high, is not when you should be investing in a gorgeous piece like the nightstand in the above photo.

I also wanted to bring this one up because so much furniture on the market today looks like it has shiplap on the front of it, with small, narrow seams multiple times over. That, or deep ridges and fluting. If you value your free time and the cleanliness of your home, avoid, avoid, avoid! I cannot tell you how many times I was on my hands and knees with a toothpick and a wet rag, cleaning out the tiny lines on my storage cabinet doors in my living room. And again, I have a kid who likes cleaning up and doesn’t go rogue with markers or finger paints often.

Do Instead: Smooth, Easily To Clean Surfaces

What you want instead is a smooth surface. Flat panel fronts. Limited seams. Enough sheen that things wipe off. Matte finishes are magnets to dirt and grime, and god help you if oily things splatter on it. You can be cool in another 10-15 years, okay? But for now, just go ahead and make your life easier. Your home is still going to be beautiful, even without that caned-front media cabinet.

From Left: Rest Easy Nightstand With Drawer | Mid Century Modern Wood Curio Cabinet Black Oak | Anders Media Console, 72″ in Walnut

Don’t #5: Upholstered Or Leather Dining Chairs

I still have those dining chairs above. And thankfully, they are doing okay, with the exception of the melted chocolate that was pressed into it just this weekend from making pretzel-chocolate spider webs. Shiny leather is one thing, but that raw, matte leather you see everywhere that looks so chic? Do not get that on your dining chairs because good luck cleaning them. I haven’t had much luck with leather cleaners for this specific finish of leather, and again, my chairs are in decent shape considering they are at the perfect height for a new walker to grab to steady themselves fresh off a bowl of strawberry Greek yogurt.

The same goes for fabric upholstery. Can it be cleaned? Yeah probably. Is that something you’ll want to do or have time to do? No. What should you get instead? Glad you asked…

Do Instead: Wood Or Performance Fabric Dining Chairs

There’s a theme here with the versatility of wood in a home with children. If you’re concerned with comfort, you can always add a removable seat pad that can be cleaned or swapped if worse comes to worst. Oh, and like in the sofa world, there’s also performance fabric. The offering is less wide in dining chairs than for couches, but you can find them. Or you can source your own Sunbrella or Crypton fabric, for instance, and get your chairs reupholstered.

From Left: Morton Dining Chair – Black | Petrie Barley Ash Mustard Upholstered Dining Chair with Performance Fabric | Merritt Oak Dining Chair

Don’t #6: Furniture on Casters That Don’t Lock

You see that little cabinet up there? With the cute casters? Those don’t lock, and on wood or tile floors, it’s so easy to move around. When your kid is young, this is a bad thing because it’s not stable as they learn to stand or walk. They can either topple over due to the furniture moving, or something on the top of it could fall over onto them, too. When they’re older, they’ll have different motivations. I still have this cabinet and thankfully, my kid has no interest in it, but that may not be the same truth for another kid that comes along or in a different family. Your best bet is sturdy, immovable furniture.

Do Instead: Furniture You Can Secure

If you already have something on casters or that hasn’t been secured, take this as your opportunity to get what you need, and don’t be sorry later. Dressers, cabinets, TVs not mounted to the wall…it’s all fair game for safety concerns. It *should* go without saying that any heavy furniture, especially anything with drawers or shelves that can be climbed, should be secured to the wall, but I’m saying it again because it’s immensely important. I have the ones on the bottom right and like them because you can’t really see them behind things, and the zip tie is removable/adjustable. That peace of mind is priceless.

From Left: Hangman Black Furniture Anti-Tip Kit 400 lb 1 pk | TV & Furniture Safety Straps | 4our Kiddies Furniture Straps (10 Pack) Baby Proofing Anti Tip Furniture Anchors Kit

Don’t #7: Wallpaper On The Lower Half Of Your Walls

Unlike paint, wallpaper can’t just be easily touched up. Crayons, markers, permanent markers ::gasps!!!!::, and even just all the scruff marks of thrown toys, and vrooming cars and trucks are not compatible with expensive, delicate wallpaper. But don’t worry, it’s not all or nothing (see below).

Do Instead: Wallpaper Above A Chair Rail (Or Just Satin Wall Paint)

My advice to anyone who wants the color and pattern of wallpaper but is stressed about a kid ruining it is to keep it on the top 1/3 of the wall, above trimwork or a chair rail. That way, it’s far more out of reach from all the action but still checks the boxes of your design needs.

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So, have anything to add here? Have something I mentioned but you’d like to refute my caution? I’m all ears. Thanks for being here today. Until next time…

*Opening Image Credits: Design by Emily Henderson | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Mountain House Reveal: How We Designed Our Super Kid-Friendly Family Room

I’m indulging in some nostalgia lately – looking back at 10+ years ago projects with fun emotions (“oh wow”, “I did what?” and even “oh that’s fun”). Maybe in 10 years I’ll look back at the Craft Barn or the squiggle bulletin board with the same surprise and nostalgia. This project I TOTALLY forgot about and when I slacked my team after stumbling upon it on the internet my team was like “what exactly are we looking at?” Exactly. Let me show you.

My client (fun fact, it’s producer Rachna Fruchbom who produced Shrinking, Parks and Rec, Fresh Off The Boat, and And Just Like That) already had these vintage pieces (she is rad, by the way – Orlando and I LOVED working with her and her fam). The piece in question was a huge store display shelving unit which seems great in theory, but what can someone actually put in it in their real home that makes sense? And in a playroom, no less?? Books/cute toys in the bottom cubbies, sure. But the rest of the cubbies were too small and chopped up to be functional. It’s not like you separate your lego colors, or have so many nice looking kids collectables. It’s a cool piece, but actually created a big creative problem that Orlando and I needed to solve (mostly to shoot the room, which was so cute). Rachna gave us free reign as long as we didn’t blow the budget, so we got creative.

Canning Jars FTW???

You may know that my love/nostalgia for canning jars is greater than most. Odd Even. Growing up mormon we canned everything we could, including our annual tuna canning session from the Oregon coast (which was as stinky as it sounds, producing year-round delicious fresh tuna that all my college roommates would fight over). All my vases at our wedding were vintage/antique canning jars I collected throughout our engagement (many I still have). I would say this odd love has depleted, but it hasn’t. I drink daily out of huge canning jars as if it’s a normal glass.

Why Mason Jars?

If I remember correctly, finding anything that made sense to fill the cubbies was impossible. Jars of art supplies would cost so much more (and be unnecessary), wrapping boxes in colorful paper was maybe another idea but could also look soooo janky. Colorful kids blocks also could have worked for a shoot, but would also be more expensive than you’d think and look messy when messed up (and hard to maintain). If you can come up with an idea that makes sense please let me know. We didn’t want it to be bitsy, messy, random, or cost too much. So I guess that landed us on painting mason jars…

We Measured And Math’ed…

Assuming that I had the idea (zero recollection but that is my hand writing), Orlando and I mathed it all out by measuring every row of cubbies and figuring out which sizes of jars would fit in each and how many we would need. We then bought them all (likely from a store, this is pre-Amazon Prime), and chose the paint colors.

This is the only photo still on the internet of us painting them (this is before smart phones for photos or video – how did we even create daily content 12 years ago???). I’m not sure if we chose one blue and then diluted it increasingly with white to get the ombre effect OR if we chose a few shades and just played around with mixing them together as we moved up the wall of cubbies. Either way, it created this ombre look which I have to admit is still really fun.

What I Think About It Now

Is it gimmicky? Sure. And if they ever were to move or get rid of that piece they would have a lot of painted jars to deal with. However, it’s still a compelling wall of color that is simple for your eye to understand (i.e. not busy) and created a conversation. It’s also very 2012 in a really fun way. The pops of gold/silver of the lids as a nice shine and texture.

I don’t know if I would do it again, but still without an alternative solution I stand by why I did this. It ended up being around 60-75 jars (feel free to count) which cost about $230 (per my OG post about it) and then another $200 or so in other supplies. That’s not nothing and hilariously certainly doesn’t account for our time (which neither did I back then – a rookie mistake of my first few years of having design clients and why I ultimately ended up pivoting away from it). If you added up Orlando and I’s time to do this (likely 10 hours x 2 people) it would add about $3,500 in design labor. Which would take the entire project to $5k which is simply FAR too much for a fun DIY mason jar ombre art wall in a 3-year-old’s playroom. But doing DIYs for content is a different business, so I’m sure even at the time we felt it was worth donating our time to execute this DIY (but typical designers would never do this because it would simply cost their clients too much).

Wait, That’s. Not. All. What about those painted frames???

We didn’t shut off our creativity there, folks. We found a bunch of empty vintage frames at the flea market and thrift stores and painted them each 1/2 white, 1/2 gold. SO 2012!!! They housed kid art which I still think is a cute and clever idea, and could totally be updated in 2025.

And that’s the tale of the canning jar art installation wall from 2012. Shout out to Orlando for helping me do it (he was my design assistant at the time). We had so much fun, pre-kids, and I’m only sad that we don’t have a fun reel or video to show you.

So what would you do with these cubbies? I’m genuinely curious what other solutions would make sense! Comment away!!

*Photos by Bethany Nauert

If you’ve been following along closely, you’ll know that we’ve been connected with an incredible shelter called Family Promise for a while now. They’re a non-profit organization in Portland doing wonderful work for our community, providing housing and support for families experiencing homelessness. They took over an old motel, transformed it into a 70+ household shelter, and have been operating at capacity for at least as long as we’ve been working with them–all while undergoing a major renovation!

It’s quite impressive what they’ve been able to do–completing the work in strategic chunks, tackling wings or floors at a time, so the facility could/can still operate throughout the construction chaos. We signed on to help them with their design/decor needs way back when, but the renovations have made our process a slower one, as function is simply more important than form at the moment. The last thing we want to do is further complicate a renovation with our suggestions when it’s already pretty disruptive on its own. But they’ve made some amazing progress and have a few finished spaces now ready for the EHD touch! For right now, we’re mainly focused on their communal room needs; the playroom, the lobby, some of the offices, etc.

We’ll be starting with the playroom–it’s newly finished, actively in use (as you can see here) and functioning well as-is, but could definitely use a little razzle dazzle. Before they began the overhaul of this west wing, the original playroom sat next to the dining room in the east wing. Now that the east wing renovation is underway, the playroom has found its permanent home in the completed wing, taking most of the old room’s belongings with it.

This was the brand new playroom just before they moved in with all the things. Many of the larger renovation design decisions were made by the architecture firm on the project, and while we weighed in where we could, so many choices just had to be made FAST and without our input, to keep the project on track. The new spaces are SO much better than what they had been, but being a large, commercial-grade project, it can be hard to translate the feeling of home without adding in that layer of design/styling after the fact.

But that’s where we come in! The space is brand new, but it’s not without challenges. The new playroom feels like it’s doubled in size from the old one (awesome) with fresh carpet tiles (not our favorite look tbh, a choice we knew we’d have to design around from the jump), a new coat of paint (again, not our color choice but an easy thing to update), some textured ceiling tiles, a very unique layout, and of course all the bells and whistles required to bring this space up to code.

The room has two entrances from the main hallway and another door that connects to the laundry space, with a window between the two areas for parents to keep an eye on their little ones. Two big windows along the back walls let in a decent amount of light and a funky center support wall and beam situation cut through part of the space, creating various zones within the room…and definitely carving out an opportunity for some fun and intentional design!

To me, this beam/wall/walkthrough combination looks like it was destined to be a playhouse. Even the ceiling is given a different treatment that reads something like a roof. It’s one of those funky, unchangeable structural elements that may just end up providing a lot of design direction for the rest of the space. It’s what first had me so excited to dive into this space and get to imagining. But it does create a bit of a division in the room…

So What’s Next?

First and foremost this room needs to function best for the shelter’s needs. As you can see, it’s fully in use at the moment! It has found its current rhythm and systems and our goal now is to work with the flow, not disrupt it, meaning we want to change/update/swap the tired pieces that we can, without rearranging or reconfiguring the room too much.

There’s already a pretty clear play zone, couch/TV zone, teen/storage zone, and a zone for working and reading at tables. The sofa needs to stay underneath the laundry window for various reasons, and the storage cabinets and teen zone (aka foosball table) are best tucked in the back. There is some flexibility with the remaining “zones”. But really they just have a lot of stuff, and have discussed wanting to remove a few things that aren’t seeing as much use–likely the train table in the play zone and a good chunk of the books (just to store somewhere else). To get a better feel for the space as a whole, you can watch the video below (just wait for a couple of ads to play).

So far Family Promise’s only other asks for the space have been for some blackout roller shades (for movie nights), more rugs to soften up the play areas (and help cover the messes that are already taking over those dang carpet tiles), and more art on the walls to liven up the space. We’ve ordered some very simple roller blinds and will be installing them this week. The rugs and art will be coming soon! But we’d like to give them a whole lot more.

Making Some Swaps

It’s hard to look at the leather couch in this room and not want to swap it for something better. It would be so awesome if all of the chairs at the taller homework table (heck, the smaller one too) matched, and even better if they stacked to store out of the way. The small fold-up table and clunky corner storage against the wall would do well to be replaced. And the kid’s art on the wall deserves more presence! The clunky, plastic play structure could be so much better if it were somehow integrated into the funky center wall so it didn’t just shove into the gap, eliminating the fun of having a pass-thru. These are some of the things I’m thinking about!

They recently purchased some very large storage cabinets that look very…uhh…school-grade. Again, not something we had a say in design-wise, but a functional element that was crucial to their systems and storage needs, and so we need to find a way to work with the cabinets! Same thing goes for the larger, fold-up work tables. They definitely aren’t the prettiest, but they’re durable, functional and adaptable to the space–they’d like to keep them.

The rest of the furniture is quite flexible in terms of what stays/goes, but we also want to be sensitive to maintaining a sense of familiarity in the space for the kiddos who have come to enjoy it as it is. With the addition of these large, wood cabinets, it makes sense to me to bring in more of this tone/material so that it feels cohesive and grounded. And while bright, fun colors are perfect for a playroom, we want to be intentional with the palette we choose so that everything vibes.

Big Ideas

Please bear with my crude sketch/mockup–but I’d love to get in touch with a carpenter/woodworker to give this weird wall the FULL play zone treatment! It would be amazing to integrate a custom jungle gym, complete with a slide and hideout space underneath. If you’ve never checked out Groh Playrooms, go take a look at their work right now! Their amazing, out-of-the-box design is what I’d love to channel here.

I picture a play structure built into the support beam and wall, maybe disguising the beam to look like a tree, and treating the wall in some way to feel more like a house (wood siding? scalloped shingles? fun, bright paint job? obvious ‘roof’?) with maybe a whiteboard “window” to draw on or a magnet board or something!

The slide would face the laundry room window (as the plastic structure does now) so parents could keep a safe watch. Space up top would have classic jungle-gym gadgets, like a steering wheel or some kind of busy board. There would be room underneath for a puppet show theater, or it could just serve as a cozy, protected hangout zone with tons of pillows and stuffies. But something fun needs to happen here, don’t you think?? If you know someone who would be an ideal fit to help execute/build something like this with us, feel free to send them my way (gretchen@emilyhendersondesign.com)!

The opposite side could receive a similar treatment or could be reimagined entirely! They do have a decent kid-size kitchen (and I’d like to snag a laundry play set too, so kids can act like mom/dad next door) but a play set they don’t have is a storefront, which I think could be fun over here! What really excites me are all the potential pass throughs and imaginative play possibilities that could happen through this funky wall.

Kids could look down from the jungle gym balcony above, maybe there’s a chalkboard on the other side to give the store a name, and of course, the passage underneath and the doorway to the side. The “doorway” is about 15″ thick and I think it’d be fun to paint or do something fun here too. The wall could house some shelving for books or act as grocery shelves. But what is the right move for this side? If you have ideas for how either side of the funky wall should look, drop them in the comments!! I want to hear them!

Furniture And Finishing Touches

We’re working with AllModern to jumpstart furnishing the space. Their pieces are durable, ship FAST and look great, so they’ll be just perfect for this playroom! They have a pretty stellar kid inventory, too, with play sets and rugs I’ve been eyeing for a while. We recently ordered these low bookshelves from AllModern in a wood tone similar to the “school” storage cabinets, to replace the IKEA bookshelves that have seen better days.

We’ll also be looking to AllModern for a leather sofa replacement, something that reads more design forward but is still durable and wipeable. This should be easy to narrow down–they have so many good options! They also carry some great plastic stacking chairs, which we’d love to snag to replace the work table chairs that are pretty clunky. We’ll probably need additional storage units and surfaces as well as cute storage boxes/bins down the line. Family Promise doesn’t have much of a budget for this space at all currently, but Em will be contributing toward elements like the “playhouse” and all other styling/finishing touches.

Speaking of finishing touches…I think a mural somewhere in here would be incredible!! Don’t you? Maybe we recruit Banyan Bridges back to the blog so she can give this room her magical touch? Like she did so well for Em’s art barn? Either a mural or at least a paint color change in here or both! The bright teal accent wall is fun for now, but it’d be nice to shift gears once the room design takes better shape.

We will DEFINITELY be adding art, rugs, and textiles to the space to liven it up, but another thing Family Promise asked for is a better way to display the kids’ art. You know we love a good corkboard moment–why not designate a wall to go full corkboard? Then there’s the ceiling tiles. Should/could these be painted? Each one in a new color? Or is that overkill? I remember painting a ceiling tile like this in high school, so I know it can be done. But I was chatting with Mal about the project and she suggested swapping the ceiling tiles out for a fun decorative version–something like this–I want to look into similar options!

It’s going to be a REALLY fun project, but clearly we’re still in the early stages. I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas, if anything genius comes to mind! Maybe you know of a local woodworker who could help us dream up an awesome, custom playhouse/structure for a good cause? Maybe there’s a play set that your kids LOVE that you think these kids would love too? Or maybe you see something missing from our plans and you just can’t hold your tongue. Well, don’t! I want to know what you think:)

Just keep in mind, our budget for this project is minimal, and there’s a level of trauma-informed design that needs to be considered. If you’re curious to learn more about their great work or are feeling inspired to contribute, check out Family Promise! We feel so fortunate to be a small part of their awesome world and can’t wait to share some of ours with their community soon. Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Gretch

Dear god, that sweet boy is now 11, which is not what this post is about, but a reminder that you were all right. When I first had Charlie, all you moms before me said it would go by so fast, and while I knew you were right (it is the universal sentiment) I’m still shocked that he’s going to be in junior high next year (she writes while crying on a plane). Today’s post isn’t about how much I love my kids (too much to say) nor how desperate I am to keep building my connection with them before they leave for college (8 years left and YOU BET I’M NOT SQUANDERING THEM), but about their rooms that I’ve designed over the years. You see, my thesis is unsurprising – that like choosing their outfits or Halloween costumes, baby rooms are much easier to design than kids’ rooms (as shown through these photos). This is more of a show and tell, with perhaps some new insights for you long-time blog readers (thank you, always, thank you).

Glendale House

Charlie’s Nursery – 2015

Year one, with the cutest wallpaper that I know he might have not liked forever, but my goodness it was so perfect for this room – light and airy, graphic, big pops of color. A solid design that has dated pretty well, if you ask me. Sure, it might scream 2013, but not in a way that I don’t like; it feels almost time-capsule-y.

A reminder that you can use a vintage dresser as a changing table – I have so many videos of Brian making Charlie laugh on this dresser.

Birdie’s First Nursery – 2016

One of my all-time favorite rooms ever — to both stare at and be in. This house (mid-century in Glendale) was so special, and stylistically I was really aligned with it (it was so light and bright with huge pops of color throughout). That vintage rocker (shout out to MidcenturyLA) and the daybed (from Elsie Green) were epic. And while this white fluffy rug might seem impractical, it was just so unbelievably soft and we still have it at the mountain house in our bedroom (far less white, but it strangely aged really well, just looks more taupe now LOL).

The X and O artwork pieces by Jane Denton are at the mountain house (guest room) and are just so sweet. But the tree wallpaper mural is my favorite – I know we’ve seen it a lot, but in the right space, it really works and packs a huge punch.

Los Feliz Home

Charlie’s Room – 2017

This version of this room is nicely designed, but I never really LOVED it. Totally cute, and most things in it are fine, but just didn’t feel like me (and likely not Charlie either, but he was 3-4 when we moved in here). TBH, I had to pull it together really fast for our Real Simple feature and Target, who was my main sponsor at the time, who wanted me to use as much Target as possible (which I was happy to do, but it felt a bit pulled together rather than designed).

I think that was when Pillowfort had just launched (their in-house kid brand) and was so cute. I still have all those vintage paint-by-numbers and wish so badly that I hadn’t framed them in black (wood or white would have been better) because I’ve wanted to use them over and over, but the harshness of the black frames always made them not work.

Birdie’s Second Nursery – 2017

Another favorite of mine — but instead of a green tree mural, I opted for this pink one. What I think I never wrote about is that the old plaster walls couldn’t hold the weight of the blackout curtains very easily, and they were always a problem. We tried reinforcing them behind the walls, but it was a big old problem (I honestly don’t remember how we fixed them or if we did anything at all besides trying to be careful).

But these rooms just scream so much nostalgia to me — when I had two toddlers. But Brian was gone often at night doing plays and the business was unmanageably busy (in ways that I would never want to publicly complain about, but let’s just say I “shower-cried” often). Life changed pretty abruptly after that, what with lockdown, then the move up here to Portland, and I can happily say that the years of overwhelm are in my past. Now I just miss when the kids were that young – they were such hard years, but my god they were so freaking cute and fun and their obsession with me could never get old. I’m just so happy to have so many photos and videos of those years (and time at the mountain house, which felt like we could just be us four every weekend, away from the chaos of the city).

I always wondered if I shouldn’t have done a wallpaper in the bathroom AND her bedroom, but TBH they were both cute (and since hers was a mural, maybe that’s ok?). That bathroom had no natural light (I wish I had put in a skylight), so it needed some action on the walls to not feel dead.

The Mountain House

Remember the years when the kids shared a king bed? Well, that’s not how it started…

Mountain House Shared Bedroom – 2019

How cute is that safari tent? A big shout-out to Emily Bowser and Julie for figuring that all out. And the reason for that big white headboard was that it housed the mechanism for the steam shower (I believe), which we didn’t know we had to build a space for until the house was all laid out.

The thing about rock walls is that they are more of an invitation to play. The kids certainly got use out of it while doing other games (war, fort building, etc), but it’s not like they have rock climbing sessions. I would 100% do it again, and it just made the room so cute and fun.

I love that their vanity in their current bathroom was their dresser here:)

A Refresh of the Kids’ Room in the Mountain House – 2019

So here is where it got weird – when the kids were 3 and 5 we did so many family reading sessions at night that we ended up shoving the twin beds together so we could read them the same book as a family. So I figured I’d redesign it to make it look good, which I did. They shared a king bed for all of COVID, with me often sleeping in the middle of them until I transferred myself at midnight (something I often still do, but not on purpose).

Los Feliz Shared Bedroom – 2020

Meanwhile, since they loved sharing the bedroom at the mountain house, we realized they also slept so much better. So Elliot started sleeping on the floor of Charlie’s room in LA, thus me redesigning his room to have two twin beds. I started this process before lockdown but didn’t finish till we needed to sell the house, and I wanted every room to be “finished”. So the kids only slept in here one or two nights, right before we moved to Oregon (which was so weird to them TBH).

Also while I loved that polka dotted comforter, the kids HATED it – they didn’t like the textural difference and in the middle of the night they thought it had bugs all over it (the polka dots) so I while I hoarded them for a while, they were pretty impractical and very unpopular in my house.

The Farmhouse

We moved into this house when the kids were 7 and 9 – full-blown children now. I have one kid who wants to redesign her room every day, and the other who really doesn’t want it to be touched – he loves it.

Charlie’s Bedroom – 2023 + Updated Headboard – 2023

This room doesn’t feel finished to me, but it’s really hard for me to get motivated to think about it when he loves it so much. Recently, he said that he wants curtains because he thinks it’s hard to wake up when the blackout shades work so well. So we might do that so that the natural light can wake them up during the year (but not in the summer when the sun gets up at 5 am up here).

Its such a tween bedroom – part kid, part desperate to be a teen. The green bookcase is now in his closet replaced by his electronic drum set. The huge round sofa situation is perfect for sleepovers (for now).

All he wants are more and more posters all over his walls (same with Elliot now), and let’s just say we are not aligned. There are so many Minecraft or video game memes that he wants that I just don’t get (but I allow, obviously, wanting him to have full expression). I tried to explain the “Rodeo” print to them over and over and they are like “what?” – clearly my poster preferences are different than Gen Alpha. Although he does love the red crab one by David Shrigley because it has to do with gaming 🙂

Right now that stuffy closet (which was just for the shoot) is where all of his clothes are and I wish I had done drawers so badly. We just have bins that get super messy. And currently, his desk is full of so much organized chaos, like any 11-year-old. The collections are out of control, in such a cute way.

Birdie’s Bedroom – 2023

I recently wrote about Elliot’s room and how she already thinks that her wallpaper is too young for her 🙂 It’s such a cute room, though!!

UGH I just can’t with her growing up.

Listen, even though she identifies as a tween now (at 9), this room is so objectively her, and we designed it together. Right now she wants to be a designer with me when she grows up (as well as a baker, musician, and artist) and she even has my vocabulary, talking about “peppering pops of color” around the room. I mean…

Birdie’s Closet Reveal – 2024

Those scallop stickers are still so clever and affordable. You cold frame out doorways or windows or use them as ceiling trim. They come in a billion colors and sizes, FTW.

Article Bed Update – 2024

We recently switched out her creaky vintage bed for this solid one from Article, which is overall so much better. And as you can see, she is adding to her collection of posters as well.

Well, that was fun for me (if not so sad – they are getting older). Quite the reminder of how short life is 🙂 Regarding their rooms, from here on out, I’m letting them take the lead – if they want to engage in any sort of design of their rooms or change anything, of COURSE I’ll be the first one to raise my hand and help. Seeing them care about their style is super fun and I think natural considering they’ve heard me talk about it so much over the years. Thanks for listening 🙂

Opening Image Credits: Photo by David Tsay | From: Charlie’s Circus-Themed Nursery

When I retire I’m going to do this once a week for fun (and a little extra spending dough) – pop into a home, edit, curate, and restyle, then “BYE”! Like a fairy god-Styler (??). It’s INSANELY satisfying. Nic and Curtis were stumped with how to hang all their art down in their new dark basement (for their almost teen girls) and I assured them that I could do this in my sleep. So Gretchen and I went over one day, took inventory, ordered some new sconces, poufs, pillows, and a fake plant then came back and redid it all in one day.

The Basement Before:

Here’s where they started – a huge dope leather sectional, white lacquer furniture, and a vintage chair. Everything was leftover from their old basement and I knew that we could make them work (and this is not where they wanted to invest any real money). Also how rad is that wall-to-wall carpet??

They had a pile of art for us to play with (and we ended up stealing from a few other rooms, too). All really fun, graphic, youthful pieces that are perfect for a tween hang space.

And because videos are so fun below is a cute little video Gretchen put together to show you the space and a little bit of the process (just wait for the ad to play first:))

One Day Later…

Wall Color | Scones | Art (the homeowner’s) | Carpet

Oh, she is moody and dark and oh so cozy!! The trickiest part was hanging those sconces – we wanted to integrate them into the gallery wall, but without symmetry. Once they were up we hung, the rest of the art in between, balancing the shapes, colors, and orientations. The poufs were added for extra seating for kids and to fill out the space (the TV is opposite the sofa) and I kept them low, wide, and tonal so they felt balanced.

Art (the homeowner’s) | Credenza (similar) | Table Lamp (similar) | Coffee Table (similar) | Woven Round Tray (similar) | Ottoman

Then above the credenza, we styled more art (keeping the room balanced) and then used what they already had to style out the credenza. We found a bunch of board games which helped, but in general, it was pretty minimal.

Pink Pillow | Round Pillow (similar)

The sconces can articulate all different ways and since they are plug-ins they could be moved if need be. They are more mood lighting, wall washers versus a super bright light but they have other lamps for that reason.

Side Table (similar) | Chair (vintage) | Burgundy Pillow | Faux Tree (similar) | Black Planter (similar)

It’s dark and cozy and then all these huge pops of pink and white are youthful and wild and I think they have a memory with each piece, so it’s a room of nostalgia as well.

Leather Sectional (similar) | Berry Velvet Pillow | Ball Pillow | Printed Pillow (similar) | Round Pillow (similar) | Pink Pillows

At first, I had a ton of wild pillows on the sofa but pared it back to these which felt less messy, and slightly more refined (but still playful with the ball shapes).

Also if you want to see the basement before they moved in here you go:

Wild, right? It’s such a personal preference, but I personally love a dark room to be dark like this one because without any natural light, it feels dead so you may as well lean into the vibe and make it cozy. Who is next??????

*Styled by Emily Henderson
**Photos by Kaitlin Green

I love a good cautionary tale, where you get to hear how someone else messed up their life in the name of you avoiding repeating their mistake. I hesitate to write this like I do all things where I have to go back on a design decision, but it has come up a lot with my friends recently, and a warning to you all felt necessary. So here is your dose of “blogger Schadenfreude” for the month – If my failures make you happy then today is your day. I feel pretty dumb, but all design failures are great lessons to learn, risks are taken, and therefore pitfalls are constant. You see my wonderful daughter who I honestly can’t say enough good things about now “strongly dislikes” her wallpaper (she knows not to say hate, but that’s the sentiment). Her room is so freaking cute and she will absolutely admit it, but to her, it feels like a little girl’s room. And she is 9 1/2 – NOT a little girl anymore. So let’s back up and go step by step on how we got here:

2020 – We finally got into escrow on our home and we were so excited. We lived in lockdown at the mountain house which is famously neutral. “why doesn’t our house have any color” was the consistently taunting question.

2021 – We moved up to Portland and while renting a house nearby I started designing their rooms – desperate to start doing the fun stuff (and to avoid thinking about the daunting renovation that felt neverending at the time). Elliot LOVES design, color, and pattern – she wanted to be very involved and boy was it fun to do it with her. I know we shouldn’t label our children but this girl is extremely enthusiastic and easily excited about all the things (likely a 7 enneagram like her mother, although she has STRONG 3 tendencies – also like her mother). She wanted to be a huge part of the process and honestly, it was just so fun for me – zero regrets on how I went about it, by the way. She is so hard to say no to. We went on Pinterest together and most of what she loved was a hard no for me (unicorns, fairies, etc – both of which I like but I knew she would regret those as wallpaper) but what I gleaned from her is that she wanted color and pattern – AND SO DID I!!! But as she aptly puts it now, “I was six, Mom. Who lets a 6-year-old make a long-term decision?”. LOL (She’s 9 1/2 now).

We decided on this awesome butterfly wallpaper by Schumacher which I honestly thought had more negative space, but regardless it is indeed fun as heck. While it was busier than I could handle in my own bedroom she loved it and we designed the room around it. We didn’t use temporary wallpaper or pre-pasted and I’m not even sure if the wallpaper installer primed it beforehand (which would make it easier to remove). That’s all to say this paper isn’t permanent, but it’s not easy to take down either.

2022-2024 – She loved her room – I mean, it’s incredibly cute. I won’t claim that she knew how lucky she was to have her mom be a designer who creates this as her job (she’s a kid, it’s not her job to instinctively know how the world is run and how privileged she is). But I do know that she loved it… for a while and felt really thankful. She showed it off to her friends proudly and we gushed together about how fun it was and how it represented so perfectly her personality.

2024 – Now. Well, she grew up. Starting about a year ago (so like a year after it was done) she got it in her head that the wallpaper is for little girls and no one wants to be older, bigger, or more teenager-y than an 8-year-old girl. It started small and not bratty at all, just comments like “When will I be able to redo my room?” and I didn’t shame her for those comments, I want her to express what she wants, but I also didn’t comply. While I was of course annoyed with an internal “WTF??”, I realized quickly that the annoyance was with my past naive self, not her.

It’s My Fault…I Know!!

So let me be very clear, the culprit here is ME, not her. She is a sweet pre-tween who wants her room to have the flexibility to grow with her changing styles. I was the mom that wanted to put hot pink butterflies on my 6-year-old’s walls without playing out the long game. It’s totally normal to reject the “little girl” style as you are trying to find your own voice and independence into the tween years. DOH.

What Does She Want To Change It To?

Purple. Chartreuse. Lavender. It changes daily and with passion. She currently HATES hot pink, but I think that’s because her cousin currently hates it. She also is “over” Taylor Swift in favor of Olivia Rodrigo, which she will likely be over soon. Now you might have a kid that doesn’t care about design/style in which case you might be able to take a big design swing and they won’t want to change it ever. But I think because of my job, my kids actually want their rooms to look like them, they care about style. Their brains are rapidly growing, therefore their personalities are developing daily, which means their personal style is shifting at warp speed. These tween years are wild (I love them so much) because they still sleep with stuffies and yet fight me about not letting them be YouTube Stars (nope). She’s begging for crop tops and to wear heels and makeup, claiming she’s “almost a grownup” and I have to actively shut my mouth to not blurt out “Girl, you don’t like vegetables yet”. She’s just being exactly the age that she should be, stretching and pushing and doing it totally respectfully by the way. I LOVE watching them right now become their whole own person. (If you don’t follow Lisa Damour you HAVE TO – she is the best teen psychologist on the internet and loves celebrating all things teen and is FULL of incredible mantras and advice).

Kids are meant to grow, change, push back, seek their own identity away from their parents…Which is why I feel badly about my mistake – I should have never made a big semi-permanent style decision in her room when she was 7, even if she did want it. I locked her in to hot pink butterflies and cute or not, they don’t feel like her anymore.

What Should I Have Done Instead?

Just painted it a relatively neutral color or white and let her decorate it however she wanted it. It’s what I did for her cousins’ bedroom (seen here) which I think is the right move. furniture that can grow with them, but enough negative space for them to show off their personality – nothing stylistically permanent. The rooms that they love on TV are full of posters, polaroids, and SO MUCH CLUTTER – these little relics they collect that provoke emotion and start to build their identity. So by putting a busy pattern on her wall, with butterflies, and in bright colors she feels locked in and she’s not wrong. She still puts posters all over it and rearranges everything all the time to look a bit “cooler”. I love that she cares and that she feels empowered to have a personal style and to voice it. I just wish I hadn’t locked her in so much.

So What Are We Going To Do? Change it?

Nothing for now. I mostly deflect (it comes up a lot) but when pushed I say that when she is 13 we can revisit the conversation (which will be 6 years from install – she does NOT like this answer as it feels like 50 years away). When REALLY pushed I’ve told her she can save her money to take it down and paint, but we both know that’s dumb and unfair. This was my fault, not hers and I am the one that needed to be taught a lesson that she gets to witness. Now don’t hold me to the 13-year-old thing, who knows, but as of now, it’s not changing anytime soon. She also recently mentioned wanting to move into the guest room when she’s a teen so she can have her own bathroom because “Mama, a boy and a girl teenager can NOT share a bathroom” which is 100% not true (but with two bathrooms up there she’s also not wrong to conclude they might each have their own space at some point). If she moves into the guest bedroom then we could keep this one as a really whimsical guest room or maybe by then I’ll let myself off the hook and peel it off. But for now, we aren’t doing anything about it. It feels far too wasteful to only have it for soon to be 3 years especially when I should be a far better example on the internet. I have to live with my mistake (it’s also so cute still so it’s not as painful for me:))

Lesson Learned…

But what I won’t do again and what I urge you not to do is lock your kid into a very specific style especially when they are entering their tween years. I actually think her first or second nursery (both light tree murals hilariously) had more longevity than this one, so I really did make an egregious choice. I love the energy of this wallpaper but it’s a lot, it’s everywhere and it does skew younger (especially if you do NOT want to be little anymore). I think some patterns and colors have more age/style flexibility so if you are inclined you could probably still go for it. And I think changing a room is not abnormal, especially for those of us who really enjoy doing it with our kids. But giving them room, space, and time to find and change their style in their one and only personal space is really important to them and I kinda blew that one.

With Charlie (my 11-year-old boy), he LOVES his room as-is (neon lights, skateboard lamp, posters, a big round chair) so until he wants to shift or asks for my help I won’t be investing time/energy/money into it (I think he’s afraid I’m going to make it too girly which I get, LOL). Every now and again he says “I want a hammock in my room” where I say “Ooh that would be cool” but I’m making no such moves for a while.

Had I not wallpapered her room, Elliot, my bright, happy, extremely fun to be around 9-year-old would have decorated the hell out of those walls, peppering joy everywhere in there with or without me. It wouldn’t look as well designed, balanced, etc, but it would have allowed her to experiment and have more fun in the only space she owned. I got caught up in our collective enthusiasm for color/pattern which is dangerous when I’m the one that is supposed to be the reasonable adult with a fully formed brain. So when she says with a smile “Mama, did you really let a 6-year-old make such a big decision…aren’t you the grownup?” I can’t help but laugh. She’s totally right.

The Moral Of The Story

While most of you probably wouldn’t do this in the first place, but just paint the room a simple color. Make some style choices with lighting, rugs, curtains and bedding – all things that are easier to move to another room or store should they tire of it. But don’t lock them in while their personalities are changing so rapidly.

Also…stencils and wall stickers FTW. Paint a stripe or a scallop – there are so many either really temporary or more timeless choices out there:)

Opening Image Credits: Design by Emily and Elliot Henderson (and ARCIFORM) | Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Birdie’s Bedroom Reveal!! Designing WITH (Not For) Your Kids, And How We Exploded This Room With Color

I am absolutely blown away by the response and the engagement in my last post about possibly taking my dining room and turning it into a dedicated play space in order to bring some peace to my living room. There were so many great ideas in the comments; some that I decided weren’t right for me, and others that I acted on.

So today, I want to walk you through what has changed since I wrote that post a few weeks ago, where I currently am mentally about it all, and where I’m planning to go with both spaces.

First and foremost, the advice I knew I needed but just didn’t have the impetus to act on: GET RID OF HALF THE TOYS! While many of you recommended I purge, I’m entering phase one of this: keep almost everything (except for the things my daughter is obviously too old for), and find a way to rotate things out. I may find that I don’t want to spend the energy rotating, and that no one misses anything that’s tucked away waiting its return, and it’ll be refreshing to know I can pass things on to other families.

Another piece of advice I was given was to pick one space, designate it as the “adult” room, and make adjustments to the other to accommodate my toddler and all her stuff. After a lot of hemming and hawing that helped us realize what we really needed *and* wanted, I decided to actually leave my dining room how it is: as a dining space and casual home office for myself.

But that’s not to say there aren’t things I can do to our current living space to make it less cluttered AND ALSO a more practical play space. Let’s get into it.

Here’s Where We Started

Alright, so the above and below were the set up of the toy situation in both my living and dining areas. What’s wild is I remember taking these photos not even three weeks ago and thinking “I mean, it’s not that bad, is it?” I knew it could use improvement—otherwise what was even the point of writing the post—but I had gone so blind to the toys stacked on top of the toys that it felt normal to me.

I look at it now and my eyes feel uncomfortable. Heavy. Dizzy. Overwhelmed. There are puzzles on top of puzzles, things pushed behind stacks of books, drawers that could barely open because they were stuffed to the brim. I know now that my daughter played in spite of the madness, not because of it.

Someone in the comments recommended bringing this one IKEA Trofast unit down to the living room so they all lived together, and it made me remember that that was always the point, but we couldn’t manage it because we had too much else in the way. The little messy-looking table there used to be a baby activity center that comes apart to become a toddler table. We keep it in the dining room because I feel okay with my daughter using her finger paints, watercolors and acrylics here where there is limited potential for permanent damage (it’s also where she plays with her kinetic sand so it doesn’t get lodged into the carpet). Spoiler: I haven’t yet come up with a solution for where she can do her arts and crafts, but hey…maybe someone here will know what to do!

Where We Are Now

OMG THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER I’M SCREAMING. Two Sundays ago, during my daughter’s nap, I put on my sound cancelling headphones, blasted early 2000s jams, and got to work. I went drawer by drawer, pulling things out. I assessed everything we had, organized them by groupings, then took half (or more) of any given category of things, and put them away in bins I already had in my garage. I also collected all of the toys she was well past the appropriate age for and put them in a bin to save for a potential future child. If that child never comes, then buh bye.

I also took out my label maker and labeled the bins by rough category: things like “balls and cars” and “dress up” and “paint supplies.” There are two bins I couldn’t quite pin down but I’m okay with that for now. I can be flexible, after all (she says, twitching).

All the stuff that was crammed on top basically disappeared with the exception of my daughter’s Tonies (a little music box that plays songs and stories), the scale she loves to throw things in, and some books she grabs regularly.

I also cleared out 2/3 of my IKEA Besta unit under the TV wall for some closed storage. So far, she almost never opens those to play with anything in there, so that might not work for the long haul (unless it’s more of a bank than an in-play storage solution).

Here’s everything I pulled out of her stash and set aside. One of these is going into the garage, and the others are going into her closet to be rotated at the beginning of every month. It’s what we’re calling our “toy library” and my girl was such a champ about it. It’s actually quite cruel to leave these out for her to walk by every day, asking me when she gets to play with the toys in her library haha. But there is a little shift that needs to be done in her bedroom to allow room for these. Hopefully it can be complete in a week or so once I find her a dresser (and move a small, not-so-functional dresser out of her closet).

It’s hard to believe that ALL OF THIS was downstairs in the living room. The living room STILL has too many toys in it, even after taking these away. In an ideal world, I’ll get to a place where we have half what we currently have now, but I’ve gotta start somewhere. Listen, I’m the type of person who brings 14 undies in my suitcase for a 3-day vacation “just in case,” so it’s not easy to just chuck three-quarters of my daughter’s prized possessions. I know the studies about how children focus harder and longer and play better when they have fewer things to play with, so I’ll get there eventually. Give me grace, please. 🙂

Where We’re Going

So, part of the plan for the living space was to make it work better as a play space, which for me meant two things: 1) Make it look more fun by giving it a little refresh, and 2) Swap out the coffee table for something small that could be moved out of the way to create an open play area.

Because our rug has different pile heights, it’s fairly terrible at facilitating things like balls or cars rolling, little toddler chairs being pushed in and out, and even sliding a coffee table around to make room for…anything. Not to mention it’s had three years of constant living with a small child and has dot marker blemishes, embedded kinetic sand and dried Playdoh…it’s a full-on Monet. Looks pretty from afar, but a big old mess up close. I still love the rug and plan on getting it professionally cleaned, and saving it for when we have a larger home one day in need of rugs.

Swapping out the rug kind of inspired me to consider a few style swaps for some other things in the space, mostly to make it feel more “us” now: colorful, playful and happy. Here’s what I’ve come up with, quickly:

Sectional | Rug | Coffee Table | Blue Oak Doors for Besta Unit | Curtain | Quilt | Yellow Bolster | Olive Round Pillow | Flax Linen Pillow | Floral Pillow | Solid Burgundy Pillow

I know I don’t want a rug that will add too much visual clutter because that’s what I’m actively fighting against. I like the idea of a solid color rug, but also like the subtle pattern on this olive and cream grid. My existing white curtains have always been too short for that window (a hold over from my previous home), and were put up one weekend as a “just for now” solution to provide privacy…that has lasted two years. I’ve toyed with a pattern here, as well, but worry that the sheer number of panels needed to cover this three-pane sliding glass door would be A LOT for my senses. A soft steely blue is more up my alley right now.

Oh, and for anyone who remembers my post about updating my IKEA Besta unit, I love the light blue stain of these door fronts, tops and sides from Fronteriors. I believe the color is actually a bit brighter in real life, but it’s so fun and different!

I think a smaller rectangular coffee table would work far better than the two-tiered round one we have now, and I envision taking it and pushing it against the wall where one of the Trofast units is (which I plan on moving upstairs potentially). It could serve as a “desk” for my girl as it’s a good height for her existing chair; this would open up the center of the room for more playing. Then, after bedtime, when it’s adult time, we can easily shift the table back into place to hold our drinks, laptops, casual dinners, etc. I’m not sold on this exact table, as I’d prefer to find something solid wood and second hand, but that’s the gist of what I’d be looking for.

Okay, so now an idea I’m throwing around my brain cells:

Storage Unit: Trofast Storage Combination | Fabric: Siena Stripe Linen, Buff | Trim: Ric Rac Tape Medium

I have some mixed feelings about this. The “design-y” part of me loves trying new things and challenging myself to find solutions to “problems.” But the parent in me doesn’t want to cover my kid’s stuff and make them have to work to play. Will she see this curtain and internalize that her “stuff” is somehow less-than in her own home? “Mama, why are my toys hiding?” I can almost hear her asking me. “Well, baby, mama’s brain can’t handle seeing lots of different things all at once so I put up a fun curtain, just like over the windows! Let’s see what we can find behind them!” Eh, I’m not landing that one.

Anyway, I digress. I’m intrigued by the concept, but the execution is in question. One way around my girl feeling like her toys are in time out is perhaps to not have the curtains up most of the time, but instead, having them on hand to put up (possibly with velcro?) when it’s just adults in the room or I need a mental/visual break from the clutter. I do worry that it’ll all get too fabric heavy, but in real life they wouldn’t have so many folds in them. I grabbed that photo off the internet to use here and I’d create something flatter. This is the same fabric I have on my curtains in my kitchen (from Tonic Living), and I love it. It has such a soft stripe that adds some oomph without being overkill. An unexpected red moment via some ric rac trim could shake things up.

Now, on to my dining room…

While I still have all those bins (a.k.a. the toy library) hanging out on one side, once I make room in my daughter’s closet for the overflow, this space will be mostly an “adult” space. She’s of course welcome to play in here, but when everything is tucked away, this is MINE. What’s interesting when I look back at this photo is how homogenous it feels. In real life, it’s actually much less boring to my eye. It feels peaceful (when I’m not looking at bins of toys and art supplies and paint-smudged toddler tables) and happy, especially when the curtains are open. But I can see that it could really use a rug to ground it. I skipped having a rug here because my then one-year-old used to eat all her meals here before we set up the breakfast nook, and it was such a gross mess on the floor all the time. No rug would have survived it.

But she’s mostly a civil eater now and rarely frequents this table anyway, so it’s time to finally get what I want: a rug.

These are a few I’m looking at:

Left: Danish Floral Flat-Weave Wool Rug | Middle: Pink, Olive and Beige Traditional Vintage Heriz Serapi Wool Rug | Right: Marli Flatweave Wool Rug by Nina Freudenberger

The Danish Floral rug on the left (especially the ochre one) makes my heart sing. I’ve been itching to add in some more folk-y prints somewhere, and I think it plays nicely with the living space. The rug in the middle is one I’ve crushed on for close to five years, but it might be too heavily printed for what I’m after. And this Nina Freudenberger rug from Lulu & Georgia is another I’ve admired for years, though I worry the colors are too muted. I’m not sure yet, but I know anything would be a vast improvement.

I’d also love to recover the lampshades on my sconces, and figure out my curtains because those are a work in progress. In my last post, I talked about maybe swapping the bar for a bookcase, and that’s a possibility, as well, but I’m going little by little and not sure it’s what the room needs, necessarily.

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So that’s where I’ve landed. It’s all a work in progress, but I already feel SO SO SO much better sitting in my living room. I literally feel my soul take a deep sigh of relief when I sit on the couch now and look around. Everyone, including our babysitter, knows where all the toys can be put away thanks to my labeling, and some big bulky things that used to live on the floor or under the coffee table now have room inside the TV cabinet. Things are looking up, people.

Thanks to everyone for all your advice. No, I’m not making any drastic moves here, but this is just a reminder to everyone that it’s not always giant changes that make our homes work and feel better, but the little things. Cleaning out one drawer, decluttering one corner, freshening up your curtains…small shifts that can breathe new life into you, your room, and your life.

Stay tuned on this, and as always, if you have any more advice, please chime in in the comments! Until next time…

OK, I learned a LOT from doing Elliot’s bedroom which really informed the way I designed her best friend’s (and cousin’s bedroom) that you are going to see today. What I didn’t realize (first-time pre-tween mom here) is how much their likes and dislikes will change, like monthly. So with K’s room, I, of course, asked her her current likes and dislikes, colors, etc. but I intentionally left it so that if and when her styles or color preferences change, it wouldn’t be a big expense. And yet this room is actually full of a lot of color and so many high-quality pieces which are all from AllModern. I feel so grateful we got to give her these really special pieces that she will easily grow with. I can’t wait to show you.

The Room Before

The room has a great foundation – pretty white oak (Stuga, Shell) flooring and wood ceiling (Stuga, Drift). There are two large windows, so a ton of natural light, and two big blank walls for the bed and dresser.

Opposite the bed is a daybed with storage and a reach-in closet (that we already wallpapered and revealed for a partnership, HERE). So when AllModern reached out for a series of makeovers this year and my brother expressed that they had NOTHING for K’s room when they moved in, I knew that stylistically it would be perfect (and yes, this 10-year-old is getting really high-quality furniture that she can keep forever).

Without further ado, the reveal! We’ve also made a video tour of the space, which you can view while perusing the rest of the photos. (The player will shrink down into the corner, or, if you’re on your phone, it’ll play above the text!)

A High-Quality Base Layer – I.E. Good, Simple Furniture

Desk Area: Curtains | Flower Strands | Desk | Chair | Mirror | Lamp | Wall Shelf (no longer available) | Blue Tray
Bed Area: Wall Art (unavailable) | Bed | Sheet Set | Shams | Large Lumbar Pillow (custom) | Small Lumbar Pillow | Duvet | Throw Blanket | Bench
Side Table Area: Sconce | Side Table | Vase | Dresser

Now there are a million ways to build a room, of course. For this house and this room, I wanted it to have the same warm minimal vibe as the house -streamlined and organic, but with enough color to make it feel youthful and fun. Here were the functional needs that K requested:

1. Green and Purple – Ok, but we’d do a non-obnoxious, more timeless version of it and not, like a LOT of it.
2. Queen Bed – Great for sleepovers, snuggling with parents, and can double as an extra guest room.
3. A Desk – If they could go back in time they would have turned the nook into a desk (although I hear that teens love the idea of a desk more than they actually use it), but I also got a lot of advice from you that having it double as a vanity would be really functional for them.
4. A Dresser – While they have a reach-in closet, it doesn’t have drawers, and kids aren’t the best at hanging up clothes or stacking their folded clothes.

Because of these needs, the layout of the room and the furniture choices were greatly informed. We’d flank a powerful queen bed with a desk and a small stool (allowing space for the dresser without being too crowded) and achieve a sense of balance with the sconce on the right.

Desk Area: Curtains | Flower Strands | Desk | Chair | Mirror | Lamp | Wall Shelf (no longer available) | Blue Tray
Bed Area: Wall Art (unavailable) | Bed | Duvet | Sheet Set | Shams | Large Lumbar Pillow (custom) | Small Lumbar Pillow | Throw Blanket | Bench
Side Table Area: Sconce | Side Table | Vase | Dresser

So as you can see, while we dismissed symmetry (which I typically love in a bedroom) having it be asymmetrical not only gave them the function that they needed but also made it more playful (less serious). We wanted to get her furniture that she could easily grow with which meant high-quality and timeless — exactly what you’d expect from AllModern. But to make it feel perfect for a 10-year-old we shook up the layout and added a ton of color really which brought in that fun, youthful energy.

Desk Area: Curtains | Flower Strands | Desk | Chair | Mirror | Lamp | Wall Shelf (no longer available) | Blue Tray
Bed Area: Wall Art (unavailable) | Butterflies | Faux Greenery (similar) | Bed | Duvet | Sheet Set | Shams | Large Lumbar Pillow (custom) | Small Lumbar Pillow | Throw Blanket

AllModern’s pieces bring together everything I love about modern design—clean lines, unique details, and amazing quality. That desk, mirror, and sconce are perfect examples: sleek, functional, and anything but boring. The bed is another standout with its soft green boucle upholstery, fully upholstered frame, and solid build.

Wall Art (unavailable) | Butterflies | Faux Greenery (similar) | Bed | Duvet | Sheet Set | Shams | Large Lumbar Pillow (custom) | Small Lumbar Pillow | Throw Blanket

We knew that bedding was a place we could really add some color, so we took this awesome throw with cool very Gen Z colors on it (wait, is she Gen Alpha???) and accessorized with it. The green pillow is from AllModern and the purple and gold stripe behind it we had made (it works with the custom bench pad we made – keep scrolling). We didn’t want any white bedding (y’all, I think the decades of white bedding might be done!) and mixed this darker rose, light mauve, and powder blue. I love the mix so much.

Curtains | Flower Strands | Desk | Chair | Mirror | Lamp | Wall Shelf (no longer available) | Bud Vase | Camera | Blue Tray | Rug

You might be wondering what the art, butterfly, and ivy situation above it is, and I get that. We went BACK AND FORTH asking ourselves “Is this cool or try hard?” and every time we decided that we loved it! The art is a print that they already owned, and I really like it (we actually bought it for the original Portland project), but the white of the print with the white frame just wasn’t enough to “hold the wall”. So by adding faux greenery and whimsical butterflies (so affordable). It draws your eye there, definitely adds some youth, and it was cheap and will be very easy to remove.

Sconce | Side Table | Vase | Table Lamp | Dresser | Rug

On the opposite side of the room is this round side table which I think is the perfect complement to the desk and works so well with the adjacent dresser (a proper nightstand would have been too clunky next to this). This is definitely a case of the “matching set but make it cool” because yes, all the furniture is white oak, but it’s not boring and clearly feels purposefully designed, not just put in a room.

On the other side of the room, we have this awesome dresser, also made out of white oak with push-open drawers (so no hardware needed). It’s gorgeous and so well made. Above it, you have another one of our bulletin board DIYS (this is our third now). We are doing a full post about how we did this one but it’s so huge, fun, and so affordable. It gives 90s “Nickelodeon,” right??? Step by step coming soon 🙂

Table Lamp | Dresser | Blue Tray | Wood Tray (similar) | Clock | Green Pedastal | Bud Vase | Bulletin Board (DIY Coming soon:))

All the colors play off each other so nicely and the zig-zag just gives it so much playfulness and a sense of “now”.

Curtains and Roman Shades | Flower Strands

Curtains and Roman Shades | Flower Strands

For the window treatments, they hired Decorview for the big windows, mostly because they wanted the top-down, bottom-up function (to block the view from the street that could see into her bedroom. You can’t buy them online, it’s a full-service situation and not terribly budget-friendly but certainly high quality and they do allll the hard work. They didn’t want blackout because they wanted to let light in should they want them closed during the day (plus K is one of those unicorns that sleeps til 10 on the weekends, 11 in the summer – TRULY WILD). So we added some additional curtains to frame the windows, but they stay mostly open.

Curtains | Sconce | Bud Vase | Wall Mirror

I’m absolutely obsessed with this shot – it’s just so pretty!!! The arch of the mirror is gorgeous (and you can see it walking down the hallway – so impactful). And I love how I designed the bench cushion – green velvet on top but that same purple and gold stripe on the front. Thanks to Ivan at Alexander Matthews for executing it so perfectly.

Curtains and Roman Shades | Sconces | Bolsters (custom) | White Checkered Pillow (similar) | Green Lumbar Pillow | Pink Checkered Pillow | Cloud Pillow | Purple Checkered Pillow | Bench Cushion (custom) | Bud Vase

Such a dreamy little nook. We had the bolsters made as well. The drum table was in her brother’s room and we just brought it in for the shots to have something in the foreground, but looks pretty cute.

Curtains and Roman Shades | Sconces | Bolsters (custom) | White Checkered Pillow (similar) | Green Lumbar Pillow | Pink Checkered Pillow | Cloud Pillow | Purple Checkered Pillow | Bench Cushion (custom) | Bud Vase

The sconces and ceiling lights are Rejuvenation. I LOVE them – they are graphic and modern, high quality and timeless. And I love the chandelier in here.

Chandelier

We needed multiple bulbs since there are no recessed lights, so this adds a lot of light in a really beautiful way.

Bench

I’m so proud of this room and K LOVES IT. They were out of town while we shot and listen, their kids didn’t ask to be on my social anyway, so no she isn’t here. And if you are wondering where all the “Purple” is, the answer is that our new Mallory rug (which is one of my favorites) got lost by FedEx coming from our shoot at the mountain house. And then we couldn’t get it in time for the shoot, but it’s the most gorgeous color of purple, IMHO, and I’m even considering it for my living room. I think we actually called it “Dark Brown” via Rugs USA, but if you know anyone who wants a very sophisticated purple it’s for you. We are going to reshoot this room with it in the new year (and add some posters for K, which she wants). But The Elliot in Rust is also one of my favorite rugs – just much mauvier and lighter. But still so soft and pretty.

A huge thanks to AllModern for having an excellent selection of furniture, curated for those into more modern design for sure, with pieces that will last forever (think heirloom modern pieces). Sure, there are some more trend-forward pieces (like that bench) that can shake it up and help make a room not feel so safe, but as a whole, I think the room turned out so curated, fun, and easy for her to grow, change, add to and swap out the colors and accessories. Oh, and I was so happy with how fast everything arrived. Fast and free shipping means a lot these days:)

Blank To Beautiful 🙂

Here are all the links to products if you are interested:

All Furniture: Desk, Chair, Bed, Nightstand, Dresser, Bench – All AllModern
Flooring: Stuga ‘Shell’
Ceiling Wood: Stuga ‘Drift’
Paint Color: Alabaster, Sherwin-Williams
Hardwired Lighting and Switchplates: Rejuvenation
Rug: The Elliot in Rust from EHD x RugsUSA
Window Treatments: Decorview
Upholstery: Alexander Matthews

*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 first found this property we reveled in the idea that there were so many outbuildings that I could experiment in, design-wise. But as our renovation of our home continued on and on, I got burnt out – the decision fatigue, the regrets, the financial drain, and the endless contractors onsite left me not wanting to touch the other buildings. These run-down buildings were the reason we wanted this property in the first place, but at times all I saw was stress and responsibility. Then this year, as I was doing my brother’s house, designing his kids’ rooms, spending his money (LOL), and decorating for their wants/needs/family, I got so excited to use some of my design energy towards myself and my kids again. It was a total juxtaposition – the river house project is high-end, heavily partnered up, more neutral, and frankly not mine. But this barn? This was a room where I could get wild and do whatever I wanted. It became what I always intended for the non-living outbuildings – a space for me to experiment creatively and flex a bit. To have fun. A design lab. We did it pretty fast, bare bones, and not necessarily budget-friendly, but the ideas hopefully are relatable and can spark some inspiration for you.

The Barn – BEFORE

As a reminder, this had wood walls, no insulation, electricity that didn’t work, and wood floors. It was pretty filthy, had graffiti on the outside, and was full of spiders. But last summer we brought in a table and some art supplies you can see above and gave it a good cleaning so the kids could hang out in there with their friends (which they did).

But it was dark, gross, and cold. So in May, we hired JP (Sierra Custom Construction) to take it next level. We would do the bare minimum (no water or HVAC). We added basic electrical (outlets and two pendants), a little cadet heater, one bigger window, insulation, and clad the walls in pine. It was ready to go by mid-June when the kids were out of school and they spent hours out here this summer before it was fully finished. But now it is, and it’s time to show you. IF this is the first time here you can catch up on the process:

1. The plan for the art barn
2. How we stained a diamond pattern on the floor
3. How we upholstered vintage quilts for the cushions and stools

The Art Table/Banquette

Benches | Cushions (custom) | Table | Stools (custom) | Vase | Floor Lamp

I laid it out to be as open as possible and to create two different zones (art/crafting and hang area). I wanted at least 6 kids to be able to sit around a table to work on projects so the only real way to maximize the space was to shove it at the end the way we have it. I found two sets of these L benches on Wayfair and while they added up, they fit almost perfectly. I loved that they had storage and were in pine so they just went away and matched the walls.

We reupholstered all the stools, bench seats, and back cushions in vintage quilts that I have been hoarding/collecting for years (read the post about it here). The tulip table was really the only one in existence that fit – we needed a pedestal as not to have to try to shimmy around a bunch of legs. We needed an oval to better navigate around the built-in and there were so many that were smaller or too big, but this one (from AllModern) was EXACTLY what I wanted. I also love the juxtaposition of the rustic pine with a mid-century Saarinen-style white tulip table. It fits PERFECTLY.

Here’s a video tour if you want to get a better sense of the space (just wait for the ad to play)…

Sconce

The light fixtures were both on the splurgier side – but perfect for the space. The white metal vintage farm pendants were purchased from Aurora Mills and the big red arch sconce from a lighting maker in Finland (that I found via 1stDibs). We intentionally placed the pendants to be centered in the room, left to right and lengthwise. I figured that for the longevity of the room that would make the most sense (instead of centering one at the end over the table just in case the whole function of the room changed). But I wanted a cool fixture over the table to draw your eye there (and provide light) so I spent HOURS on the internet looking for an arch sconce like this that could land in the center of the table. This was the only one 🙂 It’s pretty perfect (and splurgy… and came with the original Dutch wiring, despite me reminding them that I’m in America, so… I’m going to likely put a rechargeable bulb in it – yes, a huge emoji face slap on that one).

The benches have a ton of storage (and are FULL of fabric, paper, air dry clay – all our kid’s favorite stuff). Then I bought and put together that rolling pine storage drawer thing.

Wood Drawer Cart | Pine Shelf (similar) | Mason Jars | Wood Tray

Above it, I screwed to the wall a pine shelf with jars of pom poms and popsicle sticks, etc.

The kids are allowed to do any art project in here except slime (y’all I HATE SLIME) and if there are young kids (siblings of their friends) they can’t paint. Since our kids are 9 and 11 I feel ok with them doing watercolor and acrylic paints if we cover the table (or if it’s just Elliot, Charlie and I, we are just careful to clean up immediately). In a perfect world I let them do whatever they want for hours and not check on them, but I went ahead and designed this room to be so beautiful that I don’t want it to be trashed with paint. Besides, we are tackling the garage this coming year that will have a larger “shop” for all the super messy stuff. So this is for sewing, crafting, airdry clay, drawing, watercolor, decoupage, glue gunning anything, making charms or jewelry.

One of the best and weirdest perks is that our alpaca and pig pets come and visit all the time. Bert (above) will watch Birdie and I work on projects and we open the window and talk to them (and take a whiff of the pasture, lol). It’s HILARIOUS and terrifying if you aren’t prepped for it.

The Art Wall

I had the original intent to keep this room really simple EXCEPT the floor and quilts. Those were going to be my big moments, but I have so much incredible art that my kids have done or that I’ve collected over time that felt so appropriate to be in here. So I ended up turning a huge frame into a corkboard, and then I just kept going. Having pine walls iss THE BEST because I felt no guilt about nailing them up.

“Work Hard & Be Nice To People” Print | “Start With Yes” Print (unavailable) | Oversized Paint Brush

I’ve had the “Work Hard & Be Nice To People” forever (and is pretty much our family motto), and the “Start With Yes” which I love. But the new GIVE poster is a 100-year-old Red Cross antique poster from WWII. I found it in Oregon City at an antique mall and thought about it for months before I went back to buy it (it was $100 so not cheap). I love it as it is a reminder to me and the kids to, in fact, GIVE. It’s such a simple and powerful sentiment – just GIVE. Physically, financially, and through emotional support. I love it. The huge paintbrush was done by local artist Purl (who also made our coffee table and our huge pencil).

The bulletin board is full of art the kids have done (they have taken an after-school watercolor class for two years now). Elliot painted the portrait of Oscar and Buttercup when she was 5 (under the coaching of our nanny/incredible artist during Covid – shout out to Eel Costello). It’s one of my favorite things ever. The blue sun-prints on the right were also done with Eel – she did such incredible art with them during lockdown and I’m so grateful to have these pieces.

Along the top of the bulletin board are all the airdry clay creatures that my kids and their friends did this summer (Hey Clay, is our absolute favorite – it’s more expensive but it’s not sticky and just the best).

Floor Lamp | Sectional | Blanket | Bolster Pillow | White Pillow | Striped Pillow | Coffee Table (unavailable)

On the other side of the room, I hunted and hunted until I found the perfect hang time small-scale sectional (from AllModern). This came with an ottoman that I knew we couldn’t fit (so it’s in storage right now) but the scale, the size, the large corduroy fabric, the vibe (simple, 70s), and the comfort are ON POINT. It’s streamlined but so comfortable. Charlie and his friends all crowd on this and listen to Imagine Dragons and talk about how they wish they were playing Fortnight, LOL. I MIGHT even one day put a projector in here for movie nights, but for now it’s a great place for hanging, talking, and listening to music (and zero screens allowed in here). I bought that vintage IKEA table on FBMP a few years ago for $10 and it’s perfect because I don’t really care about it, but provides a place for snacks and overflow crafts (and works perfectly in the design).

I hung that vintage painting in the corner but I think it’s a bit big (and I really want to reframe it and hang it in my stairwell inside). But the colors work so well in here.

Elliot had a playdate the day that we were shooting so I asked the moms if they minded them being in the shoot and they didn’t. The girls were THRILLED to make charm keychains. TBH they spend more time in here than in the house which is what I wanted – them to have independence, free reign, and no parental supervision but in a really safe and creative environment (and out of earshot of me).

And for now, they even don’t mind if I hang out with them (TBH 9-year-old girls are awesome – so chatty, so fun, on the brink of being tweens but still such innocence).

Well, I hope you enjoyed this makeover. I really, really did. I needed an excuse to have some fun with unlimited creative freedom. I feel extremely grateful and lucky to be able to do this for my job and even luckier to have this extra space for our kids and me to be inspired in.

I look very satisfied up there, y’all. Probably because I am. This room reminded me of how much I love employing heavy doses of vintage and color, in a way that feels totally me (Scandinavian + mid-century + casual farm). Every project teaches me a lesson – some really painful. But the lesson in this one was to have more fun. Use more color. Take more risks. Easier to do that in a room that you don’t use all day every day (like a kitchen). Some risks can date spaces, or some risks don’t work and end up being a regret. It’s hard to know what will work (it does get more accurate with experience). However, I never felt nervous about this project. Zero stress. NONE. I love wood. I love white checkerboard floors with borders. I love vintage quilts and midcentury lines. I wish I could approach and execute all projects with this level of confidence and with this little fear. I wish I could feel this happy afterward:) Now… I can’t WAIT to show you the mural on the outside (I’m writing that post right now!). I might just move in:)

*Design by Emily Henderson (me!)
**Photos by Kaitlin Green
***Upholstery by ADF Upholstery
****JP Macy of Sierra Custom Construction

This project has been a huge dose of serotonin to me – I get the same burst of excitement seeing these photos as my kids do eating their Sunday sundaes. It feels chemical, truly. Over the years I’ve shown many hoarding tendencies – you don’t become a stylist without an extreme love of “stuff”. Vintage quilts have always been something that I’ve let myself buy even if “I didn’t need it” (vintage fabric is generally on that list, TBH). I grew up quilting in 4-H so I know the labor, love, and time that goes into all quilts and it’s just hard for me to let them stay at a thrift store, sad, discarded, and unloved in their current life. So for this project, I took all my quilt collection from thrift stores, Etsy, and flea markets (some splurgy, some pennies) and had this fantasy of reupholstering all the benches, back cushions, and mushroom stools in this craft shed (Formerly called the art barn). It might be one of my favorite things I’ve ever done in my life. If you remember me for one thing, let this totally unnecessary (but already SO USED) fantasy room be it 🙂

I started by laying them all out – I wanted to triple-check that I was going to love this vibe (and that it would be worth the quilt sacrifice and the financial investment of the upholstery). Once laid out, I was giddy with excitement. Freaking out even. Elliot came in and squealed. Even Brian knew it. Of course, I realized that I needed much more than I had (especially if I wanted to do it on both top and bottom thus making them reversible). I then went on Etsy and bought more that were just quilt toppers (more affordable AND easier to upholster).

I had a real mix of patterns, styles, and colors (more than what is above). Some were just quilt toppers (that I hoarded to turn into curtains, I think?), others that were more 80s design (square with yarn knots, thick padding), some postage stamp (tiny squares), some Irish chains, some larger flowers and stars, etc. As I collect, I usually buy based on pattern and color, but honestly, I am such a quilt enthusiast that I would also buy any that were really affordable at thrift stores even if I didn’t love the color because I knew I could dye them. Since this was going to be for a kids’ craft space (and our flex space for work and shoots) I also wanted them to be relatively stain and dirt-friendly – so I put the ones with more negative space as the backs and for the seat we intentionally did one side in a less precious quilt so that it could be flipped to be more kid-friendly if needed.

As a reminder, the space was a dingy barn that we clad in pine (added insulation and some basic electrical) and I found these built-in benches from Wayfair (the almost perfect size!) to create a built-in banquet. The black and metal stuff on the wall will make sense a bit later 🙂

Not Exactly A DIY – I Hired Out!

There was no way I could do this myself and honestly, this is one of those opportunities I knew I could take to support local artist businesses as well as give them some awesome photos. I already knew who I would hire for this – Anne, from ADF Upholstery. She did our first quilted mushroom stool and has a dope booth at Urbanite. She’s a french woman who has such an artful eye and I frankly wanted that eye on my project 🙂 Anne is a real textile artist, and I knew that she could help me execute this in a way that would be better than me doing it by myself (and yes, I pay full price – a privilege I am grateful to be able to do at this point in my life). Anne came over and we laid them all out, she took notes on where everything was to go, helped troubleshoot the size of the back cushions, and then left with everything. It was a real investment and I felt in really good hands with Anne (and highly recommend her specifically for more design-oriented upholstery jobs – i.e. not your run-of-the-mill ottomans, although I’m sure she’d be great at that, too:)).

A few weeks later she came by and installed them. We designed the back to sit on french cleats (and still allow access to the outlets which we planned specifically to be above the benches so we could use the sewing machine, glue guns, and 3D printer easily. This kind of back cushion is great design-wise, but if this were for a dining bench know that it kinda pushes you out a bit (i.e. not that ergonomic) and therefore you’d want a deeper bench. We knew this but for our purposes, we wanted this look (and again, we wanted easy access to the outlets, which we use all the time). I think a squared-off version of this might be ultimately more practical for comfort for a dining bench, but again, for crafting we LOVE it.

See Them In Action

I’m truly obsessed with how it came out. The ONLY thing I would have done differently is put a more visually heavy quilt on the back wall – something with more punch. I specifically chose that white and green one there because I wanted the green to balance out the green sectional that is on the opposite wall, but I think a punchier color would have pulled the eye back there more. Literally nobody that comes in understands why I have this slight regret and if I were a normal person I wouldn’t even call it out, but that’s not how I roll. Let me be clear, I love it so much that I don’t really care.

We really mixed them up. We put our more favorites up the front and the ones I liked the least along the back cushion (although I really did like them all so win-win).

I originally bought the flower quilt topper ($15 at a thrift store) to put on each top of the mushroom stools, but we ended up keeping it as a cushion cover instead.

How sweet are all of these stools? ADF makes these mushroom stools (you can choose to swivel them or not). She specializes in upholstering with quilts (most upholsterers would look at you like you were a bit nuts if you dropped off 15 quilts and asked them to do this). I love all four of those patterns so much for different reasons – the postage stamp has so much energy and so many patterns – all hand-stitched!! The denim one with the triangles is me if I were a quilt. The Irish chain is so classic – I can’t pass one up if/when I find them. And the larger square one is out of men’s shirts, feels very 80s, and was so soft – it reminded me most of the quilts I made when I was little, with the quilting at the edge of each square.

The back cushions are hung on a cleat and the black tape-looking things you saw above was velcro that Anne added I think so they would hang more flat and stay put.

I’m SO excited to show you the finished room (coming soon, next week I think). A huge thanks to Anne of ADF Upholstery for making my quilting dreams come true. It feels more like an art installation and this is exactly what I wanted for an inspiriting art/craft space for our family. Every time I walk in (which is very often – Elliot has claimed this room with her friends as their space) I feel so proud and giddy. The walls are so calm and then your eye just dances around the quilts, delighted by the mix of colors and patterns. I hope you like it 🙂

*Photos by Kaitlin Green